The First Lady of Dirt

Bill Poehler

doi:10.5771/9781538184066

Summary

The incredible, little-known story of the first successful Black woman in the sport of auto racing in the United States.

Early in her career, Cheryl Glass looked like a lock to become the first Black woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500. From racing quarter midget cars at ten years old to Indy Lights in her twenties, Cheryl was on her way towards a winning career in auto racing.

In The First Lady of Dirt: The Triumphs and Tragedy of Racing Pioneer Cheryl Glass, Bill Poehler tells Cheryl’s full story for the first time. He recounts how Cheryl rapidly became the first successful Black woman in the sport, yet frequently encountered racist and sexist taunts from other drivers and fans throughout her career. While appearing to have it all—talent, ambition, looks—she faced many challenges on and off the track and her life soon spun out of control.

Featuring exclusive interviews with Cheryl’s mother, friends, and competitors, The First Lady of Dirt takes you behind the scenes and in the driver’s seat of Cheryl’s life. Poehler, an amateur racer himself, places the reader at the track, smelling the dirt and fumes, hearing the roaring engines and crashing metal, and feeling Cheryl’s joy and pain. It’s the inspiring story of a racing pioneer and a tragic tale of the pressures that are often hidden from public view until it’s too late.

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Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2024
ISBN-Print: 978-1-5381-8405-9
ISBN-Online: 978-1-5381-8406-6
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 234
Product type: Book Titles

1. Contents No access
Introduction. Skagit Speedway: 11:30 p.m., August 30, 1980 No access Pages 1 - 4
1. Raised to Excel: 1961 to 1970 No access Pages 5 - 16
2. Finding Her Calling in a Small Arena: 1971 to 1979 No access Pages 17 - 30
3. Becoming a National Star at the Local Level: January to August 1980 No access Pages 31 - 50
4. The Biggest Night of Cheryl’s Life: August 30, 1980 No access Pages 51 - 64
5. From the Backwoods to the Big Time: September 1980 to February 1981 No access Pages 65 - 84
6. A Humbling Return Home: March 1981 to December 1981 No access Pages 85 - 92
7. A Shot at the National Spotlight: 1982 No access Pages 93 - 102
8. The Wedding of the Year: 1983 No access Pages 103 - 112
9. Racing in the Big Time Isn’t as Easy as It Looks: 1984 to 1985 No access Pages 113 - 126
10. Sponsor Dollars Can’t Buy a Clean Bill of Health: 1986 to 1989 No access Pages 127 - 140
11. A Comeback Turns into a Nightmare: 1990 to 1991 No access Pages 141 - 156
12. Dreams Come Crashing Down: 1991 to 1992 No access Pages 157 - 164
13. Repeated Run-ins with the Police Exacerbate Her Mental Illness: 1993 to 1994 No access Pages 165 - 174
14. Home Becomes a Battleground: 1993 to 1996 No access Pages 175 - 184
15. A Descent into Despair: 1996 to 1997 No access Pages 185 - 196
Afterword. Who Was Cheryl Glass? No access Pages 197 - 200
Acknowledgments No access Pages 201 - 202
Notes No access Pages 203 - 216
Bibliography No access Pages 217 - 224
Index No access Pages 225 - 232
About the Author No access Pages 233 - 234