The First Lady of Dirt

Bill Poehler

doi:10.5771/9781538184066

The First Lady of Dirt

The Triumphs and Tragedy of Racing Pioneer Cheryl Glass

1. Edition 2024

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doi.org/10.5771/9781538184066
ISBN print: 978-1-5381-8405-9
ISBN online: 978-1-5381-8406-6
Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham

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Abstract

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.

Schlagworte

motorsports motorsports biography race car race car drivers racing racing biography social justice sports biography women drivers women in sports women racers African American biography African American studies Black race car drivers Black women in sports Can-Am series Cheryl Glass Cheryl Linn Glass Indianapolis 500 Indy cars Skagit Speedway USAC Silver Crown auto racing first woman driver groundbreaking women in sports automobile racing car racing

Chapter Expand | CollapsePage
i–vi Preface i–vi
- Contents
1–4 Introduction. Skagit Speedway: 11:30 p.m., August 30, 1980 1–4
5–16 1. Raised to Excel: 1961 to 1970 5–16
17–30 2. Finding Her Calling in a Small Arena: 1971 to 1979 17–30
31–50 3. Becoming a National Star at the Local Level: January to August 1980 31–50
51–64 4. The Biggest Night of Cheryl’s Life: August 30, 1980 51–64
65–84 5. From the Backwoods to the Big Time: September 1980 to February 1981 65–84
85–92 6. A Humbling Return Home: March 1981 to December 1981 85–92
93–102 7. A Shot at the National Spotlight: 1982 93–102
103–112 8. The Wedding of the Year: 1983 103–112
113–126 9. Racing in the Big Time Isn’t as Easy as It Looks: 1984 to 1985 113–126
127–140 10. Sponsor Dollars Can’t Buy a Clean Bill of Health: 1986 to 1989 127–140
141–156 11. A Comeback Turns into a Nightmare: 1990 to 1991 141–156
157–164 12. Dreams Come Crashing Down: 1991 to 1992 157–164
165–174 13. Repeated Run-ins with the Police Exacerbate Her Mental Illness: 1993 to 1994 165–174
175–184 14. Home Becomes a Battleground: 1993 to 1996 175–184
185–196 15. A Descent into Despair: 1996 to 1997 185–196
197–200 Afterword. Who Was Cheryl Glass? 197–200
201–202 Acknowledgments 201–202
203–216 Notes 203–216
217–224 Bibliography 217–224
225–232 Index 225–232
233–234 About the Author 233–234

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