Stay ConnectedFrom race fixing attempts to kidnappings, the backbone of motorsport is built on scandal, intrigue, danger, and deception.
Rev your engines and dive into the heart-pounding world of motorsport with Elizabeth Blackstock’s captivating new podcast, Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys. Join us on an adrenaline-fueled journey through the scandalous, the intriguing, and the perilous tales that define this high-octane universe.
Copyright: © Elizabeth Blackstock
We all know motorsport is dangerous, but for many years, one profession was more dangerous than the rest: Riding mechanics. These men were effectively passengers tasked with making repairs on the fly, keeping an eye on traffic, and even feeding the drivers. Unfortunately, riding mechanics had very little protection, making them especially prone to brutal injuries and deaths in big events like the Indianapolis 500. This is the history of that short-lived — and often fatal — role.
To find out more about Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys:
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Please give DPTJ's new sponsor, Homefield Apparel, a warm welcome by subscribing for updates and checking out all FOUR new motorsport-themed clothing launches this year. Don't forget to use code DPTJ15 for 15% off your first order!
https://www.homefieldapparel.com/
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Instagram: @elizablackstock
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Episode Bibliography:
The Last Lap: The Mysterious Demise of Pete Kreis at the Indy 500 by William Walker
Blood and Smoke: A True Tale of Mystery, Mayhem, and the Birth of the Indianapolis 500 by Charles Leerhsen
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In 1907, one Paris newspaper challenged drivers and automakers to a seemingly impossible challenge: Be the first car to race from Peking, China to Paris, France. Five different teams took on the 8,000-mile adventure across brutal terrain, including the Gobi Desert and the Ural Mountains. This week on DPTJ, we're delving into the scandals, lies, cheats, and near-death experiences that comprised this race — and we're also talking to Kassia St. Clair, author of "The Race to the Future: 8,000 Miles to Paris - The Adventure That Accelerated the Twentieth Century," a new book that demolishes the Peking-to-Paris myths of the past!
To find out more about Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys:
https://linktr.ee/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Please give DPTJ's new sponsor, Homefield Apparel, a warm welcome by subscribing for updates and checking out all FOUR new motorsport-themed clothing launches this year. Don't forget to use code DPTJ15 for 15% off your first order!
https://www.homefieldapparel.com/
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Instagram: @elizablackstock
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Twitter/X: @eliz_blackstock
Follow DPTJ on Instagram: @deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Follow DPTJ on Twitter/X: @terriblejoy_pod
Order Racing with Rich Energy: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/racing-with-rich-energy/
Follow Grand Prix Gastronomy: https://grandprixgastronomy.substack.com/
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Episode Bibliography:
The Race to the Future: 8,000 Miles to Paris - The Adventure That Accelerated the Twentieth Century by Kassia St. Clair
https://www.amazon.com/Race-Future-Paris_The-Adventure-Accelerated/dp/1324094915
The Indianapolis 500 is a race that stands alone, outside the pantheon of championship-directed open-wheel racing in America — and it's one of the most coveted events for a sanctioning body to organize. In 1996, the Indy car realm had blown to pieces over access to the iconic event, and dissatisfied teams attempted to set up their own version of the 500. This is the story of the short-lived rivalry between the Indianapolis 500 and the U.S. 500.
To find out more about Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys:
https://linktr.ee/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Please give DPTJ's new sponsor, Homefield Apparel, a warm welcome by subscribing for updates and checking out all FOUR new motorsport-themed clothing launches this year. Don't forget to use code DPTJ15 for 15% off your first order!
https://www.homefieldapparel.com/
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Instagram: @elizablackstock
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Twitter/X: @eliz_blackstock
Follow DPTJ on Instagram: @deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Follow DPTJ on Twitter/X: @terriblejoy_pod
Order Racing with Rich Energy: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/racing-with-rich-energy/
Follow Grand Prix Gastronomy: https://grandprixgastronomy.substack.com/
Grab some merch on Redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/eablackstock/shop?asc=u
Episode Bibliography:
Indy Split: The Big-Money Battle That Nearly Destroyed Indy Racing by John Oreovicz
The IndyCar Wars: The 30-Year Fight for Control of American Open-Wheel Racing by Sigur E. Whitaker
Blood and Smoke: A True Tale of Mystery, Mayhem, and the Birth of the Indy 500 by Charles Leerhsen
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/138159883/
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/us-scene/indycar/remembering-the-split-that-nearly-sunk-indycar-racing/
Sanctioning bodies don't just set the rules for a race series — they also determine the culture and ideologies of the series they represent. In post-war America, the two biggest sanctioning bodies of sports car racing were the SCCA and the AAA Contest Board, and they both had very distinct ideas about what should constitute a series. One faction was determined to embrace an international focus; the other wanted to keep racing strictly regional and strictly amateur. The battle between them almost KILLED motorsport in America.
To find out more about Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys:
https://linktr.ee/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Please give DPTJ's new sponsor, Homefield Apparel, a warm welcome by subscribing for updates and checking out all FOUR new motorsport-themed clothing launches this year. Don't forget to use code DPTJ15 for 15% off your first order!
https://www.homefieldapparel.com/
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Instagram: @elizablackstock
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Twitter/X: @eliz_blackstock
Follow DPTJ on Instagram: @deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Follow DPTJ on Twitter/X: @terriblejoy_pod
Order Racing with Rich Energy: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/racing-with-rich-energy/
Follow Grand Prix Gastronomy: https://grandprixgastronomy.substack.com/
Grab some merch on Redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/eablackstock/shop?asc=u
Episode Bibliography:
Watkins Glen, The Street Years 1948-1952: Glory, Drama, and the Birth of American Road Racing by Philippe Defechereaux
https://www.scca.com/articles/2000732-sportscar-feature-game-changer
https://www.historicracing.com/driverDetail.cfm?driverID=5106
https://openpaddock.net/2014/01/13/indycar-how-did-we-get-here-pt-1-when-did-we-start/
Cheryl Glass is a name that every motorsport fan should have known. For years, any time she showed up to a race track, she was the first Black woman to have competed there. She carved a path of broken records through the Washington state area before spreading her wings to take on challenges all across America. She should have been a star.
Instead, her chances to race became fewer and farther between. She got married and divorced. She tried some new cars and failed. She reported that her home was burglarized, and that she was raped. On July 15, 1997, Cheryl Glass' body was found beneath the Aurora Bridge in Seattle. The cause of death was ruled a suicide. But what really happened to Cheryl Glass?
To find out more about Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys:
https://linktr.ee/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Please give DPTJ's new sponsor, Homefield Apparel, a warm welcome by subscribing for updates and checking out all FOUR new motorsport-themed clothing launches this year. Don't forget to use code DPTJ15 for 15% off your first order!
https://www.homefieldapparel.com/
Episode Bibliography:
The First Lady of Dirt: The Triumphs and Tragedy of Racing Pioneer Cheryl Glass by Bill Poehler
https://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/a10307202/the-life-and-death-of-cheryl-glass/
https://jalopnik.com/the-motorsport-world-owes-cheryl-linn-glass-the-first-1848166884
https://www.newspapers.com/image/335215637/?terms=%22cheryl%20glass%22&match=1
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Mario Andretti is, without a doubt, the finest motorsport legend that America has ever produced — but his 1978 Formula 1 World Championship was won under tragic circumstances: His teammate, Ronnie Peterson, was killed at the Italian Grand Prix. Peterson was Andretti's biggest challenger for the title. Without that competition, Andretti took the win.
Today on "Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys," we're speaking with Mario Andretti himself in order to better understand just what an emotional challenge that 1978 season was for him.
To find out more about Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys: https://linktr.ee/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Please give DPTJ's new sponsor, Homefield Apparel, a warm welcome by subscribing for updates and checking out all FOUR new motorsport-themed clothing launches this year. Don't forget to use code DPTJ15 for 15% off your first order!
https://www.homefieldapparel.com/
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Instagram: @elizablackstock
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Twitter/X: @eliz_blackstock
Follow DPTJ on Instagram: @deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Follow DPTJ on Twitter/X: @terriblejoy_pod
Order Racing with Rich Energy: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/racing-with-rich-energy/
Follow Grand Prix Gastronomy: https://grandprixgastronomy.substack.com/
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Episode Bibliography:
Mario Andretti: World Champion by Nigel Roebuck (Thank you to my wonderful friend Zoe for sending along the relevant sections I asked for!)
Ronnie Peterson: Superswede by Alan Henry
Colin Chapman: The Man and His Cars by Gerard Crombac
My Greatest Defeat: Stories of Hardship and Hope from Motor Racing's Finest Heroes by Will Buxton
Life at the Limit: Triumph and Tragedy in Formula One by Sid Watkins.
https://www.indianapolismonthly.com/arts-and-culture/sports/the-wrecked-rebuilt-life-of-aldo-andretti
In 1961, Formula 1 crowned its first-ever American World Driver Champion. Californian Phil Hill — a driver whose ulcer-ridden body should have prevented him from racing at the top levels of motorsport — never quite seemed like the prototypical race car driver. But if an American earned the highest honor in motorsport within the first 11 years of F1's existence, why don't we better remember and celebrate Phil Hill?
The answer lies in the title-deciding 1961 Monza Grand Prix, a tragic, deadly race that immediately overshadowed Hill's greatest success.
This is the first of a two-part series focusing on the tragedies of F1's American World Champions.
To find out more about Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys: https://linktr.ee/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Please give DPTJ's new sponsor, Homefield Apparel, a warm welcome by subscribing for updates and checking out all FOUR new motorsport-themed clothing launches this year. Don't forget to use code DPTJ15 for 15% off your first order!
https://www.homefieldapparel.com/
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Instagram: @elizablackstock
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Twitter/X: @eliz_blackstock
Order Racing with Rich Energy: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/racing-with-rich-energy/
Follow Grand Prix Gastronomy: https://grandprixgastronomy.substack.com/
Grab some merch on Redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/eablackstock/shop?asc=u
Episode Bibliography:
The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit by Michael Cannon
Phil Hill: A Driving Life by Phil Hill
Monza: A Glorious History by Paolo Montagna
The American Legacy in Formula 1
https://www.racingsportscars.com/results/Carrera_Panamericana-1952-11-23.html
https://www.automotivehalloffame.org/honoree/phil-hill/
https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/who-was-phil-hill-the-legend-who-shunned-the-spotlight-58307
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-1961/44/xxxii-italian-grand-prix/
The 1952 Watkins Glen Grand Prix should have been yet another leap toward solidifying road racing's popularity in the United States — but instead, the death of one seven-year-old-boy in a crash brought American motorsport to its knees. This is the story of Frankie Fazzary, the young boy whose death changed the tides of racing and created the automotive world we know today. This is a story that has, tragically, been forgotten.
To find out more about Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys: https://linktr.ee/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Please give DPTJ's new sponsor, Homefield Apparel, a warm welcome by subscribing for updates and checking out all FOUR new motorsport-themed clothing launches this year. Don't forget to use code DPTJ15 for 15% off your first order!
https://www.homefieldapparel.com/
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Instagram: @elizablackstock
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Twitter/X: @eliz_blackstock
Order Racing with Rich Energy: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/racing-with-rich-energy/
Follow Grand Prix Gastronomy: https://grandprixgastronomy.substack.com/
Grab some merch on Redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/eablackstock/shop?asc=u
Episode Bibliography:
Watkins Glen, the Street Years 1948-1952: Glory, Drama, and the Birth of American Road Racing by Philippe Defechereaux
Watkins Glen: From Griswold to Gordon, Fifty Years of Competition at the Home of American Road Racing by J.J. O'Malley and Bill Green
Watkins Glen Racing: Images of Sport by Kirk W. House and Charles R. Mitchell
https://www.newspapers.com/image/279393633/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/279589937/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/276687494/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95370544/Frank-%E2%80%9CFrankie%E2%80%9D-Fazzari
In 1933, FIVE racers got together to fix the Tripoli Grand Prix, an African race run with a lottery system that would award three lucky fans with millions of dollars if their driver won the race. Those drivers selected one man to win the race and scoop up the prize money to be shared amongst the group in a ridiculous race that saw one uninvolved driver die so that the conspirators could make millions.
Except… none of that actually happened. Today on "Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys," we're setting the record straight and breaking down an almost century-old myth.
To find out more about Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys: https://linktr.ee/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Please give DPTJ's new sponsor, Homefield Apparel, a warm welcome by subscribing for updates and checking out all FOUR new motorsport-themed clothing launches this year:
https://www.homefieldapparel.com/
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Instagram: @elizablackstock
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Twitter/X: @eliz_blackstock
Order Racing with Rich Energy: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/racing-with-rich-energy/
Follow Grand Prix Gastronomy: https://grandprixgastronomy.substack.com/
Grab some merch on Redbubble: https://www.redbubble.com/people/eablackstock/shop?asc=u
Episode Bibliography:
"Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races" by Brock Yates
"Enzo Ferrari: Power, Politics, and the Making of an Automotive Empire" by Luca dal Monte
"Nuvolari" by Giovanni Lurani
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/july-2012/140/the-tangled-tale-of-tripoli/
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1934/18/tripoli-grand-prixwon-at-116mph/
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/march-1978/58/tripoli-dip-past/
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/january-2000/73/swindle/
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/september-1969/36/the-lottery-grand-prix/
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/july-1933/5/the-late-sir-henry-birkin/
https://sportscardigest.com/1933-tripoli-grand-prix/
https://atlasf1.autosport.com/2001/bri/capps.html
https://simanaitissays.com/2014/04/11/tripoli-tangles-1933/
https://petrolblog.com/articles/an-ill-informed-history-of-the-tripoli-grand-prix
With five World Driver Championships to his name, Juan Manuel Fangio is an icon of Formula 1 and motorsport as a whole — but in 1958, he also turned the tides of global politics. Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship had ravaged Cuba, but in 1958, the right-wing leader decided to stage a non-championship Formula 1 race to draw in the crowds. That plan was turned on its head when Fangio was kidnapped by a group of young revolutionaries — and it was that very kidnapping that helped lead to a full-on overhaul of the Cuban government.
To find out more about Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys: https://linktr.ee/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deadlypassionsterriblejoys
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Instagram: @elizablackstock
Follow Elizabeth Blackstock on Twitter/X: @eliz_blackstock
Order Racing with Rich Energy: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/racing-with-rich-energy/
Follow Grand Prix Gastronomy: https://grandprixgastronomy.substack.com/
Episode Bibliography:
Fangio: The Life Behind the Legend by Gerald Donaldson
Driven to Crime: True Stories of Wrongdoing in Motor Racing by Crispian Besley
The International Grand Prix Book of Motor Racing by Michael Frewin
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/march-2023/7/when-fangio-was-kidnapped-in-cuba/
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