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Blood and Smoke: a True Tale of Mystery, Mayhem, and the Birth of the Indy 500
One hundred years ago, 40cars lined up for the firstIndianapolis 500. We are still waiting to find out who won. The Indy 500 was created to showcase the controversial new sport of automobile racing, which was sweeping the country. Daring young men were driving automobiles at the astonishing speed of 75 miles per hour, testing themselves and their vehicles. It was indeed a young man’s with no seat belts, hard helmets or roll bars, the dangers were enormous. When the Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909, seven people were killed, some of them spectators. Oil-slicked surfaces, clouds of smoke, exploding tires, and flying grit all made driving extremely hazardous, especially with the open-cockpit, windshield-less vehicles. Most drivers rode with a mechanic, who pumped oil manually while watching for cars attempting to pass. Drivers sometimes threw wrenches or bolts at each other during the race in order to gain an advantage. The night before an event, the racers would take up a collection for the next day’s new widows. Bookmakers offered bets not only on who might win but who might survive. Not all the participants in that first Indy 500 lived to see the checkered flag. Although the 1911 Indy 500 judges declared Ray Harroun, driving a Marmon Wasp, the official winner, there is reason to doubt that result. The timekeeping equipment failed, and the judges had to run for their lives when a driver lost control and his car spun wildly toward their stand. It took officials two days to determine the results, and Speedway authorities ordered the records to be destroyed. But Blood and Smoke is about more than a race, even a race as fabled as the Indianapolis 500. It is the story of America at the dawn of the automobile age, 29.99 a country in love with speed, danger, and spectacle. It is a story, too, about the young men who would risk their lives for money and glory, the sportsmen whose antics would thrill and outrage Americans in those long-ago days when the automobile was still brand new.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 10, 2013
A Total Joy
Full disclosure: I am a huge fan of the Indy 500. I have been to every 500 since 1986 and I live within earshot of the track. I have whiled away many a day at the track watching qualifications, practice or just going through the gift shop during the winter when the track is silent.
Charles Leerhsen's recounting of the first few years of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an interesting, fun and controversial book.
What is interesting?
Leerhsen tells the story of early 1900s Indianapolis, the beginnings of America's automobile culture, auto racing and the construction of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a nearly seamless manner so that it all becomes one large story. It is a story of inspired (crazy?) businessmen, a fascination with what is "modern", and a growing fascination with cars in a time when life was comparatively cheap (auto racing was extremely dangerous for drivers and spectators).
What is fun?
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/...
Full disclosure: I am a huge fan of the Indy 500. I have been to every 500 since 1986 and I live within earshot of the track. I have whiled away many a day at the track watching qualifications, practice or just going through the gift shop during the winter when the track is silent.
Charles Leerhsen's recounting of the first few years of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an interesting, fun and controversial book.
What is interesting?
Leerhsen tells the story of early 1900s Indianapolis, the beginnings of America's automobile culture, auto racing and the construction of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a nearly seamless manner so that it all becomes one large story. It is a story of inspired (crazy?) businessmen, a fascination with what is "modern", and a growing fascination with cars in a time when life was comparatively cheap (auto racing was extremely dangerous for drivers and spectators).
What is fun?
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/...
June 29, 2015
A good look at the early history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,from it's birth to the end of the first 500!Racing buffs you will enjoy this history and the controversial first 500 you won't be disappointed.
July 27, 2020
This book is about what the title says--the birth of the Indy 500. It starts (with a bits dipping before then for background) in 1909. The race didn't start out being that long, of course, given what cars were, etc. It also delves into a number of race car drivers (including the Swiss-born Chevrolet who, as you no doubt ascertained from his surname, went on to co-found the auto making company of that name). What you may not know if you aren't into this sort of history, but what I have picked up from a couple of other books, is that back then cars were made by many different companies, by hand, although during this era Ford was working on his ground-breaking assembly-line production of automobiles.
The sport was dangerous--only daredevils who didn't fear death took to it, because it wasn't unusual for serious injuries and death to occur, and they often had rather colourful lives (even though many were short lives) as well.. Between 1909 and the first 500 mile race in Indianapolis, both black men and all women were banned from auto racing in the States. In any event, no details. If you like this sort of stuff, you can read it yourself.
The sport was dangerous--only daredevils who didn't fear death took to it, because it wasn't unusual for serious injuries and death to occur, and they often had rather colourful lives (even though many were short lives) as well.. Between 1909 and the first 500 mile race in Indianapolis, both black men and all women were banned from auto racing in the States. In any event, no details. If you like this sort of stuff, you can read it yourself.
June 28, 2025
A great look at the early days of auto racing. From the beginnings of the ideal behind Indianapolis Motor Speedway to the first 500-mile race in 1911. It details the lives of the 4 owners of the speedway and several of the early drivers that competed in the first 500. He also goes through the controversy of whether the declared winner was actually the winner. There were a lot of shenanigans behind the scenes, and the official results didn't get released til 36 hours later.
Highly recommended, it had a nice narrative style and is an easy read. It's an interesting
subject and a fascinating time in automotive history.
Highly recommended, it had a nice narrative style and is an easy read. It's an interesting
subject and a fascinating time in automotive history.
February 12, 2013
As unbelievable as it may sound this book was really entertaining. The author has a wry sense of humor that is easily recognizable as well as a sarcastic bent that he manages to show the reader without sounding preachy. The last three sentences of this book could have served as the starting sentences as well. They would have captured the attention of any reader remotely interested in auto racing or history itself.
"From it we can learn..well, what, exactly! Maybe only that there are things more Jory desired than the truth. Against the need for heroic men and sacred places, truth doesn't stand a chance."
"From it we can learn..well, what, exactly! Maybe only that there are things more Jory desired than the truth. Against the need for heroic men and sacred places, truth doesn't stand a chance."
January 13, 2013
Boy, did I ever love this book... and not for the racing action, but for the revelations about the birth of the 500. What a circus the event was. What death-defying daredevils the drivers were. What a shyster Carl Fischer was. I'm a big motorsports fan and this book helped me to develop a real appreciation for the "pilots" that paved the way for the drivers today.
February 18, 2020
Written by a real fan, crammed with tons of facts and anecdotes. I love a good story about cars, but this one sometimes left me feeling like I wasn't part of the in-crowd who knew all the little references to people or special lingo. At times it was also hard to keep things clear because there was a lot of going back and forth in the narrative (telling you about something exciting and then going back to give you the background information and then finishing the story). It was a fascinating story, filled with interesting people.
November 19, 2019
Wish I could give half stars...this one rates two and a half. It's readable enough, but too snarky to be truly enjoyable...the author seems bent on tearing down Carl Fisher and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Is there really a question about who won the first Indy 500? First I've heard of it, but there you go. Were the crowds truly as ghoulish as described? Perhaps they were but no more so than Leerhsen's own overwrought descriptions.
April 28, 2020
Interesting take on the building of the track and first 500. Sure was different at the first one than today. Wish he would have listed sources, might make his argument for a different winner just a little more credible. Not saying what he wrote wasn’t credible, it’s just I like to see sources. If you’re a fan of the Indy 500 or just want to read about life in the first decade of the 20th Century, this is a book for you.
June 5, 2021
A great look at the beginning of the speedway and it’s events ending with the first Indy 500 in 1911.
As a Hoosier who was born in 1981, I known the first events were ballon and motorcycles but didn’t realize the first car events weren’t the Indy 500.
Sometimes he goes a little into the weeds with the historical information that doesn’t pertain to IMS exactly. But overall it’s a great read that I’d highly recommend for anyone looking for historical Indy 500 books.
As a Hoosier who was born in 1981, I known the first events were ballon and motorcycles but didn’t realize the first car events weren’t the Indy 500.
Sometimes he goes a little into the weeds with the historical information that doesn’t pertain to IMS exactly. But overall it’s a great read that I’d highly recommend for anyone looking for historical Indy 500 books.
September 27, 2025
If you are a fan of the Indianapolis 500 then this book is for you. It is a history of the 500 track and how it was a vision of a few Indianapolis men involved in the early days of the automotive industry and how they envisioned a racetrack in Indy. The culmination is the first actual Indy 500 race and all the controversy surrounding it.
March 2, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. Surprisingly funny, and very well researched. Anyone interested in the beginnings of the Indy Motor Speedway or early twentieth century automobile history in America would enjoy.
October 23, 2018
Very informational, and seemed to be well researched. I was not a great fan of Leerhsen's style with his tongue in cheek "jokes" or sarcasm, but I was thrilled to have been loaned this book as I gained some good knowledge of the history of the Indy 500.
December 13, 2021
Very good - recommended for anyone interested in the history of open-wheel racing or the city of Indianapolis. I read this book back in 2014 before I started using Goodreads to track my reading, so the date read is approximate.
September 24, 2019
Okay. Interesting story of the first (messed up) Indy 500. Writing is a bit long-winded and opinionated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2022
fantastic read
I’m a huge Indy 500 fan and had never heard this story. It’s so well written and engaging. I highly recommend it.
I’m a huge Indy 500 fan and had never heard this story. It’s so well written and engaging. I highly recommend it.
June 28, 2024
I knew nothing about the history of the Indy 500. Leerhsen's book was absolutely fascinating. A good read.
July 26, 2025
Informative and chaotic, written with a strong sense of humor that emphasizes the absurdity of this whole inaugural 500-mile race.
May 15, 2011
“Blood and Smoke” by Charles Leerhsen, published by Simon and Schuster.
Category – Automobile Racing/History
“Blood and Smoke” is best defined by its sub-title, A True Tale of Mystery, Mayhem and the Birth of the Indy 500.
This book is a must read for anyone interested in auto racing, whether you are a fan of Indy Cars, NASCAR, Formula One, or IROC.
The book tells three stories, the life of Indy 500 founder, Carl Fisher, the history of the automobile, and the very beginnings of the Indy 500, with special emphasis on the Inaugural Race of 1911.
The story of Carl Fisher is a story of an incredible man that started with nothing and became very rich. He was noted for coming up with impossible ideas, some worked – some didn’t, but they all captured the imagination of the general populace. He put Miami on the map as a vacation paradise, although it wound up being a wallet emptying project.
Fisher and his partners envisioned the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a testing ground for car manufacturers and an attempt at making Indiana the car manufacturing capitol of the world. It tells of the early years of the speedway and the attempt, by any means, to bring people to the Speedway. It wasn’t until Fisher proposed a race of 500 miles, at that time what seemed to be an impossible feat, that the world embraced the IMS.
Conditions for race car drivers, at this time, were horrendous, with very little pay and a lot of danger. The track surface was, at best, poor. There were little, if any, safety devices, and equipment was in the designing stage. Accidents and death were common, and many people believed that this was what appealed to the race fan.
Leerhsen also gives a good account of the history of the automobile. He tells of the many and odd restrictions placed on owning an automobile. For example, one state required that a person walk in front of the automobile waving a red flag as a warning.
Leerhsen also gives a good account of the 1911 race, where even today, there is still a controversy as to the real winner. There was a major attempt to determine the number of laps each car was on and who was leading the race. A major failure that led to an all night conference to determine the winner and the subsequent burning of all data from the race.
Category – Automobile Racing/History
“Blood and Smoke” is best defined by its sub-title, A True Tale of Mystery, Mayhem and the Birth of the Indy 500.
This book is a must read for anyone interested in auto racing, whether you are a fan of Indy Cars, NASCAR, Formula One, or IROC.
The book tells three stories, the life of Indy 500 founder, Carl Fisher, the history of the automobile, and the very beginnings of the Indy 500, with special emphasis on the Inaugural Race of 1911.
The story of Carl Fisher is a story of an incredible man that started with nothing and became very rich. He was noted for coming up with impossible ideas, some worked – some didn’t, but they all captured the imagination of the general populace. He put Miami on the map as a vacation paradise, although it wound up being a wallet emptying project.
Fisher and his partners envisioned the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a testing ground for car manufacturers and an attempt at making Indiana the car manufacturing capitol of the world. It tells of the early years of the speedway and the attempt, by any means, to bring people to the Speedway. It wasn’t until Fisher proposed a race of 500 miles, at that time what seemed to be an impossible feat, that the world embraced the IMS.
Conditions for race car drivers, at this time, were horrendous, with very little pay and a lot of danger. The track surface was, at best, poor. There were little, if any, safety devices, and equipment was in the designing stage. Accidents and death were common, and many people believed that this was what appealed to the race fan.
Leerhsen also gives a good account of the history of the automobile. He tells of the many and odd restrictions placed on owning an automobile. For example, one state required that a person walk in front of the automobile waving a red flag as a warning.
Leerhsen also gives a good account of the 1911 race, where even today, there is still a controversy as to the real winner. There was a major attempt to determine the number of laps each car was on and who was leading the race. A major failure that led to an all night conference to determine the winner and the subsequent burning of all data from the race.
July 5, 2011
Blood and Smoke, by Charles Leerhsen, focuses on the first Indy 500, which took place in 1911. It describes the history of the automobile to that point, as well as the strange and fascinating personalities who were instrumental in creating the Speedway and the race.
I'd recommend Blood and Smoke for the Indy enthusiast, or anyone else interested in American popular culture in the pre-1911 years. Leerhsen has an eye for cultural detail and a sympathetic ear for the personalities that watched and participated in early American automobile racing.
Be warned, though: Leerhsen's writing style is not for everyone. No detail is too small or too irrelevant for him to exclude, and long hours with the convoluted, purple prose of his source texts have colored his own writing. The result for the reader isn't pleasant: goofy details about personal lives and sartorial choices frequently hijack the narrative, making it difficult to follow a single narrative strand, and "clever" phrasing and word choices provoke eyerolls instead of the guffaws Leerhsen seems to have intended. If Leerhsen had separated these details from the main text by placing them in footnotes, the result would have been much easier to read, even if a reader is (as I am) the type that likes to flip back and forth between the main text and the footnotes.
Using footnotes, though, would have significantly shortened the main text, from a respectable (if not impressive) 250-ish pages to something more like 200 or even 175. This is because Leerhsen's narrative stops dead at the conclusion of the 1911 race. Those unfamiliar with the history of the Indy 500 will find themselves dissatisfied with this decision: without future races to compare the 1911 race to, it's hard to completely understand how unique the 1911 race was.
Bottom line: a book of definite interest to racing and history buffs, but not to casual readers.
I'd recommend Blood and Smoke for the Indy enthusiast, or anyone else interested in American popular culture in the pre-1911 years. Leerhsen has an eye for cultural detail and a sympathetic ear for the personalities that watched and participated in early American automobile racing.
Be warned, though: Leerhsen's writing style is not for everyone. No detail is too small or too irrelevant for him to exclude, and long hours with the convoluted, purple prose of his source texts have colored his own writing. The result for the reader isn't pleasant: goofy details about personal lives and sartorial choices frequently hijack the narrative, making it difficult to follow a single narrative strand, and "clever" phrasing and word choices provoke eyerolls instead of the guffaws Leerhsen seems to have intended. If Leerhsen had separated these details from the main text by placing them in footnotes, the result would have been much easier to read, even if a reader is (as I am) the type that likes to flip back and forth between the main text and the footnotes.
Using footnotes, though, would have significantly shortened the main text, from a respectable (if not impressive) 250-ish pages to something more like 200 or even 175. This is because Leerhsen's narrative stops dead at the conclusion of the 1911 race. Those unfamiliar with the history of the Indy 500 will find themselves dissatisfied with this decision: without future races to compare the 1911 race to, it's hard to completely understand how unique the 1911 race was.
Bottom line: a book of definite interest to racing and history buffs, but not to casual readers.
August 3, 2016
As much as I'm heartily into the subject matter (as an Indy native and race fan) I have to stop short of giving this more stars, and three may be too many. Leerhsen's ADHD writing style maddeningly (to borrow his word for a piece of writing he refers to several times) left me feeling like I was running to keep up with him and trying to see where he was going at all (race reference puns intended! j/k). He seems hellbent on impressing us with all the details he insists on cramming into every sentence and paragraph, but these tangential (not even sure that's the right word) drifts into mundane, arcane side bars makes the story hard to follow.
In fact, I'm not even sure where the focus of the book is half the time. He mentions so many of the real-life players and gets going telling one story, and then swtiches to talking about something or someone else mid-sentence, drifting off into a pages-long diversions. I get that he seems to hate Indianapolis Motor Speedway founder Carl Fisher with a passion, but he could have emphasized more of his history, and the history of the drivers. I just wanted a more streamlined narrative, I guess.....however, the book succeeded in piquing my interest in Indianapolis and motor sports history. I plan on seeking out other, better-written books on the subjects.
In fact, I'm not even sure where the focus of the book is half the time. He mentions so many of the real-life players and gets going telling one story, and then swtiches to talking about something or someone else mid-sentence, drifting off into a pages-long diversions. I get that he seems to hate Indianapolis Motor Speedway founder Carl Fisher with a passion, but he could have emphasized more of his history, and the history of the drivers. I just wanted a more streamlined narrative, I guess.....however, the book succeeded in piquing my interest in Indianapolis and motor sports history. I plan on seeking out other, better-written books on the subjects.
April 6, 2011
Comments based on advanced readers copy. Well researched, at least as well researched as is possible with scant available information. Readers who are motor-sports enthusiasts are likely to be disappointed, though the early history is vividly depicted. The book is suited to those interested in the subject of sport and society, and/or the history of technology and society. In addition this is essential for Indiana local history collections. Likely to get a certain amount of promotion as this is the centennial of the event, and the book does a good job of questioning they mythology of the first 500.
August 2, 2011
This was a delightful book, full of dry wit that made me wonder if the author is British (he's not), and people with the oddest and most wonderful characters and some of the most humorous death scenes you'll ever read. I say this all as someone who cares not one iota for auto racing, but boy am I glad this book jumped off the shelf at me.
March 27, 2012
Non-race fans can enjoy this book for the history and tales of the time. Race fans will enjoy this book to discover (if they don't already know) the dangers and deaths that surrounded early racing.
The book dragged at the beginning as too many characters were introduced, but as the book progressed the pace of the book also sped up.
The book dragged at the beginning as too many characters were introduced, but as the book progressed the pace of the book also sped up.
May 15, 2015
Great material, what an exciting time, but holy cow I had a hard time following what was going on! It was a rambling text book, I could have used text-book colored pop-ups to keep me on track.
Could be great for die-hard fan or your one-and-only read at the time, so I am bumping a 2-star up to a 3.
Could be great for die-hard fan or your one-and-only read at the time, so I am bumping a 2-star up to a 3.
June 27, 2011
After having just attended the 100th anniversary of the Indy 500, I found this history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the first Indy 500 Sweepstakes fascinating. I have actually seen some of the cars mentioned in the book and will look at the museum next year with new eyes.
July 6, 2012
As someone interested in the start of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I should have enjoyed this more. It was a series of short stories, and a retelling of the exhibitions that occurred before the inaugural race. Interesting, but not engaging.
February 25, 2013
An in depth and also sometimes very funny account of the first few years of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Not everyone will agree with the author's contention that the real winner of the race was not Ray Harroun, but he makes a good case. The account of Carl Fisher's slow suicide is compelling.
August 20, 2014
The story of the beginning of the Indy 500 and all the craziness involved. This book goes a long way to prove that the first winner may have been a lie and the truth is not easy at hand. A worthwhile look into the beginning of motorsports in this country.
September 29, 2011
An intriguing history. I've attended the Indy 500 many times and after reading this book will watch it with deeper appreciation for what it took to make it a reality.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews