Survival of the Fastest: Weed, Speed, and the 1980s Drug Scandal that Shocked the Sports World

by Randy Lanier

As featured on Netflix’s “Bad Sport,” the high-octane, Seabiscuit-meets-Scarface story of how Randy Lanier became a 1980s international sports star, soaring through the ranks of car racing while holding a dark he was also one of the biggest pot smugglers in American history As a kid, Randy Lanier dreamed of achieving four-wheel glory at the Indianapolis 500, but knew he’d never be able to afford the most expensive sport on earth. That all changed when he bought a speedboat and began smuggling pot from the Bahamas. Fueled by what would become a historically massive smuggling operation, he started racing cars and became an overnight sensation. For Randy and his teammates, money was no object, and bigger hauls meant faster cars. At every event they attended, they were behind the wheel of the best machinery, flaunting their secret in front of huge crowds and live television cameras. But no matter how fast they drove, they couldn’t outrun the law. As Randy came ever closer to reaching his dream of high-speed glory, one of the biggest drug scandals ever to hit the professional sports world was about to unfold. Set in the 1980s Florida of Miami Vice, this is the unbelievable, unforgettable, unparalleled story of an ordinary guy whose attempts to become famous doing the thing he wanted most―become a world class race car driver―devolved into a you-can’t-make-this-up tale of one of the biggest crime rings and drug scandals of the 1980s. Now, with the help of  New York Times  bestselling author A.J. Baime, Randy tells the whole truth for the first time ever, a gripping narrative unlike any other, a sports story for the ages, and shocking a true crime epic.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Crime, History

Audible Audio

Published August 2, 2022

Reviews

[Miya (severe pain struggles, slower at the moment) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting! I was on edge with the chaos going on. It was kind of like reading Motley Crue's book, but fast cars instead of rock and roll. You just want to scream into the book, please don't do what I think you are going to do. These are real people who do real things that really messed up their lives unfortunately. Engaging, sad, kinda funny, true crime ish, sports ish, memoir ish, lol it's fun times. Especially for race car enthusiasts, this is pretty entertaining.

[Jon Higgins · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you thought of Randy Lanier as an egotistical, tone deaf, jerk then “his” book isn’t going to change your mind. I have to question whether the author actually listened to the audio version … the narrator mispronounces some of the most famous names in racing with stunning ignorance - some of them so bad I literally laughed out loud. Arie Luyendyk, a 2-time Indy 500 winner, is correctly pronounced as “Lyin-dike”, as even a casual racing fan knows. In this sloppy mess of a production The Flying Dutchman is called Arie (got that right) “Lewd-nick. I mean, that isn’t even close. And so it was for Bobby Rahal, Tom Sneva, LeMans, IMSA, oh - and this was a special howler … British racing manufacturer Lola (pronounced just the same way the Kinks sing it) - here it’s “La-la.” How do you mess that up? It’s 4 letters!!

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars? Yep. Hemingway it ain’t. But for pure enjoyment, a definite 5 star. He lived two utterly distinct lives. And each one was absolutely amazing. If he had only lived one aspect, it still would’ve been an amazing life. To have life both, is what makes this unforgettable.

[Trey O’Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saying Randy Lanier is a role model wouldn’t be accurate, but damnit is he an inspiration. This is where Ford V. Ferrari meets Breaking Bad. While it might not be as profound or artistic, I found it equally as entertaining and I learned quite a bit about a generation of racing I wasn’t alive for. I would recommend for any motorsports fan to pick this one up.

[Mark Fidler · Rating 1 out of 5]

A drug scandal and auto racing sounded like an exciting true-crime combo. But this story is so flatly told that I quit after 2 hours. The author was not an interesting person, or it never came out in the telling. Even car racing was boring that way this author told the story.

[Susan Krich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was given to me through Goodreads.
It is autobiographical.
I gave it 5 stars for the way it is written .
The author's life so far is interesting although hard to believe.
The author says "I was in the right place at the right time".
It could also be "What goes around comes around".
There is greed and always wanting more.
There is a sense of being untouchable.
There is a sense of drugs being rampant.
The author feels it isn't really harmful because marijuana is a plant.
What starts out small grows larger and larger fueled by hubris.
There are interesting parts about race tracks and what it's like to drive a race car.
Whether or not you feel that's the way things were or find him despicable for what he brought on his wife it keeps you interested to see if he will pay the price.

[Chris Burk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Randy notes in the beginning of the book that everything stated is true, only some names have been changed.

Even if half of what is told in this novel is true and the other half was fairy tale, this is still an unbelievable story of what happens when the stakes are insurmountable but you don't know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Written in the style of spoken word, it's a must read for any North American sportscar racing fan and definitely worth the time to pick up if you're just a fan of motorsport in general. (A great preface to the novel is Lanier's two-hour episode on the Dinner with Racers podcast, where he gives an overview of how everything happened the way it did.)

[DanDiiLion · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure if the subject matters would interest me but I think the author told it in such a way that it could have been any subject and I would have enjoyed it. Never did I feel that I was reading a book. It felt natural, as if I were sitting around a campfire listening to a friend sharing memorable stories. I lost count of how many times I actually laughed out loud. A few times tears welled up in my eyes here and there. I would recommend to a friend (and have!) Thank you for allowing me a glimpse into another world.

[Dan Beaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn, skippy, this was a great book. I started reading it as background for something I'm working on and it grabbed me by the throat immediately. I had known the story of Randy Lanier, the Whittington brothers, John Paul Sr. -- and Gary Balough, who struck a little closer to home because of the NASCAR connection -- since the 80s, but had not really delved into it much.

I'll let each reader take their bias to the book about the morality of marijuana, but everyone should automatically connect in some way with Randy.

Highly recommended.

[Jack Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aside from the fact that I don’t really like how this guy writes, the story is still interesting enough to make the story worth reading. The best part about this book is the way it ties the multiple lives he’s living together just before his arrest. This would definitely make a fire movie someday. Crazy how fucked up it was to give a nonviolent weed smuggler life without parole.

[Jordan Agmata · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 // saw someone reading this on the subway and off the title i thought it would be about running lol. this isn’t what i was expecting when i searched the title into goodreads but i’m glad i read it. entertaining read of a crazy life.

[Spencer Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you a fan of 80’s Motorsport? Are you enthralled by Miami Vice drug smuggling? This novel is for you. Randy Lanier provides a unique perspective on life and how decisions can take a good person on a wild journey.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a story of hubris and crime. It is the tale of a man at the top of his field who was addicted to the adrenaline rush of life on the edge. It gives an insider's view on the Reagan era War on Drugs. It shows how a man at the top of his professional field can be brought down by hubris. It is also a story of redemption. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in sprint car racing or the "Miami Vice" era drug trade.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughly enjoyed reading this book

[Suzi Gerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic! Such an amazing story. Even if he’s exaggerating half of it, still incredible!

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to to this book and enjoyed the narration. I

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an interesting book. Can’t agree with his approach to life but glad he has tried to reconcile with his family and commit to helping others.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The amazing adventures of a pot smuggler and racecar driver

[Mike Prewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read and has a pretty insane story.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy ride.

[Cole Mcknight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goated

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could not get past the dry delivery, and overall arrogance/self righteousness of the narrator.

[Mark Bunch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A full book to read. Like many tales it ties back to Knoxville, TN. Robert Ritchie

[Hilarry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is about the life of racer Randy Lanier and his involvement in a massive drug scandal that went down in the 1980s.
I found this book to be very interesting and easy to follow even as a reader who did not have prior knowledge of the author or the scandal that went down. The novel also gave a sense of adventure to all the obstacles Randy had to go through to commit his crime.

[Brie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The subjects of this book did not interest me, but after starting I could not put it down! The story was an amazing part of American history. Everyone I have recommended this book to have not been disappointed.

[Jacob Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page Turner!

Had a hard time putting it down. Really exciting but also very philosophical. Absolutely recommend to anyone looking for an adventure read that is inspiring and tragic.

[Peter Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Honesty oozes out about his triumphs and mistakes. Love the details. Question I have for author: was his life in fast lane worth 27 years in prison?

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant businessman and exceptional driver brought to the forefront thanks to a plant (and meditation) but crashed and burned through his freedom by the same.