racingkate.bsky.social
genealogist who uses her skills to research motorsport and hockey. person behind “ghosts of the brickyard” podcast. death investigator. lots of opinions.
350 posts
898 followers
233 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter
comment in response to
post
as far as i’m concerned he’s never done anything wrong ever
comment in response to
post
He’s only 4 so it’s an adjustment to have a dog that doesn’t sleep like. 22 hours a day 💀
comment in response to
post
is our michigan son committing crimes?
comment in response to
post
I'm wondering this too -- with a lot of motorsport history being passed down orally, I feel like it'd be REALLY easy for that to happen. A really fun rabbit hole that I needed tbh (I've been feeling a little burnt out and uninspired but this helped remind me what I want to do)
comment in response to
post
What is the book called? I've read the Rajo Jack one (which I do not remember him even mentioning the Leroy Wallace story but I'll have to go back and see)
comment in response to
post
I'm trying to see if I can find Bob Wallace genealogically to confirm that he wasn't white-passing but here is his obituary (sorry for all the replies LOL)
comment in response to
post
Also, I wish people who wrote things like the original article would list sources because when I google 'Bobby Wallace' and 'Deacon Litz' I get this: www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Bob_W... which seems to indicate that Bob Wallace who rode in 1934 was white (his obit doesn't mention his race)
comment in response to
post
He was listed in one census as mulatto and another as white -- photos of his father and sister do seem to indicate they were fairly white passing. I suspect (but haven't proven) that he sustained a head injury in the mid-1930's that led to his death in 1939.
comment in response to
post
Upon reviewing the newspaper I'm actually pretty convinced that Lee Roberts and LeRoy are the same person -- how the name got lost is time is probably because motorsport history seems to be an oral tradition which is a whole other thing.
comment in response to
post
(My two cents is that it actually doesn't matter *who* broke the color barrier, it matters more that there were talented and capable Black drivers and mechanics who were denied chances because of their skin color because IMS etc won't even acknowledge that much but alas)
comment in response to
post
Oh! Interesting -- I don't have him in my notes though I paused my research on Black drivers/mechanics until I was closer podcast wise.
Off the top of my head, I wonder if LeRoy was actually Lee Roberts Wallace though -- he won the second Gold and Glory. But I will see what I can find!
comment in response to
post
Hopefully this means he has new things to bitch about on his podcast
comment in response to
post
Considering there is not a peep from any socials, I’m thinking so 😂
comment in response to
post
I also put out a transcript of each episode if reading is more your thing: motorsport-anthology.com/ghosts-of-th...
comment in response to
post
ew wish i was surprised
comment in response to
post
oh no what did he do/say this time
comment in response to
post
anyway really over holier than thou fans!! if you don’t like my bitching, you know where the door is!! i really don’t care!
comment in response to
post
like did you know people can tweet criticism and it doesn’t even have to be that deep lmao
comment in response to
post
i think it is! maybe the young women are more visible online but it’s not just young women at the tracks in Pato gear.
Just goes to show that women are still seen as a punchline in sports/motorsports which is disappointing
comment in response to
post
It sure says a lot about the audience they’re hoping to attract and the value they have for young women… I’m not surprised but 🙃🙃🙃
comment in response to
post
and before anybody says “why are you so upset” i’m not. read the above tweet with an annoyed tone. i’m annoyed and i’m tired.
comment in response to
post
it also completely ignores the fact that he has fans that aren’t young women??? like i think pato has a really diverse fan base so to see it reduced to “groupies” just… really irks me
comment in response to
post
specifically using the term “groupies” which is used for young women and also generally has a derogatory connotation is….
it would’ve been so easy to just say “he doesn’t have fans, he has super fans” or something in that vein
comment in response to
post
YEP
comment in response to
post
He wasn’t in F2 when I was tracking but looking at other F2 drivers and where they are now — 1.7M is way higher than it ought to be so I would bet that a decent portion of them aren’t real 💀🙃
comment in response to
post
It wouldn’t be a book recommendation thread if I didn’t recommend ‘Rapid Response’ by Dr. Steven Olvey.
One of my favorite books overall. Will absolutely change how you view American motorsports.
comment in response to
post
Also, technically not about ‘early’ American motorsport but ‘Vukovich: The Man Who Wouldn’t Lift’ by Angelo Angelopolous (and Mark Moneith who helped bring this manuscript to light).
A humanizing look at a great, written by a great. Both who deserve way more credit tbh
comment in response to
post
Honorable mentions:
Mark Dill has two books: ‘The Legend of the First Super Speedway’ and ‘The Master Driver of the World’ which I think are *technically* classed as historical fiction but very well researched and probably as close to truth as possible
comment in response to
post
5. Barney Oldfield: The Life and Times of America’s Legendary Speed King by William F Nolan
To truly understand American motorsport is to know and understand Barney Oldfield’s life, career and impact.
comment in response to
post
(This book is by far the hardest of the list to get ahold of. There are copies on eBay. I wonder who I’d have to talk to about possibly getting a reprint done)
comment in response to
post
4. Wall Smacker by Pete DePaolo
The only (that I know about) memoir of a driver from the early-ish days of AOWR. But also, Pete is kind of hilarious so it’s an entertaining read.
Come for the historical perspective, stay for the way he roasts Kelly Petillo 💀
comment in response to
post
3. Ralph De Palma: Gentleman Champion by Gary D Doyle
Trying to sum Ralph DePalma’s career into a book that isn’t a million pages long is a tall order but Doyle does so concisely. Super well researched, it’s a must read in my book
comment in response to
post
2. The Last Lap: The Mysterious Demise of Pete Kreis at The Indianapolis 500 by William T Walker
I have SO many thoughts about this book but it was INCREDIBLY eye opening and really helped formed the main lens I view motorsport history in
comment in response to
post
1. Blood and Smoke: A True Tale of Mystery, Mayhem and the Birth of the Indy 500 by Charles Leerhsen
I really like this book. I think it’s really engaging and he does a really good job of introducing the who is who of early American motorsport and early Indy 500 history
comment in response to
post
April 2!
comment in response to
post
It’s like — I’m not sure if I have the patience to train/convince more people (men) that I do in fact, know what I’m talking about but I’m also really flippant and a troublemaker 💀 See my dilemma? Idk