Thunder at Sunrise

A History of the Vanderbilt Cup, the Grand Prize and the Indianapolis 500, 1904–1916

$39.95

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SKU: 9780786477128 Categories: , , , Tags: ,

About the Book

Concentrating on the years between 1904 and 1916 and featuring a wealth of photographs, this book examines America’s first three races of international stature: the Vanderbilt Cup, the International Grand Prize and the Indianapolis 500. Researched in great part from contemporary sources such as newspaper accounts and automotive journals, the book covers not only these races, but also the ways in which each spurred development of the American automobile industry, making it at last a true competitor for that of Europe.

About the Author(s)

Retired lawyer John M. Burns is a freelance writer who lives in Yardley, Pennsylvania.

Bibliographic Details

John M. Burns
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 279
Bibliographic Info: 140 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2013 [2006]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-7712-8
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0699-6
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents

Preface      1
Introduction      5

1. A Cloud of Dust      7
2. The Invasion of Nassau County      18
3. Devil-Wagon Holiday      39
4. A Miracle That Hundreds Weren’t Killed      54
5. An Appian Way for the Motorist      70
6. Once a Year I See the Sun Rise      75
7. Showdown at Savannah      83
8. The Predictions of an Invisible Man      89
9. Last Dance on Long Island      98
10. The Young Master      109
11. Mr. Harroun Was a Fine Gentleman      116
12. You Would Have Weeped Today      128
13. Oh Boy! Let Her Ride      135
14. Dago Luck (Part One)      142
15. Dago Luck (Part Two)      152
16. Dago Luck (Part Three)      161
17. The Reason for Multiple Valves      166
18. My All-Time Thrill      187
19. A Triumph of American Grit      193
20. A Bad Day for America      198
21. As Dangerous a Drive as Has Ever Been Seen      211
22. The Most Remarkable Performance      219
23. The World’s Best Race      223
24. Dago Luck Revisited      230
25. Return to Santa Monica      238
26. Winners and Losers      243
27. Epilogue      248

Chapter Notes      257
Bibliography      261
Index      265

Book Reviews & Awards

  • Winner, Thomas McKean Memorial Cup—Antique Automobile Club of America
  • “Thoroughly researched”—Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car