Soon after the first automobiles were introduced in the United States, auto racing became a reality. Since that time, motorsports have expanded to include drag racing, open wheel racing, rallying, demolition derbies, stock car racing, and more. Motorsports have grown to such an extent that NASCAR is now the second most watched professional sport in America, behind only football. But motorsports are about much more than going fast and finishing first. These events also reflect our culture, our society, our values, and our history. In Motorsports and American Culture: From Demolition Derbies to NASCAR, Mark D. Howell and John D. Miller bring together essays that examine the relevancy of motorsports to American culture and history, from the late nineteenth century to the present. Addressing a wide spectrum of motorsports—such as stock car racing, demolition derbies, land speed record pursuits, and even staged train wrecks—the essays highlight the social and cultural implications of contemporary and historical moments in these sports. Topics covered include gender roles in motorsports, hot rods and the creation of fan and participant identities, the appeal of demolition derbies, the globalization of motorsports, the role of moonshine in stock car history, the economic relationship between NASCAR and its corporate sponsors, and more. Offering the most thorough study of motorsports to date from a diverse pool of disciplines and subjects, Motorsports and American Culture will appeal to motorsports and automobile enthusiasts, as well as those interested in American history, popular culture, sports history, and gender studies.

"Popular Culture challenges readers to explore, engage in, and give serious consideration to topics that are often brushed off as merely "fun." The book combines original content based on current and emerging theories in the study of popular culture with a selection of articles and essays taken from a wide range of sources. Readers will learn about the use, evolution, and significance of conventional narrative and formulaic plot structure. Through popular culture artifacts, they will explore how assumptions based on gender-related traits and abilities generate expectations. In addition, readers will examine the simultaneous embracing of both application-based behavior and a craving for nostalgia and romance. They will investigate the cultural significance of heroes as metaphors for attitudes and behaviors that are valued by society. Popular Culture provides an inventive way to understand and interpret popular culture and how it relates to everyday life. It clarifies what constitutes popular culture and helps readers understand the importance of formal popular culture study. Eminently suitable for courses on the topic, Popular Culture can also be used in classes on communication, 20th century history, and humanities. Mark Howell holds a Ph.D. in American culture studies from Bowling Green University. Dr. Howell is a professor of communication at Northwestern Michigan College, where he teaches English composition and American culture. He wrote From Moonshine to Madison Avenue: A Cultural History of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and co-authored Motorsports and American Culture: From Demolition Derbies to NASCAR with Dr. John Miller. He has contributed to the Encyclopedia of American World Popular Culture and the Encyclopedia of American Folklore. He has presented locally, regionally, and nationally, as a member of the American Culture Association. He is member of the voting panel for the Motorsports Hall of Fame in Novi, Michigan and his "Professor of Speed" articles are published throughout the NASCAR season."

Every once in a while, a story comes along that enrages, enlightens and inspires all at once. Silent Thunder, the highly anticipated memoir of legendary auto racing veteran Len Miller is one such story. It offers a rare and surprising inside look at the struggles and triumphs of some of the most courageous men and women in motorsports -- African Americans. Whether you're a racing fan or a black history enthusiast, the author's deeply personal chronicle of his remarkable forty-year career as a manager and owner of African American teams is a gripping testimonial to the empowered underdog in all of us. From inside the pits where resourcefulness defines victory or defeat, to behind the wheel with nothing but the smell of adrenaline and fear, to the plush upholstered offices of corporate sponsors where truth can be treacherous, Silent Thunder is an engrossing read that moves at lightening speed. The author also shares fascinating behind-the-scenes anecdotes featuring such names as Howard Cosell, Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti, Skip Barber, Clarence Thomas, Malcolm Durham, Wendell Scott, Linda Lovelace, Don King, and many others. Len Miller's narrative acumen is eclipsed only by his engrossing honesty. Silent Thunder is a compelling window into the resiliency of the human spirit in the face of injustice, humiliation, and even cruelty. Yet, while it exposes the underbelly of racism and elitism in one of America's most beloved sports, it also celebrates the hope and possibility for change. Book jacket.

As soon as there were automobiles, there was racing. The first recorded race, an over road event from Paris to Rouen, France, was organized by the French newspaper Le Petit Journal in 1894. Seeing an opportunity for a similar event, Hermann H. Kohlsaat--publisher of the Chicago Times-Herald--sponsored what was hailed as the "Race of the Century," a 54-mile race from Chicago's Jackson Park to Evanston, Illinois, and back. Frank Duryea won in a time of 10 hours and 23 minutes, of which 7 hours and 53 minutes were actually spent on the road. Race cars and competition have progressed continuously since that time, and today's 200 mph races bear little resemblance to the event Duryea won. This work traces American auto racing through the 20th century, covering its significant milestones, developments and personalities. Subjects included are: Bill Elliott, dirt track racing, board track racing, Henry Ford, Grand Prix races, Dale Earnhardt, the Vanderbilt Cup, Bill France, Gordon Bennett, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Mercer, the Stutz, Duesenberg, Frank Lockhart, drag racing, the Trans Am, Paul Newman, vintage racing, land speed records, Al Unser, Wilbur Shaw, the Corvette, the Cobra, Richard Petty, NASCAR, Can Am, Mickey Thompson, Roger Penske, Mario Andretti, Jeff Gordon, and Formula One. Through interviews with participants and track records, this text shows where, when and how racing changed. It describes the growth of each different form of auto racing as well as the people and technologies that made it ever faster.

Tycoons, Scorchers, and Outlaws charts how auto racing was shaped by class tensions between the millionaires who invented it, the public who resented their seizure of the public roads, and the working class drivers who viewed the sport as a vocation, not a leisured pursuit.

Covering everything from sports to art, religion, music, and entrepreneurship, this book documents the vast array of African American cultural expressions and discusses their impact on the culture of the United States. According to the latest census data, less than 13 percent of the U.S. population identifies as African American; African Americans are still very much a minority group. Yet African American cultural expression and strong influences from African American culture are common across mainstream American culture—in music, the arts, and entertainment; in education and religion; in sports; and in politics and business. African American Culture: An Encyclopedia of People, Traditions, and Customs covers virtually every aspect of African American cultural expression, addressing subject matter that ranges from how African culture was preserved during slavery hundreds of years ago to the richness and complexity of African American culture in the post-Obama era. The most comprehensive reference work on African American culture to date, the multivolume set covers such topics as black contributions to literature and the arts, music and entertainment, religion, and professional sports. It also provides coverage of less-commonly addressed subjects, such as African American fashion practices and beauty culture, the development of jazz music across different eras, and African American business.

What does the world's favorite sport mean in the United States? Despite the common belief that it is only a women's sport, an immigrants' sport, a small kids' sport--or that hating soccer is very American, the new essays in this volume attest that soccer indeed is a very American and very popular sport, around since the 1940s. The all-new essays address issues concerning the business of the game, the meaning of men's and women's professional, national, high school and youth soccer, the community formed by the game, the media, the referees, the hooliganism and the treatment of the sport in academe.