Long before the Speedway was even a glimmer in Bill France Sr.’s eye, racers in Daytona Beach were careening along at the fastest possible clip. Cars were still a novelty in 1903 when Daytona Beach drivers were pushing for land speed records on a track near today’s Granada Avenue beach entrance. A reputation was born here early, drawing racing pioneers like Sara Christian, who famously raced her husband on the combination dirt and paved track in 1949. From the brave forerunners who tore up the hard-packed sand to the modern vehicles blasting away at nearly two hundred miles per hour on Daytona Beach International Speedway, Robert Redd explores the driving tradition that has made Daytona Beach a racing mecca.
Robert Redd is a native Floridian with a longtime interest in history. He is a graduate of Stetson University with a degree in American studies and is currently pursuing his MA in public history. He is a member of the Florida Historical Society, the St. Augustine Historical Society, the Civil War Trust and several other historical organizations. He is the past executive director for the New Smyrna Museum of History and currently works in the cultural arts field. This is Robert’s fourth book for Arcadia Publishing. He lives south of the “World’s Most Famous Beach” with his wife, Christina; their dog, Finley; and their cat, Ignatius.