The Master Driver of the World: The 1914 Cactus Derby

Late in his auto racing career, an aging Barney Oldfield knows his legacy is at stake. Will he be remembered as a champion or a huckster? His critics demean him for making a mockery of his sport with staged races and stunts like racing airplanes. At one point banished from the official sanction of the American Automobile Association for racing Jack Johnson, the black boxing champion, Oldfield feels the eastern establishment is determined to destroy his livelihood. His antics are wildly lucrative and surpass their championship races. He threatens their preeminence in American auto racing.

Oldfield embarks on a campaign to prove his mettle, with great success. The top American racer in the 1914 Indianapolis 500, he sets his sights on earning "The Master Driver of the World" title for the Phoenix-to-Los Angeles road race. By some measures, this is the most treacherous course on the planet. Before him lies 728 miles of car-busting terrain fit for little more than cactus and rattlesnakes. In this race, a driver carved his own road and endured steep mountain passages in the face of freezing rain, hail, and floods. Oldfield wrestles with internal demons, cultural change, and how he can't change the world.

Author: Mark Dill
Publisher: Bookbaby
Published: 12/25/2023
Pages: 126
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.45lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9798350930214

About the Author
Born in Indianapolis, Mark Dill has a life-long involvement with auto racing. While studying journalism at Indiana University, Mark worked as news director of Indianapolis Raceway Park. He then took a turn racing cars in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) competition. Later, Mark led Nortel's sponsorship of the car that won the 1997 Indianapolis 500.

In 2010, Mark was Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) for three racing seasons. He has written articles about the sport's early history for IMS programs, historical society magazines, and auto racing journals.

Mark assisted New York historian Howard Kroplick to complete his book, "The Vanderbilt Cup Races of Long Island." Mark has consulted the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) in public relations.

His first book, The Legend of the First Super Speedway was published in 2020. In addition, he has written two children's books: The Legend of the First Super Speedway (a young reader's edition) and Spirit of Speedway.

Mark lives in Cary, NC with his family and operates the website, First Super Speedway (www.firstsuperspeedway.com), the largest online archive of pre-1920 auto racing history in the world.