Acknowledged as one of the greatest racing car drivers of all time, immigrant Ralph DePalma began as a riding mechanic and reluctant driver, only to become a true champion in long grueling races on American road courses. He continued to dominate during the wild era of the high-banked board tracks, and later in life became possibly the greatest dirt track driver in the history of the sport, with literally hundreds of wins in races all over the U.S. A truly international figure, he was also one of the few American drivers to compete successfully in Europe before World War II, racing in three French Grands Prix and the first Grand Premio d'Italia. His competitive career lasted an incredible twenty-seven years, from 1907 to 1934. It is truly the definitive work on DePalma and is a required work for the library of any serious student of automobile racing history.
