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William ‘Bill’ Walker is an author who early on was enthralled by open-wheel racing and the Indianapolis 500. He was introduced to the sport by the broadcasts of Sid Collins and became entranced when he discovered the tombstone of his cousin, Pete Kreis, who was killed at the Speedway in 1934 during practice for the Indy 500. The huge marble memorial features a carved image of the Brickyard, Kreis’s car crashing in Turn One, and the epitaph, “The Last Lap.” Bill spent many years researching Pete’s accident which was at the time called “the strangest death in all racing history.” After retiring from a career teaching and joining education’s administrative ranks at Virginia Tech, Gettysburg College, and the College of William and Mary, Bill started writing books. Published by Octane Press of Austin, Texas, The Last Lap is a history of his cousin’s career on the Indy-car circuit and on the Grand Prix track at Monza, Italy.
SHOW SPONSORS
American Collectors Insurance • Linkage Magazine • Techforce Foundation • RPM Foundation
INSPIRATION
At the age of 5, Bill learned that his cousin was a racer who had died at the Indy 500 race track. From that day forward he wanted to learn more about this distant relative’s life and racing career.
CHALLENGES
Reaching the conclusion about what really happened when Pete died at the Indy 500. You’ll have to read the book!
SPECIAL VEHICLES
An early 80s Porsche 911
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
The Last Lap: The Mysterious Demise of Pete Kreis at the Indianapolis 500 by William ‘Bill’ Walker*
WORDS OF INSPIRATION
Don’t Let Up and Don’t Give Up.
SHARE THE INSPIRATION
If you enjoyed this show, please go to Apple Podcast and leave me a five-star review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and help others to be inspired by Cars Yeah. * indicates a past Cars Yeah guest.