Every May, drivers from all over the world come to race in the Indianapolis 500. They push themselves and their open-wheeled cars for 200 laps at more than 200 miles per hour. These man and women take sharp turns, fly down straight-aways, make pit stops, and zigzag for position. At the end of the day, one car—one driver—will take the checkered flag. In Indy 500:The Inside Track, Nancy Roe Pimm takes the reader lap by lap with up-to-date information, fast facts, amazing photos, and personal interviews—including 2004 winner Buddy Rice.

Reviews:

Booklist, November 15, 2004

Gr. 4-7. The wife of a former Indy 500 race-car driver, Pimm conveys trackside excitement and presents the history, traditions, and technology behind the Indianapolis 500 race as she discusses the cars, engines, tires, cockpits, drivers, pit stops, crashes, and flags that young fans might see there. With an illustration or sidebar on each page and a light-gray-and-white checkerboard underlying the text at the top and bottom borders, the pages are colorful but busy. Despite the visual distractions, the informative text is well worth reading. The sidebars, which frequently include photos, are equally informative. The book lacks source notes or an index. It concludes with a glossary, a list of Web sites, and a bibliography that includes interviews with notable racing figures such as Mario Andretti, Rick Mears, and Buddy Rice, who are quoted in the book. The excellent jacket design beckons readers

Children’s Literature

What is three cars wide and eleven rows deep? It’s the line-up for the annual rip-roaring race known as the Indy 500. The book’s attractive red, white, and yellow cover depicting a race car running toward the reader will pique interest of more than just race enthusiasts. In this fast paced book, Pimm, whose husband is a racer, covers everything from the pre-race to the winner’s circle. The sharp, clear photos flanked by detailed description are possible only because of her inside connection. Crisp, clear explanations hold many informative facts from the past to today. Who would imagine that the top speed, 74.6 miles per hour, in the first race in 1911, could accelerate to a zipping 185.981 reached in 2000?

Chapter titles are shown as a blur of words and support the race idea of speed. In addition, a gray and white-checkered border helps the reader maintain a race mindset. Eleven chapters run the gamut of topics from the car’s cockpit to its frenzied pit stops. The author’s gift to keep things moving makes this a book to grab the attention of even the most reluctant of readers. Girls and boys can climb into the driver’s seat when they choose to read this book, which is a Junior Library Guild selection.

The Midwest Book Review

Indy 500: The Inside Track by Nancy Roe Pimm includes photography from The Indianapolis Motor Speedway enhancing a text specifically written to engage the interest of young readers ages 9 through 12. An information-packed guideline that teaches young readers about the basic history of the Indianapolis 500 car races, the demands placed upon race car drivers, the mechanical improvements that have made race cars safer and speedier, the meanings of the various flags, and much more, Indy 500 is as fascinating and educational for adults as it is for young people. The no-nonsense narration does not talk down to the reader, and the splendid full-color photographs highlight this engaging introduction to the fast-paced auto racing world.

H. Leo Mehl, former Vice President of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Executive Director of the Indy Racing League