Full Description
Professional motorsports came to Las Vegas in the mid-1950s at a bankrupt horse track swarmed by gamblers--and soon became enmeshed with the government and organized crime. By 1965, the Vegas racing game moved from makeshift facilities to Stardust International Raceway, constructed with real grandstands, sanitary facilities and air-conditioned timing towers. Stardust would host the biggest racing names of the era--Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones, John Surtees, Mark Donohue, Bobby Unser, Dan Gurney and Don Garlits among them.
Established by a notorious racketeer, the track stood at the confluence of shadowy elements--wiretaps, casino skimming, Howard Hughes, and the beginnings of Watergate. The author traces the Stardust's colorful history through the auto racing monthlies, national newspapers, extensive interviews and the files of the FBI.
Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments viii
Preface
Introduction: The Play: Joseph Smoot's Vision and Vice Bring Professional Motorsports to Las Vegas
One—Trifecta: Three to Go at Las Vegas Park Speedway
Two—The Street: Roots of Racing in the Las Vegas Valley
Three—Sawdust Joint: Industrial City Drag Strip, 1958-1961
Four—Wild Card: Henderson Dragway Becomes Thunderbird Speedway, 1961-1962
Five—Discard: Thunderbird Loses Its Thunder, 1962-1964
Six—Carpet Joint: The Gravel Road to Stardust International Raceway
Between pages 170 and 171 are 16 color plates with 27 photographs
Seven—High Roller: Moe Dalitz Bets Large
Eight—Doubling Down: Stardust Adds a Strip
Nine—Outside Bet: Welcome the Can-Am Series
Ten—Full House: Stardust Fills Its Slate
Eleven—Numbers Racket: The Cashiering of Stardust International Raceway
Twelve—Capped Bet: Racing into the Shadows
Thirteen—Down to the Felt: The Far End of Stardust International Raceway
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
