Once upon a time, blogging was the domain of individuals. The good ones were written by people who were passionate about their chosen topic. Then, along came the corporate world and created huge machines with dozens of writers. The B list keep toiling along, inspired to reach the level of the big guys. In the world of automotive blogs, the big guys are the likes of Autoblog and Jalopnik. At the top of the B-list food chain is the well read, opinionated and often inflamatory blog, The Truth About Cars.

TTAC is led by Robert Farago, a somewhat traditional freelancer who was determined to carve his very own niche in the blogosphere. Farago and his team have worked hard and been rewarded with a large, loyal following of readers. Even still, the big guns have remained just out of reach. So what to do? RF did what any General would do, he bought a bigger gun.
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As a pimply faced preteen, I sought out any and every shred of automotive knowledge I could get my hands on. With “childhood” memories of cruising the Tyrol in a Dino and having a best friend that lived in an air cooled mecca, I had to get more knowledge. I had to know everything about cars and the people who built and drove them. I would scour the local library for anything automotive that I could get my hands on. One day, I picked up a plain white book that changed my life. It was called Sunday Driver.
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With all the hype regarding his upcoming book, The Driver, Alex Roy has chosen now to release details of his secret transcontinental record attempt that happened over a year ago. Just one thing. This wasn’t an attempt, it was an all out assault, planned with the military precision one might expect from Herr Roy and Team Polizei. The Result? The largely contested Rawlings/Collins record of 31 Hours, 59 minutes was obliterated by almost an hour! Roy and codriver Dave Maher made the trip from New York City to Redondo Beach, California in 31 hours, 4 minutes. That is no less than 2795 miles and 13 states in the Team Polizei BMW M5 interceptor.

As with other records, this one will be subject to all manner of doubters. I can say this though. Either Roy is a great actor or I’m a very poor judge of character, because I find the guy to be completely genuine. If Alex and the others involved say they accomplished this, I believe them. Besides, some of the stories told in the book could potentially get them in very hot water with the po po, so why would they make this stuff up?

Thanks to Spinelli for breaking this one and recounting the story of the departure. Now head over and order your copy of The Driver.

The entry lists for this event probably look like a typical regional race anywhere in the States at that time. Most of the drivers are local, with most from New York and a few from Pennsylvania or Ontario. One name though sticks out. At the top of the Formula Jr, III, Libre race is none other than New York’s own Brock Yates. The father of the Cannonball Baker Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Run was driving a Taraschi. As I didn’t have a clue what a Taraschi was, a quick google taught me that it was a front engined, rear wheel drive Formula Junior with a Fiat engine.

pic of an unrelated Taraschi after the break

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