The First Lady of Dirt

Cheryl Glass was America’s first Black female professional race car driver and she wanted to go all the way to the Indianapolis 500. She almost made it. From racing quarter midget cars at 10-years old to Indy Lights in her late 20’s, Cheryl had everything it takes to be successful in the sport of auto racing – talent, ambition, and looks. 

Bill tells Cheryl’s story for the first time in its entirety, following her meteoric rise in the world. It’s a tale about Cheryl’s dreams and inspiring others, but no matter how perfect things seemed on the outside, she faced many challenges under the surface.

Read about the Lady’s feminine side as well as the tomboy competing in a male-dominated sport. As a black woman, Cheryl defied the odds becoming a pioneer in the field of motor sports but she still encountered racist and sexist taunts from other drivers and fans throughout her career. 

Her life spun out of control and ended tragically in 1997 at age 35.
Bill Poehler’s writing is eloquent and powerful, putting you in the driver’s seat of Cheryl’s life. As an amateur racer himself, Bill offers a unique way of telling Cheryl’s story, giving you a front-row seat to her life. He places the reader at the race track to smell the dirt and fumes, hear the roaring of the engines and crashing metal, and especially feel Cheryl’s joy and pain. 

“The First Lady of Dirt” features exclusive interviews with Cheryl’s mother, friends, and competitors to provide a complete and compelling account of her racing and personal life.