Tony Hulman - by Sigur E Whitaker (Paperback)

About the Book

Almost unknown when in 1945 he purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and its famous race, the Indianapolis 500, Tony Hulman soon became a household name in auto racing circles. He is credited with not only saving the Indianapolis Motor Speedway--shuttered during World War II--from becoming a residential housing development but also with re-invigorating auto racing in the United States. Until his purchase of the Speedway, Hulman had not been involved in auto racing; he was the CEO of Hulman & Company, a wholesale grocer. An astute businessman, Hulman made Clabber Girl Baking Powder a national brand. With the rise of the chain grocery stores, such as Kroger, the wholesale grocery industry was slowly consolidating. Hulman successfully led the reorientation of the family fortunes to include a range of businesses including a beer company, a Coca-Cola franchise, a broadcast empire, and real estate and gas companies. The book traces the rise of Hulman & Company from a small wholesale grocer in Terre Haute to a dominate regional business, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indianapolis 500 races during Hulman's tenure, and his other major investments as well as his philanthropy, particularly to higher education in Terre Haute.

Book Synopsis

Almost unknown when in 1945 he purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and its famous race, Tony Hulman soon became a household name in auto racing circles. He is credited not only with saving the Speedway from becoming a residential housing development but also with reinvigorating auto racing in the United States. Until his purchase of the Speedway, Hulman had not been involved in auto racing; he was the CEO of Hulman & Company, a wholesale grocer. An astute businessman, Hulman made Clabber Girl Baking Powder a national brand and successfully led the reorientation of the family fortunes to include a range of businesses including a beer company, a Coca-Cola franchise, a broadcast empire, and real estate and gas companies.

This biography of Hulman covers his many ventures, particularly the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indianapolis 500, and his philanthropy.

Review Quotes

"Extraordinary.... This entire book is a page-turning read.... Pick up a copy today. You don't want to miss reading each rewarding historical chapter chronicling Tony's life up until his untimely death in 1977"-SAH Journal; "The book gives a good idea of what went on behind the scenes, not just on race day, but daily. If you are an Indy 500 race fan, you'll want to add this title to your shelf...an important part of the history of the race and the track"-Antique Automobile.

About the Author

A native of Indianapolis, Sigur E. Whitaker, is the great-great-niece of James Allison, one of the founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A retired banker, she lives in Norfolk, Virginia.