Independent stock car racers rarely won, often crashed, and flirted with death constantly, all for less money and fame than the money-backed star drivers of their day. This book includes interviews with 12 independent racers, including Curtis "Crawfish" Crider, "Jackhandle Joe" Frasson, and Gene "The Racing Marine" Hobby, among others. Laying the foundation for stock car racing as we know it, most of these racers plied their trade during the sport's early years, when racing required little more than a helmet and a great deal of courage. Readers will discover how each of these men managed to survive and stand out in their sport, despite running on second-hand or inferior equipment, receiving little to no outside support, and, in many cases, holding down another job off-track. The book is supplemented with 126 photographs, many from the personal collections of the author and the racers.