# The Racers: How an Outcast Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Challenged Hitler's Best (Scholastic Focus) - Hardcover

by **Neal Bascomb** (Author)

**The heart-pounding story of an unlikely band of ragtags who took on Hitler's Grand Prix driver.**

In the years before World War II, Adolf Hitler wanted to prove the greatness of the Third Reich in everything from track and field to motorsports. The Nazis poured money into the development of new race cars, and Mercedes-Benz came out with a stable of supercharged automobiles called Silver Arrows. Their drivers dominated the sensational world of European Grand Prix racing and saluted Hitler on their many returns home with victory.As the Third Reich stripped Jews of their rights and began their march toward war, one driver, Ren Dreyfus, a 32-year-old Frenchman of Jewish heritage who had enjoyed some early successes on the racing circuit, was barred from driving on any German or Italian race teams, which fielded the best in class, due to the rise of Hitler and Benito Mussolini.So it was that in 1937, Lucy Schell, an American heiress and top Monte Carlo Rally driver, needed a racer for a new team she was creating to take on Germany's Silver Arrows. Sensing untapped potential in Dreyfus, she funded the development of a nimble tiger of a new car built by a little-known French manufacturer called Delahaye. As the nations of Europe marched ever closer to war, Schell and Dreyfus faced down Hitler's top drivers, and the world held its breath in anticipation, waiting to see who would triumph.

### Author Biography

-   Neal Bascomb is the author of _The Race of the Century: The Battle to Break the Four-Minute Mile,_ which _Kirkus Reviews_ calls a "gripping narrative nonfiction tale" and _The Nazi Hunters_, winner of the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award, among numerous other awards. _School Library Journal_ called his second young adult book, _Sabotage_, "excellent" in a starred review and _The Grand Escape_ a "fantastic pick for avid history readers" also in a starred review. His book _The Racers_ was named a BCCB Blue Ribbon Book and a starred review from _School Library Journal_ called _The Racers_ "Highly Recommended." In addition, he is the author of six nonfiction books for adults on subjects ranging from a 1905 Russian submarine mutiny to a contemporary high school robotics team. _The Perfect Mile_, _Winter Fortress_, and _Hunting Eichmann_ went on to be _New York Times_ and international bestsellers. Neal lives in Philadelphia with his family and rascal dog, Moses. Please visit his website at nealbascomb.com and follow him on Facebook @nealrbascomb.

**Number of Pages:** 336

**Dimensions:** 1.3 x 8.4 x 5.8 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** October 06, 2020

**Accelerated Reader:**

**Quiz Name:** Racers: How an Outcast Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Challenged Hitler's Best

**Interest Level:** Upper Middle Grades, 6 and up

**Reading Level:** 7.7

**Point Value:** 9

## Details

- **Price:** 19.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 19.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- The Racers: How an Outcast Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Challenged Hitler's Best (Scholastic Focus) - Hardcover

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