IUPUI professor examines the life of an African American racing pioneer
A picture of Joie Ray sitting in the cockpit of a race car with a beaming smile dominates the cover of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Professor Patrick Sullivan's new book about the racing pioneer. But it's hardly by chance that hovering behind Ray is a picture of his father, Joseph Ray Sr.
After all, it was the accomplishments by both of these African Americans, one in racing and the other as a business and community leader in Louisville, Ky., that led Sullivan, a professor at the Indiana University School of Social Work, to write the book Brick by Brick, The Story of Auto Racing Pioneer Joie Ray.
The framework of the book is Ray's story. As a young man, he dreamed of becoming a race car driver. In October 1949, Ray became the first black driver to obtain a license from AAA (American Automobile Association) Motor Club at Indiana's Salem Speedway after spending the previous two seasons racing at a variety of Midwestern tracks.
Ray continued to race sprint cars and stock cars until retiring from competition in 1963. Ray died in 2007 of a respiratory infection in a Louisville, Ky., hospital at the age of 83.
Sullivan, who has followed racing closely for years and has written for several racing publications such as Sprint Car and Midget Magazine and National Speed Sport News, had known Ray for years.
"Everybody knew him. Everybody liked him," Sullivan said.
What enticed Sullivan wasn't just Ray's ability to succeed in a predominantly white sport. For one thing, Ray's career was relatively short -- and unlike some racers who can vividly remember every race they entered, Ray was a terrible historian, Sullivan noted.
"It was really hard to reconstruct some things with him," Sullivan recalled. But as Ray's story emerged, so did the story about his father.
"Both of these guys were able to make breakthroughs in a white world, and they were able to do it working within the system. By the virtue of their personality they could surmount a lot of obstacles."
Ray Jr., who was born in Louisville in 1923, grew up in a town Sullivan describes as a "classic border town between the north and south." It was a place where "polite racism," was still very much a part of everyday life.
Sullivan details the lives of Ray's parents, bringing to life what black professionals faced in the years after World War I. In Ray Sr.'s case, he found a way to prosper in banking, insurance and real estate businesses.
"He cut a wide swath across the city, touching lives of people of all races, ages and status," Sullivan said.
While some may assume that auto racing and being a professor of social work don't go together, Sullivan is living proof they are wrong.
He became enthralled with auto racing years ago when he decided to go to a race in Tulsa, Okla. Sullivan had wanted to see a baseball game while visiting Tulsa, but the game was canceled because it was too hot.
The race track was near the ball park and Sullivan decided to watch the race after learning the game was canceled. Up to this point, he had seen a few auto races in person, though he grew up listening to the Indianapolis 500 on the radio. But seeing the race in Tulsa changed him from a casual race fan to a serious one.
"Something clicked," he said of his experience of seeing the race. "It was a packed house. I remember it vividly. I was absolutely captured by the culture of it all. I just loved the whole thing."
When he was teaching at what is now Missouri State University, he was approached about writing racing news. A man who owned several race tracks saw the stories and asked if Sullivan might like to try his hand at announcing races. Sullivan told him he was willing to give it a try.
Since then, Sullivan has had a radio and television show to talk about racing, and he has announced races across the country -- an activity that he continues to this day.
His early work led to an invitation to come to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he has assisted people such as ABC commentator Al Michaels during the Indianapolis 500. In fact, it was a chance to live in Indianapolis that influenced his decision to accept a position at IUPUI, over several possible job opportunities at other universities.
Besides working for the public relations office with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sullivan has a longtime connection with the race track in Bloomington, Ind., were he continues to announce. He also announces races at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, where he has worked for about 15 years.
Sullivan's book, Brick by Brick, The Story of Auto Racing Pioneer Joie Ray, is available at www.americanscenepress.com.
