Charlie Johnson in his Buick "Yellow Kid" race car at the Summit Hotel, 1914. He wrecked it at the Summit Mountain hill climb that year, but came back and won the race, $225.
I have researched and written about the Summit Mountain Hill Climbs, 1913 - 1915 and the Uniontown Speedway board track, 1916 - 1922 for 30 years.
I spent the last 8 months rewriting my Speed King script and adapting it to an historical romance novel.
Charlie Johnson (above) has inspired the star of my Speed King story who grew up as a nipper in the coal mines of southwestern Pennsylvania and was orphaned.
After earning the name Speed King in road races and hill climbs, he became the President of the Uniontown Speedway board track.
Stay tuned for the documentary. This project has wheels!