Salt Walther Stories ~ Salt Goes Evil Knievel on the Banks of the GreatMiami River

As you may know Salt had a personality bigger than life. He sometimes did wild things just to fill his adrenalin needs. Salt and his best friend Chuck were driving a rented Mustang one night and Salt got the idea of jumping the flood levy on the Great Miami River down by The Boathouse which was the headquarters for Dayton Walther Racing.

He had been rehearsing this stunt in his mind for some time and had worked with a few Hollywood stuntmen during his California days and new basically how to do it. Unbeknownst to Chuck, Salt says hang on Ace! That was his nickname for Chuck and away they went accelerating towards the levy. Salt hit the levy at an angle just as the stuntmen had told and now they were airborne.

To get the rest of the story and more get Salt's new book at www.etsy.com/indybooknook 

Salt Walther Artifact Found on the Web

Was tooling around the web and came upon this photo. It is Salt's '73 crash helmet. I was amazed at the damage. Just watch a documentary on Nikki Lauda and his crash in 1976 in the German GP. His helmet was not as damaged as Salts, but it actually came off during the crash. That is likely why he sustained the severe burns to his face and heads.

Salt always praised the helmet manufacturer for building it right. No one could expect a helmet to last long in a fire, it's design to keep your skull intact during a crash.

Salt Walther GT 40 Found

As posted by Road and Track Magazine in February. A rare Ford GT 40 was discovered in a garage in California with Salt's name on the side of it. This is a really cool discovery, to bad the reporter didn't know much facts about Salt claiming he had little success in his racing career. And then went on to discuss his incarceration period finally claiming that Salt died shortly after being apprehended by the police. Not true... Wow, it appears anybody can be a writer/reporter now days.

Salt was the only racer to have raced champ cars, NASCAR and Unlimited Hydroplanes. He was the 1968 Calvert Cup Unlimited Hydroplane winner, 64 champ car starts, 16 top ten finishes, 3rd row qualifier at Indy and a 9th place finish at Indy in 1976.

To find out more about Salt get his book "For the race of Your Life" at www.etsy.com/shop/indybooknook.

The Indy Book Nook is Open - Selling Salt Walther's Book For the Race of Your Life

After a year in the making. Salt's book is out this morning and can be purchased at www.etsy.com/shop.indybooknook

SALT WALTHER BOOK “FOR THE RACE OF YOUR LIFE” RELEASED

November 22, 2013 Press Release - Dayton, Ohio - Kings Road West Publications, LTD would like to announce the publication of The Salt Walther Story “For the Race of Your Life” just in time to honor Salt's 66th birthday today. This e-Book chronicles the life and times of Dayton, Ohio born racer David “Salt” Walther through stories told in Salt’s own words, remembrances from one of Salt’s long time friends and racing archives. Salt had been working on this book before his untimely death in December of 2012. And it is our pleasure to have completed his journey.

Born on November 22, 1947 to Dayton corporate magnate George Walther who took the reins from his father to become CEO and Chairman of the Dayton Walther Corporation. George was also a race car owner who began taking cars to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1955 and continued until 1990 when he and Salt put a car into the Indianapolis 500 only to be bumped by the last man on the track that Sunday. 

The book is not just a racing story, but will tell Salt’s story of drug dependency following his near fatal racing accident during the start of the Indianapolis 500 race in 1973. You’ll come to understand why a kid from Centerville High School who was a gifted athlete, stayed in top physical shape and never took drugs, relied on drugs to remove the pain both physically and mentally after the accident. 

The book will bring Salt’s racing career into better understanding from his “little rich kid” who daddy bought him a race car to an accomplished racer with 64 career champ car races and Unlimited Hydroplane Calvert Cup Trophy Winner. Salt is the only driver to have raced IndyCars, NASCAR and Unlimited Hydroplanes.

The e-book can ONLY be purchased on-line at www.etsy.com/shop/indybooknook starting Monday November 25, 2013.   

We Say Good Bye to Dario Franchitti

Dario Franchitti announced this week that doctors recommended he retire for racing due injuries he suffered during the Houston Grand Prix.

We watched Dario grow to a powerhouse in IndyCar racing winning Indy three times. I can remember his first win, when the weather was moving in. We were on our way back from our childhood homes in west central Indiana at the time. I told my wife as Dario took over the lead and didn't pit as other did, that he was going to win staying out there as we could see in our rear view mirror that a storm was right behind us.

Dario, we hope you stay in racing.... as a car owner or in some capacity. We always enjoyed watching you. You are real champ and gentleman.

Final Chapter of Salt Walther Book in Progress and Release Next Week

We should be finished with final draft by this Friday. I am having a couple of proof readers take a look at it before we offer it to the public.

We have created a book shop on Etsy.com where you can buy/download the book. Etsy is kinda like an Amazon without all the expensive fees. Add it to cart and pay using your PayPal account. It will sell for $5.99 and come in formats that cover hopefully all the readers out there. IPAD, Kindle, Nook, Smart Phones and PC/Mac. We do not plan paper copies of the book at this time.

The shop will go live Friday morning at Indy Book Nook

Salt