Hello, I'm Paul Page: It's Race Day in Indianapolis

For those of us who were born and raised in Indiana, Indy 500 race day is a religious holiday. The individual family rituals vary, but there is one constant- when the green flag drops, everyone is within earshot of the radio and will remain there for the next few hours. From 1977 to 1987. Paul Page anchored that broadcast and no one ever did it better. He learned the lessons from his mentor, the legendary Sid Collins, well. Anchoring the Indy 500 radio broadcast is very much like playing quarterback. You not only have to be on top of your own game, you have to make the best use of the skills of the entire team to be successful. Paul made it seem easy and the the race fans listening to the broadcasts were treated to broadcasts that sounded flawless. When the action on the track was fast and furious, Paul and his team managed to transmit the energy and excitement of one of the world’s greatest events to those of us who had only our sense of hearing at our disposal.When Paul made the transition from radio into the ABC television booth, he took on a challenge that very few have successfully overcome. Television is a completely different animal that requires a completely different skill set. How did Paul handle the change? The two Emmys he won in 1989 and 1990 are the answer to that question. Paul worked well with a number of different broadcast partners over the years, but for my money, his years with Sam Posey and Bobby Unser at his side were the best. That broadcast team ranks up there with the greatest of all time. The greatest sports broadcasters of my time have been Jim Simpson, Curt Gowdy, Al Michaels, Brent Musberger, and a few others. Paul Page is in that class.In Hi, I’m Paul Page, we learn the secret to Paul’s success as the premier broadcaster in auto-racing history. He knew everyone from the owners, drivers, and crew chiefs to the mechanics, pit crew members, and sponsors. He may not be the only only broadcaster able to make that claim, but it’s certain that no broadcaster ever came close to acquiring the level of trust that Paul earned in racing circles and still maintains to this day.In the book we discover that Paul was not only a great broadcaster, but also a keen observer with a great memory. The stories with so many names from my youth as protagonists brought insight, laughter, and, in a couple of instances, a tear or two. Some of the names like Jigger Sirois, Lloyd Ruby, Roger Ward, Dan Gurney, and several others had been tucked away in a corner of my mind for many years. They deserve to be remembered and I’m grateful to Paul for the reminders.You don’t have to be a student of the Indianapolis 500 to enjoy this book. Anyone with the slightest interest in racing can learn a lot of racing history from a highly knowledgeable source who was an eyewitness to much of it.For those who are fans of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the book provides a fly-on-the-wall’s perspective that will bring you hours of enjoyment. If you’re looking for dirty laundry, you’d best look elsewhere because you won’t find any here. While I have no doubt that Paul has seen his share of racing’s underbelly and could have included material that would have sold a lot more books, he has too much class for that. As Mario Andretti says in the first line of his forward, Paul Page is no rat.Paul Page had a lifelong dream to become a part of the Indianapolis 500. He worked extremely hard to get there. He spent decades in the pits, in the garages, and wherever else he needed to be to better prepare himself as a broadcaster. Along the way, he forged friendships with the biggest names in racing. In this book, Paul tells the stories that he never had time to tell on the air. I enjoyed every word of it.

Truly a fabulous read from the initial turn of the first page all the way through until the final lap of the read, when you turn that final corner of the last page wishing the finish line of the authors verbal colors were still going to run some more and not wave a checkered ending. I have come across few books that churn my interest to the extent that this has that I am confident this will be picked up again by me to do another ride through the, as I would call it, The Pages of Page. For anyone deeply involved in racing do yourself a favor find a spot to read it in sheer silence with no outside influences, by yourself and just Paul's words - I promise as you're reading it you'll smell oil from some of those pages!Thank you Mr. Page for all the years you have taken my ears into such incredible battles on the front line of Indycar racing, into the sorrowed and hallowed grounds of loss and everything in between.

Having attended 66 Indy 500’s I’m a big fan of the race and had read several books related to the race. Paul’s is my favorite, often paralleling my memory lane. As a young State Police Officer, I stood next to Paul atop the south extension of thrower terrace as Janet Guthrie became the First Lady to qualify for the 500. We knew we were watching racing history. As a local radio celebrity at the time he treated me and my partner with respect.For life long Indy fans, this book is the bomb.

Most of the readers will already know the Indianapolis 500 history that Page recites, but there is enough new material to make it interesting. Page's biographical material alone, made for a good read, and although I've met Paul on a few occasions, and followed his broadcasts for years, I had no idea of his interesting life outside the booth. Managed an adult theater? Who knew?

This is truly an amazing read for race fans and especially those who love the Indianapolis 500!!

Anyone that has attended or heard of Indianapolis 500 will appreciate this well written book. This gentleman I have to admire for his contributions to the Masonic Fraternity and also being an honorary 33 degree Mason. He has presented his wonderful book from the viewpoint of other people and friends. And he a superb Master of Ceremonies of which I have witnessed many times.

Easy to read, well organized stories from the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. I’ve been to the 500 three times myself. This book provided another interesting more historic perspective on this iconic race. Highly recommended!

Absolutely fantastic read. Very interesting to read about the storied life of Paul page. So many twists and turns and the behind the scenes insights. If you are Racefan you will love this book. If you’re a fan of broadcast history I would recommend it as well.

Paul Page is a voice of generations. His accounts with a deeply personal story attached to eached anecdote delivers a deeply infectious insight to not only Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 500, but broadcasting in general. Many of the stories from my lifetime following the 500 I could visualise as Paul gives behind the scenes accounts. Couldn't really call it your typical sportsbook accounts given the anecdotes attached that extend what happened on lap xyz. Have been waiting a while to read this and devoured it in 2 sittings