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What: “Real Road Racing: The Santa Monica Road Races”

Authors: Harold Osmer and Phil Harms

Publisher: Harold L. Osmer Publishing Co., Chatsworth

Cost: $29.95

From 1909 to 1919, automobile races were held over a stretch of highway in downtown Santa Monica that would seem impossible today--portions of Wilshire Boulevard, San Vicente Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, right above the bluffs. And the reason seems even more improbable. They were held to attract attention to the tiny resort town, hoping to draw people from the East Coast who would read about racing in sunny Southern California when they were snowbound in winter.

The 132-page book, featuring Harms’ collection of old-time racing photos and Osmer’s meticulous research into Southland racing, is an outgrowth of his earlier book, “Where They Raced.” Names and faces of such figures as Barney Oldfield, Earl Cooper, Ralph DePalma, Eddie Rickenbacker and Teddy Tetzlaff come into focus through anecdotes of their derring-do.

What gives the book a different flavor is Osmer’s use of quotations from the Los Angeles Times and Santa Monica Daily Outlook to paint pictures. The writing is as different from today’s as the cars. From The Times: “Three pretty girls in Leon T. Shettler’s box led the rooting throng and waved auto veils and screeched a welcome as the Apperson came tearing down the stretch. The grand stand took the cue and shouted for the leader and the girls were happy.”

Or this from the Outlook: “Barney Oldfield was out in his Mercer No. 7. The castor oil fumes which cause the spectators to remember his presence long after the roar of his motor has died away in the distance made numbers of the fans lose any desire they may previously have had for breakfast.”

All of the roads used are still busy thoroughfares and after reading “Real Road Racing,” it is easy to visualize Terrible Teddy Tetzlaff screaming down Wilshire in his big Fiat at full throttle.