Nancy with a friend at a bookstore event!

Bio

Nancy Roe Pimm grew up in Brooklyn New York, where she rode subways and buses. Cars were not important to her. Little did she know that one day she would marry a professional race car driver. Working in the pits with computers and stop watches, Ms. Pimm learned first hand about the thrills and dangers of Indy racing. The Indy 500 is the crown jewel of auto racing. Cars are pushed to perform. Records are broken. From time to time a crash will hush the crowd of 400,000 people. Every May, drivers from all over the world come to race at the Indy 500. They push themselves and their cars at over 200 miles per hour for 200 laps. These men and women take sharp turns, fly down straight-aways, make pit stops, and zigzag for position. Through interviews with past and current race car drivers, the author reveals the inner world of racing with her readers. The book also explores the history of the Indy 500 and little known facts about the race and its drivers.

Another driving force behind the author is to encourage kids to reach high and believe in their dreams. Her husband grew up on a farm in upstate New York. Many people thought it would be impossible for him to follow his dream of becoming a race driver and competing in the Indy 500. After years of hard work and persistence, Mr. Pimm raced at Indy in 1985 through 1988. Nancy Roe-Pimm wrote and illustrated her first book when she was only ten-years old. Her dream of having a book on a library shelf has finally come true, thirty-five years later!  Her message to the children: It's important to believe in yourself, never give up and reach for the stars. She will also share with the group a day in the life of a writer and why she writes. Her talk is inspirational and hands-on. She has collected "pit trash" (parts of an actual Indy race car) to share with the students and racing gear from her days at the race track. There is also a slide presentation with racing photos, not used in the book, The Indy 500—The Inside Track. Ms. Pimm has been published in Highlights for Children, Hopscotch, Boy's Quest, The Horseman's Corral, Guideposts for Kids and Chicken Soup for the Soul books. She has also written two young adult novels and three picture books. Her book, The Indy 500—The Inside Track is a Junior Library Guild selection and was chosen for the Brodart's McNaughton program. So fasten you seatbelts and start your reading!