Survival of the Fastest

Weed, Speed, and the 1980s Drug Scandal that Shocked the Sports World

By: Randy Lanier, A.J. Baime

Narrated by: Jonathan Beville

As featured on Netflix’s “Bad Sport,” the high-octane, Seabiscuit-meets-Scarface story of how Randy Lanier became a 1980s international sports star, soaring through the ranks of car racing while holding a dark secret: he was also one of the biggest pot smugglers in American history

As a kid, Randy Lanier dreamed of achieving four-wheel glory at the Indianapolis 500, but knew he’d never be able to afford the most expensive sport on earth. That all changed when he bought a speedboat and began smuggling pot from the Bahamas. Fueled by what would become a historically massive smuggling operation, he started racing cars and became an overnight sensation. For Randy and his teammates, money was no object, and bigger hauls meant faster cars. At every event they attended, they were behind the wheel of the best machinery, flaunting their secret in front of huge crowds and live television cameras. But no matter how fast they drove, they couldn’t outrun the law. As Randy came ever closer to reaching his dream of high-speed glory, one of the biggest drug scandals ever to hit the professional sports world was about to unfold.

Set in the 1980s Florida of Miami Vice, this is the unbelievable, unforgettable, unparalleled story of an ordinary guy whose attempts to become famous doing the thing he wanted most—become a world class race car driver—devolved into a you-can’t-make-this-up tale of one of the biggest crime rings and drug scandals of the 1980s. Now, with the help of New York Times bestselling author A.J. Baime, Randy tells the whole truth for the first time ever, a gripping narrative unlike any other, a sports story for the ages, and shocking a true crime epic.

Critic reviews

“Flooring his racer on the back straight of the Indy 500 at the same time that his barge with 80 tons of pot bucks up waves along the California coast, Randy Lanier didn't let me go until the last page of his ripping, true saga.”—Bruce Porter, New York Times bestselling author of Blow: How a Small-Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellín Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All

"Like any self-respecting outlaw, Lanier has a hell of a time breaking the law, even as knuckleheaded hubris promises ruination, but you can't help but cheer for him as the glory and despair of the checkered flag of his rookie Indy 500 finish line and clanging prison doors loom on the horizon."—Guy Lawson, New York Times bestselling author of War Dogs: How Three Stoners from Miami Beach Became the Most Unlikely Gunrunners in History

“Tell me you're not going to read this whopper of a true-life tale. Buckle your seat belts. This is one terrific ride.”—Leigh Montville, New York Times bestselling author of The Big Bam

"As the test pilot for the world's most dangerous amusement park, I was thrust right back into those harrowing days as I read the story of Randy Lanier and his wild ride of a life from drug smuggler to race car driver. It’s non-stop action and a thrill a minute. Strap in and blast off!" —Andy Mulvihill, Author of Action Park: Fast Times, Wild Rides, and the Untold Story of America’s Most Dangerous Amusement Park

Great history here of the 80’s racing and drug world

This is a really good up close and personal look at how a bunch of guys got rich off drugs and went racing. Some of the facts aren’t accurate though like when they refer to the first Indy 500 in 1909..cmon a simple Google or knowledge of Indy lets you know it was 1911. Also the mispronunciation of drivers names like Luyendyk, Sneva, and others was annoying. I wouldn’t give 5 stars to the narrator but the story is 5 stars for sure!

Lotta fun!

I’m the same age as Randy. It was sure fun to take a spin through those wild times! Cahones like bowling balls!

worth it but not great

the story is good but the performance wears down. the editing and performance really wear down what could have been a fantastic story.

needed to be smoother story. it's just event. chapter. event. chapter. over and over.

Randy is endearing towards the end.

PHENOMENAL!!

Excellent & Unreal story. Very well written and narrated. Would make a hell of a movie. 🏁

Very Interesting

Very intriguing story that kept my attention the whole time. I wish the author would have dove a little deeper on some things but there are probably too many people in the story still alive.