Vintage Motorsport Library
Vintage Racing Book Review by D. Randy Riggs
THE FERRARI PHENOMENON
Hardcover • 160pp • 9" x 11" • 35 B&W and 124 color photos • $39.95 • 602-852-9500 www.bullpublishing.com
You know right away that this isn’t going to be the usual Ferrari book when pictured on pg. 133 is a Rambler station wagon. It’s Ferrari-powered however, and on these pages is where you’ll see and learn things about Ferrari you or few others know, like what happened to Enzo’s cherry orchard, or the Top 10 movie roles of Ferraris or the results of a drag race between Michael Schumacher’s F1 car against an Italian Air Force fighter plane. There’s lots more here and all of it is terrifically entertaining and a must read for anyone with a hint of interest in the marque, but especially for the tifosi.
ROAD RACING
Hardcover • 11.25” X 13.25” • 98pp • 147 B&W photos • $44.95 www.lindaweldon.com
Linda Weldon parlayed her good looks and photography interest into pit passes that allowed a pursuit of her personal expression at the racetrack. During the ’60s and ’70s, Weldon clicked off candid photos of both legendary and unknown drivers, revealing their many moods and intensity, at times ornery, at times edgy, but always compelling to the reader’s eye. John Heimann’s brief biographies add the necessary background information to what are timeless photographs, nicely presented.
ALPINE & RENAULT
Hardcover • 10 ” X 10” • 208pp • 300 photos • $69.95 • 800-826-6600 www.motorbooks.com
French cars don’t resonate with many enthusiasts in the U.S., but motorsports fans know the importance the Alpine Renaults represent in sports racing. Each 208-page volume is lavishly illustrated, the first covering the smaller-engined cars, the second the cars that eventually won at Le Mans. Along with archival photos and cutaways, commentary from drivers and designers mean we learn much about the small team that made motor racing history.
LISTER-JAGUAR
Hardcover • 9" x 11.5" • 270pp • 700 photos • $75 www.paulskilleterbooks.com
Loaded with never before seen images, the tale of Lister-Jaguar revs to life with intriguing anecdotes from Brian Lister himself on the era of glorious front-engined sports cars when Lister-Jags dominated. Both the “Knobbly” and Costin-bodied cars are covered in great detail, as is the story of the Lister company from the beginning. A section on historic racing and Brian’s own scrapbook make for more fun reading, although we were disappointed there wasn’t much on Listers that raced in the U.S.
MARK DONOHUE
Hardcover • 9” X 11” • 160pp • 250 photos • $39.95 • 602-852-9500 www.bullpublishing.com
Author Michael Argetsinger follows up his “Mark Donohue: Technical Excellence At Speed” published in 2009 with the ultimate photographic account of Donohue’s life, career, and cars. This time the life and career of one of America’s most gifted drivers is told through photos at the track, at home and among his friends and colleagues, with detailed captions and quotes from those who knew him. Very well done!
RUSSELL SNOWBERGER
Hardcover • 12” X 10.5” • 792pp • 562 photos • $100 • 586-978-1143 www.johnsnowberger.com
John Snowberger spent 15 years gathering up hundreds of photographs, countless newspaper and magazine clippings, race records and programs, even pit passes and momentos spotlighting the career of his father Russell, which lasted from the 1920s to the ’60s. Russell was a race driver, chief mechanic, builder, designer and car owner with a special passion for the Indianapolis 500. Each limited edition book is serialized and autographed, 792 pages that revive a racing era in a very special way. Don’t miss out on this one.
