The best book about Team Lotus racing that I have read, 04 Oct 2008
The great thing about this book is that it is by someone who was there at the time and kept a diary. The other good thing is that he tells it as it was without pulling his punches, so we get a real feel of how it was in those exciting days.

One can almost share the exhaustion of the mechanics as they toiled to complete the cars in time to start racing - let alone fettle them once practice had started.

Because he was Team Manager he had an overall view of what was going on and manages to bring it to life very successfully.

It is shame that he did not live long enough to bring out a companion volume about Team Lotus Formula One racing.

I am one of the severest critics of mistakes in books covering the early days of Lotus, but could find only one mistake in this reprint - the reason for Jim Clark's retirement in the final Grand Prix of 1962 (which cost him the World Chamionship) was not due to a bolt falling out, but was the failure of the drive shaft to the scavenge oil pumps. This was not known at the time of the first edition.

This is a must for anyone interested in Lotus, and will appeal to any motor racing enthusiast. Simply the best I have read covering Team Lotus racing.

Peter Ross

a fine book, 12 Apr 1999
This is a very good book about how Team Lotus stormed the Indy 500. It brings a lot of stories on what really happened in the team, on and off the track, sometimes even in the hotelrooms! another very good book in a the expanding series by Motorbooks Lively written, Great reading, well worth the cost of purchase...

The best book about Team Lotus racing that I have read, 04 Oct 2008
The great thing about this book is that it is by someone who was there at the time and kept a diary. The other good thing is that he tells it as it was without pulling his punches, so we get a real feel of how it was in those exciting days.

One can almost share the exhaustion of the mechanics as they toiled to complete the cars in time to start racing - let alone fettle them once practice had started.

Because he was Team Manager he had an overall view of what was going on and manages to bring it to life very successfully.

It is shame that he did not live long enough to bring out a companion volume about Team Lotus Formula One racing.

I am one of the severest critics of mistakes in books covering the early days of Lotus, but could find only one mistake in this reprint - the reason for Jim Clark's retirement in the final Grand Prix of 1962 (which cost him the World Chamionship) was not due to a bolt falling out, but was the failure of the drive shaft to the scavenge oil pumps. This was not known at the time of the first edition.

This is a must for anyone interested in Lotus, and will appeal to any motor racing enthusiast. Simply the best I have read covering Team Lotus racing.

Peter Ross

a fine book, 12 Apr 1999
This is a very good book about how Team Lotus stormed the Indy 500. It brings a lot of stories on what really happened in the team, on and off the track, sometimes even in the hotelrooms! another very good book in a the expanding series by Motorbooks Lively written, Great reading, well worth the cost of purchase...

Excellent Review and maybe the Best Autocourse Book yet!, 07 May 2007
This really is an excellent review of the history and personalities involved in the Indy 500. It's fascinating stuff especialy in the early years when there were more places to park spectators horses than there were for their cars. I wish I could have been there in the 30's when the race winner picked up the tabs from the Paddock Diner! This is more than just a race by race account. It is well written and brings alive the state of the nation at the time as well as the larger than life individuals involved in the track and race. I don't think there has been a better illustrated Autocourse book! It's also has more pages - 368 of detailed text, fabulous period photographs and program covers and the full results of each and every race. The authors have got the balance just right so that you can pick this book and absorb yourself in each particular race. I can highly recommend this book and Autocourse should be proud of it.

The best book about Team Lotus racing that I have read, 04 Oct 2008
The great thing about this book is that it is by someone who was there at the time and kept a diary. The other good thing is that he tells it as it was without pulling his punches, so we get a real feel of how it was in those exciting days.

One can almost share the exhaustion of the mechanics as they toiled to complete the cars in time to start racing - let alone fettle them once practice had started.

Because he was Team Manager he had an overall view of what was going on and manages to bring it to life very successfully.

It is shame that he did not live long enough to bring out a companion volume about Team Lotus Formula One racing.

I am one of the severest critics of mistakes in books covering the early days of Lotus, but could find only one mistake in this reprint - the reason for Jim Clark's retirement in the final Grand Prix of 1962 (which cost him the World Chamionship) was not due to a bolt falling out, but was the failure of the drive shaft to the scavenge oil pumps. This was not known at the time of the first edition.

This is a must for anyone interested in Lotus, and will appeal to any motor racing enthusiast. Simply the best I have read covering Team Lotus racing.

Peter Ross

a fine book, 12 Apr 1999
This is a very good book about how Team Lotus stormed the Indy 500. It brings a lot of stories on what really happened in the team, on and off the track, sometimes even in the hotelrooms! another very good book in a the expanding series by Motorbooks Lively written, Great reading, well worth the cost of purchase...

Excellent Review and maybe the Best Autocourse Book yet!, 07 May 2007
This really is an excellent review of the history and personalities involved in the Indy 500. It's fascinating stuff especialy in the early years when there were more places to park spectators horses than there were for their cars. I wish I could have been there in the 30's when the race winner picked up the tabs from the Paddock Diner! This is more than just a race by race account. It is well written and brings alive the state of the nation at the time as well as the larger than life individuals involved in the track and race. I don't think there has been a better illustrated Autocourse book! It's also has more pages - 368 of detailed text, fabulous period photographs and program covers and the full results of each and every race. The authors have got the balance just right so that you can pick this book and absorb yourself in each particular race. I can highly recommend this book and Autocourse should be proud of it.

GREAT INTRODUCTION TO INDYCAR, 21 Apr 2001
NOT KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT INDYCAR I WAS PLEASED TO FIND A TEXT THAT EXPLAINED EVERYTHING THAT I ANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS RACE SERIES. THE TEXT IS READABLE AND VERY INFORMATIVE, ITS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO QUOTE A FEW FACTS TO SUPPOSED 'KNOW IT ALL' MALE COLLEAGUES. A GOOD BOOK THAT CRIES OUT TO BE UPDATED!

The best book about Team Lotus racing that I have read, 04 Oct 2008
The great thing about this book is that it is by someone who was there at the time and kept a diary. The other good thing is that he tells it as it was without pulling his punches, so we get a real feel of how it was in those exciting days.

One can almost share the exhaustion of the mechanics as they toiled to complete the cars in time to start racing - let alone fettle them once practice had started.

Because he was Team Manager he had an overall view of what was going on and manages to bring it to life very successfully.

It is shame that he did not live long enough to bring out a companion volume about Team Lotus Formula One racing.

I am one of the severest critics of mistakes in books covering the early days of Lotus, but could find only one mistake in this reprint - the reason for Jim Clark's retirement in the final Grand Prix of 1962 (which cost him the World Chamionship) was not due to a bolt falling out, but was the failure of the drive shaft to the scavenge oil pumps. This was not known at the time of the first edition.

This is a must for anyone interested in Lotus, and will appeal to any motor racing enthusiast. Simply the best I have read covering Team Lotus racing.

Peter Ross

a fine book, 12 Apr 1999
This is a very good book about how Team Lotus stormed the Indy 500. It brings a lot of stories on what really happened in the team, on and off the track, sometimes even in the hotelrooms! another very good book in a the expanding series by Motorbooks Lively written, Great reading, well worth the cost of purchase...

Excellent Review and maybe the Best Autocourse Book yet!, 07 May 2007
This really is an excellent review of the history and personalities involved in the Indy 500. It's fascinating stuff especialy in the early years when there were more places to park spectators horses than there were for their cars. I wish I could have been there in the 30's when the race winner picked up the tabs from the Paddock Diner! This is more than just a race by race account. It is well written and brings alive the state of the nation at the time as well as the larger than life individuals involved in the track and race. I don't think there has been a better illustrated Autocourse book! It's also has more pages - 368 of detailed text, fabulous period photographs and program covers and the full results of each and every race. The authors have got the balance just right so that you can pick this book and absorb yourself in each particular race. I can highly recommend this book and Autocourse should be proud of it.

GREAT INTRODUCTION TO INDYCAR, 21 Apr 2001
NOT KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT INDYCAR I WAS PLEASED TO FIND A TEXT THAT EXPLAINED EVERYTHING THAT I ANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS RACE SERIES. THE TEXT IS READABLE AND VERY INFORMATIVE, ITS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO QUOTE A FEW FACTS TO SUPPOSED 'KNOW IT ALL' MALE COLLEAGUES. A GOOD BOOK THAT CRIES OUT TO BE UPDATED!

Excellent intro to the birth of the modern Indycar, 11 Sep 2004
There are surprisingly few good general books on the evolution of the Indycar. Borgeson's "Golden Age of the American Racing Car" covers the classic pre-Depression Miller era, but until now there hasn't really been anything on the most interesting period in Indy history - the demise of the front-engined roadsters and their replacement by rear-engined cars in the 60s.

And it wasn't just the relative positions of driver and engine that changed in the sixties. The decade saw not only British and American builders challenging accepted wisdom on chassis, but also a range of alternatives to the Offenhauser hegemony - the Ford V8, the gas turbines, even a car with two Porsche flat sixes.... gasoline fuel and methanol, the ever-changing technology of the racing tyre, the first faltering steps in of aerodynamics - it's all documented here in words and pictures.

It's all here in this concise but well-written and splendidly-illustrated book. The first third of it is a potted history of the 500 and the Indy car from the dawn of time to the late 50s, so you'll get a general overview the pioneering cars, the Miller era, the "Junk Formula", and the Roadster years. The book then opens out into a year-by-year description of the sixties -- new developments and new faces, new technical approaches, and the history of the race. Other USAC races are covered only in passing; this is unashamedly a book on the 500.

For the price, the number and quality of photos in the book are particularly praiseworthy, as is the sheer quantity of colour. This is a notably handsome and well-produced book with quite a lot of pictures I'd not seen before. The text seems accurate enough and is quite entertainingly written, with a nice line in wry understatement.

Difficult to find reasons not to buy thos one - it's good value, looks good and reads well, so a definite recommendation. I'd be interested to see if the author can cover the 70s-90s in the same style!

Excellent intro to the birth of the modern Indycar, 11 Sep 2004
There are surprisingly few good general books on the evolution of the Indycar. Borgeson's "Golden Age of the American Racing Car" covers the classic pre-Depression Miller era, but until now there hasn't really been anything on the most interesting period in Indy history - the demise of the front-engined roadsters and their replacement by rear-engined cars in the 60s.

And it wasn't just the relative positions of driver and engine that changed in the sixties. The decade saw not only British and American builders challenging accepted wisdom on chassis, but also a range of alternatives to the Offenhauser hegemony - the Ford V8, the gas turbines, even a car with two Porsche flat sixes.... gasoline fuel and methanol, the ever-changing technology of the racing tyre, the first faltering steps in of aerodynamics - it's all documented here in words and pictures.

It's all here in this concise but well-written and splendidly-illustrated book. The first third of it is a potted history of the 500 and the Indy car from the dawn of time to the late 50s, so you'll get a general overview the pioneering cars, the Miller era, the "Junk Formula", and the Roadster years. The book then opens out into a year-by-year description of the sixties -- new developments and new faces, new technical approaches, and the history of the race. Other USAC races are covered only in passing; this is unashamedly a book on the 500.

For the price, the number and quality of photos in the book are particularly praiseworthy, as is the sheer quantity of colour. This is a notably handsome and well-produced book with quite a lot of pictures I'd not seen before. The text seems accurate enough and is quite entertainingly written, with a nice line in wry understatement.

For the price, difficult to find major faults. Looks good and reads well, so a definite recommendation. I'd be interested to see whether the author can cover the 70s-90s in the same style!

The best book about Team Lotus racing that I have read, 04 Oct 2008
The great thing about this book is that it is by someone who was there at the time and kept a diary. The other good thing is that he tells it as it was without pulling his punches, so we get a real feel of how it was in those exciting days.

One can almost share the exhaustion of the mechanics as they toiled to complete the cars in time to start racing - let alone fettle them once practice had started.

Because he was Team Manager he had an overall view of what was going on and manages to bring it to life very successfully.

It is shame that he did not live long enough to bring out a companion volume about Team Lotus Formula One racing.

I am one of the severest critics of mistakes in books covering the early days of Lotus, but could find only one mistake in this reprint - the reason for Jim Clark's retirement in the final Grand Prix of 1962 (which cost him the World Chamionship) was not due to a bolt falling out, but was the failure of the drive shaft to the scavenge oil pumps. This was not known at the time of the first edition.

This is a must for anyone interested in Lotus, and will appeal to any motor racing enthusiast. Simply the best I have read covering Team Lotus racing.

Peter Ross

a fine book, 12 Apr 1999
This is a very good book about how Team Lotus stormed the Indy 500. It brings a lot of stories on what really happened in the team, on and off the track, sometimes even in the hotelrooms! another very good book in a the expanding series by Motorbooks Lively written, Great reading, well worth the cost of purchase...

Excellent Review and maybe the Best Autocourse Book yet!, 07 May 2007
This really is an excellent review of the history and personalities involved in the Indy 500. It's fascinating stuff especialy in the early years when there were more places to park spectators horses than there were for their cars. I wish I could have been there in the 30's when the race winner picked up the tabs from the Paddock Diner! This is more than just a race by race account. It is well written and brings alive the state of the nation at the time as well as the larger than life individuals involved in the track and race. I don't think there has been a better illustrated Autocourse book! It's also has more pages - 368 of detailed text, fabulous period photographs and program covers and the full results of each and every race. The authors have got the balance just right so that you can pick this book and absorb yourself in each particular race. I can highly recommend this book and Autocourse should be proud of it.

GREAT INTRODUCTION TO INDYCAR, 21 Apr 2001
NOT KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT INDYCAR I WAS PLEASED TO FIND A TEXT THAT EXPLAINED EVERYTHING THAT I ANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS RACE SERIES. THE TEXT IS READABLE AND VERY INFORMATIVE, ITS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO QUOTE A FEW FACTS TO SUPPOSED 'KNOW IT ALL' MALE COLLEAGUES. A GOOD BOOK THAT CRIES OUT TO BE UPDATED!

Excellent intro to the birth of the modern Indycar, 11 Sep 2004
There are surprisingly few good general books on the evolution of the Indycar. Borgeson's "Golden Age of the American Racing Car" covers the classic pre-Depression Miller era, but until now there hasn't really been anything on the most interesting period in Indy history - the demise of the front-engined roadsters and their replacement by rear-engined cars in the 60s.

And it wasn't just the relative positions of driver and engine that changed in the sixties. The decade saw not only British and American builders challenging accepted wisdom on chassis, but also a range of alternatives to the Offenhauser hegemony - the Ford V8, the gas turbines, even a car with two Porsche flat sixes.... gasoline fuel and methanol, the ever-changing technology of the racing tyre, the first faltering steps in of aerodynamics - it's all documented here in words and pictures.

It's all here in this concise but well-written and splendidly-illustrated book. The first third of it is a potted history of the 500 and the Indy car from the dawn of time to the late 50s, so you'll get a general overview the pioneering cars, the Miller era, the "Junk Formula", and the Roadster years. The book then opens out into a year-by-year description of the sixties -- new developments and new faces, new technical approaches, and the history of the race. Other USAC races are covered only in passing; this is unashamedly a book on the 500.

For the price, the number and quality of photos in the book are particularly praiseworthy, as is the sheer quantity of colour. This is a notably handsome and well-produced book with quite a lot of pictures I'd not seen before. The text seems accurate enough and is quite entertainingly written, with a nice line in wry understatement.

Difficult to find reasons not to buy thos one - it's good value, looks good and reads well, so a definite recommendation. I'd be interested to see if the author can cover the 70s-90s in the same style!

Excellent intro to the birth of the modern Indycar, 11 Sep 2004
There are surprisingly few good general books on the evolution of the Indycar. Borgeson's "Golden Age of the American Racing Car" covers the classic pre-Depression Miller era, but until now there hasn't really been anything on the most interesting period in Indy history - the demise of the front-engined roadsters and their replacement by rear-engined cars in the 60s.

And it wasn't just the relative positions of driver and engine that changed in the sixties. The decade saw not only British and American builders challenging accepted wisdom on chassis, but also a range of alternatives to the Offenhauser hegemony - the Ford V8, the gas turbines, even a car with two Porsche flat sixes.... gasoline fuel and methanol, the ever-changing technology of the racing tyre, the first faltering steps in of aerodynamics - it's all documented here in words and pictures.

It's all here in this concise but well-written and splendidly-illustrated book. The first third of it is a potted history of the 500 and the Indy car from the dawn of time to the late 50s, so you'll get a general overview the pioneering cars, the Miller era, the "Junk Formula", and the Roadster years. The book then opens out into a year-by-year description of the sixties -- new developments and new faces, new technical approaches, and the history of the race. Other USAC races are covered only in passing; this is unashamedly a book on the 500.

For the price, the number and quality of photos in the book are particularly praiseworthy, as is the sheer quantity of colour. This is a notably handsome and well-produced book with quite a lot of pictures I'd not seen before. The text seems accurate enough and is quite entertainingly written, with a nice line in wry understatement.

For the price, difficult to find major faults. Looks good and reads well, so a definite recommendation. I'd be interested to see whether the author can cover the 70s-90s in the same style!

Wish I'd had this book when I was a kid!, 11 Apr 1998
If you know a kid who's interested in racing, there's no better introduction to big-time motorsports than this book. It takes young readers (probably age 8 and up) inside the world of Champ Car racing, with thorough discussions of the drivers, cars, teams and events. When I was a kid, I had little concept of racing beyond the Indy 500, but a book like this would have added immensely to my understanding of the sport. The book's only shortcoming is that the information is somewhat dated now, but its young readers probably won't mind a bit.