Prior to 1999 Audi did not have a sportscar in its range, let alone having ever raced one. But between 2000 and 2006 the Audi R8 won 63 of the 80 races in which it competed - including five out of six Le Mans 24-hours - making it the most successful long-distance racing car of all time. The latest in Veloce's WSC Giants series, this book charts those races and describes the development of the R8, as well as profiling the 35 drivers who raced it between 2000 and 2006. It also includes the story of the Audi R8R and R8C of 1999. Illustrated in colour throughout with many previously unpublished photos, the book features individual chassis details and results, plus observations from significant individuals - engineers, team managers, drivers etc - concerned with the Audi R8. By the time the R8 was replaced by the diesel R10, it had revolutionised the marque's image, helping to change it from a staid, but worthy, saloon car manufacturer to one of the world's leading premium car producers.

The Sunday Times #1 Bestseller, shortlisted for the Cross Sports Book Award. In 1996, Damon Hill was crowned Formula One World Champion. For the first time ever he tells the story of his journey through the last golden era of the sport when he took on the greats including Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher and emerged victorious as World Champion in 1996, stepping out of the shadow of his legendary father Graham Hill. Away from the grid, Watching the Wheels: The Autobiography is an astonishingly candid account of what it was like to grow up as the son of one of the country's most famous racing drivers. It also tells the unflinching story of dealing with the grief and chaos that followed his father's tragically early death in an aircraft accident in 1975, when Damon was fifteen years old. Formula One drivers have always been aware of their mortality, and the rush that comes with the danger of racing was as intoxicating for Hill as it had been for his father's generation, until he came face-to-face with catastrophe when his team-mate, Ayrton Senna, was killed in 1994. The swirling emotions that Hill was faced with in light of the death of Senna was a defining moment for his generation of drivers and for the first time ever Hill talks candidly about the impact that Senna had on his life, even as he watched his own son step into motor racing. Courageously honest, and hugely rewarding, Watching the Wheels is a return to the last golden era of F1 racing, whose image still burns ferociously for those who love the sport for what it reveals about human skill in the face of near certain death.

Virtually from the moment of its launch in April, 1964, the Ford Mustang has been a favorite among road racers. From the Tour de France, to production sports car racing, the SCCA Trans-Am series, regional and national A/Sedan competitions, and international and domestic sedan championships in Great Britain, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, the Mustang has enjoyed a following like few other models. This book is a photographic celebration of road racing Mustangs throughout the world. It focuses on production-based cars, rather than the heavily modified tube-frame silhouette machines that began appearing in the late 1970s. Included are images of big-budget factory-supported cars competing in the Trans-Am series, right through to low-buck independents, and cars competing throughout the world. Using only period images, including countless photos that have never before been published, this is a true photographic history, depicting the global popularity of the Ford Mustang as a road racing car.

Shave lap times or find a faster line through your favorite set of S-curves with professional race driver Ross Bentley as he shows you the quickest line from apex to apex! With tips and commentary from current race drivers, Bentley covers the vital techniques of speed, from visualizing lines to interpreting tire temps to put you in front of the pack. Includes discussion of practice techniques, chassis set-up, and working with your pit chief.

Between 1965 and the Nineties, the 1000 Km of Monza-Filippo Caracciolo Trophy, was one of the most classical endurance races - a sort of 24 hours of Le Mans - and for many seasons was, rightfully, a round in the world championships for sports cars and prototypes. Top drivers and cars challenged each other on that historic Italian track and banking, the car makers including Porsche, Ferrari and Ford, bringing to life many unforgettable pages in the history of motor sport. Aldo Zana, prominent motor racing historian, tells this fabulous story, year after year, included the competitions held between 1995 and 2008. Every edition is enriched with starting grids and final placings. A huge work, never attempted since now, illustrated with outstanding pictures, many of them never before published.

Cross Sports Book Awards Autobiography of the Year 'To a Formula One fan, this book is a dream' Independent For almost 50 years, Max Mosley was involved in motor racing, having seen the sport at all levels: as a driver, a team owner (with March) and, between 1993 and 2009, as president of the FIA, motor sport's governing body. In partnership with Bernie Ecclestone, he helped transform Formula One into a multi-billion-pound global brand. Now, in this fascinating and revealing memoir, Mosley gives a compelling insight into the sport and its most influential figures and biggest stars - it is a book that no fan of Formula One can afford not to read. But Mosley's story goes far beyond motor sport, as his life and career have taken him through an extraordinary range of experiences, from being brought up as the son of Oswald and Diana Mosley, who were interned during the war, and having to deal with the taint of the family name; through his vital campaigns for road safety that have helped to save many thousands of lives; and on to the intrusions into his private life that led to a famous court case against the Murdoch press. It is a book that sheds new light on events from Formula One through to Ecclestone's controversial donation of a million pounds to the Labour party. It is packed with behind-the-scenes gossip, vital business tips and some hilarious stories.

Who are today's hot rodders? Where do they come from, what do they value, and why? Do gearheads and old metal have any place in tomorrow's transportation landscape? What will be left behind? What will be carried forward? Over an eight year period, gearhead/geographer David Miller crisscrossed America in his home-built 1958 Chevy Apache custom truck interviewing hot rodders who are thoughtful and passionate about what they do, willing to speculate about why they do it and about what lies ahead. This book is a collection of their stories and a celebration of how they roll. It is a testament to what will be lost unless rodders can defy the trend towards mechanical cluelessness, anonymous vehicle styling, driverless vehicles, and a "get back in line and wait to be served" mentality that increasingly permeates our transportation landscape.

The world of Champ Car auto racing had changed. As cars became more sophisticated, the cost of supporting a team had skyrocketed, making things difficult for team owners. In an effort to increase purses paid by racing promoters and win lucrative television contracts, a group of owners formed Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) in 1978. Soon after, CART split from its sanctioning body, the United States Auto Club (USAC). Though champ cars ran on numerous tracks, the Indianapolis 500 was the payday that supported most teams through the season. From the beginning, CART had most of the successful teams and popular drivers, and they focused on driving a wedge between the track owners and the USAC. Over the next 30 years, the tension between CART and USAC ebbed and flowed until all parties realized that reunification was needed for the sake of the sport. This book details the fight over control of Champ Car racing before reunification in 2008.

This book provides an in-depth look at the First American Grand Prix (known as the "Grand Prize of the Automobile Club of America"), the Vanderbilt Cup Race and the golden era of early road racing. It explores the feud over international racing sanctioning rights between the two major car clubs of the period, the AAA and ACA. The feud led to Savannah's selection as the home of the American Grand Prix Races from 1908 to 1911 and the 1911 Vanderbilt Cup Race. By examining Savannah's earlier fame in national bicycle racing competitions and its ties to the powerful dynasties who controlled the racing world, the book explains how and why Savannah was chosen. It reveals why the races and course were considered "America's Greatest" by international racing experts of the period and includes many biographies of the drivers who came to Savannah and the colourful stories of other significant people in the industry. The book closes with the coming of motorcycle racing to Savannah, after the major auto races ended. Finally, the book explores the theories and complexities of why Savannah's races and road racing in general came to an end.

Almost unknown when in 1945 he purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and its famous race, the Indianapolis 500, Tony Hulman soon became a household name in auto racing circles. He is credited with not only saving the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - shuttered during World War II - from becoming a residential housing development but also with re-invigorating auto racing in the United States. Until his purchase of the Speedway, Hulman had not been involved in auto racing; he was the CEO of Hulman & Company, a wholesale grocer. An astute businessman, Hulman made Clabber Girl Baking Powder a national brand. With the rise of the chain grocery stores, such as Kroger, the wholesale grocery industry was slowly consolidating. Hulman successfully led the reorientation of the family fortunes to include a range of businesses including a beer company, a Coca-Cola franchise, a broadcast empire and real estate and gas companies. The book traces the rise of Hulman & Company from a small wholesale grocer in Terre Haute to a dominant regional business, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indianapolis 500 races during Hulman's tenure and his other major investments as well as his philanthropy, particularly to higher education in Terre Haute.

While the demonstrations of Spring 1968 all around the world were not the playing field of DPPI's (Diffusion Presse Photo International) photographers, the latter happily continued to flourish in the extraordinary world of motor racing, the atmosphere of which they captured to perfection. Their purpose was both to translate into images impressions like the frightening average speed per lap of 243 km/hr of the Belgian Grand Prix on the Spa-Francorchamps track or the clearance, complete with major skidding, of a snow-covered pass during the Monte-Carlo Rally, and to serve as complicit witnesses to the mixture of tension and freedom that inhabits these men and women of the racing world who gathered each weekend to share triumph and tragedy. It comes as no surprise that such a concentration of action and emotion made a strong impression on the public and inspired brands and emerging marketing services seeking new channels of communication. Text in English and French.

Top NASCAR writer and Sirius NASCAR radio personality Jerry Bonkowski answers the questions that get fans most fired up

Who was the greatest NASCAR driver ever? Are crashes good for NASCAR? How will Danica Patrick fare as a NASCAR driver? What are the best and worst NASCAR cities and racetracks?

In "Trading Paint," veteran NASCAR writer Jerry Bonkowski gets inside the sport's most contentious issues and gives you fuel for the debates that drive NASCAR lovers around the bend.

So the next time you're arguing with your friends over whether NASCAR races should be shorter or whether double-file restarts are good for the sport, read "Trading Paint" and you'll be ready to argue--and win.Covers 101 NASCAR questions that get fans revved up the most--about rules, drivers, car design, money, and more Written by NASCAR expert Jerry Bonkowski, on-air personality on Sirius NASCAR Radio and former NASCAR and motorsports columnist/writer for "USA Today, " ESPN.COM and Yahoo Sports Takes a comprehensive look at the sport--including the past, present, and the future of NASCAR--from both on and off the track

Whether you're new to NASCAR or a longtime fan, this insider's guide will get you up to speed on controversies and concerns of your favorite sport.

Runways and Racers concentrates on the short transitional period, 1952-1954, for sports car racing in America following the ban on public road racing in many of the States. The ban left the rapidly expanding Sports Car Club of America with a problem: where to hold races. At precisely the same time, Curtis LeMay, head of Strategic Air Command, was having problems obtaining funds from Congress to improve conditions on the many air bases located around the country. The solution was a marriage of convenience, whereby the SCCA was allowed access to active SAC air bases to hold its race programmes. In return, the SAC base would receive the net profits from the event, which would be put into the Airmen's Living Improvement Fund. As a result of some initial financial success for the SAC bases, the scheme was also adopted by non-SAC bases together with regional clubs, with the same agreement in place. Complaints from airmen alerted Congressman Errett Scrivner to potential irregularities, and he ordered an audit to be conducted to ascertain precisely what it was costing the air bases to host the races. His findings led to the cessation of the races, ordered by Congress. The product of a long period of extensive research by the author, this book gives a fascinating insight into this two-year period, complemented by over 150 period pictures, many previously unpublished.

One of NASCAR's greatest stories is brought to life in this meticulous, highly entertaining replay of the day that changed everything for the sport.
--Lars Anderson, "Sports Illustrated"

""Joe Menzer has done an excellent job in telling the story of one ofNASCAR's most important races, a tale that includes the vibrant storiesof the cast of characters who participated.""
--Mike Hembree, NASCAR Scene

""A magnificent book, one that should be in the library of every diehard race fan.""
--Jerry Bonkowski, National NASCAR columnist, Yahoo Sports and on-air personality, Sirius NASCAR Radio

It could so easilyhave been a disaster . . .

Everyone knew it, from CBS executives and owners of local CBS affiliates to NASCAR founder Big Bill French to driver and NASCAR booster Darrell Waltrip. If anything went wrong with the first-ever live, start-to-finishbroadcast of America's premier stock car race, a lot of people were going to lose a lot of money. It would also be the last-ever live broadcast of a NASCAR event. The Great American Gamble tells the gripping tale of the event that instead made NASCAR the multibillion dollar powerhouse it is today: the 1979 Daytona 500.

Based on new interviews with all the major drivers in the race andothers involved, including Richard Petty, crew chief Dale Inman andKyle Petty, Bobby Allison and Donnie Allison, Cale Yarborough, BennyParsons, Junior Johnson, Buddy Baker, Darrell Waltrip, A. J. Foyt, Ned Jarrett, Humpy Wheeler, Ken Squier, Richard Childress, Jim Hunter, David Pearson, Doug Rice, Ricky Rudd, Geoffrey Bodine, Sterling Marlin, Marvin Panch, Leonard Wood, Eddie Wood, Larry McClure, and Michael Waltrip, this is the ultimate, high-octane account of the most important race inNASCAR history.

The voice of motor racing and much loved public figure - and the man responsible for introducing millions of viewers to the previously inaccessible world of Formula 1 - tells the story of his incident-packed life, with a brand new chapter on his globetrotting adventures since retirement. Murray Walker is a national treasure. When the man who made famous the catch phrase 'Unless I'm very much mistaken... I AM very much mistaken!!!' announced that he was retiring as ITV's Grand Prix commentator, the media reacted as if the sport itself was losing one of its biggest stars. His reputation for mistakes was the making of Walker. He was the fan who happened to be given the keys to the commentary box - and never wanted to give them back. His high-octane delivery kept viewers on the edge of their seats, while his passion for talking about the sport he loved was matched by an all-encompassing knowledge gained through hours of painstaking research before every race. In his book he writes about his childhood and the influence that his father, British motorcycle champion Graham Walker, had on his career. Failing to match his father's achievements on the track after active service in World War II, he made a successful career for himself in advertising which catapulted him to the top of his profession. An offer from the BBC to take over the commentary seat for their F1 broadcasts was too good to turn down, and it wasn't long before the infamous 'Murrayisms' enlivened a sport which until then had been shrouded in a cloak of unfathomable technical jargon and mind-numbing statistics. He also talks about the biggest changes in the sport over the last 50 years, in particular the safety issues which came to the fore after the tragic death of Ayrton Senna, which he witnessed first hand. His partnership with James Hunt behind the microphone is the subject of some hilarious anecdotes, while his views on drivers past and present such as Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart, Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher make for fascinating reading.

Today, one cannot escape the fact that the words 'Porsche' and 'racing' go hand in hand. This book follows Porsche's year-by-year progress in top flight racing, and looks in detail at the pure competition cars that brought the German marque such immense success on the tracks and worldwide acclaim. This particular volume starts with the story of the giant-killing 550 Spyders of 1953 vintage, and takes the reader through a series of racing models, including the glorious 917, up to 1975 via contemporary photography and words from an acknowledged Porsche authority. A second volume covers the years 1976 onwards. The book includes detailed year by year coverage of Porsche's top class racing exploits, accompanied by over 600 excellent photos.

NASCAR held its first Strictly Stock race in Charlotte on June 19, 1949, and, in the following decades, dozens of large and small tracks throughout the Carolinas were home to a major NASCAR event. Called Grand National from 1950-1970, NASCAR's top circuit became the Winston Cup in 1971, and most of the dirt and small tracks were subsequently gutted from the schedule. Although a handful of those speedways tenuously held on through exploding popularity, and an influx of big corporate dollars, the transition to metropolitan markets and super speedways was inevitable. Some of the original tracks, like the North Wilkesboro Motor Speedway, still stand testament to the sport's not-too-distant past. Others, like the Charlotte Speedway, are long gone, leaving only memories and photographs. This is the story of every racetrack in North and South Carolina that held at least one big time race through 1971, but is no longer used for auto racing. Seven are one-race wonders, while others are as much racing legends as the sport's past champions. Chapters cover each track's big time history, from early background through its racing years to its current status. Included are the thrilling tales of the personalities and machines that shaped NASCAR's early days. Statistics chart every track's past winners, records, and wins by make. Nearly 150 photographs give the reader a virtual tour of speedways that are often inaccessible or nonexistent.

Coming to cinemas in November 2019, under the title LE MANS '66 ____________________ In the 1960s Enzo Ferrari emerged as the dominant force in sports cars in the world, creating speed machines that were unbeatable on the race track. In America, the Ford Motor Company was quickly losing ground as the pre-eminent brand. Henry Ford II saw a solution. He decided to declare war on Ferrari, to build a faster car than anything Ferrari had brought to the track, and to beat him at the world's biggest race, Le Mans. Ferrari was just as determined to see off this challenge from across the Atlantic. With practically no safety regulations in place in the European Grand Prix races, horrific accidents were routine, with both drivers and spectators killed in many races. The stakes were incredibly high, money and men were thrown at the competition, neither Ford or Ferrari would accept anything but victory. The battle to become the fastest in the world truly became a race to the death.

AUTHOR OF SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, LIFE TO THE LIMIT In his 17 years as a Formula 1 driver, Jenson Button has picked up a thing or two about how to do the job properly. Sure, you need to be able to drive a car fast, but you also need to know the real rules for making it to the top. Like, how to tell a multiple F1 champion they need to check their blind-spot. What the difference is between a helmet and a hat, and indeed a 'helmet-hat'. And how to face down your team when you've just stacked their multi-million-pound car into a wall during practice. How To Be An F1 Driver lifts the lid on the people, the places, the weird rituals, the media, the cars, the perks and the disasters. Join Jenson as he reveals how not to race a stupid big truck, why driving Le Mans is like having five shots of tequila before lunch, and what to do when you finally hang up your helmet-hat.

Prior to World War I, auto racing featured expensive machines and teams financed by auto factories. The teams toured the country, and most of the races were held in large cities, so the vast majority of Americans never saw a race. All this changed after World War I, though, and in the 1920s and 1930s there were approximately 1,000 dirt tracks in the United States and Canada. The dirt tracks offered small-time racing--little prize money and minimal publicity--but people loved it. This pictorial history documents dirt track racing, with what are today called sprint cars, around the United States from 1919 to 1941. Information on dirt track racing in Canada during this time is also provided. Regionally divided chapters detail the drivers, tracks, and specific races of each area of the country. Some of the drivers went on to win fame and fortune while others faded into obscurity. Tracks included well known facilities as well as out-of-the-way sites few people had ever heard of. The cars ranged from state of the art machines to the more common home built specials based on Model T or Model A Ford parts. Taken together, the drivers, tracks, and races of this era were instrumental in making auto racing the popular sport it is today.

"The sport of stock car racing continues to grow exponentially. Bigger tracks, with larger purses, have been added to the schedule. Television coverage is unparalleled. When Dale Earnhardt died on the final lap of the Daytona 500 in February of 2001, more people were watching that race than ever before. His untimely death, viewed in real time by millions, marked an end to something special, a period in NASCAR history the likes of which we may never see again." —From the Introduction Alan Kulwicki Bill France, Sr. Curtis Turner Joe Weatherly Exclusive insights into the man known as "The Intimidator" "At any time during any race he was in, there was only one question everyone asked: ‘Where's Earnhardt?’ He was the standard by which all other drivers were measured." —From the Introduction "My mind will drift to Dale Earnhardt. I guess I always feel these guys are invincible. I know they're not. You just miss having him around. There's a void there. It's not just his competitiveness or his ability—it's everything, just his being there." —Eli Gold, TV Commentator for NASCAR Visit us at www.hungryminds.com

The first quarter of the 20th century was a time of dramatic change in auto racing, marked by the move from the horseless carriage to the supercharged Grand Prix racer, from the gentleman driver to the well-publicized professional, and from the dusty road course to the autodrome. This history of the evolution of European and American auto racing from 1900 to 1925 examines transatlantic influences, early dirt track racing, and the birth of the twin-cam engine and the straight-eight. It also explores the origins of the Bennett and Vanderbilt races, the early career of "America's Speed King" Barney Oldfield, the rise of the speedway specials from Marmon, Mercer, Stutz and Duesenberg, and developments from Peugeot, Delage, Ballot, Fiat, and Bugatti. This informative work provides welcome insight into a defining period in motorsports.