Racing Books

A very good book on the early history of outboard racing. Not too technical so no one will be scared off or bored with details. Peter Hunn's writing style makes it especially easy to read.

As a former outboard racer, APBA Stock and NOA Am Pro and Pro, I found this book to be very well done. Mr. Hunn did his homework. Based on my experiences, I could add a few things but overall a great work.
The book was a real memory maker for me. I worked for Hubbell Motors and raced in California and Michigan from 1956 until 1969 and won one national championship in B Alky Hydro at Sanford Michigan in 1966. If you love racing outboards, you will love this book.

This book offers great reading, works as a fairly comprehensive reference material, and as always, Peter's anecdote's add much color to the names, places and dates contained. There is a nice mini-biography on Hank Bowman, and plenty of other colorful characters from the world of outboard boat racing. Lots of great information on the motors and boats, too. If you're a fan of the 1950s outboard boat racing scene, this book is a MUST have! If you're a collector of old Mercury outboards, this book is a MUST have! If the sound of a pack of Mark 20H Mercs going into the first turn sends shivvers down your spine, then this book is a MUST have! Well worth the money! Get your wife to buy it for you for Christmas!

This book offers great reading, works as a fairly comprehensive reference material, and as always, Peter's anecdote's add much color to the names, places and dates contained. There is a nice mini-biography on Hank Bowman, and plenty of other colorful characters from the world of outboard boat racing. Lots of great information on the motors and boats, too. If you're a fan of the 1950s outboard boat racing scene, this book is a MUST have! If you're a collector of old Mercury outboards, this book is a MUST have! If the sound of a pack of Mark 20H Mercs going into the first turn sends shivvers down your spine, then this book is a MUST have! Well worth the money! Get your wife to buy it for you for Christmas! - Scott "112-N" Smith

This book explores a negleted aspect of the African-American experience in the United States. I had always assumed the African-American heros of sport were a twentieth century phenomenon. It was an eye opener to learn that there successful African-American jockeys and trainers as early as colonial time.

I would recommend this well written book to anyone with an interest in American history

Any person who is a serious study of sports history will find this a most compelling dialogue on the "true" evolution of the American professional athlete. It is simply the most "untold" and most compelling story in the American experience. Today's athletes - of whatever color - should read this book to get a true appreciation for the foundations of the "professional" athlete in America and the depth of character exhibited by these great athletes under the most dire conditions.

I read this book because it combined Black History and horse racing. Two of my favorite subjects. The book is well organized, full of information.

The author seamlessly intertwines American History, African American History, and the history of horse racing in America. So the book keeps your interest. He also balances historical facts, with the colorful characters\stories surrounding horseracing, while elevating Black jockies to their noble place in the "sport of kings".

This book is worth the price. A great read!!

Mr. Hotaling's latest horse-racing book is a must read for anyone who considers himself a true afficianado of the sport. It tells a story which far too many people, even serious horse players, know little about. Horse racing is unique among sports in America because it is has virtually no black presence. There are few black owners, trainers, and breeders, and very few of the most visible players in racing, the jockeys. This was not always the case. In fact, black jockeys once dominated America's oldest sport. The first winner of the Kentucky Derby was black, as was the Derby's first repeat winner and its first three-time winner. The jockey with the highest winning percentage in history was black. Hotaling gives the history of these pioneers, and in doing so gives a history of the sport. He also deals with the glaring question: why have black jockeys largely dissappeared from the sport? It is well-written and insightful, a book invaluable to those who value the history of horse racing.

At the height of this champion's popularity, crowds of 100,000-plus would jam venues throughout the nation for a chance to view him in action.

During the years when records fell as fast as he set them, endorsement deals were a-plenty, with annual earnings topping $1 million. In retirement, he "penned" an autobiography through the use of a ghost writer and never took the time to read the final draft before it went to print. But you can't blame the legend for overlooking his book. You see, this superb athlete was the natural pacer, Dan Patch.

Author Tim Brady does a marvelous piece of research in bringing to life the truly forgotten history of this great Standardbred and owner/promoter Marion W. Savage in the early years of the 20th Century.

The pair rode to tremendous heights, but suffered tragic falls in the years after the last race was paced. It was a wild ride when it was at its peak, with Savage shrewdly parlaying the athletic prowess of Dan Patch into great wealth, which faded away when the franchise fell apart.
And Dan Patch went from touring the nation in his own railroad coach to dying in obscurity, being buried in an unmarked grave.

The nine-minute DVD contains archival footage of Dan Patch, which is an extremely rare look at the racer. There is very little recorded material available.

Time and age not only erodes the talent of a superior athlete, but it can disintegrate from the public consciousness the feats that seemed like they would live on forever. Brady blows away the dust of a century past and delivers a remarkable distant replay.

I love the book but I have noticed several errors in the years. Some of the pages show 2003 instead of 1903. some show 2000 instead of 1900. Not sure who proof read this book before it was released, but they missed allot of errors.

Written by Tim Brady, whose many credentials include frequent contributions to the "History Channel" magazine, The Great Dan Patch and the Remarkable Mr. Savage is the true story of an exceptional racehorse and its equally exceptional rags-to-riches owner. Did the man make the horse, or did the horse make the man? Set in the early 1900's, The Great Dan Patch and the Remarkable Mr. Savage follows equine champion Dan Patch's remarkable career from county fairs to competitive "brushes" between farm wagons on rural roads to nickelodeon films distributed for public viewing. A handful of vintage black-and-white photographs and nine-minute DVD of rare film footage of Dan Patch racing round out this enjoyable glimpse of a gifted horse and a genius entrepreneur at the turn of the century.

Dan Patch was race horse that pulls a two-wheeled cart carrying a driver who weighs 150 lbs. max.

Patch was an unknown pacer in Indiana in 1901 and nationally known in 1902 because of his results in the Grand Circuit. That year he won so many races his owner decided to race him only against the clock. In 1903, Minnesotan W.M. Savage paid $60,000 for him!

Savage is a rags-to-riches story of a man who owned International Stock Food Company. He had big plans for Dan Patch, and for horse breeding in Minnesota. His company made nutritional supplements for farm animals--and when he built his fabulous breeding stables on 700 acres across the Minnesota River from the village of Bloomington, they named that area Savage.

Dan Patch almost died in 1904 from impacted bowels (his recovery may have been helped with Savage's products), and this showed the world Patch was vulnerable-making it all the more important to see him race.

After one race, the newspaper said, "The crowd broke forth in a burst of applause that would have overpowered a mere czar or emperor." Patch broke the two-minute mile numerous times--even achieving a 1.55 time. At his first appearance at the Minnesota State Fair, 30,000 people came from surrounding areas and filled the grandstand, the infield and hills surrounding the track.

Savage was a smart businessman, negotiating Dan Patch's success. But Patch's value wasn't only winning races. In spring 1904, he "serviced" 57 mares, earning Savage $300 stud fee for each, or $17,000--and the race season hadn't even started. Business genius, Savage used Patch's likeness on every one of his products and advertising.

The wonderful photos, and the accompanying DVD show the stable and Patch racing in the early 1900s.

He was a well-loved sports hero of his time. "He had won American's heart and on the day he died, the nation mourned," a newspaper wrote when he died at age 20 in 1916. The ill Mr. Savage died a few days later.

Armchair Interviews says: Well-written, this will keep your interest and teach you facts about horses, racing and smart businessmen--and make you admire a fabulous horse long gone.

This book resurrects the long forgotten story of the first national sports event in the new United States. After the race, Sam Purdy was as famous as anyone in America. He was never again allowed to pay for a cab ride in New York and was buried with honor in the Churchyard at St. Paul's Chapel on Wall Street. His son, who went on to become California's first elected Lt. Governor, recounts the familiar story of the race years later in his biography. Although Mr. Eisenberg appears to take some liberties with the thoughts and emotions of the principals (and it would be nice to know how much is based on the record and how much is artistic license), it is a great story well told. The significance of the event in the America of 1823 is beyond doubt. The huge wagers and the systems of flags and riders to carry news of the outcome back to the City reflect the enormous public interest in the race. Although many have noted the rivalry in the North-South match races prefigured the Civil War, at the time the race caught the public's imagination not because of what it would lead to, but for the same reasons that national sporting events do today. John Eisenberg brings us back to the rail of the Union Course and captures all the excitement of the great race.

It is May 1823 and an early volley in the Civil War is about to be fired. Not through militant action, but rather in a Thoroughbred match race with the best runner of the North matching strides against a Southern challenger.

Author John Eisenberg brings to life what was more than just a race from the start, as 60,000 fans jammed into a New York race course to watch the best-of-three series - each race a grueling four miles - featuring Eclipse (North) against Henry (South). There is more riding on the race then hefty bets and prize money; the winner will bring a major public relations coup to the economic and social standards of one region.

Slavery is a primary focus, as it is the blood, sweat and tears of those in bondage who enrich the southern plantation owners, which gives them the financial resources for stables of Thoroughbred runners. It is also slave grooms and jockeys who are responsible for the racers, with the consequences oftentimes very severe if they don't bring home a winner.

Eisenberg weaves the story through the horse owners, jockeys & runners, the business interests which pushed hard for the race and the controversial early years of Thoroughbred racing in this nation. He does an outstanding job in explaining the nuances of racing and the historical dynamic of the times.

The book is a classic exploration in the storm clouds that form when sports meets politics and the consequences which no pundit could have predicted.

The Great Match Race is a pleasing combination of a compelling, little-known story in the hands of a gifted writer. John Eisenberg immerses the reader in the early 19th century, long before spectator sports were in vogue. This is truly a story where truth is more powerful than fiction. A Hollywood script writer would be hard pressed to come up with a better story. There are enough plot twists and suspense to keep most readers totally engaged. You don't have to be interested in horse racing to enjoy this book. Eisenberg said he used his author's license to fill in some of the blanks pertaining to the events surrounding the race. He has, however, seemingly done so with restraint, which I believe makes the book better. This book deserves more recognition than it has received.

This is a terrific book, it has all you want; excellent horseracing history, create characters, fast-pace, edge of your seat urgency, and great historical background. These two horses ran the equivalent of NINE Kentucky Derbies in ONE AFTERNOON! It's really unbelievable, when you consider how pampered the breeding industry has made our thoroughbreds now. I bought five copies of this- will give it to horse fans, history fans, AND my Dad for Father's Day!

This is a wonderful book for Halloween fun for younger children. It has monsters, but isn't too scary. Having simple rhymes and meter, I found this to be the perfect introduction to poetry for my 5 year old grandson.

Although chronologically I qualify as an adult, I enjoy most goods geared toward children. That held especially true with this book. This year was my daughters first Halloween. The two of us had such fun reading this book together. The rhymes made it easy to narrate in a sing songy fashion. That, coupled with the length of the writings, made this a perfect read for both of us. I didn't pack this book away with the rest of my Halloween decorations, it will remain out all year!

Although chronologically I qualify as an adult, I enjoy most goods geared toward children with much glee. That held especially true with this book. This year was my daughters first Halloween. The two of us had such fun reading this book together. The rhymes made it easy to narrate in a sing songy fashion. That, coupled with the length of the writings, made this a perfect read for both of us. I didn't pack this book away with the rest of my Halloween decorations, it will remain out all year!

Author and artist are perfectly matched in this brilliant collection of Halloween poems. The green-faced, blue-haired, grinning witch on the cover tempts adults and children alike to open the book, sample the witty epitaphs on the endpapers ("Here lies the body of Jeremy Victor. He shouldn't have hugged his boa constrictor. Sleep tight"), and chuckle their way through the book. All kinds of ghoulish creatures cavort their way through the pages, and the poems, a delicious mix of scary and funny, are winners.

My grandchildren loved the storyline and the illustrations. Very clever of the author to take an aseop tale and create such an ingenous contemporary version. The moral of the story, friends are so important, sends a great message for kids. My husband and I also thought the illustrations were delightful. Can't wait to send Mr. Corwin's next children's book to our grandkids. Hope he has another on the drawing board soon.

My 16 month old daughter is still too young to appreciate the story line of this book, but she really gets into the illustrations, which are excellent. Actually, these pictures would make a fabulous coloring book (take note, Abrams!) Older kids will also get a big kick out of the sound effects and fun wording of the text!

Wow, do I disagree with School Library Journal's review where it says this is not a necessary addition to a collection! Obviously that librarian does not read aloud to children very much! I have shared this title with over sixty schoolchildren and it never fails to elicit cheers. It goes beyond the moral of "slow but sure" and extends into the theme of friendship, a subject of interest to every child. The illustrations are bold and snazzy. Overall, this book was a real pleasure to share with primary children. I hope there will be more by this author/illustrator. if this debut is any indication, he's really headed for the stars!

I am a mother of a five year old boy and three year old girl and this book was great for the both of them. My son loved the race and space theme. My daughter loved the whimiscal illustrations. They both loved the words like Vroom, putt-putt, slowpoke, and of course superduper. Best of all they realized even though they were in a race trying to beat each other to finish they cared for each other. I think the Aesop's fable of staying focused is right on course with this modern retelling to reach children. We loved it -illustratons and story!!

Must have to read (or do) a lot of the old school type customizing for cars. Very complete. Well written and detailed sections.

Burger and Hendrickson have done a great job of covering the process of building a hot rod. With their years of experience, wit, and wisdom it makes for a very enjoyable read. Much of the text is obviously culled from the late, great RODDER'S DIGEST magazine, but it was good then, just as it is now. For anyone who is seriously into hot rods, this is required reading.

Okay, I admit, I am not a hot rodder. I like fast, water-cooled volkswagens. The book was a gift. "Great," I thought. "What am I gonna do with this?" It sat around for awhile before I cracked the covers. Good Golly, y'all!! THIS BOOK ROCKS!!

The authors have really distilled auto resto and modification down to were even a nimrod can understand it and envision doing the projects. I can't really speak to the "Model T-this," "Deuce-coupe-that" sort of stuff in the book, but man, the technical stuff about metal-bumping, welding, body work, paint application, suspension modifciation, and other how-to stuff is great. They have put the facts in simple, step-by-step sequences with loads of photos to clarify the procedure. This is the kind of stuff you find in good car magazines, but here, the authors have wrapped into one slick package.

Okay, so it looks a little funny on my shelf with all my euro-car books, but I am not ashamed to own (AND actually to have READ) a copy of Hot Rodder's Bible. My hat is off to the authors. I am sure hot rodders will love this book as much as I found that I did. Believe me, I was determined to not like, or even admit that I owned, this book. Now, I take it to my club meetings and show if off to my buds. I wonder if the authors would ever consider a "Pocket Rocket Bible?"

This book was designed to be a complete guide to finding, building, and enjoying a hot rod. Chapters include: * A Brief History of the Hot Rod * Finding Your Hot Rod Project * Building a Better Body * The Hot Rod Frame * A Rogue's Gallery of Hot Rods * Hot Rod Suspension Basics * Hot Rod Brakes * Hot Rod Engines and Drivetrains * Hot Rod Interiors * 15 Things to Do With Your Hot Rod * The Ten Commandments of Hot Rodding * Source Guide * Club List

Each chapter includes a section on general information and theory, followed by step-by-step how-to sequences. The "Rogue's Gallery" includes color features on a variety of hot rods.

This book is well worth it, for those of you who are sparked by the idea of Hydroplane racing. It has some very in depth info as well as some great photographs. Enjoy

If you are an Unlimited Hydroplane fan you will love this book. Lots of great information, stories and pictures. You won't be disappointed!

To this day, the hydroplanes race on Lake Washington in early August, and the crowds still come, but it is not the same as it was in the glory days of the 50's and 60's. Back in those days, the crowds were enormous, the hydroplane drivers were household names, and the sport captivated the city in a way that no other sport has done, before or since.

During race week, all three local television stations showed hour after hour of qualification runs throughout the week, and all three stations covered the Sunday race from early morning till late afternoon. Children - I was one of them - spent their summers creating their own wooden hydroplanes and racing them through the streets either tied to their bicycles or pulled by hand. And after three popular drivers died on the Potomac River in 1966, it was never the same. Many of us trace the end of our youth, the loss of innocence, to that day.

"Hydroplane Racing in Seattle" brings back images and memories of those years, and of subsequent years all the way up to the mid-1980's. This is not a detailed history, more like a scrapbook, and the narrative is anecdotal rather than strictly chronological. The focus is on the biggest names - Stan Sayres, the auto dealer-sportsman who's Slo-Mo-Shun hydroplanes captured the city's imagination and started the whole hydroplane craze in 1950; builders/designers Ted Jones and Anchor Jenson; drivers Bill Muncey, Ron Musson, Rex Manchester, Mira Slovak, Dean Chenoweth, Don Wilson, and others; and the boats themselves - Slo-Mo-Shun IV, Miss Thriftway, Miss Bardahl, Miss Exide, and many others; and, finally, the accidents, the shattered hulls that caused so much pain and sorrow.

For those who were there, this will provide an evening of memories; for those who weren't there, it will not mean as much. Why not five stars? Mainly, because it's all black-and-white photography, and that is not quite good enough for such a colorful sport. Also, there is little if anything about some of the sport's more peripheral but colorful characters - Chuck Hickling, Norm Evans, Bob Gilliam, Jim McCormick, and Dallas Sartz come to mind. And also virtually nothing about the media figures who were such an integral part of that era - Bill O'Mara, Rod Belcher, Pat O'Day, Keith Jackson, Charles Herring, Mike Rhodes, and a host of others. Perhaps it was just a case of "space does not allow . . . "

"Hydroplane Racing in Seattle" tells the story of the explosive growth in popularity of Unlimited Hydroplane racing in Seattle during the 1950s and the subsequent changes in the sport. This book is well-written and professionally packaged in terms of photo selection and page layout. The 125 pages are populated with approximately 200 mostly excellent black and white photographs of the boats and the personalities that made them go. You can do the math; the book is rich in photographs, and maybe a little thin in text. The front cover contains a small, tantalizing color photo of the restored "Slo-mo-shun V".

The scope of the book is limited to Seattle-based boats and Seattle races from 1909 through 1984. This corresponds to the piston engine era; one may conclude that the "hair dryer boats" (turbines) are out of favor with the author, but actually he has chosen a good cut-off point.

The story of Stan Sayres and his legendary "Slo-mo-shun" boats is well told in Chapters One and Two. The ongoing controversy over who designed which parts of the "Slo-mo-shun IV" is examined. Not explored are the contributions of other designers and builders such as Rich Hallett and his client Paul Sawyer. Subsequent chapters focus on the heroes of the sport (Bill Muncey, Mira Slovak, Ron Musson, etc.) and the legendary boats (the "Miss Thriftways", the "Miss Bardahls", the "Hawaii Kai III", the "Pay N Paks", etc.)

The fanatical enthusiasm of the Seattle fans is alluded to but not examined in any detail. No mention is made of the kids towing miniature hydroplanes behind their bicycles. Very little mention is made of the sometimes freakish "dream boats" such as the "Miss Skyway", the 24 cylinder "Scooter too" aka "Adios" aka "Miss Moses Lake", "Miss University District", "Shanty II", "Zephyr-Fury", and the first "$ Bill". The remarkable boat building career of Bob Gilliam is also pretty much ignored. Some of the other things that were omitted were the competition between TV stations for audience share (the battle of the long lenses) and the competition between newspapers for reader share. The sometimes bitter rivalry between Seattle and Detroit is given adequate coverage, but it would be nice to have a photo or two of some of the Seattle camp's tormentors like the "Miss Pepsi" or the "Such Crust III". The most glaring error in a mostly error-free book is the assertion that the "Slo-mo-shun V" qualifying flip in 1955 occurred in the first lap; most accounts state that the blowover was on the back straightaway in the third and final qualifying lap. There are many photographs of flips, collisions, and the resulting wreckage. Even Detroit-based boats are included in the photographic record of incidents that make hydroplane racing a truly dangerous motor sport.

I was there for the fiftieth running of the Gold Cup on Lake Washington in 1957. Reading David Williams' book brought back memories of that race. I would recommend "Hydroplane Racing in Seattle" to anyone who thrills to the sights and sounds of Unlimited Hydroplane racing... the roostertails and the outrageous color schemes, a V-12 aircraft engine revving beyond its design limits and that deeper, ominous sound when the driver punches the nitrous oxide button.

Bob Foley

being a relatively new fan of nascar, and having family members that work closely with it gave me the incentive to read this book. after the untimely death of nascar great dale earnhardt, i found it difficult to watch the weekly races.they seemed to be missing an important member of nascar and my reason for tuning in every weekend. after reading this book,i have changed my mind.nascar is truly the junior johnsons,the kale yarboroughs, and the ricard pettys. they made nascar what it is today. they paved the road for the newcomers. i still miss dale,but now i find i really do have another reason to tune in. i enjoy watching. i no longer have a favorite driver. i just cheer on the front runner. the book was a good read. i reccomend it highly.

To all outward appearances Jr Johnson was a country bumpkin, yet this book shows beneath that "good ole boy" veneer was a sophisticated mind and drive on which crowds cheered and engineers with PhDs came for advice, the latter not covered by Tom Wolfe's book. A quality presentation.

Tom Higgins of the Charlotte Observer and ESPN and Steve Waid of WC Illus. can tell a story like no one else can. Mix Tom, Steve and Junior together and you get lots of NASCAR history AND sore ribs.

being a relatively new fan of nascar, and having family members that work closely with it gave me the incentive to read this book. after the untimely death of nascar great dale earnhardt, i found it difficult to watch the weekly races.they seemed to be missing an important member of nascar and my reason for tuning in every weekend. after reading this book,i have changed my mind.nascar is truly the junior johnsons,the kale yarboroughs, and the ricard pettys. they made nascar what it is today. they paved the road for the newcomers. i still miss dale,but now i find i really do have another reason to tune in. i enjoy watching. i no longer have a favorite driver. i just cheer on the front runner. the book was a good read. i reccomend it highly.

Overall, I liked this book. The story of JR's early racing days and his travels with Jim McElreath as they followed the IMCA circuit was good reading. In addition, the details of his 1966 Eldora crash and recovery as well as his experience driving the Smokey Yunick NASCAR Chevy in 1963 was very interesting. I would have liked more technical detail on what happened to his race cars to cause poor finishes at Indy in 1973, 1982, etc.

If you are a fan of Johnny Rutherford and racing in general, this is the book for you. The book gives insight from inside the racing world. It is a highly detailed account of Johnny's personal life and his racing career. I found his personal struggle to become a big time driver very interesting, as he started at a relatively late age for his era. It was also interesting for me to read his explanation of the many changes in racing and what was expected of a driver from his first race until his retirement. The candid comments and numerous photographs, make the reader fell like he has had a personal converstaion with J.R. himself. I believe almost anyone will enjoy this book.

If you are a fan of Johnny Rutherford and racing in general, this is the book for you. The book gives insight from inside the racing world. It is a highly detailed account of Johnny's personal life and his racing career. I found his personal struggle to become a big time driver very interesting, as he started at a relatively late age for his era. It was also interesting for me to read his explanation of the many changes in racing and what was expected of a driver from his first race until his retirement. The candid comments and numerous photographs, make the reader fell like he has had a personal converstaion with J.R. himself. I believe almost anyone will enjoy this book.

If you are a fan of Johnny Rutherford and racing in general, this is the book for you. The book gives insight from inside the racing world. It is a highly detailed account of Johnny's personal life and his racing career. I found his personal struggle to become a big time driver very interesting, as he started at a relatively late age for his era. It was also interesting to me to read his explanation of the many changes in racing and what was expected of a driver from his first race until his retirement. The candid comments and numerous photographs, make you fell like you've had a personal converstaion with J.R. himself. I believe almost anyone will enjoy this book.