Books and other good readings

[Jeremy Soule]

Indy 500 Mechanic, written by legendary crew chief Clint Brawner, covers roughly 25 years of USAC racing with drivers Bobby Ball Jimmy Bryan A.J. Foyt, Eddy Sachs Jimmy Carruthers and at that time rookie to the "Big Cars" Mario A. reads like an autobiography; driving cross-country in a station wagon hauling an open trailer from 1 mile dirt tracks to the brickyard

[provamo]

ditto on that Pac-West book

[mysteriousracerx]

$4.93 on eBay with free shipping is the cheapest I've found so far for the PacWest book.

[DaveW]

Stirling Moss by Ken Purdy

I last read this in the early '70's. I'm reading it again. Moss is/was my racing idol back in the day.

IMO, if the stuff he could do doesn't amaze, you are immune to being impressed.

[John Merriman]

Okay....I'll jump in here....only nine years since my last post!

The Perfect Car - Bio of John Barnard - one of the all-time great F1 designers

How to Build a Car - Adrian Newey - often recognized as THE greatest F1 designer - you remember Red Bull right?

TEXAS LEGEND - Jim Hall and his Chaparrals - by George Levy - A truly remarkable book jammed full of great new info on Hall and his supreme run of incredibly innovative cars

Dan Gurney Nostalgie - Phil Henny - a "sort of" biography in the absence of a true Gurney Bio....the family decided not to bother with a book about one of the top three or four driver / constructors in the US and the World. Full of tons of good info!!

SHADOW - The magnificent machines of a man of mystery - by the GREAT Pete Lyons. Once you read a few pages....you won't be able to put it down....

Norbert Singer - My racing years with Porsche 1970 - 2004 - probably THE most fascinating, deepest, richest, most comprehensive books on racing car design, construction, testing and perfecting that you will ever read

[DaveW]

...How to Build a Car - Adrian Newey - often recognized as THE greatest F1 designer - you remember Red Bull right?...

IMO, the Albert Einstein of racecar engineering and design.

[pacratt]

Can't remember if I posted this already but... DRIVING IN COMPETITION by Alan Johnson.
A bit dated in relation to "getting started" requirements...but the chapter(s) on driving technique are timeless.
Best read before I went to drivers' school and even better re-read AFTER.
Glenn

[CF56]

Can't remember if I posted this already but... DRIVING IN COMPETITION by Alan Johnson.
A bit dated in relation to "getting started" requirements...but the chapter(s) on driving technique are timeless.
Best read before I went to drivers' school and even better re-read AFTER.
Glenn

As a teenager and college student dreaming of racing but without money I read and re-read DRIVING IN COMPETITION until it was tattered


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[Phil Creighton]

Just as I came into racing I met all three but knew Roger more as I was living near his fathers business at the time. It was a time when ability really still counted which made all these deaths so difficult to take. People forget how many drivers we lost back then or had career ending injuries.

If you are of a certain age, or even just interested in F1 history from a completely different time, try:

The Lost Generation: The Brilliant but Tragic Lives of Rising British F1 Stars Roger Williamson, Tony Brise and Tom Pryce, by David Tremayne

and,

Piers Courage: Last of the Gentleman Racers, by Adam Cooper

Both are biographies of brilliant young British F1 drivers who died too young. Both highly recommended.

[E1pix]

Can't remember if I posted this already but... DRIVING IN COMPETITION by Alan Johnson.
A bit dated in relation to "getting started" requirements...but the chapter(s) on driving technique are timeless.
Best read before I went to drivers' school and even better re-read AFTER.
Glenn

Same here!

I honestly thank this book for my karting success… first for describing “Types 1, 2, and 3” turns, and why Type 1 (turns before longest straights) were absolutely primary. That just clicked.

In karting though, one could argue all but multiple esses turns are Type 1 — or at least should be treated as such. That became a mission in developing a style of maximum entry rotation from late braking and pitching sideways (aided by Bertil Roos theories), then to running insane caster to facilitate. Thank You, Alan Johnson.

Wasn’t there some connection of Alan’s 914, like Richie Ginther > Alan Johnson > Elliott Forbes-Robinson?

I’d look again but all my books are in storage now, awaiting a Grand Reopening someday...

[DaveW]

Can't remember if I posted this already but... DRIVING IN COMPETITION by Alan Johnson.
A bit dated in relation to "getting started" requirements...but the chapter(s) on driving technique are timeless.
Best read before I went to drivers' school and even better re-read AFTER.
Glenn

Same here!

I honestly thank this book for my karting success… first for describing “Types 1, 2, and 3” turns, and why Type 1 (turns before longest straights) were absolutely primary. That just clicked.

In karting though, one could argue all but multiple esses turns are Type 1 — or at least should be treated as such. That became a mission in developing a style of maximum entry rotation from late braking and pitching sideways (aided by Bertil Roos theories), then to running insane caster to facilitate. Thank You, Alan Johnson.

Wasn’t there some connection of Alan’s 914, like Richie Ginther > Alan Johnson > Elliott Forbes-Robinson?

I’d look again but all my books are in storage now, awaiting a Grand Reopening someday...

Back when I read this, IIRC, I disagreed (and still do) with one point I consider VERY important. Alan said to complete your braking before the turn and accelerate all the way through it. That worked very well for my (low HP, trailing-throttle oversteer) FV's, but was/is not nearly the fastest technique for my FF's and particularly my FC/F2000.

Trail-braking has proven to be significantly faster as long as I can set my car up to do it. Stability while cornering and braking at the same time (not having excessive trailing-throttle oversteer) is a must. That relies primarily on rear damping and chassis rake control.

With trail-braking, my minimum corner speed is higher (not having to slow so much on entry) but my exit speed is usually the same. Plus, since trail-braking results in braking later and carrying more speed in the 1st third of the turn, it makes it harder for anyone behind to pass on entry.

YMMV

[DaveW]

...Trail-braking has proved to be significantly faster than doing all braking before turning as long as I can set my car up to do it. Stability while cornering and braking at the same time (not having excessive trailing-throttle oversteer) is a must. That relies primarily on rear damping and chassis rake control.

With trail-braking, my minimum corner speed is higher (not having to slow so much on entry) but my exit speed is usually the same. Plus, since trail-braking results in braking later and carrying more speed in the 1st third of the turn, it makes it harder for anyone behind to pass on entry.

I discovered trail-braking accidentally, having entered a corner faster than I intended and having to continue braking while already turning. I noticed that my minimum speed was higher and that the resulting lap was a tenth or so faster. As I improved my T-B technique, I found the sensation of braking while cornering was/is one of the most enjoyable sensations I feel while driving fast. There's something very satisfying modulating braking and steering angle to achieve the optimum rear slip angle you want, and then transitioning to acceleration while gradually increasing throttle to keep the car perfectly balanced until it's straight enough to use full acceleration.

[DaveW]

Another fun and interesting read - lots of talk on what makes great racing drivers and what differentiates them from those not so great.

I'm enjoying this one too after last reading it ~40 years ago..

[DaveW]

Another fun and interesting read - lots of talk on what makes great racing drivers and what differentiates them from those not so great.

I'm enjoying this one too after last reading it ~40 years ago..

The last section, the only one I didn't enjoy, is when Jenkinson started talking about how racing drivers coped with retirement...

But I'm not there yet - I just signed up for the 2025 FRP race season.

[E1pix]

You can’t quit until the ‘30s.

Seriously, what a run! Isn’t this about your 57th season?

Unreal……….and inspiring.