Seventeen-year-old Bud Crayne built the fastest cars in town and drove his high-octane machines on the ragged edge. His need for speed would prove dangerous to him and the people around him, including his wannabe starlet girlfriend, La Verne, and the kids in his small hometown of Avondale, all of whom were dragged down his path to high-horsepower hell.
Hot Rod captured the heart and soul of 1950s hot rod culture. The lean, mean story follows Crayne’s hard-driving path to rodding redemption, riffs on some meaningful messages, and unleashes a fast and furious read. Dig in and learn what millions of readers already know; the world’s most popular hot rod novel is a hopped-up high-horsepower thrill ride.
This title is part of the Retro Reads series.The collection reissues popular titles and introduces them to a new audience. Motorsports enthusiasts will delight in familiar classics and discover new, dynamic narratives about legendary drivers.
Valentino Rossi’s retirement brings down the curtain on an incredible career in the MotoGP motorcycle world championships.
With his nine titles, including seven in the premier class, he is widely regarded as the greatest motorcycle racer ever, and his 26 seasons of Grand Prix racing make him unique across both motorcycling and Formula 1. Rossi has been captivating fans since he won his first Grand Prix at the age of 17 and even in his final season, at the age of 42, he has been riding faster than ever.
In Valentino Rossi: All His Races, by top journalist Mat Oxley, each and every one of these races comes under the microscope, complete with perspectives about Rossi’s achievements, the controversies, his character, and analysis of his bikes. This is a Valentino Rossi book like no other, with photos by Henk Keulemans, who was shooting grand prix racing when Rossi’s father Graziano was winning races.
- Early days, from karting and minimoto bikes to a first GP win, on a 125 Aprilia in the 1996 Czech GP, then onwards to claim the 125cc world title in 1997.
- Moving up to the 250cc class in 1998 brought four consecutive end-of-season wins riding for Aprilia, followed by a decisive title in 1999 with nine victories.
- Grabbed by Honda to race its super-successful NSR500, Rossi graduated to the ‘class of kings’ for 2000, almost becoming champion that season — but the following year he sealed
- MotoGP, for 990cc four-stroke bikes, took over and Rossi immediately reigned supreme aboard his Honda RC211V, securing back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003, before a surprise departure to uncompetitive Yamaha.
- Rossi rates his first year with Yamaha, 2004, as his best: defying expectation, he won first time out on the YZR-M1 and took a fourth successive title with nine wins.
- In six more seasons with Yamaha, 2005–10, Rossi collected three more championship crowns, his 2008 success especially sweet because it involved a fightback after two leaner years.
- Rossi’s move to Ducati looked to be an appetising all-Italian prospect but his two winless seasons there, 2011 and 2012, were disastrous.
- A return to Yamaha never quite recaptured his greatest glories, but Rossi was championship runner-up three times and came very close to another title in 2015.
Beautifully designed and comprehensively illustrated, this book is the complete record of Valentino Rossi’s remarkable career in motorcycle racing.
Seventy-five years of the legendary Italian-made Ferrari motor and racing car, captured in photographs by Günther Raupp, who during the course of his career has taken pictures of almost every Ferrari ever built.
The results of his eye-catching style and perfect technique are more than just plain photos. They reveal the car’s soul. In this book, he chooses the images that he considers among his best, photographs that make the brand’s history come alive. Writer Jürgen Lewandowski gives an expert presentation of the history of Ferrari, from the founding by Enzo Ferrari until today.
For world-class drivers like Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Alain Prost, Niki Lauda, Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, winning in a Ferrari was an outstanding experience. For many it was the crowning moment of their career. But even off the race track the sports cars from Maranello are impressive: not just the sporting qualities, but also the bodies, drawn by Italy’s best designers, including Bertone and especially Pininfarina. Günther Raupp photographs racing cars as well as road cars and makes 75 years of history of the Italian brand come alive.
Numbered limited edition of 1947 copies
Text in English and German
CHASING 5OO
Learn What it takes to plan,build and campaign a land speed record cart capable of achieving 500 mph
Veteran landspeed racer John Baechtel has released a new full color, photo rich history and technical account on the original record setting Speed Demon and the more formidable Speed Demon II which has already set new records at Bonneville
It includes full coverage of the Speed Demon’s extraordinary history and performance record, the unfortunate crash and subsequent construction of the all new Speed Demon II. The new car build is covered in exacting photographic detail so readers can see and understand every component of this amazing landspeed racing car.
George Poteet’s awesome Speed Demon has captured the attention of the world wide racing community with it’s clockwork ability to tear off repeated 400 mph blasts at the Bonneville Salt Flats. When an unfortunate incident caused the car to crash in 2014, an opportunity to build an even better and faster Speed Demon presented itself. See the complete history of the Speed Demon and the detailed buildup of the new car all in full color here.
Take a full color deep dive into the inner workings of the Speed Demon.
George Poteet’s Speed Demon defies nearly all traditional norms for land speed record breaking. It’s logged 55 runs over 400 mph and has captured nine Hot Rod Magazine Top Speed trophies.
It only has one engine, but it’s currently a turbocharged big block Chevy beast. Learn its secrets and why it began as a small block engine. It’s rear-wheel drive in an all-wheel-drive environment. It’s driven by a self-made, nerves-of-steel southern gentleman who places all his faith in crew chief Steve Watt, his engine builder, Kenny Duttweiler, and the extraordinarily talented build crew at Maxwell Industries — the Men in Black.
After a walk-away crash in 2014, an all-new leaner, meaner Speed Demon was constructed at Maxwell. Records continued to fall, culminating in a new 470 mph record and a staggering 481 mph exit speed in 2020. This is story of perhaps the most successful land speed car ever and why it’s so damned fast.
Saab has gone, but its cars and its loyal band of owners remain. In this photographic album, internationally known Saab author and commentator Lance Cole celebrates all things Saab.
In a collection of over 200 photographic images accompanied by a detailed yet engaging commentary, the book delivers a record of Saab from its first car to its last. The engineering, design, and ethos of Saab’s cars across the generations are captured in all their glory.
The author of many Saab articles and several Saab books, this is Lance Cole’s new view on Sweden’s other car maker – one that really did build cars to a different standard.
Saab Celebration is designed to be a memorial companion for the Saab fan. If you like Saabs, then enjoy this tribute to all things Saab.
Available in paperback to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Moonshots presents stunning photos of space and Earth from NASA’s archives—taken by Gemini, Apollo, Space Shuttle, and ISS astronauts using high resolution Hasselblad cameras.
In December 1968, the crew of Apollo 8 captured images depicting Earth hanging like a lonely fruit in the vast darkness of space. The social and spiritual shock of that photograph—and those which followed—never fully diminished, even as Apollo missions followed at an incredible pace, including the first lunar landing on July 20, 1969.
Moonshots is the definitive photographic chronicle of NASA space exploration, featuring more than 200 remarkable large-format photographs from that eventful era. Though a number of these images have been reproduced in books and magazines over the years, one attribute of this incredible collection has seldom been exploited: the sheer size and resolution of the photography. Aerospace author Piers Bizony scoured NASA’s archives of Hasselblad film frames to assemble the space fan’s ultimate must-have book.
This resulting volume extracts a stunning selection of photographs captured by astronauts using Hasselblad equipment, many of them seldom previously published. The Apollo voyages form the centerpiece of this amazing collection, but equally fabulous images from precursor Gemini missions are also featured, along with later photographs chronicling Space Shuttle missions and even the construction of the International Space Station.
THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE REFERENCE EVER PRODUCED ON THE USAC SILVER CROWN SERIES
The combined work of four veteran motorsports journalists, ROLLING THUNDER covers the tumultuous history of the USAC Silver Crown series from its inception in 1971 through the 2020 season. From the days of Al Unser, Mario Andretti and A. J. Foyt, through the glory days of Jack Hewitt, to the reign of Kody Swanson, the big cars have continued to capture the imagination of fans both young and old. Key moments, stories and memories amassed over the past 50 years are captured here in word and stunning images.
· COMPLETE HISTORY OF 50 YEARS OF USAC SILVER CROWN RACING
· DETAILED SEASON SUMMARIES
· COMPLETE RECAPS FOR EVERY RACE
· MORE THAN 350 PHOTOGRAPHS
· HISTORIES OF NCRA AND PRA BIG CARS
Live from the broadcast booth, Paul Page captured the excitement of 27 Indy 500 races, first as the “Voice of the Indy 500” for the radio broadcast and then as chief announcer for the ABC telecast. From his first race as a pit reporter to his semi-retirement in 2016, generations of fans have witnessed the Greatest Spectacle in Racing as told by Paul Page.
In a life uniquely shaped by the Indy 500, Page fell in love with racing and the Speedway as a teenager, and it became his obsession. After receiving his first press pass in 1965, Page became a fixture in Gasoline Alley, and a trusted friend and confidante to generations of drivers, mechanics and owners.
His rise to fame followed a relentless pursuit of his dream, overcoming many obstacles along the way: dropping out of college, the suicide of his mentor, and recovering from a harrowing helicopter crash. No matter the setback, he used every opportunity to learn the trade of broadcast journalism and the sport of motor racing.
In a career that spanned ABC, NBC, CBS, and ESPN, Page wore a headset for every imaginable race and contest: from Indy cars to drag racers, from the Olympics to the America’s Cup, and from the X-Games to Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. Page weaves the history, tradition, and lore of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as he traces across six decades. He introduces the great personalities of the Speedway with many candid moments. He tells great stories from broadcast booths around the world, and slices of life as a young reporter in Indianapolis.
70 years of passion. 70 years, in which the enthusiasm for sporty driving, advanced technology and sensual design has created something very special. Is it a coincidence that more than 70 percent of all Porsche cars ever built are still on the road today? There can only be one answer when you gather together the highlights from seven decades of sports car construction – not in a well-tempered museum, but in the places for which they were created: road and track. What if you had to get a 918 Spyder to Germany via the snowbound passes of northern Italy? What would it be like to rerun the legendary record-breaking lap of the Nordschleife in Stefan Bellof’s 956? Can you bring a 906 to the Porsche Rennsport Reunion in Laguna Seca under your own steam? This may sound like a shimmering daydream, but it turns into a tribute to 70 years of brand history, captured in unparalleled images. Text in English and German.
The word ‘Quattro’, chosen by Audi for its pioneering high-performance four-wheel-drive cars, immediately captures glamour and excitement in the minds of all motorsport enthusiasts. This book, written by a leading journalist and Quattro devotee, explores 24 years of factory-prepared and factory-supported Quattros in motorsport, from 1980 to 2004. It is a tale that extends from rough rally stages to race tracks, from pine-fringed ice trails in the depths of European winters to the shimmering heat haze and melting asphalt of Texas street racing. Along the way, it explains how Quattros collected four world rally championships, five American driver/manufacturer crowns and a single-year haul of seven international touring car titles, plus numerous other honours.
With the five-cylinder turbocharged Quattro in its original form, rallying in the early years yielded numerous wins, most of all in 1982, when seven victories in 11 world championship rallies brought the first title. With the short-wheelbase Sport added to Audi’s armoury, 1984 became an all-action, all-conquering rallying season with two more world titles won, for drivers (Stig Blomqvist) and manufacturers. Three stunning Pike’s Peak wins were achieved in America in successive years, for Michele Mouton (1985), Bobby Unser (1986) and Walter Röhrl (1987). Starting with double championships for the 200 quattro in TransAm (1988) and the 90 Quattro in IMSA (1989), racing success unfolded in America. Exuberant Hans Stuck was the star driver, but consistent team-mate Hurley Haywood captured that 1988 title. Touring car campaigns during the 1990s brought huge success, starting with fearsome V8 Quattro ‘racing limos’ in Germany. Global achievements followed with A4 Quattros in many national Super Touring series throughout Europe and in Australia, including Frank Biela’s 1996 title-winning campaign in Britain. Audi continued to win on track in the new millennium as race versions of the S4 and RS6 captured five SCCA GT Championship titles in America.
- Illustrated book about the golden years of Formula 1, limited to 999 copies
- Impressive, never before seen photos by celebrated motorsports photographer Horst H. Baumann
- Grid girls, driver stars, car legends – pictures of cars, people and stories
- Fascinating recordings of racetracks from around the world, such as Nürburgring, Le Mans, Spa and Zandvoort
Top racing drivers, legendary cars, and thrills – the 1960s were the golden age of motorsport. Up close: the photographer Horst H. Baumann and his camera. He was one of the first to record the Formula 1 races in color photos and published his works in 1965 in the cult book The New Matadors.
Close to it. Full risk. Full of emotion. That was the credo of the celebrated sports photographer. To this day, his vintage photos impress with their breathtaking proximity to the subject and the immediacy of the moment. Captured here is not only the Formula 1 races and their winners, but also what is hidden from the normal spectator, on and next to the race track. Lichtjahre combines the entire spectrum of Baumann’s work.
Text in English and German
The single-engine Junkers Ju 52 first flew in 1930. Designed and built by the Junkers Aircraft Company of Dessau, Germany, the Ju 52 was originally intended as a cargo aircraft. An upgraded model, the Ju 52/3m, was powered by three engines, excelling as an 18-seat airliner. By the late 1930s, hundreds of the safe and reliable Ju 52/3m were serving with airlines in more than 20 countries, including the prewar British Airways. It was used as a bomber by the reestablished Luftwaffe, particularly in the Spanish Civil War. During the Second World War, the Ju 52/3m was the mainstay of the Luftwaffe transport squadrons. Affectionately known as ‘Faithful Old Annie’ and ‘Iron Annie’, the Ju 52/3m was used during the invasions of Norway, the Low Countries, Crete as well as the resupply of Stalingrad and Rommel’s Africa Corps. In all, more than 5,000 were built. After the war, production continued in France and Spain. Amazingly, captured Ju 52/3ms were rebuilt postwar and briefly operated as airliners on domestic routes in Great Britain! Today, about 50 Ju 52/3ms survive, with less than ten flying. The Junkers Ju 52/3m is one of the most significant transport airplanes in the history of aviation.
America’s original—and long considered its best—sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette is fast, sexy, sleek, sublime. The legacy of the Corvette is matched only by its beauty, captured here like never before.
Art of the Corvette profiles two dozen Corvettes from all seven generations, beginning with the first 1953 Blue Flame Six Corvette and concluding with the return of an icon, the stunning 2014 Corvette Stingray. Using a unique style of portraiture known as light-painting, acclaimed photographers Randy Leffingwell and Tom Loeser present the most recognizable, unique, and historic Corvettes ever produced. From the chrome-lined grilles of the 1953 Roadster and sexy curves of the first C3s to the aggressive snarl of the 2012 ZR1 and the bold, blunt powerhouse of the 2014 Corvette Stingray, all are presented in breathtaking color and detail. Rare and one-off cars abound as well, like the 1963 Z06 Sting Ray and one of only a handful of 1967 L88 convertibles.
With an authoritative text by Leffingwell, one of the world’s leading Corvette historians, and over 200 stunning photographs, Art of the Corvette presents this landmark of American automotive engineering and design, the Chevrolet Corvette, as never before seen. Some of the vehicles you’ll find inside include:
1953 Corvette – 1963 Sting Ray Z06 coupe – 1966 Sting Ray L72 coupe – 1969 L71 convertible – 1978 Indy Pace Car – 1989 convertible – 1996 Grand Sport coupe – 2003 50th anniversary convertible – 2012 ZR1 coupe – 2014 C7 Stingray coupe
In 1954, an American family set out on a tour of Europe in a Jaguar. What happened to them? The tour and their lives are described in this exciting and amusing story.
• Also features appearances by J.F.K., George Ball, Lyndon B. Johnson, the Chicago Seven, and Tom Hanks
• This beautifully designed collectors’ edition was produced using the methods of the 1950s
• Limited to 500 copies, each one signed
An American family of five toured Europe for six weeks in their Jaguar. It wouldn’t be a big deal, had it not happened in 1954 when Europe was just in a phase of self-discovery, less than ten years after the end of World War II. Amos Ball and his family were not discouraged by the turmoil and took a tour through England, France, Italy and Switzerland. Their vehicle: a grand Jaguar Mark II, at that time the fastest four-door limousine in Europe. Amos Ball captured all their experiences in his Travels with a Jaguar, which also served to illustrate a fascinating portrait of post-war Europe. In addition, Ball wrote the first ever book in which the Jaguar was the theme.
Jaguar-lover and publisher Christoph Meier-Siem rediscovered this travel journey, which today is a rare, sought-after piece of literature: – the complete travel story from 1954, newly translated, and including an added booklet ‘What to Drive?’. This collectors’ edition, limited to 500 copies, has been numbered by hand.
The British have had an affair with Bugatti for decades and perhaps Prescott Hill-Climb in Gloucestershire is the place where that relationship has reached its highlights across the decades. This collection of photographic images captures the brilliance of Bugatti design amid Bugatti blue at Prescott’s wonderful natural amphitheatre in the Cotswolds – to which visitors, Bugatti owners, enthusiasts and addicts have travelled from all over the world to gather and to race up the hill.
The author has spent years around old cars, often visiting Prescott and its home to the Bugatti Owners Club – which itself celebrates the 80th anniversary of its base at Prescott in 2018 and, the Club’s own 90th anniversary in 2019.
In this collection of over 200 photographs, much of the masterworks of Molsheim are captured in action and at rest, at the altar of British Bugatti enthusiasm. Herein are wonderful moments and memories of old Bugatti cars, their owners and drivers, and other vintage and classic cars in VS-CC action at this revered location.
This new collection of stunning images, allied to a concise narrative (with assistance from Bugatti experts), should provide the classic car enthusiast with something new to accompany their own memories amid a record of Prescott and the Bugatti Owners Club events and Veteran Sports-Car Club days.
Based on newly available information, the son of famed U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers presents the facts and dispels misinformation about the Cold War espionage program that turned his father into a Cold War icon..
One of the most talked-about events of the Cold War was the downing of the American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers over the Soviet Union on May 1, 1960. The event was recently depicted in the Steven Spielberg movie Bridge of Spies. Powers was captured by the KGB, subjected to a televised show trial, and imprisoned, all of which created an international incident. Soviet authorities eventually released him in exchange for captured Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. On his return to the United States, Powers was exonerated of any wrongdoing while imprisoned in Russia, yet, due to bad press and the government’s unwillingness to heartily defend Powers, a cloud of controversy lingered until his untimely death in 1977.
Now his son, Francis Gary Powers Jr. and acclaimed historian Keith Dunnavant have written this new account of Powers’s life based on personal files that had never been previously available. Delving into old audio tapes, letters his father wrote and received while imprisoned in the Soviet Union, the transcript of his father’s debriefing by the CIA, other recently declassified documents about the U-2 program, and interviews with the spy pilot’s contemporaries, Powers and Dunnavant set the record straight. The result is a fascinating piece of Cold War history. This is also a book about a son’s journey to understand his father, pursuing justice and a measure of peace.
Almost sixty years after the fact, this will be the definitive account of one of the most important events of the Cold War.
