Description
SOLD OUT AWAITING PUBLISHER RE-PRINT
Here is the fourth book (preceded by Torrey Pines, Pebble Beach, Paramount Ranch), in Art Evans’ series of motor sport coverage in California during the fabulous fifties. All were developed by the use of reproductions of original documents and archival photographs as a foundation. The element that puts life into these books is the welcome reminiscent expressions from drivers who were there at The Golden Gate Park Road Race Circuit in San Francisco, California. Anecdotes by Jack McAfee, Pete Lovely, Jacques Bellesiles, Chuck Tatum and Phil Hill, to name a few, are scattered through this book. Other legends, Masten Gregory, Tom Carstens, William Snell, E.Forbes-Robinson are mentioned in the newspapers and magazines of the time. Years before, trees, shrubs, lakes, waterfalls, gave refuge to wild fowl and animals. No one, in 1870, when the sand dunes were converted, could vision a track of noisy engine carts. That was the year when John McLaren, a Scotsman, started on developing the new park based on research of the US, UK and Europe parks. Much later, these countries came together to race cars on The Golden Gate Park. Over the period of the three meets, each in 1952, 1953, and 1954, the organizers presented Cooper, Ferrari, Jaguar, OSCA, MG, Porsche, Aston-Martin, Allard, Simca, Singer, Crosley, Jupiter, and even US powered specials with Chrysler, Cadillac, Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln engines. Also, MG TC and TD filled many race positions. For instance, in 1952, there were about 20 MG’s and 25 other UK cars in the entry list of 100. Quite a bonus for the racing car builders in the UK, seven years or less after WW II. Art Evans has followed the same elements in the four “scrapbooks”. Historic racing continues to be popular and appealing when the authentic information is shone for the reader to discover. Seeing books on the shelf that take readers back to the mid 20th century years of motor sport attracts especially those of us wanting those days back.
