Recommended Motorsport books

[Mark in Oshawa]

Being "readable" does not necessarily make it accurate. Thompson's love of a good story and moonshine itself meant that he did not allow facts to get in his way when writing the book.

I don't know about that, explain where he made up anything? Racers didn't come from the moonshine community? Bill France didn't have a lot more help than the France's want to admit?

I think he captured the essence of how the moonshine runners evolved into racers....and how stock car racing evolved into something professional. No lies, and the man did a credible job of adding color to the mix.

[Zeakiwi]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...urne&x=14&y=16

Possum Bourne's biography Bourne to Rally. One of the few farm boy to works team rally drivers. 2 NZ titles, 7 Australian Rally titles and at least 2 Asia Pacific titles. Team mate to Sainz, McRae and Burns. Cars -early Cortina to WRC Impreza hill climb special.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rat-Paul-Rad...2408576&sr=1-1

Paul Radisich - motocross bikes to BTCC to v8 Australian Touring cars

[Don Capps]

I don't know about that, explain where he made up anything? Racers didn't come from the moonshine community? Bill France didn't have a lot more help than the France's want to admit?

I think he captured the essence of how the moonshine runners evolved into racers....and how stock car racing evolved into something professional. No lies, and the man did a credible job of adding color to the mix.

When you begin to think rationally and objectively in historical terms, find and then read and consider the research of other historians, and then conduct independent research on your own, you begin to develop many doubts and a very healthy skepticism when books such as the one by Thompson are trotted out purporting to support the notion that stock car racing and NASCAR has its origins in the illegal liquor trade.

The issue is not that there were or were not those involved in the illegal liquor trade involved in stock car racing, particularly in the late Thirties and into the Forties and Fifties in the Southeast, rather the extent and their role in its origins. It is not difficult to suggest that the role of the moonshiners in the origins of stock car racing is very minimal to non-existent, mostly the latter; and, the same can be said for the idea that the races were primarily composed of moonshiners using cars used in the business of transporting illegal liquor, which is largely legend and mythology which was invented, nurtured, and sustained by non-historians.

While Thompson continues to peddle the baloney regarding moonshiners and stock car racing, there are those who are beginning to look more carefully at all this manufactured nonsense and pointing out that much of what has long been accepted as "fact" is often nothing of the kind. As far back as the Seventies there were academics questioning and providing grave doubts regarding the stock car creation mythology.

One does not necessarily have to lie outright to tell a story is not necessarily true. This is the case with Thompson's book.

Feel free to believe what you wish regarding the origins of stock car racing and NASCAR, even if it is probably dead wrong.

[BDunnell]

Don, I would be genuinely interested to know what some of your recommendations are.

[00steven]

Fast Response. Dr. Steve Olvey. American USAC/CART/Indy focusing on the development of safety but a lot of behind the scenes history and some pretty funny stories.
Any of Steve Matchett's books on the life of an F1 mechanic. I am biased as I was a race mechanic for over 20 years.

It's possibly my favorite book!