Rally books. What have you got?

From Crash Media's site:

Icon Publishing Ltd acquires Autocourse

Crash Media Group Ltd (CMG) today concluded the sale of their book publishing business which includes the leading motorsport annuals Autocourse, Motocourse and Rallycourse to Icon Publishing Limited.

In a management buyout led by outgoing CMG Managing Director Bryn Williams and Steve Small, the long-time art director of the annuals, Icon Publishing Limited will concentrate on publishing the existing annuals, evaluating new bespoke titles and utilising the wealth of material contained within the publishing archive.

Steve Small commented: “It is with great delight that we have had the opportunity to take over the running of the publishing business in which I have been involved for more than 20 years. The knowledge and experience which both Bryn and I have accumulated in our respective areas will stand us in good stead at Icon as we seek to further improve and develop the World’s Leading Motorsport Yearbooks, and other exciting new titles into 2010 and beyond.”

CMG retains the online publishing assets including the motorsport portal http://www.Crash.net, which will be headed by co-founder Martin Nolan and Bruce Sandell (CEO).

Bruce Sandell commented: “We wish Bryn and Steve every success with Icon Publishing – this deal focuses CMG on growing its exciting digital media business, which centres on the market-leading website Crash.net as well as content syndication and web development.”

For further information contact:

Bruce Sandell – Tel: +44 776 457 6589
Email: [email:97h40pvl]bruce.sandell@crash.net[/email:97h40pvl]

Steve Small – Tel: +44 7753 319 503
Email: [email:97h40pvl]steve.small@iconpublishinglimited.com[/email:97h40pvl]

Yeah I saw that. Doesn't say anything about shutting down Rallycourse. I think last year it came out after christmas so that is to be expected again this year if it does surface. But there just doesn't seem to be any mention of it anywhere.

Looks on the face of it like double good news.

It still lives! (out in January)
http://www.grandprixlegends.com/book...2009-2010.html

And also even better it seems that filthy 'Official WRC' monicker has disappeared!

Does anyone got one of the new Rally Giants -series books? Are those any good?

I have them all I think. If you already have any Graham Robson's books on any of the cars you will save some $$$$.....

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Originally Posted by jonkka

Does anyone got one of the new Rally Giants -series books? Are those any good?

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I have the books on the Impreza, Escort RS Cosworth / WRC, Audi Quattro and Peugot 205 T16. Got an email off Pitstop Books this morning advising that a parcel with the Toyota Celica book is now on its way too me (hopefully with Pirelli World Rallying with it!).
I like the books. Good mix of details about the cars development, rally performance and stories about the teams as well as the tech data and some interesting photos.

Just got an email from play.com that order for Pirelli World Rallying is shipped. Which is nice - should reach me by christmas.

http://www.autocourse.com/

No mention of Rallycourse....

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Originally Posted by AndyRAC

http://www.autocourse.com/

No mention of Rallycourse....

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Look at the link in my previous post. It's out in Jan. The lack of mention on that site is strange though.

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Originally Posted by Simmi

Look at the link in my previous post. It's out in Jan. The lack of mention on that site is strange though.

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I have done, there is a problem with the site. Also it has 6 editions of Rallycourse, but doesn't mention the 2009-10 version..... :confused:

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Originally Posted by AndyRAC

I have done, there is a problem with the site. Also it has 6 editions of Rallycourse, but doesn't mention the 2009-10 version..... :confused:

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Damn you're right. It was there but that doesn't bode well if it's been removed. It is in the latest Autosport in the gifts section. I'm sure David Evans would have told them if there was a problem. Fingers crossed it's ok.

From Pitstop Bookshop in Perth today....

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Welcome to The Pitstop Bookshop Broadcast!
CHRISTMAS IS JUST OVER 1 WEEK AWAY! LAST DATE TO ENSURE DELIVERY BEFORE CHRISTMAS IS SUNDAY 20TH DECEMBER, SO PLEASE GET YOUR ORDERS IN NOW!

As our season-reviewing annuals start to arrive, we have received word that some of the ones we normally stock were cancelled this year as the publisher has gone out of business. Those affected are: Rallycourse 2009-2010, the Motorcycle Yearbook 2009-2010, the Rally Yearbook 2090-2010 and the Formula One Yearbook 2009-2010.

As alternatives, we can offer: Pirelli World Rallying, the MotoGP Season Review, Motocourse 2090-2010 (due New Year), and Autocourse 2090-2010.

We have compiled our top Christmas Ideas for 2009 below, with something to suit all ages!

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Originally Posted by mjh

From Pitstop Bookshop in Perth today....

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So Motocourse and Autocourse are available, but Rallycourse isn't? When did they split, they used to be published by the same people. What does that tell you about World Rallying?

Interesting that the French language version of the Rally Yearbook, L'annee rallyes looks to have been published but the English version hasnt...

Who already bought the "Pirelli World Rallying 09/10"?

Any article about IRC 2009?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Henri-Toivon...408404&sr=1-62

Found this listing in Amazon!

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Originally Posted by Luis Pacheco

Who already bought the "Pirelli World Rallying 09/10"?

Any article about IRC 2009?

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My copy arrived just today (hardcover for 20e from Play.com, not bad I think), so I haven't had time to read any of it yet, but a quick look tells there's reviews of each IRC round in the Regional Championships section (IRC parts perhaps 5-6 pages in total). There's also a 5-page article on Kris Meeke - and not directly connected to IRC but to S2000s, there's a 4-page article on the new Fiesta S2000.

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...1906133009.jpg
Got one book for Christmas. Graham Robson's brilliant Monte Carlo 1911-1980 The Golden Age. Very good so far.

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Originally Posted by jonkka

Does anyone got one of the new Rally Giants -series books? Are those any good?

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I have no interest in the more modern cars covered in the series but the older cars books include not only new information but plenty of corrections to Robson's older books (not that he acknowledges that too clearly in the new ones) and some fundamental changes in attitude - for example now effectively admitting that works cars were re-shelled often and the individual "famous" car "identities" made so much of in some of his earlier books are a bit of a nonsense (covering up for what works teams were doing) and actually represent little more than UK registration numbers.
Not that it stops the plethora of replicas that are around today which come dangerously close to fraud in some of their claimed "identities"....

Got the McKlein Group B book for Christmas. Has anyone else got a copy where the contents page and opening few pages are printed twice. I thought it was a harmless mistake until I realised they were printed at the expense of 8 pages. So not impressed with that.

Unlucky! It must have been that print run as mine as just the one set of contents pages.

Looks like Pirelli World Rallying 32 will be the only all English language rally annual this year.

Has there been any word as to the reasons behind the demise of Rallycourse?

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Originally Posted by Simmi

Has there been any word as to the reasons behind the demise of Rallycourse?

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Haven't heard any officially, but I suspect like everything else to do with Rallying here in UK - there isn't the market anymore, makes no money. Last year's Official WRC Annual probably killed it off. Autocourse/Motocourse are still going though.

Does anyone know of any good books documenting the history of RAC Rally or Rally GB?

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Originally Posted by pettersolberg29

Does anyone know of any good books documenting the history of RAC Rally

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The only book that captures the real atmosphere of the real forest RACs (the 5 day events) is Tony Gardiner's "RAC Rally Action" (Veloce Publishing). Don't expect entry lists and results though.
All others are probably less useful and less interesting than period reports in "Motoring News" or "Autosport" (or in earlier years "Motor" and "Autocar").

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Originally Posted by sal

Looks like Pirelli World Rallying 32 will be the only all English language rally annual this year.

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http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rally-Yearbo.../dp/2847071660

Looks like the Rally Yearbook comes out in English after all. On US Amazon it says on the description that WRC is 16-round championship, but hopefully that's only a mistake and this book actually is of season 2009.

Is Rallycourse seriously gone? If so, this is an unbelievable travesty. It is true to say that the quality has declined somewhat over the past few seasons, especially since David Williams passed away, but then how many different ways can you say Loeb wins again?

This news reflects the current pitiful state of the WRC better than anything. Anyone who disagrees, go read a Rallycourse from any time in the 1990's.

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Originally Posted by RAS007

Is Rallycourse seriously gone? If so, this is an unbelievable travesty. It is true to say that the quality has declined somewhat over the past few seasons, especially since David Williams passed away, but then how many different ways can you say Loeb wins again?

This news reflects the current pitiful state of the WRC better than anything. Anyone who disagrees, go read a Rallycourse from any time in the 1990's.

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Absolutely true!! And more particular, the current state of the WRC in the UK - Autosport never lead with a WRC story on the cover, MNews is only available in certain newsagents nowadays, no dedicated Rally magazine, etc

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Originally Posted by Hartusvuori

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rally-Yearbo.../dp/2847071660

Looks like the Rally Yearbook comes out in English after all. On US Amazon it says on the description that WRC is 16-round championship, but hopefully that's only a mistake and this book actually is of season 2009.

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I pre-ordered Rally Yearbook from the US Amazon website in December, but they still haven't got the books. I'm not really expecting the English version to come out this year... Oh well, fortunately World Rallying is still going strong - in my opinion that has always been the most informative of the lot anyway.

Life sometimes throws in little surpises. Last week I was finally making an order for Jyväskylän Suurajojen jäljillä 1970-1974, a detailed history book of 1000 Lakes published in December 2010. (I believe it's one of its kind, the author have made a great work, driving all the old stages, meeting people living on those roads, talking to drivers of course, etc.) While googleing for the best price I ended up on a second-hand book store site that had Willy Weyens' Rallywereld '85 for €4. Okey, I didn't know the book - nor the language it's written in - but for that price sure I ordered it for the pictures alone. It arrived today, bit worn down sleeve but otherwise in okey condition. Now we come to the life's little surpises part. It appeared that the book had been a christmas present, because on the inner cover there was a text: "Hyvää joulua Heikille 1985! Merry Christmas 1985 to Heikki!" and a signature of no one else but Timo Salonen, World Rally Champion of 1985, the year the book was written in! The bookstore I ordered the book from is located in Hämeenlinna, Salonen's home city, so it makes sense. I don't know who is the man who this book had belonged to though. Still - a little surprise most welcomed.

My flat is so small I have room only for one book at a time - at the moment it is this one:

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6016/09082011086.jpg

I´m a slow reader so I think my next book purchase will be somewhere around the year 2050.

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Originally Posted by Miika

My flat is so small I have room only for one book at a time - at the moment it is this one:

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6016/09082011086.jpg

I´m a slow reader so I think my next book purchase will be somewhere around the year 2050.

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WOW!! i wanted to buy that... but the cost is so much. can you give me your view on it? does it really worth it for 1000eur? i know that it has all these insider stories and analysis but still the cost is high...

I´ll have to give the book more time before giving the final verdict, the cost is high but then again I doubt there is any other rally book that compares to this. Searching and buying all the original books and mags of the Group B wouldn´t be cheap either, and in the end it still wouldn´t be the same thing as this. So instead of searching all the books out there, I´ll propably settle for one good one.

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Originally Posted by Miika

I´ll have to give the book more time before giving the final verdict, the cost is high but then again I doubt there is any other rally book that compares to this. Searching and buying all the original books and mags of the Group B wouldn´t be cheap either, and in the end it still wouldn´t be the same thing as this. So instead of searching all the books out there, I´ll propably settle for one good one.

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Miika when you order the book do you remember the procedure? I tried to make the online order, but at one point it says they will send me an email. they have sent one but it is blank... and they did not ask for payment details... do they contact you by phone/letter to pay for it?

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Originally Posted by makinen_fan

Miika when you order the book do you remember the procedure? I tried to make the online order, but at one point it says they will send me an email. they have sent one but it is blank... and they did not ask for payment details... do they contact you by phone/letter to pay for it?

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The first confirmation e-mail was a blank one, but since you got the confirmation e-mail they should contact you with another e-mail with the payment details and so on within a few days, no phone or such should be needed.

Miika, your chanell is great.

If anyone wants a great Christmas present we have about 300 copies of the Welsh Rally book remaining. We could do with having a bit of room in our dining rooms this Christmas!

Mark Griffin Rally Photography

According to Motorsport News, Pirelli have pulled their sponsorship of Martin Holmes' excellent World Rallying Annual........it will likely be published after Christmas....

First Rallycourse going, and now this news....

pitty as it was my favourite Christmas present.