The High Banks!
Brought to you by Museum of American Speed in-house historian, Bob Mays: "Within these pages is the history of one of America's most famous dirt track venues, the Belleville High Banks. Starting on a flat horse track in 1910, Belleville's first auto racing star was Harry White in a Model 10 Buick. From there the story is told how this palace came to be, first as a circling 1926 and then a bowl, starting in 1932, until the high banks were fully realized in 1934. From that point on, Belleville became the fastest half-mile dirt track in the world. Much of that story is told by the Hall of Fame team of L.A. and Beryl Ward. The Ward's race reports put you in Belleville on each race day for 60 years from 1938, when Everett Saylor battled Jimmy Wilburn in one of the greatest dirt track duels ever witnessed, through 1997, when Jason Leffler defeated Billy Boat and Tony Stewart to win the Belleville Midget Nationals. Ride along with these stars and many others recounting the highs, the lows, the good and bad times that made Belleville a true gathering of the clans!"
Nebraska Dirt Book
Brought to you by Museum of American Speed in-house historian, Bob Mays: "When you think of the things Nebraska has produced at a level of sustained excellence, corn, cows, and insurance companies are usually the first items mentioned. But for its size, the Cornhusker state has developed more than its share of outstanding racers since the first motorized wheel was turned in competition in 1901. King Rhiley and Noel Bullock carried their rivalry from the dusty county fairgrounds, all the way up Pikes Peak and back in the 1920s, while midget racers, Ronney Householder and Carl Forberg, led the charge through the Great Depression. Gordie Shuck and Andy Anderson restarted things in the 1950s while Lloyd Beckman, Willie Hecke and Joe Saldana grew into national stars in the 1960s. Transplants, Jan Opperman and Don Maxwell turned Nebraska into a destination, then Jim Schuman and Sam Briscoe invented 360 sprints while Roger Rager and Wayne House built a school bus that qualified for the Indy 500. Pretty good for acres of corn, a bunch of cows, a group of underwrite and a lot of dirt!"
Fast Company
"If you're a racer, a race fan, a hot rodder, a businessman...heck, just about anybody who loves going fast will enjoy "Fast Company." Speedy Bill Smith is an icon in both auto racing and the world of automotive performance, and now he opens up to share the many great stories and experiences of his amazing, unlikely life. He survived a couple of near-death experiences (literally), parlayed $300 into a performance empire, chased race cars and hot rods from coast-to-coast, rubbing shoulders with countless characters and rascals over the past 60 years. This is an American success story...a little off-color, a little politically-incorrect, and a little over the top. As a car owner, Speedy Bill raced to win, and didn't mind if he got under the skin of his competitors...in fact, he LOVED getting them fired up. Along the way he won too many races to count, made a ton of friends (and maybe just a few who weren't so friendly), and rewrote the record books on many occasions."
Competition Portraits
Brought to you by Museum of American Speed in-house historian, Bob Mays: "No form of American auto racing has a longer or more prestigious history than the dirt champ car. No form of racing photography has a longer or more respected history than the posed photograph. 'Competition Portraits, The Dirt Championship Cars,' follows the history of the big car from 1946 to 1987, featuring some of the most recognizable stars and cars from the greatest era in racing. The good, the bad; the winners, the losers; the champions and their chariots, are featured in the moments before the call to fire engines. Many of the best shorts from the top photographers in the history of the sport are presented in a format that lends itself to the study of the man and a critical analysis of the machine just before the battle on some of the most impressive speedromes ever carved into the earth."
Sammy 50 + Years of Winning
Sammy Swindell, is among the most successful and most interesting drivers in the history of American automobile racing. From his start as a teenager at local tracks until an age at which most athletes are no longer willing or able to compete successfully, Sammy has been a winner. He’s been and remains his own man, an independent guy who expends uncommon energy doing it his way to achieve uncommon results. This book is a clear road map for those who want to race successfully. A big part of Sammy’s secret is no secret at all: He’ll beat a competitor because, in his words, “I’ll work harder.” His edge has been his unlimited effort. This is the story of how a man conquered his world.
There’s so much to learn here for those who are racing now, or would like to do so in the future.
Rolling Bones - Book
Photographer Peter Vincent was among the first to recognize the sublime artistry of the Bones' hot rods. His photographs of Keith and Ken's first coupes helped the Bones get noticed. Today the Bones' creations are recognized around the world as real-deal hot rods that look and sound like something built in the late 1940s or 1950s but with an aggressive attitude all their own.
Hot Rod Dreams Book
Hot Rod Dreams is a delightful ride. Lavish rod and custom extravaganzas in mid-century America showed car-crazy kids all over the country what they could do with their own wheels. The rodding magazines were influential, but nothing beat the appeal of the big indoor shows - the bright lights, the dazzling cars, the action, the music, and the trophies. They're all right here, captured in time, as Bob Larivee, the undisputed Impresario of Chrome, escorts you through an unforgettable era.
