Book Description

Book Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Fast n Friendly
Nice book covers most all of the big-time ford flyers from the sixty's and seventys.
Brought a lot of memories from U.S. Nationals at Indy.
Best of the best were there, this book covered them.
Nice purchase ,will do the Mopar book next.
Worked for G.M. hated them

Ford Fans
This is a great book.It covers everything Ford did drag racing wise in the 60's

Wonderfully showcases drag strip racing breakthroughs in automotive performance
Total Performers: Ford Drag Racing In The 1960s by journalist and dedicated racing fan Charles Morris clearly documents the decade of the 60s as one packed with exciting cars, thrilling races, and substantial factory participation in the development of drag racing vehicles and technologies. Enhanced with 130 full color and 390 black/white photographs, Total Performers wonderfully showcases drag strip racing breakthroughs in automotive performance that included Ford's FE-series engine, the Police Interceptor, GT 390, Single Overhead Cam, Cobra Jet, Boss 429, and more. Here are all of the cars and their drivers that made drag racing history. Also very highly recommended from CarTech Auto Books & Manuals for car racing enthusiasts and fans is Pat Ganahl's Von Dutch: The Art, The Myth, The Legend (1884089984, $39.95).
... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

great photo compendium
This book doesn't have a great amount of text, but it does feature superb photos by Tom West, an excellent West Coast drag racing photographer.There are informative captions.However, I found a few with slightly incorrect details, and that's the only thing keeping the book from rating five stars.The photos really capture the West Coast gasser scene in the Sixties and early Seventies.Recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (10)

Factory Lightweights
Excellent reference for the factory lightweight drag cars.Contains several historical pictures that are awesome to review.

Factory lightweights
Just when I thought I knew most of the answers about those wonderful days when drag racing really was about buying on monday what we saw racing on the weekend, here comes a book that brings back all of those cars I loved to watch, that later inspired me to race both my '69 Mustang as well as my '71 Ranchero. To top it all off there was info new to me too. Great book.

Thoroughly researched book
I have several of Charlie Morris' books and find that this one every bit as good as the others. Charlie does his homework when researching the subject matter. I recommend all of his books including "Total Performers, Ford Drag Racing in the Sixties".

R.L. "Pete" Garramone

The best references to the "Golden Age" of Drag racing.
The "characters" almost seem to be talking right to you from the pages of
this book. It's as if Mr. Morris was right there at each and every track,
office, factory, etc. He must have been a fly on the walls at some of the
meetings. Also, the humor mixed with facts kept me from putting this book
down very often. I can't wait for the next book from Mr. Morris.

I'm in the book
A must buy for anyone's automotive library. I greatly enjoyed the book. By the author interviewing many of the people that where there and in the know made the book that much more interesting. The author made the book as close as he could to what really happened behind the scenes. You found out that unless you where close to the factory or had a friend that worked in key departments including the fabrication shop, etc. you wouldn't know about many of the one off parts done for "freinds". This gave some racers a little more advantage then the other guy with the same brand car. One point of correction is that the '62 and '63 Pontiac SD cars did NOT come delivered on used tires as one West Coast expert claimed. Several of the factories would deliver cars in what they called "IN WHITE" for the racers that got their order in by April. These were the pilot cars that where built to test the production line and not meant for public consumption. ... Read more

Book Description

A cloud of vaporized rubber at the starting line, flaming exhaust headers, and a roar like nothing you've ever heard before. Drag racing's machines are the fastest race cars on earth -- capable of accelerating to 330 mph in less than five seconds. And for tens of thousands of drivers and crew members and millions of fans, this is the most exciting sport in the world.

From hot rods speeding across abandoned airfields, salt flats, and dry desert lakes to nitro-burnin' Funny Cars rocketing down the strip to the cheers of thousands of fans, The Fast Lane chronicles fifty years of heart-pounding drag racing and the organization that made the sport what it is today: the National Hot Rod Association.

Unlike any book ever published on drag racing, The Fast Lane captures the heart and soul of NHRA. With more than 230 bold, full-color photographs, this lavish book showcases the achievements, the glory, the drivers, the fans, and the highenergy spectacle that make NHRA drag racing a national passion. The Fast Lane is also a dazzling photographic celebration of innovative technology -- dragsters and Funny Cars burning nitromethane; stock cars, trucks, and motorcycles on high energy spectacle that make NHRA drag racing a national passion. The Fast Lane is also a dazzling photographic celebration of innovative technology -- dragsters and Funny Cars burning nitromethane; stock cars, trucks, and motorcycles on highoctane gasoline -- machines whose power and fury are truly unmatched. If you love drag racing, you must have this book!

Customer Reviews (15)

A very beautiful book
This is an oversized book with abeautiful contemporary layout of action photographs and illustrations that explain the history, the types of machines and the people who make up the NHRA.I am glad I found it.And I found it used on Amazon.

nothing but shameless self-promotion
Do yourself a favor and pass this one by.It is by no means a history of drag racing.Rather, it's the NHRA practically breaking it's arm patting itself on the back.Racers who don't cowtow to the "Gods in Glendora" are largely ignored.Can you believe Garlits is hardly represented at all?!Many other gaffes abound.Not a winner.

Spectacular advertising
Good photography. Actually, it is an interesting coffeetable book. But, if you are at all into drag racing, and have been for any legnth of time, it will seem to be very little more than a large, glossy ad for the NHRA Today. Lots of photos and bios on the current racing teams, especially those with the "big bucks". Very little on the actual history, more current pictures of the legends like Garlits and Prudhomme than there are "good old days" pictures. It is a nicely done picture book with some interesting background information, but I could not consider it a very complete "history".While theNHRA began on the west coast, there was still considerable drag racing on the east coast, which is not a part of this particular history. I was excited by the other reviews, which highly praised the book. Unfortunately, the book was a gift for my husband, who has been in and around racing for 40+ years, and he was polite, but disappointed with the content, in the context of an historical information book.

Where's "Big Daddy"
This book covers the world's fastest motorsport from its inception right up to the present day, with excellent photography, and is a must for any drag racing fan.But there is one man who isn't in this book and deserves to be above all other drivers.A pioneer, a lasting influence, an ingenius innovator, whose name has become synonymous with Top Fuel racing, and he is of course "Big Daddy" Don Garlits.He designed the rear-engined dragster which is the fundamental basis for every Top Fuel racer competing in the sport today, and he set the stage for the 4 second, 330 mph runs seen in the USA today.When the book is reprinted the NHRA must rectify their mistake by including Don.

Six stars if there was space...
From the stark, dusty craters of the moon to the ionized gas clouds surrounding the remote star Alpha Thobos, this book will allow you to truly experience the vast, empty, death-bucket that is our greater reality.Truly worth it's five stars -- this rag-tag assemblage of aluminum and glass reveals the universe for what it truly is -- both infinitely horrible and at the same time infinitely meaningless. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Best funny car photos ever!!!!!!!!!
If there is one book on 70's funny cars to own this is it! Tons of color photos with some of the classic magazine cover shots and handout photos. The greatest!!!

Three cheers for Steve Reyes
Ok nitro fans, here's the complete story, in Steve's own words and photos, on the growth and popularity of one of the all-time greatest, most exciting classes of race car in the history of motorsports.

If it had to do with drag racing, Steve Reyes was there with his cameras. Great job, Steve! You've recaptured my youth with this great book and your stunning photography.

grant bittner
a must have for drag racing fans!!!!!!!!!he has great shot of cars that were rarely seen.

love this book
If you love drag racing, this book is for you. It gives the history of funny cars up to and including present drivers. A must for drag racing fans.

funny car fever fantastic
Steve Reyes is the photo king of the drag racing world. Awesome photos of the 1960's thru early 1980's of all the great funnys and lots of obscure ones too. Must have for drag racing fans interested in the rich history of the sport before all the corporate p.c. crap of the current day. Wild and wooly the way it really was. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Money well Spent !
I've had the book for four years and read it every off season to try and break bad habits. Frank breaks it down to simple terms and is written at a level that is very interesting. Best money spent for a useful tool in mysecret tool box! Terry Bolin, Springdale, Ar. ... Read more

Book Description

For those who love high drama and high-powered machinery, there is nothing to top big-time drag racing. High Performance is a dramatic, firsthand history of this daring sport, from the earliest "legal" drags run on rural airfields to the spectacular--and sometimes tragic--careers of drag racing's boldest innovators. Post, a former drag racer himself, has interviewed most of drag racing's legends and superstarssuch as "Pappy" Hart, who opened the first commercial strip in Santa Ana, California; Florida's "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, the first person to define himself as a professional drag racer; and Shirley Muldowney, who was nearly killed in a 250-MPH crash and returned to the cockpit two years later with the simple explanation, "It's what I do."

Post looks at all aspects of drag racing: the sport, the business, the means of personal affirmation. But most of all he explores it as an example of technological enthusiasm, tracking the innovations that permitted racers to disprove on pavement the "laws of physics" that experts had laid out on paper.

"By writing about the combination of talent and technology that make drag racing the most exciting sport in the world, Bob Post has finally given us the credit and credibility we deserve. This book has been a long time coming."--Shirley Muldowney

"All the roar and smell of rubber that one finds at drag races is present in this comprehensive study of the sport."--Ray Browne, Journal of Popular Culture

Customer Reviews (5)

A Must Have for Drag Racing Fans
This book is, plain and simple, the best book on what drag racing is all about. The history and facts are first rate. I learned more about the sport from this one book than all others I have read combined. This would be a fantastic documentary for TV.

HIGH PERFORMANCE the culture and technology of drag racing!!
as a lover of drag racing and a drag racer myself,i have to say this is THE MOST COMPLETE BOOK on the subject of drag racing i have ever read.it covers all aspects of the sport from the beginning to 1990 and in every detail.if you are a lover of the sport,a drag racer or even if you know nothing about the sport this book will give you new insight,new feelings and you WILL learn a new appreciation of the sport..

A "Must-Read" For Anyone Seriously Interested In Drag Racing
This is by far the best book on drag racing I have ever come across.My first season was 1961 at the track of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and to varying degrees I have followed the sport ever since.

This book has anincredible amount of detail on who did what, and includes many importanthistorical events, and other oddities that have happened in the forty yearscovered.He even includes one of the weirdest accidents I ever saw, whichwas the time Paula Murphy's rocket car had a stuck throttle, and sent heroff the end of the track at Sears Point Raceway, and literally over therolling hills of Sonoma County at well over 200 mph, like a real-lifeWhiley Cayote.

But even more to his credit the author attempts to get atthe heart of drag racing, what drives the participants.And he writes witha fine balance of scholarly objectivity and insider's appreciation.A verynice piece of work and a "must-read" for anyone seriouslyinterested in how drag racing got to be what it is today.

Richard Fay

High Performance: An Insider's Look
The book HIGH PERFORMANCE allowed us a view into the formative and early years of our sport, complete with the games, politics and personality clashes that were in existence. There were a lot of politics by thesanctioning groups who have come and gone over the years(UDRA,AHRA,PRO), aswell as those who continue with us (NHRA, IHRA). The fuel ban years arecovered, the promoters clashes with the sanctioning groups were covered,and the evolution of the sport is pretty well documented with accuracy.Several people I have spoken to who were running in these early days haveconfirmed a lot of this books content.This book removes the lustre fromthe logo of the sanctioning bodies, instead exposing ulterior motiveswithin their organization for all to see.

I think the book is incrediblyaccurate and deserves high marks for bringing the facts out, in anon-judgemental way, for the fans to absorb.

Invaluable
Robert Post has given us an invaluable book. This is a strong claim, for Post's book is a narrative history of drag racing.And, while it is a very well done history, how can it possibly be "invaluable" when its subject matter is essentially useless? Now there's a strong claim.Let me hasten to establish my appreciation for what drag racers do.At the end of the 1997 racing season, the very best racers were getting to the end of their quarter mile race track -- from a standing start -- in less than a blink over 4.5 seconds.Perhaps even more astounding, the very fastest were going more than 320 miles an hour -- once more, from a standing start -- when they got there.This is truly amazing, but I am regularly struck dumb when asked a very simple question -- what's the point? Name almost any other major form of auto sport and I'll give you an answer.In NASCAR it's obvious.Even though those aren't at all stock cars anymore, a lot can still be learned by running flat out for 500 miles on production-based components, and that can be used to improve even the family car.Furthermore, that kind of abuse is perfect for testing tire technology.Even failing this, there's the old fallback, "win on Sunday, sell on Monday". But what do we learn from -- or sell from -- the top-notch dragsters?These are all completely purpose built vehicles, using all custom designed parts, performing a completely atypical activity and resembling nothing that is at all available on the showroom floor.In short, drag racing is the mountain climbing of motorsports.There is no point to it except to do it, and once you've decided to do it, you might as well do it as well as the technology -- and your money -- will allow. Recognizing the uselessness of the activity, however, is not to denigrate this very fine book.Anyone with an interest in the evolution of technology, automotive history, or motorsports will be fascinated, as should just about anyone who grew up during the time Post covers. Post writes that the first officially organized drag race happened on the streets in Goleta -- near Santa Barbara, California -- in 1949, although he recognizes that that same strip of road had been used for "unofficial" races for years before that.He uses that race as his starting point, and, in a clear, engaging writing style, supported my quite pertinent quotes from racers and many, many wonderful pictures, tells the story of the next 40 plus years in the development of this pursuit. Post is not a rah-rah boy, at least not for modern drag racing.This book is clearly a labor of love, but of love for a bygone era.While he appreciates and applauds the remarkable performance gains since the beginning -- those early cars took nearly 11 seconds to cover the quarter mile, hitting about 150 miles an hour -- he believes that the technical strides that account for those gains have changed the sport forever.It simply costs too much to go this fast.Further, going this fast fosters too much me-tooism.There is usually only one sure way to build a car to go this fast, so everybody essentially builds the same car.For these reasons, Post sees both the little guy, shade-tree mechanic and the spirit of innovation frozen out of bigtime drag racing.And since these are the backbone of what we think of as the hot-rod, drag racing culture, this is apprehensible.Post, then, seems to yearn for a time of more innocence.A time, say, 25 or 30 years ago. It is this that makes this book so invaluable.It will be invaluable to anyone who -- like me -- grew up not only during the time Post relishes, but also at the places, and cheering for, sometimes, if you were lucky, helping the people that he writes about. I started going to the drags before I had either a car or the money to get into the track.I must of been about twelve when I first rode my bike up the long hill to the Pomona fairgrounds and clung to the fence along the road, peering through the holes at what was going on.I was in love.My folks didn't have a lot of money, but I was lucky.My birthday almost perfectly coincided with Winternationals weekend!I had a standing request for a birthday present, and my parents never failed me.I always had my Winternationals ticket. Then I got a car, and enough money to hit all the local strips.Fontana.Lions.Irwindale.Orange County.Man-o-man. I took tons of pictures, but through the carelessness of youth and the normal attrition of many moves, all have been lost.Post's many pictures at least partially makes up for that.More important than the pictures, however, are the memories.The many intervening years have taken quite a toll on mine, at least.Post tells his story so clearly, and with such detail, that it can cause the fog to lift.You will be reading about a match race with Stone, Woods and Cook against Big John Mazmanian and suddenly remember that you were at that race, and remember it as if it had been run last weekend.Unfortunately, Post pulls no punches, and you will also remember that you were there when Lefty Mudersbach died, after his parachute failed. This is a very good book, but I have one minor quibble.Post keeps his focus firmly on the top rank of racers.This is understandable, since what he wants to teach us is what it took to get from going 150 mph in 11 seconds to going over 300 mph in far less than 5 seconds.But if he would let his gaze drift down a level or two, he may find that the little guy is still there and still innovating. Most often, this happens outside the formal, second-tier, "sportsman", categories of the larger sanctioning bodies, where costs are still quite prohibitive.But at places like the increasingly popular muscle car or nostalgia meets, a racer with tools and time can still run a unique and competitive car for a few thousand dollars and a lot of work.He'll only be going about 150 mph in about 11 seconds.He'll be, in other words, just about where we were in the beginning.Perhaps if Post would give us a history of this static drag racing he wouldn't yearn for the old days, for in many ways the old days of drag racing are still here. ... Read more

Book Description
This is the story of how Top Fuel drag racing started, told by those who lived it. An insider from the beginning, author Tom Madigan draws on interviews with builders and racers like Mickey Thompson, Tony Nancy, Tommy Ivo, and Tom McEwen, to name just a few. Their words, and those of others such as engine builder Ed Pink and chassis builder Kent Fuller, give readers a real sense of a lost, and truly thrilling, world--the California of the 50s and 60s, where it all began. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

and now a word from the editor
This was one of the first projects I worked on when I joined the Motorbooks staff. A rather cranky guy named Tom Madigan called me on my first morning, looking for some photographs he had sent with a book proposal about a year earlier. I told him I hadn't been a Motorbooks employee back then, but I'd be happy to see if I could locate the missing pix. When I found them, I immediately took them to my new boss, explained the situation, made him look at the photos, and asked if they weren't some of the coolest old drag racing pictures he'd ever seen. Then, I called Tom back and told him I'd found the photos and could send them back right away, but I'd prefer to keep them because I wanted to do a book with him.Thus began a long, sometimes tedious, but ultimately insanely rewarding journey.

Those of you who have read the first edition (the second edition is being printed as I write this) might have noticed that Kent Fuller's name is mispelled pretty much throughout the book as "Ken Fuller."That was my doing.Before you start thinking I'm an idiot, turn to page 181 in the book and look at the cowl of Roland Leong's "Hawaiian" dragster.What does it say?That's right, it says "Ken."I saw this just before we sent the proofs to the printer.Now, I know that Kent Fuller's name is Kent Fuller, but there it was, right on Roland's car: Ken.I panicked.I thought I must have been wrong all these years.I looked in Dr. Bob Post's seminal book on Top Fuel racing, High Performance, and it reaffirmed what I had thought I knew to be true.Why, though, would Roland have painted the wrong spelling on his car?I called Tom, but he was out of his office.So I made an executive decision.The wrong one, it turned out.Okay, now that you know the whole story, you can go ahead and tell me I'm an idiot.(As an aside to this story, I saw Roland at a book signing Autobooks/Aerobooks in Los Angeles had for Fuel & Guts.I immediately informed him of the trouble he'd caused me.To this day, he maintains that he really thought it was Ken, not Kent.No, Roland wouldn't do anything like mispell somebody's name to get a rise out of the guy, would he?Not Roland!Who, by the way, is one of the nicest people I've ever met.Which either says something about him or the rest of the folk I've encountered in my life.)

So, the basic point I'm making here is that Fuel & Guts is an oral history.There are occasional mistakes, people misremember things (I mean, most of the people in the book are approaching their 200th birthday, for crying out loud), people have axes to grind or they just want to poke fun at their peers -- it's everything a good oral history should be, and it'll give you a really good idea of what it was like to create a brand new form of motorsport.If you couldn't be there yourself, reading these stories is the next best thing.I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of making this book, from working with Tom Madigan to meeting a few of the drag-racing heroes of my youth.It was a labor of love, and, judging from all the nice reviews, it sure has paid off.Thanks to all of you for making it possible.Now quit reading this stuff and buy the book.You'll like it.

Gets your juices flowing!
This is a great book for anyone interested in the history of drag racing. Great stories, pictures and technical information. Brings you back to when drag racing was raw and gutsy. Makes you want to get out on the track (again?). Good for the novice and the old timers!

a great read for racing fans
I got this book for my husband for xmas. He reads it almost nightly and is always reading me exerpts from the true stories of drag racing's legends. The pictures are awesome too.THANKS FOR A GREAT BOOK. HE LOVES IT!!!

Fuel and Guts: The Birth of Top Fuel Drag Racing
this was a gift for my husband and he says it is a great book....shipping was fast and received in excellent condition.....he would highly recommend this book

Straight from the racer's mouth
While the book is not written in a chronological format, it does give a truly unique observation of the beginnings and growth of the sport. By using interviews from the men that were there from the beginning,from the legend of the first drag race with Vic Edelbrock Snr. and Tom Cobb. To the shared memories of such luminaries as Don Garlits, Tom McEwen, Don Prudhomme, Tommy Ivo, Ed Pink, the elusive Floyd Lippencotte Jr,Ed "the Camfather" Iskenderian, and a host of others. You are told of the dangers and developments made in the quest to go faster and quicker down the quarter mile. The photography in itself is a treasure trove for any enthusiast of the sixties era.This book rates as one of the best books ever written on the subject. It is a must have in any drag racing fans collection. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Insightful look at roots of drag racing
If you like drag racing, this book is a "must have" for your coffee table.It traces drag racing history from its main origin after WW II, to the first funny cars, and rear-engined dragsters.The only regret I have is that the story doesn't go into the modern-day machines and stars.Nevertheless, if you want to know who drove this exciting sport to the level it is today, and who the icons of the sport were (and still should be), buy this book.

Colorful and Diverse
I bought this book because I am painting a race car in a 1970s motif and the color photos and diverse classes shown are an excellent resource.

Exceptional!
Bob McClurg has been one of drag racing's top photographers for decades, recording our sport's history at hallowed raceplants such as Lions, Irwindale and Indy.Drag racing fans and anyone with an affection for "how it used to be" will want this volume.Bob is in that handful of photographers who plied their trade both as journalists and artists.

With a good mix of color and black & white images, McClurg explores the ebb and flow of drag racing's golden era in every category - slingshots, funny cars, gassers, altereds, roadsters, pro stock etc.More than just photos, there is an authoritative text and great photo captions.

Do whatever it takes but BUY THIS BOOK. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

The only book on the subject and very well done!
I am building a dragster motorcycle and with the book I saved many hours of search in magazines looking for this kind of motorcycles, the book is the only one that I know of the subject, very well ilustrated and veryinformative, always you learn something new! ... Read more

Book Description
More than two million motorsports fans gather at 23 NHRA events around the country. The stars of the show may be 6,000-horsepower nitro-burning drags cars, but the 300-miles-per-hour superstar of the sport is funny car racer John Force. Hes the Dale Earnhardt of drag racing, a blue collar hero whose 13 Funny Car titles and more than 106 tour victories are unmatched. But Johns popularity is about more than his career record. His honest and consistently outrageous demeanor have endeared him to the fans, made him a favorite with Jay Leno and FOXs The Best Damn Sports Show, and has led him to be dubbed the "best interview in sports today." Force has been the face-and mouth-of drag racing for the past decade, and he shows no signs of slowing down, on or off the track. This photo biography by veteran race reporter Erik Arneson covers the rags-to-riches story of Forces rise from a penniless racer to a multi-team effort that includes his high-profile daughter Ashley (the 2004 Driver of the Year and Rookie of the Year). Forces story is of a career built on sheer will and determination by a racer who overcame lousy equipment and little backing with drive, guts, and savvy. The photos include archive shots of Johns early days; the horrific crash after which Force famously quipped, "I saw Elvis at 1,000 feet"; and incredible race photography through to the modern day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

John Force:The Straight Story of Drag Racing's 300-mph Superstar
this was a gift for my brother-in-law...he enjoyed it tremedously...would recommend it to anyone who loves drag racing

John Force, The Straight Story
Excellent book. A true "everyman story", someone who started out as a nobody and became one of the most famous auto racers in history, and never forgot his roots. His is probably the most down to earth famous person on the planet. A true inspiration to anyone who has ever had a
dream. A true class act.

Hail John!
John Force has been my favorite professional driver for years.I was happy to see this book being packaged with Season I of Driving Force.Both the book and dvd were great.I'm hoping to see John win a couple more years before he decides to hand the reins over to Ashley and the rest of the Force Team.Ashley is going to live up to her family name and be another "Force" to be dealt with.

John Force Racing
A great read, very informative with some awesome photos included.
A great addition to my NHRA collection!

John Force
If you like drag racing or root for the underdog, this book is a must have.John Force has overcome all odds to become a major star in drag racing winning 14 World Championships AND not only is he still driving but three of his daughters are also racing.Loved the book. ... Read more

Book Description
Top fuelers, funny cars, super stocks, pro stocks, and fuel-altereds are all included in this look back at the evolution of drag racing from the 1950s to today. Modern colour photography of these landmark cars is accompanied by imagery from the NHRA archives and the stories of the legends who built and drove the cars on dragstrips across the nation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Slingshots, A/Gassers, AFX's, If you love'em, buy this book
I just got my copy and spent the better part of the day reading it and enjoying all the beautiful photos. The history is not overdone, but informative enough to let even the casual Drag Racing fan appreciate the history of the sport. There are many beautiful, full color pictures of legendary cars and their drivers, in action from their heyday and recent. The book has nice touches like some of the original Drag Race Posters and tributes to drivers and engines. The memories this book brought back of being a kid at the track is worth many times the price. I'm looking forward to wearing out my copy of this book throughout the winter months while counting the days to the next Nitro fix at the track.

American Drag Racing
This bookis brilliant! It is not only for the hardcore fan but also for the novice to the sport. It gives a detailed story of most fo the stars and founders of drag racing with incredible photos of not only todays machines but of some of the best from the past.
This is the book that the NHRA should sanction to document the first 50 years of drag racing and not the one they have put out that excludes the main man of drag racing, Don garlits! Genat gives credit to all the contributers of this great sport and "Big Daddy" is given the credit he richly deserves.
All of the pictures in this book are of the highest quality and truly ad to the statement this book tells about the sport.
I am looking forward to the next book by Mr. Genat!

... . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent Book
The book gives you the basics and the info to get you out there and going. It also gives you ideas on improving and taking the next step.

Worth it's Price and the time you spend reading it
If you are interested in Drag Racing, particularly Bracket Racing, this is a Great book to read. Well organized, this book is a valuable resource for the "basics" of Drag Racing as well as some more advanced issues such as various electronics used in this sport, throttle stops, line locks, etc.

This book is well illustrated and logically organized. You can read it front to back, or just use it as a reference tool for any specific part of Drag Racing you are interested in learning more about.

Even though this book is already a few years old in print, it still provides accurate fundamentals which have remained virtually unchanged in this sport for 25 years or more.

If you are looking for a technical manual on 4 link geometry, look elsewhere. If you want to further your basic knowledge, read this book. I wish that high school auto shops would include this book in their class as a study guide. The future of our sport, or any sport for that matter, depends upon new players. Many "first time" racers have shared their stories with me about their desire to participate in the sport of Drag Racing, but they were reluctant to approach any current racers they don't personally know for help and advice on getting started. This book answers many of the basic questions about bracket racing / drag racing as well as serving as a valuable guide for racers with experience in the sport.

If this book were used in Auto Shop classes, the number of racers would increase. Knowledge is power, and power supports confidence. Knowing the fundamentals about drag racing and helping any "rookie" avoid embarassment for trying this sport can be accomplished by reading this book

Just when we think we know it all about any topic, a book well written about the fundamentals of the topic teaches us some more. This is that book.

Very useful information for all who enjoy Bracket Racing
This book has numerous tips for every bracket racer out there! From building your race car to dialing it in. There are also many strategy tips for the beginner or seasoned veteren. This book has it all to help you fromthe gate to the finish line. ... Read more

Book Description
Maximum Performance, Chrysler dubbed them, and these remarkable cars and engines took the Super Stock racing world by storm in the 60sand helped bring about what is now recognized as the golden era of stock drag racing. With an unparalleled, intimate knowledge of these carsfrom the assembly line to the trackJim Schild gives a profile of Mopar cars like no other.His book takes us into the era that produced these unique cars and delves into the details behind their creationthe specially prepared engines, ram-induction two four-barrel intake systems, exhaust cutouts, and the likelightweight cars made strictly for racing, with no back seat, no heater, low gearing, and altered wheelbases.Along with highly detailed and accurate information on the cars specifications and equipment, Schild recounts their exploits on the race tracks, wheredriven by legendary teams such as the Ramchargers, Golden Commandos, and Sox Martinthey dominated the world of drag racing, setting class records that still stand today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Mopar or No Car!!
This is by far the most researched book of its kind on the market today. To say that it is full of fun facts, Mopar models, various engines of the era, etc., etc., would be an understatement. Having lived in those glory days of Mopar myself - and owned and raced a few Mopars of my own - I highly recommend this book for any automotive enthusiasts library.

excellent
a good history of early MOPAR cars and the motors that made them great. If you know what a max wedge is you are in the right place. 413 and 426 wedges and then on to the hemi, its MOPAR at its best. Enjoy!

Excellent reference, but very slim on west coast coverage
Very good book, but I was hoping to see more of us who raced our MaxWedge and Hemi Mopars on the west coast at LADS, San Fernando, Bakersfield, etc., but the book concentrates primarily on the mid-west and eastern area cars... and it was great to see these guys again. I bought my '62 Plymouth 413 Sport Fury from Milne Bros., trading in my '60 Chevy 348 tri-power, because I was tired of getting beat by the Mopars. My '63 426 Belvedere and '65 Plymouth Hemi also came from Milne Bros. and as Jim points out in this book, the Hemi HP was grossly understated, as mine was producing 543HP out of the box. Blueprinting it produced even more.

Overal, a very good book with a lot of good background and product spec. details. I only wish it had more of what us west coast guys were doing. Jim, FYI, Chrysler made a Teflon valve seal and valve guide machining tool for installing the Teflon seal available during '62. Stopped the 413 sparkplug bad oil fouling!

Go, Team Chrysler!
For those who love mopar and cool, classic Chryslers, you will love this book.Pictures of some really cool Plymouths and equally serious Dodge classics delight the eyes.A beautiful ca. 1965 Plymouth graces the cover.Note the strong resemblance to the 1965-1966 Dodge Dart 270.A very serious car indeed, that Dart!Super stockers never had it so good!

Maximun Performance: Mopar Super Stock Drag Racing
All that I was hoping for and more - very informative enjoyable book. ... Read more