Best of
Cars

2016

Earnhardt Nation: The Full-Throttle Saga of NASCAR's First Family


Jay Busbee - 2016
    Weekends he could be found going pedal to the metal at the dirt tracks, taking on the competition in the early days of box car racing and becoming one of the best short-track drivers in the state. His son, Dale Earnhardt Sr., would become one of the greatest drivers of all time, and his grandson Dale Jr, would become NASCAR’s most popular driver of the 2000s. From a simple backyard garage, the Earnhardts reached the highest echelons of professional stock car racing and became the stuff of myth for fans.Earnhardt Nation is the story of this car racing dynasty and the business that would make them rich and famous—and nearly tear them apart. Covering all the white-knuckle races, including the final lap at the Daytona 500 that claimed the life of the Intimidator, Earnhardt Nation goes deep into the fast-paced world of NASCAR, its royal family’s obsession with speed, and their struggle with celebrity. Jay Busbee takes us deep inside the lives of these men and women who shaped NASCAR. He delves into their personal and professional lives, from failed marriages to rivalries large and small to complex and competitive father-son relationships that have reverberated through generations, and explores the legacy the Earnhardts struggle to uphold.

Gus's Garage


Leo Timmers - 2016
    When his friend Rico comes over with a problem (his scooter seat is way too small for a rhino), Gus finds just the thing to fix it.

Drift Heat


Adrian R. Hale - 2016
    I wanted to make a name for myself and I wasn't going to let anyone get in my way. So when I saw the opportunity of a lifetime, I jumped. Being the face of the hottest new racing team in the business was a dream come true.Until he showed up.Griffin McGregor. Bad boy star driver. On the track, he's gold. Off the track? He's everything my daddy ever warned me about. Infuriatingly egotistical, explosive temper, argumentative know-it-all...why does he have to be so freaking hot? It'll be a miracle if we can get this team to the championship title without killing each other. Or worse. Because the last thing I'm going to do is wreck my career by jumping in bed with a race car driver.

Brian Redman: Daring drivers, deadly tracks


Brian Redman - 2016
    Now that is about to be rectified. Packed with photographs, Redman's memoir is a vivid account of his varied racing exploits, with special focus on the period when he won major sports car races in Ford GT40s, Porsche 908s and 917s, and Ferrari 312PBs, and also became North American Formula 5000 champion three years running. Highly readable, and at times both humorous and poignant, this is a very personal book that will be welcomed by this popular and highly respected driver's legions of fans.- Five themed chapters about Redman's experiences at the greatest circuits and races of his era: Spa-Francorchamps, the Nurburgring, the Targa Florio, Le Mans and Daytona.- Diving deep into Redman's fears, friendships and mindset during his time at the top.- Spa-Francorchamps: Redman won at this daunting track in four consecutive appearances in 1,000Kms races for sports cars, but was also injured in the first of his three big crashes, in the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix.- The Nurburgring: two big sports car wins with his greatest driving partners, Jo Siffert and Jacky Ickx.- The Targa Florio: in 1970 Redman won this heroic race over the uniquely punishing 45-mile circuit in Sicily - and suffered severe burns in another big crash the following year.- Le Mans: he led France's 24-hour classic five times but never won it.- Daytona: the world's other great 24-hour race, in Florida, brought three wins - in 1970, 1976 and 1981.- Stories about driving for Porsche, Ferrari and colourful privateers, plus anecdotes about the era's most famous drivers, managers, heroes and rascals.- Successes in Formula 5000 (three-times champion in the USA) and 2-litre sports cars (South African champion) complete Redman's credentials as one of the finest all-rounders in motor racing.- Mario Andretti provides an insightful foreword: Redman and he were team-mates in Ferrari's sports car team (1972-73) and the top drivers in North American Formula 5000 (1974-75).

Can-Am 50th Anniversary: Flat Out with North America's Greatest Race Series 1966-74


George Levy - 2016
    Or at least damn few rules. The bodywork had to enclose the wheels and there had to be something that loosely resembled a passenger seat--if your passenger was a badly misshapen human or perhaps a lab monkey. Otherwise, set your racing mind free. No limits to engine options or output, no restrictions on aerodynamic aids or body shape. It was as close to unrestricted road racing as racing had ever gotten or would ever get again. And it was fantastic. From its introduction in 1966 to the end of its classic period in 1974, North America's Can-Am series was the most exciting, technologically advanced, and star-studded racing series of the day. Its essentially rules-free formula attracted everyone from crazed backyard engineers to specialists like McLaren, Chaparral, Shadow, and Lola to manufacturers like Ford, Ferrari, Chevrolet, and Porsche. Top drivers including Mario Andretti, Jackie Stewart, Parnelli Jones, and Bruce McLaren competed on tracks across the US and Canada.Can-Am 50th Anniversary offers a heavily illustrated look back at what is arguably the greatest race series ever to grace the roadracing circuits of North America. Photographer Pete Biro was Goodyear Tire’s official photographer and followed the series throughout the entire run from 1966-'74. The vast majority of the book’s images are unpublished or long out of circulation. Biro brings his unique perspective and his close relationship with the drivers, team owners, and constructors to bear on the captions while former AutoWeek editor George Levy provides an exciting text reflecting the thrill of Can-Am racing.

Auto Empire: from Toyota to Ford, business strategies about car companies in the world: everything people want to know


Eric Choi - 2016
    In Auto Empire, author Choi paints a compelling picture of the birth and growth of the modern auto industry. And how acquisitions and mergers, in particular, have paved the way for the auto industry of today and tomorrow. From the first steam-powered carriage, to alternative energy and self-driving cars, the world can barely accommodate the ambitions of this massive industry. But in Auto Empire, Choi fearlessly tackles the industry in all its glory and failings to illuminate how it transformed itself and the world. Choi unfolds a fascinating history that spans diverse industries, epic upheavals, and touches every corner of the world. Auto Empire seamlessly weaves the eras of the automotive industry into a thought-provoking portrait of its continued evolution through acquisitions and mergers. To think, we went from sweatshop assembly lines and 14-hour work days, to high-tech automation and digital innovation. In Auto Empire, Choi captures this amazing spirit of transformation – richly illustrated with more than 100 full-color photos, graphs, and charts

Afterlife: A Shadows Series Companion Novella


Cege Smith - 2016
    On the eve of its demolition, it calls out to those that escaped it to come home…It’s Thanksgiving vacation, and Morgan Mitchell returns home from college unexpectedly to find her parents, David and Ellie Mitchell, are mysteriously missing. Thinking they have taken a holiday trip and forgotten to tell her, Morgan settles in for a quiet vacation break alone. When some friends suggest exploring an old abandoned mansion due to be torn down the following week, she doesn’t think there’s any harm in going with them.But this seemingly random invitation is one that proves not to be so random at all. Shadows from the past are coming for Morgan and her family, and soon she discovers that she is the only one who holds to a message that affects everything, including David and Ellie's happily after after.

American Muscle Cars: A Full-Throttle History


Darwin Holmstrom - 2016
    The resulting vehicles, brutal machines unlike any the world had seen before or will ever see again, defined the sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll generation.American Muscle Cars chronicles this tumultuous period of American history through the primary tool Americans use to define themselves: their automobiles. From the street-racing hot rod culture that emerged following World War II through the new breed of muscle cars still emerging from Detroit today, this book brings to life the history of the American muscle car. When Pontiac's chief engineer, John Z. DeLorean, and his team installed a big-inch engine into the division's intermediate chassis, they immediately invented the classic muscle car. In those 20 minutes it took Bill Collins and Russ Gee to bolt a 389 ci V-8 engine into a Tempest chassis they created the prototype for Pontiac's GTO—and changed the course of automotive history. From that moment on, American performance cars would never be the same. Featured cars represent all American automakers of the time—Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, and AMC—as well as landmark models like the Challenger, Charger, Road Runner, Super Bee, Super Bird, 'Cuda, Camaro, Chevelle SS, 442, Boss Mustang, GTX, Javelin, AMX, and much more.American Muscle Cars tells the story of the most desirable cars ever to come out of Detroit. It's a story of flat-out insanity told at full throttle and illustrated with beautiful photography.

Perfect Control: A Driver's Step-By-Step Guide to Advanced Car Control Through the Physics of Racing (The Science of Speed Series Book 2)


Paradigm Shift Driver Development - 2016
    We will also look in-depth at the Universal Cue. The driving cue that directly represents the physics of racing and provides the final layer of car control precision. Learn how world-class drivers use it to self-evaluate and perfect their on track performance.

Classic Car: The Definitive Visual History


Chauney Dunford - 2016
    Virtual tours offer close-up views of iconic models, and comprehensive catalogs showcase key features with detailed profiles and specifications. Double-page-spread images add flavor by showing the classics in action.To tell the complete story of classic cars, this book also profiles famous designers and manufacturers, like Ferdinand Porsche, and places the cars into wider cultural context by charting their enduring legacy as symbols of luxury and objects of desire.Classic Car is a complete celebration of classic cars and a must-have for all classic car collectors and enthusiasts.

Airstream: America's World Traveler


Patrick Foster - 2016
    Representative of the age-old desire to explore, these trailers are unmistakable in design with distinctive aerodynamic rounded lines and an aluminum outer skin. Airstream: America's World Traveler celebrates the eight decades since the first Airstream graced America's highways.Airstream chronicles the fascinating history of Airstream trailers through a detailed history, stories, and beautiful photography. Although its roots stretch back to 1926, the first Airstream-brand trailers were introduced in 1936, just as America was emerging from the dark days of the Great Depression. Of the 400 travel-trailer manufacturers of that era, only Airstream survived. Dubbed the "Airstream Clipper" after the first trans-Atlantic seaplane, the 1936 Airstream featured a unique lightweight aluminum body that cut down on wind resistance, improved fuel efficiency, and made for easier towing. It slept four, carried its own water supply, was fitted with electric lights, and cost $1,200. The Airstream provided travelers with a way to see the world at their leisure and in solid comfort. It was the perfect vehicle for a country emerging from a long struggle.In the eight decades since that first Airstream, the company has produced some of the finest trailers in the world and gained a worldwide reputation as the Rolls-Royce of travel trailers. The Airstream story is one of travel, adventure, and memories that last a lifetime.

The Complete Book of American Muscle Supercars: Yenko, Shelby, Baldwin Motion, Grand Spaulding, and More


Tom Glatch - 2016
    The Complete Book of American Muscle Supercars catalogs these amazing cars, along with the builders who unleashed them on the American scene. From Michigan's Royal Pontiac dealership and the souped-up Royal Pontiac Bobcats they built and sold, to the new cars from such fabled names as Carroll Shelby, Mr. Norm's Grand Spaulding Dodge, Nickey Chevrolet, Don Yenko, George Hurst, Baldwin-Motion, Calloway, SLP, and Steve Saleen.This gorgeously illustrated book chronicles the outstanding contribution of the tuner/builder to American automotive history through the amazing machines they created. From the oldest of these muscle tuners commanding top dollar at today's classic-car auctions, to the latest vehicles by Ford and Chrysler, with their SVT and SRT divisions, this book gives readers a full and fascinating look at American high-performance in its purest form.

Ford Flathead Engines: How to Rebuild and Modify


Tony Thacker - 2016
    Because of Henry Ford's stubbornness, the first versions were less than ideal. The technology was in its infancy and cost-cutting measures limited the output and reliability of the early models. Over time, however, the -Flattie- became the go-to powerplant for a whole generation of new hobbyists who were called -hot rodders.- The engine maintained its position in the hobby well into the 1950s, even when more modern overhead-valve designs started coming out of Detroit. It's hard to overstate the impact that this simple little engine had on a whole generation of enthusiasts. Even today, people choose a flathead for period-correct builds over far more powerful options. The style and sound of a modified flathead is an iconic part of American history.In Ford Flathead Engines: How to Rebuild & Modify, veteran author Tony Thacker and flathead guru of H&H Flatheads, Mike Herman, take you step-by-step through rebuilding a vintage flathead. One of the most important steps is to actually find a good, usable core; many have been sitting for a very long time and the engine design is prone to cracking. Running changes are also an important consideration when selecting a core, and include cooling system, ignition, and transmission mount. After you have selected a core, Thacker and Herman take you through the entire process of a rebuild, including teardown, parts inspection, machine shop processes, replacement part selection, re-assembly, start up, and break-in.Also covered is a unique performance build completed at the H&H shop for legendary race car team manager and all-around enthusiast Ray Evernham. It all adds up to more than 500 color photos and insider tips on building what could be called the most iconic engine ever built, the Ford flathead V-8.