The Put-in Bay Road Races, 1952–1963
By Carl Goodwin
Readers of this magazine will undoubtedly be familiar with Carl Goodwin’s feature contributions including in-depth histories on the early days of East Coast road racing at places like Watkins Glen and Calicoon. If you’ve enjoyed these well-researched pieces for VR, then you will be in for a rare treat when you read his latest book on the little-known history of racing at Put-in Bay.
Starting in 1952, members of the Cleveland Sports Car Club had the crazy idea to hold a small-displacement sports car race through the streets of “Put-in-Bay,” a small, tourist town on the island of South Bass, in Lake Erie. For the next seven years, the Put-in-Bay road races came to embody the low-key, local and fun type of sports car racing that captivated enthusiasts across the country.
In Put-in-Bay, 1952–1963, Goodwin manages to weave a fascinating tale that combines the in-depth history of each year’s race along with first-hand memories of many of the participants, as well as local history and flavor to paint a compelling picture of this quintessentially local American race. For a race that has become historically obscure, even among historians, Goodwin has done an amazing job of painting such a nuanced and detailed picture of each year’s event that the reader comes away with the strange sensation that they might have experienced it themselves. This book proves to be a fascinating window back to a time, when America was a much simpler place and sports car racing was a pastime that was accessible to almost anyone.
Available for $35.00 call 800 253-2187 or visit: www.mcfarlandpub.com
