Lucky John
By John Sprinzel
Lucky John” is an apt title for an autobiography of ’50s and ’60s racer and rally champion John Sprinzel.
Born in Germany before the war, Sprinzel grew up in the UK where he developed his love of cars and eventually racing. Success in rallying—including winning the 1959 RAC Rally Championship—paved the way for Sprinzel not only to race in a wide variety of cars and series over the coming decade, but also to get involved in the development of a number of BMC racing vehicles, including the famed Sebring Sprites, through his now famous Speedwell operation.
In Lucky John, Sprinzel recounts the details of his early life and his innumerable racing adventures with a witty, causal, easy-to-read style, which makes the reader feel as though they are sitting down for a pint and a good story with a long lost friend. While Sprinzel’s personal story is rich enough, another fantastic aspect of this book is the behind the scenes look into all the drivers and players of the time and the extraordinary amount of fun they had messing with cars before sponsorship and professionalism changed the face of the sport forever.
While the majority of the book traces his amazing automotive career, Sprinzel also delves into the later years of his life, where he transitioned from asphalt to water and became a world-class sailboard racer, among his many other adventures.
A limited edition, signed and numbered, is available for $60 plus $5 U.S. postage by emailing [email protected]
