Sports Car Racing in the South – Texas to Florida, 1959-1960
Like the first volume in this trilogy of southern sports car racing history, this second of three books looks at but two seasons of competition across the southern United States from New Mexico to Florida. The names of the venues are both familiar—Sebring, Daytona, Pensacola—and obscure—Fort Sumner, New Mexico; Courtland, Alabama; Hammond Louisiana—but author and historian Oosthoek provides reportage and results for every outing.
As valuable and interesting as those event recaps may be, the heart and strength of this book is its photography, verifying the old adage about the relative value of words and pictures. Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Bob Jackson again provides the bulk of the accompanying imagery, exposing the reader to life both in the paddocks and out on the turns of the various tracks. Most of the photos are candid “people pictures” of the participants, but there are plenty of action images, including a fine sequence from the start at Sebring where the drivers are seen running across the track to their waiting cars, climbing in and then pulling away in ultra-close quarters trying not to end their race before it begins.
With more than 450 pages on high-quality heavy-duty paper stock, this slip-cased volume is a fine addition to anyone’s library. Priced at US$155/£95, it is available at enthusiast bookstores or direct from publisher Dalton Watson Fine Books at www.daltonwatson.com
