A couple of years ago I put together an annotated
bibliography for our local club newsletter. I didn't
see all of these books listed in either John Crooke's
or Kate Hughes' introductions, so if someone can use
it here it is, with a couple of new entries. I don't
profess to know what the hell I'm doing so if you
think I don't, feel free to voice your opinion!
--Craig B.
=================
Secrets of Solo Racing
by Henry A. Watts
Loki Publishing Company, 1989
ISBN #0-9620573-1-2
This is, bar none, the best book available for
beginning autocrossers. Most of the other books on
this list were written with road racing in mind and
are best taken with some perspective by the reader who
wants to autocross; this is the only "no experience
required" book on this list. Highly recommended.
Winning Autocross Solo II Competition
Dick Turner and J.B. Miles
ISBN #0-932522-01-7
The other major autocross-centric book on the market.
It is still available but not as easy to find as Watts
is, possibly because it hasn't been picked up by a
major publisher. If Watts is Autocrossing 101, this
is 102; it concentrates solely on the driving
component of autocross and gets quite specific on
that. You don't have to have a physics education to
understand this book but it helps a lot. Much of the
material simply is not covered anywhere else that I
have seen. I like to come back to this book whenever
I think I have plateaued, because it challenges my
perception in a different way every time.
Going Faster!
by Carl Lopez et al.
Robert Bentley Publishers, 1997
ISBN #0-8376-0227-0
This is the best recent book on driving technique I've
seen. It is based on interviews with Skip Barber and
nine of the instructors in his racing school. Much
larger and more expensive than the Watts book, it has
marvelously complete sections on basic car control,
lines, car setup, and strategy. The wheel-to-wheel
sections won't be relevant to all autocrossers but are
still interesting. If I took one car book to a desert
island (assuming there was a track there) this would
probably be it.
The Racing Driver
by Denis Jenkinson
Reissued 1997 Robert Bentley Publishers
ISBN #0-8376-0201-7
This is the first and still definitive analysis of the
psychological makeup of the Grand Prix driver.
Jenkinson's explanation of what top drivers do and why
is as applicable to autocrossing as to Formula 1. The
book also contains fascinating discussion of the
handling characteristics of various cars of the day
(1950's) and how their drivers exploited them. Along
with the technical discussions, Jenkinson recounts his
days as a racing passenger, first for motorcycle racer
Eric Oliver and then for Mille Miglia winner Stirling
Moss.
The Technique of Motor Racing
by Piero Taruffi
11th printing 1991 Robert Bentley Publishers
ISBN #0-8376-0228-9
The classic textbook on race car driving. All the
advice contained on driving position, controls,
cornering lines, etc. is as valid today as when it was
first published in 1959. Taruffi trained as an
industrial engineer and the book has a definite
mathematical emphasis to it, with formulas presented
for taking any kind of corner you'll find. You're not
likely to think in such terms on the track of course,
but examining Taruffi's methods can give you a better
understanding of the "right" line. The book was
translated from Italian, and its English is therefore
idiomatic, but it's not bad once you get used to it.
Definitely advanced reading but rewards careful study.
Sports Car and Competition Driving
by Paul Frere
Robert Bentley Publishers, 1992
ISBN #0-8376-0202-5
Paul Frere is another famed engineer-turned-racer (he
won Le Mans), and this book is a combination of
observations on the racing experience and lucid
discussions of the physics that govern a moving car.
Frere received a classical education and it shows in
the dry nature of the book; it's not a page turner,
but it is a good textbook. If you have an all wheel
drive car, you will be interested in Frere's
discussion of the ultimate handling characteristics of
all wheel drive.
The Physics of Racing
Web pages available at
http://members.home.net/rck/phor/
This is a good series of articles by physicist Brian
Beckman on the mechanics of racing cars. It's as good
an introduction to understanding tire dynamics as any
I've seen, and the price can't be beat. Also
available at ftp://ftp.team.net/autocross/
Porsche High-Performance Driving Handbook
by Vic Elford
Motorbooks International, 1994
ISBN #0-87938-849-8
Very well written book with good techniques and
examples. Most books by retired racing drivers have a
lot of war stories and a little on driving but Elford
does a very effective job of using anecdotes from his
career to support the book's main thrust on technique.
Read it even if you only own a Matchbox Porsche or
two.
Think to Win
by Don Alexander
Robert Bentley Publishers, 1995
ISBN #0-8376-0070-7
One of the few books with much content on the mental
aspect of driving. Only a few pages on autocrossing
and I'm not sure I agree with what is said there, but
the chapters on mental and emotional skills are well
worth a look.
Jackie Stewart's Principles of Performance Driving
Hazleton Publishing, 1986
ISBN # 0-905138-43-0
Stewart's book is getting dated now, but there is good
information to be found here both on high speed
driving technique and safer road driving. Jackie
Stewart is famous as one of the smoothest drivers in
Formula 1 history and explains his thoughts on driving
finesse pretty well here.
Bob Bondurant on High Performance Driving
Motorbooks International, 1993
ISBN #0-87938-751-3
Bob talks too much about himself but the material on
driving technique, though sketchy, is useful. I'd
give this one a good leafing through at the bookstore
before buying.
<30>
|