Speed Duel: The Inside Story of the Land Speed Record in the Sixties
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.62 (651 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 1554076331 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 360 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2016-08-18 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Samuel Hawley studied history at Queen's University and is the author of The Imjin War: Japan's Sixteenth-Century Invasion of Korea and Attempt to Conquer China. He lives in Kingston, Ontario.
"Absolutely recommended - especially to those who are curious about super fast cars!" according to William L. Cotter. A super book! A must for all those who are interested in the Land Speed Record, especially the competitive years in the 1960s. I grew up during this time and as a kid I thought it can't be that hard - just put a bigger engine in and drive the car straight for a mile, turn around and do it again. It seemed simple. Reading this book showed me how naive I. "Fun reading, I always loved the bonneville salt flats racing" according to Nevada Bob. I really learned a lot about the Bonneville salt flats racing. There were lots of mechanical, aerodynamic and propulsion failures at speeds approaching 600 mph. Even death. How different it was for the "Blue Flame" rocket car, produced by alumni or workers from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Over one week, it went 622 mph, without any mechanical. Amazon Customer said Puts You in the Driver's Seat. I was new to the Bonneville Flats era in terms of the backstory and this book filled it in so well. The thought of a pioneer testing an aircraft jet in his back yard (At Arfons) was the sort of incredible tale which kept popping up in this book. Imagine doing that today!! The human side of the contest is well covered too. These guys were true heroes, c
Some men died in horrific crashes, others prudently retired, and by mid-decade only two men were left driving: Art Arfons and Craig Breedlove. It's about ordinary men doing extraordinary things in their back yards.". For this determined and dedicated group, the LSR was no longer an honor to be held by rich aristocrats with industrial backing -- it was brought stateside.In the summer of 1960, the contest moved into overdrive, with eight men contending for the record on Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. By 1965, Arfons and Breedlove had walked away from some of the most spectacular wipeouts in motor sport history and pushe
This well-told overview of the car culture of the 1960s, with photos of the legends of the LSR, is a gripping read that will provide a jet-fueled adrenaline rush to racing fans and readers who enjoy social history in the style of Mark Kurlansky and Erik Larson. (Susan Belsky Library Journal 2010-11-15)Even readers who don't know a spark plug from a gear shift will be transfixed by Hawley's white-knuckled account of the ever-escalating competition to hold the Land Speed Record in the '60s