In the 1950s and early 1960s, Modena was the center of Italy's sports car and Grand Prix universe. There, engineers and artisans crafted cars for Ferrari, Maserati, OSCA, ATS, and others, every day bringing an unending parade of new surprises to the famous Modena Autodrome for resting. As a young man, Graham Gauld traveled to the northern Italian villa several times, striking up relationships with famous drivers, engineers, and designers who granted him and his camera unprecedented access to their facilities. The result is this remarkable history which documents the fall of Italian carmakers from Grand Prix eminence, and their subsequent rise to dominance in international GT racing. All of the photos are from Gauld's private collection and are seen together here for the first time. Populated with fantastic cars, motorsport luminaries, and the author's rarefied memories, this splendid photo history is sure to interest all fans of vintage racing and classic Italian machinery.

Human beings have always been driven to compete. Foot racing became horse racing became automobile racing, and we continue to redefine the word “fast.” Whether you prefer the tales of American bootleggers customizing Prohibition-era automobiles to outrun the law or the natural progression of cars replacing horses on the streets and on the racetrack, automobile racing flourished as a sport for many years in the United States before stock car racing truly came into its own in the 1950s. The economy rebounded after the end of World War II. The GIs brought home skills and knowledge about advances in technology, and civilians had learned how to get the most out of old machines during the war. Scrap steel was no longer reserved exclusively for the War Effort, and the junkyards were filling up with worn out cars as people started to invest in new ones to replace them. A very competitive stock car could be purchased at the junk yard for $25 or so. By adding another $75, a clever builder could make it race ready. Teams of weekend warriors could compete head to head against well-funded, highly trained teams and have a real shot at winning. It was a perfect combination: knowledgeable mechanics and fearless drivers in cars that the public recognized from their daily life. The grandstands filled and new tracks turned up all across the countryside to satisfy the public's interest in watching these race cars compete. Associations formed to standardize the tracks, which were often farm fields that had been lovingly sculpted and paved by the farmers themselves to give the drivers and their crews a place to showcase their talent. These men and women entertained, awed, and inspired a generation of "motor heads" and race fans. This book is a tribute to the drivers and other figures from Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania who shaped stock car racing in the 1950s.

More than 150 drivers, fans, celebrities and others share their personal stories and remembrances of the world's most famous auto race. Twenty different race winners representing more than 40 victories are among those sharing memories, including the greatest names in the sport: Foyt, Unser, Andretti, Rutherford, Cheever, Mears, Sullivan, Rahal, Montoya, Castroneves and Kanaan. Others include Gurney, Guthrie, Goodyear, Patrick, Power, Stewart, St. James and many more.The book is as much about dreams as it is memories, from A.J. Foyt listening to the 500 in his daddy's garage as young boy, to Bev Patrick bursting into tears as her daughter, Danica, becomes the first woman to lead the 500. There is laughter and tears, triumph and tragedy, ranging from Evi Gurney hiding under a stack of sweaty driver uniforms in the back of a car so she can sneak into Gasoline Alley, to Indy's darkest days in 1964 and 1973. The memories are full of surprises and unbridled honesty. "I felt like I was at the point of an arrow that was being hurled forward by a hurricane," recalled Eddie Cheever. "It was so violent, to control it for 500 miles and finish a race, I thought would be a miracle." Fans and family have always been an integral part of making the event "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" and both are well represented in Indy 500 Memories. Whether the stories are about family traditions or secretly spreading a loved one's ashes on the Speedway's grounds, they are often as personal and interesting as those of the drivers.From the first memory by Mario Andretti, to the last one of Ryan Hunter-Reay, Indy 500 Memories is sure to invoke surprise, laughter, tears and awe and is a must read for any racing fan.