The history of hot rodding and performance cars has been well chronicled through the years. Books and magazines have covered the cars, builders, pioneers, engineers, early racers, muscle cars, street racers, etc. Most take a nostalgic and fun look at the cars that many have loved their entire lives. Some even cover the lifestyle, the hobby as it involves people, and the effort, time, and commitment people put into it. It is more than just a hobby to most, and to many, a certain wave of nostalgia comes over them when remembering what the car scene was like "back in the day." The local speed shop is an important element of the nostalgic feeling that people have when fondly remembering their hot rodding youth. Speed shops were not just parts stores, they were a communal gathering place for car guys wanting to talk smart, bench race, and catch up on the local scene, as well as to solicit the expert advice from the owner or staff behind the counter. Here, longtime hot rodder and industry veteran Bob McClurg brings you the story of the era and the culture of speed shops as told through individual shop's histories and compelling vintage photography. He covers the birth of the industry, racing versus hot rodding, mail-order, and advertising wars. You learn about the performance boom of the 1960s and 1970s, lost speed shops as well as survivors, and a overview of the giant mail-order speed shops of today.

The compellingly self-confident, handsome, gifted race driver, and mechanical genius named Frank Lockhart has long captured the imagination and curiosity of generations of automobile racing fans as a classic example of the "What if he had lived?" enigma. There remains even today a certain mystery about Frank's amazing talent and fearless driving ability. There also have been a sizeable number of myths about his life that have grown up over the years and have been repeated so often as to become accepted as the gospel truth. In a careful historical effort to set the story straight, authors Sarah Morgan-Wu and Jim O'Keefe have combined their efforts to delve into all aspects of Frank's life and career. They have left no stone unturned in an attempt to verify every bit of information. It is to their credit they have uncovered much long forgotten or hidden information that sheds important light on the true nature of Frank and his remarkable if all too short flash of brilliance on the stage of American automobile racing.--Publisher's description.

After 12 years of research, plus thousands of miles driving Germany's Autobahn, Rask, a lifelong automotive and racing enthusiast, exposes half-truths and myths about the speed factor in traffic accidents in America. He analyzes the combination of safety and speed on the Autobahn and offers an exciting new direction for America's interstates that would make speeds of 100 mph or more commonplace on open stretches of rural freeway, with far greater safety than ever imagined at 55 mph. Includes bandw photos of highways and vehicles. Annotation copyrighted by Book News Inc., Portland, OR

An “addictive volume” of amphetamine stories from William T. Vollmann, Sherman Alexie, and more (Publishers Weekly). Speed is the most American of drugs: twice the productivity at half the cost, and equal opportunity for all. It has reinvented itself many times, from miracle cure to biker-gang scourge and everything in between. It goes by many names: crystal meth, amphetamines, Dexedrine, Benzedrine, Adderall; crank, spizz, chickenscratch, oblivious marching powder, the go-fast. And it crosses all ethnicities, genders, and geographies—from immigrants and heartlanders punching double factory shifts to clandestine border warlords; prostitutes to housewives; Hollywood celebs to the poorest Indian on the rez—and they all have plenty of stories. Here is the first contemporary collection of new short fiction dealing with the drug from an array of today’s most compelling authors. The elements of crime and tweaking, bleary-eyed zombies exist alongside heart-wrenching narratives of everyday people, the American Dream going up in flames, and even some accounts of pure joy. Featuring brand-new stories by: Sherman Alexie, William T. Vollmann, James Franco, Megan Abbott, Jerry Stahl, Beth Lisick, Jess Walter, Scott Phillips, James Greer, Tao Lin, Joseph Mattson, Natalie Diaz, Kenji Jasper, and Rose Bunch.

The All-American Hot Rod is your personally guided tour through the saga of one of the most popular icons in American history, brought to life in the stories of well-known and respected automotive historians and celebrities, automotive journalists, and other hot rodders with their own tales to share—with more than 350 illustrations to add to your appreciation of these remarkable machines. The hot rod—each one unique, fierce, loud, and bold—has been an American icon and a symbol of performance, freedom, and creativity for decades, influencing everything from movies to music. The All-American Hot Rod is a history by those who lived it, the numerous voices and images of people who know and love the hot rod like nothing else. Relive the thrills with their great stories, complemented by fabulous period artwork and current photographs of original T-buckets, Deuces, coupes, roadsters, custom cars, street rods, rat rods, and more. It's truly an all-American tale with an exhaust note heard 'round the world. Now, step on the gas and go!