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Indianapolis Motor Speedway: 100 Years of Racing

In 1909, four men purchased 320 acres of Indiana farmland for $500, beat out a loop of hard-pack, and called it the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Since then, it has become the most recognizable venues in racing. In anticipation of the Speedway's hundredth anniversary, Ralph Kramer penned Indianapolis Motor Speedway: 100 Years of Racing, a book of pictures to commemorate the track's fascinating history. Kramer is quick to acknowledge that this is not a definitive history of the racetrack, but that doesn't detract anything from this handsome hardcover. From the evolution of the track-side "Pagoda" to the faces on the Borg-Warner Trophy, Kramer doesn't miss a beat. With a foreword written beautifully by Mario Andretti, Indianapolis Motor Speedway: 100 Years of Racing is destined to become a classic. And for $30, it's a good deal, too.

It’s Only Original Once: Unrestored Classic Cars

A flawless restoration turns heads, but an unrestored classic car can be an absolute show stopper. "It's Only Original Once: Unrestored Classic Cars" explores the allure of the unmolested original. Among the cars captured in the over 500 colored photographs is a '57 Corvette wearing its first and only coat of paint it ever had. And a 1960 Mercury Montclair with barely 20,000 original miles on the odometer. Author Richard Lentinello writes passionately about these time capsule cars, from drip patterns on door jams to decades old maintenance decals nothing goes over looked. For restorers this book is a fantastic guide to a period perfect restoration. For everyone else, its like opening a long lost jar of new car smell.

Legendary Race Cars

There is no sport that touts the symbiotic relationship between man and machine like race car driving. And Legendary Race Cars author and photographer Basem Wasef beautifully captures this high speed pursuit in all its glory and emotion; emotion that ranges from courage to fear, elation, to humiliation. Through vivid human detail, and a collection of fantastic photographs, this book chronicles some of the most memorable races run by some of the most memorable names in motorsports, such as Mario Andretti's win at the 1978 Formula One World Championship, or Stirling Moss' improbable victory at the 1955 Mille Miglia. Legendary Race Cars is written in blood, grease, sweat, and gasoline. And for $35, every drop can be yours.

Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman

Fans of Paul Newman's legendary performances on the silver screen may not be aware that he was also a legend on the racetrack. Following his passing in September 2008, the time was right for Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman, a book which takes its title from the 1968 film in which Newman starred. Written by Motor Trend editor Matt Stone and freelance automotive journalist Preston Lerner, Winning chronicles a Hollywood icon's love affair with racing. From victories behind the wheel to the trials of team ownership, Winning captures Newman as friends and rivals alike saw him: a devoted gentleman racer with an acting job on the side.

Motion Performance: Tales of a Muscle Car Builder

New York-based Baldwin-Motion Performance Group built some of the fastest Chevys the golden age of muscle ever saw; big-bore Bow Tie creations which included fire-breathing Camaros, Chevelles, and Corvettes. But they didn't get the recognition they deserved from the contemporary motor press. To set the record straight, Baldwin-Motion PR guru and former VETTE Magazine editor Martyn Schorr has written Motion Performance: Tales of a Muscle Car Builder. Schorr entertaining prose chronicles the firm's high-octane history, from its humble service station roots to the very last 500-horsepower made-to-order Vette founder Joel Rosen ever turned a wrench on. Page after page of vintage photographs bring Schorr's first-hand accounts of muscle car madness to life.

Snake vs. Mongoose

Today Hot Wheels is a household name, but the toy's embodiment of high-speed thrills was jump-started in the 1970s by the racing careers of Don the Snake Prudhomme and Tom the Mongoose McEwen. In Snake vs. Mongoose, published by Motorbooks, author Tom Madigan rediscovers the drivers who engineered drag racing's first ever, non-automotive, corporate sponsorship deal. While these competitors reminisce, often still taunting one another, Madigan delights the reader with photos of the extraordinary races, cars, and dangers that once defined the sport. He also includes outrageous cartoons of the duo's alter egos, the characters that made Hot Wheels famous with Mattel's wild replicas epitomizing the legendary rivalry. A rivalry vividly captured in this colorful collection of racing stories.

The Complete Book of Shelby Automobiles

The Ford Mustang is an American icon among high performance automobiles, but it was legendary racecar driver Carroll Shelby that secured the car's unprecedented reputation. Although most make this connection between man and machine, few besides true enthusiasts recognize Shelby's vast contributions to the world of American muscle cars in general. The Complete Book of Shelby Automobiles, written by Colin Comer, details every last car Shelby developed, designed, and produced. And with each car's story, Comer provides an impressive array of photographs. From the original Cobra to the 1960s-inspired Ford Mustang of the present decade, Carroll Shelby forever changed the face of the American automobile. And there's no better way to relive the Shelby era, than through the pages of this beautiful hardback.