Lost Road Courses: Riverside, Ontario, Bridgehampton & More (edition 2016)

by Martin Rudow (Author)

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23	16	980,735	(4.91)	2
Road racing has long-storied roots in North America that reach from coast to coast and to Canada. Some of the greatest drivers to ever compete raced wickedly fast machines, staged epic duels on winding strips of asphalt, and created history. This history left an enduring legacy that is revealed and celebrated in Lost Road Courses. Road racer and road racing expert Martin Rudow retraces road racing's glorious past and visits the defunct classic road courses across the United States and Canada. Many road courses were built in the 1950s and 1960s, the golden age of American road racing. These classic road courses built and hosted famous races for Trans-Am, Can-Am, IndyCar, Formula 1, and sports car racing, but did not survive the times. They fell victim to changing times, poor business decisions, urban sprawl, safety standards, and increasing real estate prices. Rudow recounts the breathtaking races and fascinating history of more than 16 tracks from around North America. Riverside International Raceway, Bridgehampton Race Circuit, Ontario Motor Speedway, Continental Divide Raceway, and many others were once major race venues that have since closed. The great race teams, legendary drivers, classic race series that visited the tracks, and cars that turned laps are brought into full focus. The exploits of Chaparral, McLaren, Bud Moore, Lotus, Penske, and other race teams as well as racing greats Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones, Jim Hall, A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, Jim Clark, and Dan Gurney are covered. Rudow also digs beneath the surface to reveal the story behind the story. The visionaries and businessmen who saw potential and risked capital to build these palaces of speed come back to life. He also recognizes the unsung heroes and regional racers who competed, staffed, and took on various roles at these tracks. In the pages of this book, a nostalgic tour of these famous races at these vintage road circuits unfolds. Many period photos illustrate the racing action and the tracks themselves in their former glory, and modern color shows the tracks as they currently stand. If you're a fan of classic sports car, Can-Am, Trans-Am, IndyCar, Formula 1, as well as classic and unique tracks of yesteryear, this book is a must-have.… (more)

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Member:	rhbouchard
Title:	Lost Road Courses: Riverside, Ontario, Bridgehampton & More
Authors:	Martin Rudow (Author)
Info:	CarTech (2016), 176 pages
Collections:	Read but unowned
Rating:
Tags:	Technical

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Lost Road Courses: Riverside, Ontario, Bridgehampton & More by Martin Rudow

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This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

This book does exactly what it claims to do and does it very well. Seventeen former courses are covered. Each course is given a chapter, starting with a course map and summary information, including lengths and turns, affiliations, and current status. The text itself gives a detailed, in some cases year-by-year, walkthrough of the history of each track from a background of its inception and construction, through changes in the track and major events, and finally the circumstances under which it was shuttered. Each chapter is nicely illustrated with some great historical photographs, showing the construction of tracks, the cars that drove on them, as well as photographs and aerial images of the tracks' current state, many taken by the author himself. I'm not knowledgeable enough of the subject matter to comment on the accuracy of the histories, but I didn't notice any errors. Overall, a fascinating read. (

)

sausage_mahoney | Feb 28, 2017 |

This book is one of the best if you want to get a lot of information about race tracks that have come and gone. Lots of pictures, maps, and details about the tracks. From extensive information about the drivers and their cars to some not so well known but interesting facts, Rudow presents something for everyone who was fortunate enough to have watched the races on these tracks or raced them-or wishes they had. (

)

ghaddock | Feb 7, 2017 |

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

I was a teenager and into my early 20's when these tracks were up and running. I read about the races held in these places in news papers and in magazines, even visited Meadowdale with racer once, who was racing there. But, in many cases I was unaware of what happened to them; why no more races? Now I know and in a way that brings back the romance of that era. Takes the sting(in a way) out of their demise and knowing their current status is somehow comforting. Being able to see the old and new of the track site is also very satisfying, if a bit sad when thinking of "the good old days" and, maybe, of what might have been. For race fans who also want to relive the excitement of the racing tradition of the 50's and 60's, this is a must have. (

)

thosgpetri | Nov 13, 2016 |

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Ever wondered what happens to an unused race track? Rudow compiles a history of lost road courses that include detail maps and photographs of each track. This book is definitely for those interested in racing. (

)

jenniferlbean | Oct 25, 2016 |

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Lost Road Courses is a wonderful book that covers some now defunct road racing courses in North American. This book is a must have for fans of racing. My favorite part of this book are the pictures that show the current state of the race tracks.

rj11248 | Oct 4, 2016 |

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Road racing has long-storied roots in North America that reach from coast to coast and to Canada. Some of the greatest drivers to ever compete raced wickedly fast machines, staged epic duels on winding strips of asphalt, and created history. This history left an enduring legacy that is revealed and celebrated in Lost Road Courses. Road racer and road racing expert Martin Rudow retraces road racing's glorious past and visits the defunct classic road courses across the United States and Canada. Many road courses were built in the 1950s and 1960s, the golden age of American road racing. These classic road courses built and hosted famous races for Trans-Am, Can-Am, IndyCar, Formula 1, and sports car racing, but did not survive the times. They fell victim to changing times, poor business decisions, urban sprawl, safety standards, and increasing real estate prices. Rudow recounts the breathtaking races and fascinating history of more than 16 tracks from around North America. Riverside International Raceway, Bridgehampton Race Circuit, Ontario Motor Speedway, Continental Divide Raceway, and many others were once major race venues that have since closed. The great race teams, legendary drivers, classic race series that visited the tracks, and cars that turned laps are brought into full focus. The exploits of Chaparral, McLaren, Bud Moore, Lotus, Penske, and other race teams as well as racing greats Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones, Jim Hall, A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, Jim Clark, and Dan Gurney are covered. Rudow also digs beneath the surface to reveal the story behind the story. The visionaries and businessmen who saw potential and risked capital to build these palaces of speed come back to life. He also recognizes the unsung heroes and regional racers who competed, staffed, and took on various roles at these tracks. In the pages of this book, a nostalgic tour of these famous races at these vintage road circuits unfolds. Many period photos illustrate the racing action and the tracks themselves in their former glory, and modern color shows the tracks as they currently stand. If you're a fan of classic sports car, Can-Am, Trans-Am, IndyCar, Formula 1, as well as classic and unique tracks of yesteryear, this book is a must-have.

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