Racing Reviews

David Coultard, whilst not the most fascinating character on the F1 circuit, is fully exposed in what turns out to be an excellent book. The author gets deep into his subject, and, it would seem, Mr Coultard enjoyed the probing. His mixed performance at McLaren is interesting to read, and David is, at last, given a chance to air his excuses for performing poorly compared to the well-loved Mika Hakkinen.

I would recommend this book to anybody with an interest in F1, whether they are particularly interested in the sport's "Mr Grey" or not. A great chance to get inside F1!

How refreshing it is to read a book about Formula 1 that isn't just about being macho. Most books in this genre are only too keen to promote their subjects as out and out hard men. Jim Dunn really penetrates David Coulthard. Thanks to much intimate probing from the author we get to know David Coulturd the man as opposed to the image. Formula One fans will get a real treat as the relationship between Coulthard and Ron Dennis is exposed, along with other behind the scenes glimpses into the workings of the McLaren team. We also accompany David away from the race track to visit people and places from his past who have had a bearing on him as a person as well as a driver - his school games teacher, his favourite uncle to name but two. When back at home in Scotland David takes the author to his hometown nite-spot, The Blue Oyster bar. It is here that David tells us how in this building he got his nickname, which also forms the book's subtitle. I wont spoil the story - buy the book and read it yourself! I thoroughly recommend this book as a breath of fresh air in the sometimes stale canon of sports-biography.

I am a huge NASCAR fan! I am also a Christian. This book combines the two. It takes the ideas and priciples of NASCAR racing and incorporates these into Christian beliefs. This book also contains bright wonderful pictures of drivers, cars, and tracks.

I am a pastor who also races at a local speedway...

TheDriving Force is a great devotional book for any Christian interestedin racing. It would also be a great gift for that race fan you areinterested in encouraging in life.

Pastor Tim

After reading and researching statistical techniques applied to horse racing this book is by far the most important and complete book I have read. The techniques are proven using complex math and statistical calculations and if repeated can earn a consistant and reasonable profit.

William Ziemba and Donald B. Hausch, eds., Efficiencies of Racetrack Betting Markets: Economic Theory, Econometrics, and Mathematical Economics (Academic Press, 1994)

I believe this is the only review I have ever written for a book I do not own. While I was working at a university in the late nineties, I was lucky enough to stumble upon a copy of this in their library after reading Ziemba and Hausch's landmark Beat the Track. For the year between my finding it and my switching jobs, the book was out of the library and in my hands every day. I renewed as often as I could, and when I couldn't, I would drop it off on my way to work and take it out again on my way home. They were inclined to be lenient, because I was the only person who had ever taken the book out of the library.

Let me get one thing straight from the outset: folks, this is not your momma's handicapping manual. For that matter, it's not your shady Uncle George's handicapping manual, either. It's a graduate-level econ textbook. And if you have no background in math (as I didn't at the time, and I still have only what I've gleaned thanks to Howard Sartin and Tom Brohamer), your first trip through this large and ponderous tome will be torturous. You might want to bone up on your equations, not to mention keeping a small handbook of "what Greek letters mean to economists" by your side at all times.

Eventually, however, you will dig your way down to the meaning of the first paper. And then the second. And then the third. And so on. And for the horseplayer with an academic bent (definition, gleaned from some nasty comments during a discussion on the book that irked some folks who didn't like what they were hearing: any bettor who read Rosecrance's The Degenerates of Lake Tahoe and was able to laugh when finding a description of someone a lot like him), figuring out what these people are on about is the rough equivalent of discovering the tombs of Tutankhamen, Rameses, and Nefertiti all at the same time, and finding incontrovertible proof that Anubis really DID carry their souls off to the realm of the dead in the process. It's true that any bright middle-school student who has a good grasp of fractions will be able to get Beat the Track, and praise the powers that be that Ziemba and Hausch are capable of translating this morass into something most people can understand, even if they only touched on a portion of one of Ziemba's papers (which is the first one presented here). If the middle-school student is really, REALLY bright, is what the classifieds today call a self-starter (read: willing to try and figure this stuff out on his own), and has access to a tutor and/or writings that can explain some of the more esoteric facts, and has six months or so free to decipher this stuff full-time, said bright middle-schooler can probably find the keys to the kingdom. And get a pretty solid understanding of econ jargon in the process (which could lead to blowing the curve in Freshman-level econ classes in a few years).

I've been considering going back to school and learning to be an accountant. Before I do so, I have every intention of acquiring a copy of this hefty tome, which will likely set me back a year's tuition or more, and using it so I, too, can blow the curve. Of course, if it helps me make enough money to pay for school in the process, that would be quite a bonus, but the real value here is in showing, once and for all, that depending on your point of view, either horse race investing is no more a gamble than playing the stock market, or that playing the stock market is just as much a gamble as putting your two bucks on the nose of Glue Factory Refugee in the seventh at Charles Town on Friday night. *****

Excellent coverage of Ferrari racing, the road cars only get superficial treatment.

Simply put this is one of the ESSENTIAL ferrari books for any collector.If you are interested in the the racing ferraris of the 40's 50's 60's and 70 's this is an indepth tomb of detailed information which is both highly readable and informative , all this accompanied with superb photographs along with detailed technical information on the cars goes to make this a 600 page bible ,especially if you are interested the single seat grand prix cars and the sports cars of the 50's and 60's. If this were not enough then there is a very good section on the road cars , the last car to be covered is the 288GTO circa 1984. Although it is clear the books emphasis is on the competition cars and although this book is now out of print for any serious Tifosi this book is a MUST HAVE.

This book offers a wonderful, comprehensive look at the world of F1. Readers are given a rare inside look at everything from car construction to the important role that fitness training plays in a driver's preparation. The text is simple and straightforward and, graphically, the book is a real treat.

This book will sit proud on your shelf next to other classic Formula One books. It contains excellent detail and information that any true F1 fan would appreciate from statistics about manufacturers, to details on the pit crews functions, to the car itself. While this may be a little out of date (F1 cars change every 6 months) it is none the less a collectors book. Beautifully layed out, excellently written

This book is the 20th in the Thoroughbred Legends series and I have them all as I am a huge fan of the great racing stars of yesterday. The Genuine Risk book is the fourth about a filly in the series and tells a nice tight story about the her career including her victory in the 1980 Kentucky Derby, which made her the first filly in over 60 years to capture the Run for the Roses. It also details the controversy that developed in the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness, when Genuine Risk apparently was forced wide by the eventual winner Codex. Codex was not disqualified and a huge controversy ensued that went before a judging board (the decision was allowed to stand). I had completely forgotten about that incident until I read the book.

The story also details Genuine Risk's heartbreaks in her attempts to be bred to some of the finest stallions around, including Secretariat, which was the first mating ever of Derby winners. Genuine Risk did not have a successful mating until over 10 years after her retirement from racing and eventually only had two foals altogher when she was pensioned a few years ago.

The Genuine Risk book is one of the shortest in the series because here career was not a long one, so there aren't too many races to discuss, but overall I thought the author did a nice job. I'd still like to see books on Kelso and Count Fleet come out in the series as these horses really made a name for themselves.

Written by experienced equestrian journalist Hallie McEvoy as part of the Eclipse Press "Thoroughbred Legends" series, Genuine Risk is the fascinating and informative story of an exceptional thoroughbred racehorse who became the second filly to win the Kentucky Derby. An inset section of black-and-white photographs enhance the narrative tale of an exceptional filly -- who interestingly enough did not produce any foals until she was 13 years old and who then gave birth to a colt named Genuine Reward. Genuine Risk is confidently recommended to the attention of all thoroughbred horse racing enthusiasts.

The story is delightful even if predictable. Seeing life through the eyes of GottaRun is a very entertaining way to get a sense of the 'why' of horse behaviour. GottaRun is an uncomplicated animal whose desire to run and desire to be number one match our intuitive sense of what the mind of a young thoroughbred must be like. Well written - the book would do well with young readers if it was illustrated. The underlying 'work ethic' mentality was refreshing as well!

This is one of my favorite horse stories. The horse acts like a real horse. I like how everybody treats the horse with kindness, and how realistic the races are. I feel like I'm riding the horse when I read this book.

WOW! Having the unique opportunity to meet several of the subjects of this book has given me a unique opportunity. This book shares the countless road stories and "founding fathers" of the sport. from the pain and anguish of being run over by a 2,000 pound animal to the joy of entertaining a crowd of thousands, it's all part of the life. A must-have coffee table book for anybody with even the smallest intrest in professional rodeo. Excellent photos!!

Enthusiasts of rodeo won't want to Missgreasepaint Matadors: The Unsung Heroes Of Rodeo, a guide to the rodeo clowns who put themselves against huge bulls to protect their riders from inquiry. They aren't the show-stoppers but often they are the most important in rodeo bullfighting, and this provides extensive interviews with many great rodeo clowns who have decades of experience in the business. Black and white photos pack the account and compliment some lively narratives.

For those who like literary novels, this is one of the best ones on the market right now. Great writing, great story by a talented new author. It's a novel that makes you think and makes you question. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and getting to know Luke Rivers. I can't wait till Keith Lee Morris comes out with another novel.

Great book by a new author. The Greyhound Gods vivid language creates a gripping story of the struggle for self-discovery by Luke Rivers,it's main character. Luke searches for meaningful answers in his world beset by huge questions. A real page-turner that will hold you to the end.

Shows reader how to disect the elements of harness racing and sets up a plausible system, while being light and humorous reading. The system offered is simple and fast, but I haven't been able to show a profit with it. The system may now be outdated or localized to his home track. But whatever the case, the aspiring player needs only to be able to combine these elements in the right way for their track to win.

A book printed in the late 70's still usefull today.Angles are still effective in todays market,also contains a simple point system,that is still highly effective today