The Speed Merchants: The Drivers-The Cars-The Tracks : A Journey Through the World of Motor Racing : 1969-1972 (Driving)
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"The Speed Merchants" tells the story of veteran racer Michael Keyser's racing & film experience, across the U.S. and Europe, from 1969 through 1972. He relives what it was like to watch the great Ferrari 512s and Porsche 917s that dominated the world manufacturer's series in 1970; to follow Mark Donohue and Roger Penske as they shook up the Trans-Am through Canada and the United States; to see McLaren's hold on the Can-Am finally ended. The Speed Merchants details the successes and failures of such drivers as Vic Elford, Brian Redman, Jo Siffert, Pedro Rodriguez, and Jackie Stewart; and racing at such tracks as Daytona, Sebring, Indianapolis, the Targa Florio, the Nurburgring, Monaco, and LeMans.
When first published in 1973, "The Speed Merchants" was hailed among other books on racing as "the standard by which other works should be judged." Now, the author has totally revised the book, more than doubling the number of photographs and adding a personal dimension that could only be brought by someone in his unique position as driver, photographer, and filmmaker.
With brilliant full color photography and evocative prose, The Speed Merchants brings to vivid life the sights and sounds of a lost era.
Customer Review: Definitive Account of Racing by a True Racer
After 35 years of reading and collecting sports car related titles (160 books and counting, with many long out of print and quite rare), Keyser's "The Speed Merchants," as well as his companion "A French Kiss With Death," remains among the top 10 I've ever had the pleasure of reading. The unique photography is alone worth the price. Unlike countless other sports car racing titles that are churned out with great fanfare (2005 has been a banner year), "The Speed Merchants" features page after page of photos that won't be seen anywhere else; they're alone worth the price of the book. The text is "fresh", not a rehash of some previous article or book by the same author as is more often than not the case in this field of writing. The original edition of "The Speed Merchants" was a milestone in sports car racing literature, but the revised edition is a welcome improvement on an already superb book. The text is clear, consise and tremendously informative- and that is what true followers of the wonderful racing seasons of the late 60s-early 70s are looking for. I've lost count of how many times I've picked this book up for a quick read, never failing to find some small bit of information that I'd missed before. While Keyser is an obviously talented writer and photographer with a sincere passion about the sport, he also brings to his work the added benefit of being a racer himself, and an extremely good one at that. That must certainly explain, at least to a degree, the overall quality of "The Speed Merchants". Here's hoping Keyser will attempt a detailed history of the entire 1970-71 sports car seasons- something long overdue.
Customer Review: fascinating story
A personal journal of motor racing in the late 60's and early 70's - Michael Keyser writes from the perspective of car owner, driver, and photographer. The contrast of that era with today's racing environment couldn't be more drastic: where today's races are computerized and clinical, the sport back then had a very personal touch ... and was dangerously cavalier. The book is let down only by the average photography.