Two new books out soon by Gordon Kirby (Update)
04/21/16 Renowned motorsports journalist Gordon Kirby is finishing up work on two new books that will be released at a book signing at the Indianapolis Motors Speedway during the month of May. They will be available for purchase from Racemaker Press
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| Tony Bettenhausen & Sons |
TONY BETTENHAUSEN & SONS – An American Racing Family Album
Over the years, American automobile racing has enjoyed a handful of successful racing families such as the Andrettis and Unsers in Indy car racing and the Pettys, Allisons and Earnhardts in NASCAR. We ve also seen the phenomenon in Europe and international racing with the likes of Graham Hill and his son Damon, world champions both, and also the legendary Ferrari Formula 1 hero Gilles Villeneuve and his son Jacques who was successful in both Indy and F1 cars.
A little less well-known with the passage of time, but equally accomplished in a wide-range of American open wheel racing are the Bettenhausens: Tony Sr., Gary, Merle, and Tony Jr. The family s story was told before by Carl Hungness in the biography GO! The Bettenhausen Story published in 1982. Now, more than thirty years later, award-winning author Gordon Kirby decided to take a fresh, pictorial look at the family with over 350 superb photos from the Bettenhausen family collection and the remarkable Racemaker Archive. The book is enlivened by Merle and Susan Bettenhausen s personal recollections, observations and commentary about their father, brothers and family; accompanied with full statistical data of the Bettenhausens racing careers.
The story of the Bettenhausen clan is a saga of glory and heartbreak to rival anything in the history of automobile racing in America, and it delights me that at last one of the sport's great dynasties has the book it deserves. -Nigel Roebuck, Editor in Chief, Motor Sport magazine and author of many motor racing books
It's doubtful there's ever been a more determined or star-crossed family in auto racing history than the Bettenhausens but throughout their victories, gut-wrenching defeats and tragedies it was a family shaped by hard work and heart. From the tough love of Tony to his kids Gary, Merle, Susie and Tony Jr., it's a story of talent, guts, perseverance and bad luck that revolved around the Indianapolis 500. Through words and many candid photos, Gordon Kirby and Joe Freeman have captured the spirit of this band of brothers and their leader through the eyes of Merle and Susie. It's an inspiring look at what makes racing so intoxicating and what made this famous family so memorable. -Robin Miller, renowned American open-wheel racing writer & commentator
It's been unfinished since my dad died in 1961, and that was part of what his three sons had in mind. The initial goal was whoever won at the Speedway first, whether it be Gary, Tony or myself, the first one was going to be for my dad, and then the next wins were going to be for ourselves. It's unfinished; it will always be unfinished. Does that mean we're unsuccessful or not the best we can be? I don't necessarily think that's true. Sometimes in life things go your way; sometimes in life they go a difficult way.
Life's not determined by wins – life's determined by character, the quality of an individual and the track record you've set for yourself as you lived your life. I can say very positively that we never won Indy, but we had enough quality and character that Bettenhausen in auto racing will be a name that will always be remembered and always be loved. Whether we win or not, we've been very successful, and racing's been very helpful and very successful at making the Bettenhausens what they are today. –Merle Bettenhausen
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| Penske's Maestro – Karl Kainhofer |
PENSKE'S MAESTRO – Karl Kainhofer and the History of Penske Racing
Karl Kainhofer was an Austrian-born Porsche- trained master mechanic who became Roger Penske's personal race mechanic, preparing many of the cars Penske raced in the late nineteen-fifties and early sixties. When Penske started the Penske Racing organization in 1966 Kainhofer was the first man he hired as a full-time employee, and over the following ten years Kainhofer became chief mechanic for Mark Donohue's Can-Am, Formula 5000 cars, Indy cars and Formula 1 cars.
After Donohue's tragic death at the Austrian GP in 1975 Kainhofer started a second career as the boss of Penske's engine shop. Over the following 22 years he was Penske's chief engine preparation mechanic, prior to his retirement at the end of 1997, after 32 years with Penske Racing. Through a career that spanned 40 years from 1958 through 1997 Kainhofer scored a remarkable 170 wins from 535 races, including 22 with Donohue in the USRRC, Can-Am and Indy cars, plus 94 wins, nine Indy 500s included, as the chief engine builder for Penske's Indy cars from 1977 through 1997.
In researching and writing 'Penske's Maestro' award-winning author Gordon Kirby has inter- viewed sixty people who worked with Kainhofer at Penske Racing. Thus this book tells not only Kainhofer's life history but also the inside story of Penske Racing's first 32 years. 'Penske's Maestro' includes more than 350 photos plus a complete statistical record of Kainhofer's amazing career.