Ziggy
10-23-03, 11:31 PM
Seventies Champcar Revolution, American Racing Championship by Dick Wallen
What can you say about Dick Wallen? He is, without a doubt, one of America's top archivist. Every American racefan with a sense of history owes Dick Wallen a debt of gratitude. Wallen's previous books, "Board Tracks, Guts, Gold & Glory," "Fabulous Fifties," "Roar from the Sixties," and "Riverside Raceway, Palace of Speed" are all benchmark books and the cornerstone of any racing library.
Wallen's books on the 50's and 60's are just jaw dropping. In layout, in coverage, in photography and statistics. I can't stress enough on how valuable a research tool, how enjoyable they are to own and read. If you don't have these books, and you are interested in the history of the sport, You ain't seen nothing yet! If your into Champcar History, your library is sorely lacking without these books.
It was with much anticipation that I waited the four months on delivery of my book. It arrived the week prior to the USGP. It was the topic of in depth discussion at my home over the Grand Prix weekend, as several knowledgeable fans where in town for a visit. I was shocked at the size, or lack of, in comparison to his other great works. The content is very thin, with each race getting very minimal coverage. The photographs, while exceptionally beautiful, are also very limited. This was an era that I am very familiar with. The errors in photo identification are pesky at best. Upon further review, along with some other very knowledgeable racefans, many perceived errors where chalked up to ignorance on my part. The text however, is another matter. In Wallen's other books, the detail of the coverage from practice and qualifications is comprehensively covered. The race's have been described by a writer who no doubt has a deep passion for not only the sport, but the event. The reader of "Seventies Champcar Revolution" does not get this feeling of something big is happening, something important.
I have spoken with Dick Wallen, in person and over the phone over the past eight years. He is a great guy, a very knowledgeable racing historian. Im awed by the amount of races that he not only attended, but filmed. I, along with every racing history buff, owe He and his crew a tremendous debt of gratitude. His life has been dedicated to archiving American Championship Racing. Dick once told me that he would never do a book on the seventies, as the sport had lost its luster for Him. The deletion of the dirt track points was the root of his disenchantment. The book shows that sentiment, for held up to his other masterworks, it pales in both content and coverage. One of the positives that I do find very valuable is the coverage of the first split. All the little legal battles, who got banned and why, who was fined, who was reinstated, who sued who are there in great detail. Most match my personal archive from the Indy Star (before it became the worthless hunk of crap that it is today). Also worth mentioning is the fact that Wallen bought the entire photographic collection from the Dennis Torres estate. Torres was the dean of IndyCar photographers IMO, and his shots, while thin and for the most part of just the top three cars, are breath taking. Very good, very, very good. Dick takes time to spew his thoughts on how the sport changed, and champion the cause of the ChampDirt, Sprint and Midget driver.
That being said, the book by itself will proudly rest on my library shelves. The information in the race statistics are an invaluable tool for wading through the history of the sport. Im not sure that this is one stop research material however, Im a little suspect........
Forward by Al Unser
Ziggy
What can you say about Dick Wallen? He is, without a doubt, one of America's top archivist. Every American racefan with a sense of history owes Dick Wallen a debt of gratitude. Wallen's previous books, "Board Tracks, Guts, Gold & Glory," "Fabulous Fifties," "Roar from the Sixties," and "Riverside Raceway, Palace of Speed" are all benchmark books and the cornerstone of any racing library.
Wallen's books on the 50's and 60's are just jaw dropping. In layout, in coverage, in photography and statistics. I can't stress enough on how valuable a research tool, how enjoyable they are to own and read. If you don't have these books, and you are interested in the history of the sport, You ain't seen nothing yet! If your into Champcar History, your library is sorely lacking without these books.
It was with much anticipation that I waited the four months on delivery of my book. It arrived the week prior to the USGP. It was the topic of in depth discussion at my home over the Grand Prix weekend, as several knowledgeable fans where in town for a visit. I was shocked at the size, or lack of, in comparison to his other great works. The content is very thin, with each race getting very minimal coverage. The photographs, while exceptionally beautiful, are also very limited. This was an era that I am very familiar with. The errors in photo identification are pesky at best. Upon further review, along with some other very knowledgeable racefans, many perceived errors where chalked up to ignorance on my part. The text however, is another matter. In Wallen's other books, the detail of the coverage from practice and qualifications is comprehensively covered. The race's have been described by a writer who no doubt has a deep passion for not only the sport, but the event. The reader of "Seventies Champcar Revolution" does not get this feeling of something big is happening, something important.
I have spoken with Dick Wallen, in person and over the phone over the past eight years. He is a great guy, a very knowledgeable racing historian. Im awed by the amount of races that he not only attended, but filmed. I, along with every racing history buff, owe He and his crew a tremendous debt of gratitude. His life has been dedicated to archiving American Championship Racing. Dick once told me that he would never do a book on the seventies, as the sport had lost its luster for Him. The deletion of the dirt track points was the root of his disenchantment. The book shows that sentiment, for held up to his other masterworks, it pales in both content and coverage. One of the positives that I do find very valuable is the coverage of the first split. All the little legal battles, who got banned and why, who was fined, who was reinstated, who sued who are there in great detail. Most match my personal archive from the Indy Star (before it became the worthless hunk of crap that it is today). Also worth mentioning is the fact that Wallen bought the entire photographic collection from the Dennis Torres estate. Torres was the dean of IndyCar photographers IMO, and his shots, while thin and for the most part of just the top three cars, are breath taking. Very good, very, very good. Dick takes time to spew his thoughts on how the sport changed, and champion the cause of the ChampDirt, Sprint and Midget driver.
That being said, the book by itself will proudly rest on my library shelves. The information in the race statistics are an invaluable tool for wading through the history of the sport. Im not sure that this is one stop research material however, Im a little suspect........
Forward by Al Unser
Ziggy