Can you recommend any good racing books?

[Bullwinkle]

I've been looking up a lot of books about racing, both the technology and the craft of racing. There are a lot of books out there and I'd like to narrow it down a bit. Rather than list the ones I found, how about if you suggest a book or two that has been influential for you? The Apex thing that GT7 offers is a good start, but I'm looking for more detail both for techniques as well as the physical "how it works" parts or racing. I don't need the heavy physics, although I'm not against learning some of it. In short, what books have helped you become a better racer?

 

[DC5Remy]

Use google. Endless resources to find what you need.

 

[Barracuda413]

started racing in the 70s
what I learned
1: don't ruin anyone else's race
2: don't crash or hit anything
3: don't almost crash or hit anything, (if you can help it)
4: smoother is faster
there are a LOT of books, and videos about racing
most of them stress these points
for the physics side of thing's I find videos exceptionally helpful
seeing what is going on with a car is often very enlightening
for me book's on suspension tuning and car setup helped a lot

 

[FOG-Smokebeer]

The Tortoise and the hare was a good book you would never guess the ending no spoiler's but he was robbed

 

[Mercia]

Use google. Endless resources to find what you need.

Okay but it's often nice / fun to get other people's personal answers and recommendations.

We used to call it socialising I don't know if it's still a thing

 

[Bullwinkle]

Use google. Endless resources to find what you need.

I did that, as stated in the OP. I’ve found too many books. I thought I’d look to some people who have actually read some of them to see which ones are worth checking out.

started racing in the 70s
what I learned
1: don't ruin anyone else's race
2: don't crash or hit anything
3: don't almost crash or hit anything, (if you can help it)
4: smoother is faster

I think the Apex reading is a bit more detailed than that . . .

there are a LOT of books, and videos about racing
most of them stress these points
for the physics side of thing's I find videos exceptionally helpful
seeing what is going on with a car is often very enlightening
for me book's on suspension tuning and car setup helped a lot

Ok, so can you recommend some of those books?

 

[MatskiMonk]

I don't need the heavy physics, although I'm not against learning some of it

I have a book called "Physics for gear heads" by Randy Beikmann... perhaps doesn't help with "racing" but does a pretty good job of taking some simple physics and relating it to racing cars.

 

[half_sourly]

what books have helped you become a better racer

Ross Bentley's Ultimate Speed Secrets is somewhat dated but still full of good information.

Not a book, but Scott Mansell's series of Driver61 videos (with transcripts) helped me understand what it takes to get faster.

 

[TonyLomas]

I'm not sure which of these made me a better racer but here's some interesting books about racing that I've read.

The Main in the White Suit - Ben Collins
A book about his life as the Stig in the TV show Top Gear. A bit about racing and more about the TV show.

How to Drive - Ben Collins
A book more about the art and craft of driving. Does have a bit about stunt driving at the end.


Then some other racing books that were good but less directly related to driving techniques are:

Aussie Grit: My Formula One Journey - Mark Webber
A well written autobiography of his career in racing and F1.

Total Competition - Ross Braun
F1 racing from the viewpoint of a technical director.

How to Build a Car - Adrian Newey
The story of the career of one of the worlds most famous F1 car designers.

Plus various other driver's autobiographies. Jenson Button, Damon Hill etc.

 

[Bullwinkle]

I have a book called "Physics for gear heads" by Randy Beikmann... perhaps doesn't help with "racing" but does a pretty good job of taking some simple physics and relating it to racing cars.

Is that the one designed for a classroom setting? I may be confusing it with something else, but I recognize the title. I considered getting it.

Ross Bentley's Ultimate Speed Secrets is somewhat dated but still full of good information.

Not a book, but Scott Mansell's series of Driver61 videos (with transcripts) helped me understand what it takes to get faster.

Bentley’s book is on my list of books to get. Thanks for confirming it. And thanks for the series as well.

@TonyLomas thanks for all those! Lots to look at!

 

[MatskiMonk]

Is that the one designed for a classroom setting? I may be confusing it with something else, but I recognize the title. I considered getting it.

Not sure about that, it does read a lot like a text book though. It goes through some of the basics, but if you've already got a handle on simple Newtonian physics you can just dip into specific sections. It's a bit light on Aerodynamics, but that's quite a bit more complex AFAIK.

 

[Hayden]

Carrol Smith has a great series of books.
Tune to win
Engineer to win
Drive to win
Etc.

I’ve read them all. Very technical in parts, but well written and done by a true legend of road racing (with a solid sense of humour).

These are the books that the “elders” of Time Attack communities refer people to who join the groups asking the basics. That’s how I found them and the lessons within massively improved my understanding of what actually goes on between driver, car, tyre & track.

 

[Scaff]

This is my personal pick of the many I've read

 

[dkstz]

Speed Secrets: Professional Race Driving Techniques
By Ross Bentley

 

[AlexWilmot]

Tune to Win by Carroll Smith

 

[half_sourly]

This is my personal pick of the many I've read

I haven't read the book, but did watch this video seemingly made by the Skip Barber race school and with the same title as the book, so it is likely to give you a good idea of what to expect from the book.

 

[jonoholland29]

I'm not sure which of these made me a better racer but here's some interesting books about racing that I've read.

The Main in the White Suit - Ben Collins
A book about his life as the Stig in the TV show Top Gear. A bit about racing and more about the TV show.

How to Drive - Ben Collins
A book more about the art and craft of driving. Does have a bit about stunt driving at the end.


Then some other racing books that were good but less directly related to driving techniques are:

Aussie Grit: My Formula One Journey - Mark Webber
A well written autobiography of his career in racing and F1.

Total Competition - Ross Braun
F1 racing from the viewpoint of a technical director.

How to Build a Car - Adrian Newey
The story of the career of one of the worlds most famous F1 car designers.

Plus various other driver's autobiographies. Jenson Button, Damon Hill etc.

Yes I've read all of these and would add Damon Hill's biography into this - although not entirely focused on racing.

I'd also throw into the mix two mental examinations of racing as often knowledge only gets you so far, but it;s application that takes you further:

Christopher Hilton - Inside the Mind of an GP Driver
Clyde Brolin - In the Zone

A lot of us know what makes a car quicker but its the doing but that takes time, practice and mental aptitude. Something Karun Chandhock said to Guy Martin when he was training him to drive an F1 car and I'm paraphrasing)
"you're too busy thinking about the apex you're on and what went wrong - but there's no point in doing that because it's gone. Your mental energy needs to focus on the next apex, and not to try and gain more at the next because you lost at the last - just treat each apex sepearely"

I can't the documentary but it was this one...

 

[B80]

Yes I've read all of these and would add Damon Hill's biography into this - although not entirely focused on racing.

I'd also throw into the mix two mental examinations of racing as often knowledge only gets you so far, but it;s application that takes you further:

Christopher Hilton - Inside the Mind of an GP Driver
Clyde Brolin - In the Zone

A lot of us know what makes a car quicker but its the doing but that takes time, practice and mental aptitude. Something Karun Chandhock said to Guy Martin when he was training him to drive an F1 car and I'm paraphrasing)
"you're too busy thinking about the apex you're on and what went wrong - but there's no point in doing that because it's gone. Your mental energy needs to focus on the next apex, and not to try and gain more at the next because you lost at the last - just treat each apex sepearely"

I can't the documentary but it was this one...

A message you hear from many pros at the top of their sport. Ability to almost robotically put any mistakes out of their minds and focus on next thing. Apparently Jerry Rice was one of the best for this.

 

[Remy Zero]

Adrian Newey's book

 

[Bullwinkle]

Adrian Newey's book

That’s interesting. I wrote it off as another autobiography but now I’m seeing great reviews of the book. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[Nuschel01]

Driving on the Edge by Michael Krumm

 

[Blindman081]

The Racing Driver: The Theory and Practice of Fast Driving by Denis Jenkinson

I read this before I started autocrossing in the early 2000s and thought it was a good read.