For those looking to give someone who is a fan of the printed word, interested in all things wheeled a gift this Christmas, here are three suggestions that could be wrapped up and stuffed in a stocking or placed under the tree.
The First Fifty Years: Shannonville Motorsport Park
Driving.ca’s own Stephanie Wallcraft has pulled together the story of one of Canada’s best-known racetracks with The First Fifty Years: Shannonville Motorsport Park. Over five chapters with short individual segments in each, Wallcraft traces the story of how Shannonville, in Ontario, came to be and how it has come to be known as “The Birthplace of Champions.” These segments are not text heavy or dense with former racing results. Rather, Wallcraft has combed Shannonville’s archives, period newspapers and interviewed those closest to the track to help craft the narrative. Stories from the likes of Steve Nelson, son of Shannonville’s founder John Nelson, provide an in-depth and personal glimpse into the track’s rich Canadian motorsport history. Readers learn that while on a family outing in 1974, it was John Nelson who spotted a ‘For Sale’ sign on a large tract of land featuring a defunct stock car track. Nelson had immigrated to Canada from Ireland in 1954 and proceeded to make his mark in the world of motorcycles, and particularly motorcycle racing. With his two-wheeled racing background, Nelson purchased the land with three partners but soon bought two of them out. The other partner held onto a corner of the land, giving Nelson the opportunity to pursue his singular vision alone. In 1976, he opened a 1.8-kilometre motorcycle track with six turns and called it Nelson International Raceway. From this humble beginning over the course of several expansions that took the track to 4.03 kilometres with 14 turns accommodating some powerful automotive events, and more than one ownership change, grew the Shannonville Motorsport Park legend. Wallcraft does an exceptional job weaving the tale together and the 80-page softcover book is a highly enjoyable read, brought to life visually with plenty of archival and contemporary photographs. The book is available directly from www.shannonville.com.
Hagerty Drivers Club
For those who miss traditional print magazines there’s a terrific glossy publication called Hagerty Drivers Club. Well established as a vintage vehicle insurer, Hagerty began printing the magazine in 2006 as a bonus for those insured through Hagerty. Fast forward and one doesn’t currently need to be insured by Hagerty to enjoy the magazine – just a paid-up member of Hagerty’s Drivers Club. Available in various membership levels, HDC offers emergency roadside services for collector vehicles, including up to 80 kilometres of towing.
Even the basic level gets a subscription to six issues of the magazine every year, and it’s well worth the price to join HDC. Regular columnists contributing to Hagerty Drivers Club include Jay Leno and Wayne Carini and the magazine’s feature stories cover a variety of topics. For example, in the latest issue, there’s a multi-page spread on 100 Years of MG. There’s also a story about British Columbia’s RWM & Co. restoration workshop. The latter was penned and photographed by another of Driving.ca contributor, Brendan McAleer. Visit www.hagerty.ca/drivers-club to learn more.
The Complete Book of AMC Cars: American Motors Corporation 1954-1988
The Complete Book of AMC Cars: American Motors Corporation 1954-1988 will appeal to fans of products produced by independent automaker American Motors Corporation, or to anyone with a wider interest in the history of U.S.-built cars. Researched and written by AMC experts Patrick Foster and Tom Glatch, this book was recently released from Motorbooks and should be available at a local bookstore or online for $65. A quick search on Amazon.ca shows it is available there, too. Authors Foster and Glatch pick up telling AMC’s story as the company grew from two previously competing car manufacturers, Nash and Hudson. The two automakers needed to merge to survive, but AMC went on to become a rather successful tale of an underdog that made some innovative products.
For example, in the late 1970s the auto industry was cutting jobs and slashing production. However, the authors write, “Over its history, AMC had had a remarkable ability to introduce the right vehicles at the right time. Would American Motor’s uncanny luck continue into the 1980s?” Indeed, it did. With the introduction of the Eagle in 1980, AMC had “the first mass-produced four-wheel-drive passenger car, which added only $600 to the manufacturing cost of the Concord yet could be sold at a profitable premium.” The Eagle’s story and its success is told in detail, right to the end of the line in 1988 when new owners, Chrysler, quit AMC production. More than just the Eagle, Foster and Glatch guide readers through every production car AMC ever made. The Complete Book of AMC Cars spans 200 pages and is illustrated with 300 images, including archival and contemporary photographs together with period marketing materials.
Greg Williams is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Have a column tip? Contact him at 403-287-1067 or [email protected]
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