Monday, December 29, 2014

Start the New Year with the only book about the USRRC series

If you're into American sports car racing history, you will want to have the only book about the USRRC series. 

The USRRC was the first professional road racing series sanctioned by the SCCA.  It was the forerunner of the wildly popular Can-Am series, running from 1963 through 1968.  This book is 9" x 12", has 344 pages with a background of SCCA racing leading up to the USRRC, 500 color and b/w photos, stories and complete results for each race, championship points charts, an appendix with lists of winners, records and course maps.  Plus a foreword by 1965 champion, George Follmer.


In the US the cost of the book, plus media mail (7 - 10 days this time of year) for $110.  The  cost of the book and Priority Mail shipping (2 - 3 days) in the US is $115.

Washington State residents must pay $120 for media mail shipping, or $125 for Priority Mail.

 For Canadians the cost of the book and Priority Mail shipping is $140.

For those in Europe and the rest of the world the cost of the book and Priority Mail (7 - 10 days) shipping is $170.  "M" bag shipping is available for $160, but the delivery time varies as it is shipped when there is space available.  So delivery can take up to 8 weeks.

These postage rates are the best I can find for a 6 pound package.  Priority Mail is surprisingly less expensive than First Class or Parcel Post.

The easiest way to order is via Paypal.  Please send your payment to:  grimeheel62@wavecable.com
Or you may choose to send a check, payable to Mike Martin, to 910 Secord Ct, Camano Island,  WA  98282.

 




 Questions can be sent to the author at:   grimeheel62@wavecable.com

Friday, December 5, 2014

Time is Running Out! Raffle for brand new Fiat 500 & a trip to Italy all to benefit IMRRC

There are only a few days left to purchase a raffle ticket for a brand new Fiat 500.  Tickets are $100 each and benefit the International Motor Racing Research Center, in Watkins Glen, New York.

If you love sports car, Grand Prix and Indycar racing and have never been to the IMRRC you are really missing something.


 
Fiat 500 Abarth Turbo and
Custom-designed Italy Trip
Big Prize in 2014 IMRRC Raffle
(If you've already purchased tickets, thank you!
Please share this with a friend.)

 

 Just 7 days remain until a lucky supporter of the International Motor Racing Research Center wins a Fiat 500 Abarth Hatchback Turbo and a trip to Italy - a "primo" prize combination for the Center's annual fund-raising project.
  
The drawing of the winning ticket will be on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 1 p.m. at the Center. Anthony J. Specchio, Sr., grand marshal of the 2014 Italian-American Festival in Watkins Glen, will draw the winning ticket.

 Tickets are $40 for one or $100 for three. Only 3,500 tickets will be sold.
  
The annual car raffle is the Racing Research Center's major fund-raiser to fund the Center's work preserving and sharing the history of motorsports.

 Support through the Center's Sponsorship Team campaign is the other key source of funding. 

The Center is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization, so purchase of tickets is a tax-deductible donation.
  
A ticket order form is posted on the Center's website at www.racingarchives.org. Tickets may be purchased by mailing in the form; calling the Center at (607) 535-9044; or by sending the necessary information to research@racingarchives.org.
  
Reviewers of the Fiat 500 Abarth are quick to revive the "small but wicked" description coined in the 1960s for Karl "Carlo" Abarth's cars.
  
These cars are fun, too.

"The Fiat 500 Abarth is a blast. Fun to drive, fun to listen to, fun to look at, and fun to experience," wrote Jamie Doyle for Sports Car Digest. Read his enthusiastic driving report 
here.

Says the company: "The Fiat 500 Abarth brings to life the legendary racing heritage of the brand and becomes the Italian high-performance car for everyday driving."

With its origins part of automotive and motorsports history, the Fiat 500 Abarth is an especially appropriate choice as a Racing Research Center raffle car. 
 
The collaboration between Abarth and Fiat started in the early 1950s. The driving public loved the Fiat 500, first released in 1958. Abarth's tuning and exhaust system redesigns would take the 500 to many class and outright race victories. 
  
The Fiat 500 was "the car that would cement Abarth and Fiat's name into automobile history," Doyle wrote. The Abarth brand was re-launched in 2007, and the Fiat 500 Abarth arrived in the U.S. in 2012. 
 
Fiats are once again earning checkered flags on tracks around the world, and perhaps the raffle winner will see some of those racing Abarths on his or her tour of Italy - the other half of this year's prize package.
  
BTI The Travel Consultants, a first-class travel agency in Syracuse, NY, will custom-design a $5,000 trip to Italy for the winner. BTI will create "the Italian vacation of your dreams" for the lucky winner.
  
As we're saying at the Center these days: "Tutte le strade conducono
a Roma ... in un Fiat!" (All roads lead to Rome ... in a Fiat!)
 
Please contact us with any questions about this "primo" package.
 
"Grazie!" 
  
 
 
 

International Motor Racing Research Center
610 S. Decatur St.
Watkins Glen, New York 14891
607-535-9044
www.racingarchives.org

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Tis The Season

With the holidays coming up, consider giving a copy of USRRC to the sports car racing fan in your life.  I can offer a few more shipping options:

In the US the cost of the book, plus media mail (7 - 10 days this time of year) for $110.  The  cost of the book and Priority Mail shipping (2 - 3 days) in the US is $115.

For Canadians the cost of the book and Priority Mail shipping is $140.

For those in Europe and the rest of the world the cost of the book and Priority Mail (7 - 10 days) shipping is $170.  "M" bag shipping is available for $160, but the delivery time varies as it is shipped when there is space available.  So delivery can take up to 8 weeks.

These postage rates are the best I can find for a 6 pound package.  Priority Mail is surprisingly less expensive than First Class or Parcel Post.

 



This is the first full-length story of the whole original USRRC series that ran from 1963 to 1968.

There are 344 pages with a background of SCCA racing leading up to the USRRC, plus stories and results for each race, 500 photographs, points tables, championship charts, and an appendix with a list of winners, race course maps and records, plus a foreword by 1965 USRRC Champion, George Follmer.

For U.S. residents this will be available directly from the author, for $115  ($100 + $15 for shipping).  Washington State residents will have to pay $125  ($100 + $10 tax + $15 shipping).

For Canadian residents the price is $150 US, which includes shipping.

The price including shipping for European residents is $170 US.

Only 1,000 copies have been printed, with 900 available for sale.

The easiest way to order is via Paypal.  Please send payment to:  grimeheel62@wavecable.com

 

Or you may choose to send a check to:
                                                                 Mike Martin
                                                                 910 Secord Ct.
                                                                 Camano Island,  WA  98282

Questions can be sent to the author at:   grimeheel62@wavecable.com

Thursday, July 3, 2014

2014 SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historic Races

Fourth of July weekend is upon us.  As usual I will be at Pacific Raceways for the big vintage race weekend of the year to report on the races and to promote my USRRC book.  Victory Lane magazine is hosting me at their tent, where I will be selling and signing copies of my book.  If you are interested in vintage sports car racing, I hope you will come out to the races (proceeds benefit Childrens Hospital), stop by the Victory Lane tent at the end of vendor row and say "Hi".

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Reading Speedily

The USRRC book is gaining traction with good reviews in Vintage Racecar, NW Alfa newsletter and Vintage Drift, plus on the Veloce Today and Speedreaders.info websites.

To whet your appetite, here are samples of some of the pages:








There 344 pages with a background of SCCA racing leading up to the USRRC, stories and results for each race, 500 photographs, points tables, championship charts, and an appendix with a list of winners, race course maps and records, plus a foreword by 1965 USRRC Champion, George Follmer.

For U.S. residents this will be available from the author, for $115 ($100 + $15 for shipping).  Washington State residents will have to pay $125 ($100 + $10 tax + $15 shipping).
Canadian residents the price is $150 US, which includes shipping.
The price plus shipping for European residents is $170.


Orders can be placed via Paypal.  send to:  grimeheel62@comcast.net

You can also send a check to:

Mike Martin
6043 - 45th Ave SW
Seattle,  WA  98136-1426


Questions can be sent to the author at:   grimeheel62@comcast.net

Friday, May 2, 2014

USRRC book selling quickly


The Record of the USRRC series is available and ready to ship.

This is the first full-length story of the whole original USRRC series that ran from 1963 to 1968.

There 344 pages with a background of SCCA racing leading up to the USRRC, stories and results for each race, 500 photographs, points tables, championship charts, and an appendix with a list of winners, race course maps and records, plus a foreword by 1965 USRRC Champion, George Follmer.

For U.S. residents this will be available from the author, for $115 ($100 + $15 for shipping).  Washington State residents will have to pay $125 ($100 + $10 tax + $15 shipping).
Canadian residents the price is $150 US, which includes shipping.
The price plus shipping for European residents is $170.

Only 1,000 copies were printed, with 900 available for sale. 
Orders can be placed via Paypal.  send to:  grimeheel62@comcast.net

You can also send a check to:

Mike Martin
6043 - 45th Ave SW
Seattle,  WA  98136-1426


Questions can be sent to the author at:   grimeheel62@comcast.net

Saturday, February 22, 2014


This is Ron Ellico at work during the 1955 Santa Barbara, Labor Day races.  His family owned a Ford dealership in Alhambra.  Ron raced this T-Bird for a while, until he decided it could not be made competitive.  This moment was brought on by the passenger door opening at the previous corner and Ron not getting the car in shape for this corner.