Synopses & Reviews
From the early decades of the Indy 500 to the modern superspeedways of NASCAR, from the 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race to drag racing’s 4.5-second quarter-mile runs, this is the story of one company’s pursuit of performance and the glory that came with it. Full of hundreds of color and black and white photos, we hear tales of the Hemi, the Superbird, Don Garlits, Richard Petty, and many other legends. Noted author and Chrysler enthusiast Jim Schild tells the whole MOPAR story, from door-banging Trans Am racing, to land speed records on the salt flats of Bonneville, from the legendary C-300 to the road-shredding Dodge Viper. Full of fascinating history and excitement, this book is a must-have for all fans of Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth.
Review
"You may know about Chrysler expoits if you're a Mopar fan, but there's never been a book specifically telling the story . . . till now” – Examiner.com
“I keep meaning to review a couple of books that every car freak should read but this book has shoved them aside for now. Proving Ground turns out to be a genuine history book, written for an audience that includes literate gearheads of all description, not just zealous Chrysler true believers. I'm giving this one a four-rod rating, which means I liked it enough to keep it for my personal collection. Murilee says check it out!” – Jalopnik.com
“Once again, author Jim Schild is plumbing the depths of Chrysler’s heritage, summarizing the company’s involvement in all forms of motorsport during the major era of Detroit involvement in those activities. Proving Ground covers not just drag racing and NASCAR (both which have been covered fairly extensively by others over the years), but land speed, open wheel, and road racing as well, from the birth of the company in the
prewar era through the 21st century. Making ample use of photographs from the factory itself plus imagery supplied by individuals in the various disciplines, Schild also managed to create an excellent pictorial record of the those cars. Also the publisher of The Auto Review and author of several other volumes, Schild’s expertise came through in this 192-page tome in the 9.25 x 10.87 inch format, and it will be a welcome edition to whatever your library may be. Our favorite section was on the Goldenrod four-Hemi landspeed car in the Land Speed section, complete with color pictures that look like they were shot yesterday.” – Mopar Enthusiast “In this hardbound, heritage-rich book that's full of hundreds of color and black and white photos, you'll hear tales of the Hemi, the Superbird, Don Garlits, Richard Petty and many other legends. Noted author and Chrysler enthusiast Jim Schild tells the whole MOPAR story, from door-banging Trans Am racing, to land speed records on the salt flats of Bonneville, from the legendary C-300 to the road-shredding Dodge Viper. Full of fascinating history and excitement, this book from Motorbooks is a must-have for all fans of Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth. This 192-page book also makes an excellent holiday present to any auto enthusiast, auto historian or even your favorite automotive technician.” – Underhood Service / Tomorrow’s Technician
Review
"For the first time ever, the full history of Chrysler’s racing exploits – NASCAR, drag racing, TransAm, Bonneville, Le Mans, and more – are all brought together in one eye-catching package. Proving Ground is the perfect gift for all Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, and MOPAR fans.” - Mopar Muscle
“The book is very well edited and laid out and the photographs are of uniformly high quality – we can only speculate on the hours of painstaking work required to bring the older photographs up to this level. If your interest is primarily Chrysler’s exploits in NASCAR and drag racing, this is THE book to own.” - Mopar Action
Synopsis
An illustrated look at Chrysler's complete racing history, from DePalma's 1924 Mount Wilson hill climb to today's high-revving NASCAR cars.
Synopsis
From the early decades of the Indy 500 to the modern superspeedways of NASCAR, from the 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race to drag racing's 4.5-second quarter-mile runs, this is the story of one company's pursuit of performance and the glory that came with it. Full of hundreds of color and black and white photos, we hear tales of the Hemi, the Superbird, Don Garlits, Richard Petty, and many other legends. Noted author and Chrysler enthusiast Jim Schild tells the whole MOPAR story, from door-banging Trans Am racing, to land speed records on the salt flats of Bonneville, from the legendary C-300 to the road-shredding Dodge Viper. Full of fascinating history and excitement, this book is a must-have for all fans of Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth.
About the Author
Jim Schild is the publisher of The Auto Review and the author of several automotive books, including Maximum Performance: Mopar Super Stock Drag Racing 1962-1969. Schild lives in Columbia, Illinois, and is a member of 15 local and national collector car organizations, including the Society of Automotive Historians.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1 The Birth of a Heritage: 1924–1941
Chapter 2 The Dawn of an Era: 1949–1958
Chapter 3 NASCAR: The Factory Battles, 1959–1970
Chapter 4 Drag Racing’s Super Stock Era: 1960–1969
Chapter 5 Racing in Other Fields and Waters: The Early Years, 1959–1980
Chapter 6 NASCAR Circuit Racing: 1971–Present
Chapter 7 Road Racing, Rally, and Land Speed Record: 1981–Present
Chapter 8 Drag Racing’s Pro Stock Era: 1970–Present