Description
By: Terry O'Neil .
Motor racing at Nassau is a collection of images that complements the descriptive account of the larger book, The Bahamas Speed Weeks. It conveys in pictures the roller-coaster story of the eclectic mix of people and their cars, that came to Nassau to enjoy each other’s company at the end of the motor racing season in America. From a stuttering start in 1954, through halcyon days in the late 1950s to demise in 1966, top drivers from America and Europe came to compete in the Speed Week races.
Motor Racing at Nassau focuses on the vision of one man, Captain Sherman ‘Red’ Crise, and his quest to bring motor racing to the Bahamas. From its stuttering start in 1954, his event rapidly developed in stature to become the most important and prestigious sports car event on the race calendar other than World Championship events. The races started in the mid-1950s and continued for thirteen years, and are described by many commentators as the ‘Golden Age’ of motor racing, where internationally acclaimed drivers attended Nassau to mix with the many amateur racers from America and enjoy the sun, parties and racing.
For many drivers, the social scene was as important as the racing, and in later years prize money was an extra incentive to turn up – in 1960, it was claimed to be the highest paying event on the race calendar. Words alone cannot begin to describe the atmosphere generated at the races, so the wealth of previously unpublished photographs together with a complete collection of programme covers, and other material accumulated during six years of research, bring real vibrancy to these fascinating race accounts.
Features
- The result of six years of diligent and accurate research
- Unbroken race history from inception to demise described
- Previously unpublished photographs with descriptive captions
- Brief year-by-year account of proceedings
- Free unique Speed Weeks race poster
- Race winner summary for major races
- Rare, complete collection of race programme covers
