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Okay, I’m finally anchored at the keyboard again, working my butt off to get the new book finished in time for our introduction at Amelia Island and Sebring in March. And I think you’re going to like it. Putting it in terms that any body man would understand, I’ve got the basic cutting, hammering, welding, shaping and Bondo-work completed and I’m down to the puttying and rough sanding with the fine finishing, painting & detailing still to come. Simply put, I’ve got an awful lot done but quite a distance yet to go. The good news is that I’m getting happier and happier with it as I go along (it’s funny!) and the reason it’s been taking so damn long is because it’s a pretty big project, I’m getting a little older and maybe run out of gas a little sooner and I’ve had an awful lot of, umm, “interruptions” during the summer and fall racing seasons….

When we last left my list of lame excuses, I was heading up to the KIC at Road America to hawk books with my friends John and Amy from Green Mountain Motorsbooks, do a little free-form color announcing on the PA and try to cadge a ride. Unfortunately the racecar drive never materialized (could I possibly be losing my touch?) but it was a wonderful weekend anyway and I got to meet fellow-author and new Playboy automotive editor (who the hell buys Playboy to read about effing cars?) A.J. Baime. As you may know, A.J. wrote the very well-received new Go Like Hell book about Ford’s assault on Le Mans. Nice guy, too.

I was back at Road America a week later to spend Friday and Saturday covering Mike Rand and Steve Beeler’s blowout Formula Ford 40th Anniversary Celebration that ran as a part of the Milwaukee Region’s popular SCCA Cat National. Over 300 FFords showed up, and it was quite a show! You can read my big feature story about it in the just-released Nov./Dec. issue of Vintage Motorsport magazine (you should get a subscription if you don’t already have one─see www.vintagemotorsport.com) and I think you’ll enjoy it if you’re any kind of a racing fan.



           
Then it was down to Autobahn’s very first pro weekend to spend Sunday calling some of the races with my friend Tom Hnatiw (of Dream Car Garage TV fame, and also one hell of a track announcer) while shamelessly hawking a few more books in front of their pro shop.

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