Don't mean to alarm those of meek manner or tender sensibilities (seems that they'd be unlikely to be reading this anyway), but we're finally circling the drain on the massive and impressive new, memoir-esque coffee-table book project (or is that "circling the drain" a bad choice of metaphor?). And that means, if you have any heart, soul or excess cash laying around, NOW is the time to get on the bandwagon as a sponsor, advertiser or VANITY GALLERY participant or suffer through a sorry remaining lifetime of coulda/woulda/shoulda regret.

And who wants that?

But first, let's talk about what this new project has become. It is, in the tradition of both Frankenstein, The Golem and Godzilla, a MONSTER! Over 400 pages! B-I-G format! Fancy satin-gloss paper. Lotsa wonderful images from both the distant & historic past (thanks to huge help from The Revs Institute, Classic Team Lotus in England, All American Racers, etc., etc.) and other images from sometime last week. WOW!

Moreover, the theme and content have evolved and expanded from a Lotus-centric remembrance, examination and explanation of the cornicopia of different Lotus types and models I never owned but got to race (hey, you gotta be a little screwey--but GOOD screwey!--to own and campaign a Lotus in the first place!) and also a bit about their history and significance. But it seems folks also want to know about how on earth I managed to arrive in the happy/enviable position where people were offering me cars I could never dream of affording to run right up to the blessed redline on every shift and slide, sweep and squeegee through the corners as fast as I dared! Often wheel-to-wheel with other crazy racers. Which means we've got Alfa stories and Morgan stories and Triumph stories and Corvette Grand Sport stories and Lister stories and Ford GT40/Mk. II stories and even a few Ferrari stories! Can you believe some trusting folks turned me loose in those cars?

But they did!

One of my favorites is and always has been the one-of-one, thoroughly unauthorized and most definitely "inna-you-face-Enzo!" Ferrari Breadvan. The full story is in the book--and it's a great one, full of bile and anger and bitterness and intrigue and one REALLY cool racecar. I got to drive that thing twice: once in qualifying at Tamiami Park, Florida, when then-owner, friend, car-partner and serial ride-mooch enabler Joe Marchetti turned me loose to see what I could do with it (I remember it was stupefyingly handsome in an evil sort of way, went like stink and reeked from gasoline inside something awful) and again later, at Blackhawk, after Joe sold it to my vintage racing friend Monte Shalett and he decided I should drive it again and do a story about it. Ace lensman Joe Oliver was there to shoot the pictures for the magazine, and below is the full page of pix from the new book:

Pretty classy, huh?

But, like I said, the main thread is still Lotus--can't believe how many of them I got to race without actually OWNING one!--and of course the story of Lotus and Colin Chapman is full to overflowing with brilliant ideas--many of which worked!--and the challenges of keeping a small, boutique auto manufacturing business alive (although occasionally on life support) for so many decades. He's a complex character. And an amazing one as well.

In any case, the title of the new book has changed--very slightly--so it is now "My Lifelong Lotus Love Affair and Other Motoring Romances" and, if you like my stories, you will love it. As to WHEN it will arrive, the current schedule looks like this:

September 4-7 (Labor Day weekend). We will be hawking books at the truly wonderful & exceptional Lime Rock Historic Festival along with fellow motoring authors Gordon Kirby, Rich Taylor, and of course our great friend and genuine racing hero David Hobbs! Plan is that the new book will be pretty much done by then (the writing is all done, although I have gone over the last few pages eleventy-dozen times to try and get it just right, and there's still a bit of nits-and-lice editing to finish) and we should have a fresh proofing copy to show off.

September 11th (why does that sound so fitting?): That's when everything has to head off to the printer. We still have some ads and sponsorships coming in (see shameless pitch below) but that's the last day. Honest.

September 12: Eclectic in the Extreme MIRPA car show/love-in (grease-in?) at Meadowdale in Carpentersville, IL. Always fun & interesting. Check it out on the MIRPA website. Weather cooperating, we'll be hawking books as usual.

September 18-20: VSCDA Vintage at Road America. We'll be in our usual spot inside the magnificent RA Paddock Shop. We should have an actual press proof copy by then, but we likely won't have any finished books. Sorry. You can throw stuff at me if you like. But don't hit Carol! None of this is her fault.

Hey, as friend Bruce Baumgartner says: "You know the great thing about deadlines? It's the 'whooshing' sound they make as they go by..."

October 1st and beyond: We'll be at the SCCA Runoffs at Road America Oct. 1-4, WITH copies of the new book, I believe, and when we get home, we'll be shipping signed books until we run out of stamp saliva and packing tape. Have LOTS on pre-order, so that could run through Halloween or even beyond!

For those of you who may be intrigued by our "vanity shots" gallery photos, let me assure you that the artists and I have been hard at work making SURE that this is a special and unusual opportunity. These pix go in every freakin' copy. And just LOOK what we've done to make them special:

We can do the same for you and YOUR ride...

(Blurb attached at bottom, and you can always reach out to me at thinkfast@mindspring.com or call the Think Fast office at 708-383-7203)

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