January 2000
Time and Two Seats
By Dr. Janos Wimpffen
Epic. The races were epic, the drivers were epic, the tracks were epic. These books are epic! In, “Time and Two Seats, Five Decades of Long Distance Racing,” racing historian Janos Wimpffen has done the seemingly impossible – captured the complete and unabridged history of the FIA Sports Car Championship from its inception in 1953 through the 1998 season. Spanning two volumes and some 2300 pages, this magnum opus includes: a complete chronology of the development of the sports racing car; complete results of each and every event from the hundreds of entries in the Mille Miglia to the many obscure rounds of the Grand Touring Cups of the 1960s; chassis numbers of most entries; diagrams of each circuit, including variations; annual statistical summaries, plus a comprehensive appendix of all marques and drivers.
For those concerned that this may be a bland litany of dates and results – fear not. “Time and Two Seats” is well written and reads like a story that grows and develops from year to year. Illustrated with over 600 photographs from well-known photographers such as Cahier, Goddard and VRJ’s own Dave Friedman, this two-volume collection is a feast for the senses. As Phil Hill writes in his forward to the book, “…uncork a bottle of wine and curl up in your favorite chair. You won’t be going anywhere for a while.”
The regular edition, which includes both volumes and a slip case, sells for an amazingly reasonable $150 plus shipping, or for those who want something special, a leather-bound, limited edition signed by the author, Derek Bell, Phil Hill and Brian Redman can be purchased for $250. In either form this is an absolute must-have for anyone interested in the rich history of the FIA Sports Car Championship. Copies can be ordered directly from the publisher: Motorsport Research Group, 9255 151st Ave. NE, Redmond, WA 98052 (425) 869-1831, (425) 869-1226 FAX
Our Rating: Excellent
