Rick Mears, Thanks
By Gordon Kirby
In our modern world, great performers are often allowed a sort of “heroic license” that excuses instances of questionable behavior in light of their talent. Examples can be found everywhere, not just in racing, a reality that makes those who don’t need such license all the more valuable. One of these is four-time Indy winner and triple CART champion, Rick Mears.
On or off the track, Mears was never regarded as anything less than a gentleman, and never considered himself as anything more than just lucky to be where he was. His fellow competitors always knew they could race him wheel-to-wheel without worry, yet also understood that he’d never give them anything they hadn’t earned.
Following a foreword by Roger Penske, author Kirby traces the origins of the fabled Mears Gang, and then follows the family’s move from Kansas to California where both Rick and his older brother Roger began their racing endeavors. Then the focus turns toward Rick’s career, recounting it in both great detail and fine style, with many previously untold insights provided by those who figured prominently in it.
Although a handful of the book’s more than 300 color and black-and-white photographs are curiously mis-captioned, nothing can detract from the quality of the tale at hand, the story of a genuine American hero that deserves a spot in any enthusiast’s library.
Available in soft cover for US$39.95 (£25.00) from the publisher, Crash Media Group, www.crashmediagroup.com or at www.motorbooks.com
