Page 36 - Yanks reviews

Sports Car Market (Speaking Volumes), July 2019
Speaking volumes by Mark Wigginton
twice around the clock: Yanks at Le Mans
by Tim Considine, three volumes/1,096 pages, Toll Hall Sexton Books, $350 (publisher)
You approach Tim Considine’s epic recounting of American racers at Le Mans much as you do leaving the pits on cold racing tires — eagerly, but with trepidation.
First off, it’s more than 15 pounds of history and pho- tos, a nicely presented package of three volumes in a slipcover box. Volume 1 covers races from 1923 to 1959, the second covers the ’60s, and the final the
’70s.
And much like someone who just woke from a decade-long coma and discov- ers “this ‘Game of Thrones’ thing
is EIGHT seasons long, and who
has time for that?” you might be a
bit wary of cracking Volume 1. You ask, do I have the time, the energy, the lifespan to finish this sucker?
I’m here to reassure you. Unlike “GoT,”
you can dip into any part of Twice Around The
Clock and be rewarded without being confused. Considine is a quality journalist and effortless writer, and in every chapter/race, he delivers the goods.
The structure is obvious: a chapter per race, lavishly illustrated, carefully researched and elegantly written. The focus on American racers manages to throttle down the fire hose
of information — and provide a narrative structure that turns out to be quite rewarding.
For example, it all starts with coverage of the 1923 race, as it was a (mostly) American car that made the race, not a driver. This was the nice little hot-rod- ded Ford Model T created and driven by Charles Montier, aka The Sorcerer of
Ford, and a Parisian dealer.
Montier took a heavily modified T, with a lowered chas-
sis, better brakes, heads and a lightweight body, to the race. Montier knew he couldn’t compete for the win, so he re- sleeved the motor from 3 to 2 liters. He raced for a class win, and finished 14th overall. The car, lovingly restored, appeared
in the Le Mans Classic, celebrating the 100th anniver- sary of the Model T.
And you’re off! Only 1,069 pages to go!
Provenance:
Tim Considine is a consummate pro- fessional, and the research that went into
this three-book set is astounding.
Fit and finish:
The package is handsomely printed, and each volume is full of well-printed photos. One complaint is the consistent use of photos across the gutter — with a binding that doesn’t allow the book to lay
flat — but then you can’t have everything.
Drivability:
Twice Around the Clock is proof of the old joke on the best way to eat an elephant: “one bite at a time.” What I found as I admittedly skipped around, a chapter here and a chapter there, was Considine’s authoritative — yet welcom- ing — voice. Considine manages to create the excitement of a contemporary race report for each year, and he fills them with telling moments, surprising facts and racer memories. There is nothing cheap about this set, starting with the $350 price tag, but you will find yourself going back to it regularly — without
a hint of sticker-shock regret. ♦
38 Sports Car Market