A Big Ask: The Story of Ford's Triumphant Return to Le Mans


dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
Just finished it. Bought it as an ebook because my local shop didn't have it yet. Highly recommend. It's a 1-2 day read, so it's brief but it has plenty of excellent background info. Lots of good quotes, especially from Larry "NSFW" Holt. The Fords, Raj Nair, Chip Ganassi, lots of driver talk about development, racing, from Billy Johnson, Scott Maxwell, Joey Hand, Dirk Muller, etc. Gets all the way down to the mechanic level in the "who's who." Must have for Ford GT racing enthusiast.

https://www.amazon.com/Big-Ask-Story-Triumphant-Return/dp/1483585689

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"A Big Ask" is the inside story of the Ford Motor Company's return to the world's most famous sports car race - The 24 Hours of Le Mans - as told by veteran motorsports journalist David Phillips and accompanied by more than 100 color images by some of the world's leading racing photographers.

Half a century ago, Ford's battles with Ferrari for supremacy at Le Mans became the stuff of legends. Rebuffed in his bid to buy Ferrari, Henry Ford II spent untold millions to defeat the iconic Italian marque in a race it had come to dominate in the early 1960s. After two years of humiliating failure, the Ford GT40 delivered a storied 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans in 1966, the first of four straight wins for the American automaker. Ford returned to Le Mans in 2016 with a 21st century Ford GT and a bold mission: Celebrate the golden anniversary of its legendary 1-2-3 finish in 1966 with another victory.

But Ford did not go it alone. Boasting a driver line-up of "Le Mans Assassins," Ford partnered with powerful Chip Ganassi Racing, winners of the Indianapolis 500, 24 Hours of Daytona and Daytona 500, world-renowned Multimatic Engineering, and a host of world-class suppliers in an effort to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Veteran motorsports journalist David Phillips was embedded with Ford Chip Ganassi Racing throughout what proved to be an exhausting and exhilarating journey, from the development of the Ford GT and its problematic competition debut through to its first successes and, finally, triumphant performances at Le Mans and beyond.

With unfettered access to all of the key players at Ford, Chip Ganassi Racing and Multimatic, he provides a detailed, insightful and compelling account of Ford Chip Ganassi Racing's audacious bid to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans that will be a welcome addition to the collection of any motorsports aficianado, automotive buff or sports fan.
 

racelance

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Nov 26, 2006
699
Carlisle, PA
Thanks!
 

Cobrar

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Jun 24, 2006
4,017
Metro Detroit
Ford GT drivers received advance copies from Chip (Ganassi) for Christmas. They liked it!
 

GTJack

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Oct 1, 2006
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Saddlebrooke, MO
My "spare time" tomorrow is now full!!
 

STORMCAT

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May 25, 2006
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Ft. Lauderdale
thanks for the link !!
 

stuntman

GT Owner
Jan 15, 2015
216
Great book. I got a copy for Xmas from the wife.
 

Brombear

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May 16, 2013
1,396
Frankfurt Area, Germany
Thanks for the hint. I ordered the paperback version, let's see when it is back in stock.
 

dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
A copy of this showed up today in paperback. It came from an Amazon fulfillment center. I went and looked and I didn't order it, so whoever sent it...thanks!
 

STORMCAT

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
May 25, 2006
7,549
Ft. Lauderdale
A copy of this showed up today in paperback. It came from an Amazon fulfillment center. I went and looked and I didn't order it, so whoever sent it...thanks!

I think you got my copy !! I selected super fast delivery 1 hr in town delivery. , Did it come via Drone...:biggrin
 
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Vince H

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 23, 2012
2,417
Southern California
Got mine last week.

Vince H
 

Specracer

GT Owner
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Nov 28, 2005
7,081
MA
Some awesome dude from Cali sent me a copy, I started it yesterday on the plane to AZ. Good so far!

Thanks bud!!!


Got mine last week.

Vince H
 

Vince H

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 23, 2012
2,417
Southern California
Awesome and from Cali never happens. Haha!

Vince H
 

Awsum GT

GT Owner '18
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Sep 17, 2005
3,985
Carmel & Cntrl Ca
just ordered... thanks for the heads up Dave
 

Blue Moose

GT
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Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Apr 12, 2006
1,139
Chandler,Arizona.
Ordered one and it's on the way. Thank's for the link Dave!