Book: "Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans"


R

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
Book: "Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans"

A new book on the GT40/Ferrari competition is being released, entitled:

"Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans"

I found it at Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_...eed+and+glory+at+le+mans&sprefix=Go+Like+Hell
 
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Thanks for the post, Ralphie.

I pre-ordered this book several weeks ago and it showed up yesterday. I've only read a couple of chapters so far, but it's a page-turner. It's not a photo book with some text like a lot of books on the GT40 & LeMans. It reads more like a novel - but the story is true. Very interesting so far! :thumbsup
 
Just received my copy today. Haven't even had a chance to open it. Perhaps this weekend...
 
A great non-stop read. It has a very comprehensive reference index at the end to zero-in on anything or anyone associated with Ford's (and Shelby's) battles with Ferrari at LeMans. :cheers
 
Just ordered my copy, thanks for the tip!
 
If one is good.....

Shelby#18 said:
Just received my copy today. Haven't even had a chance to open it. Perhaps this weekend...
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Gentlemen,

I received mine today as well. They shipped me two copys, and charged me for two copies, by mistake. Oh well, I'm going to keep them both and I will give one away during the upcoming Scottsdale Rally to the Rally.

Chip
 
I'm through chapter 8 and DIGGIN IT! :banana
 
Letter to the Author

Dear Mr. Baime:

Thank you for your superlative writing in your recent book "Go Like Hell." You capture the soul of many of us (Americans) during the 1950's and 1960's in the quest for the development of American road racing machines. Having been a small part of that scene, I thoroughly enjoyed the true drama which you bring out in the driver/owner/constructor relationships of the period.

As a personal friend of Phil Hill [having been with him in his reigning year (1962) as World Champion] I too saw the interplay of the new Team Manager Dragoni with the team drivers - Hill (USA), Baghetti (Italy), Bandini (Italy) and Rodriquez (Mexico). It was disturbing for me to see the prelude at that time, and which you bring out, of the Surtees-Dragoni-Ferrari relationship, which I believe was Dragoni inspired. Both he and Forghieri were new to the team in '62 after the defection to ATS of Chiti et al., and I believe they were trying to establish their positions with the drivers who had prospered with the previously successful Formula One team. Forghieri was new to the game, and he had intensive competition from both the Lotus and Cooper engineering teams which were now producing competitive designs in the 2nd year of the 1.5 liter displacement requirement.

I do have one minor correction to the text. On page 38, in describing Carroll Shelby, you write:

“He drove his last race on December 3, 1960, placing fifth in a Maserati at the Los Angeles Times Mirror Grand Prix.”

Having been on the J. Frank Harrison crew for the number 98 “Birdcage” Maserati S/N 2467, I would change it to read:

“He drove his last races on October 16 and 23, 1960, placing fifth in a Maserati at the Los Angeles Times Mirror Grand Prix at Riverside and second overall at the Pacific Grand Prix at Laguna Seca in Monterey respectively, thereby securing the 1960 USAC Sports Car Championship.”

Yours very truly

Ralph B. Lehotsky

cc: FordGTForum.com

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By the way - the operative words for the above suggestion were: "minor correction"
 
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Ralphie, you should write a review for Amazon - seriously!! :cheers
 
A Nice Reply

To the above post, I received the following nice reply:
****************************************
Hi Ralph,

I just tried to call you. I'm thrilled by this email! And saddened that I made a blunder. There is no way to do a book like this and not have mistakes pop up. But still, it kills me! Because I worked so hard on this thing.

Can I send you a signed book? And if you would like, some Playboy magazines? I also notice that you cc'd the FordGTForum.com. I would like to join. I tried to register but have not heard back. I think it would be a good place for me to be able to gauge reaction to the book, give away some copies and, frankly, make some friends.
Thank you for this email!

All best,
AJ
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As far as the signed book was concerned, I suggested that perhaps it would be a nice thing for the Forum to auction off at the closing dinner auction on Friday night at Rally IV. Since I've subscribed to Playboy for decades, I didn't need any magazines (he is an executive editor at Playboy). He seems to be a very friendly and generous person, and i might add, a very good writer.
 
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RALPHIE said:
To the above post, I received the following nice reply:
****************************************
Hi Ralph,

I just tried to call you. I'm thrilled by this email! And saddened that I made a blunder. There is no way to do a book like this and not have mistakes pop up. But still, it kills me! Because I worked so hard on this thing.

Can I send you a signed book? And if you would like, some Playboy magazines? I also notice that you cc'd the FordGTForum.com. I would like to join. I tried to register but have not heard back. I think it would be a good place for me to be able to gauge reaction to the book, give away some copies and, frankly, make some friends.
Thank you for this email!

All best,
AJ
****************************************
As far as the signed book was concerned, I suggested that perhaps it would be a nice thing for the Forum to auction off at the closing dinner auction on Friday night at Rally IV. Since I've subscribed to Playboy for decades, I didn't need any magazines (he is an executive editor at Playboy). He seems to be a very friendly and generous person, and i might add, a very good writer.
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Sign him up, Dave! :cheers
 
Dave Bannister, you are forewarned.. Do not, I repeat do not sign him up unless he gets you an invite to the mansion. If you've never been, it will be the ride of your life...
 
Rally V-1/2 The Drive at the Mansion!
 
In addition to being interviewed by David Hobbs about the book on Speed channel's broadcast of Le Mans, Mr Baime also did NPR nationwide which can be seen at http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/06/12/pm_go_like_hell_q/

I caught the Speed Channel interview as I was watching the race last weekend!
 
Thanks Ralphie. :thumbsup Do you know if AJ ever got his Forum credentials?
 
I started reading this book the other night and found it a very easy, and entertaining read. Thumbs up for posting this thread. :thumbsup
 
GT38 said:
Thanks Ralphie. :thumbsup Do you know if AJ ever got his Forum credentials?
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DBK was working on it :thumbsup
 
Finished the book earlier this week and thoroughly enjoyed every page. Especially the background on Enzo Ferrari. I also learned alot about Ken Miles and came away with a very strong sense of appreciation for his all around experience and skill set, as a race driver and well beyond.
 
I finally finished reading this excellent book last night. It's one of those books that you just hate to get to the end of because it's so interesting and so well written! I very much appreciate the focus on the people involved because that gives us the why behind the what we all know happened between Ford and Ferrari.

For those who haven't gotten this far yet, when you get about 2/3 through the book, go back and re-read the second paragraph of Ralphie's post #8 and you'll better appreciate his comments.

AJ, you did a great job on this book. I'm sure the research time and effort was phenomenal. Your ability to distill what must have been a massive amount of information into such a readable form is outstanding, and is what really makes this book tick! :cheers
 
Out of the blue on Fathers day, my Dad said he saw the book and sent me a copy. I received it yesterday and just started to read. :thumbsup
 
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