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

[A.J._Baime]

Hello! I am a new member and author of the new book Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans. I want to know if any members have seen it and what they think?!

[LoBelly]

I like the first line of your Bio '...Baime is an executive editor at Playboy magazine.."

I confess that I had not heard of the book before your post but, having read a couple of reviews, find myself interested in it.

Your Bio says your passion is cars - what are you driving?

LoBelly

[A.J._Baime]

Since I live in the city, have no driveway, and have two little kids, and not a whole ton of dough, I drive a four cylinder Subaru. It needs a wash. But I also drive a lot of cars from press fleets. Drove a new Mustang from Chicago to Detroit and back for a reading last week. Drove a Pontiac G8 GXP down to Indianapolis for the 500 a few weeks ago. Lot of kick in that one. Had a Ferrari 599 on the track for this story here recently:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/books/09baime.html

All good fun! By the way, I am not partial to Ferraris. That statement in this article was a mistake!

How about you?

[gonzoga51]

I picked it up and just finished it over the week end after seeing the piece in the WSJ last week. I liked it, I am a general FOMOCO enthusiast and found the topic very interesting-it all happened before my time, but I have always been interested in Shelby and the GT40. I am a newbie here so I can't giive you the "informed" feedback of a diehard GT40 enthusiast.

I wish you could have had some more photos of the tracks -especailly LeMans Daytona. Sebring and ones in Italy.They alsmot seem like characters themselves.-I know you have the diagram of LeMans in the begining but I thought it would have been cool to see more to get a sense for the layout.

But I would highly recommend it. I think anyone here would find it particularly interesting.

[csx4910]

I read it while on vacation a couple of weeks ago. It would of been nice to have some vintage pictures but overall it was a good read and told me a lot of the story I didn't know. A thumbs up for me!

On another note, over the same weekend I also read the life story of Mickey Thompson. - another good book to read for any car enthusiast
Ron

[SS COBRA]

Requested and received a copy for my 61st birthday, July 13th. Read it in a couple days, found hard to set aside.
Was part of Hal Keck's Cobra team in the mid 60's to early 70's, he started with a 289 model (CSX2127) and then the "427" (CSX3008). We thought we were a big fish in the Northeast SCCA region. Won the A/P SCCA Nationals in 1965 for Archway Ford and Shelby. Raced at Sebring with success.Hal was also the co-driver with Jo Schlesser when he won the GT class in the Daytona cpe at Daytona. Went on to win several races in the Northeast US until Scca did away with A/P.
After reading your book, I realize, we were just a small fish in a much larger Ocean. Thanks for the book, enjoyed every chapter and all the information, knew a little about this story, but now I know the rest.

[Snakebit]

Just finished the book, and I am not a book reader. My wife was suprized to see me sitting down reading a book! It was excellent, I could not put it down. I am looking for a book on Ken Miles. Shelby was right, there will never be another Ken Miles

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

Great book...puts all the pieces together in chronological order. I also bought "Shelby GT40: The Shelby American Original Color Archives" which gives added 'color' to this great book. They actually go hand-in-hand, as David Friedman's photography is priceless and coinsides with Baime's text.

[A.J._Baime]

I want to thank all you guys for your kind words re: Go Like Hell. If you read it, you know how powerful the story of John Surtees is. Sadly...this weekend, Surtees' son Henry died of a fatal crash. When I interviewed Surtees at his office south of London two years ago, the subject of his son's racing came up. Henry Surtees was at the time 16. Was he any good? Did he have a future? I asked Surtees these questions about his son. He answered, and I'll never forget it, "We shall see." Here is the sad story in London's Telegraph, just terrible.... I feel sorry to even pass it on.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mot...ort-world.html

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by A.J._Baime

I want to thank all you guys for your kind words re: Go Like Hell. If you read it, you know how powerful the story of John Surtees is. Sadly...this weekend, Surtees' son Henry died of a fatal crash. When I interviewed Surtees at his office south of London two years ago, the subject of his son's racing came up. Henry Surtees was at the time 16. Was he any good? Did he have a future? I asked Surtees these questions about his son. He answered, and I'll never forget it, "We shall see." Here is the sad story in London's Telegraph, just terrible.... I feel sorry to even pass it on.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mot...ort-world.html

I just received the book today and I'm looking forward to reading it.

Sad to hear about Henry Surtees. I saw a link to a story which had a video from a German TV station. It was a tragic and freak accident where another car crashed a lost a wheel and the wheel flew in to the air.

[JBo]

Read it last week end and despite being a knowledgeable "lightbulb", I learn a fact or two. Great read if you are a Ford fan.

[SPF1061]

Just finished reading this on my vacation. Thoroughly enjoyed it. By far the most exciting and entertaining read on the subject matter I have found. It really painted the bigger picture for me and tied all of the pieces together.
Highly recommended. Thanks A.J.!

[twobjshelbys]

The copy from our local library is here. I started it the other night and will be reading it for the next week.

[brobehr]

half way through and it is a great read.
highly recommend.

thanks for your hard work

brobehr

[kgs365]

i'm half way through...great read...riviting on the backgrounds of Mr. Ford and Mr. Ferrari...i hope a movie is made

[twobjshelbys]

AJ, this is amazing. On 212-213 you must describe what surely is one of the first computer simulations:

Using the measurements from the oscillograph mounted in Ken MIles's car at the Le Mans trials in April the team programmed into the computer the engine speeds and gearshift patters... The computer would then "drive" throuh a near-exact simulation. ...

The simulation even accounted for pit stops. "It shut the engdine down mementarily as a phantom pit crew jumped into action. And then it was back onto the track..."

This really is history very well recorded. Thanks!

[twobjshelbys]

P.S. I'd started to make a list of "the great lines" but it would fill another book! Read it, you won't be disappointed.

[cobra25]

I am a second generation Shelby guy.
I have always been a huge Miles fan. It really breaks my heart the read the story so well told.
I felt like it was really the story of Ken Miles and what really happened to him at Le Mans and why.
Great book.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

P.S. I'd started to make a list of "the great lines" but it would fill another book! Read it, you won't be disappointed.

Here's one:

I'm nearing the end. Ken Miles just augered in. This was sad. But here are some words to live by:

... As one obit put it, "We don't have to feel sorry for people who choose to live dangerously, and lose. So the bull wins one. The matador must take the risk. The closer he plays to the horn, the better the show... Well, Miles, good show".

Everyone should live their lives, and especially, their careers, this way. I've taken chances. Lost some, won more.

So long Ken, it was a good show.

[twobjshelbys]

AJ, if you aren't the luckiest bastard on the planet you certainly count among the top 10.

Thanks, this was a great piece of history. Can I come take pictures during the filming of the movie?

P.S.. Please make it soon so James Garner can be in it. Of the actor/racers, Steve McQueen and Paul Newman are gone. He's the only one left.