Sports-car racing was a grand adventure involving very powerful and relatively crude cars racing at challenging circuits. The harsh concrete surfaces of Sebring, the treacherous Sicilian country roads of the Targa Florio, the infinite corners, hidden apexes and neverending crests of the Nürburgring, the banked turns of Daytona and the frightening Monza bowl, the long straights of Spa, Le Mans and Reims that enabled aircraft velocities to be achieved--all had to be conquered.

The period started with the iconic Ferrari Testa Rossas and the unique 'Birdcage' Maseratis, and also saw the dying days of Aston Martin and Jaguar. Ferrari, partly due to their extensive experience of sportscar racing, dominated the races until the mid-1960s, when Ford appeared and upset the status quo--although Ford was more concerned with winning Le Mans rather than championships. The smaller sports-car class was virtually a monopoly for Porsche, who occasionally beat allcomers in the slower races. With the advent of rule changes for 1968, Porsche would become the fastest and most persistent winners (after taking an unexpected beating from the John Wyer Ford GT40s), and the German manufacturer unleashed the fearsome 917 at the close of the decade.

The 1960s also featured a multitudinous cast of non-factory teams and professional privateers in a huge selection of machinery. Even more numerous were the legions of drivers of all nationalities who graced a typical grid.

This book captures every aspect of the period. Its meticulously researched period photographs--many of them previously unpublished--are brought to life through the author's well-observed, atmospheric commentary to create a visually stunning, highly nostalgic record of this dramatic decade.