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Autodrome, S.S. Collins & Gavin D. Ireland
Veloce Publishing
176 pages, Hardcover
We all think of the good old days (of racing) once in a while. The thought might be sparked by running across an old memento in the shed, seeing a photo from a long time back, or by the passing of a racing icon. It might be sparked by a discussion with friends and goes something like, "Yeah, I haven't been back there for ages. I can remember the old tractor tyres on the bend where...", and so it goes.
If you've had a few to drink you might get an extra rush of memories flooding by as you speak or listen. It's all part of recognising the importance of the past in the present, and how it shapes our future. When we feel the need to reflect on the past, on something old, something lost, we're adding to our knowledge and through the discussion with friends, refining how we use that knowledge in the future.
Autodrome is the racers 'something old, something lost'. Author S.S. Collins notes, "Scattered around Europe are rings of crumbling tarmac which once played host to the high speed theatre of life and death that is motor racing. these are not the great circuits of today's racing, but the venue's of yesterday's. Huge, banked cauldrons of empty concrete which were once pounded by monster aeroplane-engined beasts - their engines howling - now lie silent, grass growing up through the cracks in the track."
It is a photographic exploration of many of the world's greatest race tracks - at least those now in decay. Here in Australia (at least in Sydney) drag racers might remember Castlereagh with the same emotions, older racers might reminisce about the old Catalina circuit up Katoomba way - both pretty much entirely wiped off the face of the earth now, and in every state there would be a similar story.
But in Europe, where this book is centred many of those famous tracks we read about in the papers and magazines way back when with names like Monza, Brooklands, Crystal Palace and Reims still exist in various states of decay, some other use having been found for them or just waiting for the developers axe to fall.
The author and photographer Gavin Ireland combined their skills to record these tracks and along the way have provided us with rare photographs from their heyday. Posters of the era are sprinkled though the book and they alone tell a story in style. The architecture and track layouts tell the racing story and the text brings to life the many points in time where the tracks and the events held the spotlight in racing history, glory and tragedy intertwined with the vines and weeds now taking control.
I've often been critical of publications that carry many photographs but very few captions. Autodrome suffers this fate to some extent though the problem is largely offset by the rest of the text. We are all the poorer for not having had the opportunity to do a tour such as this ourselves but at least we have this book. Besides, as Australians we would have needed a container ship for all the souvenirs we could bring back but you could add Autodrome to your stock of Nostalgia titles. Yes it's a bit pricey, but from a racer or race fans perspective it's very interesting reading, outstanding photographically and you will definitely find something you won't want to lose again.
Reviewed by Dan Burke, DRAGSTER Australia Magazine
Rating:  [5 of 5 Stars!] |
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