By Brooks Too Broad for Leaping/Selections from Autoweek

by Denise McCluggage

Selections from AutoWeek.

284 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1994

About the author

Denise McCluggage was an American auto racing driver, journalist, author and photographer. McCluggage was a pioneer of equality for women in the U.S., both in motorsports and in journalism. She was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2001. - Wikipedia

Reviews

[Walter Thomason]

A celebration, a wonderfully perceptive look behind the curtain written by one who was a participant and closely involved with the drivers, but also the places and the cars, the culture and ethos, the look and smell of a past and elegant time not likely to be seen again. If one wants to know the heart of that time, this is the place. There are times and people worthy of our consideration, none more suitably recorded than this - skillfully done, Denise! An honorable, intelligent memory.
(There's good reason this paperback is priced high.)

[Ann Swaim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a collection of stories from her, Denise McCluggage, publication in Autoweek. The stories were written in the 80’s and 90’s about her time on the racing circuit through the 50’s and 60’s and also some of her personal experiences with cars and the people she met.

I enjoyed most of this book quite a lot. All the stories were written beautifully. McCluggage has a writing style that is accessible and poetic, but not pretentious. There were times, through her expert description of the scene and her feelings, I felt like I could have been there experiencing the moment with her. As amazing as her writing is, it comes second to her accomplishments, as a woman, in a male dominated sport. She held her own on the track with men. She worked hard and never made apologies for her failures. She simply worked harder to equal their standing. Denise McCluggage could be, and should be, a role model for women and it’s tragic so few women know of her. This book highlights her struggle at times, but never to complain or berate the men she raced with. In fact, she celebrated them for treating her like a driver.

There were a few stories that weren’t as engaging, but only because the material was not pertinent to my interests. Those times she spent more on technical descriptions of events and less time on the people or less on her feelings relating to an experience, but there were less than a handful.

If you can get your hands on a copy, which is very difficult since it was only in print for a short time and not many people are willing to part with their copies, I highly recommend this book.

[Don Lively · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic and nostalgic collection of memories as shared by a woman known for her pioneering exploits on and off the track as the first lady of auto racing. If you're a fan of the sport's history and heritage, then you too will enjoy this book.

The stories are compiled from articles Ms. McCluggage had written for Autoweek, the magazine she founded. Filled with anecdotes from her racing life in the 50's and 60's, it is a chance to experience a unique perspective on some of the great names in racing (real racing, the kind where the track turns left and right as well as going up hill and down) as well as some great racing venues. It may be cliche to say that those were the days, but it is true, those indeed were the days.

A fun read front to back!