Ab & Marvin Jenkins: The Studebaker Connection and the Mormon Meteors (Paperback)

by Gordon White (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Ab Jenkins drove for Studebaker in speedway and road races during the late 1920's and early 30's, then took a Pierce-Arrow roadster to Bonneville, Utah, for the first-ever timed run on the Salt Flats. His 112 mile an hour record for 24 hours made him world-famous. In 1935 the Duesenberg Company converted one of its supercharged luxury cars into "The Mormon Meteor" for him to race at Bonneville against such men as John Cobb, Malcolm Campbell and Captain George Eyston. Repowered in 1936 with a 1,750 cubic inch Curtiss fighter plane engine, the car was re-named "Meteor II" and returned to the Salt Flats to set more records. In 1937, with sponsorship from major oil, tire and spark plug companies, he built Meteor III, a huge aero-engine monster that carried him to more records on the salt. Ab's son, Marvin, was a racer in his own right, driving one of the Studebakers more than 90 miles an hour in 1931. After the war Marvin was tapped to drive the famed Novi Indianapolis car at Bonneville, where he set Class D records in 1947. In Ab's final drive, he and Marvin teamed up in 1956 to drive a Pontiac to a 24 hour stock car record of more than 118 miles an hour.

About the Author

Gordon Eliot White has been a racing fan, reporter, crewmember, driver, owner and historian for sixty years, since his father took him to see a race in 1939. He was a legman for racing broadcaster Ted Webbe in the 1940s, contributed to Illustrated Speedway News, and worked as a crewmember for his neighbor, Bill Schindler. He spent a career as a journalist, during which he won numerous journalism awards. Since he retired from newspaper work in 1988, he has served as Auto Racing Advisor at the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American History. White serves on the advisory board of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and has served on committees of the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing. White published the definitive book Offenhauser, the Legendary American Racing Engine and the Men Who Built it in 1996. A previous book was the History of Christ Church, the Church of George Washington and Robert E. Lee in 1975. He has written numerous articles on racing, maritime and aeronautical subjects.

 

 

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Iconografix (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1583881735
• ISBN-13: 978-1583881736
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,160,213 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tales of the 1st Land Speed Super Star, January 11, 2007

By	Christopher Max Pile - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If your interest is Land Speed Racing or vintage Studebaker history this latest offering from motorsports author Gordon E. White will hit the spot. The text is well-researched, covering Ab Jenkins early racing efforts across the US and on the Salt Flats in detail. Many of the impressive amount of photos are unpublished, so getting a first look at Ab's life and his many Studebakers and Mormon Meteors is a pleasure. As a Land Speed enthusiast and Studebaker owner, this book really appealed to me, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The story of Ab and Marvin Jenkins family is a great read!, February 6, 2007

By	A. Bras (Harderwijk, Netherlands) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The book gives a detailed history of one of America's most famous racing "families": Ab & Marvin Jenkins, who both deserved the commemoration of their feats in a book such as this.
A wealth of photographs and contemporary articles enliven the book. The history is meticulously researched, and describes two lives and careers in great detail. A very worthwhile effort!

Two regrets only! Firstly the author sometimes lists so many facts that the narration becomes a little stunted, though not so much as to make it difficult to read. Furthermore I would have thought this book deserving of a nice hardcover edition!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bonneville pioneer, June 15, 2008

By	Gene Herman (Brattleboro, VT) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a treasure trove of information about the legendary driver, his son and the amazing cars he drove. Although there is some repetition of facts and a few minor typos and other small editing errors, the photographic record alone of Jenkin's exploits is well worth the price of admission.