High Performance: The Culture and Technology of Drag Racing, 1950-1990 (Johns Hopkins Studies in the History of Technology) (Paperback)

by Professor Robert C. Post (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Drag racing has become a technologically advanced sport that appeals to millions of fans, most of whom live in the United States. This is a dramatic, firsthand history of the sport from the earliest races on rural airfields to the 300 miles-per-hour runs of today. The author, a former racer himself, is now editor-in-chief of Technology and Culture . His is the first substantial history of drag racing, excluding biographies and picture books, since Wally Parks's Drag Racing: Yesterday and Today (1966. o.p.). Post offers a compelling look at the men and women who have devoted their lives to this extraordinary pursuit. He also examines the phenomenal growth of the sport and the role of television, specialty magazines, and corporate sponsorship in the ever-increasing stakes of professional drag racing. Highly recommended for all libraries. --Eric C. Shoaf, Brown Univ. Lib., Providence
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"As Post deftly guides the reader through four densely packed decades and his own cogent and persuasive analysis, his relish for the subject matter is unabashed. What's more, his prose is vigorous and tidy, and his research... is not likely to be surpassed. Staking out a technological fringe area, High Performance offers a truly memorable scholar-enthusiast's view of the bond uniting human beings and the machines they build." -- John Wilkes, Technology Review

"[Post] delves into [his] topic intensely, skillfully elucidating its connections with other areas of study. The resulting performance is high indeed." -- Frederic D. Schwarz, American Heritage of Invention and Technology

"A junkie's confession for a culture addicted to speed and noise." -- Voice Literary Supplement

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Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (August 28, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801854644
• ISBN-13: 978-0801854644
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,630,890 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must-Read" For Anyone Seriously Interested In Drag Racing, June 30, 2000

By	Richard Fay (Rio Vista, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is by far the best book on drag racing I have ever come across. My first season was 1961 at the track of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and to varying degrees I have followed the sport ever since.

This book has an incredible amount of detail on who did what, and includes many important historical events, and other oddities that have happened in the forty years covered. He even includes one of the weirdest accidents I ever saw, which was the time Paula Murphy's rocket car had a stuck throttle, and sent her off the end of the track at Sears Point Raceway, and literally over the rolling hills of Sonoma County at well over 200 mph, like a real-life Whiley Cayote.

But even more to his credit the author attempts to get at the heart of drag racing, what drives the participants. And he writes with a fine balance of scholarly objectivity and insider's appreciation. A very nice piece of work and a "must-read" for anyone seriously interested in how drag racing got to be what it is today.

Richard Fay

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have for Drag Racing Fans, October 26, 2001

By	Philip A Phucas (Norristown, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This book is, plain and simple, the best book on what drag racing is all about. The history and facts are first rate. I learned more about the sport from this one book than all others I have read combined. This would be a fantastic documentary for TV.

5.0 out of 5 stars High Performance: An Insider's Look, April 12, 2000

By	Mike Patti (Olympia, WA) - See all my reviews

The book HIGH PERFORMANCE allowed us a view into the formative and early years of our sport, complete with the games, politics and personality clashes that were in existence. There were a lot of politics by the sanctioning groups who have come and gone over the years(UDRA,AHRA,PRO), as well as those who continue with us (NHRA, IHRA). The fuel ban years are covered, the promoters clashes with the sanctioning groups were covered, and the evolution of the sport is pretty well documented with accuracy. Several people I have spoken to who were running in these early days have confirmed a lot of this books content. This book removes the lustre from the logo of the sanctioning bodies, instead exposing ulterior motives within their organization for all to see.

I think the book is incredibly accurate and deserves high marks for bringing the facts out, in a non-judgemental way, for the fans to absorb.