My magazine articles currently in production are on Bruce Meyer's
Le Mans Corvette, and Terry Gough's vintage racing Corvette roadster, for CORVETTE; David Love's Ferrari
Testa Rosa, and Bob Baker's F1 Ferrari 312T4, for FORZA; Terry Miller's Lola-BMW/M12 for BIMMER. Currently
available are Jeff Abramson's and Greg Solow's Baby Doll Morgans IV and V, and my Vintage Shops feature
on Phil Reilly & Company, both in the Jan/Feb 2010 issue of VINTAGE MOTORSPORT. Several other in-progress
magazine articles remain unannounced at this time.
My recent magazine articles in print include
the feature Battle of the 2002s on a quartet of 2002ti BMWs at the 2008
Wine Country Classic at Infineon Raceway in the May 2009 issue of BIMMER, and the VINTAGE
MOTORSPORT Mar/Apr 2009 story Historic Homecoming of the first production Cobra
s/n CSX2001 (pictured above) owned by Bruce Meyer and winner of 2008 Best of Show Award at The Quail - A Motorsports
Gathering ... as well as other articles soon to be announced for BIMMER, CORVETTE, EXCELLENCE, FORZA
and VINTAGE MOTORSPORT magazines.
The May-June 2009 issue of VINTAGE MOTORPSORT has my 4-page article Maser
Mia 450S about s/n 4506 owned by John Edgar in period and several times driven to major sports car racing
victories by Edgar's team driver, Carroll Shelby.
My biographical article Come
From Behind King on legendary Bob Bondurant is in the June 2009 issue of CORVETTE magazine.
My other recent articles include features on the 2008 Pebble Beach Best of Show Alfa Romeo 8C2900B (OCTANE),
The Alfa Romeo P-3 winner of 1935's German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring (FORZA), Hans-Joachim Stuck (BIMMER), Ernie Prisbe's
Ferrari 312PB (FORZA), Peter Takacs's 1973 BMW CS (BIMMER), John Holmes's BMW CS hot-rod with M6 engine
(BIMMER), Stephen Block's 1938 BMW 328 roadster (BIMMER), the 2008 Moet & Chandon Ferrari 250 GTO tour in northern
California (FORZA), a 1923 Aston Martin Sidevalve (OCTANE), "John Morton's Gear Box", "A Day in the Life
of Tina Van Curen" and "A Day in the Life of Eddie Paul" (OCTANE), "Butch Dennison's Gear Box"
(OCTANE), "Queen's English" All-British Car Show in California (MG ENTHUSIAST), and 3-page reports on 2008's
Carmel Concours on the Avenue and Tribute to Corvette Racing (VINTAGE MOTORSPORT).
My article Motorcycles
by-the-Sea about The Legend of the Motorcycle International Concours d'Elegance held at The Ritz-Carlton
at Half Moon Bay appeared in the July/August 2007 issue of Vintage Motorsport magazine. For readers
of the UK monthly motorcycle magazine, The Classic MotorCycle, my other 3-page article on this event, California Concours, was published in TCM's August 2007 issue, giving this
distinctive international concours coverage on both sides of the Atlantic.
My 5-page feature Mighty
Midget 88 about the John Edgar MGTC Special driven to fame by Jack McAfee in American sports car racing during
the early 1950s is in the June 2007 issue of Britain's MG Enthusiast. "The World's
Best Selling MG Magazine" has also published my 6-page article focused on four outstanding MGs at the
recent Queen's English All British Show held in southern California, appearing in the October 2008 issue.
This is being followed in the June 2009 issue of MG Enthusiast by my article Gathering
of the Faithful about the annual vintage MG event, held in 2008 at Monterey, California.
My 8-page International
Automotive Media Award Gold Medallion-winning feature What A Lovely Life He's Led
about Pete Lovely and his decades in racing is in the Jan/Feb 2007 issue of Vintage Motorsport.
[For this article, the author recieved the Gold Medallion in the category of Magazine Writing/Biography,
presented at the International Automotive Media Awards in 2008.]
In the same issue appears my
3-page article Parnelli at the Petersenabout the tribute for Parnelli
Jones held at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
My various contributions to Octane magazine - Gear
Box, Day in the Life of, and Event
Report pieces - appear in on-going current issues of this excellent international magazine published
in the UK.
My 10-page feature on Bill Krause and his racing career Through the Years: Bill
Krause, including his driving Ernie Nagamatsu's former Max Balchowsky "Nailhead" Buick
Special "Old Yeller II" at the 2005 Monterey Historic Automobile Races, appeared in the Jan/Feb 2006 issue
of VINTAGE MOTORSPORT magazine. [For this article, the author recieved the Gold Medallion in
the category of Magazine Writing/Biography, presented at the International Automotive Media Awards in 2006.]
There is also my
"Simply Legendary" June 2008 article for BIMMER magazine on the BMW racing career of Hans-Joachim Stuck,
son of the late Hans Stuck and father of Johannes and Ferdinand Stuck, representing three generations of racing drivers.
Hans began in race cars at age 19, moving into touring cars, Formula 2 and 1, sports cars, prototypes, IMSA, Sebring,
Le Mans, ALMS, and most recently driving BMWs in the BF Goodrich Long Distance Championship and the 2006 GP Masters Series
with Formula 1 veteran drivers.
Passion Play Published in
the November 2006 issue of FORZA. My history of the 250 GT Short Wheelbase Berlinetta Competizione that won
its class at Le Mans in 1961, finishing third overall in that 24 hour classic. After many more races and eight
owners, this exceptional Ferrari s/n 2689GT now belongs to Bruce Meyer, who on May 11 received
the Automotive Icon Award at the Petersen Automotive Museum's 2006 Annual Gala. Meyer both shows and drives
this marvelous SWB. What he and the car's prior owners and restoration experts have to say about it is the
core of this feature article.
Battle Royale
Published in the November 2006 issue of EXCELLENCE magazine. My story of the Porsche 550 Spyder (#550-0070) owned by
John Edgar and co-driven by Jack McAfee and Pete Lovely in the 1956 Sebring 12-Hour.
This privateer Spyder, finishing second on Index of Performance and second in class, came close to beating the factory-entered
550 driven by Hans Hermann and Count Wolfgang von Trips. 550-0070 was later raced by Ruth Levy, and is now owned by
Denmark's leading Porsche restorer, Peter Iversen, who has completed a ground-up restoration of this
famous 550 Spyder in its 1956 Sebring livery.
Sam Posey's Bimmer Days & Nights Published in BIMMER magazine's August
2006 issue. My article about Sam Posey and his 1975 IMSA drives in the factory team BMW CSL sedans raced by
teammates Posey, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Brian Redman and Ronnie Peterson during the team's North American debut
season under the managment of Jochen Neerpasch that included BMW's CSL winning the 1975 Sebring 12-Hour. In
addition to Posey's recollections, there are current comments from Stuck, Redman, Neerpasch and John Bishop, founder
and then-president of IMSA.
The Wheels of Time My 4-page story and photography on the late Otis
Chandler's Vintage Museum of Transportation and Wildlife (Oxnard, California) is in the April 2006 issue
of THE ROBB REPORT COLLECTION. Written for the magazine and in print before Mr. Chandler's passing
on February 27, the article salutes the living man and his museum. [Excerpt: "Life doesn't stop,"
Chandler tells me, "it keeps on going." He smiles at the sentiment, but he means it. He believes in zeal,
lives for it. "Be involved!" he says. "Get a passion!"] Otis Chandler knew well
and cherished the value of passion. And for this he will be remembered.
Every One's A Winner The August 2006 edition of THE ROBB REPORT COLLECTION carried
my feature and photography on Jon Shirley's Collection of fine racing and sports automobiles in
Medina, Washington.
Lovely's Laguna
& The Coopers My article on Pete Lovelywinning
the first Over 1500cc Modified Main sports car race at the first Laguna Seca meet in November 1957, and about his Porsche
and Ferrari-powered Cooper Specials, appeared in the event program at the 2006 Quail Motorsport Gathering on August
2006 during Monterey Historic week. Also in the program was Michael T. Lynch's history of the Targa Florio,
an event honored at this year's Quail.
A Coach's Night at the Petersen
My article about the Fabulous Fifties' Lindley Bothwell Lifetime Achievement Award given to Les Richterof
Riverside Raceway, IROC and NASCAR fame ("A Coach's Night at the Petersen") was in the March/April
2006 issue of VINTAGE MOTORSPORT magazine.
That Buzz in Busby My
article featuring Jim Busby'simpressions of driving his Ferrari F310B/179 appeared in the
April 2006 issue of FORZA magazine. This top-of-page photograph is by Jim's wife, Kathy Busby, shot during testing at
Fiorano next door to the Ferrari factory and F1 Cliente Department in Maranello, Italy. Assisting Busby is F1 Cliente
chassis mechanic Matteo Cardin. What it is to run this car here at Fiorano, and at Monaco and Laguna Seca,
is the stuff internationally acclaimed Busby relates in this story about owning and driving a modern Formula
One Ferrari on track, at speed.
Lightning Strikes Twice
This was in the Nov/Dec 2005 issue of ROBB REPORT MOTORCYCLING, my story detailing the history of what has
arguably become the world's most famous motorcycle: The John Edgar Lightning Vincent HRD that Rollie Free rode in bathing
trunks and tennis shoes at the Bonneville Salt Flats in September 1948 for the American Class A and unsuperchared/unenclosed
speed record of 150.313 mph, with salon photography by Cordero Studios and period photographs from the Edgar Motorsport Archive.
My article
and photography titled CANEPA DESIGN: Taking Perfectionism to a Higher Level
was in the October 2005 issue of ROBB REPORT COLLECTION.
Also ... there are my magazine articles on David
Hobbs' racing years in BMWs (Hobbs and the BimmersAugust 2005 issue
of BIMMER); Ruth Levy's Porsches (Mama Ruth September 2005 issue of
EXCELLENCE), and James Dean's short but notable career (James Dean: Porsches & Posterity)
in racing his Speedster viewed from the 50th anniversary of his death and detailing the current media coverage of his
life story (October 2005 EXCELLENCE); Ferrari F1 Clienti at Laguna Seca (Coming to AmericaFebruary
2005 issue of FORZA); my review of Phil Hill's new book from Dalton Watson, "Ferrari, A Champion's View"with
photography by John Lamm and design by Chuck Queener (August 2005 issue of FORZA). My article on the 2004 Concours d'Provenance
at Paramount Ranch (Provenance at Paramount) was in VINTAGE MOTORSPORT magazine
. My report on the Petersen Museum's Tribute to Phil Hill & Le Mansis
in the Jan/Feb 2005 issue of VINTAGE MOTORSPORT magazine.
June 2005's issue of ROAD & TRACK carried
James Dean's Last Race written by William Edgar and Michael T. Lynch.
My profile on 1969
AMA Champion Mert Lawwill and his new "Street Tracker" motorcycle (Plain Geometry,
True Grit) was in the Summer 2005 issue of ROBB REPORT MOTORCYCLING. Mert is well remembered
also for being featured in Bruce Brown's film "On Any Sunday" along with Steve McQueen and Malcom
Smith.
For
BIMMER magazine, the February 2006 issue carried my article Five Car Pokerabout
Bobby Rahal, Tommy Milner, Rug Cunningham, Steve Earle and Christian Traber driving BMWs in the newest addition to the 2005
Monterey Historics, the Historic IMSA GT class. The category brings together BMWs with RSR, 934 and 935
Porsches, plus Dekon Monzas. Included in this class are Bruce Canepa and Chris Cox in their 935s ... and Jimmy
Castle Jr. driving his 1980 Le Mans Kremer 935 Porsche featured in an article I am writing for EXCELLENCE
magazine.
Also for EXCELLENCE, I am preparing an article on Bruce Canepa's Porsche 935, one of only 13 customer "Werks"
cars built at Porsche AG in 1979, and driven by Canepa during 1979-81 in the hugely popular FIA/IMSA GT class, including
his 10 top-five finishes. This 720-hp car is still owned and raced by Canepa today in major vintage events, with
his winning the newly-created Historic IMSA GT class during the 2005 Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races at
Laguna Seca.
My article on Historic Grand Prix (Formula for Success) was in
the February 2006 issue of ROBB REPORT COLLECTION.
My article about Ontario Motor Speedway's
August 9, 1970 Dedication Day Celebrity Pro-Am race of 914/6 Porsches (Little Cars, Big Stars) featuring
drivers such as Paul Newman and Parnelli Jones, Dick Smothers and Bobby Unser, and Mario Andretti and Apollo astronaut
Pete Conrad, appeared in the April 2006 issue of EXCELLENCE magazine. My article on the Porsche
550 Spyders in the 1956 Sebring 12-Hour, featuring the John Edgar team's 550 driven by Jack McAfee and Pete
Lovely, will appear in EXCELLENCE later in 2006.
Also look for the recent publication of Jerry Hatfield's Flat
Out- a definitive biography of motorcyling's legendary Rollie Free (with sidebar written by me about John
Edgar and Rollie, plus a number of photos from Edgar Motorsport Archive).
Bill Pollack's autobiography Red Wheels
and White Sidewalls: Confessions of an Allard Racer" (includes sidebar by me about John Edgar and Bill Pollack,
plus several photos from EMA) is available through bookstores and its publisher, Brown Fox Books (Telephone 805-684-5951).
Bill's book can be ordered online by going to Brownfoxbooks.com
The following are more of my published
magazine articles:
By William
Edgar in VINTAGE MOTORSPORT
The Return of the Maser January/February 2004. The
history and Don Heiny’s salon photography of Maserati 300 S s/n 3071 once owned by John Edgar, currently owned and raced
in vintage events by Tony Wang.
A Riverside Reunion March/April 2004. About the Riverside
Raceway Reunion Night at the Petersen Automotive Museum (November 20, 2003) honoring Dan Gurney and the many drivers and personalities
who contributed to the history of the famous Riverside, California, racing facility.
Out With a Bang!
September/October 2004. The story of John Edgar's MG TC that became a famous sports racing special in the early
1950s at the hands of engineer Ernie McAfee and driver Jack McAfee, ultimately meeting its end when film director Stanley
Kramer acquired the car for a major crash scene in his 1959 movie "One The Beach."
By William Edgar in FORZA
One Hot Cookie February 2004 – The history
of ex-works Ferrari 275 Sports Barchetta s/n 0032MT (with 340 America engine) once owned by Henry Manney III, then by John
Edgar and raced by Jack McAfee in the 1950s.
Fame
and Misfortune April 2004 – The history of ex-works LeMans-winning Ferrari 375 Plus s/n
0396AM once owned by John Edgar, currently in Pierre Bardinon’s collection at Mas du Clos, France.
The Best Ferrari I Ever Drove May 2004 – The history
of Carroll Shelby’s favorite Ferrari, the 410 Sport s/n 0598CM built for Fangio then owned by John Edgar during its
Shelby championship years, also raced by Phil Hill, Jack McAfee and Bruce Kessler, now owned by Chris Cox.
Sexy Beast June 2004 – The history of Ferrari 857
Sport s/n 0588M driven by Jack McAfee, Masten Gregory and Carroll Shelby during its years of John Edgar ownership, now owned
by Jean-Claude Bajol in France.
Shelby's Ferrari Days
November 2004 - Carroll Shelby's Ferrari drives in the 1950s.
Ferrari' West Coast racing premiere April 2005 - Rearview Mirror, back page.
Jim Kimberly's 166 Touring Barchetta at Palm Springs, April 1, 1951. Photo by William Edgar.
Nassau: Naughty,
but not always nice May 2005 - Rearview Mirror, back page. Portago, Landaker and Gregory relax with Edgar team
Ferraris in the Bahamas, December 9, 1956. Photo by John Edgar.
