Edgar Motorsport

William Edgar's Motorsport Journalism

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2008 Carmel Concours on the Avenue
2008 Petersen Museum Tribute
An Evening with Carroll Shelby
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William Edgar's Motorsport Journalism
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Riverside Reunion at Petersen Automotive Museum Honoring Dan Gurney
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"American Sports Car Racing in the 1950s"
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Ernie & Margaret Prisbe with his 1971 Ferrari 312PB at 2007 Monterey Historic Races - W.Edgar photo

 
My most recent magazine articles now in print include features on 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), "A Day in the Life of Tina Van Curen" (OCTANE), and "Butch Dennison's Gear Box" (OCTANE).
 
Coming soon are my feature articles on: Jon Shirley's 1934 Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3 monoposto that Tazio Nuvolari drove to an upset victory in the 1935 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring (FORZA), two new AMA Flat Track motorcycles using BMW's F800 twin being individually prepared by Ron Wood and Dale Lineaweaver (BIMMER), and history of Dr.Thomas Bscher's 1957 Maserati 450S s/n 4506 that Carroll Shelby drove to fame in the late 1950s, with sidebar on the car's then-owner, John Edgar.  
 
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 this year 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, is published in TCM's August issue, giving this distinctive international concours coverage on both sides of the Atlantic.  There is a also a brief Event Report of this concours, Two-Wheel Winner, in the July 2007 issue of the UK's Octane magazine. I am covering the Legend of the Motorcycle again in May 2008 for Octane.
 
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.  I'm now preparing several other articles for this publication known as "The World's Best Selling MG Magazine," including an article featuring MGs at the recent Queen's English All British Show held in Van Nuys, California, in April 2008. 
 
My 8-page 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.  In the same issue appears my 3-page article Parnelli at the Petersen about 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 Medal in the category of Magazine Writing/Biography, presented at the International Automotive Media Awards in December 2006.]
 
See my recent and upcoming articles in BIMMER, EXCELLENCE, FORZA, ROAD & TRACK (co-authored with Michael T. Lynch), VINTAGE MOTORSPORT,  THE ROBB REPORT COLLECTION and ROBB REPORT MOTORCYCLING magazines.
 
Now in preparation is my new 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 current 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 Lovely winning 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 Richter of 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's impressions 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 Bimmers August 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 America February 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 Mans is 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 Poker about 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 Starsfeaturing 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 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.

 

William Edgar on John Edgar Lightning 2002

Rollie Free on John Edgar Lightning 1948

Lightning Strikes Twice: There Have Been Only Two True Owners of The World’s Most Famous Motorcycle.

By William Edgar

 

ROBB REPORT MOTORCYCLING

 

Visit the Harris Vincent Gallery at http://www.harrisvincentgallery.com

 

Left: Rollie Free aboard the John Edgar Lightning during 150.313 mph record run at Bonneville Salt Flats,  September 13, 1948.  EMA photo.

Right: William Edgar rides the John Edgar Lightning on the Texas Hill Country Trail near Austin, Texas, May 2002.  EMA photo by Herb Harris.

... And, more from the Fabulous 1950s and what that era has helped create within the increasingly popular activities of today's vintage sports car racing.
 
 
 
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