Reviewed by Kim Henson.
Title: Admission 7/6 – E. V. Starr Snaps the 60s Speed Merchants
Authors: Tim Beavis and Guy Loveridge
Published by: Douglas Loveridge Publications, Moss View, 85 Warburton, Emley, Yorkshire, HD8 9QP. (Please also see their Facebook page)
128 pages, hardback, filled with glorious colour photographs
Price: £40.00 (Including postage, £45 for U.K. buyers, £55 for mainland Europe, £65 for North America)
ISBN: 978-1-900113-14-4
This endearing book centres around a collection of photographs taken by the late E. V. Starr, at motor race circuits far and wide, and capturing in detail the cars and the people in and around the pit lanes, as well as out on the track, during the 1960s.
This enthusiast was not one of the ‘press pack’ but made it his business to get close to the action and the quieter times within the motor racing ‘circus’ of the time, recording for posterity, and originally for his own viewing, unique historical moments that make this publication so interesting.
In addition to detailed superb colour photographs of the cars, candid shots show the deep thought/elation/frustration (delete as applicable!) on the faces of the drivers of the time, including the motor racing greats of that era, also the team members and others around them.
Comprehensive captions to all the photographs give detailed and useful background to the teams involved (plus the political shenanigans inevitably going on), the cars and their technical aspects, all within a very readable package. What cars they were too, state of the art machines of their time from the likes of BRM, Cooper, Ferrari, Lotus and others.
I found especially fascinating the first-person accounts from drivers of the time or close family members, interspersed among the photographic pages and including true anecdotes from the likes of Derek Bell, Geoff Brabham, Damon Hill, Christianne Ireland, Jack Lewis, Jackie Oliver and John Surtees.
VERDICT
A classic book about a classic era of motor racing.
You do not have to be a fan of motor sport to find this book engaging and a treat to read and look at. Tim Beavis and Guy Loveridge – both long-time enthusiasts of motor racing – have successfully sorted/pulled together these amazing photographs while adding much information and unique personal perspectives from the racing heroes of the time, to help tell the story.
Personally, I have to confess to becoming lost for hours within its pages as I studied each image with fascination, realising how important these photographs are and being so pleased that they have been discovered, preserved and shared to a wider audience.
Speaking of which, if you would like a copy of this book it would be wise to move fast as just 400 were printed and a good proportion of these are already spoken for.
Well done Tim Beavis and Guy Loveridge.
Note: If you like this book, watch this space as further volumes, relating to later years, are in the pipeline…
