I've always loved racing and am fascinated by its history, especially the period of the 1950s to the 1970s. I particularly like circuit racing and love history's great tracks and the racing battles that were waged on them during this period.
I have dozens of racing books, many of them about great drivers and some about great cars, great racing series and great tracks. Here are three wonderful ones which are amongst my most recent acquisitions:
Riverside was a long-running and very challenging US track that hosted just about every type of racing over its long history. Sadly, it eventually had to be closed down as rural development expanded into the area. This book chronicles its history in great and very interesting detail.
This is the real history of the racing and the cars that our new American Pony Car class is based upon. Fascinating reading, especially for the automobile tech-minded, with details of the development of the cars that took part and the extreme rule-bending (and outright breaking) that proliferated as each manufacturer tried to get the upper hand.
While looking for slot car track layout ideas several months ago, I came across an aerial photo of the overgrown remains of an American road racing track that I had never heard of. Further research revealed that it's name was "Greenwood Roadway" and in its relatively short life, some of the great American drivers drove there in its heyday. I found old pictures of races there with cars like the early Chaparrals, Cobras and a host of others as well as drivers like Dan Gurney, Jim Hall, Ken Miles and others. My interest was piqued, so when this newly published book about once-active but now closed road circuits appeared, I quickly got a copy and I was not disappointed. It's got fascinating information and great old photos (although some are a bit small).
I'm still reading the last two, bit by bit, usually as I lie in bed at night before nodding off. I highly recommend all three for any real historic racing fans.