i. Indy 500 DVD 5-disc set
StudioWorks Entertainment
Only recently has Honda had real relevance to the Indy 500. Hey, it happens when you win two of `em back-to-back. But 500 history goes way back and if you're a motorsports junkie or just a fan of the annual race, this five-disc set is a killer deal. Featuring seven hours of material, the set covers the 500 through four decades (up through the end of the 90's). It's almost worth it for the wah-wah funk track backing the menu selections of the `70s disc alone.
But it's all here. All those names and big-balled drivers--Parnelli Jones, Al Unser, Dan Gurney, A.J. Foyt--the technological leaps ("unlimited boost," says one engineer of the mid-70s), the dominance of teams like McLaren and Penske, and the carnage. The 500 is not without its measure of tragedy.
Each year of the 500 is broken down with a summary of the players, teams and strategies involved, before cutting to edited highlights of race footage. Interviews are interspersed throughout (points for the appearance of F1 guru David Hobbs), creating an engaging and quick-moving narrative that unfolds with the progression of years (the DVD menu wisely allows you to select any single year, as well as watching uninterrupted from the start to end of a decade).
A must for any open-wheel race fan or just anyone looking to know more about what is rightly called the greatest spectacle in racing. In America, NASCAR may be king, but the 500 will always be Godfather.
j. Acura NSX: Honda's Supercar - Brian Long
Veloce Publishing - veloce.co.uk
If you can only have one book to fulfill your NSX desires, make this it. There are so many big, full-color NSX pictures in here that you almost get tired of seeing the wedge-shaped super car. Almost. From a historical perspective, author Brian Long takes you through the entire NSX lifeline, from the first styling sketches penned by Masato Nakano, through its production run, into motorsports endeavors at Le Mans and in the JGTC, and finally to its cessation of production announced in 2005.
Along with the many Honda marketing pictures, the book contains dealership brochures, behind-the-scenes assembly line photos, a cool cutaway drawing by David Kimble, along with various technical charts and drawings. Also of interest is Chapter Six, which has some excellent shots of the NSX at speed in full race trim.
The subject matter does not delve into the aftermarket in any way, shape or form. No insights are available on forced induction packages, no references to snap ring range. It just celebrates the NSX for the engineering marvel that it is straight from the factory (224 pages; 250 color photos)ISBN 1-904788-43-2