At one point we thought Janos was adding so much detail to these two volumes, the racing was taking place faster than he could keep up with it: there seemed a real danger that he’d put off publication one more year – and end up two behind.

He finally drew the line at 1998, so if it’s recent years you’re after, you’ll have to wait for the next volume – and we’re not sure when that will be. These two volumes will keep you busy enough though. Over 2000 pages in each, with race reports and finely crafted – and amazingly detailed – results for each event.

Janos tells the story of each race in his own, carefully chosen words: each report is his account of each race, written in a charming style, easy to read, but with all the important features included.

It’s not just reports and results though: he sets the scene for each year, explaining how the structure of sportscar racing is changing at any one time, and then completes his 45 year story with the most amazing collection of “data”. He really is “Mr. Data”, whether it be the chassis number of the winning car at Sebring in 1961 (it was 0792), Luciano Galluzzo’s pseudonym (which was “Stradivarius”) or the length of the Silverstone circuit which was used for the 1000 Km race in 1988 (it was 2.969 miles).

As an example of the depth of this ‘bible’, there is even a 12 page chapter explaining the tables in the rest of the books

For example: “Qualified refers to the total number of cars allotted grid positions whether or not they started. Exception: a car allotted a grid position by the organizers that neither started, nor ever practiced, is not tabulated for either the practiced or qualified headings. The total qualified does not include cars which were allowed to start but which for some reason were not allotted grid positions or which did not practice.”

No doubt at this very moment Janos is beavering away at the next volume. Rumour has it that this will be a photographic record of the history of the sport.

$205
190 Euros
£130
(plus shipping)

ISBN 0-9672252-0-5