Book Club 3

Heavy Metal
A Pictorial Review of Stock Cars in Canterbury
Allan Batt
Publisher Speedway Classics

I picked this book up through an advertisement in Siderail magazine a few months ago. As the title suggests it's a pictorial review of the first 21 years of stockcar racing in the Canterbury region from 1954 up until 1975 including the first year of racing at Woodford Glen. The collection of photos is amazing and credit must go to Allan Batt for undertaking the task of getting something in print. He mentions in the introduction that the original plan was "for a full history of stockcar racing, however it soon became apparent that little media coverage, combined with few club records and the passing of many of the sports identities meant that an accurate account was not going to be possible" and some things never change in regard to the "little media coverage". So he went for the pictorial option instead. It highlights the fact that an alarming amount of history is slowly disappearing and without the dedication of people like Allan and the Vintage Stockcar Clubs most of the sports proud past is going to be lost forever.

There is a short write up about each track featured including how they came to be and in most cases their demise including Aranui, Templeton, Doyleston, Ruapuna, Prebbleton, Kaiapoi, Ashburton, South Canterbury, Kaikoura and Woodford Glen. He mentions that "during the 60's every town worth a damn had a stockcar track" and what a pity it is that these days most cities are doing everything they can to get rid of the remaining tracks.

This book has 64 pages, black and white print and cost $25.
Add this to your Stockcar Library.

8/10