Legends of speed: Brabham to Webber, Beechey to Brock. Bill Woods. 2004.

Race drivers are a breed unto themselves. How many people can sit for three hours, in 55 degree C temperatures, in three layers of clothes, with a heart rate of 160 beats per minute……and not totally lose it?

In Legends of Sport, respected commentator Bill Woods takes us on a journey that begins with two pioneers who shaped their sport from either side of the world. From the roots of their success a sequence of stories grew, the branches reaching every level of motor racing and weaving through all of its major evolutions. There is not just a tale of individual achievements but remarkable associations and, in some cases, coincidence.

There’s Tony Haze, the RAF fighter ace who became Australia’s first Formula 1 driver and survived the most destructive days of motor racing. There’s Sir Jack Brabham, winner of three Formula 1 titles and the only driver ever to win the championship in a car of his own construction; and there’s Alan Jones, the playboy racer who won the Formula 1 title in 1980 and helped forge a winning dynasty at Williams. Throw in other names like:

Peter Brock                   Kevin Bartlett

Mark Webber                Dick Johnson

Frank Gardner               Frank Matich

Allan Moffat                   Bob Jane

and you have a who’s who of motor racing, men whose friendships, rivalries and exploits changed the world.