Up for a little light reading? How about a lot of heavy reading? When it comes to motorsports, there are plenty of good choices. Whether you are looking for some time-fillers for the holidays or a last-minute present for a racing fan, allow me to present some of my favorites. Note that while I’m linking a place to buy each book that I’m confident should have them in stock, they may be available elsewhere as well.

The Other Side of The Fence

Bill Warner is perhaps best known for founding the Amelia Island Concours, but he truly made a name for himself long before that as a photojournalist who captured images of the most accomplished racers of our time… and in some cases, well before. Warner finally assembled his work into a book, and it’s an invaluable chronicle of some of the most historic moments in the sport, be it sports car racing, stock car racing, IndyCar competition, even Formula 1. The Other Side of the Fence: Six Decades of Motorsport Photography is a coffee table book that is actually worth reading; at $99.99, it isn’t cheap, but know that—as he did when he was running Amelia (which is now in the hands of Hagerty, with Warner as an advisor)—he is donating proceeds to Spina Bifida of Jacksonville, a non-profit organization that is close to his heart because his granddaughter has the condition. It’s available from the Revs Institute, which published it, here.

Legacy of Justice

Along similar lines, Ed Justice, Jr., was and still is one of motorsports’ top photographers, first picking up a camera as a teenager more than 50 years ago, and following his family from race to race. Like Warner, Justice finds the view much more favorable from inside that fence surrounding the tracks, and that’s where Legacy of Justice: An American Family Story lives. If the name is familiar, it’s because Ed is part of the Justice Brothers, the petroleum and lubricant company for which he’s now president and CEO. The Justice brothers became part of the Indianapolis 500 in the 1940s, when the company was associated with the Wynn’s brand, and has sponsored race cars ever since, including for the 2026 season. Photos in this book are from the family collection as well as Ed’s camera, and the accompanying text, co-written by Tom Madigan, tells the tale of Ed’s family and their involvement in racing.

It also introduces us to the drivers and owners who carried their brand, from drag racing king “Big Daddy” Don Garlits to Johnny Mantz, winner of NASCAR’s first 500-mile race, the 1950 Southern 500 at Darlington; that same year, the Justice brothers also sponsored the Indianapolis 500 winner, Johnnie Parsons. Ed Justice, Jr. simply knows everybody, and you’ll feel you do, too, after reading this book. At 496 pages, it’s another coffee table book that really belongs in your lap, explaining insights into motorsports you never knew. (Worth noting is that Justice is from Southern California, while Warner is from Florida, and you get a great East Coast-West Coast feel from the two books.) Legacy of Justice is available from Autobooks-Aerobooks; it costs $90. One more thing: Justice Brothers has a stellar museum just outside Los Angeles; check it out here.

Kinser: A Racing Career Like No Other

I admit it: I have a lifelong, unshakeable affinity for dirt sprint car racing, which crystalized with the formation of the World of Outlaws, founded in 1978 by the late Ted Johnson. He was the first to truly organize the sport, scheduling big-money races at tracks across the country and actually paying the advertised purse. For years, the biggest rivalry in sprint car racing was between Indiana’s Steve Kinser, 71, and Tennessee’s Sammy Swindell, 70. And me being a Memphis boy, as Sammy was, I had a clear favorite. (But I had, and have, mad respect for Steve Kinser, especially after I became friends with his genius crew chief and cousin, Karl Kinser.) Dave Argabright, inarguably one of the country’s best motorsports writers, co-authored the new Kinser: A Racing Career Like No Other, Steve’s long-awaited autobiography that tells the story not only of Kinser’s 950 career feature wins, but his foray into NASCAR and IndyCar racing. There are 32 pages of color and black-and-white photos, and like everything Argabright writes, Kinser is an easy and entertaining read. It’s available from multiple sources, including here from Argabright’s own company, for $29.95.

Sammy! 50+ Years of Winning

And you don’t think I’d leave out Swindell, do you? Sammy will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in March; Steve Kinser is already there, a 2017 inductee. Swindell’s career, like Kinser’s, includes time in NASCAR and IndyCar, and is told in Sammy! 50-Plus Years of Winning by motorsports journalists Bones Bourcier and Bob Mays, along with Swindell himself. Sammy is an amazing driver, but he is also a genuine, hands-on innovator when it comes to sprint car technology, something that Steve generally left to his crew chiefs. While Kinser retired from competition in 2016, Swindell, who has won the prestigious Chili Bowl indoor midget race five times, continues to race, and win. Sammy! Is available from Speedway Motors for $45.99. By the way, both books detail the Kinser-Swindell rivalry, and the accounts are quite a bit different…

Dirt Tracks To Glory

These next two books are also connected, but in a very different way. First, let’s look at Dirt Tracks to Glory: The Early Days of Stock Car Racing, as Told By the Participants, which was written by Sylvia Wilkinson, a professional writer and novelist who has been involved in motorsports for decades (more about that in a moment). Wilkinson knows how to dig for a story, and she knows how to make racers comfortable enough to tell her the truth. Unlike some NASCAR history books, she has no agenda, no one to please but herself and her readers. Her story on perennial race queen Linda Vaughn is a wonderful read, and Vaughn tells Wilkinson a story Linda told me decades ago: She had a soft spot for British racer Jimmy Clark, much to the dismay of a jealous A.J. Foyt: “‘You kissed that foreigner!’ A.J. said. He wouldn’t speak to me for two years.’” And she tells a story of a different time, when pioneer Wendell Scott, who was black, competed in NASCAR. “Wendell Scott, he’s the sweetest thing,” Vaughn told Wilkinson. “He won a race and he said, ‘Miss Linda, you don’t have to kiss me. I wouldn’t do that to you.’ I just hugged his neck and almost cried.” You’ll meet everybody from Soapy Castles to Fred Lorenzen to Bill France, Sr., plus Tim Flock, who details his early bootlegging days. Great read, great photos, available autographed at Johnmortonracing.net for $34.95.

Inside Shelby American

That may be a hint about this book, Inside Shelby American: Wrenching and Racing with Carroll Shelby in the 1960s by race car driver John Morton. Wilkinson and Morton are a couple, one of my favorite ones; Sylvia likes to say that they’ve been boyfriend and girlfriend for more than 50 years, “and we plan to get married just as soon as we think it’s gonna last.” Though Morton and Wilkinson swear that he wrote Inside Shelby American with no help from his journalist girlfriend, he dedicates the book to Wilkinson, saying “I hope this is my last one, and so does she.” Morton’s family racing history is fascinating, and aside from driving Cobras for Shelby, John has driven everything from sprint cars to a top fuel dragster. That’s all in here, but as the title suggests, you’re probably coming to read his account of driving for Shelby, which begins on page 38, when he attends the Carroll Shelby Driving School at Riverside. It was there he met someone who would be responsible for several chapters. “I’m going to be your instructor,” said a young but tall man. “My name’s Pete Brock.” Yes, that Peter Brock, who was—and thankfully still is—a team owner, designer and writer who is an absolute legend in the automotive world, and a big part of Shelby’s racing success.

Morton went to work for Shelby, literally sweeping floors: Fast-forward a few years to the Twelve Hours of Sebring, where Morton had been picked to partner with Ken Miles in a persnickety Cobra powered by a 427-cubic-inch V-8, which wasn’t as much fun as it sounds, having been wrecked two days earlier: He lost the brakes, then the clutch, and just before dark, the engine quit, and Morton coasted into the grass. “I opened the hood,” he writes. “I saw engine parts on the outside that are supposed to be on the inside.” A wonderful read, the softcover Inside Shelby American is also offered at Johnmortonracing.net for $27.99. And while you’re there, I should mention that Wilkinson’s invaluable and updated classic The Stainless Steel Carrot e-book is also available there for $9.99. It’s about Morton’s post-Shelby seasons with Peter Brock’s fledgling Datsun team, and it drew rare praise from Mark Donohue: “Racing’s a tough sport and the book shows that. If you read between the lines, however, you’ll see racing’s no different than real life. People make things happen, everyone has an important role, and destinies are worked for, not inherited.” Morton, by the way, is also going into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in March. Can’t wait to hear his speech.

Lions Drag Strip: 1955-1972

If you prefer your racing to go in a straight line, you’ll probably like photojournalist Lou Hart’s Lions Drag Strip: 1955 to 1972. Lions, located in the Los Angeles suburb of Wilmington, was an absolute drag racing mecca when it opened in October of 1955 until it closed on December 2, 1972 with a final race that drew a record 25,000 fans. Plenty of things happened at Lions that you might be familiar with, including the devastating transmission explosion that severed part of Dan Garlits’ foot, leading him to famously move the engine in his Top Fuel dragster from the front to the rear, and Evel Knievel’s record 1970 jump over 125 feet of side-by-side cars and trucks and vans, accomplished on his backup Harley-Davidson XR-750, when the magneto suddenly failed on his primary bike. The NHRA-owned Pomona drag strip was seminal, yes, and fortunately still exists, but Lions was just as important in the early days of Southern California drag racing, and it’s all in Lions Drag Strip. It’s available for $59.95 at Lionsmobilia.org, which is also the website for the superb but sadly almost-unknown Lions Automobilia Museum, located in Rancho Dominguez, and full of cars and exhibits that go far, far past just Lions nostalgia.

Isky

Finally, during a recent visit to Southern California places of interest with my friend Dean, which almost invariably involved racing and included everything from the Autobooks-Aerobooks store up north in Burbank to the little Barona Speedway dirt track near Ramona, we spent an hour with a legend: Ed Iskenderian, the founder of Ed Iskenderian Racing Cams. Everybody just calls the man and the company “Isky.” Ed is 104, the oldest resident of his nursing home, and according to the staff, perhaps the most cheerful. He has an amazing memory, though the stories are sometimes slow to come: You can almost see the gears grinding in his head as he concentrates, lining up the details. Those details are, as this book suggests, invaluable, and they are all contained in Isky: Ed Iskenderian and the History of Hot Rodding, written by former Motor Trend editor Matt Stone, when Isky was “just” 94, and still going to work every day. Isky was a genius when it came to making cars go fast, starting out with flathead Fords, working up to powering engines like the 426-cubic-inch Chrysler Hemi V-8. The cigar-chomping, self-proclaimed “Camfather,” Isky was an absolute marketing genius, using the media of the day to promote his products through his drivers’ accomplishments, and many of his more memorable ad campaigns are included in the book. This is indeed the story of hot rodding; I was lucky enough to hear it first-hand from the Camfather, and read about it in Stone’s book. It’s available on Amazon for $32.

In 2025, Paul Menard powered his No. 3 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Ford Mustang to his second-consecutive Trans Am TA class championship in just his second full season in the series. In a close battle against series veteran Adam Andretti, the championship fight came down to the final race of the year, where Menard captured the crown and added to 3GT Racing’s legacy as a championship-winning organization.

Menard kicked off the year much like he did in his 2024 championship run, with a victory at Sebring International Raceway. He returned to Gym Weed Winners Circle two races later, capturing the win at Sonoma Raceway, where he held off a hard-charging Chris Dyson in a tight battle that ended with a 0.291s margin of victory.

Following a podium finish at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Menard scored his third victory of the year at Lime Rock Park’s Trans Am Memorial Day Classic, leading a stout field and widening his championship lead.

At Watkins Glen International, Menard notched his first win at the iconic track 22 years after making his first NASCAR start there. Menard’s momentum carried until the end of the summer, with his fifth victory of the season coming at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, a track where he also took the checkered flag the season before.

After scoring second-place finishes at both VIRginia International Raceway and Barber Motorsports Park, Menard cinched the crown in the season finale at Circuit of The Americas. He and title rival Andretti traded positions in the closing laps, underscoring the intensity of the title fight all season long. “

Former NASCAR racer Paul Menard is a two-time Trans Am champion in as many seasons as a full-time competitor. Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

“To be a two-time champion in Trans Am with Paul Gentilozzi and Tony and John and the history that they have and the history that the series has, means a lot,” said Menard. “It’s a great series. I grew up watching [Trans Am]. They make a big push to bring it back to what it once was.

“I’ve driven a lot of cars. I’ve driven a lot of race cars on dirt, on asphalt, on road courses, on ovals. These are, hands down, the most fun, coolest race cars on road courses in North America. You can get into some ice racing or some dirt racing or something. Those cars are really fun too, but a totally different discipline. But, hands down, if you’re going to drive a road course car, these are by far the best. To be a two-time champion in that discipline means a lot.”

Everyone at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is saddened by the tragic loss of Greg Biffle, his family and those involved with today’s plane crash. Greg made multiple starts in the Brickyard 400 at IMS and achieved several top-5 / top-10 finishes throughout his career here. He was a strong competitor on the track, but his selfless service to others defined the Greg Biffle we were so fortunate to know. His humanitarian efforts to serve his community and those in need, especially in the wake of Hurricane Helene, are truly heroic. Our thoughts and prayers are with his entire family, friends and legion of fans.

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu is not arriving in MotoGP to make up the numbers – he is arriving with a long game.

The three-time World Superbike champion says his debut season in 2026 will be about adaptation rather than instant glory, with his true ambitions aligned with MotoGP’s regulation reset in 2027, when he hopes to challenge Ducati star and reigning champion Marc Marquez head-on.

Razgatlıoğlu, 29, will join the Prima Pramac Yamaha team next year after clinching his third World Superbike title in October, closing a remarkable chapter in production-based racing.

The move has been years in the making, but the Turkish rider is under no illusions about the scale of the step up – especially aboard a Yamaha package that has been outgunned by Ducati in recent seasons.

“The first year will be a learning year,” Razgatlıoğlu told Spanish newspaper MARCA. “After that, with the new tyres and new rules, I feel there will be a lot of success in 2027.”

He tempered expectations for immediate results but did not shy away from his ultimate target.

“If I can get some good positions, or podiums if possible, I will be very happy,” he said. “I hope to fight with him (Marquez) in some races, but in 2027 my biggest challenge will be fighting with him.”

Career built on disruption

Razgatlıoğlu’s reputation was forged by doing what few riders could: breaking dynasties.

His 2021 World Superbike title with Yamaha ended Jonathan Rea’s six-year reign, achieved through fearless late braking and an uncanny ability to extract grip where others found limits.

His switch to BMW only strengthened his legend.

After delivering a breakthrough title in 2024, he doubled down in 2025, fending off Ducati challenger Nicolo Bulega and sealing the crown before the season finale.

The run cemented him as one of the most naturally gifted riders of his generation – and a rare talent capable of transforming a manufacturer’s fortunes.

MotoGP interest followed for years, but Razgatlıoğlu repeatedly resisted, unwilling to gamble his prime without a credible pathway. Yamaha’s renewed technical push and Pramac’s factory-backed role finally provided that opening.

Yamaha challenge

Razgatlıoğlu will inherit a Yamaha project in transition.

Once the benchmark of the grid, Yamaha has been chasing Ducati’s aerodynamic and mechanical advantages, with Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins struggling to turn speed into sustained results.

Pramac’s move from Ducati to Yamaha marks a pivotal shift, giving the Japanese manufacturer an expanded development base and a proven race-winning satellite structure.

Razgatlıoğlu’s early tests have already underlined both promise and challenge – adapting from heavier Superbikes to MotoGP prototypes defined by carbon brakes, extreme aerodynamics and unforgiving Michelin tires.

Learning tire management, electronic maps and the relentless intensity of MotoGP weekends will define his rookie season.

Why 2027 is the real target

Razgatlıoğlu’s confidence is rooted in timing.

MotoGP’s 2027 regulation overhaul is expected to fundamentally reshape the grid: smaller engines, tighter aerodynamic limits, the removal of ride-height devices and revised tire constructions.

The aim is clear – reduce speed, increase safety and pull manufacturers closer together.

For a rider whose strengths lie in braking, balance and corner speed, the changes could neutralize Ducati’s power-driven edge and reward adaptability over brute force.

Yamaha, along with Honda, stands to gain – and Razgatlıoğlu believes he can be at the sharp end when the reset arrives.

Marquez challenge

Marquez remains the sport’s defining figure.

His 2025 title with Ducati reaffirmed his ability to dominate with the right tools, blending aggression with experience in a way few can match.

Razgatlıoğlu knows the comparison is unavoidable – and welcomes it.

He is not promising miracles in 2026. Instead, he is laying out a trajectory: learn first, survive second, then attack.

If MotoGP’s next era delivers the close racing it promises, the idea of Razgatlıoğlu throwing his Yamaha down the inside of Marquez may no longer feel like ambition – but inevitability.

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The latest Forza Motorsport launched in 2023 as a live service game, initially set to be filled out with regular monthly updates that add cars and tracks. This continued throughout its first year and a half, but updates have been more focused on restoring previous monthly content since a wave of layoffs hit core Xbox teams in July. Now, the developers behind the game have confirmed that support for the game is coming to an end.

Word about the shift in the service was buried in a year-in-review post, which featured only a brief mention of the change in plans.

“As our team shifts its focus toward delivering the best possible experience with Forza Horizon 6 in 2026, we do not plan to introduce new cars, tracks, features, or regular bug fixes for Forza Motorsport,” the statement says. “However, we will continue supporting the game by keeping online servers active, hosting special events and competitions, and reintroducing previously released Featured Tours and reward cars on a monthly basis, until all content is available for you to enjoy anytime.”

This is a bad sign for the continuation of the mainline, Gran Turismo-like Forza Motorsport franchise, but the spinoff Horizon series is set to continue with Forza Horizon 6 next year. Microsoft has released few details on what exactly that game will be, but we do know that it is set to be the first Horizon game set in Japan. That detail alone makes it our most anticipated racing game of the new year.

Via CarThrottle

Fred Smith’s love of cars comes from his fascination with auto racing. Unfortunately, that passion led him to daily drive a high-mileage, first-year Porsche Panamera. He is still thinking about the last lap of the 2011 Indianapolis 500.