64 replies to this topic

[Jon Saltinstall]

Apologies for the rather shameless promotion, but this has been a long time coming.

 

I am delighted to confirm that JACKY ICKX: HIS AUTHORISED COMPETITION HISTORY will be published by Evro Publishing on October 27^th. Running to 592 pages it’s been written with Jacky’s full co-operation and details every one of the 565 races that he contested in cars and on motorcycles. The narrative is supported by over 850 photographs, many of which have never been published previously.

 

Jacky himself provides the Preface and Derek Bell has written the Foreword. I have to say I am rather excited about it!

 

You can read more at https://www.evropubl...etition-history if interested. Thanks for indulging me!

 

[sstiel]

Congratulations indeed @Jon. May I put that in the Racing Spirit group on Facebook Bookshelf?

Thank you very much indeed for your kind help. Congratulations once again.

[Jon Saltinstall]

Congratulations indeed @Jon. May I put that in the Racing Spirit group on Facebook Bookshelf?

Thank you very much indeed for your kind help. Congratulations once again.

 

Thanks Simon - please feel free to post on Racing Spirit.

[Rob Semmeling]

Congrats, Jon!

[Dave Ware]

Congrats indeed, and thanks for keeping us updated.
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like you just started on that book!

[Jon Saltinstall]

Congrats indeed, and thanks for keeping us updated.
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like you just started on that book!

 

Being locked down by the pandemic gave me a lot of evenings for research, Dave!

[Jon Saltinstall]

Congrats, Jon!

 

thanks Rob - and once again, thank you for all your help identifying exactly where those shots were taken on the 'Ring!

[68targa]

Well that's one Xmas pressie sorted - nearly 600 pages worth.  Congratulations on completing it. 

[10kDA]

Congratulations! REALLY looking forward to this one.

[Jon Saltinstall]

Well that's one Xmas pressie sorted - nearly 600 pages worth.  Congratulations on completing it. 

 

Thanks for your support - hope you enjoy it!

[Claudio Navonne]

It would be interesting a version for tablets, an e-book.I no longer have space in my house , the shelves are overflowing with books and magazines. It's been several years since I got used to reading on my iPad, ideal for travel and vacations.

[Rob Ryder]

Well done Jon, he is my favourite driver. If the book is up to your 'Niki' standard it will be another gem

[Jon Saltinstall]

Well done Jon, he is my favourite driver. If the book is up to your 'Niki' standard it will be another gem

 

Thanks Rob. You're very kind. I am confident you will enjoy this one!

 

The other day, I chanced upon an old archive TNF thread from 2000 where you were enquiring if there were any biographies about Jacky. Well, just 22 years later, hopefully this will do the job for you   

[ellrosso]

Well done Jon. I'm sure it will be a big seller. One of my favourites - they showed a film of the 1967 German GP at the Hobart Sporting Car Club film night, must have been 1969 from memory. His drive in the F2 Matra was just incredible. I followed his career from that point onwards.

[Jon Saltinstall]

Please excuse the self-promotion; I'm delighted to say that the Jacky Ickx book has now been published and stocks are held in Evro's warehouse and with the various distributors. I have to say that my editor, Mark Hughes, and the designer Richard Parsons have done another fantastic job and the result looks superb; there are a lot of previously unseen photos that sparkle now they've had Richard's magic touch.

 

It's a big old beast in the flesh, at over 600 pages and more than 900 photos, weighing in at nearly 3kg!

 

I'm very humbled by Jacky's comments that he's offered in support of the press releases - what a gentleman he is! Here's what he says on Evro's News feed:

“It must require a genuine passion for motorsport to tackle a subject as vast as my career with such precision and so exhaustively. Honestly, to the best of my knowledge, no one but Jon Saltinstall has had the guts to undertake such a mammoth task before. Indeed, Jacky Ickx: His Authorised Competition History isn’t a typical biography; it’s a true encyclopaedia about my sporting life. During the process of fact-checking Jon’s draft, I carefully searched my memory to make sure everything was as accurate as possible. But I didn’t have to change anything. Jon’s research was impeccable and I couldn’t have chosen better words than his. Thank you, Jon, for your tremendous effort! This is a book I will treasure.”

 

Hopefully it will go down well with his fans and admirers too.

[Richard Jenkins]

I have already praised this elsewhere on social media, but having had the fortune to see the book in the flesh (as it were) at the weekend, I can confirm it is a book of real quality.
Looks lovely with loads of atmospheric pictures never seen before, loads on Jacky's trials, but loads too on Jacky as a person.

It's not just a list of races, it's more than that.

It will damage the postman's back, that's for sure!

[Doug Nye]

Well done Jon.  Oh my...now to smuggle another one past she who must be obeyed...  

 

Really looking forward to seeing it.

 

DCN

[Tim Murray]

Congratulations Jon. Perhaps you can now sit back and relax for a while - until the next project beckons.

[Jon Saltinstall]

Congratulations Jon. Perhaps you can now sit back and relax for a while - until the next project beckons.

 

Thanks Tim.

 

Not sure about the sitting back and relaxing part; in the best DCN tradition, I am trying to hide the fact that I am scoping another project from she-who-must-be-obeyed, at least until I retire. Which may now need to be sooner rather than later - work is starting to get in the way of the writing! Much will depend on the current commercial imperatives for a publisher commissioning a new book, but let's see what happens.....

[FastReader]

I received a copy last week and, although I have had to return it to the seller for replacement due to a production fault, I can confirm that it is a mighty fine piece of work. Looking forward to the replacement copy arriving soon.

[FastReader]

Well done Jon.  Oh my...now to smuggle another one past she who must be obeyed...  

 

 

 

You're not alone with this problem...

[Jon Saltinstall]

I received a copy last week and, although I have had to return it to the seller for replacement due to a production fault, I can confirm that it is a mighty fine piece of work. Looking forward to the replacement copy arriving soon.

 

Thanks for your kind comments; they are very much appreciated. Sorry to hear there was a production fault on the book; that's unusual for Evro. I'm sure Eric will sort it promptly for you.

[Jon Saltinstall]

John Aston's very comprehensive review of the book can be found at https://speedreaders...tition-history/

 

Thanks for taking the trouble to read it in such detail, John, and for your kind and supportive comments!

[teegeefla]

Jon-

 

Taking on such a book is admirable, as was your Lauda book and also you model collection.  It makes me marvel how you were able to find so many photos and secure their publishing rights without spending a prohibitive amount of money?  The breadth of the coverage is also admirable, especially in regards to some obscure (lightly covered) events from around the world.  Do you have any future projects in mind?  I do not mean to pry...I am fan of such efforts.

[Jon Saltinstall]

Jon-

 

Taking on such a book is admirable, as was your Lauda book and also you model collection.  It makes me marvel how you were able to find so many photos and secure their publishing rights without spending a prohibitive amount of money?  The breadth of the coverage is also admirable, especially in regards to some obscure (lightly covered) events from around the world.  Do you have any future projects in mind?  I do not mean to pry...I am fan of such efforts.

 

Thanks for your kind words. You're absolutely correct that the (understandably) high costs of photo licensing and the significant production costs, which have risen considerably over the last 12 months, are a major consideration for any publisher of "niche" books like these, and these are of course the main factors that drive their relatively high retail price. In the case of the Ickx book (and the Lauda book to a lesser extent) as well as using the major photo libraries I was very fortunate to have built contacts with some smaller photo archives and private individuals who were happy to contribute images to the project. Without them, not only would the costs have been prohibitive but we would also have missed out on some amazing, otherwise unavailable photos.

 

As far as future projects are concerned, much will depend on the commercial realities of producing such books as we go into the new year. Publishers cannot afford to be simply altruistic and indulge people like me who are, essentially, "completist" enthusiasts, so commissioning any project depends on its financial viability. Sales of the Ickx book will undoubtedly be high on the list of things they will consider before signing me up to do another one. I am, however, keeping my fingers crossed; there are at least two more drivers whose careers I would like to give the "Competition History" treatment, as well as a couple of others about whom a more traditional biography is overdue. Sorry to be a bit "cloak and dagger" in my answer, but it's early days at the moment and I would hate to whet peoples' appetite if it's something that ultimately I am unable to deliver.

Edited by Jon Saltinstall, 07 December 2022 - 08:34.

[FLB]

Peter Windsor sur Twitter : "Coming soon - exclusively - on https://t.co/T0uH55tH2E: Jacky Ickx on Jacky Ickx...and that amazing new book by Jon Saltinstall https://t.co/7WLzp0Jh5B" / Twitter

[Collombin]

Wow, I had no idea he was so strong.

[68targa]

I would just like to add my congratulations and appreciation to Jon for the magnificent result of his hard labours.  I concur with all that has been said above. An outstanding book on an outstanding driver.

 

I just wish it came with a warning to have an extra strong bookshelf.

[1969BOAC500]

Owning a copy of Jon's Lauda book, and having had the privilege of meeting him at Stoneleigh in 2020 ( where we discussed ickx/Lauda at Paddock.....   .) I've gladly ordered the Ickx title ( which I'll be saving as a present from me-to-me on the 25th ).

[Jon Saltinstall]

Owning a copy of Jon's Lauda book, and having had the privilege of meeting him at Stoneleigh in 2020 ( where we discussed ickx/Lauda at Paddock.....   .) I've gladly ordered the Ickx title ( which I'll be saving as a present from me-to-me on the 25th ).

 

 

Thanks for your kind words; all being well, I should be at Race Retro this year, so it would be good to catch up again! 

Edited by Jon Saltinstall, 19 December 2022 - 16:54.

[toolish]

Thanks for your kind words; all being well, I should be at Race Retro this year, so it would be good to catch up again! 

 

Dear Jon, are there any efforts being considered to promote the book here in Belgium?

[1969BOAC500]

What a book ! Truly monumental - a tremendous effort by the author and a fitting tribute to the subject. I've spent hours absorbed in it over the holiday period ; having been forunate to have  seen Ickx race many times between '69 and '85 ,  so for me it's full of 'I  remember that one!' moments, as well as many 'Well, I never knew that...' anecdotes.

 

Jacky was one of the all-time greats of sports car racing ; to me he was a 'Real Racing Driver', Derek Bell in his foreword says that he was always somewhat in awe of Ickx and - from the other side of the specator fence - so was I.

 

Evro have really done an excellent production job ; if you're hesitating whether to buy it - don't !

[Sterzo]

It's no surprise this thread has gone quiet, as we are all engaged in reading Jon's enormous ouevre. I am taking it in short bursts, interspersed with other reading. Finding myself immersed in every report - never thought of becoming a follower of Belgian mud-plugging trials, but but it's essential knowledge. Just moving to Ferrari, and it's great reading so far.

 

Some have mentioned the sheer weight of the book. One can no longer snap one's fingers, and have it delivered to your lap by your wife, but then, perhaps, larger wives are available...

[john aston]

It is a  huge read, but unlike Andrew Frankel, who was rather snippy about it in his review  I enjoyed it  a great deal . No , it's not a biography per se( which was his gripe ) ,but in my own review I said that this complete account of his career  gave a superb insight into Ickx 's complex personality .   

[Sterzo]

I have this morning finished this magnificent work. A tear might be shed, that my daily reading will be no more. Even the credits are a wonderful read. And the image of Jacky Ickx as a man of mud, tarmac and sand shall remain with me.

 

My initial reservation about the price soon went, and for those who don't yet have it, Amazon are now selling at £60-ish. To put the price into context, I calculate I spent £45 on coffee while reading. You may choose whether to view that as an argument for or against.

 

Thank you (again!) Jon!

[ReWind]

Jacky Ickx will be honored by the Road Racing Drivers Club on 13 April 2023 at the Long Beach Hilton.

 

You are cordially invited to attend the RRDC Evening with Jacky Ickx Presented by Firestone on Thursday, April 13, at the Long Beach Hilton, reservation details at the end of this article. 

The RRDC’s 2023 honoree is known by many names: “Ringmeister” for his superlative performances at the incomparable Nurburgring, including qualifying third fastest for the 1967 German Grand Prix Formula 1 World Championship event – in a Formula 2 car; “Rainmaster” for his uncanny ability to pilot a race car in the wet, out-dueling Pedro Rodriguez in the 1970 Dutch Grand Prix and passing Niki Lauda on the outside of Paddock Bend to win the Race of Champions four years later at Brands Hatch.

A six-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the first race driver to be named an honorary citizen of that fair French city, it’s no wonder he also earned the nickname “Monsieur Le Mans.”

He’s also known as “champion” for winning the 1979 Can-Am series and back-to-back World Endurance Championship for Drivers titles in 1982 and ’83 in a career that included more than three dozen wins in major sports car events.

In addition to his Formula One and sports car prowess, victories in the Bathurst 1000 and Paris-Dakar Rally further cemented his place in the pantheon of racing’s greatest all-’rounders.               
And after retiring from active competition, he earned another official title by serving as Clerk of the Course of the Monaco Grand Prix.

Ringmeister, Rainmaster, Monsieur Le Mans, champion, all ’rounder, Clerk of the Course he may be, but tonight’s honoree is best known, simply, as Jacky Ickx.

We hope you will join us for what promises to be another great evening of racing camaraderie and wonderful stories from days gone by.

Our cocktail reception will commence at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:15 p.m. sharp.

Tickets for our Annual Legends Dinner are expected to sell out quickly, so don’t delay.

RRDC President Bobby Rahal

 

 

 

[FastReader]

I have this morning finished this magnificent work. A tear might be shed, that my daily reading will be no more. Even the credits are a wonderful read. And the image of Jacky Ickx as a man of mud, tarmac and sand shall remain with me.

 

My initial reservation about the price soon went, and for those who don't yet have it, Amazon are now selling at £60-ish. To put the price into context, I calculate I spent £45 on coffee while reading. You may choose whether to view that as an argument for or against.

 

Thank you (again!) Jon!

It's currently available from SpeedyHen for circa £55 and easily worth every penny!

[Jon Saltinstall]

I have this morning finished this magnificent work. A tear might be shed, that my daily reading will be no more. Even the credits are a wonderful read. And the image of Jacky Ickx as a man of mud, tarmac and sand shall remain with me.

 

My initial reservation about the price soon went, and for those who don't yet have it, Amazon are now selling at £60-ish. To put the price into context, I calculate I spent £45 on coffee while reading. You may choose whether to view that as an argument for or against.

 

Thank you (again!) Jon!

 

I am absolutely delighted that you have enjoyed reading the book; I must confess it was great fun to write. Thank you for your kind words; sorry about the increase in your coffee bill, and for the additional strain on your arms for lugging it around!

 

If you fancy listening to me rattling on about the book, the process and a couple of untold Jacky stories, I should shortly have the links to some of the recent podcasts and radio shows I've been lucky enough to be asked to participate in; I will share them here in due course. In the meantime, here's the one with John Hindhaugh on Radio Le Mans at the back end of last year...

 

http://www.radiolema...rsport-s17-e44/

 

Thanks again for your support - it means a lot.

Edited by Jon Saltinstall, 03 April 2023 - 20:02.

[Jon Saltinstall]

Dear Jon, are there any efforts being considered to promote the book here in Belgium?

 

Sorry - I have somehow overlooked this message. Rude of me; my apologies.

 

Jacky himself has done some promotion in Belgium with the IMRC (formerly Jacky Ickx Fan Club) under the auspices of Paul Colasse. We are still trying to put something together for the UK; I'm afraid Jacky's diary is so full, finding a mutually suitable date with the other agencies involved is a bit of a challenge. a similar situation exists in Belgium. I know he is due to make some appearances over the border in France, at various classic events, where some purchasers of the book are hoping to get him to sign their copy. Jacky is renowned for the attention he gives to fans who spend a long time queueing to meet him, so I hope you get the opportunity.

[ReWind]

Report of the April 13 RRDC Evening with some nice photos like this one:

Sorry for the four elderly men obscuring the view on Jutta Fausel's shot from the Nürburgring.

[Richard Jenkins]

Huge congratulations to Jon for winning the coveted and prestigious Guild of Motoring Writers Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy last night for the Ickx book.

Richly and thoroughly deserved.

[Tim Murray]

Many congratulations Jon, a well-deserved award. Congratulations too to Richard Jenkins, one of the two runners-up for his fine book on Tyrrell.

[Alan Lewis]

I'd like to formally propose the creation of a TNF Hall of Fame.🙂

Well done Jon and Richard, you have both created things of beauty (and not for the first time).

Edited by Alan Lewis, 08 December 2023 - 20:57.

[Jon Saltinstall]

Huge congratulations to Jon for winning the coveted and prestigious Guild of Motoring Writers Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy last night for the Ickx book.

Richly and thoroughly deserved.

 

Thanks Richard (and Tim and Alan) for your very kind words. I must admit to feeling extremely proud, rather humbled and still a bit shell-shocked about it all. It's a wonderful accolade, and a testament to the support and faith that Evro have shown in me.

[Sterzo]

Huge congratulations to Jon for winning the coveted and prestigious Guild of Motoring Writers Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy last night for the Ickx book.

If I may add my own one-word reaction to this news, it would be "unsurprised." It elevates the genre of the driver history to another level.
 

[Jon Saltinstall]

If I may add my own one-word reaction to this news, it would be "unsurprised." It elevates the genre of the driver history to another level.
 

 

Oh, I don't know; there were some really good books produced this year, and any one of them would have deserved the trophy! Thanks for your confidence, though, and your kind comments are hugely appreciated.

[FastReader]

Oh, I don't know; there were some really good books produced this year, and any one of them would have deserved the trophy! Thanks for your confidence, though, and your kind comments are hugely appreciated.

Not only would I like to add my own congratulations on this award for a very fine book but also Jacky Ickx himself commented on what an excellent book it is when I got him to sign my copy at the Goodwood Revival.

[john aston]

Oh, I don't know; there were some really good books produced this year, and any one of them would have deserved the trophy! Thanks for your confidence, though, and your kind comments are hugely appreciated.

 It has been a vintage year for the genre  .My books of the year , apart from your  excellent Ickx book , include Richard's Tyrrell work and the super Benetton book by Damien Smith . And my left field book of the year was Driven to Crime - and I hope Crispian does a second edition , when the ...err... time comes . If you know what I mean.....   

[Jon Saltinstall]

 It has been a vintage year for the genre  .My books of the year , apart from your  excellent Ickx book , include Richard's Tyrrell work and the super Benetton book by Damien Smith . And my left field book of the year was Driven to Crime - and I hope Crispian does a second edition , when the ...err... time comes . If you know what I mean.....   

 

Thank you John. Very kind! It's an honour to be listed in such company. I'd also add James Page's work on Hesketh and Doug Nye's just-published, stunning "The Last Eyewitness" to your list. The latter should scoop some awards next year!

Edited by Jon Saltinstall, 12 December 2023 - 21:09.

[Jon Saltinstall]

Not only would I like to add my own congratulations on this award for a very fine book but also Jacky Ickx himself commented on what an excellent book it is when I got him to sign my copy at the Goodwood Revival.

 

Thank you! Jacky embraced the project enthusiastically and has been been a great promoter of the book, which is remarkable when you consider that he doesn't like talking about his own achievements and has spent over three decades declining to be involved in anything remotely autobiographical ... 

Edited by Jon Saltinstall, 12 December 2023 - 21:09.