'Hot Rod Pioneers' covers the golden age of the sport - the years immediately following World War II (when the term "hot rod" was coined), and hot rodding's explosion in popularity during the 1950s and 1960s. The story is continued through the gas-crisis downturn in the 1970s and the emergence of a new generation of hot rod enthusiasts in the 1980s and 1990s.
Almquist provides intimate profiles of the fascinating personalities who built this dynamic sport and industry. Readers will find many previously-unknown facts about the pioneers who significantly influenced the performance, safety, and appearance of today's automobiles.
From the 1940s through the 1990s, the stories of over 200 pioneers, including:
- "Big Daddy" Don Garlits
- Craig Breedlove
- Eddie Hill
- The Granatellis
- Don Prudhomme
- George Barris
- Mickey Thompson
- Wally Parks
- Ed Roth
- Dan Gurney
- Vic Edelbrook
- Smokey Yunick
Himself a hot rod pioneer, Ed Almquist tells the story of the history of the sport through profiles of over 200 innovators and legends.
