When we reviewed Michael Argetsinger’s previous Donohue book, we commented on the decision to include very few photographs. This new edition from David Bull Publishing redresses the omission, and is very much ‘Volume II’ of a definitive biography of the great American racing driver.

Donohue was well known for his skills as both a racing driver and an engineer, forming a partnership with Roger Penske which saw him develop competition cars as varied as the Trans Am Camaros and Javelins, the 917-beating Ferrari 512M and what was, at the time, the world’s most powerful racing car: the Can Am Porsche 917/30. Single-seater racing featured too, with a win at the Indianapolis 500 in 1972 (the Penske team’s first), and a stop-start Formula 1 career.

Sadly, it was behind the wheel of a Penske-run March 751, in pre-race, Sunday morning warm-up for the Austrian GP in 1975, that Donohue lost his life.

The book’s photographs are well-chosen and chart Donohue’s career from hillclimbing a Corvette in 1958 to the glory years of Trans Am and Can Am domination.

The narrative of the previous, exhaustively researched book is carried over, so casual enthusiasts of 60s/70s motor racing will still learn a great deal about the man and his cars.

I particularly liked the photo of the Sunoco Trans Am Camaro in preparation, the drips from the acid-dipping clearly visible on the unpainted bodywork.

Penske and Donohue were a formidable combination, and this reasonably priced book is an important work on the history of both.

The book (Hardcover, 9" x 11", 160 pages, 126 black & white and 118 colour photographs. ISBN-13: 978-1-935007-09-8) is published by David Bull Publishing and priced at US$39.95 plus postage.

For further information, see www.bullpublishing.com.

Text Steve Wakefield
Photographs from 'Mark Donohue - His Life in Photographs' - Strictly Copyright