What do you think?
Rate this book
Cannonball! World's Greatest Outlaw Road Race
This first book of its kind tells the behind-the-scenes story of the incredibly illegal Cannonball rally. This best seller is now available in paperback!In the early 1970s, Brock Yates, senior editor of Car and Driver Magazine, created the now infamous Cannonball Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash; a flat out, no-holds-barred race from New York City to Redondo Beach, California. Setting out to prove that well trained drivers could safely navigate the American highways at speeds in excess of the posted limits, Mr. Yates created a spectacle reminiscent of the glory days of the barnstorming pilots. Filled with fascinating unpublished stories, nostalgic and modern-day photographs, inside information and hilarious stories from this outrageous and incredibly immoral rally. Brock is one of the best-known, most respected automotive journalists in the world today.
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 26, 2002
58 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
About the author
Brock Yates
26 books14 followersBrock Yates was an American journalist and a best-selling author, most frequently about automotive topics and motor sport.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 27, 2020
" . . . the elemental rationale for the Cannonball: 'There is only one rule - there are no rules.'" -- the author, on page 181
I'm not sure of the last time I was so disappointed by a book that I had been looking forward to reading for years. Unless you are a dyed-in-the-wool gearhead, a perpetual subscriber to Car & Driver magazine, or a wannabe NASCAR driver Cannonball! came up short on my expectations.
Named in honor of motorcyclist Edwin 'Cannon Ball' Baker, who supposedly set 143 (!) distance records in the early 20th century, the "Cannonball Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash" (yes, that's the official name) was a cross-country road race held five times throughout the 1970's. Teams of professional or amateur drivers in various types of vehicles began in New York City (and later Connecticut) and concluded at Redondo Beach in Los Angeles County, with the fastest time - as measured by a punch-clock system - being the winner, if only for the bragging rights. Some of the personalities, vehicles, and experiences later inspired the 1981 blockbuster film Cannonball Run.
The author claims one of the reasons for the race was a protest against the then-recently enacted 55 m.p.h. national speed limit in the U.S. He goes on to mention that while numerous drivers received traffic citations (average speeds between 80 and 120) there were only a handful of minor accidents.
However, the book turned out to be rather boring after awhile. It was NOT like the movie - which, admittedly, is no classic, though it was funny at times with its 'anything goes' zaniness - but more of a collection of many essays, vignettes and anecdotes by the various participants which, after the first half-dozen or so, began to repetitiously sound a lot alike. Many times it boiled down to 1.) hitting pot-holes throughout Pennsylvania (*as a native I can attest this is true*), 2.) attempting to evade - not always successfully - highway patrol officers, specifically in Ohio, Arizona, and California and 3.) predictably running into mechanical problems and/or bad weather, often in either the Midwest or Southwest states. Maybe this all would've worked better as a long-form magazine article instead.
I'm not sure of the last time I was so disappointed by a book that I had been looking forward to reading for years. Unless you are a dyed-in-the-wool gearhead, a perpetual subscriber to Car & Driver magazine, or a wannabe NASCAR driver Cannonball! came up short on my expectations.
Named in honor of motorcyclist Edwin 'Cannon Ball' Baker, who supposedly set 143 (!) distance records in the early 20th century, the "Cannonball Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash" (yes, that's the official name) was a cross-country road race held five times throughout the 1970's. Teams of professional or amateur drivers in various types of vehicles began in New York City (and later Connecticut) and concluded at Redondo Beach in Los Angeles County, with the fastest time - as measured by a punch-clock system - being the winner, if only for the bragging rights. Some of the personalities, vehicles, and experiences later inspired the 1981 blockbuster film Cannonball Run.
The author claims one of the reasons for the race was a protest against the then-recently enacted 55 m.p.h. national speed limit in the U.S. He goes on to mention that while numerous drivers received traffic citations (average speeds between 80 and 120) there were only a handful of minor accidents.
However, the book turned out to be rather boring after awhile. It was NOT like the movie - which, admittedly, is no classic, though it was funny at times with its 'anything goes' zaniness - but more of a collection of many essays, vignettes and anecdotes by the various participants which, after the first half-dozen or so, began to repetitiously sound a lot alike. Many times it boiled down to 1.) hitting pot-holes throughout Pennsylvania (*as a native I can attest this is true*), 2.) attempting to evade - not always successfully - highway patrol officers, specifically in Ohio, Arizona, and California and 3.) predictably running into mechanical problems and/or bad weather, often in either the Midwest or Southwest states. Maybe this all would've worked better as a long-form magazine article instead.
December 21, 2019
Car-guy extraordinaire Brock Yates organized and participated in five Cannonball Runs in the 1970s.
What’s a Cannonball ? it is a race against the clock, but you just may see some of your competitors along the way, from New York City to Los Angeles.
Of course the idea is to -go fast- so it may be likely you would chose a sporty car, like an exotic Ferrari Daytona, or muscly Dodge Challenger, but since law enforcement will not be smiling upon you, you may try the less sleek, but stealthy transportation of a Cadillac limousine, pickup truck, or Ambulance.
Just like the race, author Yates organizes and participates in his book; he writes the intro to each chapter, one for each race and then the various other participants contribute a page or two on their perspective of getting lost or arrested or dealing with different parts of their cars not working or falling off.
It reads like a fun magazine article, which parts of it are. Your enjoyment will be based on your interest in the wild side of autos and their drivers, but it is not nuts and bolts of engines etc and there are plenty of fun photos.
————
Yates and the various racers often exclaim what a wild, crazy and outlaw thing they are doing ! I was in my teens and 20s during the 70s and though I was not aware of any Cannonballs going on, like any young man with the urge to drive I had my own goals, which I accomplished with my 2 seat ’68 AMX 343ci, 280hp, Red, complete with white racing stripes, yes a powerful police magnet.
One fine day I drove around all of Lake Erie, with stops in Toronto and Niagara Falls, as my girlfriend and I were too young to stay overnight together. On a solo adventure, I drove to California quickly, but with touristy stops along the way, but then I returned cross-country as fast as I could go, stops only for petrol and there better be a burger doodle nearby. Now I wasn’t doing 130mph (972kph) like some of the folks in Cannonball, but the speed limit was the painful 55mph during some of those years so for me and the possibility of an expensive traffic ticket, doing 75 or 85mph was daring ! Now that I write that, ok maybe it was all wild and crazy, and now over 40 years later, I still own that car.
What’s a Cannonball ? it is a race against the clock, but you just may see some of your competitors along the way, from New York City to Los Angeles.
Of course the idea is to -go fast- so it may be likely you would chose a sporty car, like an exotic Ferrari Daytona, or muscly Dodge Challenger, but since law enforcement will not be smiling upon you, you may try the less sleek, but stealthy transportation of a Cadillac limousine, pickup truck, or Ambulance.
Just like the race, author Yates organizes and participates in his book; he writes the intro to each chapter, one for each race and then the various other participants contribute a page or two on their perspective of getting lost or arrested or dealing with different parts of their cars not working or falling off.
It reads like a fun magazine article, which parts of it are. Your enjoyment will be based on your interest in the wild side of autos and their drivers, but it is not nuts and bolts of engines etc and there are plenty of fun photos.
————
Yates and the various racers often exclaim what a wild, crazy and outlaw thing they are doing ! I was in my teens and 20s during the 70s and though I was not aware of any Cannonballs going on, like any young man with the urge to drive I had my own goals, which I accomplished with my 2 seat ’68 AMX 343ci, 280hp, Red, complete with white racing stripes, yes a powerful police magnet.
One fine day I drove around all of Lake Erie, with stops in Toronto and Niagara Falls, as my girlfriend and I were too young to stay overnight together. On a solo adventure, I drove to California quickly, but with touristy stops along the way, but then I returned cross-country as fast as I could go, stops only for petrol and there better be a burger doodle nearby. Now I wasn’t doing 130mph (972kph) like some of the folks in Cannonball, but the speed limit was the painful 55mph during some of those years so for me and the possibility of an expensive traffic ticket, doing 75 or 85mph was daring ! Now that I write that, ok maybe it was all wild and crazy, and now over 40 years later, I still own that car.
February 21, 2013
Like many people my age, I have seen the Cannonball Run movie dozens of times. However, it was only after completing a Cannonball-based rally event, and only after it was recommended to me by another participant, that I even knew this book existed. I was very excited to read this book and, while there is definitely material worth reading, it requires an awful lot of skimming to get through it.
The parts written by Yates were the essential passages for me, while repetitive recollections of each race by multiple participants became tiresome after awhile. However, anyone who has experienced a rally race or is contemplating one should definitely read this book. The encounters with law enforcement hit particularly close to home for this reader.
Especially interesting to me was how the movie, while based on several actual events during the final 1979 Cannonball Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Race, devolved into a complete farce that bore little resemblance to the original script Yates was so proud of. While the movie has become a cult classic and one of the highest grossing comedies of all time, I can't help but wonder what the film Yates wanted to make would have looked like.
Definitely recommended to participants of car races or fans of the film - with a caveat about skimming.
The parts written by Yates were the essential passages for me, while repetitive recollections of each race by multiple participants became tiresome after awhile. However, anyone who has experienced a rally race or is contemplating one should definitely read this book. The encounters with law enforcement hit particularly close to home for this reader.
Especially interesting to me was how the movie, while based on several actual events during the final 1979 Cannonball Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Race, devolved into a complete farce that bore little resemblance to the original script Yates was so proud of. While the movie has become a cult classic and one of the highest grossing comedies of all time, I can't help but wonder what the film Yates wanted to make would have looked like.
Definitely recommended to participants of car races or fans of the film - with a caveat about skimming.
August 12, 2016
Awesome.
I can think of no better way to explain how good this book is than to say that it will almost certainly make you want to attempt a high-speed, cross-country road race in your car. I've recommended it to several people and every one of them has come back with that suggestion.
I'm pretty sure that's why Yates included a bit of advice from one of the drivers who'd done it (note: I'm paraphrasing 'cause I'm too lazy to look up the quote):
If you think you'd like to try a cannonball, go out this weekend and sit in your car. Don't go anywhere. Just sit in your car in your driveway for two days straight. If, after doing that, you still want to do a cannonball, then maybe you should give it a shot.
I can think of no better way to explain how good this book is than to say that it will almost certainly make you want to attempt a high-speed, cross-country road race in your car. I've recommended it to several people and every one of them has come back with that suggestion.
I'm pretty sure that's why Yates included a bit of advice from one of the drivers who'd done it (note: I'm paraphrasing 'cause I'm too lazy to look up the quote):
If you think you'd like to try a cannonball, go out this weekend and sit in your car. Don't go anywhere. Just sit in your car in your driveway for two days straight. If, after doing that, you still want to do a cannonball, then maybe you should give it a shot.
August 9, 2016
The book is composed of loose stories and tidbits from the actual Cannonball races from the 70's. Yates spins tales of outwitting local law enforcement, driving at breakneck speeds, and generally having a blast. Several of the original participants share anecdotes, and in the hardcover edition, there are photos from the actual event, including the infamous Trans-Con Medivac and some from the set of the movie.
I'd recommend it as an interesting look into the tumultuous world of the late 70's and what a handful of automotive journalists did to make their mark of defiance. Mostly, it's fun to see what people were able to get away with back then. If you like cars and driving, then you may enjoy it.
I'd recommend it as an interesting look into the tumultuous world of the late 70's and what a handful of automotive journalists did to make their mark of defiance. Mostly, it's fun to see what people were able to get away with back then. If you like cars and driving, then you may enjoy it.
October 31, 2019
When I first saw Cannonball! by Brock Yates I immediately thought this would be a great book. This book will be about cars and racing which are very intriguing topics. The cover has a picture of a 1971 Dodge Challenger in white with huge lights on the front. Also underneath the title was the words “The World's Greatest Outlaw Road Race”. This triggered something inside of me that said that I need to read this book. I saw it was longer as well which I like because it means there is a lot of details. There was also pictures in the middle of the book which are very cool because you can see if the way you pictured things in your head are actually like the real world. With the book being about cars and racing it reads differently than a normal book. First it’s nonfiction, which makes you take everything you read and you can put it in a real life scenario. Secondly, it makes the book more fun to read because you don’t know is coming on the next page when you are in the midst of reading. The way the book is written also makes it interesting. It’s written from the people who competed in the events point of view. This created an overall good sense of what happened during the race when there wasn’t anyone out there actually monitoring it. As a reader you felt connected the narrator as they told their unique story. The book has met the expectations I had for it in the beginning and exceeded them greatly. The amount of detail that I thought it would have was there but in some places even that was surpassed. I did a little side research when I was reading and found out some fun facts about some of the cars that were involved in the book that you wouldn’t even know if you read the book. After the first part of the book I think that they will have another race the year after this one because of what a good time the narrators had during their time competing.
June 8, 2014
Cannonball: World’s Greatest Outlaw Road Race
Author: Brock Yates
Publisher: MBI Publishing Company
Published In: St. Paul, MN, USA
Date: 2002
Pgs: 281
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
The Cannonball Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, a coast-to-coast, New York to California road race. Movies were made. Stories were told. It actually happened, 4 times in the 1970s. In the days of the death of the American muscle car, when CAFE standards, corporate average fuel economy, were limiting the emissions and power of cars on American roads, these outlaws, inlaws, protesters, and proud Americans went on an odyssey across America. The idea being that well trained drivers could control their vehicles safely at necessary speeds and safely cross America, that there was no reason that the American Interstate System couldn’t stand alongside the German Autobahn. These are the stories of the drivers and the drive told in the words of the folks who actually drove the race.
Genre:
Adventure
Autobiography and memoir
Behind the Scenes
Biography
Film
History
Non-fiction
Society
Sport and leisure
Why this book:
I loved those movies. And the idea of reading the true stories of the actual races appealed to me.
This Story is About:
courage, working hard, doing the right thing, greed, friends, jealousy, love, caring, happiness, sadness, family
Story title is short story collection:
Favorite Character:
Brock Yates, the head outlaw in charge.
Least Favorite Character:
Shame that Robert Redford’s schedule wouldn’t let him do that initial run.
Character I Most Identified With:
Couldn’t find a character here that I really identified with. I see characters here that I recognize as archetypes that I’ve known all my life.
The Feel:
The book is on heavy magazine paper which is sorta cool. Gives it a different feel...even though that’s not the feel that I usually refer to in this section.
I wish this would have been more story and less recollection. I wanted this to be something that it wasn’t going to be. I liked it. But...just pipe dreaming.
Favorite Scene:
The realization that that wing they put on top of the van they made the initial run in was looking cool, but that was all it was good for as it ate mph and extra gallons of fuel.
One of the teams showing up dressed as priests as their Highway Patrol camouflage for the race. And The Right Bra Racing Team...obviously from their team picture, not wearing the aforementioned article of clothing.
The ambulance run.
The bra less Right Bra Team.
Pacing:
The pace is slow. To be expected in a book that isn’t really a story, but rather the recollections of people who took part in the various runnings of the Cannonball.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
Hmm Moments:
The comment that was made after the 2nd Cannonball rings essentially true for me.
...We have maintained for a long time that a competent driver, in a good handling and braking car, is safer at 100 mph than an ill-handling, ill-braking hulk with a petrified driver at 50.
Makes me sad that so many of those who ran in these coast-to-coast rallys looking back on them from today’s perspective seem to be ashamed of it. I’d wear it like a badge of honor. Just makes me sad.
Reading about Yates hopes for the Cannonball Run movie and the way things turned out is sad.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
There were a couple movies made from the bones of the Cannonball. None of them caught what Yates was looking for.
Casting call:
It’s a shame that the Cannonball movie with Paul Newman didn’t get made. That could have been awesome. No doubt, that movie would have held closer to Yates vision.
Last Page Sound:
Well...
Author Assessment:
It’s a decent read. I might like to peek at some of Yates other stuff just to see what his style is like on other subject matter.
Editorial Assessment:
Fine.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
it’s alright
Disposition of Book:
Library
Would recommend to:
genre fans
Author: Brock Yates
Publisher: MBI Publishing Company
Published In: St. Paul, MN, USA
Date: 2002
Pgs: 281
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
The Cannonball Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, a coast-to-coast, New York to California road race. Movies were made. Stories were told. It actually happened, 4 times in the 1970s. In the days of the death of the American muscle car, when CAFE standards, corporate average fuel economy, were limiting the emissions and power of cars on American roads, these outlaws, inlaws, protesters, and proud Americans went on an odyssey across America. The idea being that well trained drivers could control their vehicles safely at necessary speeds and safely cross America, that there was no reason that the American Interstate System couldn’t stand alongside the German Autobahn. These are the stories of the drivers and the drive told in the words of the folks who actually drove the race.
Genre:
Adventure
Autobiography and memoir
Behind the Scenes
Biography
Film
History
Non-fiction
Society
Sport and leisure
Why this book:
I loved those movies. And the idea of reading the true stories of the actual races appealed to me.
This Story is About:
courage, working hard, doing the right thing, greed, friends, jealousy, love, caring, happiness, sadness, family
Story title is short story collection:
Favorite Character:
Brock Yates, the head outlaw in charge.
Least Favorite Character:
Shame that Robert Redford’s schedule wouldn’t let him do that initial run.
Character I Most Identified With:
Couldn’t find a character here that I really identified with. I see characters here that I recognize as archetypes that I’ve known all my life.
The Feel:
The book is on heavy magazine paper which is sorta cool. Gives it a different feel...even though that’s not the feel that I usually refer to in this section.
I wish this would have been more story and less recollection. I wanted this to be something that it wasn’t going to be. I liked it. But...just pipe dreaming.
Favorite Scene:
The realization that that wing they put on top of the van they made the initial run in was looking cool, but that was all it was good for as it ate mph and extra gallons of fuel.
One of the teams showing up dressed as priests as their Highway Patrol camouflage for the race. And The Right Bra Racing Team...obviously from their team picture, not wearing the aforementioned article of clothing.
The ambulance run.
The bra less Right Bra Team.
Pacing:
The pace is slow. To be expected in a book that isn’t really a story, but rather the recollections of people who took part in the various runnings of the Cannonball.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
Hmm Moments:
The comment that was made after the 2nd Cannonball rings essentially true for me.
...We have maintained for a long time that a competent driver, in a good handling and braking car, is safer at 100 mph than an ill-handling, ill-braking hulk with a petrified driver at 50.
Makes me sad that so many of those who ran in these coast-to-coast rallys looking back on them from today’s perspective seem to be ashamed of it. I’d wear it like a badge of honor. Just makes me sad.
Reading about Yates hopes for the Cannonball Run movie and the way things turned out is sad.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
There were a couple movies made from the bones of the Cannonball. None of them caught what Yates was looking for.
Casting call:
It’s a shame that the Cannonball movie with Paul Newman didn’t get made. That could have been awesome. No doubt, that movie would have held closer to Yates vision.
Last Page Sound:
Well...
Author Assessment:
It’s a decent read. I might like to peek at some of Yates other stuff just to see what his style is like on other subject matter.
Editorial Assessment:
Fine.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
it’s alright
Disposition of Book:
Library
Would recommend to:
genre fans
September 16, 2010
Many people do not realize that the horrible movie "The Cannonball Run" was actually based on a real-life series of cross-country races known, tongue-in-cheek, as the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Tropy Dash. The race was organized by respected automotive journalist Brock Yates and was held four times during the 1970s. The premise of the race was, simply, to see who could get from New York, NY to Long Beach, CA the quickest.
In addition to being sporting fun for motoring enthusiasts, the Cannonball was intended to demonstrate that competent drivers could travel safely and efficiently across the interstate highway system at speeds far exceeding the then-55-mph speed limit. While the races were invitation-only, the teams could field as many co-drivers as they wanted, in whatever type of vehicle they felt was appropriate. Everything from motorcycles to pickup trucks to Ferraris to Cadillacs to motor homes (and, yes, an ambulance) participated.
Yates recounts each race's major events in this book, with the help of many of the key players who made the Cannonballs so memorable. Included are tales of mechanical breakdowns, MANY run-ins with law enforcement, struggles with the weather, and engineering ideas gone awry. Above all, it contains a colorful cast of real-life characters far more interesting than Burt Reynolds and his buddies, who somehow managed to mug their way through an entire film with absolutely no appreciation for the true story behind the script.
This book captures the free-wheeling, anti-establishmentarian feeling of the 1970s quite well. It is also a sad reminder of an era that has been lost - such a race could never take place in today's litigious society. It is a must-read for any car enthusiast who has ever wondered, "How fast COULD I drive across the United States, and how would I do it?"
In addition to being sporting fun for motoring enthusiasts, the Cannonball was intended to demonstrate that competent drivers could travel safely and efficiently across the interstate highway system at speeds far exceeding the then-55-mph speed limit. While the races were invitation-only, the teams could field as many co-drivers as they wanted, in whatever type of vehicle they felt was appropriate. Everything from motorcycles to pickup trucks to Ferraris to Cadillacs to motor homes (and, yes, an ambulance) participated.
Yates recounts each race's major events in this book, with the help of many of the key players who made the Cannonballs so memorable. Included are tales of mechanical breakdowns, MANY run-ins with law enforcement, struggles with the weather, and engineering ideas gone awry. Above all, it contains a colorful cast of real-life characters far more interesting than Burt Reynolds and his buddies, who somehow managed to mug their way through an entire film with absolutely no appreciation for the true story behind the script.
This book captures the free-wheeling, anti-establishmentarian feeling of the 1970s quite well. It is also a sad reminder of an era that has been lost - such a race could never take place in today's litigious society. It is a must-read for any car enthusiast who has ever wondered, "How fast COULD I drive across the United States, and how would I do it?"
June 10, 2011
I was curious about this book after reading a review in a car mag. Mostly I liked it but some of the detail about 480 cubic engines blah blah is really for extreme petrol heads. I was more interested in the characters that signed up to a series of these crazy "sea to shining sea memorial dashes", what made normally sensible people embark on such a venture as have often thought of something like this myself! Read it with that in mind and you will get some fun out of this book and of course you will be looking for the real people behind some of the characters from the movie!
November 10, 2024
Brock Yates perspective of the storied cross country runs gives great context to the “why” and “how”. All of the excerpts from his fellow competitors covers the “who”. The cannonball record is something every car guy has heard of, but the origin story is far from what it has become today. The idea of the sports cars of the day averaging speeds that most of us average in our daily commute is amusing in the context of modern machinery, but I fear the luxury of blasting down the open road is something we may never truly experience again.
December 2, 2014
This book is a compilation of essays written by those brave, crazy souls who ran the actual Cannonball Run coast-to-coast races of the 1970s. As such, the writing is uneven and there is a lot of information repeated by different authors. That said, these stories are fascinating no matter how many times you hear them. This book should be required reading for anyone about to partake on an epic road trip across the USA.
November 16, 2012
It was a pretty decent book. Most of it is recollections of people other than the author, so you'll hear about the same event through many eyes, which can be both tedious and interesting depending on how you look at it. I think it's worth a solid three stars - if you're not interested in the Cannonball road race, don't bother; But if you are, it's worth checking out.
August 4, 2018
Why cannot I be 40 in the '70s?! The race that inspired the movie is detailed here. Nearly every racer has a mirror in the movie. Imagine doing 80+ across I-80 with a F-1 driver. That's the first cannonball race. Christ, I would love to do this but in this environment we cannot. Sad face :(
Seriously, read this book if you can find it.
Seriously, read this book if you can find it.
August 5, 2022
Very good storytelling about the Cannonball!
Brock Yates was a one of a kind writer, editor and racer who came up with the crazy idea to race across the United States. I sure wish that I could've done that back then! If you've ever been intrigued by the Cannonball, you'll enjoy this book, too!
Brock Yates was a one of a kind writer, editor and racer who came up with the crazy idea to race across the United States. I sure wish that I could've done that back then! If you've ever been intrigued by the Cannonball, you'll enjoy this book, too!
February 19, 2014
It's a zany tale of an underground race and the cast of characters you'd imagine would risk life, limb, and freedom to participate. I felt as if it could have been condensed a little, but the first half of the book did have me laughing out loud.
November 16, 2009
Sheer fun. Brock's one of the best there is at this kind of writing and he was THERE.
December 27, 2012
A fun tale from another time. As always, the true story will always be better than a dumbed-down Hollywood contrivance.
November 12, 2013
As a car guy and a fan of the madcap 80s movie, this was a blast to read. Makes me want to crank up the big V8 and go blasting across America's roadways.
July 6, 2020
Only true gearheads will understand 😉
November 17, 2021
We need more good natured and mostly harmless scofflaws in this world.
June 26, 2023
Fantastic! Absolutely to read, for every piston head… a long history of a series of illegal road competition, but, spoiler, they haven’t been so outlaws or criminal 😉
August 23, 2023
It is such a great collaboration of perspectives from a series of races that are just legendary!
April 8, 2020
This book, relaxed and informal in execution, is essential to understanding what happened before, during and after these races. What I knew about the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash was gleaned from various movies; "Cannonball Run," "Gumball Rally," and the really twisted first one with David Carradine, "Cannonball." I didn't know crap.
When one of my clients happened to mention he RAN the race (in the most valuable car ever to enter), I was gobsmacked and immediately started grilling him about the experience. He ran it with his wife in 1979, finishing the New York City to Los Angeles run in just over 40 hours...even with a break down at the very start. He is mentioned in the book and writes one section, describing his experience. The book is out of print but he loaned me a copy to read and I'm so glad he did. Highly recommended for anyone even slightly curious about the famous underground race. The book is funny, irreverent, intelligent, bold and reckless. Just like the race.
When one of my clients happened to mention he RAN the race (in the most valuable car ever to enter), I was gobsmacked and immediately started grilling him about the experience. He ran it with his wife in 1979, finishing the New York City to Los Angeles run in just over 40 hours...even with a break down at the very start. He is mentioned in the book and writes one section, describing his experience. The book is out of print but he loaned me a copy to read and I'm so glad he did. Highly recommended for anyone even slightly curious about the famous underground race. The book is funny, irreverent, intelligent, bold and reckless. Just like the race.
July 5, 2017
I fell in love with Yates's writing when I was a young teenager. His columns in Car & Driver were priceless (if you remember the piece "It's not a Dodge, it's a Polara", you're a full fledged student of Yates.), and the road test articles he penned were unequalled. My distaste and distrust of the over-reaching, scolding nanny state were fueled by his pen. My love for the freedom of and joy that can be found by experiencing the open highways and broad vistas of Canada and the USA were fostered by his words.
The Cannonball Baker Dash was chronicled in C&D, and reading this book brought back great memories of running down to the drugstore to see if the latest copy of the car mags had come in yet, and how the writing in C&D was so far above the other car mags I devoured monthly. Great stories in this book. RIP Brock Yates, the greatest American writer of our generation.
The Cannonball Baker Dash was chronicled in C&D, and reading this book brought back great memories of running down to the drugstore to see if the latest copy of the car mags had come in yet, and how the writing in C&D was so far above the other car mags I devoured monthly. Great stories in this book. RIP Brock Yates, the greatest American writer of our generation.
May 28, 2023
Interesting, but repetitive account of the Cannonball Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, also known as the Cannonball Run because of the movie of of the same name. A variety of drivers and vehicles compete to drive coast to coast in the shortest time. Shenanigans ensue. I gleaned some facts about the race and the movie, plus a couple of other movie versions I didn't know existed, but I probably would have been just as well informed by reading the Car and Driver article about the first run of the race.
June 4, 2019
Less of a book and more a collection of vignettes from drivers in the Cannonball races. As a somewhat reformed auto enthusiast, the background of the events was interesting, but didn’t really fill out an entire book. Alex Roy’s “The Driver: My Dangerous Pursuit of Speed and Truth in the Outlaw Racing World” was much better written and entertaining.
November 13, 2019
An interesting look in a unique piece of American motorsport history.
September 27, 2020
What a trip to read the actual behind the scenes craziness the Cannonball race was in reality.
February 19, 2016
The Cannonball is the cross-country "The Only Rule Is There Are No Rules" road race. This book tells the story of the race first-hand, with descriptions by the people the created and participated in it.
I'm pretty fascinated by the race, and by the more recent attempts inspired by it. I was looking forward to reading the details, and started off enjoying the book: Brock Yates's attitude might be a little bit arrogant, but it can also be fun to read. But, after reading about a third of the book, all of the different stories started to get repetitive.
Maybe there's just not that much to tell: many of the descriptions of running the race included sections of going through multiple states with virtually no distinctive events. Overall, I'm glad I read this book, I just wish it was tightened up.
I'm pretty fascinated by the race, and by the more recent attempts inspired by it. I was looking forward to reading the details, and started off enjoying the book: Brock Yates's attitude might be a little bit arrogant, but it can also be fun to read. But, after reading about a third of the book, all of the different stories started to get repetitive.
Maybe there's just not that much to tell: many of the descriptions of running the race included sections of going through multiple states with virtually no distinctive events. Overall, I'm glad I read this book, I just wish it was tightened up.
January 23, 2008
Brock lets his friends do the writing for him. I am into road racing, so I was hooked before I opened the book. However, I tired of it after reading so many accounts of essentially the same thing. If you are intrigued, check it out from the library and when you start to lose interest, return it. You won't miss anything by not making it to the end. (Sorry, Dave R.)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews