Racing in the Dark
How the Bentley Boys Conquered Le Mans
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Racing in the Dark
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Narrated by:
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Peter Grimsdale
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By:
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Peter Grimsdale
About this listen
'Glorious...gripping and sometimes tragic' Robbie Coltrane
The inspirational story of the Bentley Boys and Le Mans – the race they made their own.
Le Mans, 1927. W.O. Bentley peered into the dusk. His three cars, which had led from the start, were missing. Two years running he had failed to finish. Once again he was staring into a void. Racing, his shareholders told him, was a waste of money. This race looked like being his last.
W.O’s engineering skills had been forged on the Great Northern railway and in the skies of the First World War, where Bentley-powered Sopwith Camels took the fight to Germany’s Red Baron. Determined to build and race his own cars, he assembled a crack team from all strata of 1920s Britain, from East End boys Leslie Pennal and Wally Hassan to multi-millionaires Woolf Barnato and Tim Birkin, men in search of adventures to blaze their way out of the dark past.
They dedicated themselves to building the perfect road and racing car. In the hayloft above their workshop, the first Bentley was born and soon it was the car of choice for the fast-living upper classes. They raced at the fashionable Brooklands circuit and then set their sights on the fledgling 24 Hours Le Mans race. An audacious goal for a British car, yet the Bentley Boys rose to the challenge. But on that night in 1927, after the biggest crash in racing history claimed their cars, could they still pull it off and put British motor racing on the map?
In the 1920s, Bentley Motors burned brightly but all too briefly; yet its tale, filled with drama, tragedy, determination and glory still shines a century on. ©2021 Peter Grimsdale (P)2021 Simon & Schuster UK
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Bengunn07
- 13-03-22
A brilliant glimpse of British motoring history.
A great read and read perfectly by the narrator. For lovers of British Motoring, Engineering and motorsport you can't go wrong with this.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Adam Ellson
- 04-12-24
a fantastically interesting book
a fantastically interesting book, about the amazing history of one if the biggest car manufacturer in the world, and the man, and people behind it's creation, and the making of the legend.
a must read/ listen
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 09-03-23
Excellent Story of W.O and the Bentley Boys
I really enjoyed expanding my knowledge on the early days of Bentley Motors. Gripping story all the way to the end, would definitely recommend to anyone who is in the vintage car world!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Matthew M Smith
- 17-07-23
Another masterpiece from Peter Grimsdale.
This is the second title from Peter Grimsdale that I have completed. I loved the first book ‘High Performance’, and am pleased to say that ‘Racing in the Dark’ was equally impressive. Each chapter is a short story in itself. The narrative flows, and if you’re interested in motor racing and motoring history I’m sure that you won’t be disappointed. The author (who is also the narrator) has an engaging voice which helps make each chapter a pleasure to listen to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- R.W.A.Coe
- 09-08-24
brilliant motoring history
a very impressive history of Bentley and particularly the aspects relating to le mans.
a superb read
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