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By Terry O'Neil. A new edition with about 300
additional images and coverage of the recent Revival events in 2011 and 2012.
The original book took six years of research, in which time a great amount of
printed material was collected and scrutinised for details associated with the
races. It was a sector of motor racing that had remained relatively unexplored
due to the difficulty in finding information, accurate or otherwise, and myths
associated with the event had become ‘fact’ with the passing of time. The
research led to some of the myths being exposed for what they were, purely
myths, but other stories reported at the time have remained a mystery.
To those that question the printed word research can be exciting, frustrating
and very complex. The author also adds the caveat that it is never ending, and
full of traps.
How very true and profound the words turned out to be, as six years on,
comments, information and personal experiences of the event from the readership
has led to numerous additions and detail changes being made to both the text
and the race results.
Approximately 6000 words have been added to the original text that tells of the
rollercoaster history of one of motor sport’s most fascinating curiosities.
The planning of the event started in 1953 and the first races were in 1954 and
went on until 1966, a period in time in which drivers came to enjoy the
scenario of sun, parties and racing at the end of a busy season in America and
Europe.
In the latter years money was also an added attraction, the event being billed
as the largest prize money event in the sports car calendar. This though
brought about problems for some American drivers who were members of the SCCA.
In the eyes of the Sports Car Club of America they were amateur drivers, and as
such should not accept prize money. It appeared that the fact that the Bahamas
was under British rule and not under American jurisdiction for motor racing had
little relevance in the matter.
Throughout the period of the Speed Weeks the races were predominantly for sports
cars, though there were motor cycle races in 1954, powerboat races in 1956,
Karts in 1960-61, and Formula Junior and Formula Vee races in the 1960s.
One of the original aims of the Speed Weeks was to increase tourism in the
Bahamas and fill the hotels in a slack period of the year. It was an aim that
was fulfilled, though at a cost. Much of the money required to organise and run
the Speed Weeks came from the Bahamian government, and as years went by the
demands of the organising body for financial support became more and more. It
must have appeared to the Bahamian government that they were throwing money
into a bottomless pit.
The extended text and detailed result tables in this revised edition are amply
supported by approximately 600 photographs, including many that have not been
published previously, with other supporting material such as programme covers,
race badges, passes, invitations, tickets and letters dispersed throughout the
book.
There is also a more detailed account of the activities of the Bahamas Racing
and Sports Car Club, now sadly defunct, and the Formula Vee races organized by
"Red" Crise and held in 1947 on the island of Grand Bahama.
New to the book is a section on the Revival meetings held since the original
races, culminating in the events started in 2011 and are currently taking place
on the island of New Providence.
Click to view sample pages
Terry O'Neil interview edited Nov 22, 2013
Author Profile: Terry O'Neil
VeloceToday.com Review
By Pete Vack
August 14, 2018
Click image to read full review
The Automobile Reviewby D B-W on JANUARY, 2014
Click image to read full review
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The Bahamas Speed Weeks 
