Donohue book honored at IAMA awards

David Bull Publishing is proud to announce that Michael Argetsinger’s Mark Donohue: Technical Excellence at Speed swept the awards in the 2009 International Automotive Media Competition (IAMC). Argetsinger’s book received a gold medal as best biography and was also cited as the year’s Best Book. Then, at the end of the ceremony, it was announced that it had won over all other entries from the automotive media—including books, magazines, newspapers, Internet, radio, and television—to be named “Best of 2009." The awards were held on Monday, June 21, 2010 at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan.

Mark Donohue: Technical Excellence at Speed is the first complete biography of Mark Donohue, who redefined what it meant to be a successful driver in the 1960s and 1970s. Driving for his like-minded team owner, Roger Penske, Donohue became a two-time champion in both the U.S. Road Racing Championship and the Trans-Am sedan series before scoring his greatest win at the 1972 Indianapolis 500. Following a brief retirement, Donohue returned to lead Penske Racing’s Formula One effort and died in 1975 after an accident at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Argetsinger spent years researching and writing the book, which draws upon interviews with Donohue’s family, friends, and teammates, as well as observations from such great drivers as Mario Andretti, George Follmer, David Hobbs, Parnelli Jones, and Sam Posey. He also listened to the original, unedited audio tapes dictated by Donohue for his own 1975 book, The Unfair Advantage. Mark’s close friend and team leader Roger Penske provided the book’s foreword.

This is the second multiple win for Argetsinger in the IAMC. In 2006 his first book, Walt Hansgen: His Life and the History of Post-War American Road Racing, was also named Best Book and Best Biography. “It’s a great honor to be recognized again," says Argetsinger. “I think the awards are also a tribute to all of the people who helped me by contributing their time and memories of Mark Donohue."