Hottest race cars

*Starred Review* Auto racing. You don't need to be an athlete; you just have to keep turning left. Actually today's drivers and their cars have it plenty tough, and that's part of the mystique that has turned racing into one of the most popular sports on the planet. Egan gets the attraction, and she clearly and enthusiastically explains enough of the technical and cultural detail to help the unconvinced understand what all the hubbub is about. This volume in the new Wild Wheels! series concentrates on open-wheel racing, the kind where cars look more like rockets than road runners. Along with presenting a bit of racing's history, Egan unravels confusion about the three kinds of open-wheel competitions (Formula One, Indy, and Champ). Then she takes a quick but revealing look at major car componets, highlighting the punishment they take as well as improvements that have made cars safer, and also faster, than ever before. Information on drivers' gear, race strategy, and more, along with a sprinkling of anecdotes (Indy 500 winners traditionally celebrate by drinking milk; Formula One drivers drink champagne!) fill the rest of the pages, which are loaded with full-color photos. The photos are sometimes poorly cropped, but that's a small flaw in an otherwise first-rate title, colorfully designed to help the facts leap off the page. A glossary and further readings are appended.--Zvirin, Stephanie Copyright 2007 Booklist