Racing in the Shadows

Racing in the Shadows tells the story of Don Nichols, one of the most intriguing designers in professional car racing, and his company, Shadow Racing.

Written with unprecedented access to company records as well as private letters and notes, renderings, drawings, and photos from Nichols’ life, Racing in the Shadows provides a compelling account of the true story behind Shadow Racing’s remarkable racing cars and the individuals who created them. Beginning with his difficult childhood and service as a WWII paratrooper, authors John Nikas and Richard Harman provide a comprehensive overview of Don Nichols’ motorsports and manufacturing career, with a special focus on his innovative work with Shadow Racing in the 1960s and ’70s. Shadow Racing’s entire lifespan is detailed—from the company’s early setbacks to their eventual Formula One victory in 1974—along with exploits from Nichols’ later career, which included military work and efforts to create an early hybrid vehicle. Illustrated with almost 1000 photographs, most of them never before seen by the public, Racing in the Shadows is a lavish and loving look at a singular racecar designer.