Book Reviews - Full Circle Ferrari GTO

” From its inception the Ferrari 250 GTO was a sensationally competitive car, embraced by top European and American teams, and it seemed unlikely that a young rocket scientist from Cape Canaveral could successfully race the first one. This compelling memoir reveals his exciting story, and his 5-decade off-again, on-again relationship with this brilliantly-conceived machine that has become a dominant automotive icon.”

David Hobbs – long-time Formula 1 TV commentator & noted driver in many racing series

“Racing stories are often told about the car and how it fared in a race, but I’ve always believed the most interesting parts are about the people who raced the car, who worked on the car, with a little bit about the races it competed in. This is a spirited story about someone’s journey with a very special car, the Ferrari GTO 250, with some interesting in-period facts. Delightful read!”

Lyn St. James – award-winning driver (Indianapolis 500, Daytona, Sebring, Le Mans, more)

“DRUM ROLL! The must-read story of a man’s fateful car journey through time.

“Learning an instrument isn’t about becoming a star, any more than learning to swim means you want to be a haddock. A Ferrari GTO is a fine instrument, and learning to use one properly doesn’t make you a Fangio. But it can bring huge gratification. And like a Chateau Pétrus, if you love fine wines, the GTO is the safe, winning choice.”

Nick Mason – Pink Floyd star drummer, long-time owner of Ferrari GTO s/n 3757

“There are few that can tell a story like Larry Perkins. Okay, maybe a bit of BS, too, but his stories of life experiences in the space program and racing his beloved 250 GTO are enlightening, interesting and enjoyable. Read this book!”

Jeff Allison – author and former editor, Prancing Horse Magazine

“What a wonderful book! Petra Perkins leads us inside a rarefied world, and as wonderful as the machinery is, the real revelations here are the people. The Ferrari 250 GTO is indeed an iconic and beguiling automobile, but as all race fans know, it’s the driver, not the car. The story is written in Petra’s creative style, comparable to the very best in fiction-writing, yet it is automotive history as heartfelt biography/memoir — a tremendously interesting true narrative.”

Samuel A. Southworth – author, historian, driver

“Brilliant! Just brilliant! You have rendered the drive at Daytona perfectly! Every detail sings: the g-force, the rattles, the limited visibility. The sounds! You got every audio facet dead on! Beautiful description of the sounds of starting, warmup, acceleration, downshifts. It’s like a movie! Congratulations on this book!”

David S. Barry – former Sr. Editor, AUTOWEEK; author of driver Dick Barbour biography

“Full Circle is a love story between a race car driver and the very first Ferrari 250 GTO that he called Sophia. Larry, as driver, raced Sophia during the golden era of endurance racing. They part in the 1960s only to rekindle their affair decades later. Readers will find this story immensely enjoyable.”

Louis Galanos – author, photographer, racing historian.