A biography of the most colourful racing driver to emerge from Australia onto the international scene to become a works driver for Ford, Ferrari and Porsche, all in the same season. Australia has produced some outstanding racing drivers who have performed with great distinction on the world stage. But none has hit the headlines quite like Paul Hawkins, whose exploits on the race track were matched by his prowess for causing social mayhem out of the car and his often outrageous use of the English language, liberally seasoned with the Great Australian Adjective. "Hawkeye" had an all-too-short yet highly successful driving career, his talent and versatility taking him from club racing in production cars through briefly into Formula One, but his exceptional speed and stamina brought him his greatest rewards in endurance and sports car racing, earning him factory drives with Ford, Ferrari and Porsche as well as international fame in his own or shared cars, before his career was cruelly brought to an end in a fiery accident at Oulton Park in 1969.
That day, motor racing lost one of its most colourful and popular drivers, to whom author Ivan McLeod, a fellow Australian until recently domiciled in the UK, now provides a belated tribute. He recalls, through the memories of family and friends and many drivers and entrants who competed around the world either alongside or against him, the highlights of "Hawkeye"s' racing career and the many off-track escapades of an unquenchable spirit and fun-loving character.