Raoul 'Sonny' Balcaen grew up in Los Angeles at a time when it became
the epicentre of American motor racing, nurturing a vast talent pool of
people whose influence has echoed through to today.
As a teenager, he successfully competed with his home-built Top Fuel
dragster during the formative years of the sport. With Lance Reventlow,
he worked on the famous Scarab sports cars and was standing in the dyno
room when the team's all-American Formula 1 engine was fired up for the
first time. A period as Jim Hall's crew chief and a close association
with Carroll Shelby added to the know-how that guided him towards
becoming a successful entrepreneur and led to all that followed.
- Aged 17, Balcaen built his own Top Fuel drag racer, the 'Bantamweight
Bomb', which he developed relentlessly and drove to many successes.
- His role in the fabulous Scarab sports cars -- the landmark
all-American racers -- and insights into life with their creator, the
incomparable Lance Reventlow.
- Working as crew chief to the brilliant Jim Hall, preparing and running
his Lotus Eleven and Lister-Chevrolet long before the famous
Chaparrals emerged.
- A second spell with Scarab, this time with the Formula 1 project --
the first American Grand Prix car -- plus a special job for Reventlow
converting a Scarab sports racer into a street car.
- Onwards into setting up his own successful business, IECO (Induction
Engineering Co), to create and sell high-grade performance and
appearance accessories, with Chevrolets -- especially Corvair and Vega
-- featuring strongly.
- His many-faceted dealings with Carroll Shelby, leading to consultancy
and even assignments as occasional Shelby American company pilot.
- Along the way we meet many other big names of the era, including Chuck
Daigh, Bruce Kessler, Warren Olson, Dick Troutman, Tom Barnes, Phil
Remington, Ken Miles, Leo Goossen, Jim Travers, Frank Coon, Ed Donovan
and Pete Brock.
This engaging memoir is the very personal history of a momentous time
and place in which we meet a who's who of West Coast road-racing heroes.
