This photograph was taken by John Owens in 1985. A commercial photographer for years, Owens brought his Matthew Brady-style large format camera to Loudon and shot with it for a afternoon in '85. This is a ground-glass lens camera where the photographer operates the controls while under a heavy black cape. The negative is 4x5 inches in size and offers unparalleled detail.

The old Loudon in 1985 was a place where you could fold your ankle if you weren't careful while walking through the paddock because the rocks were so big and numerous. The pit lane was oil-stained and very very basic. It is a from a time when we were all addicted to the noise, the smell, and the chaos of US racing.

In this photograph future three-time 500cc world Grand Prix champion and two-time Superbike champion Wayne Rainey leans against the pit wall fence as his crew prepare his Honda RS500 two-stroke F-1 bike. Dunlop tire engineer Jim Allen stands behind him. Five-time F-1 champion Mike Baldwin is in the back of the frame sitting on his bike wearing the number one plate.

The late Bob MacLean, owner of the team Wayne Rainey rode for that season, stands mid-frame — hands-on, hair perfect, grin wide. A lifelong racing junkie, MacLean bankrolled teams and riders for three decades, including the early-’80s Kevin Cameron/Richie Schlachter GP 500 pairing. In this 1985 snapshot he’s fussing with his hair and wearing a wristwatch the size of a tachometer, clearly content just to be orbiting the racing world he loved so much.

Owens' book is a "must own" by all racing enthusiasts.