Two recent purchases by editor-in-chief Will Schwalbe at Hyperion involve books by such offbeat authors as a legendary record producer and a female racing car driver. They are Making Records by Phil Ramone, who has produced discs for such figures as Sinatra, Dylan, Madonna, Paul Simon and Ray Charles. It will be co-written by Josh Getlin of the Los Angeles Times and will be edited by senior editor Maureen O'Brien. Hyperion bought North American, with first serial and audio, from agent Lisa Queen at IMG. The other deal, made with agent Mark Reiter, is for a memoir by Lyn St. James, one of the first women to drive in the Indy 500 auto race, and the first to compete full-time on the circuit. She didn't begin racing until 45, an age at which many drivers are hanging up their gloves. She will tell her story, untitled so far, with co-writer Steve Eubanks, an author and sports journalist, and on this one Hyperion has world rights.