Book Description
With 200 all-time wins under his belt, more than any other NASCAR driver in history, Richard Petty is the epitome of success in the world of stock car racing. His unparalleled accomplishments helped transform the sport into what it is today. Follow the story of this great man's career through nearly forty years of NASCAR history. ... Read more

Book Description
One of the sport's great heroes, race car driver Dale Jarrett struggled many years to achieve his success. Kids can follow his career from ticket-taker at the local Speedway to Winston Cup Champion to NASCAR winner. This is a tale of perseverance and dedication that is sure to inspire. ... Read more

Book Description

Product Description
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the son of the legendary race card driver Dale Earnhardt Sr. Everyone from his family to racing fans were sure that Dale Jr. would also become a race car driver. They were sure he would follow in his father's footsteps. But then, Dale Earnhardt Sr. was killed in a tragic crash during a NASCAR race. Everyone wondered if Dale Jr. would lose his nerve to continue driving. Would he be afraid to race again? It would be up to Dale Jr. to prove that he too is a true champion. ... Read more

Book Description
Following his highly acclaimed coffee-table biographies of Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart, and Juan Manuel Fangio, Karl Ludvigsen affords the same lavish treatment to Dan Gurney. The legendary American was a brilliant all-rounder, racing successfully in sports car, Formula 1, Indy, and endurance events as both a manufacturer and a driver. Ludvigsen, who has known Gurney for more than four decades, packs the book with action and anecdote, and a sumptuous selection of historic black-and-white and color photography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A true account of Dan Gurney.
I have read this book and enjoyed it very much.I have also heard on the grapevine that in fact Mr. Ludvigsen did speak to Mr. Gurney quite a lot and was constantly in touch with him during the writing of the book.They had been friends for years.When it came to the final edit Mr. Gurney requested a copy and Mr. Ludvigsen kindly supplied one.Mr. Gurney then demanded changes which did not necessarily portray the truth of what happened in certain instances.Mr. Ludvigsen was not prepared to compromise on the truth (and as a respected and award-winning author I am not surprised) and published the book as an honest account of this talented drivers career.Mr. Ludvigsen and Mr. Gurney at that point fell out and this is why Mr. Gurney claims to have not been consulted!!! If you want a true account of Dan Gurney read this book!!!

Dan is disappointed he wasn't consulted
I bought the book a year or so ago.Enjoyed it but when I went to AAR and talked to Dan, he mentioned that he was disappointed that he was not asked or consulted in any way.I felt as though I let him down by buying it.It does have excellent photographs and appears to be well written.

COME ON !!!!
Write a biography about a racing driver who still is alive and lucid and not interview the guy for this book???!! And still have the guts to say so ???!!! The photos are great, but I wanna text, no photos, to know about someone !!! This guy Karl does always the same. Of course, in the lack of great biographies of F-1 drivers, he can get along with this...

Worth it for the photographs alone
I agree with everything the other reviewer said, the photo history presented is quite superb. I remember reading that the author and Mr Gurney did not get along at all well, hence the lack of interviews.

Worth it for the photographs alone
I agree with everything the other reviewer said, the photo history presented is quite supberb. I remember reading that the author and Mr Gurney did not get along at all well, hence the lack of interviews. ... Read more

Book Description
Matt Kenseth has had a hugely successful career as one of NASCAR's "young guns." He has a reputation as a good, clean-cut guy who not only lives his life that way, but races that way. Follow Matt from his early racing days in Cambridge, WI to his rise in the Winston Cup Series as the 2000 Rookie of the Year to 2002's winningest driver. Foreword written by Matt Kenseth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Matt's "the Man"!
This is a really well written, and well thought out biography of Matt Kenseth. Every Matt Kenseth fan should enjoy this book. The only thing I could possibly complain about would be that it ended too soon, hopefully there's a sequel in a few years telling us about his "Cup Championship"...

Matt's story from his sister's perspective
The author of this book is Kelley Maruszewski, Matt Kenseth's sister (and also Matt Kenseth Fan Club head honcho). This easy to read book is packed with pictures and stories of Matt's career from his earliest days in Wisconsin to his most recent Winston Cup victory in Las Vegas. It's lovingly written from the perspective only a close family member could share. It's a worthy addition to the library of any Matt Kenseth or Nascar fan! ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
L yn St. James was 45 years old when she joined the world of Indy racing. Now known as the American Woman Racing Icon of the Century, Lyn is a testament to the power of determination and positive thinking. In this inspiring, motivational book, St. James chronicles her last Indy 500 and looks back on a career filled with challenges. She recounts years of adversity and the struggle to obtain corporate sponsorships, despite being named the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year. She recalls record-breaking runs at Talladega and Daytona, terrifying crashes, and the joys of mentoring young women drivers. On every page of this story people will find the motivation and encouragement to follow their dreams and reach their goals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The Ride of Your Life - Review by an author
"Unlike racing," St. James says, "life isn't run on a predetermined course, and you aren't given a map of all the bumps and turns along the way. My life certainly didn't follow any predestined track. I can't remember a time when I developed any grand strategy to become a race car driver. Neither of my parents worked in racing, and aside from the occasional teenage drag race, we had no racing history or culture. We were a working-class family and I, like millions of other little girls, was a child of the baby boom." When Lyn St. James completed her first Indy 500 at the age of 45, she was just the second woman in history to race in the event. Some doubted that a woman could keep up with male drivers, and St. James struggled to get the sponsorship she needed to race. Fueled by inspiration and limitless motivation, St. James managed to rise through the ranks and eventually become known at the American Woman Racing Icon of the Century. Her story is not only sport, but of overcoming the odds.
Trish New, author of The Thrill of Hope and South State Street Journal

A fascinating ride
Hang on! This is a thrilling ride through professional racing, as seen through the eyes of a pioneer who "just did it" long before Nike advised us to. Like the best autobiographies, this book explores one extraordinary person's life while at the same time inspiring all of us to excel despite the odds. I first met Lyn St. James many years ago at a women's sports conference. She's a beautiful woman, with an intense gaze and a ready laugh -- not what most of us would expect in a professional race car driver. And despite her impressive resume full of "first woman"'s, St. James remains grounded and generous, committed to helping other women learn to drive, race, and win. An excellent gift for people -- especially female people -- who need some inspiration. -- Mariah Burton Nelson

She's a Better Driver Than An Author
It's hard not to like Lyn St. James.She wasn't the first woman to drive at Indy but until Sarah Fisher came along she was the most accomplished.I was looking forward to a book that would recount her successful career and provide unique insight into her accomplishments.

She does provide that in this book regarding the amazing challenges she faced just to get into the field in her last race at Indianapolis.For many underfunded teams, the challenge of qualifying can far surpass what happens on race day and St. James recounts the ordeal with great clarity.

The problem is that the rest of her career is barely touched on in anecdotes about the past while talking about her last season.I came away from this book learning very little about her life outside of Indy or even her racing career in other auto racing competitions.

More importantly, she failed to share many personal feelings or emotions in the book. The most personal story she tells is about how she lost a pet that was hit in a freak accident at a race track.That story moved me, but little else did.

She also fails to discuss the overall state of racing.Currently open wheel racing in the United States is in a shambles due to a split between sanctioning bodies.She never talks about the issue and barely mentions the growing success of NASCAR.

Finally, the book contains a number of self-help types of advice throughout the book.They're meant to be inspirational but come off as tired and hackneyed.

The book is a pleasant read and St. James is likeable.The problem is that the book could have been so much more and falls far too short of what it could have accomplished.

A compelling read even if you are not a race fan
Our minister interviewed Ms. St James as part of his sermon today. Her book was available to us and I just finished it. A great read! A compelling narrative about racing and life lessons. What a class act and role model for young people and inspiration for her peers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fittapaldi - Driver's Profile
This is a good book on Emerson Fittapaldi.This book should be updated to include Emerson's second Indianapolis 500. ... Read more

Book Description
When 43 cars thunder toward the start/finish line at the outset of a NASCAR Winston Cup race, they become the focus of some 190,000 people in the grandstands, 10 million TV viewers, and a couple of million radio listeners. While the 43 men driving those machines are in the spotlight, as many as 14,000 people have worked behind the scenes to make that race a reality. Their stories are what make Stock-Car Racing Lives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fascinating Stock Car Racing Stories
For the true (or new) Stock Car Racing Fan.The stories are very enjoyable for all NASCAR fans.

Amazing Photographs and Interesting Stories
The first thing the reader will see upon opening this book is the amazing photographs taken by Kinrade. But a closer inspection lets you know that this is much more than just a picture book. Each subject's story is extremely well written and insightful and shows how many people are involved in making Winston Cup racing the success that it is today. Evidence of how well the subjects were chosen is shown by the array of drivers profiled in the book. The author chose a retired superstar (Richard Petty), a seasoned veteran (Bill Elliott), an up-and-coming star (Bobby Labonte) and a rookie (Buckshot Jones) to show the differences among drivers in various states of their careers. But the driver profiles aren't even the most interesting stories in the book. Very few people understand the complexity of preparing for an event as large as a Winston Cup race and the author shows this well with the other profiles in the book. Someone has to be responsible for the ticketing of more than 100,000 spectators attending an event and the profile on Frances Goss shows just how this is accomplished. Myra Falkenbury's story shows just how tough it is to supply credentials to the 12,000-14,000 additional media, sponsors and workers attending an event. One of the more interesting stories is that of David Carmichael, who has created a place for himself in the world of Winston Cup racing by cleaning the wheels of haulers and motorhomes in the Winston Cup garage. Each of the more than 30 profiles digs deep into the jobs and personal lives of people that you may or may not have even known were involved in making the Winston Cup Series such a success. This book is a must have for the novice and the long-time Winston Cup fan.

Very Interesting
Read about some of the famous and obscure personalities in NASCAR.First time I had ever heard about Bobby Labonte having Graves Disease.Very interesting stories and fun too. ... Read more

Book Description
Is speed one of your family traditions? NASCAR has always been a family affair—since 1948 it has been family owned and family driven. Read about the Pettys, Elliotts, Labontes, and Earnhardts, among many others, who have shaped NASCAR history. ... Read more

Book Description
Takes a look at Gordon's days growing up in California where he dreamed of racing to his eventual realization of those dreams on the NASCAR circuit. His racing skills, deep religious faith, wife Brooke, and matinee-idol good looks have made him the most well-known driver in the sport. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Anoterh winner for SPI!
He's young. He's won the Daytona 500. He's won the Winston Points Championship. He's a NASCAR legend. He drives number 24. He's mobbed wherever he races. He's Jeff Gordon and he's the subject of this book.

Asa part of the Racing Superstar Series, this book take you down victory laneor pit row with one a the true giants in the world of auto racing. Followalong in Jeff Gordon's career to the beginnings and to the rise tosuperstar.

The book is less than hundred pages and makes quick reading.The author gives you a good look into the life of Jeff Gordon and histriumphs and failures. Overall this book is very good and makes a greatgift for the auto-racing fan in your life. ... Read more