NASCAR Books

Gave a copy of Speed, Guts, and Glory to my son-in-law and also my brother. They really enjoyed it.

I bought this book for my husband, a NASCAR fan, as a Christmas gift and he loves it! I often find my sons looking at it also.

My husband loved this book that I gave him at Christmas and he's a major NASCAR fan!

The book is really informative and interesting. There are a lot of facts about former drivers and todays drivers, it is a great gift for any NASCAR fan. I gave the book to my husband for Christmas and he loves it. The pictures are really clear and clean.
I would definately recommed this book for anyone that likes racing.
Moe Lee

NASCAR is a unique sports phenomenon popular among American audiences. "Go fast, turn left" is the mantra for millions of fans.

To honor NASCAR's go-getter spirit, Joe Garner brings us "100 unforgettable moments in NASCAR history." Also included is a DVD narrated by racing superstar Jeff Gordon, which highlights the top ten tales from the fast lane.

From the "Big One" pile ups at Talladega, to memorable Daytona 500 outcomes, to celebrating a mustachioed hero, SPEED, GUTS, & GLORY rings spectacular events to a convenient coffee-table book sure to be enjoyed by generations of fans.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer

This book was written by Matt's sister and reads like a family scrapbook, including an extensive amount of photos. There's certainly an audience for something like this - I would recommend it primarily to middle school aged Kenseth fans. Our 21-month-old daughter also appreciates it, as she is at the age where she likes to turn the pages and look at the pictures - and she recognizes the #17 DeWalt Ford Taurus with exuberant cries of, "Matt! Matt! Matt!" It's a good-feel book about, by all public appearance, a good-feel individual. If you're looking for any detailed insight into Matt's life and/or driving career, this is not the book for you. I welcome the day that a thorough Kenseth biography is released.

Officially licensed by Nascar, Matt Kenseth: Above And Beyond is an exciting and highly recommended profile biography of the 2003 Nascar Winston Cup champion and Cambridge, Wisconsin native Matt Kenseth. Full-color illustrations throughout enhance this enthralling presentation of Kenseth's competitive and racing-oriented life, with a text that is briskly narrated in and upbeat and "reader-engaging" manner. All dedicated Nascar fans will want to read Matt Kenseth: Above And Beyond!

This is a MUST READ for any Nascar fan. It is very well written and really shows Matt's roots as a driver and his background. The pictures are excellent. It is a nice gift for any Nascar fan.

This is a very well written book by Matt's sister. It gives you a great insight into how Matt became the champion he is today. Lots of really great pictures. I love to show this book off to all my racing friends.

11 JUNE 2008
I JUST RECV'D THIS BOOK. IT SHOULD HAVE A GREAT BIG WARNING ACROSS THE FRONT OF IT; "NO EATING OR DRINKING WHILE READING THIS" !!!! THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE LAUGHING!!! IF YOU ARE A FAN OF OLD DIRT TRACK RACING & OR THE EARLY DAYS OF NASCAR, YOU'LL LUV IT !!! IF YOU'RE NOT A FAN, AFTER YOU READ THIS, YOU WILL BE!!!,,,, OR YOU'RE JUST PLAIN NUMB !!! BUDDY IS A HOOT !!!

If you do not laugh out loud when you read this book, check your pulse! This book is extremely funny and would only be better if there was an audio recording of Buddy telling the stories himself! Actually, that is an idea that some company really should explore. I received an extra copy of this book and gave it to a new to NASCAR fan. She loved it! She said it is best not be drinking or eating while reading it though, you may suffer from choking spells or spewing liquids!

I agree with the other reviewer about how thought provoking the chapters on the loss of drivers would have effected the sport. As someone who remembers the time they were here and the time after they left us, I feel the emptiness they left behind.

For someone wanting to laugh, read this book! For someone who wants to spend an afternoon reading about some history of NASCAR, this book can easily whet your whistle!

Buddy Baker's "Flat Out and Half Turned Over: Tales from Pit Road" is a chronological rememberance of a time when NASCAR moved from a regional non-sponsored organization to the time when the corporate interests of NASCAR started to take over. Baker, son of the famed Buck Baker, tells stories of when drivers were human enough to play practical jokes on each other, have knock-down, drag-out fights if they had an altercation on the track, and then get drunk together that night when all was forgotten. In today's big-money sanitized stock car racing world, this activity seems like ancient history, if it is recalled at all.

As a driver and a TV commentator, most of these stories have been told and retold before, although they are still interesting. Two of the less-mentioned chapters of Baker's stories are 1) why he had to retire (serious medical injuries, which were a testament to his build and strength), and 2) how significantly the NASCAR landscape would look if three drivers (Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki and Tim Richmond) had lived. This is a point that I had considered in my own thinking as a race fan; life's coming and going is what it is and we don't have a say in that, but these three bright stars in NASCAR would have made the sport look much different over the past 15 years if they had the opportunity to compete.

Buddy Baker's book, to his critics, is not "War And Peace" or Shakespere, but it never claimed to be. It is simply an interesting book about simpler times; stories about how men raced hard for a living so they could support their families and how Buddy Baker made his way in this world. It's good to have recorded and read a book like this, before NASCAR and its drivers become too close to the America that the corporate world loves and individuality disappears.

This is one fabulous book, unless of course, you want more romance stuff than story. Don't get me wrong, I like romance as well as anyone, (and there is romance in here) but I can also appreciate good writing and a great story, too. Actually, had I been able to give it 4½ stars, I would have, but since I couldn't, I decided to go for five, as I enjoyed the story so much.

The older characters in this story sure don't hurt it for me (they're responsible for that extra half star!)- I'm older than they are - but they're vibrant and active and have the experience of having lived and acquiring wisdom through those years.

Twenty-five years ago, the world was vastly different than it is now, and the events that shadowed Jack Dolman's life are exactly the kinds of things that really happened to ordinary people back then. Of course, they still happen now, too, but it's much easier to find people and information than it was then. Everything these days is on a bigger, more grand scale, which is sometimes harder for younger folks to assimilate.

There were a couple of things in here that surprised me (my racing experience was open wheel) and I'm not so sure of the accuracy of a couple of them, but still - Ken Casper is one cracking good story-teller, and has obviously been to more than one NASCAR race in his lifetime. And just as obviously, is well-versed on Formula One or Grand Prix racing. You can almost hear the noise of the roaring engines and smell the hot oil and that unique scent of screeching tires as you read Jack's story and his attempts to reconcile with his son--who grew up in another world--while rekindling his high school romance with Megs Truesdale.

Although he does devote a reasonable portion of the book to Meg and her daughter Amber, the majority of the book is all about Jack. I loved that! This is a book that should appeal to as many men as it will women. And rightly so!

I enjoyed this story tremendously! It was well-written and gave lots of insight into the sport, particularly the technique of "drafting". I liked that it was primarily a story of reconciliation and setting straight misunderstandings of the past. The theme of a father passing his legacy onto his son is reminiscent of a current popular NASCAR driver! It's refreshing to read a Harlequin book in which the focus is on the familial relationship, and the romance takes on more of a supportive role.

NASCAR superstar Jack Dolman has mixed feelings when he learns about the death of his former wife. He wouldn't have wanted her to die, but when he goes to the funeral he also sees this as a chance to perhaps reconcile with their strange son Johnny. However, Jack knows the track will be hazardous as his former late wife's second husband has told many fabrications about him over the years including that Jack had abandoned him when eh was four years old. In fact Johnny became a chip off the old stepfather's block when he turned to famous Formula One driving.

Johnny hates his father and decides to join NASCAR to punish his biological dad. Meanwhile Jack and his former love Meg Truesdale rekindle what both thought died. She also tries to bring father and son together although she has daughter troubles of her own.

This is a fun NASCAR romance that combines a second chance at love with a family reconciliation drama. Jack is a fabulous protagonist as he struggles with being part of Johnny's life, but his offspring has spent a quarter of a century hating him. Although a subplot involving Meg's daughter is unnecessary crowding on the oval, readers will enjoy Ken Casper's fine tale of a champion driver trying to overcome life's worst SPEED BUMPS.

Harriet Klausner

I really enjoyed this book. It was insightful and interesting. I've read several other books that are supposed to be "stories about NASCAR" and have been disappointed in what they presented, but not in this one.

I felt that Mr. Dutton wrote fairly about the people involved and that he wasn't biased in his opinions. Since I follow NASCAR regularly, the stories made me recall the 2002 season and added to my enjoyment of these recollections.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes NASCAR.

If you are looking for a detailed summary of the 2002 NASCAR season, here it is. But beware that an insider's look this is not. I don't believe there is a driver quote in the entire book that wasn't spoken into a microphone, either from just after a race or the post race press conference. And even that material is sanitized. We all know most of these guys don't know a WAS from an IS from a WERE, and that includes the TV commentators, but Mr. Dutton has these gentlemen ripping off lines like a CNN talking head. This was the year Sterling Marlin had that amazing run and led the points for much of it. This is how Sterling talks: "We was real good and done a two tire. She gone haywire there at the end. Wore out." But coming from the author's laptop - by the way, most folks don't refer to a yellow legal pad and pencil as a laptop - he comes off like Wolf Blitzer. All the quotes are couched in an ambiguous time and local to protect the author's image of shooting pool and doing shots with the boys to get the story. I just found that irritating. There is the obligatory cutting NASCAR for creating rules but no instance of a better idea to replace the rule. So we tear from track to track, getting post race driver interviews, which is all right, but a bit tedious by the time its over. What we don't get is the inside track, real personalities, real drama, heartbreak, joy, triumph, the smoke and roar of stock car racing. The author has a nice perspective and sense of humor, and if he digs deep and writes an epic, all fans will appreciate it.

The green flag drops with an up close and personal visit with
NASCAR's 2002 Champion, Tony Stewart. You learn what makes him
happiest and what brings tears to his eyes from the sportswriter
who knows him best. You will tour the country for 36 weeks with
all the racing greats. Away from the tracks you fly with the US
Air Force in Nevada and experience country music in Texas. Buckle
up, hold on and enjoy the trip. With down to earth and descriptive writing you will feel as though you made the journey
yourself. The checkered flag drops with the last chapter only
to make you long for more. Hopefully he is pounding the keys
with one for this year.

I'd highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to gain some knowledge about what champions go through. As with his other books - which I've read - Mr. Huff has done his homework and delievers a nice package for new and old NASCAR fans alike. Wanna know what a champion's life is like, read this.

This insider's profile of NASCAR race car drivers and teams is a recommended pick for any with a prior interest in championship auto racing: it goes behind the scenes to examine the lives of the drivers, their motivations and achievements, and the emotional aspects of winning and racing. A perfect gift choice for the race car fan who wants to read about the experience.

As a fan of stock car racing, I found the inside look at what happens to those winning championships to be interesting and a learning experience. I'd recommend this for fans of any level of stock car racing.

I'm glad you found "Taking Stock" an enjoyable read. It's a great collection, even though very, VERY few people have purchased it as yet - which means that, financially speaking, it was a labor of love for the writers, including yours truly.

A tip of the cap to editor Monte Dutton and the group of writers who put this together.This is a quick easy-read with no "heavy lifting".I especially enjoyed reading about the defunct race tracks (Wilkesboro,Columbia) and what they meant to the drivers,owners,crews and fans.The stories about Adam Petty and Davey Allison are especially poignant.Lots of good stuff here.Well done gentlemen.

Informative,, fun, and soulful stories of past and present notables in the NASCAR family. Visit the tracks of yesteryear along with the current venues. The writers have you crying
through the tragedies of Fireball Roberts and Adam Petty, then
laughing at the antics of Humpy Wheeler, one of the sports
greatest promoters. The life of David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip,
and many others are riveting. Written by the Best writers in
NASCAR it is a must read for all fans of the sport. You will

enjoy and learn from every page.

A truly excellant book. It really helps you learn what NASCAR is and does off of the track. It stages you as a team owner, and takes you from race weekend to building an engine. I really suggest you getting this book.

This is a very good book, it really goes behind the scenes of NASCAR. It tells the story like you are the owner of the car. It cleared up a lot of stuff for me.

This story is very good. It is a personal account of Dale Jarrett and his father, Ned Jarrett. Worth the read.

In life when you attempt something 129 time before you're victorious, most people would give up. Dale Jarrett started 129 races before winning his first race and today he ranks fourth on the all-time money list with over $21 million in earnings.

These are but a few of the things you'll find in this book. You'll also read about his 1999 Winston Cup Championship, his 1993 win in Daytona, his wins in Darlington, Charlotte and Michigan. You'll meet his crew and even get a glimpse of the owner of his team.

An interesting and quick read, this book provides you with a look at a true racing legend. Sports Publishing Inc. has given you another winner in the Racing Superstar Series.

I'm fairly new to stock car racing so this book came in handy. Everything the new or old fan needs to understand stock car racing in a better manner. I'd highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the sport.

I have been doing research on racing, I picked up this book to learn more about NASCAR and I got just what I asked for! Informatative, interesting, fun, it keeps me wanting to read more. This is a perfect reference guide for the new NASCAR fan or the "seasoned" NASCAR fan! A great look into the fastest growing sport.