The Last Lap : The Life and Times of NASCAR's Legendary Heroes - Hardcover

Golenbock, Peter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0028621476 ISBN 13: 9780028621470

Publisher: Macmillan General Reference, 1998

Synopsis

Drawing on in-depth interviews with friends and family members, a personal look at NASCAR racing chronicles the story of the men who risked and lost their lives competing in the sport, including such legends as Curtis Truner and the Allison brothers.

About this title

Review:

In The Last Lap, the author of American Zoom chronicles the lives of NASCAR legends who pushed their racing cars--and sometimes their personal lives--to the limit. With danger lurking at each turn, the drivers form a colorful cast in an ever-traveling sideshow that has become the biggest spectator sport in the world. Golenbock interviews past and present racers, crew members, and families in this celebratory paean to the fast lane in American sports.

From the Inside Flap:

"Racing is a struggle among men, machines, big money, and the track. Peter's book brings out a side of racing that most fans never see: clashing personalities, egos, and various skills combining to fuse together to form a winning racing team." —Lou LaRosa, former engine builder for Dale Earnhardt In The Last Lap, Updated, bestselling author Peter Golenbock unveils the fascinating behind-the-scenes stories of NASCAR's unique and colorful real-life heroes. This compelling revision includes three all-new chapters on the legendary Dale Earnhardt—including poignant, personal reminiscences from his crew chief, Andy Petree; his engine builder, Lou LaRosa; his gas man, Danny "Chocolate" Myers; the President of the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Humpy Wheeler; NASCAR TV commentator Eli Gold; and long-time Earnhardt friend and Head Librarian of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, Betty Carlan; as well as others who knew him well. In addition, the book features new color photographs of Dale Earnhardt and other racing heroes as well as black-and-white photos. Whether you're a hard-core fan or brand new to the sport, you won't be able to put this book down. You'll gain unique insights into the world of racing directly from the people who made the headlines. Among those who share their stories are racing legends David Pearson, Buddy Baker, Tim Flock, and Marvin Panch, and the families and friends of the late Curtis Turner, the Myers brothers, Tiny Lund, Bobby Issac, Alan Kulwicki, and Davey and Clifford Allison. Golenbock draws out their fascinating stories and explores the hold these men have had on everyone who has ever participated in or followed this great sport. "That attitude was so deep in him. To me, he probably wasn't the fastest driver as far as the technical talent, but his competitiveness was such that he wouldn't let anyone beat him. He was so mentally tough on the race track." —Andy Petree, Earnhardt's former Crew Chief with Richard Childress Racing, owner of two race teams "...what he [Dale Earnhardt] was so proficient at was being able to go into the gray areas of the racetrack—the areas where angels fear to tread, where only the great race drivers can run..." —Humpy Wheeler President, Charlotte Motor Speedway "See, the excitement is gone. It's just so different without Dale out there." —Betty Carlan, long-time friend of Dale Earnhardt and Head Librarian for International Motorsports Hall of Fame The Last Lap, Updated pays tribute to Dale Earnhardt and other racing legends who made the sport great, some of whom are no longer around to share in its glory. Vibrant and daring, these formative figures in the history of stock car racing are brought to life by these compelling stories of their exploits when they ruled the tracks of NASCAR. Visit us at www.hungryminds.com

About this edition

• Publisher: Macmillan General Reference
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0028621476
• ISBN 13: 9780028621470
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 416