Real Men Work in the Pits: A Life in Nascar Racing

Jeff Hammond, one of NASCAR's all-time great crew chiefs, recalls the thrilling moments of his life in racing: starting out as a tire changer for Walter Ballard in 1974 and quickly becoming one of the best jackmen in the business; serving on all three of driver Cale Yarborough's championship seasons; and then taking over as crew chief during the glory days of legendary driver Darrell Waltrip. The stories Hammond tells about his life in NASCAR and the greats he has known are funny and—sometimes—tragic. He has strong opinions about the current state of the sport and pulls no punches as he offers his insights about the last 30 years when the sport grew so phenomenally from a regional obsession into a national pastime.

JEFF HAMMOND is the most successful crew chief in NASCAR history whose teams won three Winston Cup championships and 43 checkered flags. He is a commentator on Fox's NASCAR broadcasts and hosts a weekly show, Totally NASCAR, for cable TV's Speed Channel. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.