Books Reviews - Page 11

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Nascar
By Brian Tarcy
Softcover, 188 pages ($14.95)

NASCAR For Dummies
By Mark Martin with Beth Tuschak
Softcover, 316 pages ($21.99)

You like the speed, the sound and the sights, but you’re not quite as geared up as you’d like when the small talk turns to NASCAR? Then buckle up for these two crash courses: everything you want—and need—to know about drivers, cars, teams, tracks, race strategies, pit stops, rules, controversies and, of course, the history and heritage of the one of America’s top spectator sports. Either book will have you talking shop in no time.
Neil Pond, American Profile

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“Driving a race car is like dancing with a chainsaw.” “You win some, lose some and wreck some.” “God created bumpers…and bumpers were made for bumping.” These words of racetrack wisdom and more than 400 other jabs, jibes, retorts and other remarks from Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and other NASCAR stars create a crisp, colorful cross-section of observations on jinxes, fans, family, money, stereotypes and other aspects of their fast-lane lives.
Neil Pond, American Profile

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NASCAR may have become a high-gloss, mega-dollar multimedia empire, but its roots will forever be coated in dust, danger and disrepute. This illuminating history of the sport reveals its wild and wooly origins in the Southern world of bootlegging—illegal whiskey runs—and its earliest dirt-track “stars,” a foul-mouthed mechanic, a crippled war veteran and a convicted felon.
Neil Pond, American Profile

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As thorough as an encyclopedia but as much pedal-to-the-metal fun as a day at the races, this handsome, vinyl-encased volume examines the history, heroes and heartbeat of America’s most popular motor sport. With hundreds of photos, year-by-year highlights and a well-organized bounty of stats and other info about the men, muscle machines and milestones, it’ll bring even NASCAR novices up to speed fast.
Neil Pond, American Profile

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On the track, drivers are a blur, zipping around at upwards of 160 mph. Here’s what they look like when they “slow down” at home, spending time with their families and nurturing their hobbies. This stately collection of black and white photos offers a rare glimpse inside the private worlds of more than 30 NASCAR stars, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Green, Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte, as they putter around their houses and yards, play with their kids and pursue various off-the-track interests.
Neil Pond, American Profile

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Heat and heartbeats drive this Harlequin romance paperback about a fictional NASCAR family with—surprise!—a few skeletons in the closet. If the roar of the racetrack gets you thinking of romantic trysts instead of spinning tires, this little heavy-breather of a book makes for an indulgent, impassioned pit stop.
Neil Pond, American Profile

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From the mapmaking experts at Rand McNally, this customized atlas is specifically geared for fans headed to NASCAR races with detailed descriptions, diagrams, aerial photos and driving directions to 31 different U.S. raceways. There are also sidebars on interesting pit stops along the way, plus 72 pages of color highway maps of the United States, Canada and Mexico. Don’t head out on any road trip to a NASCAR destination without it.
Neil Pond, American Profile

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Not that you would ever try any of these deceptions and dupes compiled by nationally syndicated sports columnist Ostler. But you’ll sure have fun—and learn more than enough to get you in trouble—reading about the many ways the pros throw illegal pitches, become unblockable linebackers, modify NASCAR racers, force a basketball foul and sneak by with dozens of other deliciously dirty tricks.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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When she couldn’t find a book with all the information she needed to impart to her own teenage daughter, Nancy Malone wrote this one. With hundreds of insightful, practical and vital tips on everything from doing making a bed to stocking a first-aid kit, it’s a portable, well-organized compendium of solid, wide-ranging and time-tested advice for better living, no matter your age.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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Country superstar Yearwood shows off the kitchen creations she picked up from her Georgia family, which she now transplants to the Midwestern table she shares with husband Garth Brooks—who wrote the forward to this mouth-watering collection of appetizers and salads, main courses and desserts sure to delight fans of both comfort food and country music.
—Neil Pond, American Profile

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