Review of "Never Lift:

Mark Martin built a Hall of Fame career through preparation, discipline, and a deep love of racing. His memoir traces that journey from Batesville to the Cup Series with honesty and detail. Fans who appreciate consistency and character will find plenty to enjoy.

Title/Author:

“Never Lift” by Mark Martin

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

Mark Martin is the definition of a racing “lifer.” A NASCAR Hall of Fame driver known for his discipline, fitness, and devotion to both the sport and his family, Martin uses this memoir to trace how he built a career defined by consistency, preparation, and an unshakeable work ethic. It's a memoir told with a steady, reflective voice - not flashy, not sensations but hones in a way the way Martin approached his career. 

From his early days in Batesville, Arkansas through his final race in 2013, Martin approached racing with total commitment. Whether competing in the American Speed Association (ASA), the NASCAR Busch (now O’Reilly Auto Parts) Series, or the Cup Series, he made sure he and his team were ready for whatever the weekend demanded. Bad days were inevitable—inspection issues, mechanical failures, team politics, or simple misfortune—but Martin’s response was always the same: do the work. In his ASA years, that meant literally working on the cars himself as often as he drove them.

These technical passages are the one area where some readers may stumble. Without at least a basic understanding of engines, chassis setups, or undercarriage components, the details can feel dense. Still, they’re not overwhelming, and they’re balanced by strong storytelling around the races that shaped his career. His years with Roush Racing, the long‑running Ford partnership, and the eventual move to Hendrick Motorsports—and to Chevrolet—are described with honesty and pride. As with most challenges in his life, Martin frames the transition as difficult but ultimately rewarding.

The memoir is equally engaging when Martin turns to family and personal life. The chapter about his wife of 42 years, Arlene, is unexpectedly tender, and his reflections on his parents, his four stepdaughters, and his son Matt add welcome depth. Martin’s discussion of Matt’s decision to leave racing at age 33 to pursue education is especially thoughtful; he understood the desire to build a life not defined by comparison to a famous father.

NASCAR fans will find plenty to appreciate in this portrait of a driver who reached the Hall of Fame through sustained excellence rather than championships. Martin covers racing, family, and life away from the track with sincerity and detail, offering a memoir full of stories that keep readers engaged from start to finish.

I wish to thank Octane Press for providing a review copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link:  Mark Martin: Never Lift: Mark Martin, Bones Bourcier: 9781642342000: Amazon.com: Books

 

Review of "NASCAR Champions"

If you’ve ever wanted a single book that captures the full lineage of NASCAR greatness, NASCAR Champions delivers. Packed with photos, stories, and smartly organized profiles, it’s a tribute to the drivers who shaped the sport. Fans of any era will find something to enjoy.

Title/Author:

“NASCAR Champions: Every Cup Series Champion from 1949 to Today” by H. A. Branham and Holly Cain

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: 

From its start to today, the NASCAR Cup Series championship has been the pinnacle achievement of every season—and the defining honor for the driver who earns it. NASCAR Champions, a coffee‑table book by H.A. Branham and Holly Cain, offers a complete, visually rich chronicle of every driver who has claimed that coveted title.

Each champion is presented in a consistent, clean format. Readers get a mix of photos—drivers in the car, celebrating wins, in action on the track, or in portrait—and even in the electronic edition, the layout is crisp enough to show how strong the print version will look. Every driver also receives a concise narrative focused on his Cup Series career and accomplishments. Occasional nods to success in ASA, the Craftsman Truck Series, or the Xfinity Series (now the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series) add helpful context. These profiles strike a “Goldilocks” balance: not too long, not too short, just right.

The book also includes well‑paced side features on how the championship format, points systems, and playoff structures have evolved over the decades. Like the driver stories, these sections are informative without dragging and give readers exactly what they need to understand the sport’s shifting landscape.

NASCAR fans will find plenty to love here—whether for the photography, the accessible storytelling, or the chance to learn more about the sport’s greatest champions. Highly recommended for fans at any level of NASCAR knowledge or enthusiasm.

I wish to thank Motorbooks for providing a review copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link:  NASCAR Champions: Every Cup Series Champion from 1949 to Today: Branham, H.A., Cain, Holly, White, Rex, Martin, Mark: 9780760399651: Amazon.com: Books

Review of “The Hardest Longest Race”

 Happy Easter to those who celebrate. Having taken the Easter week off, it gave me plenty of reading time and as a result more reviews done. This book was a bit of a challenge to finish, but I’m glad I stuck it out and wrote this review while still fresh in my mind as I even upped my rating. Here is my review of “The Hardest Longest Race.” 

Title/Author: “The Hardest Longest Race: Henry Ford and the Cross-Country Race That Changed America” by Eric Moskowitz. 

Rating:  4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: Before auto racing came into the sport we know today, there was a race across the United States pitting five cars from 4 different auto makers. Billed as the Ocean to Ocean race, this 1909 race from New York to Seattle is chronicled well in this book by Eric Moskowitz.

The five cars were produced by Ford (they had two Model T’s in this event); Shawmut (a small automaker business in Boston); Acme; and Italia, a European maker. The race was used not only for advertising purposes but also to see if the “little guys” from Boston and elsewhere could beat the mighty Ford brand. This was such an important event that Henry Ford himself made the trip to Seattle to see the finish and the prize money was put up by Robert Guggenheim. 

The book takes the reader through the many paths through mud, ruts, potholes and other obstructions through the states. There are various checkpoints along the way where the cars check in for standings and the crews can rest and refuel both cars and bodies. Moskowitz does a very thorough analysis here of all these roads, cars and men in this event. At times it feels too good as one has to carefully read it in order to keep the cars and crew straight and also to fully understand what the conditions were like driving these cars.

Fans of auto racing today - whether Indy car, F1 or NASCAR - will find that reading about race cars with speeds less than 20 miles per hour will be hard to imagine given the speed of today’s cars. But putting in perspective the nature of those early cars, the completely different parts like axles and tires and the road/trail conditions, finishing this race is a major achievement.

There was a major dispute and rules violation that affected the outcome of the race but not the aftermath. This review will not provide a spoiler but will say that this book goes well beyond a sports book on auto racing. It’s a great adventure story with many twists - literally and figuratively- along the way.

I wish to thank St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Hardest-Longest-Race-Cross-Country-Contest/dp/1250282675/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 

Review of “Full Throttle”

Keeping with my policy of reading books about the sport I am attending when traveling to and from an event, I started this book when I attended the NASCAR Cup Series race in New Hampshire last weekend.  It was long but quite entertaining. Here I’m review of the biography of NASCAR legend Curtis Turner. 

Title/Author: “Full Throttle: The Life and Fast Times of NASCAR Legend Curtis Turner” by Robert Edelstein

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: Curtis Turner was one on the early superstars of NASCAR racing. He has been called by some the “Babe Ruth of NASCAR’ with the many victories he had in the sport’s early years. This biography by Robert Edelstein is a testimony to not only his racing career but also to Curtis’ flamboyant lifestyle.

In those days of the sport, drivers did not win large purses and had to beg for sponsors or others to put up the investment for the cars. As a result, they also had to earn a living elsewhere and Curtis did so in the timber business. It gave him a nice income and while he didn’t immediately squander it (and his race earnings), it did give him the means to live an extravagant lifestyle.

This included legendary parties at Daytona every year, a small airplane (which he was flying when it crashed and killed him in 1970), and other business ventures, not all of which was successful. The book covers these adventures, especially his flights, with as much detail and entertainment as it does Turner’s racing career.

One aspect that covers both of these areas is Turner’s vision of building a speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina to rival that of the one in Daytona built under the guidance of NASCAR founder Bill France. This was part of the complicated cared relationship Turner and France had. While Turner’s fearless driving style won him many races and fans (and filled grandstands at France’s races), when Turner wanted to form a union for the drivers (as he was trying to secure funds from the Teamsters for his Charlotte track) he was blackballed from NASCAR.

All of this and more is told in a very good storytelling fashion by the author. It was not only very entertaining but also enlightening as a reader will, like me, learn much about the early days of the sport.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Full-Throttle-Nascar-Legend-Curtis/dp/1585677515/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0 

Review of "Black Noon"

This is one of the very few books I have purchased since launching this book review site, mainly because it was published just after I started writing and it was not available in digital format at any library.  No problem - while it's been awhile since I bought the book, it is still a great book for racing fans. 

Title/Author: “Black Noon: The Year They Stopped the Indy 500” by Art Garner

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:  The 1964 Indianapolis 500 was not remembered because one of the most popular and successful drivers of this race, A. J. Foyt was the winner.  It was not remembered because Foyt won driving a roadster, a car that was becoming less popular in favor of rear-engine models such as Lotus.  No, it is remembered because of the tragedy that took place on the second lap in which two drivers, Dave MacDonald and Eddie Sachs, were killed in a fiery crash that is still being discussed today more than 60 years after it happened.

Author Art Garner, a well-respected motorsports writer, does a great job of covering everything from the cars to the drivers (not just MacDonald and Sachs) to the owners and tire company CEOs to break down not only what happened on that fateful Memorial Day race, but also complete research and writing about so many factors taking place before the race.

There are three main sections to the book.  The first one focused on many personalities involved in racing at that time.  Of course, Sachs and MacDonald have extensive write ups of their lives and racing careers, but there is other great information on the personalities mentioned above.  Mickey Thompson, who was the owner of rear engine style cars and who hired MacDonald as a driver, is one example of a person whose story is well covered and well written by Garner. His coverage of the competition for use of tires between Firestone and Goodyear is also worthy of mention here.

The second section of the book focused on the month of May 1964 before the race takes place.  The inside look at Gasoline Alley is fascinating. Garner’s writing about events such as the first day of qualifying in which the pole sitter will be determined, the test rookie drivers must pass before being allowed to attempt to qualify and Moving Day, in which the drivers who are in the lower places may get bumped by faster cars on that last day of qualifying, was outstanding.  As one who is a casual fan of the Indy Car series, this information on what takes place in Indianapolis in May was quite fascinating.

The third section is about the race itself and its aftermath.  It is surprising that the writing about the actual accident and fires that killed the two drivers is more matter-of-fact than emotional and that is very good.  Garner saves the emotional aspects for later and he again writes about nearly everyone who would comment.  Of course, the two widows were covered, but the reactions of other drivers, crew members and others at the track was what truly made the tragedy of this event even more poignant.  Even Foyt, when accepting his congratulations in Victory Lane, is subdued when he finds out the news about Sachs and MacDonald.

Art Garner is one of the best motorsports authors I have read, and even though this book has been out for 11 years, it’s still a great read for motorsports fans about one of the most tragic days in racing.

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GET19G0/ref=x_gr_bb_kindle?caller=Goodreads&tag=x_gr_bb_kindle-20

Review of “J.D.

As I have noted before, when I am riding on a bus or train to a sporting event, I like to have a book with me about that sport. I listened to the audio version of this book on the bus to the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono this past Sunday and I learned a lot about a driver in which the only thing I knew about him is that he was killed in a race in 1991.  Here’s my review of “J.D.”

Title/Author: “J.D.: The Life and Death of a Forgotten NASCAR Legend” written and narrated by Brock Beard

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

J.D. McDuffie was a NASCAR driver/owner who certainly loved what he was doing in the sport.  He was a dying breed - a single car team owner who was also the driver.  Because of this, he often had less sponsorships, funds for parts and employees and other luxuries that well-financed motorsports teams have (for current teams like that, think Hendrick Motorsports or Joe Gibbs Racing).  This book by Brock Beard tells a great story about the man, his love for racing and his tragic death on the road course at Watkins Glen.

 

Beard, who also narrates the audio version (I listened to this version), had access through interviews with family members, former drivers and crew members and even the small-time sponsors who gave McDuffie at least a little extra money and some decals on his no. 70 blue car.  This gave the book some very interesting stories on McDuffie, both as a person and as a determined racer.

While McDuffie never did win a race on NASCAR’s highest level, then called the Winston Cup Series), he nonetheless won much respect from nearly everyone involved in the sport and that comes through in the writing as well. No matter how poorly McDuffie did in qualifying or in a race, one could be assured he’d try again the next week. He did qualify for the pole position once and was running well when he had that crash in Watkins Glen that ended his life.

But that life was fulfilling, doing what he loved to do and with a loving and supporting family. Because of this, it isn’t a stretch to call him a “legend” as the book’s subtitle does, because there are way to be a legend outside of just winning races, and McDuffie showed us how that can be done. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/J-D-Second-Brock-Beard-ebook/dp/B099QJKSXD/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sDQ2l7eqy4Dkif1HWJ2p5fYnvv9Z3RumcxaEUgqiWJKGM_zk7RBgEHEXHYa_LOlmIr5fQP0mZYHxFqgOimkuoN96DEvfnZu0-d02NWsS3inCjuRCWSzhkJ4Yg-h4xLBKTSx-wfPUL7Qx5NOxI2fAu0Kk2zK8LmEGRPcpiva3QC1t5PA7IWNkpcnQMmNmWTweszDqE30l0X2694QikYbdgfc0h73xJc_cbV1xfOlIRa0.jYD2id5cCWy-ZVfZ_SpiLJIQFWQ7DD3dQoPdYDDS47w&dib_tag=se&keywords=J.d&qid=1750760379&sr=8-3 

Review of "Sir Lewis"

While I consider myself to be more of a NASCAR fan than F1, I am finding that books about the latter are much more interesting for reading than the former and as a result, more of my books on auto racing are falling into the F1 category.  Here is my latest F1 read on Sir Lewis Hamilton.

Title/Author:

“Sir Lewis” by Michael Sawyer

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Lewis Hamilton has won seven F1 driving titles and yet, some don’t consider that to be his greatest accomplishment.  Being the only Black driver on the F1 circuit, he had to overcome many barriers and challenges that many minority people face whenever they are striving to succeed, in sports or otherwise.  He has done gracefully, with great success and has become a strong activist for equality. How he came to this point, in both his racing and his activism, is portrayed in this excellent book by Micheal Sawyer.

 If there is any downfall to this book, it would be that for readers who follow F1 or Hamilton closely, there won’t be much new material in the book. As one who would be best considered a casual fan of F1 and only knew about Hamilton’s success with his championships, I found the book to be full of new information that I did not know about him and came away with even more respect for the man than I did before I picked up the book. The many post-race interview transcripts helped formulate this impression, but I can understand where this may be redundant for those who follow Lewis closely.

Because the book deals mostly with Hamilton’s racing and his activism, I did find it to not quite be a “biography” as it is marketed, despite covering most of Hamilton’s life.  It is clear how not only the book will read, but also how Hamilton’s life will be shaped when Sawyer writes about the sacrifices and hardships his father makes so that Lewis can race, starting in go-karts and extending until the McLaren team decided to take a chance on the young but talented driver.  Even in the go-kart level, it takes a lot of money to dedicate the proper resources to the sport, something the Hamilton family did not always have.  Add in the elitism and the racism endured by the family and it makes Lewis’ accomplishments even more astounding.

There is also a great deal of racing material in the book, especially when Lewis’ rivals such as Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso.  The latter was his teammate when Lewis was with McLaren racing and the tension between them is covered quite well.  The same can be said for the rivalry between Hamilton and Verstappen and what is most impressive is the class and humility for which Hamilton handles himself when faced with questions about his rivals.  This is true even in the case of the controversial finish of the 2021 F1 season when some questionable ruling on the final lap gave Verstappen the title over Hamilton. 

Lastly, the sections that describes Hamilton’s activism, his quotes about events such as the police shooting of Breanna Taylor and his calm demeanor that makes his statements even more powerful.  He handles this topic as skillfully and masterfully as he does a race car.  In the same manner, Sawyer handles this topic well. While his text when interjecting his own thoughts with Hamilton’s can come across as much stronger, it is written even-handedly and fairly.  For all of these reasons, this reader who wanted to learn more about Hamilton believes this is an excellent book for that endeavor.

I wish to thank Grand Central Publishing for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Sir Lewis: Sawyer, Michael: 9781538769744: Amazon.com: Books

 

Review - A.J. Foyt Volume 1

Lately, there have been several interesting books on auto racing, and this is certainly one of them.  A.J. Foyt has had a long and successful racing career, and this book does his work justice - at least until 1977.  This is just the first volume of his storied career.  Here is my review of this volume. 

Title/Author:

“A.J. Foyt – Volume 1: Survivor, Champion, Legend” by Art Garner

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

When an athlete’s name is recognized by people who are not fans of that sport, it says a lot about that athlete’s talent. A.J. Foyt is a name many people will associate with auto racing, mainly because of his four victories in the Indianapolis 500 in the 1960’s and 1970’s.  But there is SO much more to the man than just his victories.  This book, the first of two planned volumes about Foyt’s life and racing, is Art Garner’s complete biography of the famous racer.

It is clear early in the book that Garner is going to devote most of the text to Foyt’s racing and how that shapes the man he becomes.  Even his childhood revolves around racing.  The story of him racing around his parents’ house in a small car was a prelude to what his life would be like for the next several decades.

It doesn’t matter what level or which circuit Foyt would be racing in, his years in the sport are covered in excellent detail by Garner.  Volume 1 ends after the 1977 season in which Foyt won his 4^th Indy 500, the first driver to do so.  He has since been joined by Al Unser, Rick Mears and Helio Castroneves but it is Foyt whose accomplishments at the Brickhouse are fondly remembered.  It should also be noted that Foyt isn’t an Indianapolis legend solely for his driving.  Garner also documents his involvement in designing, building and testing the cars as well as Foyt’s involvement in many decisions that affect the teams, such as who will be the drivers for either the second car the team runs or who will be backup drivers. 

This is where Foyt’s legendary stubbornness or principals, whichever view one prefers, is on display quite well.  Even though he did not graduate high school, Foyt has a sharp eye for business contracts, details to every aspect of race cars and of course, how to drive one of the cars. It should also be noted that all of these traits, on and off the track, were also on display in other racing circuits.  Foyt was also the first driver to win three of the biggest events in motorsports – the Indianapolis 500, the 24 hours at Le Mans and the Daytona 500.

One last comment about this book.  Something that race fans should note, especially those who have followed the sport for many years, is that it is scary to read about all the deaths to drivers in the 1960’s and early 1970’s in this book.  Nearly every year covered has multiple drivers who succumbed to injuries in crashes. While reading this, it did feel macabre to reading about so many men dying in their prime, but as Foyt mentions often in this volume, it’s a part of the sport and he did have some fear every time he stepped into a race car.

A well-researched and well-crafted biography, this book is one that every race fan of every level should pick up.  I know that I will be eagerly awaiting volume 2.

I wish to thank Octane Press for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Amazon.com: A.J. Foyt: Volume 1: Survivor, Champion, Legend eBook : Garner, Art, Andretti, Mario: Kindle Store

Review of “Rivals on the Track”.

I’m getting an early start on one of my New Years resolutions - to use my Kindle Unlimited account more frequently and read more of the books available through that service. I found a series of books on sports rivalries that looked interesting so I checked out the first one I saw on my feed - this one on F1 rivalries. It was very good and so I will check out the other 4 in the series as well. Look for those reviews soon, but today I’ll post on the first one I read in the series. 

Title/Author:

“Rivals on the Track: 15 Greatest Formula One Rivalries of All Time” by William Whitfield

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

Formula One (F1) racing has produced some great rivalries in its history between many of its top drivers. This short book by William Whitfield highlights 15 of these rivalries with good background information on each one.

Several drivers are listed in more than one rivalry and they include all time greats like Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. The rivalry between the latter two and the one between Prost and Arytan Senna were probably the fiercest and therefore the two that I felt were the best chapters in the book. 

This is not to say the others are not as good as in each one, Whitfield provides background information on each driver, the teams on which they compete and the reason the two drivers became such rivals. These can range from an incident on the track to a driver who didn’t appreciate his status as second to another driver on the team who should be given leeway to win or at least make a podium finish or points toward the championship. No matter what the circumstances were to cause the friction between drivers, Whitfield’s writing about the rivalry was informative and easy to digest.

The book is fairly heavy on recent rivalries, but there is a good chapter on Juan Manuel Fangio versus Alberto Ascari, covering the early days of F1. He also has a good write-up of the Niki Lauda-James Hunt rivalry of the 70’s, brought to the screen by the movie “Rush.” 

While some of the information gets repetitive (mainly on drivers involved in more than one rivalry) this is a very good book for readers interested in more about some of the best rivalries in the sport and some background information on the drivers involved. It’s a quick read and one that F1 fans of any level of interest should enjoy.

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CKTNZDJ3?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_2&storeType=ebooks  

Review of “How to Win a Grand Prix”

 While most of my viewing of auto racing is that of NASCAR races, I am learning a lot about F1 racing through books. The best of those books so far is this one by a former engineer and strategist who takes the reader inside F1 teams. 

Title/Author:

“How to Win a Grand Prix: From Pit Lane to Podium” by Bernie Collins

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: While drivers get the glory and attention during Formula One races, there’s a huge team of mechanics, engineers and strategists who compose a team of which the drivers of the cars are just one person. This book by former Aston Martin engineer and strategist Bernie Collins is a fascinating look at the work of these men and women that is vital to the success of any F1 team.

Collins, who is now a broadcaster for Sky Sports coverage of F1, got her start after graduation with McLaren. After describing her early career, she takes the reader to various offices, booths, hospitality sites and the pit wall when describing the many jobs and duties of each worker. Of course, since she worked as first an engineer and then a strategist at her next team, Force India and then Aston Martin, she writes the most about these jobs.

The level of detail the Collins describes for these jobs can seem overwhelming to the new or casual fan of racing. The amount of work these teams do to design and build a car is vividly described in these passages. The same goes for the calculations, data analysis and strategy that she did both in an office and at the track. I felt her writing about this job was the best, as she took the reader along for what her “typical” week would look like, from meetings to the free practice runs to qualifying and finally to race day. Everything from the best laps to pit to tire performance was meticulously planned and described in these chapters. 

When I downloaded this book I expected it to be more of a description of the jobs behind the pit wall during a race. I am glad it was so much more than that as I learned a lot about the inner workings of an F1 team. Even if your preference for auto racing is another avenue like NASCAR or Indy cars, pick up this book and read about the workings of a racing team. 

I wish to thank Quercus for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The views expressed are strictly my own. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Grand-Prix-Bernie-Collins/dp/1529437598/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2U5RO9BCNH9QR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.A-aQ2pQxp8_G-iZVMLr0EBKYLyQoAow3madvmGnpNVOuQLjIkLxqI7iXXC_sBJYN.ua4GIUFIhdsnoNvNBCBztBZ-1iczb9zLyAajPe0MREo&dib_tag=se&keywords=how+to+win+a+grand+prix+bernie+collins&qid=1730414797&sprefix=How+to+win+a+grand+prix%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-1