Racing Reviews

I bought this book because my brother Robert Faiella contributed 2 stories to it ("Go to a race" and "Think before you boo"). However, after reading his two stories and then flipping through the other stories I realized that this truly is a wonderful book. It was great to see the personal sides of the drivers and learn how their generosity, talents and skills have touched so many lives. If you enjoyed the other Chicken Soup for the Soul series, you'll enjoy this book too - even if you never did watch a race!! Try it or like my brother says...Go to a race!

This book is a MUST for any NASCAR fan or anyone who enjoys inspirational stories. There are stories from present drivers to yesterday's drivers, from sports writers to fans whose lives have been touched by the sport of NASCAR. The book will make you laugh and could make you cry. I would recommend this book to everyone! You will not be disappointed with your purchase.

I just finished this wondefully touching book. It's filled with stories from the drivers themselves,that you won't hear about anywhere else. There are stories from fans like you and me. I highly recommend it to any true fan of the great sport of racing.

Richard Sowers brings a unique and knowledgable voice to the world of NASCAR; a welcome breath of fresh air amidst overly cynical journalists and sugar-coated sentiments. His is an honest look behind the scenes of America's Sport.
"The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing: Records, Streaks, Oddities and Trivia" is an absolutely invaluable resource. Sowers provides readers with an index that measures the racers of yesteryear against those of the modern era, thus giving followers a chance to debate more accurately about which driver should be called "the greatest of all time." His stance on the true count of the number of races that Bobby Allison won is also not to be missed.
As a writer, I must say that Sowers' book is my Bible, if you'll excuse the cliche. I use it to research and verify facts, and it inspires many articles for my Web site. This book is never far from my reach. I would not recommend this book to someone without prior knowledge of the basics of NASCAR racing, though. They'd be better off going with a book like Mark Martin's "NASCAR for Dummies." But for fans and writers searching for the ultimate statistical guide - look no further!

In addition to its use of Sowers' Performance Index to quantify who were the greatest drivers ever and why, the book presents a year by year history of NASCAR on a scale never attempted before. As NASCAR has only in the last decade or so exploded into truly national notoriety and popularity, there are literally thousands of fans who know little or nothing about the sport's pioneers--men like Lee Petty, Red Byron, Junior Johnson, Fireball Roberts, Buck Baker, the Flock brothers, Tim, Bob, and Fonty, and the wild and crazy Curtis Turner. Many of them were men who learned their driving skills not at some high-priced racing school, but on the rural backroads of places like Georgia and North Carolina--running moonshine and evading the law. It was men like these who in the 1950's competed for small purses on mostly dirt tracks as part of the upstart organization known as NASCAR, which was seen by some as a low-class pretender to "true" American racing--the Indianapolis 500. Today, NASCAR has not only equaled Indy car racing in prestige and popularity, it has surpassed it; advancing beyond the most optimistic dreams of NASCAR's founder, Big Bill France. To learn the fascinating details of this great American success story, you must read this book.

As a Statistician, I forecast that you can do no better than this book. A number crunchers dream come true.

Viewing Grand Prix motor racing through the wonderfully perceptive eyes of Professor Watkins means that anyone interested in the sport should read this excellent account. Obviously respected, often revered by those with whom he works, he gives vivid and sometimes moving recollections spanning the many years of his involvement. Humour and pathos make regular appearances; his dry wit, an essential tool of his trade perhaps, serves to punctuate what is essentially a serious book. His incisive précis of drivers from the last three decades make for compulsive reading, the character analyses are intriguing and revealing. Undoubtedly a pivotal character in the world of Formula One, the professor has been instrumental in saving many lives. However, he's also witnessed intimately the consequences of appalling accidents in which lives were lost. He is perhaps uniquely qualified to commentate on the sport; his dedication and professionalism making him a hero in this modern amphitheatre which now embraces the globe. Superbly readable. Once is not enough.

Professor Watkins provides his insights into the personalities and events of formula one racing based on over two decades involvement with the sport. He has completed more circuit laps in medical vehicles than some drivers are able to accomplish in their F1 career. His humor, dedication to the sport, and commitment to improving safety standards are reflected in this well written book that should appeal to everyone interested in the human aspect of the F1 circus.

I have never thought that this book could contain such historical moments. I have only followed F1 since 97 and I had a thirst for knowledge. This book has lots of it. Knowledge and feelings. We are brought inside the author's life. I thank him for this book, which I consider a remarkable achievement.

VultureElf 1/8 Irish Proud FOSA member

First there was The Black Stallion, then there was The Black Stallion Returns, then there was Son of the Black Stallion. Then the series went rapidly downhill. Of the entire (long) list of Black Stallion books only a few really stand out in my mind years later. This is one of them. Perhaps it's because Farley is writing with a new set of characters, and a new horse - a son of the Black raised for harness racing. Whatever the reason there is freshness to the people and plot here that was sadly lacking in most of the later books.

I have read all of the original Walter Farley "Black Stallion" books, and would have to say that this is one of the best of the sequels (although, since The Black are mentioned only in passing as Bonfire's sire, I don't know if it could strictly be labeled a "sequel"). One of the very few young adult novels I have found that writes about harness racing in an exciting fashion. Reading this book makes me long for the 'good old days' of country fairs where everyone knew everyone else. Walter Farley was gifted not only in bringing the excitement of horse racing and his love of horses in general to life, but in this book the human characters -- Jimmy, Tom, Uncle Wilmer and the others -- are drawn in such a way where the reader can easily visualize them in his or her mind. I couldn't imagine any horse loving person NOT enjoying this book (as well as the follow up "The Black Stallion's Sulky Colt" which I believe is currently out of print, but worth looking for if not only to continue Bonfire's story).

Jimmy Creech was old and tired. He had been harness racing at county fairs for over fifty years which was overcrowded with newcomers who raced at "night raceaways" and wasn't making much money anymore. Jimmy's only hope to keep on making money lay between the Blood Bay Colt and his yound driver and apprentice, Tom Messenger.

*If you like horses, than this is a great book to read!

As a commuter trying to train for a century, I thought this book would be great. However, the part of the title "for all levels" is misleading. You must have a heart rate monitor, clipless pedals and an indoor trainer to even consider buying this book, as it focuses primarily on medium-to-high level bikers. It refers very frequently to racing season, has an infuriating section about training with weaker riders, specifically your girlfriend or wife, and says often that if you can't make such-and-such a goal, you're out of shape. This book is for YOU, the male, hard-core racer with seven days a week to train for cycling, but not for riders of ALL LEVELS.

Arnie Baker is very succinct in his writing. When he writes about a topic, i.e. bike fit or cycling shorts, he explains the terms and why it is important every rider. There is no fluff. Every subject is treated this way. This makes for a very easily digestable, quick read. Some of the sections on racing may not be applicable to everyone, but it's nice to know, esp. if you are watching a race on TV. The strategy is great, if you are into that stuff, like me :-)

I bought this book primarily for the 12-week indoor trainer workouts, and it has not disappointed. If you perform the workouts every week, you will definitely see an improvement in your fitness. This is my second winter with the 12-week cycle, and I can see the improvements. Charting your progress is a great idea and is a definite motivator. At the end of the 12-weeks, I was able to easily complete a 100k rally. You can too, regardless of your level. If the workouts are too difficult, simple adjust your gearing or effort appropriately and you will see improvement. As Arnie says many times, the gearing and effort suggestions are nominal and should be adjusted based on your abilities. A very reasonable approach.

The only reason this book did not get 5 stars is because the trainer workouts only cover one day per week. I ride at least three days a week in the winter, so I would like to see a more detailed plan for the entire week, not just the one specific workout.

Racing is one focus of this book, but the training methods and indoor workouts are valuable for riders of any ilk. I'm a pleasure and fitness road rider, now on workout 6. Combined with a HR monitor, I've seen measureable improvement and workouts fly by. The workout structure is easily understood. My only recommendation is to make copies of the workouts, so you don't trash your book as you record your performance. Enjoy the time on your trainer for a change.

I found this book to be a very nice overview of NASCAR history and the modern circuit. For anyone who wants to know the history and some neat anecdotes about the sport, this book is perfect. And while I found Hemphill's description of the 1996 season entertaining, it wasn't as complete as his background. All in all, it makes the perfect first NASCAR book--everything the basic fan should know about the sport.

I enjoyed this book. WHEELS is a non-fiction story about a year on the NASCAR Winston Cup Circuit. It is full of rip roaring action and excitement. the author writes it lap by lap, wreck by wreck, race by race. I thought the wrecks were the mast interesting parts of this book, followed by the fixing of the cars. The author shows true spirit for all the tracks and drivers. Some of the drivers in this book are Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mike Skinner, Steve Park, Dale Jarret, and Darrell Waltrip. Some of the tracks are Martinsville Speedway, Darlington Speedway, Daytona Speedway, Talladega Speedway, and Atlanta Motor Speedway. I think every NASCAR fan should read this book.

Paul Hemphill has captured all the flavors of the fans, racers and the sport of racing. He details information not readily available to non-racing fans. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone interested in the south, in racing or in just plain good writing.

The author of this book was more interested in glamourizing the sport rather than presenting a factual and historical narrative. This is the major problem with polo. This book claims to be a comprehensive book on polo yet there was no mention of the fact that polo originated from the Buzkashi sport which is played in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Polo itself originated from the northern areas of Pakistan. In fact, the word 'polo' means 'ball' in Balti which is the language of the Baltistan region in north Pakistan. I wouldn't be surprized if the author doesn't even know this. The oldest surviving polo clubs in the world are that of Chitral and Gilgit (both in Pakistan ) who to this very day play annually at the magnificient Shandur Polo Ground at the Shandur Pass in Pakistan's Hindu Kush mountains - the highest polo ground in the world. Had these facts been incorporated in the text of the book, I would have had more respect for it. Yet it joins the ranks of tens of recent books on polo, such as 'Polo' by Penina Meisels and Michael Cronan which have only sought to present the glamourous "Palm Beach and Ralph Lauren" side of this dangerous and spectacular game, without going into its real essence, spirit and history. The difference between Pakistan and Palm Beach is that in the former, we play the game for passion not for glamour. The land of Pakistan - a country which invented the game and sustains it - deserves a mention in any book on polo.

This book is one of a kind. If you enjoy playing polo, this is a book that MUST be in your home. If you love horses, you will find brilliant scenes captured by Mrs. Barrantes. She captured, on film, her life in polo. This is not just a picture book of the sport, it is a real inside view of the real polo life. If there are any books still available, buy it. You will not be disappointed.

One of the best polo coffee table books around. I received this a few years ago as a wedding gift from my friend Matias in Argentina. The pictures are beautiful and as an enthusiast, this is certainly one book to have. The author's untimely death makes this book a collection not to be given a miss.

Obert's account of the her trip of "10,000 miles over two continents, four deserts, and the roof of the world in The Peking to Paris Motor Challenge" is both compelling and disappointing. It is compelling in that it would be hard to write about a classic car rally which goes across China, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and on to Paris without it being interesting. It is annoying in that freelance magazine writer Obert doesn't do [much] with the great material. The purpose of the rally is to recreate a 1907 race which was documented by an Italian journalist who rode with Prince Borghese. Obert cribs the interesting bits from that account, but is [doesn't add] in integrating them into her own trip. Ditto for the local history, which appears to be largely...from Lonely Planet and other basic guidebooks. Once certainly learns a great deal of interesting stuff about the rules and manners of rallying. She's good on the car stuff, but weak on the people. The vast number of contestants results in Obert's inability to really give more than a quick character sketch of any. It would have been more interesting if she'd stuck with tracking a few fellow contestants all the way through and gotten more in depth on them. Much of the book is marred by a whiny tone with respect to her driving partner, the race organizers, poor accommodations, food, and especially the wearing of a headscarf when traveling through Iran. All in all, despite Obert's claim to be a big traveler, I didn't get the feeling she really enjoyed the world she drove by, or was making much of an effort to understand it. Indeed, she revels in the rally's arrival in Italy--ah the West! And finally, her attempt to justify the huge expense of the whole undertaking--to her...self and the reader--at the very end is laughable. She...claims, "Our long drive was an act of connection," no, such events are purely about the self. She didn't hear about the rally and think. "Wow, what a great way to connect with less fortunate parts of the world," she thought (as I would) "Wow, how cool would that be to do!" This lack of honesty at the end was the final sour footnote for me to a book which would have benefited from better physical design (it's an ugly book to read), a much more rigorous editor, and a more prepared and perceptive narrator. Certainly the rally comes across as interesting, and Obert's personal achievement is quite an accomplishment, I just wish a better book had come of it.

I happened to see a British television account of this event this past summer on History International. I missed this one when it was happening probably because I was involved in my own journeys. I caught the series in the middle and this book explained in great detail what I'd missed.
I think it would be extremely difficult to make this trip even in a new vehicle much less in most of these vehicles---this event was really wacky; it would be like running your 80 year old grandfather in a marathon and taking him out every so often for knee surgery and then back in the race again. The winning team with their modified jeep certainly had the right vehicle for that trip.
This account reflects very well the problems of balancing timing and navagation needs of road racing with the sightseeing. Many of the participants had to give up on the race and go along for the ride. The portraits of the racers were well done, particularly Andy Vann and his selfless heroism along the way. He was inspiring. The disdainful winner Phil Surtees, the madman organizers, the papershuffling petty despots along the way, the rivalries among the racers, the culture divide of modern women encountering their enemies in Iran, and the burnout at the end are all here. I really enjoyed this book.

For those of us with less adventure in our souls than Genny,her story should be read with a mind to the extreme bravery displayed by both the writer and her co-driver on this epic adventure. Why do I raise the subject of bravery in a book report? Perhaps being British and therfore my inate "Britishness" (perhaps it is unfashonable to be a gentleman these days?) makes the reading of some of the report on this book from your side of the Atlantic seem a little harsh. I assumed that the content of the book was of primary importance? It seems that some fellow report writers want to concentrate on writing style and quality of punctuation rather than the text? I implore all who read this book to do so with an open mind considering the achievement of Genny and Linda in the context of travel writing, giving due credit for the superlative historic reference's to the initial running of the Peking to Paris at the turn of the 20th century. I am, and will admit to being somewhat biased in this matter. I witnessed the bravery of the writer and her co-driver fist hand. Following a high speed accident when their car hit a hidden culvert I was the medical officer who attended to Genny and Linda. They refused all but the most basic of medical intervention when lesser persons would have rolled over and quit. Not only did they display admirable bravery and foresight they also demonstrated considerable mechanical ability by repairing the damage to the car themselves! Whithout doubt, Genny is one of the most complete long distance rally competitors. It was a great honour for me to take part in the Peking to Paris as part of the support team, and a great honour to have become aquainted with such a strong and determined lady. Litrary detractors please take note and be mindful of the sacrifices travel writers make for their art.

Im a big #20 fan and was expecting to find alot of information I never heard before. Unfortunately, this book seemed to be just a recap of the 2000 season. At times I felt I was reading old newspaper articles about the races. The very small amount of 'behind-the-scenes' stuff could have fit into 20 pages. If your a new fan or a fan of another driver this book will get you caught up with Tony's past seasons and should put the negative publicity to rest. Otherwise I would wait for Tony's book to come out but of course us diehards need to pick up everything anyway :)

Mr. Dutton's first book, "At Speed blah blah..." was terrible to the point where I think it should not have been published. His literary agent - whom provided a helpful review here which clarified the origins of the content of "Rebel With a Cause" - will perhaps be dismayed that I reached that conclusion after reading "At Speed..." while browsing in a bookstore and not after wasting my money on it. It might be good for kindling, but that's about it.

Mr. Dutton's effort with "Rebel" is better, though maybe not by leaps and bounds. The book recaps Stewart's sophomore year in Winston Cup, with each chapter corresponding roughly to a week at one track, and then the next track, etc. It's well written and it serves as an entertaining chronicle of Stewart's up-and-down 2000 season. That said, the emphasis is on off-track matters and how those matters affected Stewart's on track performance. Details about what was he was doing on the track during any given race are conspicuously missing, to the book's detriment.

In fact, the book is pretty dull when it comes to conveying any on-track excitement at all, and it reads much more like a columnist reporting the news. Furthermore, I'm not even sure if Mr. Dutton actually interviewed Stewart one-on-one for any part of his book. If he did, it doesn't show. While Stewart is quoted at length throughout the text, one is left with the impression that the quotes are simply lifted from Stewart's press conferences.

Even so, having Stewart's season recorded is still a treat, and what general race coverage there is is sufficient to keep the book moving. But compared to "Driver #8" which follows the same "2000 Winston Cup season, week-by-week" approach, "Rebel" unfortunately does not measure up well. This is partly because of the aforementioned lack of detail about Stewart's on-track experiences during each race, but also because Mr. Dutton simply is not Stewart. To Mr. Dutton's credit as a reporter he is objective throughout his book, but unfortunately that approach precludes the reader from developing any sense of intimacy with his subject. You might get a sense about how Stewart has been shaped by Winston Cup, but you won't feel you've gotten to know him yourself. In fact, Mr. Dutton's style is so objective that you won't even get to know HIM.

Of course, if you are Stewart fan, then Earnhardt Jr.'s book certainly can't "scratch your itch." Objectively, I think "Rebel" is a three-star book, but since I'm a Stewart fan, I've given it four. The casual fan will find a better read in "Driver #8." While the tone of this review is somewhat negative, "Rebel," despite its shortcomings, is still a good, solid book. You could do a lot worse!

As Monte Dutton's literary agent, I feel obliged to set the record straight. (...) Monte has written strictly original material; it is NOT a reprinting of items from "NASCAR This Week," syndicated by Monte's employer, The Gaston Gazette. Therefore, readers will NOT be "familiar with this material." Furthermore, Monte had no obligation to include in his comprehensive recounting of Tony Stewart's outstanding 2000 sophomore season "a coherent picture of the complex mechanics, culture and social context of racing." Gimme a break! All hard-core NASCAR fans already know this stuff. Furthermore, Monte has already covered much of this information in his first book, At Speed: Up Close and Personal with the People, Places, and Fans of NASCAR.

This is not a book for the average mechanic it has advanced mods for 2 stroke engines. I would also say that a lot of the book does not partain to all 2 stroke engines. It has an excellent carburation section. Overall for me I do not think it was worth the money to me.

An excellent academic book on the theory behind performance tuning for 2-stroke motorcycles. Geared specifically for GP and Kart racers, this hardcover treasure has turned out to be a great reference source for questions on the logic and concepts that pertain to tuning a 2-stroke for maximum performance.

This doesn't always mean maximum horsepower. As is stated by the author, every great 2-Stroke racing machine is a compromise of power -vs- function. This concept alone makes the book well worth the purchase price.

A "must-have" if you race a 2-stroke, especially a Yamaha TZ250 or 125. Includes tons of pictures, charts, graphs, comparisons, numbers. formulas, theory, examples, stories, and more!

Excellent primer on understanding the workings of two-stroke engines for racing. If you are a novice/beginner then this book is for you. There are only a couple books like this ever made and that makes this one well worth the money. I learn a little more every time I read it.