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Synopsis
The gritty inside story of a NASCAR champion.
Publishers Weekly
One of today's top race-car drivers, Stewart worked his way up from racing go-karts at small local tracks to racing open-wheel formula vehicles at the Indianapolis 500, finally becoming a champion NASCAR stock car driver. This autobiographical account, coauthored with noted racing journalist Bourcier, is interspersed with 75 black-and-white photographs and relevant quotes from people close to Stewart his mom, his girlfriend, members of his racing team, other famous drivers, and so forth. Having originally flourished in the South, NASCAR has become increasingly popular throughout the United States over the last decade. Still, 400 pages is a lot of text about a 30-year-old athlete, no matter how accomplished. Most editions of the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin are significantly fewer pages and cover a much more interesting and important life. Despite these reservations, NASCAR fans will be interested. For sports collections. John Maxymuk, Rutgers Univ. Lib., Camden, NJ Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble ReviewA burning desire to race -- anytime, at any venue, and in any make of car -- has distinguished Tony Stewart as a throwback in the world of auto racing. Complementing Stewart's burning desire to race is a blazing speed and a red-hot temper. In True Speed, Stewart describes his progression to the top of the auto-racing world while attempting to defuse the controversy surrounding him.
Though an Indiana boy, Stewart was from the beginning hooked on wheels rather than hoops. A precocious racing talent, he graduated from Go-Karts to sprints and midgets, finally to stock cars and Indy cars. Though he has excelled at all levels, he has never made up his mind on which he prefers: Stewart has a habit of racing both the Indy 500 and Charlotte's Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Between Winston Cup runs with Joe Gibbs's racing team, Stewart may sneak out on a Saturday night for a local short-track event.
Though he's a blue-collar hero and a genuine Everyman, Stewart's celebrity status makes a normal lifestyle impossible. Like all elite athletes, his single-minded focus and extraordinary competitive drive give Stewart a perspective alien to most people, and this has landed him in some scrapes with other drivers and with the press. At times, his temper erupts, and he's generally unwilling to blunt his honesty. One could argue that Stewart needs a good PR man -- what better vehicle to serve such purposes than an autobiography? (Brenn Jones)