Signs You are Addicted to Racing #2: You Read Books About Racing

Originally Posted on May 4, 2006 on Foxsports.com

I started reading at a young age.  My Mother refused to read the Velveteen Rabbit to me one night (I guess my ploy to stay up later didn't work).  So I had to do it myself.  In my family, punishment would be to go to your room - "And don't you read anything either while you're up there!"

So naturally, as  a race fan, I love to read about my sport.  I have always loved history, and I feel woefully inadequate in racing historical knowledge.  Aside from the magazines, newspaper articles and websites devoted to racing, there are numerous books to boost your nascar or racing knowledge.  So here are a few of my picks if you need to brush up on your racing knowledge (and these are not necessarily nascar titles).

Books:

DW by Darrell Waltrip; Driver #8 by Dale Earnhardt Jr; True Speed by Tony Stewart with Bones Bourcier; As I Recall by Donnie Allison;  Rebel with A Cause by Monte Dutton (Tony Stewart); Racing Back to the Front by  Jeff Gordon; Larry MacReynolds (autobiography);  Real Men Work in the Pits by Jeff Hammond;  Postcards from Pit Road by Monte Dutton, Sunday Money by Jeff MacGregor, Men and Speed,  Cheating by Tom Jensen; Daytona by Ed Hinton;Last Lap, American Zoom and Miracle by Peter Golenboch; Then Junior said to Jeff by David Poole & Jim McLaurin; Haul A** and Turn Left by Monte Dutton; Fate Guides my Destiny by Crocky Wright; Earl! by Dave Argabright w/ Earl Baltes;American Scene by Dave Argabright; anything by Dick Wallen (lot of information and pictures).

Other Sources:  National Speed Sport News - An absolute must for a race fan - covers everything from your local track to Nascar to Formula One; Nascar Scene; Speedway ; Racer.

Nascar has started its own "library" of titles, but there are a lot of other companies publishing books too.  Open wheel lovers should check out some of the "board" books that cover a particular region of the country (ie California Shoes), a series (USAC) or track (Nutley Velodrome).

I am anxiously awaiting my copies of  autobiographies of  AJ Foyt and Chris Economaki (editor of National Speed Sport News).  Hopefully they will arrive in time to read them during the next rain delay - after all, it's spring.