Wide Open by Shaun Assael

by Shaun Assael

The author of Wide Days and Nights on the NASCAR Tour takes his title from the acronym WFO, racing shorthand for a less clean version of "wide open"; to go WFO is to bring the hammer down. When conditions are right and the car feels good, a driver has a chance to go WFO--that is, if he has the skill and the guts. Going WFO in a 700-horsepower racecar, confined by a limited space and surrounded by 40 similar vehicles, is a relative concept, having more to do with the vehicle's performance and the driver's threshold for fear than anything else. This is the driving force behind stock car racing; it's a ludicrously dangerous sport that embodies everything Americans high risk, big money, and palpable thrills. Shaun Assael chronicles a year in the life of the people involved in the ever-moving caravan of Winston Cup racing. Following the fortunes of three drivers on the 1996 tour, he provides an up-close look at the tremendous mental, physical, and financial pressures that mount for the competitors of the world's biggest and fast-growing spectator sport. Wide Open is a fast-paced ride behind the scenes of the NASCAR tour.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Dave Neumann · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting glimpse into the world of Nascar through the eyes of several different people. Would be a great read for someone who is new to the sport and wanted to learn more about the ins and outs of Nascar

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in 2001 when I was just getting into (and I mean REALLY really getting into) NASCAR. I enjoyed it. At that time, I think I ate, slept, and breathed stock car racing. When I get obsessed, I can really get obsessed!

(If you're wondering, my NASCAR obsession has been tamed the last few years, but I can see I missed a really good season. May take it back up next year.)

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love this book

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I had read this back when it first came out it might have been a better book. If you want to learn about Nascar it is the book to read you can learn a lot from it.