Frosty: The autobiography of one of the most beloved drivers in modern Australian motorsport history

by Mark Winterbottom

The incredible true story of the boy from Doonside who became a Bathurst king.


Mark Winterbottom's story is unlike any other in motorsport. It's not about privilege or million-dollar sponsors - it's the tale of a working-class kid with a dream so big it defied the odds. Mark's family couldn't afford to buy him the motorcycle he needed to kick-start his career, so they purchased a raffle ticket instead. The chances of winning that shiny, new PeeWee 50 were as slim as a boy from Doonside, near Blacktown, one day winning the Bathurst 1000. He would win both.

Having won a bike to secure his start, Mark and his family poured everything into his unlikely motorsport dream. But it was more than just luck that would define Mark's career, which included stints at Ford Performance Racing (Tickford Racing) and Team 18. Frosty's story is a motorsport fairy tale that is also proof that with heart, hustle and an unyielding will to succeed, you can achieve greatness.

Mark went on to win 10 Australian national kart titles and 25 state championships before transitioning into Formula Ford in 2001. His meteoric rise continued in 2003 when he clinched the Konica V8 Supercar Series Championship and was honoured with the Mike Kable Young Gun Award. Mark would also become one of Ford's most famous drivers when he broke through to beat Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup by winning the 2015 Supercars Championship in his flying Falcon. Frosty is more than a story of fast cars, chequered flags and brushes with some of motorsport's greats, including Lewis Hamilton and Peter Brock. It's about resilience, family and overcoming life's biggest challenges. In this inspiring memoir, Mark shares the raw truth of his hardest the irreparable fallout with his father, supporting his mother through cancer, and pushing forward when most would have given up.

From the streets of western Sydney to the summit of Mount Panorama, Mark Winterbottom's story is a powerful reminder that impossible dreams can be chased - and won.

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2025

Reviews

[Meegz Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4 Stars*

I was keen to get my hands on a copy of this book as soon as I heard about it. While I don't really watch Supercars at all now, I used to, and that was back when Frosty was in his prime. He was my favourite driver and I had heaps of merch. I enjoyed reading his story and the truthful way he told it. There was a lot about his upbringing and his rise up into Supercars. I think it would've been nice if there was more from his time in Supercars included, but I guess you can only make a book so big. There were definitely a number of things that surprised me during his story, particularly some things about certain times during Supercars and even one about a certain driver when he was young. I'd definitely recommend reading this if you're a Frosty Fan.

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[Jess L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story written from Frosty's POV. This book has great insight in what it's like behind the scenes for a kid growing up in Doonside to becoming one of Australia's best Supercars drivers.
I really enjoyed this book and I found it was a nice easy read that never got too complicated or too boring to read.
I recommend this book for fans of the sport as it also covers the greatest years of Supercars (in my opinion). There's so many obstacles that Frosty overcame in his career and it's just earned him so much more respect in my books.
If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.

[Carissa Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a person who 'bled red' back in the day of the true Ford/Holden rivalry, Frosty was the enemy! Whilst that 'one or the other' mentality was fun at the time, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Mark's story. With it, came the realisation that no matter the colour of the car, every single driver has a story to tell, and it usually involves the highest of highs, the lowest of lows, massive risks on and off the track, and everything in between!

[Tennille Lulham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frosty is a raw, honest look at elite sport, pressure, and what it really costs to chase success. Winterbottom’s story goes beyond the wins and losses, diving into mental health, identity, and life. It’s reflective, confronting at times, and deeply human — especially powerful for anyone who loves sport but also wants to understand the person behind the jersey.

[foamoftheocean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the insight into Bathurst and how Frosty became so resilient, as well as his personal life and how he climbed up the ranks! I would’ve enjoyed it more if I watched him race, but he explained everything well.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story with so much of how he got into V8 driving. The one thing I wish it had was more about his time in Supercars.