The Wildest Ride: A History of NASCAR

by Joe Menzer

In The Wildest Ride, Joe Menzer gives us a timely, comprehensive look at the dramatic, rollicking history of stock-car racing in America, exploring both its inauspicious bootlegging beginnings and the billion-dollar industry that it has become. Menzer straps the reader into the driver's seat for a run through NASCAR's history, revealing the sport's remarkable rise from rogue outfit to corporate darling. Menzer also profiles the many superstar drivers who have dominated the sport, men as unpredictable as they are fearless, including "The Intimidator," Dale Earnhardt, whose ferocious driving made him NASCAR's signature personality -- and whose tragic death at the 2001 Daytona 500 was mourned by millions.
Menzer expertly maneuvers through the tight corners and wide-open straightaways of NASCAR's history, examining the circuit's attempt to distance itself from its "redneck racin'" past without compromising its country roots. Simultaneously rowdy and insightful, The Wildest Ride is a thorough and unfailingly honest account of NASCAR's amazing rise to prominence and a sweeping account of a uniquely American phenomenon.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2001

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable history of the rise of NASCAR. One of my personal projects over the past 5 years has been learning and reading more about sports. Motorsports are my current focus. This book has some fun stories about the legendary NASCAR drivers, but it didn't really go too in depth about the development and history of stock car racing.

[De'Aunte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wanted to be a racecar driver? Well this is your chance. Hop in and get ready for a crazy ride because what you're about to experience is going to be life changing.
Joe Menzer is a stock-car driver and he races in a billion dollar industry. He shows what it is like behind the wheel on a racecar. His career sky rockets as he gets older. His great friend dies in a car wreck in 2001. So he wants to win the world racing cup for his best friend. He shows the feelings and hardships that he went through to accomplishing his goal as the world cup race car driver. I personally like this book because of course there are a lot of action and deep suspense in this amazing book. I like how the drivers get frustrated and drive their cars into each other because it helps make the race more intense and makes it more exciting.

There are a lot of people involved in nascar. William France Sr. NASCAR founder and ironfisted dictator, ruthlessly guided his circuit to great heights. With Big Bill, there was only one way of doing things-his. Once moonshine running’ outlaw, the legendary Junior Johnson forever changed NASCAR by brokering a sponsorship deal with R.J Reynolds.

Tim Flock, one of NASCAR’S earliest stars, celebrates a victory with members of his family. Big Bill France would eventually ban Flock for life for agreeing to join the aborted union. Patriarch of stock car racing’s first family, Lee Petty’s dominance extended all, the way down to the nuts and bolts of his car. Unlike many of his hard running fellow drivers Ned Jarrett was steady and composed both on and off the track.

I liked the wild and crazy head drivers but they were champion drivers and notorious party animals who lived as wide open when they raced. I like these Two generations of superstars. They come together as a family. Joe weatherly and a twenty-four-year-old Richard Petty Kick back On May 1961 as they .Glenn ‘’Fireball’’ Roberts Holman-Moody Ford gets his tires changed four to five times during every race.

I liked how we had the first African- American racer. He found himself sabotaged by other drivers and sponsors because of his color. I liked how he stood up for himself and still raced to prove that he was one of the best racers alive.

At the 1979 Daytona 500, Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough whaled on each other in the infields as Richard Petty took home the checkered flag. Bill Elliott, came from a humble moonshine country to become the best top fan favorite.
‘’Wonder Boy’’ Jeff Gordon has the top wins in NASCAR history. In1999 Jeff Gordon won the Daytona 500. The stars and bars are always in sight at any and all NASCAR events. They normally kick back, grab a beer and watch the race. In the year 2000 Adam was killed in an accident at New Hampshire international speedway only weeks before his great grandfather passes away. Michael Waltrip has set a NASCAR record for the most winning starts in a NASCAR race for 463 starts.
I would most definitely recommend this book to people that love action and suspense. I would recommend it because it is a book that will have your mind thinking. You will engage more into the scenes as they are happening. The thrills of all the wrecks and arguments and pictures to go along with it will make you feel like as if you were actually there with the race car drivers.

[Noah Larks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of “The Wildest Ride: A History of NASCAR” by Joe Menzer


NASCAR is the abbreviation for the National Association of Stock Car Racing. Stock car racing has been around for over 80 plus years. Joe Menzer, a famous sports writer for over 33 years, take the reader for a “wild ride” into the history of the “good old boys’” sport of stock car racing. The Wildest Ride, tells the long history of NASCAR through numerous interviews and exciting photos. The nice thing about “The Wildest Ride” does not require the reader to wear a seatbelt to enjoy this outstanding book.

NASCAR started out as a bunch of good old boys racing the family car. As interest in the sport of stock car racing began to grow it became very competitive and participants attempted to figure out a way how to organize it. Then it started to grow and the sponsors started to notice the sport and started to sell the racers the products.

I really loved the book because i’m a true NASCAR fan myself. There is nothing really to dislike of the book except for some of the bad language in some the titles of the chapters. I would recommend this book to anyone that is a true NASCAR fan and gearheads alike.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly interesting history of the sport. It has (the sport of stock car racing) a certain appeal to a lot of people but I always had far more interest in open-wheel racing such as Indy cars and Formula 1.

[Julie H. Ernstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun little history of NASCAR that takes the sport back through its rum-running origins.

[Tom Nolan]

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