Starting at the beginning of the 2001 NASCAR season, Sports Illustrated
contributor MacGregor and his photographer wife attended almost every race on the circuit in an attempt to understand the sport's wild appeal. The author's hopped-up reporting of the races, the fans and the history bolsters his admiration of the drivers and their skills. Traveling across the country, making pit stops in Wal-Mart parking lots, MacGregor becomes one with the throngs who worship weekly at the altars of speed and death in places like Richmond, Va.; Bristol, Tenn.; and Rockingham, N.C. As he reports the highlights of each race—who won, who wrecked, which racer had the sexiest women in his company, which fans were the wackiest—he neatly weaves the history of the sport into his story to measure the distance racing has traveled from its days on dirt tracks with unregulated stock cars to mammoth stadiums and corporate sponsorships. Through interviews with driver Jeff Gordon and others, MacGregor demystifies these celebrities' aura—they're ordinary folks—while at the same time proving that the glitter of being a winning NASCAR driver has propelled Gordon and others into a regal realm far above their fans' station. 8 pages of color photos not seen by PW
. Agent, Heather Schroder. (May)
