Last Lap: The Life and Times of NASCAR's Legendary Heroes
"The sport of stock car racing continues to grow exponentially. Bigger tracks, with larger purses, have been added to the schedule. Television coverage is unparalleled. When Dale Earnhardt died on the final lap of the Daytona 500 in February of 2001, more people were watching that race than ever before. His untimely death, viewed in real time by millions, marked an end to something special, a period in NASCAR history the likes of which we may never see again." —From the Introduction Alan...
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"Racing is a struggle among men, machines, big money, and the track. Peter's book brings out a side of racing that most fans never see: clashing personalities, egos, and various skills combining to fuse together to form a winning racing team." —Lou LaRosa, former engine builder for Dale Earnhardt In The Last Lap, Updated, bestselling author Peter Golenbock unveils the fascinating behind-the-scenes stories of NASCAR's unique and colorful real-life heroes. This compelling revision includes three all-new chapters on the legendary Dale Earnhardt—including poignant, personal reminiscences from his crew chief, Andy Petree; his engine builder, Lou LaRosa; his gas man, Danny "Chocolate" Myers; the President of the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Humpy Wheeler; NASCAR TV commentator Eli Gold; and long-time Earnhardt friend and Head Librarian of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, Betty Carlan; as well as others who knew him well. In addition, the book features new color photographs of Dale Earnhardt and other racing heroes as well as black-and-white photos. Whether you're a hard-core fan or brand new to the sport, you won't be able to put this book down. You'll gain unique insights into the world of racing directly from the people who made the headlines. Among those who share their stories are racing legends David Pearson, Buddy Baker, Tim Flock, and Marvin Panch, and the families and friends of the late Curtis Turner, the Myers brothers, Tiny Lund, Bobby Issac, Alan Kulwicki, and Davey and Clifford Allison. Golenbock draws out their fascinating stories and explores the hold these men have had on everyone who has ever participated in or followed this great sport. "That attitude was so deep in him. To me, he probably wasn't the fastest driver as far as the technical talent, but his competitiveness was such that he wouldn't let anyone beat him. He was so mentally tough on the race track." —Andy Petree, Earnhardt's former Crew Chief with Richard Childress Racing, owner of two race teams "…what he [Dale Earnhardt] was so proficient at was being able to go into the gray areas of the racetrack—the areas where angels fear to tread, where only the great race drivers can run…" —Humpy Wheeler President, Charlotte Motor Speedway "See, the excitement is gone. It's just so different without Dale out there." —Betty Carlan, long-time friend of Dale Earnhardt and Head Librarian for International Motorsports Hall of Fame The Last Lap, Updated pays tribute to Dale Earnhardt and other racing legends who made the sport great, some of whom are no longer around to share in its glory. Vibrant and daring, these formative figures in the history of stock car racing are brought to life by these compelling stories of their exploits when they ruled the tracks of NASCAR. Visit us at www.hungryminds.com
AcknowledgmentsxiiiIntroductionxv1Bob Latford: In the Beginning2Slick Owens: In the Land of Cotton3Tim Flock: The Last of the Wild Bunch4Ralph Moody: Curtis and Lil' Joe5Max Muhlmann: More Curtis and Lil' Joe6Maurice Petty: The Perfectionist7Tim Flock: Carl Kiekhaefer8Danny "Chocolate" Myers: The Death of the Myers Brothers9Tom Pistone: The "Converted Yankee"10Ralph Moody: Fred Lorenzen11Paul "Little Bud" Moore: Rough-Tough Characters12Buddy Baker: Buck's Boy13Marvin Panch: Escape from a Fiery Death14Bob Latford: Crash and Burn15Ralph Moody: Death Wholesale16Max Muhlmann: The Death of Fireball Roberts17Bob Latford: Ned and Junior18David Pearson: The Reluctant Champion19Paul "Little Bud" Moore: The Demise of Dirt20Bob Latford: A Small Band of Gypsies21Maurice Petty: Life with Richard22David Pearson: Moments Great and Not So Good23"Suitcase" Jake Elder: One Great Chassis Man24Slick Owens: Holman and Moody's Demise25Buddy Baker: He Broke the 200 MPH Barrier26Tim Flock: Curtis Turner's Losing Gambit27Curtis Turner: The Day the Music Died28Bunny Turner: "Sweet Thang"29Lou LaRosa: Brooklyn Meets Robert Gee30Buddy Baker: Troubles on the Last Lap31Wanda Lund: They Were All Crazy32Tommy Johnson: The Travails of Harry Hyde33Buddy Baker: Records at Breakneck Speed34Lou LaRosa: The Emergence of Dale Earnhardt35Tommy Johnson: Harry Hyde and Tim Richmond36Lou LaRosa: Cale and More About Dale37Danny "Chocolate" Myers: Memories of Richard Childress38Tommy Johnson: The Death of Harry Hyde39Paul Andrews: The Death of Alan Kulwicki40"Suitcase" Jake Elder: Disturbing Memories41Liz Allison: The Deaths of Clifford and Davey42Lou LaRosa: A Racer's Sad Good-bye43Buddy Baker: He (and the Sport) Survives and Flourishes44Andy Petree: Bigger than Life45Dale Earnhardt: The Man in Black46Dale Earnhardt: Black SundayIndex
