From Library Journal
One of today's top race-car drivers, Stewart worked his way up from racing go-karts at small local tracks to racing open-wheel formula vehicles at the Indianapolis 500, finally becoming a champion NASCAR stock car driver. This autobiographical account, coauthored with noted racing journalist Bourcier, is interspersed with 75 black-and-white photographs and relevant quotes from people close to Stewart his mom, his girlfriend, members of his racing team, other famous drivers, and so forth. Having originally flourished in the South, NASCAR has become increasingly popular throughout the United States over the last decade. Still, 400 pages is a lot of text about a 30-year-old athlete, no matter how accomplished. Most editions of the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin are significantly fewer pages and cover a much more interesting and important life. Despite these reservations, NASCAR fans will be interested. For sports collections. John Maxymuk, Rutgers Univ. Lib., Camden, NJCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Stewart, only 30 years old, inhabits the upper echelon of the car-racing world, but his ascent to the top has hardly been meteoric. He began racing go-karts as a child and won his first national race at 12, eventually moving on to USAC sprint races and finally to the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit, where he was the 1999 Rookie of the Year. His as-told-to autobiography fits comfortably into the genre, combining an overview of his career with comments from family, peers, and media sprinkled throughout. The controversy that has followed Stewart, thanks to his sometimes outspoken interviews, is partially evident here, as he tackles some of racing's more vexing issues and emerges as a refreshingly candid alternative to the surprisingly bland, politically correct world of contemporary big-time auto racing. Dozens of black-and-white photos, many from Stewart's adolescent racing days, complement the text. Expect considerable demand. Stewart is a major star in a very popular sport. Wes Lukowsky
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
Some people probably wish Tony Stewart would just shut up and drive. His detractors think he has a big mouth and is prone to temper tantrums. But, really, #20's problem is that he's too honest and, as Tony says, "in this sport, honesty can get you in a lot of trouble."But you can't take the drive out of the man. Tony Stewart is one of the most controversial stars to hit the Winston Cup scene, famous for his four-letter outbursts and badass behavior. In True Speed, he takes you on a no-holds-barred trip around the track, to the pit stop, and behind the scenes.NASCAR's 1999 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year has been penalized, slammed, and knocked around. He has spun out Jeff Gordon's car -- on pit road no less. He has had shouting matches, brawls, and heated "discussions" with other drivers and NASCAR officials. He has clashed with reporters, sometimes physically, all the while maintaining one of his core principles: honesty. "I'm not always the easiest guy to interview. But I do think I'm one of the most honest, and that's not going to change."Stewart will not accept defeat. He knows that he wasn't born to be a loser, and he justifies it with stark honesty between these pages. True Speed, told by Tony himself, discusses it all: from playing with Matchbox cars to actually racing go-karts, midgets, and stock cars.In True Speed Tony doesn't only talk about the simple details of the tracks or the cars, he discusses the science of the race: the machines, the brakes, the tires, and the tracks. He also describes the mental and physical challenges he has to endure on every ride, the head games the job can play on him, the claustrophobia he suffers from, as well as the lifestyle and pressures of the job.In three full seasons of competition in the NASCAR Winston Cup series, Tony Stewart has compiled one of the most impressive records in series history. But True Speed tells more than Tony's NASCAR tale. His reputation was made in midgets and sprints and Silver Crown cars; later, in 1997 and 1998, he established himself as an Indy Racing League star. He recounts his open-wheel days fondly and in great detail.Tony Stewart's story is one of a gritty racing life: fast, uncompromising, and nothing less than a checkered flag.


About the Author
Tony Stewart divides his time between Lake Norman, North Carolina, and his boyhood home in Columbus, Indiana.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
A burning desire to race -- anytime, at any venue, and in any make of car -- has distinguished Tony Stewart as a throwback in the world of auto racing. Complementing Stewart's burning desire to race is a blazing speed and a red-hot temper. In True Speed, Stewart describes his progression to the top of the auto-racing world while attempting to defuse the controversy surrounding him.

Though an Indiana boy, Stewart was from the beginning hooked on wheels rather than hoops. A precocious racing talent, he graduated from Go-Karts to sprints and midgets, finally to stock cars and Indy cars. Though he has excelled at all levels, he has never made up his mind on which he prefers: Stewart has a habit of racing both the Indy 500 and Charlotte's Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Between Winston Cup runs with Joe Gibbs's racing team, Stewart may sneak out on a Saturday night for a local short-track event.

Though he's a blue-collar hero and a genuine Everyman, Stewart's celebrity status makes a normal lifestyle impossible. Like all elite athletes, his single-minded focus and extraordinary competitive drive give Stewart a perspective alien to most people, and this has landed him in some scrapes with other drivers and with the press. At times, his temper erupts, and he's generally unwilling to blunt his honesty. One could argue that Stewart needs a good PR man -- what better vehicle to serve such purposes than an autobiography? (Brenn Jones)

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Some people probably wish Tony Stewart would just shut up and drive. His detractors think he has a big mouth and is prone to temper tantrums. But, really, #20's problem is that he's too honest and, as Tony says, "in this sport, honesty can get you in a lot of trouble."

But you can't take the drive out of the man. Tony Stewart is one of the most controversial stars to hit the Winston Cup scene, famous for his four-letter outbursts and badass behavior. In True Speed, he takes you on a no-holds-barred trip around the track, to the pit stop, and behind the scenes.

NASCAR's 1999 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year has been penalized, slammed, and knocked around. He has spun out Jeff Gordon's car -- on pit road no less. He has had shouting matches, brawls, and heated "discussions" with other drivers and NASCAR officials. He has clashed with reporters, sometimes physically, all the while maintaining one of his core principles: honesty. "I'm not always the easiest guy to interview. But I do think I'm one of the most honest, and that's not going to change."

Stewart will not accept defeat. He knows that he wasn't born to be a loser, and he justifies it with stark honesty between these pages. True Speed, told by Tony himself, discusses it all: from playing with Matchbox cars to actually racing go-karts, midgets, and stock cars.

In True Speed Tony doesn't only talk about the simple details of the tracks or the cars, he discusses the science of the race: the machines, the brakes, the tires, and the tracks. He also describes the mental and physical challenges he has to endure on every ride, the head games the job can play on him, the claustrophobia he suffers from, as well as the lifestyle and pressures of the job.

In three full seasons of competition in the NASCAR Winston Cup series, Tony Stewart has compiled one of the most impressive records in series history. But True Speed tells more than Tony's NASCAR tale. His reputation was made in midgets and sprints and Silver Crown cars; later, in 1997 and 1998, he established himself as an Indy Racing League star. He recounts his open-wheel days fondly and in great detail.

Tony Stewart's story is one of a gritty racing life: fast, uncompromising, and nothing less than a checkered flag.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

One of today's top race-car drivers, Stewart worked his way up from racing go-karts at small local tracks to racing open-wheel formula vehicles at the Indianapolis 500, finally becoming a champion NASCAR stock car driver. This autobiographical account, coauthored with noted racing journalist Bourcier, is interspersed with 75 black-and-white photographs and relevant quotes from people close to Stewart his mom, his girlfriend, members of his racing team, other famous drivers, and so forth. Having originally flourished in the South, NASCAR has become increasingly popular throughout the United States over the last decade. Still, 400 pages is a lot of text about a 30-year-old athlete, no matter how accomplished. Most editions of the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin are significantly fewer pages and cover a much more interesting and important life. Despite these reservations, NASCAR fans will be interested. For sports collections. John Maxymuk, Rutgers Univ. Lib., Camden, NJ Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal