The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing: Records, Streaks, Oddities, and Trivia

By Richard Sowers

From race records to pole positions, development on the track and off the track, this book uncovers the most complete statistical and historical survey of NASCAR's first 51 years. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1893618064
• ISBN13: 9781893618060
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: David Bull Publishing
• Length: 425 Pages
• Weight: 1.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.9" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Not Just Stats: An Invaluable Historical Resource As Well

In addition to its use of Sowers' Performance Index to quantify who were the greatest drivers ever and why, the book presents a year by year history of NASCAR on a scale never attempted before. As NASCAR has only in the last decade or so exploded into truly national notoriety and popularity, there are literally thousands of fans who know little or nothing about the sport's pioneers--men like Lee Petty, Red Byron, Junior Johnson, Fireball Roberts, Buck Baker, the Flock brothers, Tim, Bob, and Fonty, and the wild and crazy Curtis Turner. Many of them were men who learned their driving skills not at some high-priced racing school, but on the rural backroads of places like Georgia and North Carolina--running moonshine and evading the law. It was men like these who in the 1950's competed for small purses on mostly dirt tracks as part of the upstart organization known as NASCAR, which was seen by some as a low-class pretender to "true" American racing--the Indianapolis 500. Today, NASCAR has not only equaled Indy car racing in prestige and popularity, it has surpassed it; advancing beyond the most optimistic dreams of NASCAR's founder, Big Bill France. To learn the fascinating details of this great American success story, you must read this book.

Statistical Certainty

As a Statistician, you can do no better than this book. A complete statistical history of the sport. All the fine details for hours upon hours of analysis and enjoyment.

Lots of Stats

Great stats and some stats and records I had never heard of before, very well laid out

A Must Have

Finally! A book to answer all questions and end all arguments about Stock Car Racing. Richard Sowers has given us an incredible collection of facts, figures, and anecdotes that every racing fan must have. As an anchor at CNN Sports Illustrated, I expect to make extensive use of this book as part of our NASCAR/Winston Cup coverage. It's racing's equivalent of the American Express Card--don't go to the track or get into a racing argument without it. Bravo, Richard, and thanks!

The only book on Nascar you'll ever need

Even if you're not a Nascar fan, you will find this book enjoyable. The statistics are interesting, not overwhelming. For the first time, you have a quantative analysis of who really is the greatest driver of all time. This is the resource every fan must own. I would recommend this book to anyone.