ESPN Ultimate Nascar – 100 Defining Moments

Ryan McGee

No, NASCAR doesn’t normally figure on my radar, but the format of this one offers a crash course in the rough, tough world of American oval stock car racing, giving you the greatest hits of the formula in an engagingly bullish style. Each spread details one ‘defining moment’ summarised in thoroughly transatlantic talk. (I thought I could read American, if not speak it, but I’ve no idea what “tougher than a locust post” means…) And if the language is punchy, the layout will sock you in the eye. I’ve never seen so many different ways of assembling a date, a photo and some text.

But it’s highly entertaining; tales of  Junior Johnson “hauling illegal liquids”, the Talladega race when the lead changed 150 times, the smashes, the punch-ups and the great nicknames; it’s almost made me want to watch some NASCAR racing. GC

Published by ESPN, ISBN 978-1 933060-25-5, $29.99.