For NASCAR fans, like me, the death of Dale Earnhardt in the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 is stuck in their memory like the Kennedy assassination and the Challenger explosion. We can all tell you where we were when we heard about it. Michael Waltrip, long time friend, and then driver for DEI Racing (Dale Earnhardt Incorporated) waited ten years to finally tell his story of wanting to be a racer like big brother Darryl, his rise in racing, his friendship with "The Intimidator," the win of the Daytona 500 that was overshadowed by the death of his friend and boss, and his struggle to make Michael Waltrip Racing a success. Waltrip is brutally honest in talking of his failings as a driver and a businessman and is eager to give credit to those who helped his career along. He also talks honestly about racing safety and the changes that have been made in the last ten years. The HANS (Head and Neck System) restraint device existed when Earnhardt died, but it was optional, Earnhardt chose not to use it, and it probably wouldn't have saved his life anyway. However, had the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier walls been in place back then, chances are he would have not had serious injuries. My only complaint with this book is that the co-writer removed too much of Mikey's voice from the book. Yes, it is Michael Waltrip telling the story, but too much of it reads like his words were over edited to remove that "somewhat goofy, big ol' country boy" style of talking. Those of us who have heard him hundreds of times in interviews and calling races can tell the difference. The inclusion of an index would have been helpful also.
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