All Around the Track: Oral Histories of Drivers, Mechanics, Officials, Owners, Journalists, and Others in Motorsports Past and Present (review)

Due in part to the increased popularity of National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and other forms of auto racing, the number of books devoted to motorsports history has increased dramatically as of late. This substantive compilation of oral histories and photographs is Anne B. Jones and Rex White's second collaboration with McFarland—one of the largest American publishers of auto racing-themed books.

The NASCAR formed in December 1947 and quickly became America's premier stock car-racing sanctioning body during the 1950s. Currently called the "Sprint Cup Series," NASCAR's elite division was known as "Grand National" from 1950 to 1970 and "Winston Cup" from 1971 to 2003. The book primarily covers NASCAR history, but the authors and interviewees also address drag racing and other varieties of motorsports. White, the 1960 Grand National Champion, competed against some of the interviewees, and much of All Around the Track is based on his reflections.

Most of the racers hailed from the Southeast and raced stock cars in NASCAR's top division during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The authors include conversations with NASCAR Hall of Famers Junior Johnson, Bobby Allison, and David Pearson. Included also is an interview with 1973 Winston Cup champion and beloved broadcaster, the late Benny Parsons. However, some of the most valuable interviews in this work are with Frankie Schneider, Johnny Allen, Everett "Cotton" Owens, "Tiger" Tom Pistone, 1961 Daytona 500-winner Marvin Panch, and a crop of other stock car-racing legends not well known to NASCAR's younger fans.

Many stories unfolded concerning famous racetracks—victims of suburban sprawl and bulldozed years ago—such as Beltsville, Maryland; Hialeah, Florida; and Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Yet it is the journeys to and from the dirt and paved speedways that often provide backdrops for the most colorful tales; and numerous entertaining, hilarious, and touching stories from Around the Track take place far from the speedway. Essentially, Jones and White "let the recorder roll"—allowing the interviewees to reflect in their own words. One gets the sense they are sharing a banquet table with these men and women.

For instance, several interviewees discussed moonshine hauling and explained in-depth how they attempted to get around the law. South Carolinian and drag-racing star Hubert Platt remembered, "the cops always ate at the same restaurant, at the same time, like clockwork. They would stay an hour to an hour-and-ten minutes, and it was always the same. When they went in to eat, we'd run to Hell Hole Swamp and get a load of liquor. We'd come back and have it unloaded before they finished their meal" (77).

Jones and White effectively re-create the storytelling atmosphere by incorporating minor context and limited amounts of background information throughout the book. However, some researchers will find that this formula does have drawbacks; Jones and White are vague when it comes to providing specifics regarding where and when the oral histories took place. The authors do not specify whether transcripts are available for additional research and there is an absence of footnotes.

As the book's full title suggests, a portion of the profiles are with personalities who spent their careers outside of a racecar. Colorful conversations with memorabilia entrepreneur (and former professional wrestler) Bill Chubbuck, The Reverend Frank Stark, and "Elegant Entrepreneur" Linda Vaughn—former Miss Atlanta International Raceway-turned public relations and marketing executive—are included. All Around the Track also contains interviews with historians who share Jones and White's mission (in fact, a handful of the oral histories were performed by others). Chapters are devoted to Appalachian State University Stock Car Racing Collection director Suzanne Wise, Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame caretaker Mike Bell, International Motorsports Hall of Fame librarian Betty Carlan, and others striving to...