Discover what it takes to be a NASCAR Cup Champion! This officially licensed and stunningly illustrated volume chronicles the story of every Champion in the series’ history.
Over the decades, NASCAR’s top drivers have achieved legendary status. Winners like Lee and Richard Petty, Dale “the Intimidator” Earnhardt, “Wonder Boy” Jeff Gordon, and super-champion Jimmie Johnson have etched their names in the record books, each contributing to NASCAR’s ongoing evolution. Fierce rivalries, unforgettable victories, and crushing losses weave through the stories of each of NASCAR’s Cup Champions.
From NASCAR’s birth on the dirt tracks of the South to today’s superspeedways,
NASCAR Champions: Every Cup Winner from 1949 to Today details it all with:
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A chapter for every Champion, covering their story and winning season(s), beginning with the first, 1949’s Red Byron
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200 exhilarating photographs from NASCAR’s historic archive and top race photographers
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Engaging commentary by sports journalist and NASCAR insider H.A. Branham, who knows many of these winning drivers personally
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Sidebars covering topics like greatest races, key seasons, milestone moments, and more
This is a must-have reference and collectible for any NASCAR fan.
Get the detailed inside story on the legendary rivalry that helped propel NASCAR from regional curiosity to national phenomenon.The battle for NASCAR dominance was never more pronounced than when Richard Petty and David Pearson met on the track. In 551 head-to-head races between 1960 and 1986, they finished one-two an astounding 63 times (Pearson won 33, Petty 30). Each showdown attracted more media attention and new fans, helping the sport to evolve evermore rapidly.
Petty vs. Pearson is the only book to examine this storied relationship, beginning with their pre-Winston Cup careers. Award-winning motorsports journalist Mike Hembree details:
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The drivers’ backgrounds—Petty earning his way up through a racing dynasty led by his father Lee; Pearson honing his skills as a DIY racer on local South Carolina dirt tracks
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Their first meeting in a Cup event, in 1960
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The memorable battles, including their legendary wild finish at the 1976 Daytona 500
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Parallel careers that coincided with seismic changes to NASCAR: the advent of superspeedways, the “aero wars,” the injection of corporate money, and a new generation of star drivers in the 1980s
While their rivalry produced amazing finishes and tense moments, Petty and Pearson were friends throughout.
Petty vs. Pearson examines that relationship, including their retirements in 1986 (Pearson) and 1992 (Petty) and their lives in NASCAR beyond the driver’s seat.
Throughout the riveting text, Hembree draws on
original interviews with both drivers (including interviews conducted with Petty in early 2024), those who witnessed the rivalry, and NASCAR figures who came later. The result is an entertaining and essential account of two storied drivers—and friends—who bridged NASCAR’s rollicking early years and the sophisticated entertainment concern it is today.
Featuring a
foreword by Terry Labonte, a legendary driver in his own right,
Petty vs. Pearson is a must-have for every fan’s collection.
