First published 2018
Dale Earnhardt Jr. walks away from what seems like a routine crash at Michigan International Speedway in June 2016. The impact appears minor, but this collision will sideline him for an entire season and ultimately end his eighteen-year driving career. As a third-generation racer born into stock car royalty, sitting out while others compete becomes torture. Each concussion brings different symptoms and recovery challenges. The 2016 season transforms into one of his most difficult periods, forcing him to confront his future in racing. Driver #88 must decide whether to risk further injury or step away from the sport that defined his family legacy. He chooses retirement at the end of 2017, determined to leave on his own terms. The decision brings no regrets, only gratitude for the fans who filled grandstands, the crew members who supported him, and everyone who made his success possible. His final races become a celebration of the people behind his career rather than a farewell tour focused on himself.
Genres: sports, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: career-change, found-family, second-chance
Setting: Michigan International Speedway
Period: 2016, 2017
208 pages · Hardcover · Thomas Nelson
Content warnings: medical-trauma