Prelude: On the Road to Charlotte  1

1. Car Culture and the American Dream  17

Daytona Pilgrimage  46

2. Deconstructing NASCAR  57

Back Home Again in Indiana  87

3. Racin' Basics  98

Lost in the Land of Cotton  132

4. The NASCAR Subculture  144

Short-Track Showdown  170

5. The Yankee Invasion  180

Nantahala Interlude  204

6. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms  217

Grand Finale in Atlanta  254

7. We Are Family  263

Notes  281

Index  292

Silver Award Winner, 2002 Book of the Year Award in Sports and Recreation, ForeWord Magazine

“Deploying a voice with plenty of authority and a low-key humor, Wright disabuses the notion that stock car fans are a pack of dreadful, racist yahoos, and in large measure he expunges the moonshine myths and regional fables associated with the sport. . . . He brings tyros up to speed on the character of the tracks, the history of the sport, and various race-day strategies both of drivers and of fans. . . . Revealing indeed in its profile of NASCAR fans.”—Kirkus Reviews

"Wright emphasizes the fans’ points of view and fans’ backgrounds in an extremely entertaining way. . . . [T]his work becomes a manual, almost a necessity, for a novice race fan. Wright’s personal enthusiasm for the sport comes through in his infectious writing. Because so much written about stock-car racing in general and NASCAR in particular is biased and negative, this positive yet realistic book is a joy to read. . . . For general readers. . . ."—F. W. Yow, Choice

“The crux of [this] unabashed study is that racing can be good fun. The finest chapters focus on the thrill of going 200 mph while negotiating turns on an increasingly slick, sloping ellipse.”—Publishers Weekly

“This is the very best book to surface on auto racing in many years. Informative, entertaining, and eye-opening.”—Booklist

“A wonderful book on stock car racing.”—Royal Ford, Boston Globe

"If you are a NASCAR fan, or if you just want to know what all the fuss is about, this book is for you. . . . Fixin' to Git explains, as well as it can be explained, the attraction Americans have for stock-car racing. . . . [T]he story is told from the fan's perspective. With precious little jargon, Wright puts stock car racing squarely into the context of America's love affair with the automobile, covers the basics, explains its national attraction and wraps it all up into the one big subculture that has become America's fastest-growing sport. Told with humor, insight, and energy, this may not be the ultimate NASCAR book, but it sure comes close. From sponsors to pit crews, from drivers to souvenir sellers, hardly any element in the spectacle of stock-car racing is left unexamined. . . . [T]he fun is all laid out for the readers to enjoy. If you are looking for a good book for that NASCAR-loving guy or gal on your Christmas list, this will be appreciated more than a Jeff Gordon t-shirt. And yes, NASCAR fans do read!"—Harvey Jackson, The Anniston Star (Alabama)

“This is an interesting book. . . . [U]seful for both public and academic libraries.”—David Van de Streek, Library Journal

"Fixin' to Git, an offbeat but extremely educational look at Winston Cup racing. Author Jim Wright looks at big time stock car racing from the view of the hardcore fan while analytically examining the sport's rise to prominence and the myths that have grown. Easily the most compelling look at Winston Cup ever."—Shawn Courchesne, Hartford Courant

"Leave your PBS-watching, anti-auto racing prejudices at the door. This is that most unlikely animal: an informative, entertaining, and eye-opening book about the NASCAR circuit. Sociology professor Wright looks at the sport with a fan's affection and a sociologist's love of the meaningful detail, from T-shirts in the grandstands to the multiple variables a driver must consider-- in a split second-during a single lap."—Bill Ott, American Libraries

"[E]njoyable to read. [Fixin' to Git] is not only an accessible synthesis of the writings of other scholars on NASCAR but also in part a meditation on his personal history and a chatty narrative of the adventures he shared with his family and friends while sampling the Winston Cup schedule in 1999. . . . [A] good introduction to the financial side of the sport. . . ."—Randal L Hall, Business History Review

"Told with humor, insight, and energy. . . . If you are looking for a good book for that NASCAR-loving guy or gal on your Christmas list, this will be appreciated more than a Richard Petty T-shirt." —Harvey H. Jackson, Journal of Southern History

"This book, chock-full of facts, reveals practically everything anyone would ever want to know about the popular sport. . . . Though I've never been a devout fan of stock car racing, Wright's book had me longing to head to the nearest racetrack, order an RC and hotdog (all the way) and watch those speed fanatics zoom around the track, hoping for checkered-flag glory."—Sandra Redding, News and Record (Greensboro, NC)

"[Wright's] commentary on the fan experience provides a valuable picture of how vigorous enthusiasm for entertaining spectacle creates and maintains a distinct subculture within American society. . . . One appealing attribute of the book is his honest acceptance of and allegiance to racing as a pastime. He is able to combine his experience and observation among fans with enthusiasm for NASCAR racing, to create a convincing perspective of life in the grandstands at some of auto racing's biggest events."-—Ben Shakleford, Contemporary Sociology

“Deploying a voice with plenty of authority and a low-key humor, Wright disabuses the notion that stock car fans are a pack of dreadful, racist yahoos, and in large measure he expunges the moonshine myths and regional fables associated with the sport. . . . He brings tyros up to speed on the character of the tracks, the history of the sport, and various race-day strategies both of drivers and of fans. . . . Revealing indeed in its profile of NASCAR fans.”—Kirkus Reviews

"Wright emphasizes the fans’ points of view and fans’ backgrounds in an extremely entertaining way. . . . [T]his work becomes a manual, almost a necessity, for a novice race fan. Wright’s personal enthusiasm for the sport comes through in his infectious writing. Because so much written about stock-car racing in general and NASCAR in particular is biased and negative, this positive yet realistic book is a joy to read. . . . For general readers. . . ."—F. W. Yow, Choice

“The crux of [this] unabashed study is that racing can be good fun. The finest chapters focus on the thrill of going 200 mph while negotiating turns on an increasingly slick, sloping ellipse.”—Publishers Weekly

“This is the very best book to surface on auto racing in many years. Informative, entertaining, and eye-opening.”—Booklist

“A wonderful book on stock car racing.”—Royal Ford, Boston Globe

"If you are a NASCAR fan, or if you just want to know what all the fuss is about, this book is for you. . . . Fixin' to Git explains, as well as it can be explained, the attraction Americans have for stock-car racing. . . . [T]he story is told from the fan's perspective. With precious little jargon, Wright puts stock car racing squarely into the context of America's love affair with the automobile, covers the basics, explains its national attraction and wraps it all up into the one big subculture that has become America's fastest-growing sport. Told with humor, insight, and energy, this may not be the ultimate NASCAR book, but it sure comes close. From sponsors to pit crews, from drivers to souvenir sellers, hardly any element in the spectacle of stock-car racing is left unexamined. . . . [T]he fun is all laid out for the readers to enjoy. If you are looking for a good book for that NASCAR-loving guy or gal on your Christmas list, this will be appreciated more than a Jeff Gordon t-shirt. And yes, NASCAR fans do read!"—Harvey Jackson, The Anniston Star (Alabama)

“This is an interesting book. . . . [U]seful for both public and academic libraries.”—David Van de Streek, Library Journal

"Fixin' to Git, an offbeat but extremely educational look at Winston Cup racing. Author Jim Wright looks at big time stock car racing from the view of the hardcore fan while analytically examining the sport's rise to prominence and the myths that have grown. Easily the most compelling look at Winston Cup ever."—Shawn Courchesne, Hartford Courant

"Leave your PBS-watching, anti-auto racing prejudices at the door. This is that most unlikely animal: an informative, entertaining, and eye-opening book about the NASCAR circuit. Sociology professor Wright looks at the sport with a fan's affection and a sociologist's love of the meaningful detail, from T-shirts in the grandstands to the multiple variables a driver must consider-- in a split second-during a single lap."—Bill Ott, American Libraries

"[E]njoyable to read. [Fixin' to Git] is not only an accessible synthesis of the writings of other scholars on NASCAR but also in part a meditation on his personal history and a chatty narrative of the adventures he shared with his family and friends while sampling the Winston Cup schedule in 1999. . . . [A] good introduction to the financial side of the sport. . . ."—Randal L Hall, Business History Review

"Told with humor, insight, and energy. . . . If you are looking for a good book for that NASCAR-loving guy or gal on your Christmas list, this will be appreciated more than a Richard Petty T-shirt." —Harvey H. Jackson, Journal of Southern History

"This book, chock-full of facts, reveals practically everything anyone would ever want to know about the popular sport. . . . Though I've never been a devout fan of stock car racing, Wright's book had me longing to head to the nearest racetrack, order an RC and hotdog (all the way) and watch those speed fanatics zoom around the track, hoping for checkered-flag glory."—Sandra Redding, News and Record (Greensboro, NC)

"[Wright's] commentary on the fan experience provides a valuable picture of how vigorous enthusiasm for entertaining spectacle creates and maintains a distinct subculture within American society. . . . One appealing attribute of the book is his honest acceptance of and allegiance to racing as a pastime. He is able to combine his experience and observation among fans with enthusiasm for NASCAR racing, to create a convincing perspective of life in the grandstands at some of auto racing's biggest events."—Ben Shakleford, Contemporary Sociology

Silver Award Winner, 2002 Book of the Year Award in Sports and Recreation, ForeWord Magazine

“Deploying a voice with plenty of authority and a low-key humor, Wright disabuses the notion that stock car fans are a pack of dreadful, racist yahoos, and in large measure he expunges the moonshine myths and regional fables associated with the sport. . . . He brings tyros up to speed on the character of the tracks, the history of the sport, and various race-day strategies both of drivers and of fans. . . . Revealing indeed in its profile of NASCAR fans.”—Kirkus Reviews

"Wright emphasizes the fans’ points of view and fans’ backgrounds in an extremely entertaining way. . . . [T]his work becomes a manual, almost a necessity, for a novice race fan. Wright’s personal enthusiasm for the sport comes through in his infectious writing. Because so much written about stock-car racing in general and NASCAR in particular is biased and negative, this positive yet realistic book is a joy to read. . . . For general readers. . . ."—F. W. Yow, Choice

“The crux of [this] unabashed study is that racing can be good fun. The finest chapters focus on the thrill of going 200 mph while negotiating turns on an increasingly slick, sloping ellipse.”—Publishers Weekly

“This is the very best book to surface on auto racing in many years. Informative, entertaining, and eye-opening.”—Booklist

“A wonderful book on stock car racing.”—Royal Ford, Boston Globe

"If you are a NASCAR fan, or if you just want to know what all the fuss is about, this book is for you. . . . Fixin' to Git explains, as well as it can be explained, the attraction Americans have for stock-car racing. . . . [T]he story is told from the fan's perspective. With precious little jargon, Wright puts stock car racing squarely into the context of America's love affair with the automobile, covers the basics, explains its national attraction and wraps it all up into the one big subculture that has become America's fastest-growing sport. Told with humor, insight, and energy, this may not be the ultimate NASCAR book, but it sure comes close. From sponsors to pit crews, from drivers to souvenir sellers, hardly any element in the spectacle of stock-car racing is left unexamined. . . . [T]he fun is all laid out for the readers to enjoy. If you are looking for a good book for that NASCAR-loving guy or gal on your Christmas list, this will be appreciated more than a Jeff Gordon t-shirt. And yes, NASCAR fans do read!"—Harvey Jackson, The Anniston Star (Alabama)

“This is an interesting book. . . . [U]seful for both public and academic libraries.”—David Van de Streek, Library Journal

"Fixin' to Git, an offbeat but extremely educational look at Winston Cup racing. Author Jim Wright looks at big time stock car racing from the view of the hardcore fan while analytically examining the sport's rise to prominence and the myths that have grown. Easily the most compelling look at Winston Cup ever."—Shawn Courchesne, Hartford Courant

"Leave your PBS-watching, anti-auto racing prejudices at the door. This is that most unlikely animal: an informative, entertaining, and eye-opening book about the NASCAR circuit. Sociology professor Wright looks at the sport with a fan's affection and a sociologist's love of the meaningful detail, from T-shirts in the grandstands to the multiple variables a driver must consider-- in a split second-during a single lap."—Bill Ott, American Libraries

"[E]njoyable to read. [Fixin' to Git] is not only an accessible synthesis of the writings of other scholars on NASCAR but also in part a meditation on his personal history and a chatty narrative of the adventures he shared with his family and friends while sampling the Winston Cup schedule in 1999. . . . [A] good introduction to the financial side of the sport. . . ."—Randal L Hall, Business History Review

"Told with humor, insight, and energy. . . . If you are looking for a good book for that NASCAR-loving guy or gal on your Christmas list, this will be appreciated more than a Richard Petty T-shirt." —Harvey H. Jackson, Journal of Southern History

"This book, chock-full of facts, reveals practically everything anyone would ever want to know about the popular sport. . . . Though I've never been a devout fan of stock car racing, Wright's book had me longing to head to the nearest racetrack, order an RC and hotdog (all the way) and watch those speed fanatics zoom around the track, hoping for checkered-flag glory."—Sandra Redding, News and Record (Greensboro, NC)

"[Wright's] commentary on the fan experience provides a valuable picture of how vigorous enthusiasm for entertaining spectacle creates and maintains a distinct subculture within American society. . . . One appealing attribute of the book is his honest acceptance of and allegiance to racing as a pastime. He is able to combine his experience and observation among fans with enthusiasm for NASCAR racing, to create a convincing perspective of life in the grandstands at some of auto racing's biggest events."-—Ben Shakleford, Contemporary Sociology

“Deploying a voice with plenty of authority and a low-key humor, Wright disabuses the notion that stock car fans are a pack of dreadful, racist yahoos, and in large measure he expunges the moonshine myths and regional fables associated with the sport. . . . He brings tyros up to speed on the character of the tracks, the history of the sport, and various race-day strategies both of drivers and of fans. . . . Revealing indeed in its profile of NASCAR fans.”—Kirkus Reviews

"Wright emphasizes the fans’ points of view and fans’ backgrounds in an extremely entertaining way. . . . [T]his work becomes a manual, almost a necessity, for a novice race fan. Wright’s personal enthusiasm for the sport comes through in his infectious writing. Because so much written about stock-car racing in general and NASCAR in particular is biased and negative, this positive yet realistic book is a joy to read. . . . For general readers. . . ."—F. W. Yow, Choice

“The crux of [this] unabashed study is that racing can be good fun. The finest chapters focus on the thrill of going 200 mph while negotiating turns on an increasingly slick, sloping ellipse.”—Publishers Weekly

“This is the very best book to surface on auto racing in many years. Informative, entertaining, and eye-opening.”—Booklist

“A wonderful book on stock car racing.”—Royal Ford, Boston Globe

"If you are a NASCAR fan, or if you just want to know what all the fuss is about, this book is for you. . . . Fixin' to Git explains, as well as it can be explained, the attraction Americans have for stock-car racing. . . . [T]he story is told from the fan's perspective. With precious little jargon, Wright puts stock car racing squarely into the context of America's love affair with the automobile, covers the basics, explains its national attraction and wraps it all up into the one big subculture that has become America's fastest-growing sport. Told with humor, insight, and energy, this may not be the ultimate NASCAR book, but it sure comes close. From sponsors to pit crews, from drivers to souvenir sellers, hardly any element in the spectacle of stock-car racing is left unexamined. . . . [T]he fun is all laid out for the readers to enjoy. If you are looking for a good book for that NASCAR-loving guy or gal on your Christmas list, this will be appreciated more than a Jeff Gordon t-shirt. And yes, NASCAR fans do read!"—Harvey Jackson, The Anniston Star (Alabama)

“This is an interesting book. . . . [U]seful for both public and academic libraries.”—David Van de Streek, Library Journal

"Fixin' to Git, an offbeat but extremely educational look at Winston Cup racing. Author Jim Wright looks at big time stock car racing from the view of the hardcore fan while analytically examining the sport's rise to prominence and the myths that have grown. Easily the most compelling look at Winston Cup ever."—Shawn Courchesne, Hartford Courant

"Leave your PBS-watching, anti-auto racing prejudices at the door. This is that most unlikely animal: an informative, entertaining, and eye-opening book about the NASCAR circuit. Sociology professor Wright looks at the sport with a fan's affection and a sociologist's love of the meaningful detail, from T-shirts in the grandstands to the multiple variables a driver must consider-- in a split second-during a single lap."—Bill Ott, American Libraries

"[E]njoyable to read. [Fixin' to Git] is not only an accessible synthesis of the writings of other scholars on NASCAR but also in part a meditation on his personal history and a chatty narrative of the adventures he shared with his family and friends while sampling the Winston Cup schedule in 1999. . . . [A] good introduction to the financial side of the sport. . . ."—Randal L Hall, Business History Review

"Told with humor, insight, and energy. . . . If you are looking for a good book for that NASCAR-loving guy or gal on your Christmas list, this will be appreciated more than a Richard Petty T-shirt." —Harvey H. Jackson, Journal of Southern History

"This book, chock-full of facts, reveals practically everything anyone would ever want to know about the popular sport. . . . Though I've never been a devout fan of stock car racing, Wright's book had me longing to head to the nearest racetrack, order an RC and hotdog (all the way) and watch those speed fanatics zoom around the track, hoping for checkered-flag glory."—Sandra Redding, News and Record (Greensboro, NC)

"[Wright's] commentary on the fan experience provides a valuable picture of how vigorous enthusiasm for entertaining spectacle creates and maintains a distinct subculture within American society. . . . One appealing attribute of the book is his honest acceptance of and allegiance to racing as a pastime. He is able to combine his experience and observation among fans with enthusiasm for NASCAR racing, to create a convincing perspective of life in the grandstands at some of auto racing's biggest events."—Ben Shakleford, Contemporary Sociology

“You don’t have to be a racing fan to appreciate great sports writing, and even folks who don’t know Dale Earnhardt from Dale Evans will savor this professor’s account of his unlikely enthusiasm for NASCAR. But, if you are a fan, you’ll probably like this book even more. Wright dispels a number of myths and helps us to understand why stock-car racing has become America's most popular sport.”—John Shelton Reed, coauthor of 1001 Things Everyone Should Know about the South

“This book’s personal impressions don’t take you behind the pit wall—they take you into the stands, where the average folks watch the race. Wright combines the interests of the academic and the common race fan for an uncommon vision of NASCAR.”—Scott Huler, author of A Little Bit Sideways: One Week Inside a NASCAR Winston Cup Race Team

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