Book Overview:
It was a seemingly minor crash at Michigan International Speedway in June 2016 that ended the day early for Dale Earnhardt Jr. What he didn’t know was that it would also end his driving for the year. He’d dealt with concussions before, but concussions are like snowflakes, no two are the same. And recovery can be brutal, and lengthy.
When NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired from professional stock car racing in 2017, he walked away from his career as a healthy man. But for years, he had worried that the worsening effects of multiple racing-related concussions would end not only his time on the track but his ability to live a full and happy life.
Torn between a race-at-all-costs culture and the fear that something was terribly wrong, Earnhardt tried to pretend that everything was fine, but the private notes about his escalating symptoms that he kept on his phone reveal a vicious cycle: suffering injuries on Sunday, struggling through the week, then recovering in time to race again the following weekend. For the first time, he shares these notes and fully reveals the physical and emotional struggles he faced as he fought to close out his career on his own terms.
In this candid reflection, Earnhardt opens up about his frustration with the slow recovery, his admiration for the woman who stood by him through it all, and his determination to share his own experience so that others don’t have to suffer in silence. Steering his way to the final checkered flag of his storied career proved to be the most challenging race and most rewarding finish of his life.
My Review:
I don't consider myself a huge NASCAR fan but know enough about the sport. My husband used to be big into watching the races, so he educated me on the more popular drivers and how the sport works. Of course, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was - and is - one of the most popular drivers to ever race.
Racing to the Finish: My Story largely tells of why Earnhardt Jr. retired in 2017 and of the struggles with his medical issues that started several years before. Although readers will get a view of Dale's race career, that's not what the overall book is about. It's more about how Dale suffered numerous concussions and what he went through during those years. Included are personal notes written by Dale, leaving clues of what was going on. Told in his own account, Dale is raw and real with how he felt, both mentally and physically, about his brain trauma. Fans of Dale will especially like how he is transparent and tells both the good and bad side of NASCAR in regards to head trauma.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants to bring attention and light to concussions and head injuries. He does it best by giving readers a real, personal look at what he's went through. Included within the story are several full-color photographs showing Dale's personal and professional life.
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