Research Catalog

Title

Godspeed : racing is my religion / L.D. Russell.

Author

Russell, L. D. (Larry Dean), 1955-

Publication

New York : Continuum, c2007.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Description

ix, 182 p.; 22 cm.

Summary

"When Dale Earnhardt died in a crash at Daytona Motor Speedway on February 18, 2001, the world stopped turning for millions of race fans. Lovers of the sport enshrined his iconic number 3 car and his racing legacy with a worship and reverence never before seen in the sport of car racing. Fascinated by the response of the media and the fans to Earnhardt's death -- and grieving himself over such an untimely loss -- L.D. Russell began exploring the deep attraction to cars, tracks, and speed driving fan's love of stock car racing and their adulation of Earnhardt. Godspeed records Russell's visits to rural race tracks, to races at Darlington Raceway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Lowe's Motor Speedway, and Richmond International Raceway, and his conversations with NASCAR chaplains and fans about their love of the sport. Russell weaves his own refl ections on the meaning of speed, death, and religion into a colorful story that covers the thrill and agony of racing as well as its tremendous popularity. Over the last decade, NASCAR has become the fastest-growing spectator sport in America. First, this phenomenon indicates that the sport has moved well beyond its Southern blue-collar roots to capture the hearts and souls of Americans at every socioeconomic level. Second, the mourning over Earnhardt indicates that at its deepest level NASCAR, like every religion, satisfi es a basic human need: it is at the same time a celebration of life and a way of dealing with death."--Publisher description.

Subject

• NASCAR (Association)
• Stock car racing > United States
• Sports > Christianity

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

1. A Force of Nature --- 2. Speed Demons and Daredevils --- 3. So What's the Point? --- 4. Gathering the Lost Sheep --- 5. Pilgrimage to Memphis --- 6. The Long Ride Home --- 7. The Valley of the Shadow of Death --- 8. Racing for Whitenecks --- 9. Death, Be Not Proud.

ISBN

• 9780826416094 (pbk. : alk. paper)
• 0826416098 (pbk. : alk. paper)

LCCN

^^2007008492

OCLC

86069173

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library