🚗🏁🏆 “Swerve or Die: Life at My Speed in The First Family of NASCAR Racing” (2022) 🏆🏁🚗 – Book Review
MY REVIEW
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250277817
ISBN-13: 978-1250277817
⬅️ Click Photo for Purchase Information
“Stock-car racing star, country singer, and sports broadcaster Kyle Petty shares his familial legacy, intertwined with NASCAR’s founding and history, in Swerve or Die―written with Pulitzer Prize-winner Ellis Henican, the New York Times bestselling coauthor of In the Blink of an Eye.
“Born into racing royalty. The only son of NASCAR’s winningest driver ever. The grandson of one of the sport’s true pioneers. The nephew of our very first Hall of Fame engine builder. It’s quite a family to represent, and through it all, I’ve somehow managed to keep being Kyle.”
Kyle Petty won his very first stock-car race, the Daytona ARCA 200, in 1979 when he was eighteen. Hailed as a third-generation professional NASCAR racer, he became an instant celebrity in circles he had been around all his young life. Despite being the grandson and son of racing champions Lee Petty and Richard Petty, Kyle didn’t inherit innate talent. Working in his family’s North Carolina race shop from an early age, he learned all about car mechanics and maintenance long before he got behind the wheel. And although Kyle continued the family business, driving “Petty blue” colored cars emblazoned with his grandfather’s #42―a number once used by Marty Robbins―his career took a different route than his forebears’.
In Swerve or Die: Life at My Speed in the First Family of NASCAR Racing, Kyle chronicles his life on and off the racetrack, presenting his insider’s perspective of growing up throughout the sport’s popular rise in American culture. In between driving and running Petty Enterprises for thirty years, Kyle took some detours into country music, voiced Cal Weathers in Pixar’s Cars 3, and started his annual motorcycle Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. And when his nineteen-year-old son Adam, a fourth-generation racing Petty, tragically lost his life on the track, Kyle founded Victory Junction, a camp for children with chronic and serious medical conditions in Adam’s name―with help from Academy Award-winning actor and motorsports enthusiast Paul Newman.
Filled with NASCAR history, stories of his family’s careers, and anecdotes about some of stock-car racing’s most famous drivers, Kyle’s memoir also tackles the sport’s evolution, discussing how welcoming diverse racers, improving car and track safety features, and integrating green technology will benefit NASCAR’s competitors and fans in the future.”
Thank you in advance to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for providing an advanced review copy. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own.
Rarely do I read biographies or autobiographies (A). I have, since starting my blog, read four (including this one) – William Daniels (A), Princess Diana, and Gary Sinise’s (A) book. I have perused Dale Jr’s Racing to the Finish (A) and Jeff Gordon’s book (A).
In order for me to want to read it – I have to REALLY like the person or be interested in what they’ve done.
Naturally, if it is about NASCAR – I’m VERY LIKELY to read the book. If it is a person of interest – I will more than likely read the book.
For those who might not be too familiar with the difference –
Biography – account of a person’s life written by someone else
Autobiography – account of a person’s life written by them
No matter how you view him – Kyle Petty can be a polarizing figure. You either like him or you don’t. He can be contentious, out-spoken, but refreshingly honest. It can’t be denied he is part of a powerful NASCAR family and history. He is after all, a third (3rd) generation racer, with his late son Adam who was one of the first 4th generation athletes.
After hearing about this book (and seeing a “contest”) – I HAD to read it. And, am thankful to the publisher for it. I learned so much that I ended up with PAGES of notes.
Like most – this is written by the “subject” with another author – though it is very hard to tell and easily reads like a conversation one would have with Kyle Petty. It’s so easy to “hear” his voice in this, especially if you’ve heard an interview or seen him on TV. The title of the book is not really explained, so I didn’t see the correlation. It is very catchy though, and I have to admit it drew my attention right away.
This isn’t one of those “long-winded” books and comes in at under 300 pages. Petty says what he wants to and gets it done – perhaps in some cases, he’s too “short”. Even the chapters are short. Petty tells his story in four (4) parts over 30 chapters. This way it is easier to read and pause to come back. Though, I do admit – there were times I didn’t want to put it down.
I’ll admit this up front and right here – I’m more of a Dale Earnhardt fan and think he’s a bit better than Richard Petty in the overall stats. Why? Earnhardt won seven (7) titles with 1/3 of the wins Petty did. In addition, there are other stats to expand on that would take up far more time. To me, it goes –> Dale, Jimmie Johnson, Richard Petty. Not to say I don’t recognize what Petty brought to NASCAR’s table, I’m just saying that Dale (in my opinion) is #1.
That out of the way …
I can’t (and won’t) deny the impact the Pettys have had on NASCAR considering the origins of the sport, as well as their legacy from the inception of the sport until now. There’s a lot of politics under that bridge as well as some controversies. Chrysler boycott is one of them.
Naturally, this is a “must-read” or “strongly suggested read” for those who want an insider look at the sport. That’s why I HAD to read it. Obviously, this is going to be intended for fans of NASCAR as well as fans of the author.
When it comes to books like this – spoilers are inherent. After all, one only has to research Petty to find out who he is and what he’s been through. A Wikipedia search can easily “spoil” the book.
Petty also won’t shy away from controversy either – from what he feels NASCAR needs, Bubba Wallace’s introduction into NASCAR, and the controversial “Confederate” flag. He doesn’t elaborate. Instead, he tells it like it is, and moves on.
He tackles grief as a parent, and finding love again after loss and divorce.
Petty starts off the introduction because of a message – CALL MIKE HELTON. It is in 2000, and Petty is in England looking at horses with his daughter (there is a cute quip from Jeff Burton about that). Petty’s son Adam is in New Hampshire. As the reader knows (or should) – it would be about Adam’s accident.
From there, Kyle Petty goes into the roles he’s had in his life:
🏁 Racer
🚗 Car Owner
🏍️ Motorcycle Rider
🎤 Country Singer (I had no idea; not sure I want to even go there)
🎸 Songwriter (another “had no idea” here)
🏕️ Camp Counselor
📺 Broadcaster
✝️ Christian
🎙️ Voice Actor
🖼️ Body-Art Proponent
💵 Philanthropist
👨👦 Son
✳️ Brother
👫🏻 Husband
👨🏻🍼 Dad
✳️ Friend
There is absolutely no doubt that he’s “been around” and had some “experiences” with certain aspects of life.
As of note, one subject Kyle Petty does not get into – politics. He only discusses his father’s seat on the Randolph County Commission. Richard Petty was elected in 1978, 1982, 1986, and 1990. He does not mention his father’s other “political” highlights either. Kyle doesn’t wade into other social issues or his political leanings either in this book.
From the introduction, he divides his story into the following parts:
1️⃣ – Dreamer
2️⃣ – Driver
3️⃣ – Dad
4️⃣ – The Road Ahead
Petty introduces the readers to the town of Level Cross. It’s interesting to note that his father still lives there today.
From there, Petty goes into the origins of NASCAR, which he feels can be debated – prohibition or post-war activities. There’s even a hint about his grandfather’s Lee’s beginnings and moonshine running. All Kyle alludes to is that his grandfather was in “beverage transportation”.
He talks about his name’s origin and that his father didn’t want a name that could lead to a nickname. I laughed so hard at the “Dick Petty” remark, and his dad being “double-down po’d”.
Petty winds and turns on his way – peeling back the layers of a multi-faceted life and journey. Being the only boy of the King (Petty has three younger sisters), his Uncle Randy’s accident, and getting married.
He doesn’t spend much time on the personal aspects of his life, only as they pertain to the “NASCAR” and racing bits.
He does mention his first ARCA win in Daytona in February 1979, ironically the same year Dale Earnhardt started in the Winston Cup (later NEXTEL, Sprint, Monster, and NASCAR Cup). In an interesting and related note – Adam Petty qualified and ran his first Winston Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway in April 2, 2000 (DirecTV 500), a race that Dale Earnhardt Jr. won. Three days later, Lee Petty (3x champion) died at the age of 86.
Petty includes some off-track events with up-and-coming drivers, crew chiefs, and car owners. This truly highlights what a family sport NASCAR was and still is.
It has to be said that one can’t have a NASCAR story without the movie DAYS OF THUNDER being mentioned (it is one of my favorites and is the reason I have a 1998 Chevy Lumina in my garage – doesn’t run anymore, but someday hoping it will). It is the 1990 movie with Tom Cruise who plays Cole Trickle, a young and cocky up-and-coming NASCAR driver.
Though, to be honest – in Petty’s case, the movie resulted in a real-life sponsorship. While MELLO YELLO was the sponsor of Trickle’s #51 Lumina in the movie, the Coca-Cola brand drink went on to sponsor Petty’s #42 Pontiac Grand Prix from 1991-1994. Same livery and fire suit colors as well. I think I even have a few trading cards from that time. And, that is also mentioned too – the trading card entry into NASCAR – which I have a TON of! To be honest, I haven’t seen them in a while though. So sad, I loved buying them.
Moving on …
Petty also talks about the highs and lows of being a driver, as well as moving on from teams. He talks about ownership and running his father’s team. He’s also candid about his own career not matching that of his father.
There is a somewhat hilarious story about a “post-wreck” incident involving him and an EMT at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I shouldn’t have laughed so hard, but I did. The way Sterling Marlin (who I had the joy of meeting in 2005) told Kyle about it – it was hard to keep a straight face.
One thing Petty also talks about – the motorcycle charity ride and its origins.
And, another movie franchise I like – Cars – is mentioned. It is one movie franchise (Cars & Cars 3 especially) that is geared towards kids and can get them interested in NASCAR as well.
But, as with most books – Petty soon gets back to the beginning – to Adam.
One thing I didn’t know? Adam became the youngest ARCA race winner, beating out his father by a few months. Adam won over future 7x champion Jimmie Johnson.
Petty is honest about losing his son and how it affected him and his family. He’s honest about not wanting the details or asking about it. He’s honest and raw with grief and its effects, even far past the moment of the trauma; how one can function but not recall the events around them. As of note – grief can linger a long time.
He’s also unapologetically honest when it comes to what Adam might have been like in NASCAR. He hears the “what might’ve beens”, “what could’ve beens” – and he’s honest – he’s not sure what Adam would’ve been like. Given Adam’s career stats – Kyle Petty is realistic.
He recalls a remark from Sterling Marlin about Adam being a natural in victory lane – it is from the 1981 Daytona 500 that Richard Petty won and RP carried young Adam there.
Adam isn’t the only loss though. At the end of 2008 (when Jimmie Johnson won his 3rd championship in a row), Kyle’s “position” with Petty Motorsports ends – entirely. As he states, “racing is what he did” NOT “who he is”.
Who he is, is someone who understands that the political climate influences sponsors. He talks about the events of 2021 and how they shaped the NASCAR landscape, as well as environmental changes needed to sustain the sport – to attract new fans without alienating the old ones.
If nothing else, Kyle Petty is just as invested in the sport as his grandfather Lee was from the beginning. He’s never not busy, and never without an opinion.
This is a book I’m going to remember for a while for a lot of reasons.
The tragedy is overwhelming. How the family “buried” Adam is unique, tragic, and yet seemingly appropriate. I found myself crying and putting the book down for a moment.
Yet, I was also entertained, enthralled. I laughed, I cried, learned a lot that is for certain. I felt a bit more connected to the sport than I have in a while. At times Petty is brash, but he is always honest, open, full-throttle, has a sense of humor, and has some reflective tones to his “voice”. It is easy to see and feel the sadness, yet at the same time, you feel the hopefulness of something even better on the horizon.
I loved the historic look at the car numbers within his family –
Lee (later Kyle) – 42
Richard – 43
Maurice – 44
Adam – 45
I also enjoyed learning where the “Petty Blue” color came from. Hint – it really is an original family color thanks to Lee Petty’s idea. It is easy to research. Here’s the skinny – it was created by accident when Lee didn’t have enough blue or white to cover the entire car. I never would’ve guessed that.
That isn’t the only Petty family contribution to NASCAR, Kyle’s Grandmother Petty invented the window net and it is on display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
While Petty gave a great look at his time in NASCAR (even up to now) as well as his vision for the future, I do feel as though there was room for expansion; particularly in areas that affected not only his life, but NASCAR as well. There were two (2) topics left out – the death of Dale Earnhardt, the rival of Richard Petty. And of course, the 9/11 (2001) attacks. I would think that both events had significant impact on the teams, the sport, and even the author.
This is definitely a conversational type read from beginning to end. I could, at times, see myself having coffee with Kyle and listening to his tales. Those who like a linear (year by year) telling will not find that, and it could be confusing to some readers. Petty tells the chapters by relaying relevant “stories” and then leads into the topic. He lays off the “jargon” and takes a “layman’s terms” approach. There is little on the technical aspect of this (inspection wise, car builds, engineering, etc).
He also doesn’t go the exposé route, so readers won’t find a juicy “tell-all” story here, nor did I expect this book to be such.
The language is relatively mild (almost vanilla), except for the use of the word “crap” which is in a story referring to his grandfather Lee Petty, as well as an “s”-bomb for the same reason. The author himself keeps the language clean so this book can be enjoyed by anyone 14 and older. The author is also a Christian so there are going to be references to his faith, as well as the faith of his grandparents. Kyle doesn’t “preach” at people, but it is clear where he stands when it comes to faith.
Although the book was completed prior to this summer, in June 2022, Kyle and Morgan welcomed their third son together –> Davant Isley.
About Petty Enterprises:
Lee Petty Engineering/Petty Enterprises (1949-2008)
Petty Motorsports (2009-2021)
Petty GMS Motorsports (2022-current; formed when GMS bought a majority stake)
RATING:
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html;update https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2022/07/what-goes-into-my-reviews-2022-edition.html)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR(s)
KYLE PETTY is a former American stock-car racer and current racing commentator on NBC Sports. He is the son of racing icon Richard Petty, the grandson of NASCAR pioneer Lee Petty and the father of rising racer Adam Petty, who was killed in a crash in May 2000. Outside of the sport, he is a musician, philanthropist, motivational speaker and TV host.
He can also be found on the following social media networks:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kylepetty45
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylepetty
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kylepetty
Website: https://www.kylepettycharityride.com/
ELLIS HENICAN is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, a popular TV pundit, and a multi-New York Times bestselling author. His coauthored books include Michael Waltrip's In the Blink of an Eye and former New Orleans Saints football coach Sean Payton's Home Team.
He can also be found on the following social media networks:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/henican
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/henican
Twitter: https://twitter.com/henican
Website: https://henican.com/
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