Barnyard to Brickyard

Book excerpt: Rich Bickle's rock star lifestyle of fast cars and legendary partying ranks among the more colorful journeys in auto racing history. An imposing figure for a racecar driver at six-foot-five, Bickle's larger-than-life persona and burning desire to succeed took him beyond the Wisconsin short tracks he mastered early in his career to include the bright lights of Daytona, Indianapolis, and other stops on the NASCAR circuit.Bickle, with the assistance of author John Close, describes the relationships, good and bad luck, and garage politics that often play a larger role in determining fame and fortune than talent alone. The brutally honest narrative pulls no punches in giving race fans an inside look at a career that both benefited from and was hindered by dealings with some of racing's biggest stars.