Jamie Whincup

Book excerpt: With success comes challenges, and Jamie has always had a target painted squarely on his rear spoiler. And it all started back in 1991, when his father put him behind the wheel of his first go-kart. With steely focus and a relentless desire to win, it was only a matter of time before Whincup made the leap to the Formula Ford circuit and on to the big show: Supercars. But there are ups and downs to life in the fast lane – sackings, loss of sponsors, the rivalries, the fans, the partnerships, the sacrifices and being true to the dream when everything looks like an off-ramp. There are freak accidents, split-second decisions that win the day, omens from the race gods, and a strong dose of self-made luck. In 2008, Jamie would seal his quest for the Supercar crown after several near-misses, and he wouldn’t look back. Seven championships, four Bathurst 1000 victories and a Bathurst 12-hour win in the books, you’d be tempted to ride off into the sunset. But that’s never been Jamie’s style. It’s just the start of his next act: team principal of Triple Eight Race Engineering and mentor to the next generation of champions. ‘You have to make a decision: What do you want out of life? Where do you want to go? How do you want to live?’