By: Marty Gitlin 
Publisher: Enslow Publishers 
Publication Date: March 2008 
ISBN: 978-0766029972 
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler 
Review Date: December 2009 

In 1993 Jeff Gordon looked more like he should be working as a bag boy in a grocery store rather than soaking up the applause as the "youngest driver to ever win at the famed Daytona International Speedway." He had all the right stuff and would go on to be one of the best drivers of the decade. Reckless could have been his middle name when he first started out, but then he began to win some big time races.

Racing wasn't new to Jeff. In fact he won his first race at the tender age of five against much older children. From a BMX racing bike to NASCAR by the age of twenty-one was something else!

Jeff's stepfather John Bickford was his mentor and without him Jeff never would have gone anywhere. Later on his crew chief, Ray Evernham, picked up where John left off. Jeff was mature enough to realize "he had a great deal to learn as a rookie." He tacked a list in his garage that read:

"From Nobody to Upstart
From Upstart to Contender 
From Contender to Winner 
From Winner To Champion 
From Champion to Dynasty" 

Jeff was and is one of the most popular race car drivers in the history of the sport. I enjoyed the way Marty Gitlin wrote this book and stayed away from sheer statistical analysis like many sports books I've read. This biography gives the reader a real feel for Jeff Gordon, his personality and zest for life and his sport. On the back of the book there are career statistics, career achievements, a glossary, an index, an excellent section on notes and further recommended reading and web links.

Quill says: From that "Nobody," Jeff Gordon became a real somebody to contend with!