The book begins with a behind the scenes look at AJ Foyt and his temper before the amazing 1976 Daytona 500 and ends with the loss of Dale Earnhardt in 2001. In between, it wanders forwards and backwards in time in a truly engaging collection of stories, all from Ed Hinton's personal mental storybook.

Each chapter is a collection of short stories that all tie together to give you a real sense of what was going on behind the headlines in NASCAR. Along the way you will learn a great deal about the men behind the sport including the France family, various crew chiefs, owners and drivers. Ed uses his own personal recollections about many of the famous names in and around the sport which really gives this book, and the sport itself an extremely friendly, accessible feel.

There are humorous memories such as Ed's conversations with Junior Johnson and Darrell Waltrip when Bill Elliott was on the verge of winning the Winston Million. There are also serious, in-depth stories that delve deep into some of the issues that have confronted NASCAR over the last twenty-five years. For example, Ed captures the controversy that surrounded Tim Richmond's departure from NASCAR, explains what was happening behind the scenes and shows what people were thinking at that time.

Ed also digs deeply into the painful stories that have haunted NASCAR over the last 25 years. The tragic losses of Clifford Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Davey Allison, Neil Bonnett and Dale Earnhardt are all covered in Ed's compassionate, but thorough, style. Never before has anyone described the Allison family's personal loss in such raw, emotional detail. Ed's description of Clifford Allison's accident and the grieving father's reaction make for some of the most heartfelt NASCAR stories ever told.

If you are looking for a way to get closer to the personalities that have defined this sport for the last twenty-five years there is no better source than "Daytona: From the Birth of Speed to the Death of the Man In Black." Ed Hinton has truly captured the heart of NASCAR and its people.