Racing to the Finish: My Story

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I also vividly remember the day I called my dad (also a massive racing fan) to tell him the news that Junior was sidelined for two races, and then a couple years later calling him crying to tell him of Juniors retirement. When one thinks of concussions and sports, American football immediately comes to mind, but athletes other sports have risks of concussions and the long term effects as well. One of these sports is auto racing, as drivers may suffer concussions from crashes or even bumps against the wall or other cars. This was the case for Dale Earnhardt Jr. as he first exhibited these symptoms in 2012. His memoir explains what happened that day in Kansas and what he went through for the next five years, leading to his decision to retire from racing in 2017.

As much as I really wanted to enjoy this book (well, as much as you can “enjoy” a book on such a serious topic), unfortunately it didn’t quite deliver for me. (Please don’t read further – or just skip to the last paragraph of this review – if you don’t want to read my negative thoughts on this book! There will also be some spoilers in the following paragraphs.)

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The physical and emotional struggles he faced as he fought to close out his career on his own terms But what is unexpected is the degree of racism that she experiences at her new school. It is not only the students but also the teachers who could not care less about the toxic environment. About a year ago, I started listening to Dirty Mo Dale’s Podcast. I started from the beginning and I just recently listened to the podcast about the release of this book. So, of course, I had to read this.

Torn between a race-at-all-costs culture and the fear that something was terribly wrong, Earnhardt tried to pretend that everything was fine, but the private notes about his escalating symptoms that he kept on his phone reveal a vicious cycle: suffering injuries on Sunday, struggling through the week, then recovering in time to race again the following weekend. In this candid reflection, Earnhardt opens up for the first time about: Aaleyah ist wie bereits erwähnt, eine unglaublich mutige Person. Manchmal wurde ihr Mut meiner Meinung nach aber zum Leichtsinn.The setting was strong and it was easy to visualize the events taking place in the different locations. I think this novel is extremely important in educating not just athletes or sports fans, but everyone, and sharing the discourse on concussions and brain injuries will open the conversation more and help and impact a lot of people. Außer ihrer Eltern, hat sie auch niemanden an den sie sich wenden kann, da ihr Direktor keiner ihrer Probleme ernst nimmt und die Polizei sowieso nichts machen würde. A vengeful Sise Fromm, Tig and Vlix confront Thall and his friends. Before the Fromms can hurt them, Proto-One shoots at the Fromm Gang and tells them put their hands behind their head. The gangsters try to flee but are confronted by a vengeful Boba Fett. Having lost the race, his speeder, his droid and nearly his life, Boba Fett decides that his debt to Sise Fromm is paid, and turns him, Tig and Vlix over to Jabba the Hutt. Fett is unwilling to listen to their pleas. After reading his story, I'm glad he did retire. Still miss watching him race, but at least he's still with us. #JuniorNation

While traveling through space, R2-D2 eavesdrops on Thall, Jord, and Kea over the intercom. Taking the job would require C-3PO and R2-D2 to be reprogrammed, which Thall, Jord and Kea object to. Upon hearing this, R2-D2 and C-3PO decide that it is time to part ways with their friends, because it will enable the humans to take the job and allow the droids to keep their memories intact for the time being. The droids enter an escape pod and eject it into space as the Sand Sloth jumps into lightspeed. C-3PO and R2-D2 decide to sacrifice their companionship for their friends' well-being. It was a seemingly minor crash at Michigan International Speedway in June 2016 that ended the day early for Dale Earnhardt Jr. What he didn’t know was that it would also end his driving for the year. He’d dealt with concussions before, but concussions are like snowflakes—no two are the same. And recovery can be brutal—and lengthy. On the tenth lap, Fett's speeder attempts to trap the White Witch with a tractor beam but R2-D2 hurls the detonator at Fett's speeder. Thall Joben wins the race with the White Witch. Fett is forced to eject from his craft before it explodes, destroying the vehicle and his droid. The announcer and Thall's friends congratulate Thall. C-3PO is also jubilant. Kea also thanks R2-D2. I have always been a massive fan of NASCAR, following Dale Earnhardt Jr. from the very beginning of my watching the sport. I vividly remember being 5 or 6 years old and begging my parents to buy me a poster of the #8 racecar at my school book fair and hanging it on my wall for over a decade later. After finishing this book, I was so overwhelmed with so many different emotions. I was not prepared to leave Aaleyah's world.It's also a story with a lesson that needs to be repeated over and over: if you had a concussion, or even suspect you did, get medical help as soon as possible. Do not try to "tough it out" or hope your symptoms magically go away. They won't. I quite liked how the MC was a “strong” (eye-roll) female Muslim character who can stand up for herself and drives the narrative of the story (rather than being a passive character that is forced into doing things as is often the way Muslim girls are portrayed in fiction). I think perhaps the author took this too far though as at times, it did feel like she was the only one who was coming up with (quite obvious) ideas and everyone (particularly her friends) kind of hero-worshipped her. Natürlich hat sie auch Zeiten, in denen sie absolut verzweifelt und fertig ist, aber sie rappelt sich immer wieder auf und sucht nach Gerechtigkeit. Torn between a race-at-all-costs culture and the fear that something was terribly wrong, Earnhardt tried to pretend that everything was fine, but the private notes about his escalating symptoms that he kept on his phone reveal a vicious cycle: suffering injuries on Sunday, struggling through the week, then recovering in time to race again the following weekend. For the first time, he shares these notes and fully reveals the physical and emotional struggles he faced as he fought to close out his career on his own terms. Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Race to the Finish Line in exchange for an honest review.

So whatever I did when I raced at Talladega was always a really big deal, good or bad. If the grandstand felt like I was making a move to the front, they would lose their minds. Even with forty-plus cars out there roaring around, I could hear them cheering. If they felt like I had been done wrong, I could hear them booing, too. I loved it. Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Also, there's lots of interesting Nascar insider stuff, and details about Dale Jr., his family, his business, his racing, tire tests, and lots of other cool Nascar stuff. Dale Jr. was under tremendous (often self-applied) pressure to hide his symptoms, even when he could barely stand up or see straight. He was that afraid of losing his ride (his Nascar racing spot). Now imagine how a racecar driver not named Earnhardt must feel. Or some regular schlub in local races. Or a high school kid playing football or soccer.For example: When the gang decide to break into Liam's apartment. It seemed to jump to this scene rather suddenly, which would have been fine with a little more context. Liam was the only character I felt needed a little bit more work. He appeared to be a threat for so long, but then it turns out he's an undercover cop investigating this town. Which was a good twist! But I was waiting for him to turn on them again, because he was so sketchy throughout the rest of the book. This book deserves a high rating for not only the personal touch of the writing, but also the message that is tells about concussions. While readers may very well have heard this message before, it is one worth repeating and if even if the book helps one person through his or her struggle with this injury, then Earnhardt’s reason for writing the book will be fulfilled. Reading this book was a very touching experience. Getting to hear the first hand knowledge and experience of my childhood hero and seeing the open, honest, and transparent story telling from early in his career, to the injuries that eventually ended it was extremely educational and enjoyable.