Mark Martin in Print
18 August 1997
MARK MARTIN TELLS HIS OWN STORY IN NEW BOOK BROOKLYN, MI - Millions of racing fans know Mark Martin as one of the premier drivers in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. In a sport teeming with aggressive competitors, Mark's drive and intensity are legendary. But many fans may not realize that Mark's unyielding determination to race and win were already clear at the age of 15, when he began his professional career slinging cars around the dirt tracks of Arkansas. Mark's 20-year road to NASCAR glory is the subject of "Mark Martin: Driven To Race," the latest motorsports title from David Bull Publishing. Written by leading NASCAR journalist Bob Zeller, the book describes Mark's climb up the ladder of stock car racing. In it, Mark and his family candidly recount each stage of his career, from the high drama of his early years to the stumbles and bad luck that led him to fail miserably in his first attempt at the Winston Cup series in the early 1980s. For the first time, Mark talks openly about the drinking problem he had during those years, and how he conquered it by replacing alcohol with a relentless fitness program. Mark's return to success in the 1990s as a top NASCAR driver is also amply documented through interviews and pictures by leading race photographers. In addition to these contemporary shots, the book is lavishly illustrated with memorabilia from Mark's family scrap books and dozens of early photos, clips and memorabilia. The journal Mark kept as a teenage racer is also featured here for the first time. Zeller, an award-winning journalist who has covered the NASCAR circuit since 1991, has produced a taut, lean narrative in which Mark, his family, friends and crews through the years tell his story in their own words. "Mark Martin: Driven To Race" also reflects the commitment to quality that motorsports readers have quickly come to expect from David Bull Publishing. Bull won the 1996 "Book of the Year" award given by the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters for "Sebring: The Official History of America's Great Sports Car Race," written by Ken Breslauer. "Mark Martin: Driven To Race" was created by the same team of editors and designers that produced "Sebring," and shows the same attention to detail in photo selections, layouts, captions, and printing quality. Just as a race team strives to build a more innovative, faster race car, David Bull Publishing is setting new standards in racing books that carefully integrate words, pictures, and design to create a compelling presentation of one driver's remarkable life story. "Mark Martin: Driven To Race" sells for $24.95 and is available at all major book stores, NASCAR Thunder stores, and through Sports Design. The book can purchased directly by calling 1-800-831-1758. A special collector's hardcover edition of the book is also available -- The Publisher's Edition. It is autographed by Mark and has added pages that provide Mark's career Winston Cup statistics, career earnings, and more memorabilia from Mark's scrap books that is not in the softcover. The Publisher's Edition is $59.95 and is available only from the publisher. Photos, excerpts, and more details about Mark's new book can be seen at Bull's web site, www.bullpublishing.com By David Bull Publishing Public Relations