Editor’s Note: From May 24-28 we are featuring posts by the editor and authors of the Harlequin NASCAR series. Are you a fan? New to the series? Leave a comment and be entered to win a FREE copy! See below for details.
by Abby Gaines, author of “Chasing the Dream” in The Memory of a Kiss (Harlequin NASCAR, June 2010)
My first love—of the fast, four-wheeled kind at least—was open-wheel racing. Dirt track stuff. Nitty-gritty…mostly gritty.
I was editor of a speedway magazine called The Dirt, and at my local racetrack I became known as “the Dirt girl.” I was so grateful anyone still considered me a girl, I didn’t worry about the dirt part…
Open-wheel racing “midget race car”
I loved that job, but I never thought my interest in racing would link to my romance writing until…deep breath… NASCAR.
I’d seen NASCAR on TV, along with other motor sports, but until I heard that Harlequin planned to publish stories set in that world, I hadn’t paid much attention to what those guys were doing out on the pavement for hours at a stretch. (The races I usually watched lasted all of four minutes!)
But if I wanted to write about NASCAR, I needed to watch it. There would be big differences, I figured, from open-wheel racing, and not just the cars.
So I started watching, and got hooked right away, just like millions of other people.
But, guess what? It turns out the major difference between NASCAR and the open-wheel stuff I’d cut my teeth on is…the cars. They look different and go much faster. Okay, yeah, the tracks are bigger, too, and way more people watch the races. But there were more similarities than differences.
Such as, the driver and the racing mindset. Turns out, whether you’re hurtling around a dirt track in a midget, or eating up pavement in a stock car, wanting to win is the just the starting point. There’s persistence, focus, physical fitness, the ability to overcome setbacks…Hmm, no wonder NASCAR drivers make great romance heroes! (They make WAY better money than dirt track drivers, too, which always helps.)
Next, the families. One thing I love in open-wheel is the multi-generational involvement. Grandfathers, fathers, sons—a legacy passed through generations, but also bringing the generations together in their passion for motor racing. Turns out it’s the same in NASCAR, even though there’s huge corporate participation in the sport. There are “NASCAR families” in the administration, in the teams and, of course, among the fans. I’m a big fan of anything that brings families together!
Then there are the teams. I learned early in my race reporting career that drivers seldom say “I.” It’s always “we,” and they mean it. A driver, in open-wheel or NASCAR, knows he’s nothing without the guys who bust their guts, week in and week out, to put together the perfect car for the track conditions. Those guys’ jobs are a blend of extreme skill and extreme intuition, not to mention speed and physical fitness. Hmm, no wonder NASCAR team members also make great romance heroes!
I’m really looking forward to reading the new Harlequin NASCAR series. Yummy heroes, strong families, intense competition. What do you love about racing?
Since we’re featuring blog posts all week from the Harlequin NASCAR series, we are going to randomly draw five commenter’s names from the week’s posts to win the latest Harlequin NASCAR release, The Memory of a Kiss, by Wendy Etherington, Abby Gaines and Liz Allison! Just leave a comment on any of the posts published this week and you’ll be entered in the draw. Unfortunately, the contest is only open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Contest closes at 11:59 pm EST on Friday, May 28th. Click here for full contest rules.
Tags: author Abby Gaines, Harlequin NASCAR, Stories Set in the World of NASCAR
Virginia C
May 28th, 2010 at 7:34 am
I feel the need–the need for speed! NASCAR is not just about “good ol’ boys”, it’s also about “good ol’ girls”! Women love NASCAR, and not just because of hunky drivers : ) We also love the thrills, excitement and glamour of the sport. However, NASCAR is all about families. The driver and their pit crew are a family. Spectators attend events as families, and fandom is generational and highly devoted. Most important, the wives of NASCAR are there at the track as an integral part of the driver’s inner circle. I have great respect for these ladies who keep their families together while their men participate in a very dangerous sport. The NASCAR wives are truly “Steel Magnolias” : )
Jean Brashear
May 28th, 2010 at 8:17 am
Virginia, I totally agree about the women in NASCAR and the pivotal roles they play. One thing that wowed me when I first started following the sport was (and is) the strong focus on it being family entertainment. You see generations watching together as well as being part of teams and their histories.
Another thing that I found remarkable is that every NASCAR race begins with an invocation–you don’t see that in any other American sport anymore, not on the professional level. There’s also a powerful focus on patriotism–this week at Charlotte will be one of the most visible celebrations of our armed forces and their defense of our freedom.
Speaking of which–let’s all take time to salute our heroes this Memorial Day weekend.
Abby, you’ve made an awesome transition to writing about NASCAR, but then you’re such a terrific author I’m not surprised! It’s sure been fun working with you!
Mary Sullivan
May 28th, 2010 at 9:36 am
Abby, I know NOTHING about racing, so if this question seems naive, my apologies.
Are there many women who race? How small a minority are they? Has there been a Harlequin NASCAR story about one of them as the heroine?
Mary
Marcie
May 28th, 2010 at 10:16 am
I used to watch Nascar just for background noise while I read. Then I started listening to the announcers and there is way more to the sport then turning left all the time.
What I love about it – it’s more than physical – it’s mental too when you have to decide to pit or keep going.
Mary – Danica Patrick from Indy racing was trying to break in on the circuit. I think she may have been the second or third woman.
Stacy Boyd
May 28th, 2010 at 11:12 am
Mary,
There are not many female drivers in NASCAR. If any–I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head. Jean and Abby, do you guys know of any female drivers?
But NASCAR is very big on inclusion, and would welcome more female drivers. They encouraged us to publish stories that show women participating in the sport in many roles. “Lady’s Choice” by Marisa Carroll, which is part of AT ANY COST, features a female driver based loosely on Danica Patrick. That story is available now on eHarlequin.
Ken Casper also wrote a novel with a female driver back in ‘07, SPEED BUMPS.
Snookie Mello
May 28th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Don’t have much time to follow the sport, but my niece and nephew do. We’re into dirt tracks here and my brother and cousins are into it big time. I’ve gone to races, but not many as there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day…
Abby Gaines
May 28th, 2010 at 4:17 pm
sorry to be offline for a while, everyone…
Virginia, I agree the wives are amazing. I learned a lot more about them in my research for my NASCAR books, and there are some impressive ladies out there!
Jean, thanks for your kind comments!
Abby Gaines
May 28th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Mary, you’ve already heard about Danica Patrick in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – she’s super glamorous, the real poster girl type. There may be women racing in some of the regional series, but I have to admit, I’m not as familiar with those…
Marcie, I agree, NASCAR is definitely a head game! I really like that aspect of motor racing. And because NASCAR races are so long and so much can happen, drivers need to be really good at adapting their strategy as they go.
Stacy, I loved Marisa’s book AT ANY COST, with the female driver (and Ken’s a while back…)
Abby Gaines
May 28th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Snookie, I must admit, I do still have a great big soft spot for the dirt tracks!
Sandra Hyatt
May 28th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
I don’t know why it is, but I have a real soft spot for race track heros, maybe it’s the adrenaline, danger, utter focus combination. Works for me.
StarkJOANNE22
May 28th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Houses and cars are quite expensive and not everybody can buy it. But, business loans was created to help people in such kind of hard situations.
joanna
May 28th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
I love the speed. Pushing the envelope, going just a bit faster. I remember when I purchased a new car I was on that stretch of I-85 in Virginia (between South Hill and Petersburg). A road less traveled. I looked down at the speedometer and it read 92. All that was in my mind was what would it be like to go 100 MPH. Well, I wasn’t on a track, so I never really found out. I’d love to take a couple laps around a track one day.
Abby Gaines
May 28th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Hi Sandra, I happen to know you’re a bit of a dirt girl, too!
Joanna, I agree, speed is cool (so long as you do it safely)! I used to live in England where people do drive very fast (at least they did then…I think everyone’s slowed down now) and I did once get stopped for doing 100mph. Hey, I was young! And everyone else was doing it… Plus when you drive in Germany on the autobahn, lots of people are doing over 100…
Lilly Gayle
May 28th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
My husband and daughter are huge NASCAR fans. I watched occasionally. My husband and I even had boxed seats once which was pretty cool. And I loved the movie Days of Thunder. Great race story and great romance! I’m looking forward to reading your story.
Abby Gaines
May 28th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Lilly, boxed seats do sound very cool! I think Days of Thunder was the first time I noticed Tom Cruise…but not the last… Thanks for stopping by.
Carol Stephenson
May 28th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Trivia buff here. On June 19, 1949 Sara Christian was the first woman to start a racein NASCAR’S premier division; she finished 14th. She competed in ~7 events from 1949-50.
However, Louise Smith (1916-2006) was known as “The First Lady of Racing”. She ran her first race in 1945 and won more than 38 races during her career. In 1950, when the Darlington Raceway opened, Bill France Sr. invited her to race.
Angi Morgan
May 28th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
I have to admit, Abby, that the racing bug has never bitten me (at least WATCHING). Growing up, several of my father’s friends thought my heavy foot would get me in trouble. You’ve made the NASCAR line of books seem much more appealing. I can’t wait to read about all the heroes.
Karina Bliss
May 28th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
Hi Abby, I used to follow Formula One when I was living in the UK but the NASCAR lifestyle is fascinating and I’ve really enjoyed reading about different aspects of that world through your books. Finished Chasing the Dream last night, another excellent novel.
Karina
Anita Mae Draper
May 28th, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Hey Abby, we don’t have NASCAR up here in Canada, and although anyone can catch it on TV, our family tends to watch the Formula One races instead.
However, I picked up about 6 Harlequin NASCAR series books once and they’re in my TBR pile.
So thanks for this informative post. I appreciate it.
Anita Mae.
Linda Henderson
May 28th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
I’m not a big NASCAR fan, but I have read some of the NASCAR books and enjoyed them very much. Jamie McMurray graduated with my oldest daughter so we keep track of the races to see how he is doing.
Abby Gaines
May 28th, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Carol, thanks for the history lesson!
Angi, you sound like me with the heavy foot. So…were your dad’s friends right?
Thanks for your kind words, Karina, glad you enjoyed Chasing the Dream (for readers who aren’t aware, that’s the title of my novella in The Memory of a Kiss, the first book in the new series…P
Abby Gaines
May 28th, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Anita Mae, I hope you enjoy those books!
Hi Linda, you’re right, I don’t think you need to be a NASCAR fan to enjoy the books. Having a connection to the sport, like yours to Jamie McMurray, always makes it more fun to watch…
Missy Tippens
May 29th, 2010 at 12:10 am
Abby, great post!
How cute that you were known as the Dirt Girl!
Abby Gaines
May 29th, 2010 at 3:28 am
Thanks, Missy! My hubby is weirdly proud of the nickname…
Wendy
May 29th, 2010 at 10:09 am
While my family loves NASCAR, it’s never been my cup of tea. But I love a good romance, and you’ve sold me on NASCAR romances! And maybe I’ll pick up a few tips about the sport and be able to wow my relatives.
Mary Sullivan
May 29th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I’m chiming back in late. Thank you, everyone, for the information about women in NASCAR. Really, really interesting.
As soon as I read the name Danica Patrick I thought, of course, the super gorgeous racer!
Mary
Nancy Lee Badger
May 29th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
I’ve loved NASCAR for years, probably ever since my parents relocated to the Daytona area. Unfortunately, I lived in New Hampshire at the time. The closest I got to a NASCAR race was the year I hired on as a trackside EMT. I got to walk up and down those stands amid the roar of engines and the crowd. A deafening thrill. I live in North Carolina now and plan to visit the just-opened NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. I read all Harlequin’s NASCAR books, especially yours. Keep writing!
Erin Kelly
May 30th, 2010 at 10:09 am
I admit that I know very little about racing (outside of Days of Thunder-lol!). One would think I would have a better grasp, what with living in North Carolina, and all. I am, however, always looking for new and interesting scenarios for books when I read, so I’ll have to take one of these books for a spin
Abby Gaines
May 30th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Hey, Wendy, I hope you enjoy the NASCAR romances you try! And yes, you’ll learn a lot. I love it when I learn about different communities or careers etc from reading fiction…the easiest education you can get
Mary, Danica is gorgeous, isn’t she! I’ve read that race drivers develop over-sized necks, due to the muscle and strength required to wear those helmets for long stretches, but Danica’s neck seems pretty girly still!
Hi Nancy, do glad you enjoy the books! I know what you mean by a deafening thrill, I imagine you must have had earmuffs (is that the right word?) when you were working trackside…