Jade Gurss – författare

Winning came naturally to Al Unser Jr. Born into a racing family, he had a gift for finding the fast line on the track. By the time he was nine years old, he could draw the quickest way through the corner on paper and intuitively apply his sketch while on the go kart track. By his teen years, the innate sense for the fast way made him unstoppably quick when he was racing through the woods on a snowmobile. As his career progressed from the kart track victories to following in the footsteps of his famed uncle, Bobby, and father, Al, the wins grew in stature from junior titles to the very top echelon of his sport. Two Indy 500 victories. An IndyCar championship. Sportsman of the Year. In addition, Unser was not just a winning driver - he also possessed a boisterous and lovable personality. The fans and the press adored him. Al Unser Jr. was on the top of world. A CHECKERED PAST tells that story - but it doesn't stop there. His gifts as a driver and his easy affability were the public persona. Behind the scenes, his appetite for drugs and alcohol were destroying his private life. Spurred on by his spiraling substance abuse problem, his marriage turned volatile. When he retired as a driver, the trouble amplified. Domestic violence arrests. Multiple DUIs. Repeated visits to rehab centers. Divorce. Financial ruin. A dark dive into depression and isolation that led to a suicide attempt. Unser's battle to climb out of that cave is one of the great stories in motorsports. A CHECKERED PAST is an unblinking look at how even our most celebrated sports heroes struggle with human frailty. Turn the page, and you'll discover an inspirational story of triumph, tragedy, and the road to recovery.

Dale Earnhardt's death is the most prominent moment in NASCAR history, and millions of people around the world know about the tragedy on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. But, only a handful of people know what went on behind the scenes before and after that horrible crash. IN THE RED is an insider's look at the 2001 NASCAR season with his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt Jr. began his second season in NASCAR's Winston Cup Series with swagger and confidence, only to see his entire life changed drastically. IN THE RED is the story of how Dale Jr. persevered, overcoming boundless grief to thrive on and off the track. Written by Earnhardt Jr's publicist, Jade Gurss (who also co-authored Dale Jr's best-selling book, Driver #8), IN THE RED puts you inside the race car as Junior and his No. 8 Budweiser team made an emotional but triumphant return to Daytona, then scored another momentous victory in the first race after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Off the track, follow along as Junior attends the MTV Music Video Awards, and makes memorable appearances in the pages of Rolling Stone and Playboy magazines as well as emotional interviews on The Today Show and many more.