died.THREE-TIME NASCAR CHAMPION DARRELL WALTRIP knew that big changes were in the wind on the morning of February 18, 2001. For the first time in his long and storied career, Darrell would be watching the race from the broadcast booth high above the track, explaining its complexities to a television audience of millions. His younger brother Michael Waltrip would be among the starting drivers. Michael, who had competed in 462 NASCAR races without a win, would be piloting one of two cars owned by legendary driver Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt would be racing too, as would Dale Earnhardt Jr., the 2000 runner-up for Rookie of the Year.     Sundays Will Never Be the Same opens with a heart-stopping account of that dramatic race. By the time the sun set on that day, Michael Waltrip would have captured his first checkered flag in NASCAR’s biggest race, Dale Earnhardt Jr. would have placed second, and Dale Earnhardt, the sport’s brightest star, would have passed into eternity.     The sudden death of Dale Earnhardt on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 was a traumatic loss for the entire NASCAR family, and few were affected more deeply than Darrell Waltrip. During the course of their tumultuous thirty-year association, Dale and Darrell had been friends, then “frenemies,” and finally friends again. Darrell regales the reader with his earliest memories of the fiercely competitive kid from Kannapolis, and he describes the highs and lows of their relationship through the twin arcs of their overlapping careers.     Along the way, Waltrip provides a fascinating history of racing in Daytona and offers glimpses of some of the sport’s most colorful characters, including Bill France, Junior Johnson, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, and Richard Petty. He weaves the story of his own unlikely journey from the small-town ovals and rural roads of Kentucky (where his talents were largely devoted to running from the cops) to the grandest tracks and richest purses in motor racing. With his customary candor, Darrell gives us an insider’s view of some of NASCAR’s greatest battles and most memorable moments. This is an epic that only a storyteller with Waltrip’s access and experience could write.     Sundays Will Never Be the Same reaches its crescendo with a heart-wrenching insider account of that pivotal weekend in Daytona, including a poignant pre-race interview in which Dale rhapsodized about his family and his plans for the future. After the wreck, Waltrip takes us along on his frantic ride to the trauma center and into the waiting room, where Dale’s family and friends struggle to accept the unthinkable. Darrell recounts the weeks that followed: the shock and disbelief, the outpouring of grief from around the world, and the top-to-bottom safety changes NASCAR eventually made in what would become the most enduring tribute to Dale Earnhardt and his legacy.***     With touching nostalgia and his trademark wit, NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Darrell Waltrip recalls scenes from his remarkable life, vividly recounting memorable moments with some of the giants of the sport—such as this first encounter with the young man who would become his “frenemy,” NASCAR’s legendary superstar, Dale Earnhardt:     One evening a bleary-eyed mustachioed young man wearing a dirty T-shirt and Hush Puppies wandered into the shop carrying a half-empty fifth of Jack Daniel’s. He regarded me silently for several minutes, taking an occasional pull from the bottle. Finally Robert introduced us.    “This here’s Dale,” Robert said, in his Virginia twang. “He’s married to my daughter Brenda. You may have heard of his dad, Ralph. Dale’s a driver and a mechanic.”     I walked over to Dale and stuck out my hand. “Darrell Waltrip,” I said. “Nice to meet you.” Dale drained the bottle and tossed it into a nearby barrel, where it landed with a clatter, then he wiped his mouth with the back of his arm.     “This your car?” he said.

    From the assembly lines of Henry Ford to the open roads of Route 66, from the lore of Jack Kerouac to the sex appeal of the Hot Rod, America’s history is a vehicular history—an idea brought brilliantly to life in this major work by Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Paul Ingrassia. Ingrassia offers a wondrous epic in fifteen automobiles, including the Corvette, the Beetle, and the Chevy Corvair, as well as the personalities and tales behind them: Robert McNamara’s unlikely role in Lee Iacocca’s Mustang, John Z. DeLorean’s Pontiac GTO , Henry Ford’s Model T, as well as Honda’s Accord, the BMW 3 Series, and the Jeep, among others. Through these cars and these characters, Ingrassia shows how the car has expressed the particularly American tension between the lure of freedom and the obligations of utility. He also takes us through the rise of American manufacturing, the suburbanization of the country, the birth of the hippie and the yuppie, the emancipation of women, and many more fateful episodes and eras, including the car’s unintended consequences: trial lawyers, energy crises, and urban sprawl. Narrative history of the highest caliber, Engines of Change is an entirely edifying new way to look at the American story.

    From its humble beginnings in the pages of Detective Comics, to its reimaginings every decade in the pages of DC Comics, to its unforgettable appearances on the big screen, this book explores each incarnation of the Batmobile in incredible detail and scope. In addition to comic books, the Batmobile has been immortalized in nearly every imaginable medium, including film, television, toys, and video games. Most recently, it was given breathtaking new life—and incredible capabilities—in Christopher Nolan’s extraordinary film trilogy, which concludes with 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises. While each of the Batmobile’s incarnations will be explored, special attention will be paid to the "Tumbler" Batmobile from Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises. With stunning gatefolds and detailed specs, blueprints, and historical comparisons, BATMOBILE: The Complete History is an informational and visual delight for auto and Batman fans alike. It’s an unparalleled and high-speed journey that will leave you breathless. BATMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics. (s12)

    She was flagship to Admiral Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, when he was killed on her quarter deck by a sniper’s bullet in Britain’s hour of victory. Maritime historian and former HMS Victory Keeper and Curator Peter Goodwin tells the story of Nelson’s flagship, giving fascinating insights into how she was built, her anatomy and weaponry, and how a ship of the line in the Georgian navy was sailed, fought and maintained.

    Whether it's a Datsun 510 or 240Z, an early '70s Mazda RX2, or an early Toyota Celica, these cars are gaining attention from enthusiasts and collectors alike!

    It seems every hot rod built in the '70s reflected the somewhat garish tastes of that decade, and everyone had a small-block Chevy powering it. In the '80s and '90s, many rods were built to seamless perfection in a modern high-tech style, laden with billet, smooth seams, no rough edges, and a huge price tag. You had to know there would be a backlash, and rat rods are the backlash to the extreme. As a response to the high-dollar billet-based street rod trend, budget-limited home-based rod builders looked to the past for inspiration and style, and rat rods were the result. These 'imperfectly fine' rods rarely sport paint jobs of any kind, and their owners aren't scared to drive them. They represent a rebellious attitude, but never take anything too seriously either.Rat rods are high on style but low on budget, and that's why so many love them. Rat Rods: Rodding's Imperfect Stepchildren is a celebration of this trend, and almost as importantly, the lifestyle that accompanies it. Never has rodding been so cosmetically indifferent, so socially oriented, so affordable, and most importantly, so much fun! Author Scotty Gosson watched the Rat Rod trend start, grow, and blossom into what it is today. He shares the story with sharp wit, honesty, and a smile on every page. Cars from all over America and around the world are featured, and no two are the same.

    Either way, kids will be guaranteed hours of sticker fun with DK's Disney•Pixar Cars Ultimate Sticker Collection. © 2012 Disney

    Although the name later had to be changed because Peugeot had patented having a 0 in the middle of car model numbers, the 911 didn't let anything stand in the way of its becoming an iconic sports car. This success story spans all the way from the 901 and the Carrera RS 2.7 (which with its characteristic rear spoiler--the so-called "ducktail"--was the fastest production car of its time) right up to the current generation of the 991. For the 50th birthday of the populous 911 family, the famous automotive photographer Ren Staud, whose The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Book has also been published by teNeues, showcases the most important models--all in his typically radiant and distinctive style.

    And none more so than the motoring fanatics at Top Gear, who have test-driven, critiqued and worshipped some of the best cars in motoring history. While many have fallen short of Top Gear's exacting standards, others have triumphed, proving so damn cool they're SubZero.In this unique bible of motoring coolness, Top Gear's Matt Master recounts the stories behind history's greatest cars, from pre-war vintage motors to the supercars of the future, pairing stunning Top Gear photography and rarely seen archive photographs with expert commentary. He'll break down the technology behind these incredible machines and place each car in the context of its time, with anecdotes and analysis that explain just what's so cool about each one. From the quintessential British luxury of the Bentley Brooklands to the Italian sex appeal of the Bizzarini Strada, the old Hollywood glamour of the Chrysler Airflow to the futuristic lines of the Aston Martin Bulldog via Steve McQueen's Ford Mustang and James Dean's doomed Porsche Spyder, this will be social history as much as car worship.The only book like it on the market, this is the evolution of cool, Top Gear-style; the definitive guide to the undisputed coolest cars on the planet.