{"product_id":"al-unser-jr-a-checkered-past-9781642341034","title":"Al Unser Jr: A Checkered Past","description":"\u003cp\u003eWinning came naturally for Al Unser, Jr. He had a gift for finding the fast line on the track and he possessed a boisterous and lovable personality. Fans and the press adored him. Behind this affable persona, an appetite for drugs and alcohol was destroying his private life. Unser's battle to climb out of that cave is one of the great stories in motorsports. \u003cem\u003eA Checkered Past\u003c\/em\u003e is an unblinking story of triumph, tragedy, and the road to recovery.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePenske, Roger:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eFormer race car driver Roger Penske is the founder, chairman, and CEO of publicly-traded car and truck dealer Penske Automotive Group. After retiring from driving, he created one of the most successful teams in IndyCar Series and NASCAR racing, and he is the most successful owner in the Indianapolis 500 with 18 victories.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eUnser, Al:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlfred Unser Jr.\u003c\/b\u003e (born April 19, 1962), nicknamed \"Little Al,\" is a retired American race car driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAl started racing go-karts at the age of nine, and by the age of sixteen he was already racing sprint cars. Soon after high school he moved into road racing, winning the Super Vee title in 1981 and the Can-Am title in 1982. He was a key member of many notable teams throughout his career and made a name for himself while driving for Galles Racing, Doug Shierson Racing, Team Penske, and others.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn 2007 he was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame and, shortly after in 2009, was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGurss, Jade:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eJade Gurss is the owner of fingerprint inc. The company was founded in 1999 to direct media and public relations for clients such as Anheuser-Busch and the Budweiser NASCAR program with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGurss is the co-author of two \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Best Selling books. \u003ci\u003eDriver #8\u003c\/i\u003e (Warner Books) chronicles Earnhardt Jr.'s rookie season. It is believed to be the most successful book about auto racing in American publishing history, spending seventeen weeks on the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Best Seller list. He also co-wrote \u003ci\u003eDW: A Lifetime Going Around in Circles\u003c\/i\u003e (Putnam Books), which reached the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Best Seller nonfiction list in February 2004.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003efingerprint inc. has been consistently innovative in developing a long list of media firsts for a NASCAR driver for Earnhardt Jr., from major magazine features to a series of documentaries on networks such as MTV, CMT and other non-sports outlets such as 60 Minutes, \u003ci\u003eRolling Stone Magazine, \u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003ePlayboy\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePrior to forming fingerprint inc., Gurss was in charge of marketing and publicity for Ilmor Engineering, the race-engine design and manufacturing arm of Mercedes-Benz. He also managed sports publicity for Mercedes-Benz USA while at the Cotter Group in Charlotte, NC after being the director of publicity at Heartland Park Topeka in the early 1990s.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA native of Topeka, Kansas, Gurss has a bachelor's degree in broadcast communications (Cum Laude with departmental honors) from Washburn University, and has a technical degree as a certified audio engineer. Gurss has a background as a musician and in video and television production.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGurss actively provides lectures and presentations for universities as well as corporate clients on topics such as sports marketing and publicity, small business ownership, and NASCAR.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Octane Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51298479571218,"sku":"9781642341034","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_49a43274-f25c-4dd6-87f7-a950fcafe28b.jpg?v=1747822829","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/al-unser-jr-a-checkered-past-9781642341034","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}