Most race fans who follow Dustin Long know him as a NASCAR beat reporter and Senior Writer for Motor Racing Network. But what they may not know is that he has another behind the scenes talent, children’s book author.
This week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes focuses on Dustin Long’s newest children’s book, one that focuses on NASCAR racing.
“It’s about NASCAR and it is the third children’s book for this group,” Long said. “I did a couple a year or two ago. One was on the Daytona 500 and the other was on greatest sports comebacks.”
“This one is about NASCAR and it’s basically geared for third to sixth grade and those young readers,” Long continued. “It’s just a way to introduce them to the sport, to give them more understanding and knowledge. I talk about the different drivers and how they started at an early age and how athletic they are and the things that they do. The book talks about the cars through the years and gives them a history lesson of NASCAR, starting with Big Bill France and how the sport has grown over the years.”
“It’s not a real long book so you’re hitting the highlights.”
“These books, especially the NASCAR book, introduces the sport to young people, to students,” Long said. “It teaches them about the sport and if they are fans, it gives them a little bit more knowledge and if they are not, it gives them a better understanding that this is more than cars going around in circles.”
Long started his children’s book authoring at a time when he was impacted by the downsizing that was going on in the sport and with the media covering the sport.
“It started after I had been laid off and I got the book assignment for a couple books,” Long said. “I had the free time and I was doing all sorts of free-lance stuff. Somebody suggested me as they were doing a series of racing books.”
“I said I could do the NASCAR books,” Long continued. “I feel it’s something to help the younger generation to explain things to them about sports and racing.”
Although Long has an incredible amount of racing knowledge in his head, he also had to do quite a bit of research for his most recent book.
“Some of the things I knew but I had to research to make sure I had everything right and also get the sourcing right,” Long said. “I may know it, but for a book, you have to know the sourcing. So, it was as much work because I knew things but I had to go find where it was to validate it. There were a lot of notes to keep up with that.”
Was Long challenged by writing for elementary school aged children when he usually writes for adults?
“I used to say when I was working for newspapers that you would write for sixth grade level,” Long said. “So, you just keep it simple. You try not to make too many compound sentences or make them too convoluted. I try to keep the points simple and the structure simple. I keep it easy to read because if you make it too complicated, no one will read it and you’re not doing anyone any favors.”
“Kids won’t pick it up.”
Long said that he will not be doing a book tour or signings and fans may just have to search online for his latest work instead of heading to the nearest book store.
“I do some interviews from time to time,” Long said. “The funny thing is that I turn the book in and I don’t even know when it’s coming out. When the greatest sports book came out, like in August of last year, it was really funny because I was online one day and I googled it. Then I found out it was out for the last couple of weeks. I googled the NASCAR book and it said it was coming out in September.”
“I haven’t been out to the classroom yet to talk to the kids about the book,” Long continued. “I think that Texas Motor Speedway saw the books and they did something with the Daytona 500 book with some student reading group that they had. Hopefully they will do something again with the NASCAR book.”
“Although it will be on sale, you won’t find it in stores,” Long said. “You’ll find it online because more of the focus is getting the book in school libraries and things like that. It’s more of an education kind of thing, teaching kids about the sport.”
Now that Long is immersed in covering the NASCAR Championship Chase, he may have less time to concentrate on authoring any other books, including his next children’s book venture. But he is more than willing to consider it if asked.
“I did the Petty Family album years ago, the coffee table book and then these three books,” Long said. “If somebody asks, and I’ve got the time, sure I’ll write more.”
“It’s just a neat way to pass on knowledge and history and to help others understand the sport.”
