In 1992, NASCAR was on the verge of transforming from a strictly-Southern, rural phenomenon into arguably the new national pastime. But the sport was at a crossroads. Richard Petty, the `King` of the sport, was in his final season. Jeff Gordon, the future sensation, was in his rookie season and still an unknown. But the bigger story was a three-way battle for one of the closest championship races in the history of the sport. There was Davey Allison, the young, brash star of one of racing`s most fabled families and veteran `Awesome` Bill Elliott, the soft-spoken Georgian trying to recapture his mid-80`s glory. Then, there was outsider Alan Kuwicki, the college-educated, Wisconsin native who managed to compete with modest resources but unlimited passion. A year later, Allison and Kuwicki would be dead, both killed in air disasters unrelated to racing. This is the remarkable story of their final season, one that would change the course of NASCAR history forever. David Poole, NASCAR beat writer for the Charlotte Observer, takes readers into the pits and the garages for this watershed season. It`s not only the story of a spirited battle between three markedly different men, but an inside look at how NASCAR has exploded into the national consciousness.