Veteran NASCAR journalist John Close announced he has signed a contract to produce a book on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Scheduled for a Fall 2006 release, the book will be published by Motorbooks, an imprint of MBI Publishing Company. Close’s first book “Tony Stewart: From Indy Phenom To NASCAR Superstar” was released and distributed by MBI Publishing Company in 2004. Close covered his first NASCAR race as a reporter for Midwest Racing News in 1986 and has been associated with the Truck Series since 1996 when he served as team publicist for the #43 Richard Petty Motorsports Dodge factory effort. Since then, Close has also facilitated public relations initiatives for many of the top teams in the Truck Series, including Hendrick Motorsports, Ultra Motorsports, and Xpress Motorsports. A longtime contributor to several top racing publications, including Stock Car Racing and Circle Track Magazines, Close served as a featured writer for www.TruckSeries.com in 2005. Close is also a regular NASCAR event spotter competing in nearly 100 career races; 55 of them in the Craftsman Truck Series. For more information about Close and his motorsports-based media and marketing company “Close Finishes” please log on to closefinishes.com. To learn more about Motorbooks please log on to motorbooks.com.(Close Finshes PR)(11-17-2005)
