Nextel Cup yearbook recaps 2004 season

A NASCAR tradition is back for the 17th season-only this time it has a new title. The NASCAR Nextel Cup Yearbook is now on sale at the NASCAR.com SuperStore.

For nearly two decades, UMI Publications has documented every significant pass and every defining moment race-by-race in the sport's most anticipated annual publication.

First published in 1988, this collectible book was formerly known as the NASCAR Winston Cup Yearbook.

"The folks at Nextel were great to work with on this project," said UMI Managing Editor Ward Woodbury. "They stepped right in and commissioned the yearbook when Winston left the sport after such a lengthy involvement in NASCAR."

This hardcover coffee-table book features the complete story and results of each race from the 2004 season, complemented by well over 300 full-color photos. A story written by the newly-crowned NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion Kurt Busch chronicles his drive to the most coveted crown in motorsports.

Of course, the 2004 campaign was punctuated by the Inaugural Chase For the NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship. The Yearbook pays special attention to the excitement generated by the new format.

SUPERSTORE •   UMI NEXTEL Cup '04 Yearbook

"We covered the first 26 races, then we added a special section profiling the 10 drivers who made the 'Chase,'" Woodbury explained. "We covered the highlights of their season and what got them into the top 10 finalists. From there, we changed the format slightly to highlight the Chase For The Nextel Cup. For instance, we added a little box after each of the final 10 races showing the points standings, how much each driver was behind and whether he had moved up or down in the standings."

Aside from the "Chase" aspect, the NASCAR Nextel Cup Yearbook employs the same tried-and-true format that fans have come to expect. UMI's crack team of designers do an outstanding job of combining text and photos into an eye-catching yet easy-to-read format.

The NASCAR Nextel Cup Yearbook 2004 is bound in rich bonded leather with gold foil embossing. The book has been a sellout virtually every year since its introduction, and there are no reprints.

"We bring every race story to the fans in pictures and in text as best we know how," said Woodbury. "I think this issue has some of the best photography we've ever had. We have stuck pretty close to our original format to insure continuity and because it has been so popular with our readers. This is the same book presented to each NASCAR competitor at the NASCAR Nextel Cup Awards Banquet in New York each year."

The NASCAR Nextel Cup Yearbook 2004 is priced at $39.95, plus shipping.

UMI Publications is NASCAR's oldest publishing licensee. A long-time source for specialty collegiate sports journals like the ACC Basketball Handbook, UMI first appeared on the racing scene when it took over production of NASCAR's yearly press guide/record book in 1986.

Two years later, R.J. Reynolds commissioned the company to publish the first NASCAR Winston Cup Yearbook for presentation at the annual NASCAR Winston Cup Awards Banquet. However, a special arrangement allowed UMI to also make the yearbook available to the public in limited numbers.

Several years ago, in an effort to provide collectors a more complete history of NASCAR Winston Cup racing, UMI began publishing retro yearbooks that cover seasons prior to the release of the first official yearbook. In addition to yearbooks covering each individual season from 1972 though 2004, the publisher has created a two volume series that covers NASCAR prior to the so-called "modern era."

Both "NASCAR: The Early Years" and "NASCAR 1959-1971: Growth Challenge and Change" are also now available in the NASCAR.COM SuperStore. Look for an in depth review of both books in the coming weeks.