DuBois takes readers on a Speed Trail

BROOKLYN, Aug. 13, 2010: For Dan DuBois, “The Speed Trail” had special inspiration.

Known by his Michigan International Speedway colleagues as the pencil pushing accountant and Senior Director of Facility Development, DuBois is known by simply one term at home: Dad.

And as such, bedtime means reading to his daughters, Rylie, 5, and Chloe, 8.

So he wrote a children’s book that combined his love of bedtime storytelling with his job – NASCAR.

“One of my favorite things to do as a dad is read to my kids before they go to bed,” he said. “After a while, I began to think that writing a kid’s book was something I could do. I love racing and thought it might be fun to write a book about something in racing – but not a racing book.”

The DuBois family often travels to Disney Theme Parks for vacation. On one memorable trip, he said he was inspired by his daughters’ love of talking animals in one of the theatrical shows and his love of working at a racetrack.

“I thought of the mysteries of auto racing of how some race teams are faster than other race teams,” he said. “Being at Disney where animals talk, I thought maybe that mystery could be solved.”

“The Speed Trail” is a feathers, fur and frog’s hair adventure about woodland and wetland creatures who live at a racetrack and work on race cars. In the book, Robin, who knows how to fix racecars, enlists his woodland and wetland buddies to help him, emanating some of the qualities of the people who appreciate motorsports in real life along the way.

“Over 10 years of working at a racetrack, I have come to admire and respect people who follow racing,” DuBois said. “Most are the engines of our society and have character that makes America what it is. When working on the book, I thought the characters in the book should reflect that.

DuBois wrote and illustrated the 43-page book, and self-published it on the Internet. He reads it often to his daughters and wants to continue writing — maybe a sequel, maybe a spinoff, maybe something new. Who knows?

“I guess I’ll just write about what my daughters want to hear about,” he said.

DuBois will be signing copies of “The Speed Trail” in the Kids Rock display in the New Holland Fan Plaza at MIS at 11 a.m. Saturday, just before the start of the CARFAX 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway is the Great Escape, a venerable NASCAR national park where fans can get away and enjoy the very best in racing and camaraderie. It’s the love of racing and the thrill of a great time for race fans and drivers alike.

Great seats are available for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CARFAX 400 this Sunday. Visit MISpeedway.com or call the MIS ticket hotline at 800-354-1010.

You can also visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MISpeedway or Tweet with us @MISpeedway.

Michigan International Speedway - 2010 Schedule

Friday, Aug. 13 Meijer Pole Day Saturday, Aug. 14 NASCAR Nationwide Series CARFAX 250 Sunday, Aug. 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CARFAX 400