Once Around the Track by Sharyn McCrumb

The source provides excerpts from the novel "Once Around the Track" by Sharyn McCrumb, centering on the formation and operation of an all-female NASCAR Cup team, except for the driver. Key plot points include the team securing the famously handsome but laid-back driver Badger Jenkins and their main sponsor, a female-focused drug called Vagenya, which causes internal conflict and external ridicule. The narrative details the challenges faced by the female crew members, such as the seasoned crew chief Grace Tuggle and engineers like Rosalind Manning, in a male-dominated sport, while also exploring Badger's public persona versus his private life, including his care for an injured turtle. The excerpts culminate with the team's surprising victory at Darlington, immediately followed by the team owners controversially deciding to fire Badger Jenkins to hire a female driver for better publicity.