'You've got to say it as it is': Why Winterbottom chose to open up

Writing a memoir proved a long, sometimes painful, yet certainly rewarding process for Mark Winterbottom.

The Supercars legend will take readers inside his rollercoaster life and career in Frosty, published by HarperCollins Australia and co-written by Winterbottom and sports journalist-turned-author James Phelps.

Winterbottom wanted to tell his story in his own words in Frosty, which will be released on 26 August. While a challenging process, it was also cathartic for Winterbottom, now a father of three.

“It was 12 months by the time we started it to finished it. It was a pretty long process, but I'm happy with how it came together,” Winterbottom told Supercars.com.

“My upbringing wasn't perfect by any means. I thought, if I ever did a book, I wanted to do it honestly and properly, because what's the point if you fabricate it?

“It was tough growing up. It's actually quite nice to talk about it because it's something you never really talk about. You kind of hide it, throughout your whole life.

“So, putting it down on paper was almost therapeutic in some ways. Even my mates wouldn't know my story, no one wants to talk about the negative stuff, you always talk about the good stuff with your mates.

“That was the hardest part, but also rewarding at the same time to get it out. I actually felt pretty good about it all.”

Life on the pathway to Supercars glory wasn't easy by any means for Winterbottom. Born in Blacktown, he grew up in a working-class environment in Doonside.

His relationship with father Jim was strained, and tensions rose when his father left the family and ultimately passed away from leukemia without reconciliation.

Mother June battled breast cancer from when Winterbottom was just four years old. A single Mum, June raised Winterbottom and his sister Julie on her own, and funded his early racing career. They were by their mother's side throughout her treatment, growing a close bond that shone through right until June passed away in 2011.

Winterbottom was motivated to explain his upbringing, partly so he could help his three sons understand his own family story.

“My kids read my story, they didn't know their grandma because she was gone before they were born, effectively,” the 2013 Bathurst champion said.

“So, it was even nice for them to read stories about her and who she was. Hopefully I captured what my mom was like in that book, and even though my kids didn’t met her, they hopefully can realise how special she was.

“I’m 44 years old and life changes a lot, doesn't it? Especially with kids. It was hard because some of those stories were from 40 years ago. But you always remember good moments and bad moments.

“The book has all different chapters, from having kids and no kids, having a Dad and a Mum, then having no Dad and no Mum. But then I got to my dream, which is Supercars.

“I wanted to cover it all and help people see the journey to get there. People truly understand the person you are often by the upbringing you had.”

First exposed to the Bathurst 1000 at age three, Winterbottom won a PeeWee 50 motorbike in a raffle at age eight, kicking off his early motocross and karting experiences.

Key to Frosty is not shying away from the hard times, and not being afraid of ruffling feathers. Hard times permeated throughout his entire career, right up until he was left without a drive at Team 18 last year.

“You've got to say it as it is. I'm not ashamed of anything, I think sportspeople always want to be perfect because that's part of your DNA,” the 39-time race winner said.

“There's always good cops and bad cops, some negotiations go your way and some negotiations go wrong, but you've just got to talk about what happened. And if it makes people look bad, well that's a reflection on them.

“If it upsets them, then they need to look in the mirror, because that's what happened. But you move on and that's business, and you tell the story because people want to know what actually happened.”

Winterbottom also sheds light on his storied rivalry with Jamie Whincup, the duo going head-to-head from karts into Supercars. Winterbottom was determined to tell that story as genuinely and respectfully as possible, given both drivers warred for 30 years.

“You should write about rivalries respectfully, but you need to tell how the rivalry starts. It's not just, ‘Oh, there's a guy on track and I'm just gonna have a rivalry with him’," he said of Whincup.

“Jamie and I, it was a genuine rivalry because it wasn't just when we got to Supercars, we'd been rivals for 15 years before we even made it.

“That's probably why it showed through as a genuine rivalry between us, because what we had was genuine, from 10 years old in karting all the way through to 40-year-old adults. We probably still acted like 10 year olds, but it was a 30-year rivalry.

“We respected each other, but would do anything to beat each other and didn't worry about either one's feelings about how you got there.”

All told, Frosty is a chance for Winterbottom to give back. Few drivers have taken fans on the journey quite like Winterbottom, who even managed to get passionate Ford fans to follow him to Holden when he joined Team 18 in 2019.

Winterbottom cited the influence of the likes of his mother, wife Renee and kids Oliver, Austin and Elliot, Ross and Jimmy Stone, Howard Marsden, Rod Nash and many more.

Additionally, he believes his story can inspire others, proving that rags-to-riches stories can happen, and that starting from the ground up and making your dreams come true is possible.

"I've always been really passionate about the fans, because even if they go for you or go against you, there's passion,” Winterbottom said.

“I literally started from nothing, and I've appreciated everything I've ever been earned or been given. So when someone buys merchandise with my name on it, remember they're spending their money to support you.

"I never forget that in those moments when someone you idolise gives you a minute of the day, it means a lot. I've always tried to give back to people who support me. There's no sport without supporters.

“I want to hear how someone worked their arse off, and when they weren’t the best, they had a good work ethic and they could punch this bloke to get over. You want to see the grit and determination to get to the result, because people only see the end result.

“People can relate when you have a shit moment, you either go into a spiral or you use it as motivation to get better. I'm hoping that people that read it, especially those who are having a rough run, see that there's light at the end of the tunnel.

“Sometimes, having tough upbringings turn you into a mentally strong, resilient person if you use it the right way."

Winterbottom will race alongside Cam Waters at this year's Ryco Enduro Cup, which begins at the AirTouch 500 at The Bend from September 12-14, before the Repco Bathurst 1000 from October 9-12. Tickets are on sale now.