He served as sports editor of the
Clarksburg Exponent and editor of the
Hinton Daily News before returning to his alma mater as director of public relations. Neely went to work for the
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, serving as manager of racing public relations from 1961 to 1966. In 1966, he left Goodyear to work as public relations manager of the central region for
Humble Oil Company, a position he held until 1970. Neely retired in 1970 to concentrate on writing full-time. His first book,
Spirit of America, was published in 1971. Neely's best-known work was published in 1973,
Stand on It by Stroker Ace, co-written by
Bob Ottum. The novel, based in part on Neely's own experiences as a professional auto racer and on his experiences in the racing world with Goodyear and in part on
NASCAR legend
Curtis Turner, became quite popular for its gritty humor and its pull-no-punches depictions of the world of professional stock car racing. The novel was adapted into a 1983 film,
Stroker Ace, starring
Burt Reynolds and
Loni Anderson. It also inspired a song, "Stroker's Theme", by
Charlie Daniels. Neely continued to write, particularly about the world of American stock car racing. Notable works include biographies of two of the sport's founding pioneers — ''Cale: The Hazardous Life and Times of America's Greatest Stock Car Driver
(Cale Yarborough) and King Richard I
(Richard Petty). He has also served as a contributor to both Playboy and Sports Illustrated''. Neely was the first recipient of the West Virginia Writers Association "Summit Award", for a "lifetime of excellence as a professional writer." He also starred in
I Know What You Did Last Summer,
Matlock, and
The Night Flier. == Personal life ==