ImPRESSions© The Official Newsletter Of The American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association June 2009 Vol. 42 No. 6 Southern VP Mike Harris Retires After a long career with the Associated Press, AARWBA Southern Vice President, Mike Harris, is retiring. Visit Michael Knight’s blog for a fitting tribute that includes comments from 40 of motorsports most important people. For example: BRIAN FRANCE: “Mike Harris has been the pri- mary source of NASCAR The Speedway presented AARWBA Southern Vice news for our growing fan President Mike Harris, with a retirement helmet. base for decades. Mike’s reporting was instrumental in the establishment of Fom left: Fred J. Nation, Executive Vice President, NASCAR as a national sport. We’ll miss seeing Communications; John Griffin, IRL Vice President of Mike in the media center and will be thinking of him Public Relations; Mike Harris, and Ron Green, Direc- as he improves his golf handicap. Thank you for tor Public Relations. your service, Mike. All the best to you and Judy.” Visit Michael Knight’s blog at: In This Issue: http://spindoctor500blog.blogspot.com/ - Contest Winners Announced Page 2 - Wade & Lester Win Aflac Awards Page 5 - Have You Been To Indy? Page 6 Mike may be leaving AP, but he will be writing freelance, and maybe even a book when he - Indy Breakfast Photos Page 6 tires of golf. He will also remain in his - News & Notes Page 9 current post as the AARWBA Southern Area - From The Archives Page 10 Vice President. - Over The Years Page 11 - Membership Application Page 12 American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association, Inc. (www.aarwba.org) “Dedicated To Increasing Media Coverage Of Motor Sports” Scranton Sunday Times Sunday Scranton Daytona,” Stole “Scott Nearly Mention: Scott Walsh, Honorable Republic 3. “Road to Recovery,” SusanWade, SpeedSportNews National Arizona Tribune 2. Mark Armijo, “Sport Calistoga 1. BillSessa,“Whent News-Tribune Scranton 3. StaysHot,” ScottWalsh,“Kahne Register 2. KeithLair, Good As Gold,” “Pastrana’s San GabrielValley Tribune Napa 1. BillSessa,“SwindellSprintsto Win,” 3. Noaward 2. Noaward Books Land,” Pitstop 1. L. Spencer Riggs, “Langhorne!: No Man’s 1. NoMan’s L. Spencer Riggs, “Langhorne!: (Presented at AARWBA awardsbreakfas AARWBA at (Presented NEWSPAPER FEATURE WRITING NEWSPAPER NEWS WRITING MOTORSPORT BOOK Feel freetocheckout www American Auto Racing Writers &Br Racing Writers American Auto We arehonoredtobe This month’s issueofImPR This month’s “Dedicated To Increasing Media Coverage OfMotorSports” MediaCoverage “Dedicated To Increasing 2008 AARWBA CONTESTWINNERS AARWBA 2008 he SprintCars Roared,” Widens Hunt for Talent,” Widens HuntforTalent,” for yourcontinuedcomm involved withAARWBA .teamjegs.com foraddi .teamjegs.com oadcasters Association, Association, Inc. oadcasters 2 Autoweek Crowned,” “Champs Braun, Travis Mention: Honorable 3. CalClubNews “2008Toyota LarryMason, GPLB,” “Fresh Start,” 2. Mendez, Mary Bignotti InsideMotorsport Track News Car& Sprint Midget 1. “Cottle’s500,” DaveArgabright, Times 3. Noaward Sunday 2. JerryGarrett, the “Cheating Wind toGainanEdge,” New York Times Scranton Things,” 1. Scheme of ScottWalsh,“The 3. “Horrific SusanWade, Crashes Bring Out SpeedSportNews National True Feelings,” 2. Th Sheena Baker, “More SpeedSportNews National Conquers Indy 1. “Lazier Challenge,” DaveArgabright, SpeedSportNews National ESSSions issponsoredby t, May23,2009,I itment to excellence. to itment MAGAZINE EVENTREPORTS NEWSPAPER TECHNICALWRITING NEWSPAPER COLUMNWRITING and thankallofyou tional mediaresources. (www.aarwba.org) ndianapolis, Indiana) an a Little EarnhardtLeft,” ...continued next page All Contents © The American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association 922 North Pass Avenue Burbank, CA 91505-2703 (818) 842-7005 Chase Victory,” Motorsport.com Dominate,” and Ireland Motorsport.com Mention:David Honorable Motorsport.com Victory,” Dragracingonline.com “BriscoeEarns Historic First,” 3. DiZinno, Tony Chase 2.NancyKnappSchilke, His “Burton Takes New,” atSomething Old “Something Wade, Susan 1. Engineering Racecar Mention. Honorable Illustrated Engineering,” “Production Ian Wagstaff, 3. AnneProffit,“CorvetteClose Up,” 24-Hour RaceTechnology Speedway DirtModifieds,” 2.BruceA.Bennett,“Troyer to 1. “ToSpragorNot John DiBartolomeo, Drag RacingAction Sprag,” Mention: Honorable News Passing,” InsideTrackMotorsport 3. BruceBennett, “Dear Tony,”FlatOut Mary BignottiMendez, “Racing Equals 2. “OldiesArtistsUnitefor SusanWade, Review ‘Drag Aid’,” DRM/Drag & SprintCar Midget 1. “Tray,” DaveArgabright, Paddock Jerry Miller, “Indy’s HeroicLosers,” Mention: Honorable (anthology) Whole Truths The Quarterly 3. IanWagstaff, “Centennial Chase,” Automobile “The Race 2. TwoWorlds,” Riggs, of L.Spencer Later,” 1. “30 Years DaveArgabright, Car&Midget Sprint (Presented at AARWBA awardsbreakfas AARWBA at (Presented ONLINE NEWS WRITING MAGAZINE TECHNICAL WRITING MAGAZINE COLUMNWRITING MAGAZINE FEATUREWRITING American Auto Racing Writers &Br Racing Writers American Auto “Dedicated To Increasing Media Coverage OfMotorSports” MediaCoverage “Dedicated To Increasing 2008 AARWBA CONTESTWINNERS AARWBA 2008 C. Schilke,“Switzerland oadcasters Association, Association, Inc. oadcasters 3 Carsandcompetition.com, Kay Presto Kay Carsandcompetition.com, Mention: Honorable SusanWade 3. 1320TV.com, Sulke Mike 2. Paddocktalk.com, 3. Noaward 2. Noaward Spindoctor500blog.blogspot.com Friends,” “Remembering Knight, 1. Michael 3. Noaward Competitionplus.com 2. JonAsher,“TheBest Carsandcompetition.com 1. Kay Presto, “JFRTeamStillResearching,” Motorsport.com From Here?,” DiZinno,“WhereDoWeGo Tony Mention: Honorable Competitionplus.com “NothingLi 3. JonAsher, “N Knight, 2. Michael Paddocktalk.com toEnd,” forMosleyTyranny “Time 1.AnneProfitt, USAtoday.com Image,” Motorsport.com Mention: Honorable GP,” Travis Braun,“Beatriz Schilke, Nancy Knapp 3. Dragracingonline.com 2. SusanWade, “GaryScelzi is PointManforSafety,’” OpenWheelRacers.com ARacer,” 1. “BobDevine: RonHedger, 1. Motorsport.com, Nancy KnappSchilke 1. Motorsport.com, t, May23,2009,I PROFESSIONAL RACINGWEB SITE WEB LOG ENTRY ONLINE TECHNICALWRITING ONLINE COLUMNWRITING ONLINE FEATUREWRITING ow What?,” Valvoline.com ow What?,” (www.aarwba.org) ndianapolis, Indiana) Plan for Slowing Top Fuels,” Plan forSlowingTopFuels,” ke the U.S. Nationals,” ke the U.S.Nationals,” “Revival ofSt.Petersburg Looks ToCarve Out Own ...continued next page All Contents © The American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association 922 North Pass Avenue Burbank, CA 91505-2703 (818) 842-7005 3. Noaward 2. “M DickSisich, 1. 5002008,” BobRoberts,“Indy WBBM R Larry Clarino,“IAm Mention: Honorable Carsandcompetition.com 3. PepsiTastesGood,” Kay That Presto, “Ummm, Motorsport.com Celebrates,” 2.Tony DiZinno, “Ryan Briscoe Motorsport.com Shower,” Johnson,“Victory Michael 1. Competitionplus.com 3. JonAsher,“Denver in Review,” Motorsport.com Johnson, ofFire,” 2. “Ripples Michael Paddocktalk.com Pole,” Takes MotoGP Proffit, “Rossi Anne 1. News Driver Racing Arizona 3. “CrowdFollowstheAction,” JanWagner, Hawkeye Press Roars,” 2. Demon PhilRider,“The Associated 1. Smith, withRuling,” Glenn “Unhappy Driver Arizona Star Mention: Honorable Indianapolis Illustrated “ClippingaPylon,” Jan Wagner, 3. Smith,“Sudden Impact,” Glenn Speedway 2. Dancing,” Bruce A.Bennett,“Pole 1. Michael Campbell, “Flying at the “Flyingatthe Doty,” Campbell, FlatOut 1. Michael (Presented at AARWBA awardsbreakfas AARWBA at (Presented RADIO FEATUREPROGRAM PHOTOGRAPHY -ONLINEPEOPLE PHOTOGRAPHY– ONLINE ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY – PRINT PEOPLE PHOTOGRAPHY – PRINT ACTION American Auto Racing Writers &Br Racing Writers American Auto otorsports Update,” KNTY “Dedicated To Increasing Media Coverage OfMotorSports” MediaCoverage “Dedicated To Increasing 2008 AARWBA CONTESTWINNERS AARWBA 2008 eady,” Motorsportsforum.com oadcasters Association, Association, Inc. oadcasters 4 Radio, Television, and Podcast/Webcast categories.) Radio, Television,andPodcast/Webcast essentially was “b judging (All President (S Ron Lemasters Chairman; Book Motorsports (Sr.), AARWBA Midwest Vice President Writing, Online Technical Writing TechnicalWriting,Magazine Newspaper editor/writer magazine FeatureWriting Magazine AARWBA ContestChairman (Ind.) Emeritus, & Professor Franklin College, Journalism Site, sional RacingWeb Web Log Entry Writing, OnlineNews Online Column, Profes- ing, MagazineEventReporting, Column Magazine Newspaper News Writing, Franklin (Ind.) College Journalism, Broadcast (Ind.)College Franklin ofJournalism, School Photography University Ken delaBastide,Kokomo Newspaper FeatureWriting, JUDGES: 3. Noaward Middletownjournal.com 2. ColeGale,” John Bombatch, “Interviewing 1. Dick Sisich, “IRL W Noawards t, May23,2009,I PODCAST/WEBCAST TELEVISION FEATUREPROGRAM (all) – Prof. Joel Cramer, Pulliam School of Pulliam –Prof.JoelCramer, (all) (all) – Prof. Emeritus SusanFleck,Pulliam (all) –Prof.Emeritus -- Jerry AARWBA Miller, Contest eekend,” Infineonraceway.com eekend,” (www.aarwba.org) ndianapolis, Indiana) – Brian Smith, free-lance free-lance Smith, Brian – (Ind.) Tribune, Ball State (Ind.) Tribune,BallState Newspaper Column Writ- Online Feature Writing – Feature Online r.), AARWBAMidwest Vice lind,” except intheBook, lind,” except – Ron Lemasters –Jerry Miller, All Contents © The American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association 922 North Pass Avenue Burbank, CA 91505-2703 (818) 842-7005 receive aplaque and a$1,000scholarship to will Lester color." and focus Good speeds; great accompanying