Grassroots Motorsports

DEC 2014

Issue link: http://grassrootsmotorsports.epubxp.com/i/397024

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T his issue celebrates our 30th orbit around the sun while making this magazine. That's 30 years of project cars, tire tests, tech articles, feature stories and lunches at the local Chinese buffet. Does that mean this issue is full of our greatest hits and other self-congratulatory editorial? No, not really. We made this issue for you, our readers, so we gave you what you like: useful tech, cool features and an extra helping of project cars. And I'm sure J.G.'s column will be funny as usual. This issue also aims to answer an age-old ques- tion: What makes a great sports car? To help with the answer, we enlisted Norman Garrett. Who's he? While you won't fnd his name in the Le Mans and Daytona record books, Norman still made a giant contribution to our wold. He was the design engineer for the original Miata–yes, he was part of the small team that took that car from idea to reality. He also has the ownership history to back up those credentials. Next time you see Norman at an event–he's a regular visitor at our Mitty–ask him about his MGs. Or all of the air-cooled Porsches that he has owned, whether they be mid- or rear-engined. Or his Miatas. His latest Miata is a 1991 BRG that's a bit of a low-buck special. When it comes to the production of our magazine, people tend to think it centers on the machines: Miatas and Porsches, GTIs and Mustangs. Really, it's the awesome network of people who help make this magazine possible. In many cases, we're talking about relationships that go back decades. Norman and I have know each other since my pre-GRM days, meaning the friendship dates back more than 20 years. Jeremy Barnes, now head of PR at Mazda, has been a fan of the magazine even longer. My title may have the word editor in it, but really I'm more of an ambassador–or maybe a diplomat or a camp counselor or something. I like introducing people to people. And I may have the corner offce and fancy title, but more and more Sarah is leaving her mark on these pages. She interned for us nine years ago. Now she copyedits nearly everything you see in the magazine. She also handles a chunk of the layout, including this issue's cover story. Sarah fully understands GRM from genesis to fnal assembly. And she handles the same tasks over at Classic Motorsports, our sister magazine. Sarah doesn't get out to many events, though. To change that, together we recently attended the IMSA race in Austin. Our goal: introduce her to some of our friends in the industry. (Our secondary goal: take in some live music, which we did courtesy of one-time rock giants Blue Öyster Cult as well as lo-f pioneers Sebadoh.) The people we visited while in Austin aren't all writers by trade. However, they're always quick to answer our questions. In effect, they help us take you behind the scenes, which is one of the reasons why we wake up in the morning. They're also some pretty cool people to hang out with. The outing started with a vegan/vegetarian dinner hosted by Dean Case, PR director for Mazda's racing efforts. Don't let the title scare you, as Dean is one of the sincerest guys in the paddock. He understands the greasy bits, too, as he started his automotive career in the engineering side. (True fact: His frst job was working for Norman Garrett on, yes, the original Miata.) Our dinner guests included Andy Lally, Spencer Pumpelly and Randy Pobst. My count says that's eight Daytona wins between those three guys. Once at the track the following day, we started meeting others on our hit list, including more of our friends who have enjoyed some amazing driving careers: Charles Espenlaub, Lawson Aschenbach, Patrick Long, James Clay, Eric Foss and Jörg Bergmeister, plus Will and Wayne Nonnamaker. Of course we spent time with Ed Senf, tuner to the stars, as well as two of our favorite photographers, Juha Lievonen and Al Merion Padron. While sucking up some of the media center's lovely air conditioning, we chatted with Dave Engelman, media relations manager at Porsche Cars North America. He's also the owner of a pretty stout 1969 Mustang Mach 1. Sarah and I also visited with Steven Cole Smith, who– whether he knows it or not–has served as my mentor for at least a decade and a half. He can open any door and tackle any subject. To watch him conduct an interview should be required for all JRL 101 students. (If there's a glaring omission on this list, sadly we never saw Shane Lewis, who is just always so nice.) This isn't about name dropping, though. It's about recognizing–and thanking–some of the people who help make my job easier. I'm not the pro driver or the amazing engineer. You guys deserve an answer from someone who is, though, and that's when we look toward our friends. Without them, we'd have trouble flling a magazine. And without you, we'd have little reason to fll it. Here's to a few more decades of doing this stuff. TURN ONE by david s. wallens • david@grassrootsmotorsports.com "AND HERE'S TO 30 MORE YEARS" Twitter: @DavidSWallens

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