Securing the future of GRM with the next generation | Articles

I started writing these columns some 40 years ago. Initially, I thought in a year or two I would be back at a real job, having written off the magazine business as a learning experience.

Turns out that’s not what happened, and I have built my life around this and our sister magazine, Classic Motorsports. And while hopefully that life, at 63 years of age, is not nearly over, nothing lasts forever.

To that end, I have decided to pass the torch–as well as this column–on to my son, Tom.

I told him when he was about 17 years old that if he wanted this business, We were not going to give it to him and we were not going to sell it to him. I told him that if he wanted it, he would need to take it from us.

He answered rather curtly, “How in the hell can I do that?” I told him that while I didn’t know for sure, it would start with him being on time for meetings and we would talk about it more when he had earned the respect of the staff we’ve had for decades.

While he still hasn’t totally mastered the game of being on time, quite honestly neither have I. He has definitely earned the respect of our staff, advertisers and readers. In fact, he has been mostly running things here at GRM these last couple of years.

While I’m still very involved, at least on the Classic Motorsports side of things (and I intend on staying that way for at least another decade), my interest in amateur motorsports (except in vintage racing, Lucky Dog races and the occasional rallycross) has waned a bit.

So to be fair to you, our readers, I felt it was time to step back and let our magazine enjoy a younger and more involved voice. I know this will be successful as Tom is a better writer, wrench and driver than I ever was. He’s also a bit better focused than I am and will run the business well.

And while my title will now be publisher emeritus, I’m still showing up for work every day (okay, almost every day) and will still contribute features and build project cars for both magazines. I’ll also handle ad sales, at least for our long-term customers, and be very involved in an ownership and functional capacity here at Grassroots Motorsports.

I will, however, be spending a bit more time in my garage, now nearly full of the cars I’ve dreamed of owning and have largely restored myself over the years.

Recently, it dawned on me for the first time that I might be the longest-standing automotive journalist (if you can call me that) who has…