The thread on what car mag to read got me thinking. Hypothetically, if a magazine editor was reading this message board, what story suggestions would you have for him? More suspension tech? More product testing? More features of race cars? If so, what kind? (Just don't say "more of everything," because that doesn't help too much--specifics help the most.)

 

I like seeing features on cars that are still streetable or daily driven. I remember an article about a green 240z that I really liked alot. Some of my interests outside of cars are skateboarding and bicycling, and the magazines I read about those things have alot of photo pages, with no write ups, just photos. Could be an idea, but I know most people would rather see a useful article than photos of race cars.

 

More stuff on the grassroots level.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by David S. Wallens &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">More product testing? </TD></TR></TABLE>

I personally read with the most interest product testing (tires, suspension components, ECUs? etc) articles that directly applies to grassroots level racing. Everyone at this level wishes they could try everything out there to see what works and what does not, but very few actually can afford to buy more than one of the same components for their racecar/autox car and try it out themselves. Great magazine!

 

&lt;wish list&gt;
I'd like to see some articles on where to stay, where to eat (good and/or cheap), and what to do in the surrounding areas around race tracks. I'd love to know where the nearest Autozone is on my first foray to Barber or where to eat if I ever get out to Laguna Seca. That would be a fun article to have from time to time and I think many would find it entertaining and informative.

Articles about special racing events would be very much appreciated too. Many people don't know how big of a blast the 12 hours of Sebring is or how cool the Long Beach GP is. I wanna see what's the action on and off the track and in town, although that might be a bit outside the mission of GRM.

'How to' stuff is always fun too, I find I very much enjoy that type of article. I also wanna see more interviews with some of the best drivers in the country from the SCCA club ranks up to World Challenge, USTCC, Grand Am, and ALMS.
&lt;/wish list&gt;

 

I forget if the tire test is an annual GRM occurance or not, but it should be. Especially for this next year since the R/A3S04's and Ecsta V710's are due out. Have two segments, one for auto-x and one for road racing/track. DOT-R's and street tires, etc.

But yes, I'm all for more product testing. A magazine subscription is way cheaper than trying to test everything yourself. And beats sifting through online posts where there were multiple test environments.

 

I'd like to see innovative stuff - like home-made computer controlled pneumatic active suspensions (could be done, but the programming would be killer). I'd also like to see product testing - like "Monkey Barz Vs. The Real Thing - the crushing truth is found out." More racecars are always welcome, type doesn't matter - rally, club, autocross,kart, slotcar... A crazy race series comparison would be cool - I'm thinking an article on the similarities and differences of Rally racing Vs. Jetsprint boat racing. But what would really be cool to see in a car magazine is my Tacoma - say an article titled "A Greasy-Fast Taco that'll go right through ya!"

Can you tell I'm a Car and Driver reader?

Vracer111, who needs to get some GRM stickerage on his "racetruck"...

 

I agree that some articles on locations to stay and things to do while not at the track would be a good addition. Currently, Runners World does exactly that with a monthly profile of a city and the "best places to stay" near running sites. They also feature stores related to the activity (advertising $$$ comes from this).

 

I would like to see more comparison articles similar to the tire articles, with lap time improvements based on this part vs. that part. You could have monthly recurring themes, like exhaust, cams, intakes, short block, engine management, sway bars/springs/shocks, tires, alignment, weight reduction, setup, data logging, etc. And the articles should be of better quality. The last tire article was excellent, but the article where you tested a Moton shock that was not correctly valved for the car was useless. Also profiles of actual race cars, with set-up info and good pictures would be nice. I would like to see more tech, since that is what makes cars go fast (aka Ferrari/Williams/McLaren), and tech will make a grassroots car go faster as well. I personally do not buy GRM regularly, because when I flip through it, there are not usually many articles I am interested in. A European mag like Cars and Car Conversions has many nice tech articles and comparisons, and some of those articles might be worth a look at to use as a model. I will be interested to see if there are any positive changes. I might even get a subscription!

 

I think the "project" car build-ups are a great tool for introducing new racers and am looking forward to the ITB Golf III series. Regular product testing - kind of a racer's Consumer Reports - would be great. How about long-term racetrack reporting of products' performance, utility, and longevity - "The Brand X master cut-off switch melted on pregrid, after only four hours of track time..." The trick becomes balancing accuracy with advertisers' wishes, like when the fire suit company that I worked for got BIG content copy and images in the SportsCar safety issues when we bought advertising, and little coverage when we didn't.

K

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by David S. Wallens &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">More features of race cars? If so, what kind?</TD></TR></TABLE>
'Ice Racing' for the people up North.

 

In my view, a personal interest story about a 40-something-year-old, father of three boyz, autocrossing and racer wannabe who has been competing Solo II-wise for the past two years in STS in his '97 GSR sedan (no less, replete w/ child car seat when he forgets to remove it) who truly enjoys thrashing about on the autocross course in one of the bigger, heavier STS cars in the Atlanta region and who, from time to time, has been known to finish at the top of the class leaderboard would be a good story. Don't you think?

Seriously, I read every issue of your magazine cover-to-cover. The articles on project cars are great, as are the reviews on various products (e.g., tires, shocks, other suspension components, etc.). Don't have anything original to suggest beyond what's already been mentioned, except to wonder if you've ever done or considered a basic review/critique of the various HPDEs or high-end drivers' schools (e.g., Barber)? I've never seen a side-by-side comparison of all the many available options. As Kirk mentioned, I know these are delicate matters given the business relationship you have with these companies for advertising. Just a thought....

Casey, who lives vicariously in the racing world by reading your magazine and other flights of fancy....

 

I would like to see a race track guide (like in CCC, the British magazine that just changed names). It features a different track each month and shows how to drive it corner by corner with great detail. This could include the guide about which others spoke about restaurants and hotels, but I would really prefer a guide to driving the track (with notes for FWD, RWD, and driving it in the rain).

 

I've come to realize that I _really_ like the magazine Consumer Reports. Make a similar magazine about performance driving, and I'd be interested in it. My brother also has some woodshop magazines with extensively detailed projects in it... almost recipe-like... very informative.

If these two features could be combined in a magazine (and be objective and rather scientific -ala Consumer Reports- despite pressures from advertisers), I'd be highly interested in it.. and fearful too.. it would have much greater chance of separating me from my money on car projects...

But then again, the 2 Fast 2 Furious market segment is probably more profitable and they don't care about this stuff, I'd wager.

Some people want a car magazine to be like Playboy.. I want it to be like woodshop/Consumer Reports. I think Playboy probably sells more than either of those two magazines put together..

edit: changed mind about spin-off magazine suggestion..

 

EDIT: for carl_aka_carlos

I'd like to see MORE features and interviews with racers and their cars, amateurs and pros. Including technicial information and pictures on cage design, suspension setups, ect.




Modified by 6ghatch at 7:25 PM 10/8/2003

 

Product testing articles are always good to read. It would be nice to see not only product testing, but the explanation of why the product does/does not work as expected. Being on the "Grassroots" level, a short technical explanation/evaluation of the product would help educate people.

Race cars are cool, but street cars are more practical for the "everyman"

 

A free Elise with every subscription .

Seriously, I think it'd be cool for every other issue or so to devote a couple of pages to a certain track and how to get around it. A nice track map and photo accompanied by "course notes" from those that are recognized as the bestest drivers that are still sort of grassroots. Guys like Pobst, Cunningham, multiple runoffs champs, and multiple ARRC champs.
Newbies could get a sense of a track they've never seen before and experienced folks might just get a "hmmmm... I never tried that."

I'd also like to see an IT comparison. With IT being the most popular amateur race classes in the country I think It'd be neat to see a top driver compare top ITS, ITA, ITB, and ITC cars. You could compare build and operating costs along with driver impressions of each vehicle. This could be VERY useful to someone looking to build a race car and wondering what to do with their budget.
I'll go ahead and volunteer the use of my ITC car now as long as the testing is done somewhere in the S.E.

And of course more product testing. Especially tires, shocks, and brake pads.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 6ghatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'd like to see features and interviews with racers and their cars, amateurs and pros. Including technicial information and pictures on cage design, suspension setups, ect.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

GRM already does that. they've had articles with the Speed WC Bimmers, all the way down to Chris Shenefields lowly STS civic. i think that covers the spectrum from Pro to amateur!

 

I second(or third) the notion of more project cars, whether they be race, street, or both. And with project cars, comes product reviews. Best of both worlds.

grm


Mike

 

I really like the track guide idea and Catch22's idea about the cost comparison for different classes. Also, I wish some articles were a little more in depth. For instance, your damper article offered a very brief despription of what dampers are supposed to accomplish and then gave times. I would have appreciated a little bit more detail on what adjustments were made (rebound/bump if available) and why these adjustments worked.

I would also like to see (maybe on one of your project cars) a article with pics and diagrams on an IT legal head freshening.

Regardless, great magazine... I look forward to reading each one cover to cover.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Civic44 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I would like to see a race track guide (like in CCC, the British magazine that just changed names). It features a different track each month and shows how to drive it corner by corner with great detail. This could include the guide about which others spoke about restaurants and hotels, but I would really prefer a guide to driving the track (with notes for FWD, RWD, and driving it in the rain). </TD></TR></TABLE>


Heyyy you stole My idea J/K...

I had started to write this almost exactly verbatum but left it half done and had to go to work.

Well, now I'm at work and couldn't agree with you mnore especially as I get deeper and deeper into this HPDE thing and toy ever more with the idea of running in the HC series.

I'm a Chef by trade so I'd also love to see listings or even suggestions and writeups for different levels of Motel/Hotel, of course food which is many times ignored and an afterthought where stale donuts, bad local coffee and crappy Mc Donalds and Pizza Hut become the norm.

If I didn't get some advice from some former Skip Barber instructors about the local offerings aty Watkin's Glen I'd have never had such a great time at the Seneca lodge (in the bar of course) and at some better than above listed local restaurants.

The hobby is a total blast but, when the family gets involved, they can't run on adrenaline alone (unfortunately) and I love a satisfying bed to sleep on, good beer and good food to round out my fun time spent.

Just an idea of course.

And GRM is by far one of the best motorsports magazines available.

More test and tune is always a pleaser BTW.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think it'd be cool for every other issue or so to devote a couple of pages to a certain track and how to get around it.</TD></TR></TABLE>


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I'd also like to see an IT comparison. With IT being the most popular amateur race classes in the country I think It'd be neat to see a top driver compare top ITS, ITA, ITB, and ITC cars. You could compare build and operating costs along with driver impressions of each vehicle.</TD></TR></TABLE>


Really great ideas.

 

Maybe you could implement a "Lessons Learned" write-in section. For example, a Scuba magazine had a story written by a reader about the dangers of trying to free a fish hooked on a broken fishing line from a wreck (i.e both diver and fish ended up strapped to the wreck right next to each other, unable to move... funny! but good info).

Stuff like: "Don't use paper brake pads at CMP and here's why."

Could cause more controversy ("this guy's an idiot" kind of stuff) but it'd be at least entertaining to read... and, IMO, could be really useful.

Andy

 

I have rare moments.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Willard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
'Ice Racing' for the people up North.</TD></TR></TABLE>

definitly, lol

and i'd like to see myself on the cover think u can work something out david?