The MPG Awards for Excellence in Automotive Journalism

Established by the Motor Press Guild in 1995, the Dean Batchelor Award recognizes excellence in automotive journalism as exemplified by the man it is named after–Dean Batchelor. It is the goal of the Motor Press Guild, through the Dean Batchelor Award program, to inspire automotive journalists, both present and future, to produce work of the highest professional caliber, and to acknowledge those who exemplify the exceptional standards of Dean Batchelor. The award ceremony is always held in December.

The Award singles out individuals demonstrating outstanding achievement in the profession of automotive journalism. Each year MPG presents the Dean Batchelor Award to the journalist judged to have produced the single piece of work which best represents the professional standards and excellence demanded by Dean Batchelor during his life as an editor, writer, and chronicler of the automotive industry.

The Dean Batchelor Award was first presented posthumously to Dean Batchelor in 1995 for his seminal book on hot rodding, The American Hot Rod, which was published after his death in 1994.

The Man

The career of Dean Batchelor spanned many disciplines, from aircraft builder, B-17 flyer, to race car driver and automotive journalist. He was the consummate historian, editor, racer, designer, and hot rodder. Dean’s passion for automobiles led him to editing positions at Hop Up and Road & Track magazines. In the late 1970s, Dean began writing such signal books as Ferrari: The Early Berlinettas & Competition Coupes, Ferrari: The Early Spyders & Competition Roadsters, and Ferrari: The Gran Turismo & Competition Berlinettas. He went on to produce a series of other specialty books and buyer’s guides. His last book, The American Hot Rod, was published posthumously and, in 1995, received the first Dean Batchelor Award, presented to Dean’s widow, Pat.

Whatever he was involved in, Dean did it with style and with the highest ethical and professional standards. From those who worked with and for him, Dean expected the best, and they willingly gave it, knowing he only accepted the best from himself. Of course, Dean’s best was difficult for most other people to match.

     Dean Batchelor Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

 1995     Dean Batchelor*

 1996     Chris Economaki 

 1997     Jesse Alexander

 1998     Denise McCluggage 

 2000     Shav Glick

 2003     Wally Parks

 2005     Robert E. Petersen

 2007     Tom & Ray Magliozzi

 2010     John Clinard

 2011     Brock Yates

 2012     Thomas L. Bryant

 2014     Ken Gross

 2015     Doug Stokes

 2016     Jean Jennings

 2018     Alex Xydias

 2019     Eric Dahlquist* 

*note that Dean Batchelor and Eric Dahlquist were both honored posthumously.