News

WE HAVE A MARCH WINNER!

This month we have member Gary Witzenburg’s LEGENDS IN MOTION: INSIDE STORIES AND DRIVING ADVENTURES FROM THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF CARS.

Back in the day I had an opportunity to share several vehicles at launch programs with Gary, and beyond pleasant company he always brought to the drive a well-informed perspective. As Amazon puts it, Gary “has been writing about cars, car design, industry figures, and the automotive world for 38 years. He currently serves as a contributing editor to Collectible Automobile and Corvette magazines, a correspondent for WardsAuto.com, a regular contributor to Hagerty.com, and was President (2020–2022) of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards.”

We’re happy to have Gary as a longtime MPG member, and the winner of this month’s drawing - MPG member Lee Morrell - will enjoy his newest book.

 -David Boldt, MPG President

WE HAVE A WINNER!

In this, our inaugural drawing for Love the Book You're With, MPG member Douglas Love (really!) takes home the Grand Prize, a signed copy of Matt DeLorenzo's MERCEDES-AMG: RACE-BRED PERFORMANCE. Douglas is the Associate Director of Communications at Consumer Reports and a long-time supporter of MPG.

With this, look for Matt's book to become a Recommended Buy. 

MPG Members are invited to participate in the first annual San Marino Motor Classic Media Interaction Day on Saturday, August 23, 2025 from 12:00PM-4:00PM. (Please note the Art Expo and Sale will be held from 4:00PM-6:00PM. A wine and beer bar will be furnished along with snacks. Admission is free.)

The Media Interaction Day will provide Media Personalities of all types the opportunity to view many of the SMMC Exhibitor's cars easily as they park on Saturday.  The SMMC Media Interaction Day is incentive for Exhibitors to bring their cars to Lacy Park on Saturday as opposed to Sunday morning. Offering Media a rare look at many of the cars with out the hustle and bustle of Sunday morning and event day in general.

What to expect on Saturday:

1.    Early entry to Lacy Park with credentials. All will receive credentials at No Charge but please confirm with via email ASAP or at least one week prior to the event so we can have proper credentials for all when you check in at the Front Gate on Saturday August 23, 2025. As mentioned entrance is No Charge for Media, Photographers, Online Content Supporters, Personalities as well as Podcasters. What does this get you? Uncrowded and unrushed Exhibitors will be parking in their space for Sunday. Allowing you the opportunity of speaking with the Exhibitor and to photograph the car in an unfettered way without the massive Sunday crowds.

2.    Each entrant will stop as they enter the designated area for a free-of-charge digital photo. The Car and Owner will be identified to or by the photographer. The SMMC photographer will log the information. A digital photograph will be uploaded to the SMMC website for distribution to each entrant. Unlike previous years, there will not be a photograph print but the SMMC will actually send the Exhibitor the digital photograph that can be used by the Exhibitor in many ways.

3.    The SMMC will be providing Box Lunches for each Early Entrant Media Personality on Saturday Media Interaction Day - Free of Charge. There will be a tent for shade as well.

4.    Media will have much improved, dedicated and exclusive access with Owners cars, Car information and the Owners themselves. Not an easy task on Sunday, Show Day with all the other cars, Class Judging and the huge crowds.

5.    Designated area for Media Personality to take entrants for additional photographs and interview about the car, giving both Entrant and Media Personality an uncrowded space and time to discuss the car in more depth. Provides everyone with a better space, reducing photo bombing and other distractions that often occur with crowds on Sunday. 

6.    Designated Media Personality will be posting their photos, interviews and comments that evening and in the days after the SMMC for everyone to enjoy.

Please be advised the activities offered on Media Interaction Day will not be available at the San Marino Motor Classic on event day, Sunday, August 24, 2025.  

Time constraints may result in some cars not being engaged by the Media.

If you know you will be attending, or not, it would be great to have you RSVP this email ASAP or at least one week before the event so the SMMC can insure proper credentials and plan accordingly.

If you have any additional questions, concerns or needs please feel free to reach back out to us.

We look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday, August 23, 2025 between 12pm - 4pm.

Best Regards,

Joseph Salvo, Chairman

Car Selection Committee

jsalvo2105@aol.com

MPG Members can qualify for special access -- save the dates and stay tuned!

We are very sorry for the disappointment. However, we are looking for volunteers to judge submissions so that we can continue this important program -- please contact us if you can help! -- Jim Dvorak, Member, MPG Board of Directors

The Motor Press Guild is saddened to learn of the passing of Alex Xydias, a true pioneer in the field of motorsports. Alex was a friend to MPG for many decades, and we take great pride in the fact that he accepted the MPG Dean Batchelor Award for lifetime achievement in 2018. His legacy lives on through his many contributions to car culture, including the founding of So-Cal Speed Shop in Burbank, his many years working in automotive publishing, and his work in establishing the SEMA Show as the premier aftermarket trade show it is today. Our deepest condolences to his family and close friends. - MPG President Ryan ZumMallen

To learn more, see this article published by Performance Racing Industry News: Industry Mourns Loss of Hot-Rodding Pioneer, SEMA Hall of Famer Alex Xydias, 102

Below, Bruce Meyer presents Xydias with the Dean Batchelor Lifetime Achievement Award at the Petersen Automotive Museum in 2018, alongside Mark Vaughn and 2010 Batchelor Awardee John Clinard. Photo provided by Doug Stokes.

Membership of the Motor Press Guild, the largest automotive media association in North America, elected new members to its board of directors this week to serve the organization through 2024 and beyond.

Two members of the board will begin new, three-year terms. Ezekiel Wheeler of eBay Motors was voted in as a new addition, and K.J. Jones of Motor Trend was confirmed to serve a second three-year term. Rebecca Lindland of Cars Commerce was appointed by the outgoing president to serve a one-year term.

The additions bring the board to nine members in total. They join James Bell of Kia America, Lisa Delaney formerly of the Motorcycle Industry Council, Jim Dvorak of Mothers, Steven Ewing of Edmunds, Sandra Muñoz of Latinaology.com and Ryan ZumMallen of Carrara Media.

The first action of the new board was to elect new officers, according to MPG bylaws. Outgoing president Jack Nerad chaired the proceedings. The board voted to approve former vice president Ryan ZumMallen as president, K.J. Jones as vice president, Jim Dvorak as treasurer and Lisa Delaney as secretary.

The board wishes to thank outgoing president Jack Nerad for his dedication to leading the organization through the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as treasurer Larry Rusznak who served dutifully as treasurer for two years.

The 2024 MPG Board looks forward to bringing meaningful events, information and value to the membership. 

Photos courtesy of Myles Regan and Ryan ZumMallen

More than 50 members of the automotive media community gathered to hear panel discussions from leading artists and photographers during the "Art & Racing" event hosted by the Motor Press Guild on Tuesday in El Segundo, Calif.

Held in partnership with the Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum, which graciously offered its meeting space, the event was offered at no cost to MPG members. It was one of a continuing series of in-person events MPG has hosted this year. The next will be a panel discussion at the SEMA show in early November.

With visual arts as the theme of the evening, the first panel featured three fine artists and sculptors with deep automotive backgrounds. Felix Holst, a former Mattel Hot Wheels designer, outlined his transition to fine artist. Emile Bouret discussed how his passion for racing fueled his artistic career. Michael Etrick, a clay modeler for several OEMs, described his move to automotive sculptor. The profusely illustrated individual interviews were incisively conducted by Eric Noble, founder and president of The CarLab automotive consulting firm.

The second panel included top practitioners of automotive photography representing several different generations. Moderated by Elana Scherr, senior features editor for Car and Driver, the wide-ranging discussion touched on the many changes car photography has seen over the past four decades and the personal styles of the three panelists. Photographer, videographer, and YouTube personality Larry Chen talked about his news-oriented style. Studio photographer Dean Kirkland discussed his techniques for creating memorable portraits of vintage and special interest cars. Longtime magazine and OEM advertising photographer Randy Lorentzen told tales of memorable shoots and revealed his philosophy on photo gear.

“I wish every MPG member had been in the audience for this event,” Jack R. Nerad, president of the Motor Press Guild, said at its conclusion. “The stories told by the participants were magical. The evening demonstrated again that MPG can produce events unlike any others for its members and the overall automotive community."

The night’s audience was filled with seasoned media and public relations professionals. Equally important, the event also attracted new guests, many attending an MPG event for the first time. 

The "Art & Racing" event would not have been possible without the tireless work of MPG Board members Larry Rusznak and Ryan ZumMallen and co-chair John Grafman. Special thanks to our many volunteers and museum staff who elevated the experience for all in attendance. Thank you also to Myles Regan for taking photos during the event - to view additional photos from the event, click this link. 

Follow the Motor Press Guild on Instagram to see photos and video highlights.

The board and event planning committee now look ahead to the MPG panel discussion scheduled to be held during the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas in early November. Look for more information regarding that event right here soon.

The Motor Press Guild has confirmed a stellar lineup of guest speakers for the "Art & Racing" event to be held at the Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo on Tuesday, October 10th from 4:00-7:00pm. MPG members are FREE to attend. Admission for non-members is $25. The panel discussions will be broken up into two groups: one for fine art; and one for photography. Panelists will discuss their career path and inspiration. Art Panel (Moderator: Eric Noble, founder and president at The CarLab) EMILE BOURET: A former professional racing driver, Bouret is now a fine artist whose portfolio includes hyper-realistic paintings as well as logos and liveries. FELIX HOLST: The former head of design at Hot Wheels, Holst is a painter who creates dazzling large-scale works of racecars in motion. MICHAEL ETRICK: An industrial designer who has penned the styles of many cars on the road today, Etrick also sculpts elegant aluminum pieces inspired by motorsport. Photo Panel Moderator: Elana Scherr, senior features editor at Car and Driver LARRY CHEN: A fixture at Pikes Peak, drifting competitions and car culture events around the world, Chen also hosts a show on the Hagerty YouTube channel. DEAN KIRKLAND: Having produced vibrant studio photographs of some of the most recognizable racecars in history, Kirkland is also a commercial and film director. RANDY LORENTZEN: Lorentzen has shot numerous magazine covers for several decades and specializes in hot rods with a dramatic artistic flair. Follow the Motor Press Guild on Instagram for updates and examples of their work. We hope to see you there!

Writers, photographers, videographers, and social media producers honored in national program

June 1, 2023 — The Motor Press Guild, the nation’s largest association of automotive journalists and public relations professionals, is proud to announce the finalists for its Best of Automotive Journalism Awards. The national program is designed to promote the highest caliber work in the automotive media. Each year MPG solicits entries from across the country. 

"In an age when machines threaten the human creative process, it is important to recognize individual achievements in writing, photography, video, and audio," Jack R. Nerad, President of the Motor Press Guild, said. "The finalists have invested their unique sensibilities in creating each of these praiseworthy works, and their achievements should be celebrated."

The MPG Best of Automotive Journalism Awards program honors books, articles, photographs, and audio-visual creations. Each year the highest achievement in auto journalism from among all the nominees is recognized with the Dean Batchelor Award, an award named after one of the nation’s leading lights in auto journalism. The 2022 Motor Press Guild Best of Automotive Journalism Awards will be presented at MPG Drive Day 2023, June 6, at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu.

The following is a list of the creators and their works that have been judged finalists for the 2022 awards. To qualify, an article, audio-visual, book, or photograph must have been published for the first time in calendar-year 2022. The finalists are presented in alphabetical order by their last names.

Bob D’Olivo Award for Photography Finalists

Christina Brinkerhoff, Cover of March 2022 issue of Porsche Panorama

Jan Wagner, “NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Brandon Jones walked away from this”

Randy Wells, “The Last Porsche 911 ST Race Car”

Best Book Award Finalists

Randy Lanier with A.J. Baime, Survival of the Fastest

Preston Lerner, Shelby American

Sylvia Wilkinson, Dirt Tracks to Glory: The Early Days of Stock Car Racing

Best Feature Article Award Finalists

Mercedes Lilienthal (New York Times), “10 States, 2,400 Miles and More Than 100 Classic Cars”

Mitch McCullough (Classic Motorsports), “Safari Survivor”

John L. Stein (Hagerty), “Getting My Goat”

Best Road Test Article Finalists

Basem Wasef (The Drive), “2022 Ferrari 296 GTB First Drive Review: The 818-HP Hybrid V6 Doesn’t Disappoint”

Basem Wasef (Motor1.com), “2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS First Drive Review: System Of A Down(Force)”

Basem Wasef (Motor1.com), “2023 McLaren Artura First Drive Review: The Second Life Of Supercars”

Best News Article Finalists

Daniel Miller (Los Angeles Times), “Dream cars and some legal fender benders”

Steven Cole Smith (Car and Driver), “How 'Drive to Survive' Helped Formula 1 Win Over America”

Basem Wasef (Car and Driver), “Go Behind the Scenes as RM Sotheby’s Inspects a Pre-Sale McLaren F1”

Best of Audio Visual Awards Finalists

Dave Kunz / ABC7 Los Angeles, "Acura Integra - Flashback to the '80s"

Basem Wasef and Anna Wyckoff, “Why Does She Hate the Mercedes-Benz W140?”