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?”