The 85th anniversary of SPEED SPORT is an unparalleled milestone in this industry. The brand pre-dates, and therefore has documented the history of nearly every national sanctioning body in motorsports.
NASCAR (1947), NHRA (1951), USAC (1955) and the World of Outlaws (1978) — from infancy to their greatest moments — are completely chronicled in the pages of SPEED SPORT. From the board tracks of the early ’30s to IndyCar, which ran its first race as the Indy Racing League in 1996, SPEED SPORT has been there and brought its readers along for the ride.
Our longevity is definitely worth celebrating and we revel in the history, events and characters that make it so interesting. Ultimately, it’s those events that shape us and fuel the passion that propels us forward. But we are humbled as well — this business is every bit if not more daunting as it was for William Kay back in 1934.
Back then, the very idea of an enterprise devoted to covering the then-fledgling sport of auto racing was not mainstream — and risky. But the publishers saw the opportunity and ultimately created something special. We owe a lot to those gentlemen for laying the foundation blocks of motorsports journalism.
Just as in 1934, our success or failure is predicated on the support of our readers (and viewers) and the motorsports industry. Earning and maintaining that support requires listening to our constituents and constantly evolving to adapt to their changing needs. In 2009, then owner and publisher Corinne Economaki (Chris’ daughter) asked me to advise the company on how to adapt. The readers and industry had evolved, but SPEED SPORT was at that time essentially the same business as it was in 1934 — a weekly newspaper.
Just a few years later, Ralph Sheheen and I found ourselves the new shepherds of the SPEED SPORT name — entrusted by the Economakis to keep it relevant and valuable to readers and the industry while also remaining true to its past and principles. We took our charge seriously and have been on the run ever since.
SPEED SPORT has evolved and grown tremendously in the last 10 years — arguably more than the previous 75 years combined. We are now quite literally everywhere, on every type of device or format. Print, email, social media, web, mobile and even award-winning television shows are all part of the makeup of a brand that continues to evolve and adapt. SPEED SPORT’s amazing team of contributors, columnists and editors, led by Sheheen, is the best and biggest it’s ever been, and collectively they produce more content at a higher frequency than ever before.
Compared to 1934, everything has changed. We now live in a hyper-connected world of 24/7 news channels, apps, feeds, and live-streams where the very idea of waiting a week for your racing news seems, well, antique.
But as I read SPEED SPORT editor Kay’s column from 85 years ago (available here on SPEEDSPORT.com), I was struck by how much of it fits today. Our core mission has not changed. We continue to adapt to serve you — our subscribers, advertisers and the sport as a whole. And just as back then, SPEED SPORT cannot operate, yet alone succeed, without the reciprocity of subscriptions, advertising dollars and the support of the industry. That support is the fuel that prints and ships magazines, hosts websites, pays our editors, producers, journalists and photographers, and keeps the lights and phones on at the office.
So thank you for your patronage. If you haven’t done so already, please subscribe or renew. Tell your friends about SPEED SPORT and please support the companies that advertise in these pages, on our website and on our TV programs. Help us continue to be the leader in accurate, insightful motorsports journalism for many years to come!
Thanks and see you at the race track!
Editor’s Note: Joe Tripp is Co-Founder & CEO of Turn 3 Media, which owns and operates SPEED SPORT and Sprint Car & Midget.
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