Good Bye Old Friend: HRN RIP —- My Two CENT$ by Mike Ruefer
My Two CENT$ by Mike Ruefer
Good Bye Old Friend: HRN RIP
I received some sad news on Memorial Day weekend. It wasn’t anything to do with my friends or family directly but in-directly it was. The Hawkeye Racing News, the patriarch of racing media in Iowa and the Midwest was making its final exit into racing lore as the last printed version of the newspaper was published. It’s not that I didn’t expect it but I was still saddened to see such a great publication with valiant history succumb to the on-line digital age.
In what seems like a life time now, it’s only been a short 10 years, maybe less that the rise of on-line media in all its various forms has displaced printed media. It’s just not racing news, it’s all news throughout the USA and the World. Even old dogs like me want our information now and not yesterday, something a racing paper just can’t compete with. We live in an instant gratification world and the thought of waiting a week to read about the events and see pictures is just too long.
Because of this society change, the users and readers of news sit surfing the web daily and nightly, clicking through web site pages, blogs, forums, Facebook posts and twitter feeds to get information. Everyone in America might still not have a computer but they all have some form of Smart Phone or Tablet were they can access the multitude of firsthand accounts that comprise the new age of virtual media.
It’s been a week since the announcement and it’s given me time to reflect. The print media and all the fine newspapers of the day with writers and photographers showcased the cars and stars of racing generations. Sitting and waiting for the paper to come was exciting. For me waiting for the Hawkeye Racing News to arrive on Thursday was almost spiritual. Combing the columns and reading the stories or seeing the Victory Lane photos kept me wanting more as a race fan. The race drivers and the tracks they raced on would become vivid color in the black and white print.
It was the newspaper print media that I owe respect to. It’s being tossed away in the millennial generation as old fashioned but to me it deserves our reverence. It made stars shine and Hall of Famers. It let me see the world. It gave me the chance to be a writer and photographer. It will be remembered as the golden age of data. Not that we don’t have data today or into the future but printed media will survive in moldy basements and steamy attics. Whereas digital content will evaporate into a cloud of forever expiration.
I’d write some more but I need to save some space for my friend Jim Morrison, Editor of the Hawkeye Racing News. Below is his last “Letter from the Editor” that appeared in the May 22nd edition of the HRN. Jim shared this with me and his words are excellent. They will be missed in the racing community. Thanks Jim for all your hard work in racing and at the Hawkeye Racing News!
Letter from the Editor
Jim Morrison
Hawkeye Racing News
What you hold in your hands right now is the end of a dream that began back in 1967 and brought the best racing news available to your mailbox each week. It is the final print edition of the Hawkeye Racing News. When Keith Knaack created the publication in the spring of 1967, a printed newspaper was the only method of learning about your local racing news. It was also one of few news sources on the national and international levels. The content of Knaack’s newspaper reflected that.
That’s no longer the case as the electronic age has brought cable television, social media, remote internet broadcasts and other forms of instant racing coverage. As economic woes hit, race promoters and equipment companies sought what they believed were more cost effective options.
That had a distinct impact on traditional print publications such as the Hawkeye Racing News, National Speed Sport News and a host of others. The legendary Speed Sport disappeared a couple of years ago and re-emerged as a website and a monthly magazine.
It is with some pride that I say the Hawkeye was one of the very few still standing, even though we were forced a year ago to reduce our publication schedule to every other week. Each issue was filled with news, information and features about the wonderful world of racing. We told of great victories, tragedies that ripped at our hearts and the dreams of young racers. It is with great sadness that every effort we made – including a presence on the web – failed to put this publication on sound financial footing.
In the end no choice remained but to make the decision that was delayed as long as possible. Effective today, the Hawkeye Racing News will no longer exist in the traditional print form. Admittedly, that comes with great trepidation for myself. Working for the Hawkeye Racing News was the culmination of a personal dream and ambition dating back to the mid-1970s to produce a publication on racing. That dream turned into a nightmare as the reality sunk in that the days of racing newspapers is quickly drawing to a close. Today that door slammed in my face.
While the experience was nightmarish as our company struggled to find a combination that would work and enable the Hawkeye not only to survive but to thrive into the future, there were hundreds of good experiences with people I’ve met along with way; with the cover stories I wrote about the passion that many have in racing. The Hawkeye Racing News was not with just the stars, but also the dreamers who make racing what it is.
I’ve enjoyed virtually everyone I’ve met. I’ve learned and laughed and even cried from what I’ve written.
Perhaps my favorite story was done on a sport mod driver at the Jackson County Speedway in Maquoketa, Iowa. The driver didn’t have a chance to win, but it was the biggest day of his racing career. His wife normally was unable to attend because the colors or the car and the spinning motion made her dizzy. She felt well enough to be there this night. Greg Mickelson was thrilled. It meant more to him than a dozen trophies from victory lane. If that doesn’t touch your heart, nothing will.
One of my hardest days came in late May back in 2009 when I interviewed two midget car drivers for cover stories – Davey Ray and Chad McDaniel. Both were involved in an accident in turn four late in the night’s feature. McDaniel, who seemed determined and reflective during the interview, died of his injuries while Ray suffered broken bones.
It was a somber day back in the office as I sorted through the decision making process of what to do next. I felt the loss of someone whom I’d just met. But, many of my memorable characters never sat in race cars. They were fans like Dick Bridge of Vinton, who attended his first race back in the 1940s at Independence, Iowa, and was one of the original Hawkeye Racing News subscribers. Bob Baker with the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum was another loyal supporter. The counsel of these two, and many others, were invaluable and will forever be remembered.
Larry Bontz, who has written for the Hawkeye Racing News since 1967, will forever be a great friend. Most Saturdays I knew my cell phone would ring about 10 or so with Larry talking about last night’s races. There were other times he just seemed to sense I need a break from the newspaper grind and the phone would ring. And there are many other writers and photographers who have contributed their work to be included in each issue. Each of these had a special talent or gift that made them special.
Too often race promoters see these individuals as bottom feeders just wanting free admission. This might be true for two or three, but they are rare exceptions. On the whole these men and women are dedicated individuals who love racing and want to contribute to the sport by capturing images or writing pieces that capture the imagination and encourage new fans to become involved in the sport. It was in the trenches as a freelancer that I caught the journalism bug and from these men and woman that I learned solid ethics that remain with me today. I should probably name a few of them, but that would take too much space away from last week’s racing news.
My future includes continuing my work with the Vinton Newspapers and, of course, its racing coverage.
So don’t be surprised when you see me at the races.
—
Jim Morrison
News Editor; Vinton Newspapers
Editor; Hawkeye Racing News
Mike Ruefer
Photographer & Writer
Category: Iowa
