Sep16

Reflections on ̶...

It took awhile, but over the last year “The Motoring Historian” has become my natural way to disseminate ideas about cars. That is to say where once I would share thoughts about cars/bikes/motoring in print (either here, for the esoteric stuff, or for various paid...

Dec24

Your Own Personal Go...

I prepared this abstract for the 2020 Historic Vehicle Association “Drive History” Conference. As with academic historians conferences, presenters had a twenty minute slot. Like it or not, that amounts to 2000 words. Therefore to ensure you communicate as much and as clearly as possible,...

Jan18

Archives: State of t...

This was published in the autoshopper.com blog and in their 2013 New York Motorshow magazine. At the time of writing, it is nine years since then, and eight years until sales of gas powered cars are banned in the UK. As part of thinking about these seismic changes in motoring, I re-read this...

Open Letter to David...

I felt compelled to write in response to you two most recent backpage columns in Hotrod, one on autonomy, the next on the father son road trip. The first disappointed me enormously, the second coming so close after it made me keen to write. I do hope you read and think about what I have...

Senna: The Beatifica...

Its now 25 years since Senna’s passing, and five years since my visit to Imola. Thinking the whole experience through resulted in this paper, titled St Ayrton: The Beatification of a Racing Driver, a Commentary on How Attitudes to Ayrton Senna have Changed, which I presented at the 2018...

How Good Was “...

Daytona 1963: gotta love Lil’ Joe’s shoes ! This was prepared for the 2016 Drive History Conference, organized by the HVA at the NB Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It was also presented at the 2016 International Motor Racing Research Center conference in Watkins Glen, read...