Design a new Historic Motor Racing Journal

[Andrew Kitson]

Remember 'Historic Racing' magazine and 'Historic Race & Rally'? Both terrific magazines from the mid 90s which failed, despite backing and input from the likes of Nick Mason, Doug Nye, Graham Gauld etc. Only half a dozen or so monthly issues each. These days the internet is the only way to go.

Where do we come to first to find our news and find out what is going on? We either come on forums such as this or 'phone a friend' who might know more! We certainly don't wait until 'MN' on Wednesday or 'Autosport' on Thursday as in days of old. There would certainly not be enough casual interest in the high street for a magazine on historic racing today. Even 'Motorsport' has to include modern F1 news pages these days within, as it sells.

We have a very good 'internet' start with John Turner's historic pictorial race reports right here! Bravo John, great job.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Andrew Kitson

Remember 'Historic Racing' magazine and 'Historic Race & Rally'? Both terrific magazines from the mid 90s which failed, despite backing and input from the likes of Nick Mason, Doug Nye, Graham Gauld etc. Only half a dozen or so monthly issues each. These days the internet is the only way to go.

Exactly.

Originally Posted by Andrew Kitson

Where do we come to first to find our news and find out what is going on? We either come on forums such as this or 'phone a friend' who might know more! We certainly don't wait until 'MN' on Wednesday or 'Autosport' on Thursday as in days of old. There would certainly not be enough casual interest in the high street for a magazine on historic racing today. Even 'Motorsport' has to include modern F1 news pages these days within, as it sells.

Which is why I think it should be an interweb mag not hard copy.

Originally Posted by Andrew Kitson

We have a very good 'internet' start with John Turner's historic pictorial race reports right here! Bravo John, great job.

Again that's why I think internet and people like John who do provide an excellent report and deserve recompense for so doing.

[terence]

Absolutly agree, all we need is another 3 or 4 people as good as John to fill in on the events that John cannot attend,then the inter-web would be brilliant.

[Al Weyman]

I can name a good candidate who is already doing some good CTCRC write ups who I recon would be interested.

Which incidently makes me believe there are probably quite a few guys writing reports for their various organisations, maybe these could be amalgamated as content for this e-mag. i mean once its written it is simplisity to forward it on to the e-mag as well for publication on net it just needs someone to co-ordinate it and wrap it all up nicely, I can see a good opportunity here awaiting someone.

[ss_collins]

I really have to say I don't think you are on to a winner - I knoe some very good journos in the UK who want to do exactly this but they can't make it all add up - so you end up with a poorly produced product with amatuer writing and it shows up badly. Or you end up with a brilliant product that makes no money - niether way works. I hate to put a downer on it all but it just doesn't add up.

[Eddy V]

I think you would need something like the (now defunct) ff1600 Formula Ford website. They did a great job, great reports, pictures and lots of other info.
It was run by, amongst others, Ian Sowman and they made lots of effort to create a great site. It worked for as long as it lasted.
Unfortunately due to other commitments they ran out of (free) time to keep the site up to top standard.

But it should be possible if the right people are behind it. And a few sponsors to pay for some of the cost.

[Al Weyman]

Well lets be honest thats the problem with a web based magazine, getting people to pay to view! I think you will always struggle there so you will be relying on sponsorship and as its such a minority interest subject thats not going to be easy.

[LYNX]

Carol Spagg has already been mentioned in this post and her original start up, Historic Motor Racing News, now under the Motorsport umbrella, has had its thirteenth birthday. Many have praised it for its efforts in reporting on the international historic scene, and yes the majority of her journalists and reporters give their copy and photos freely. This demonstrates that with enough tenacity and goodwill it is a viable proposition.

This idea could work if it was piggy backed on an existing journal as a web-based add-on but it would require sustained enthusiasm, good copy/photos and advertising revenue if it is to survive. For it to make a profit is ambitious and I can't see dot.com millionaires made overnight.

I do not know enough about publishing to carry this through but I expect some of our readers may have an idea or three......?

[john ruston]

Carol's Historic Motor Racing is as good as you are going to get so start buying it as now it is a commercial venture it could go to the wall without circulation.Forget about any new venture with todays problems.Its all about money.

[john ruston]

Carol's Historic Motor Racing is as good as you are going to get so start buying it as now it is a commercial venture it could go to the wall without circulation.Forget about any new venture with todays problems.Its all about money.

[Peter Mallett]

Twice?

How do you buy it though?

[terence]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Twice?

How do you buy it though?

Subscription only Peter,I have to say that for what there is of it,I think it's a bit pricey.

[Peter Mallett]

Yes,

As I said earlier it can only work on subscription. However that leads to another question. How do you find out about subscribing?

[terence]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Yes,

As I said earlier it can only work on subscription. However that leads to another question. How do you find out about subscribing?

You ask some one who has the relevent info.

[Peter Mallett]

Exactly. No wonder it has a small circulation.

[LYNX]

Peter and other interested readers for HMRN subscription information:
administartion & subscriptions contact@historicmotorracingnews.com
Editorial carol@historicmotorracingnews.com

but if this is censored PM me.

[Tainan]

I think it has already been mentioned that there are lots of suitable race reports on the www already. I'd have thought the sensible way to start such a magazine would be with a website providing links to these existing sources. Working together, a decent 'magazine' could be produced with a little co-ordination.

[john ruston]

Advertised in Motorsport? December.Its now grown due to adds.The editorial is same amount as others and has more race reports than anyone else.Do not judge it by weight!

[John Turner]

This was, of course, much discussed on the FJ thread, here:-

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...=101936&page=7

I agree with John R above. Terence, what is 'pricey', these days? I think we need to support mags like HMRN (now that we know about it!); its definitely cheaper and healthier than fags and booze! Yes, I agree that it would be good if it provided greater cover but then knowing what its aims were originally, and that much of it relies on voluntarily submitted reports (which does concern me a little, relying as it does on so much goodwill) I think it is an excellent publication and of good quality. Wider coverage means greater costs and a need for a strong subscriber base. It would be interesting to know what the circulation was prior to the publicity it has gained through Motor Sport, and how that compares to now.

An online Journal is all very well and would be well viewed (good suggestion from Tainan regarding links) but I'm sure many of us still prefer to sit comfortably, reading the printed product, which we can then use as an archive and reference, rather than have our faces glued in front of the PC all the time. I suppose that online reporting is ultimately more environmentally friendly, though!

I suppose that if we were able to combine the reports of all the magazines I referred to in one of my posts in the above mentioned thread, we'd have most of what we are asking for, covered, but then subscribing to them all (which actually I do!) does make it expensive. Perhaps we should have a thread entitled 'What's covered this week/month in the mags'. Bit time consuming though, and I'm not sure that I would want to do it.

[terence]

I think it's something like £36 now John,yes a lot of reports,not much of them though and for a publication of a dozen or so pages etc.Just to add to you're point of not being sure if you would want to do it,when you consider that there could be a couple of Historic weekend venues that clash,to report each race from both venues,somehow that seem's impossible!

[john ruston]

All club races were covered by both MN and Autosport before it became the motoring equivelent of Hallo.That was in the good old days.HMRN is about 30 pages so its getting heavier.There is no way a mag can work in these days with staff to cover all races so all have to rely on goodwill or cheap contributors.Exactly what HMRN does and if it absorbed things like Old Stager we would be getting somewhere.
As a start ban inclusion of any one make series as they can cater for their own needs.Include all major race meetings and rallys but be independent as the major organisers will want to massage what is said about them as has been seen in HMRN this year.Its not only Controller Max that wants to organise whats allowed in the press if the Brundle thing has been reported correctly

[LYNX]

I managed to report 22 races at the Oldtimers Nurburgring in 2006, which wqs hell - working flat out at the meeting and then trying to meet the print deadline. 2006 was easier with another person covering some events.

For smaller meetings it would be possible if every race was written up by the
competitors on a form i.e. "How my race went" which were then made into a report by a volunteer from that series/club/association and sent to the publication where it would then be edited. A list of results could be published on a web page to supplement this or indeed the whole meeting report could be so.

It would still require organisation and the cooperation of the individual to work.

I started this theme as something for people to think of over the festivities and design their "ideal" journal, not for the real world, but there have been some good posts and points raised that hopefully may be picked up on by someone with the motivation, knowledge and financial resources to carry this through.

[Al Weyman]

I would do a from the cockpit report but I think I may upset the anti V8 brigade :-)

[LYNX]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

I would do a from the cockpit report but I think I may upset the anti V8 brigade :-)

Why would they be upset? If you're accepted to race then your views are as valid as anyone in the event! The front runners are usually covered but other classes and group battles are often missed except by the spectators and the cars invoved.

[john ruston]

Its about 120 words per race so you have to be really good to upset people.Thought thats what this site was for?