Racer magazine
Encyclopedia
Racer is a monthly, U.S.-based motorsports magazine owned by Haymarket Worldwide LLC, a subsidiary of Haymarket Group
. The magazine has a circulation of 44,924. It has news and feature articles relating to most of the world’s major auto racing series, including NASCAR
, Formula 1, the IndyCar Series
, Champ Car
, the American Le Mans Series
, the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
, NHRA Drag Racing
, and the World Rally Championship
, as well as grassroots racing categories and feeder series. The magazine is known for its photography, such as the photographs used in the "In Focus" features, which take up-close, top to bottom looks at top race vehicles. Past "In Focus" subjects include the BMW Sauber
Formula 1 car, the Toyota FJ Cruiser desert racer, and the Cadillac
CTS-V SPEED GT racecar.
, and the cover photo was a head-on shot of Emerson Fittipaldi
’s Penske-Chevrolet
Indycar by Michael C. Brown. The magazine was the brainchild of Paul F. Pfanner, and originally published by Racer Communications, Inc. which was a sister company of Pfanner Communications, Inc. that published SportsCar Magazine for the Sports Car Club of America and Champ Car Magazine. Racer's founding Publisher was Bill Sparks and the founding Editor was John Zimmermann. After being chosen one of the 12 best magazines in America by M.I.N. Magazine in 1999 (along with The Economist, Teen People and ESPN The Magazine), Racer Communications was pursued for acquisition by several larger publishing firms. The company and the title was ultimately purchased by London-based Haymarket Publishing (now Haymarket Media) in early 2001.
. In 2006, My Racer was launched as an online networking and community site similar to MySpace
(though the magazine recently created a page on there as well).
Haymarket Group
Haymarket Media Group is a privately owned media company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has offices in Australia, Belgium, China, Germany, India, Japan, Singapore and the United States....
. The magazine has a circulation of 44,924. It has news and feature articles relating to most of the world’s major auto racing series, including NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
, Formula 1, the IndyCar Series
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
, Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
, the American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
, the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series
Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...
, NHRA Drag Racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
, and the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
, as well as grassroots racing categories and feeder series. The magazine is known for its photography, such as the photographs used in the "In Focus" features, which take up-close, top to bottom looks at top race vehicles. Past "In Focus" subjects include the BMW Sauber
BMW Sauber
BMW has been involved in Formula One in a number of capacities since the inauguration of the World Drivers' Championship in . The company entered occasional races in the 1950s and 1960s , before building the BMW M12/13 inline-four turbocharged engine in the 1980s...
Formula 1 car, the Toyota FJ Cruiser desert racer, and the Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
CTS-V SPEED GT racecar.
History
The magazine debuted with the May 1992 issue with the cover story about the engine war in the CARTChamp Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
, and the cover photo was a head-on shot of Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi |São Paulo]], Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who throughout a long and successful career won the Indianapolis 500 twice and championships in both Formula One and CART.-Early and personal life:...
’s Penske-Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
Indycar by Michael C. Brown. The magazine was the brainchild of Paul F. Pfanner, and originally published by Racer Communications, Inc. which was a sister company of Pfanner Communications, Inc. that published SportsCar Magazine for the Sports Car Club of America and Champ Car Magazine. Racer's founding Publisher was Bill Sparks and the founding Editor was John Zimmermann. After being chosen one of the 12 best magazines in America by M.I.N. Magazine in 1999 (along with The Economist, Teen People and ESPN The Magazine), Racer Communications was pursued for acquisition by several larger publishing firms. The company and the title was ultimately purchased by London-based Haymarket Publishing (now Haymarket Media) in early 2001.
Multimedia
In addition to the monthly print magazine, some of Racer’s editors provide news briefs, commentaries and feature articles for Speed ChannelSPEED Channel
Speed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
. In 2006, My Racer was launched as an online networking and community site similar to MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
(though the magazine recently created a page on there as well).
Contributing writers
- Ben Blake
- Pete BrockPete BrockPeter Brock is a former racing car designer from the United States. In the early 1960s he worked with Carroll Shelby at Shelby American where he was the designer for the iconic Shelby Daytona Cobra coupe.FIA World GT Champion 1965...
- Richard S. Chang
- Rich Conklin
- Adam Cooper
- Richard S. James
- Jonathan Noble
- Jeff Olson
- David Phillips
- Jeremy Shaw
- Gary Watkins