Brock Yates

Brock Yates was executive editor of "Car and Driver", an American automotive magazine. He was a pit reporter for CBS' coverage of certain NASCAR Nextel Cup (then Winston) series races in the 1980s, including the Daytona 500. He was also one of two commentators on the TNN show "American Sports Cavalcade" with Steve Evans. Paul Page and Don Garlits appeared on the show, but it was primarily Brock and Steve.

Yates is a best-selling author, most frequently about automotive topics and motor sport, and a commentator for the cable television Speed Channel. Some of his articles and commentaries for "Car and Driver" magazine and other publications have had considerable impact within the auto industry and the general public, beginning with his 1968 critique of the American auto industry, its management and its products, "The Grosse Pointe Myopians." A recurring theme of his nonfiction work has been the way American automotive management has frequently grown arrogant, lost touch with its markets, and failed to respond to changing public needs and tastes, technology, and energy and environmental concerns.

As of January 2008, Yates had started writing for The Truth About Cars [http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/] but by February 2008 he departed the site.

"Cannonball Run"

Yates was inspired by Erwin G. "Cannonball" Baker, (1882-1960), who set several coast-to-coast records, to initiate the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. This cross-continent road race was a protest against the perceived loss of personal freedom in America, and speed limits in particular. The first run was completed as a reconnaissance by Brock and a friend traveling coast-to-coast in a full size van. The first actual race was won by Brock and Formula One and Le Mans winner Dan Gurney in a Sunoco blue Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona. The duo traveled from New York to Los Angeles in a then record time of 35 hours, 53 minutes. In all, five Cannonballs were run between 1971 and 1979, though Yates never again won.

"Hollywood"

Yates along with friend, director, and famed stunt man Hal Needham, wrote "Smokey and the Bandit II" (1980). Yates also wrote the screenplay for "The Cannonball Run" (1981) film with the intention of giving the lead role to Steve McQueen. McQueen, however, was diagnosed with cancer early in 1980 and was unable to do the film, leading to the casting of Burt Reynolds. It is well known Yates was not pleased with the final outcome of "The Cannonball Run" as the film was originally written from a more realistic "true to the race" vantage point rather than the slapstick comedy it is generally known for. The real life races also served as inspiration for two earlier films: "Cannonball" and "The Gumball Rally" (both in 1976).

While Yates was not involved in them, "The Cannonball Run" was followed by two sequels using his characters: "Cannonball Run II" (1984), and "Speed Zone!" (1989)

Books by Brock Yates

*Against Death and Time: One Fatal Season in Racing's Glory Years
*Cannonball!: World's Greatest Outlaw Road Race
*The Hot Rod: Resurrection of a Legend
*Outlaw Machine
*Enzo Ferrari
*The Critical Path
*The Indianapolis Five Hundred
*Racers and Drivers
*The Decline and Fall of the American Automobile Industry
*Sunday Driver
*Dead in the Water
*The Great Driver

External links

One Lap of America [http://www.onelapofamerica.com/]

The Truth About Cars [http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/]

Torque.tv [http://www.torque.tv]