Longtime followers of this website know that this is not the first time we've announced that automotive journalist Brock Yates is set to join the TTAC team. Back in the paleolithic era, we cut a deal with the former Car & Driver scribe to pen a weekly column on our readers' behalf. The arrangement went south when we couldn't put enough cash on the proverbial barrel. Now that TTAC is a bigger site– we broke our 500k uniques per month cherry today– I have more confidence that Brock's participation can take us to that place where we can recoup his fee. In other words, we can afford to roll the Yates-shaped dice. Now the last time Brock was TTAC-bound, some of you wondered– OK, sneered at the prospect. There is a school of thought that says Mr. Yates is too Old School for web 2.0land. After speaking with Brock on potential topics for his regular column, I can assure you he's just as full of piss, shit and vinegar as he was back in the day. And he's not a Lutzian recidivist dreaming of big-bore V8s. That said, I have no idea what's going to come from Yates' fevered imagination. I told him TTAC wants 800 words per week on whatever floats his boat. No holds barred. Kick some ass. This he promised to do. Fingers crossed. But at the very least Mr. Yates arrival should help this website's regular writers get some more of the recognition– and readership– they deserve.
45 Comments on “Daily Podcast: Car & Driver Vet Brock Yates To Write for TTAC...”
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I’m waiting to read The Truth About Car and Driver.
Congratulations! He will be a nice addition to the site.
Talk about a step up from C&D.
He oughta being paying YOU.
Like I said last time… I look forward to hearing Brock’s view on the Truth.
I’ve had the pleasure of spending some time with the man and enjoy hearing his viewpoints.
–chuck
http://chuck.goolsbee.org
Truth and justice afirmed by an overtly illegal act. Hats off to Mr. Yates.
I really enjoyed his writing at C&D. (I admit it, I’m a long-time subscriber.) He’ll be great for TTAC.
Hmmmmmmm. Well I certainly am curious, and hope you get your money’s worth.
If things don’t work out, I think you could get more mileage out of Kitman. Don’t think he has a gig on this side of the Atlantic anymore. The ultimate coup, would of course be Clarkson…
Love him or hate him, he will never be boring. As a C&D reader since the 80s, Yates was/is always controversial and interesting as hell.
I look forward to his contributions. It has been a long time since I’ve read Yates, and I’ve never read his stuff with any regularity, so I have no preconceived notions about what to expect.
I wonder, RF, if you will edit his copy for your trademarked TTAC voice, or will you strictly edit for grammar/spelling, or will you publish as-written?
Woo-hoo! Welcome aboard Reverend Yates!
Only a couple better – and one of them is dead
the late , the great LJK Setright
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20031108/ai_n12727079
dean:
I wonder, RF, if you will edit his copy for your trademarked TTAC voice, or will you strictly edit for grammar/spelling, or will you publish as-written?
Mr. Yates will receive the same treatment afforded any TTAC writer. Whether or not that’s a good thing is up to both Mr. Yates and, of course, you.
Been reading Mr Yates from the Early 80s. This will be great!
This is great news. It will certainly be interesting and entertaining to see what Brock has to say in an environment unconstrained by the suits!
Grats RF and TTAC.
Well, I never was a great Yates fan. When he left C&D it did take a quality dive I wasn’t expecting. I probably won’t read his column too often here, but I hope it can add something to the site.
hopefully the next best thing to reanimating H.S. Thompson and getting him to scribe reviews a la Song of the Sausage Creature.
I applaud the addition to the editorial content of the site. I was a C&D subscriber from 1988-2007 (when I finally realized most articles were full of S$#T). I don’t always agree with the guy, but he is interesting and will add flavor.
Brock, viva la 2.0 revolution!
Maybe we can run some Point-Counterpoint columns. I disagree with Yates about just about everything.
Well I for one, can’t wait to read his first issue. I’m sure it will be insightful and not hold back any punches. Let the good times roll!!!
Wow…
JB: “[on the Tesla]… what’s scary… you can’t take this car to your local mechanic…”
Or your electrician… “I ain’t workin’ on that.”
Great picture – mug shot from Cannonball?
I thought Yates’ old column in the Washington Post Magazine in the 70s and first half of the ’80s if memory serves, was terrific. I did not think that was true of most of his last few years of columns in C/D. I hope this works well for the sake of my virtual hangout.
Great news!
Great move! Look forward to reading his column! Some of us still do dream of big bore v8’s and having a carbon footprint the size of a Sasquatch!
Nice. Can’t wait to read his first TTAC piece.
Yates was one of the few reasons to keep up a subscription to C&D … I know I won’t be renewing mine when its finally up. Most issues go unread, and end up in the trash.
That said, with this announcement, and the radar gun editorials, along with all the regular news and columns, I’m very excited about TTAC! Not to gush too much, but if you had stock, I’d buy some. At least 2 shares!
Great to see BY’s contributions return for auto enthusiats to enjoy. C&D lacks its soul without him.
Nice addition TTAC! Brock Yates was always interesting even when he was wrong. He had a big part in building up C & D and the monthlies back in the day and he will help bridge the gap online from the 60’s to today.
Very aggressive, Robert. Congratulations!
To paraphrase the words of former President Clinton, “Everything he’s written, I’ve inhaled.”
I have always enjoyed Mr. Yates’ columns. I don’t always agree, but I do enjoy. Welcome aboard.
I never really read any of Brock’s pieces back when I read the buff mags, but I can’t help but think this he is going to be a great addition for this site. One million hits per month can’t be that far off.
Congratulations TTAC!
Sans computer, I read Cannonball on my honeymoon. When I came home, I read TTAC. I can’t think of a better combination!
Back during the bad old days of the 55 mph National Maximum Speed Limit, Brock was very consistent in supporting the push for more realistic limits. I will always thank him for his mentions of the National Motorist’s Association and support for the struggle.
These are milestones. (tear)
As long as he keeps his reactionary politics to himself.
willbodine:
As long as he keeps his reactionary politics to himself.
Uh, after the phone call I just had, I wouldn’t count on it.
But here’s the crucial difference: Brock will be on-line to face the music, and dance.
The inside story about Car and Driver would be fun, and I’ve been a subscriber for thirty years. My fear is we’ll get two or three good columns, then he’ll revert to what became tedious at C & D: (1) the aforementioned reactionary politics; (2) more columns about “fixing” open wheel racing by returning to front-engined roadsters, and (3) using any excuse to tell the story of how he once drove cross-country with Dan Gurney. Crossing my fingers…
red stick :
My fear is we’ll get two or three good columns, then he’ll revert to what became tedious at C & D: (1) the aforementioned reactionary politics; (2) more columns about “fixing” open wheel racing by returning to front-engined roadsters, and (3) using any excuse to tell the story of how he once drove cross-country with Dan Gurney. Crossing my fingers…
There is a wild card, an element that C&D didn’t provide, that will help forestall a stalled literary engine: Brock’s new editor. That and the editorial freedom to let slip the doigs of war on ANY target he chooses.
Anyway, if Mr. Yates doesn’t know it now, he’ll know it soon enough: all of us here are slaves to the TTAC brand.
This is going to be very interesting
I’m probably too young to have read his stuff, but judging from the comments, he appears to be a polarizing figure. Great. Consensus is for weenies.
Polarizing? Sure. But toward the end at C & D also maddeningly erratic. When’s he good, he’s very good. For example, Sunday Driver is still must reading, and if you haven’t seen a copy, it’s worth finding. When he’s mailing it in, well, I have a lot of faith in his current editors.
OK, well, a quick and important update: Mr. Yates has decided that he would like his column to run as is, without editing. I have decided to honor this request.
I do so with the hope expressed clearly above: that Mr. Yate’s participation here will draw in some new readers, who will enjoy the full spectrum of TTAC’s talent.
I also trust that the feedback that TTAC’s Best and Brightest provide Mr. Yates will help shape the content of the writer’s future work for this site.
Great to see Brock is on board. It WILL be fun to see what he has to say. Always entertaining.