By Robert Farago
January 24, 2008 -
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.
Subscribe to New Content Alerts45 Comments on “ Daily Podcast: Car & Driver Vet Brock Yates To Write for TTAC ”
Leave a Reply 
Back to Top
You must be logged in to post a comment.
BlinkList
Digg
del.icio.us
Facebook
Furl
Google
Live
NewsVine
Reddit
StumbleUpon
Technorati
YahooMyWeb
POWERED
January 24th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I’m waiting to read The Truth About Car and Driver.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Congratulations! He will be a nice addition to the site.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Talk about a step up from C&D.
He oughta being paying YOU.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
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
January 24th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Truth and justice afirmed by an overtly illegal act. Hats off to Mr. Yates.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
I really enjoyed his writing at C&D. (I admit it, I’m a long-time subscriber.) He’ll be great for TTAC.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
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…
January 24th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
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.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
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?
January 24th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Woo-hoo! Welcome aboard Reverend Yates!
January 24th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
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
January 24th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
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.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Been reading Mr Yates from the Early 80s. This will be great!
January 24th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
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!
January 24th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Grats RF and TTAC.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
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.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
hopefully the next best thing to reanimating H.S. Thompson and getting him to scribe reviews a la Song of the Sausage Creature.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
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!
January 24th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Maybe we can run some Point-Counterpoint columns. I disagree with Yates about just about everything.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
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!!!
January 24th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Wow…
January 24th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
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.”
January 24th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Great picture - mug shot from Cannonball?
January 24th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
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.
January 24th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Great news!
January 24th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
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!
January 24th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Nice. Can’t wait to read his first TTAC piece.
January 24th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
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!
January 24th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Great to see BY’s contributions return for auto enthusiats to enjoy. C&D lacks its soul without him.
January 24th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
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!
January 24th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
To paraphrase the words of former President Clinton, “Everything he’s written, I’ve inhaled.”
January 24th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I have always enjoyed Mr. Yates’ columns. I don’t always agree, but I do enjoy. Welcome aboard.
January 24th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
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!
January 24th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Sans computer, I read Cannonball on my honeymoon. When I came home, I read TTAC. I can’t think of a better combination!
January 24th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
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.
January 24th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
These are milestones. (tear)
January 24th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
As long as he keeps his reactionary politics to himself.
January 24th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
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.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
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…
January 24th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
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.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
This is going to be very interesting
January 24th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
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.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
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.
January 27th, 2008 at 11:51 am
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.
January 27th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Great to see Brock is on board. It WILL be fun to see what he has to say. Always entertaining.