HARRISBURG, N.C. With not much more than a journalism degree and a passion for sprint car racing, I drove from my childhood home in Columbus, Ind., to Ridgewood, N.J., during the early days of 1983.

Chris Economaki needed someone to manage the news desk at his weekly motorsports newspaper, National Speed Sport News, and this 22-year-old aspiring journalist had been awarded the opportunity.

Economaki was willing to take a chance on a raw rookie he would later describe as having a nose for news. It was the opening chapter in a 42-year-old story that ends today, Jan. 16, 2025.

Chapter 1 The First Decade

Here are some memorable moments from my first 10 years of working and learning alongside Economaki in NSSNs north Jersey offices:

Television was changing how fans viewed the sport and NSSN was changing along with it. Instead of telling fans who won, we told them how they won.

A massive special issue in 1984 celebrated NSSNs 50^th year.

Spot color was utilized on a regular basis for the first time, which eventually evolved into four-color photographs.

We moved to spacious new offices staying in downtown Ridgewood and installed the latest technology in typesetting and production equipment.

As part of a Meadowlands Grand Prix promotion, this young writer enjoyed breakfast with legendary Yankees slugger Joe DiMaggio.

Bill France Jr. invited Economaki and I to lunch with he and his father at one of their favorite New York restaurants.

I covered events in Mexico, Canada and Germany, while also writing about racing from El Centro, Calif., to Barre, Vt., to New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

I rode around the Porsche test track in Weissach, Germany, with American racing legend Al Holbert behind the wheel of a Porsche 959 Supercar.

Chatted with Evel Knievel in the Ascot Park Speedway press box as the 1990 edition of the Turkey Night Grand Prix brought down the curtain on the popular L.A.-area race track.

Had a couple of doughnuts at the old Summit House on the top of Pikes Peak.

Ran second to Area Auto Racing News owner Lenny Sammons in a limited late model media race at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa.

Spent hours speeding through the woods in exotic places such as Escanaba, Mich., and Bemidji, Minn., while serving as Dave Laphams navigator in the SCCA Pro Rally Series.

We introduced NHRA drag racing to the pages of National Speed Sport News and had a fabulous conversation with Don Prudhomme while overlooking the sprawling pit area at New Jerseys Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

If you are selling wine and cheese, youre in the wrong place, he told us. But if your business is beer or tobacco, you need to be in drag racing.

It brought tears to my eyes when ultimate NASCAR underdog J.D. McDuffie was killed at Watkins Glen Intl.

Mike Kerchner, Jerry Gappens, Ron Hedger, Walt and Ronnie Renner, Dave Argabright and Kim Novosat were colleagues who became friends. And Tommy Economaki, Chris wife, made sure I occasionally had a homecooked meal and insightful dinner conversation that didnt involve something going in circles.

By January 1993, this young writer had come a long way. Others saw the progress and I received the Frank Blunk Award for outstanding journalistic coverage of motorsports at every level. The award was voted on by my peers and was presented during the Eastern Motorsports Press Associations annual convention.

Chapter 2 Driver and Team PR

The first chapter of my NSSN story came to an end later that year. Beaten down by a grueling seven-day-a-week schedule, we relocated to the suburbs of Charlotte, N.C., and transitioned to the growing public relations side of the racing industry.

First, I worked for Tom Cotters agency representing Western Auto and then directly for Darrell Waltrip as his Hall of Fame driving career transitioned to the television booth.

Our crowning achievement during this era came in 1997 when D.W. celebrated his 25^th anniversary of NASCAR Cup Series racing with a media barrage that stretched the entire season.

Chapter 3 Track PR

In May 2000, I joined the communications team at Charlotte Motor Speedway, reuniting with Gappens who took his marching orders from promoter extraordinaire H.A. Humpy Wheeler.

The Dirt Track at Charlotte was new and our publicity efforts helped establish that state-of-the-art facility. We were also the first to write about a stellar group of young Legend Car racers guys named Joey Logano, Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, David Ragan, Austin Dillon and Ty Dillon.

Our publicity efforts helped put more than 167,000 fans in Charlotte Motor Speedway during the early 2000s for the Coca-Cola 600. Thats an attendance number that may never be duplicated.

Chapter 4 Freelance Work

Freelance work became a viable option late in 2018. We continued to produce event programs for Charlotte Motor Speedway; was welcomed back into the National Speed Sport News family; became a writer and editor for NASCAR Pole Position Magazine; and managed the at-track media operations when NASCAR went dirt-track racing at Ohios Eldora Speedway in 2013.

Away from the track, I lost my biggest fan in 2011 when my father passed away. Then, I fought a battle against Stage 3B melanoma that started in 2014 with the final rounds of radiation coming nearly six months later. Its now been 10 years cancer free.

I had both hips replaced in 2018 and I lost my mom a few weeks before COVID shut down the world in early 2020.

Charlotte Motor Speedway stopped producing event programs following the pandemic, Eldora no longer hosts any type of NASCAR racing and SPEED SPORT, in website form, is a shell of the iconic publication it once was.

On the other hand, NASCAR Pole Position Magazine, which we copy edit and will continue to do as long as the publisher will have us, is back for another season.

Chapter 5 Another EMPA Trophy

Soon after receiving my Medicare card, I accepted an invitation to attend the 52^nd edition of the Eastern Motorsports Press Assn convention. Rember that event from above?

This years gathering was in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and a few of the same faces were in the audience as when my work was first recognized 32 years ago.

On Saturday night, Jan. 11, I was called back to the EMPA stage where I received one of the two Jim Hunter Memorial Awards as the writer of the year voting ended in a tie.

Chapter 6 Parkinsons Disease

I have to apologize to those in attendance that night as I could not restrain my emotions. It was a special moment as I have Parkinsons disease and life is getting harder day by day; week by week; month by month. Its a progressive disease, and while doctors can manage the symptoms, theres no cure.

My days of roaming a pit area full of racers and race cars in search of news to share with NSSN readers are over. The pain simply becomes too much.

As you can glean from this column, my life has been an amazing story that now appears destined for a disappointing conclusion.

My health is still sufficient to navigate daily life, but its time to ease off the throttle.

I expect this to be my final SPEED SPORT effort, and I want to simply say thank you to those who have read my many words over all these years.

I hope you agree with Chris that I had a nose for news.