Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/409381
CN III ARCHIVES BY LARRY LAWRENCE T his issue of Cycle News takes on added sig- nificance because it marks the end of an era. This week's edition is the final Cycle News edited by Paul Carruthers. With 21 years at the helm, Paul was the longest-serving editor in this publication's 50-year history. Under his guidance Cycle News went through both its most glorious days and its bleakest time during the great recession, which eventually saw the print publication fall away and then return with Paul overseeing the resurrection of Cycle News as a digital edition. At one point during the salad days of the late 1990s when the motorcycling boom was at its peak, Carruthers was part of a publication with over 40 staff members and an editorial staff that numbered in the double digits, with an additional strong corps of freelance contributors. Paul's first byline in September of 1984 was an impressive one – an interview with newly crowned AMA 250cc Motocross Champion Rick Johnson. Not long after that came a Carruthers-penned fea- ture on Kenny Roberts and the state of road rac- ing in America, specifically whether or not Formula One or Superbikes should be the premier class in AMA National Road Racing. Roberts predicted if the AMA went to Superbikes that America would eventually lose its dominance in the motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship. Who knew KR was a prophet? It was obvious Carruthers had talent and Cycle News took the opportunity to make him an associ- ate editor in June of 1985. Not long after his hir- ing Paul took on the task of heading up the launch of Personal Watercraft Illustrated magazine and shortly after that was named editor of yet another CN Publishing book, Motorcycle Road Racer Illus- trated. In September of 1993 Carruthers was named editor of Cycle News. At that point he was still doing Personal Watercraft and Motorcycle Road Racer Illustrated, as well as producing the programs for the AMA Supercross Series. It was a test of endurance, but Paul came through with flying colors and in fact seemed to thrive on the frenetic pace his multiple jobs entailed. Carruthers was the perfect fit to head up America's motor- cycle racing journal of record. He grew up at the tracks of the world with his dad, World Champion Kel Carruthers. When the family moved to Ameri- ca in the early 1970s, by way of Australia and then all of Europe, Paul became part of the booming Southern California racing scene. Those who raced against him in those days describe a tal- ented young rider, but as Paul puts it, it's hard to stand out when there are guys like Broc Glover down the street. Thankfully, Carruthers turned out to be equally, if not more gifted as a writer, and fortunately for racing fans he chose to pursue a journalistic path. On a personal level, learning that Paul was leaving Cycle News, after almost 30 years, to try to help Wayne Rainey and MotoAmerica get road racing back on track in this country, was a tough END OF AN ERA P90 Paul Carruthers has been around since the black & white era of Cycle News. Here he interviews AMA Superbike racer Dale Quarterley in the 1980s. PHOTOGRAPHY BY HENNY RAY ABRAMS