Cycle News

VOL. 51 ISSUE 44 NOVEMBER 4, 2014 P97 sue with a passion for what we were doing. And we also had a lot of fun. Working at Cycle News can be a grind, but one thing I've always tried to do is have fun with each and every is- sue. It's the only way it works. That was a good group, one of many talented groups of edi- tors that have passed through the halls of Cycle News in Long Beach, Costa Mesa and now in Irvine. I'm also proud of what that group of editors and others who came before and after them have been able to accomplish in their post-Cycle News careers. And there have been plenty of others – top-notch editors learning their craft on a weekly basis: Mark Hoyer, Matt Free- man, David Holther, Cameron Coatney, Steve Cox, Blake Con- ner, Brendan Lutes, Jeff Hain, Jean Turner… I know there are more and I apologize for those who I've missed. Cycle News also wouldn't be what it is today without the con- tributors who have been here through thick and thin. Some even stuck around when they weren't getting paid, others when they were paid very little. It helped that working for Cycle News was not always about the money. It went beyond that. Those contributors start and end with the late Henny Ray Abrams. He was in the mix from the time I started until his untimely death. He was my biggest asset and my biggest critic all wound up in one rather tall package. That list also includes Davey Coombs, Larry Lawrence, Shan Moore, Eric Johnson, Michael Scott, David Goldman (and Pat- rick Gosling), Gordon Ritchie, Dave Hoenig, Kinney Jones, Brian J. Nelson, Tom Riles… The rest of the various staff members who I share memories with are too many to mention, but I'd be remiss not to men- tion the late Terry Pratt, a man to whom Cycle News meant everything. And a man who I fought with constantly, though I know it was only because we cared about the same thing enough to actually fight about it. There is also the long list of racers whom I developed re- lationships with along the way, many of whom I feel like I grew up with. I feel fortunate to have known Kenny Roberts both as a kid and as an adult, I saw Kevin Schwantz win both his first Superbike National and first 500cc Grand Prix, watched Doug Chandler win his first Su- perbike National, drove to a muddy Motocross des Nations at Unadilla with Bubba Shob- ert after he clinched a Grand National Championship in a rained-out Syracuse Mile, have broken bread, sipped beers and grown up with the likes of Ed- die Lawson, Miguel Duhamel, Chris Carr, Rick Johnson, Broc Glover, Jason Pridmore, Josh Hayes, Thomas Stevens, John Kocinski… and, of course, my new boss Wayne Rainey. As someone who has spent his entire life in a racing pad- dock, I look forward to my next challenge and working with Rainey and the KRAVE Group to bring U.S. road racing back to where it should be. When I saw the job description of the Com- munications Manager position for MotoAmerica, I felt like it was made for me in much the same way I always thought the posi- tion of editor at Cycle News was made for me. I'm hopeful of hav- ing the same sort of run with the new gig, beginning this week. Although I'm saddened to be leaving, it helps that I'm leaving Cycle News in good hands. Kit Palmer was here when I started in June of 1985 and he's been with me every step of the way since. Now it's his turn to steer the ship and I'm confident that he'll continue to produce the publication and website that I've been proud of for almost 30 years. I also can't forget our loyal readers. Many have been here for the duration and for the most part they've gone easy on me even when I've blundered. I also have to thank my fam- ily and friends who have shared me with motorcycles and motor- cycle racing for the duration and will continue to do so. Thanks, everyone. CN

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