What makes a good race report?

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by LYNX

I did a feature on female drivers for Goodwood one year and this year I have approval for a different feature,

Cool, so why not roll the overall race reports into the article?

Originally Posted by LYNX

but as the target reader expects to hear about the racing and read all the results, it may not appear until the following month.

I thought those on this forum may be the target readers.

Originally Posted by LYNX

A conundrum for the reporter and a headache for the editor. I still need to write up each race I'm allocated - so yes you're right, I am trying to improve my writing skills. At the Oldtimers I followed a team through their preparation and race in the Marathon but it may end up cut. Large events with numerous races are very difficult to cover every race, let alone every driver's perspective.

I'm not suggesting you get every driver's perspective. If you were (let's say) following Roger Wills last year at the 6hrs then you would have a story about broken gearboxes, swapping cars to race after pleading with the CoC, wins, trophies and more (he was also being filmed for a TV series at the time). You'd still have the race winners and results because that's what the event was about. Its just that Roger's story may well have been more interesting than Michael Schryver (or whomever) "stomped over everyone to win", which is what we normally get in any magazine.

I think our racing requires a different approach. Not just "there were fifty cars for such and such a race and so and so won". We need the stories that result from people who qualify last then appear many places above where they started. Why would that be? Surely its of interest?

The point may be that with modern motor sport its about teams, in our area of the sport (albeit there are prep teams around) its really about the individual, the car owner.

[Peter Mallett]

As an addendum. John T does a good job on here in a similar vein to my suggestion.

[john ruston]

It is possible that Marcus would have written that type of Michael Schriber story!I would prefer the RW story and as an aside his take on the new Cold War

[Peter Mallett]

Oh bugger! We agree!

[John Turner]

Diary note made; Ruston and Mallett agree - shock horror headline!

[Ian Sowman]

If you have to cover a whole meeting, why feel the need to cover every race? Autosport for the last two years, for their club race reports, have instructed correspondents not to feel they have to mention every race. Obviously this is annoying to those drivers or followers belonging to a particular category that is omitted, but it (hopefully) results in slightly more satisfactory reports with a little more space to expand on points of interest. I think it works well because it gives a more interesting report to the 'general' audience.

[terence]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Oh bugger! We agree!

Could this be the end of the cold war as we know it?
Stay tuned for next weeks thrilling installment only here on 10 tenths Motorsport.

[john ruston]

HMRN
-Who is Hugues Mallet?

No war as we are both members of GCC this week and have never had the pleasure of meeting.Must go and have a look at the Tin Tops at Terry's No 1 meeting,never know may catch a glimse of Whizzo.

[terence]

Terrys No1 ??. Revenge taste good John?

[simon drabble]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Add 'Cars for the Connoisseur' to the rubbish pile.It arrived at noon and went in the bin at 12.02

I felt obliged to join it again as I am going to Charles' lunch where Tony Brooks is giving the talk but regrettably I tend to agree - its the petrolhead equivalent of The Nigel Dempster column!

[David McKinney]

I've only just seen this thread (don't get onto the site as often as I should)
However, having reported hundreds of historic meetings over the years, I can confirm that the emphasis must be different for each publication depending, as has been said, on the target audience.
I was Carol's main race-reporter on HMRN from the beginning until about five or six years ago, and accepted that - in contrast to, say, Autosport - HMRN existed for competitors more than casual racegoers.
In my day one person reported every race - yes, even at an Oldtimer meeting or Coys Festival - and it's possible to do it all. Not easy, but possible.
My belief was that readers wanted an idea of what happened in a race, and an explanation for why the expected didn't happen. One you sussed out a method of doing that, it fell into place.
Of course, I'd always leave a meeting wondering what happened to Joe Bloggs in the second-to-last race, having failed to catch up with him afterwards, but there's always the telephone to catch up later.
And of course we published full results of every race which are available on the web now, but weren't back then.

[terence]

I have to say David that they were the better years.Its only three years since I cancelled my subscription,thats when I decided I did not like what I had been paying for.

[john ruston]

Mr McKinney we need you back using this site as the rest us only think we known about Historics,you do!

[LYNX]

Originally Posted by Ian Sowman

If you have to cover a whole meeting, why feel the need to cover every race? Autosport for the last two years, for their club race reports, have instructed correspondents not to feel they have to mention every race. Obviously this is annoying to those drivers or followers belonging to a particular category that is omitted, but it (hopefully) results in slightly more satisfactory reports with a little more space to expand on points of interest. I think it works well because it gives a more interesting report to the 'general' audience.

So what do we leave out? The same series each time? The most boring race? The one we have no friends in? The one without an advertiser? I would be pretty teed off if my race wasn't included, especially if I thought it was a stonker. I think it's possible a small production magazine aimed purely at the Historic racing scene does not have that luxury, though that is purely my opinion.

[simon drabble]

that is the diference between Autosport and something like HMRN. Lets be honest who bothers to read a race report (beyond possibly the results) that you were not in some form involved? I certainly will not get too excited about some other weekend warrior's race. On that basis I cannot get too upset if - as a midfielder at best - I dont get a mention.
If I could remember to do it I would cancel all my subs as normally Octane or one of the other two Classic mags are a lot more interesting

[David McKinney]

Originally Posted by john ruston

Mr McKinney we need you back using this site as the rest us only think we known about Historics,you do!

Aw, shucks

[scoop]

At the risk of sticking the head above the parapet...

I do quite a bit of this stuff and try to follow some basic rules:

Try not to rubbish anyone - they've all worked hard and spent time and money to be there;
Try and be impartial, even when you know some of the participants quite well;
Add value to what people saw on the day - if you don't, then what's the point of being there?;
Be as accurate/fair/objective/informative/amusing as your talent/knowledge allows.

I have to say that I am often quite disappointed with the quality of what is written, but the pay is crap and the hours are bad! Also, no matter how hard you try, someone will be there to disagree/pick up errors and gleefully tell you all about it...

That aside, it's a great job and sure beats having a grown up job, but you surely have to be an enthusiast to do it.

[LYNX]

Thanks to all the scribblers that have either left a post here or PM'd me. All comments are gratefully received. All I can do is my best, but each report I either write or read plus readers and journalists advice hopefully raises the bar.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by scoop

I do quite a bit of this stuff and try to follow some basic rules:

Talk about setting yourself up. I hope the rest of the posters here know who you are.

[scoop]

Peter

Yes, I know that's opening the door for all sorts of comments and abuse....
But after 20 years of doing this, you tend to get used to racing drivers and their sometimes sensitive nature.

So, I'll come out of the closet and admit that my real name is Paul Lawrence and I do a bit of this race reporting lark from time to time.

[Peter Mallett]

I was wandering around Castle Combe a few weeks ago when I bumped into Steve Jones. He spotted my camera around my neck and protested that I could either have a car or a camera, I couldn't have both. The result?

I think my driving skills outweigh my photography skills. And that is perhaps how it should be, because although any effort to produce a report is welcome, as a general rule, if its produced by someone who is also racing or spannering etc. it'll be biased and probably not a good read.

[David McKinney]

I agree with what Scoop says (specially as I now know who he is)
I think my guiding principle was always the thought that I was there to tell people who couldn't make it to the meeting the sort of things I would like to know

[terence]

Of course we know who he is,he wrote the book on that notorious villian,------Whizzo.