This site is about cars, all sorts of cars. Vintage cars, new cars, the mundane and the magical. And about the people who drive — and drove — them. (Nostalgia will be knife-spreadable here.) You'll find personal stories of the people who drove race cars with skill and speed — Fangio, Moss, Phil Hill, Jimmy Clark, Fireball Roberts, the Unsers, the Rodriguez brothers. And, too, you'll read of ordinary people who, alas, drive us to despair.
This site deals with what to drive (I recently experienced the Bugatti Veyron); where to drive (some great roads I'll tell you about); and how to drive (some tips and admonitions to make those despair-makers more like me and thee.)
I've been at both driving and writing a looong time. I got my first driver's license in 1940. Some ten years later I was writing about, among other things, cars. Some of those other things will show up here, too. But mostly cars, trucks and a few motorcycles. Well, an airplane or two. Yes, and skis. But mostly cars.
"Words" will see a constantly shifting mix of old, recent and new. I'll go back to when I was a sports reporter for the late, great New York Herald Tribune to find the story I did on the kidnapping of Fangio at the Grand Prix of Cuba.
But the Old Days are not all of it. There's that Veyron; and the AMG SLS — a new Gullwing to make the spirit soar. And the darlin' plug-in electric from Mitsubishi, the i-MiEV. The new car reviews will be more driving impressions. You can get those 0-60 specifics in so many places. Opinions are what I do best. (see McBlog for lots of those. And post yours, too.)
Photos are for looking. And buying. I'll also sell books, ones I wrote and ones I particularly like. Other stuff will show up on the block, too.
Most everything to read or see on this site is free for the clicking, but for regular video interviews (e.g. Sir Stirling Moss) and audio commentary subscribe to Member's Suite.
Drop in often.
A Racer Named Denise
ROAD & TRAVEL MAGAZINE — Journalist. Race car driver. Sports reporter. Photographer. Intellectual. And friend to about a zillion people. Denise McCluggage has worn all these hats; many of them so very well. If there was ever a woman that defined "cerebral personality," basically someone who genuinely maximizes the potential of their brain and spirit — it's Denise. Recounting what she has accomplished, and where's she's been in her life, would be a long list indeed, but a fun one for sure. Fortunately, she's far from finished adding to it. Read More >>
Automotive Hall of Fame
INDUCTEE, DENISE MCCLUGGAGE — One of the first female motor-sports writers and race car drivers in the United States. Helped found Competition Press, known today as AutoWeek. Read More >>
First Woman Inductee!
ROAD & TRAVEL MAGAZINE — It's yet another impressive first for McCluggage, a respected and humble pioneer in the world of automotive and sports journalism. Don't forget to add author, race car driver and photographer to that list. As one of the first female sportswriters in the 1950s, McCluggage covered primarily motor racing and skiing for the New York Herald Tribune before becoming a member of numerous racing and rallying teams across the nation and abroad. Read More >>
Wikipedia: Denise McCluggage
Denise McCluggage (born 1927) is an American auto racing driver, journalist, author and photographer. McCluggage was a pioneer of equality for women in the U.S., both in motorsports as well as in journalism. Read More >>
The Henry Ford
Denise McCluggage was credited in the past as being one of the top women race drivers in America during her racing years, yet her list of accomplishments and interests extends well beyond motor racing. Besides participating in motorsports, she spent a great deal of time skiing, even serving as an instructor at one point. Her adventurous spirit can further be exemplified by her parachuting out of an airplane. [PDF] Read More >>
Speedqueens
Denise started out as a motorsports journalist before embarking on a long and varied driving career in the late 1950s. She took part in many international sports car races and saloon events, picking up a number of class wins. Unusually for an American, she drove in rallies in Europe and the Americas as well as circuit races. Read More >>
Racerchicks
BOOK REVIEW: By Brooks Too Broad For Leaping — If you were at all interested in cars during those years, then you would love this book. In the late 50s — early 60s, when I first started driving, I didn't want to be LIKE Denise McCluggage. No, I wanted to BE Denise McCluggage. Obviously, that couldn't work. This book is almost the next best thing. Read More >>
