The New Racer X

The new look Racer X magazine finally arrived in my mail box yesterday. I say finally because I still get excited when I see a moto mag in the box, and that used to be a lot more frequent than it is now. We’ve lost print Cycle News, Dirt Rider, MX Racer, Motocross Journal, and recently Transworld Moto. I subscribed to them all, along with MXA and Dirt Bike, the other two remaining print publications. My collection on MXA and Dirt Bike goes back to 74 or 75, and I have every issue of Racer X (the pile almost as tall as I and I’m 6’3”!).

I used to advertise my helmet painting business in the Racer X paper, and for a few years after it went to a full magazine, but it eventually got too expensive for a helmet painter. I still support them with my subscription dollars and hope that helps keep them around as long as I.

All the digital stuff is great, but once you read it, it’s gone. We are eventually going to lose the historical aspect of our sport. Not just race results because you’ll be able to find them, but the photos and the ads and the editorials. Perhaps the now generation doesn’t care about such things. But I think they will as we all get a little more reflective as we age. Only, when they get where I am now, there will be nothing to see. That’s just plain sad.

So, the new Racer X is great, of course. But I’m mostly happy it’s still showing up every month. I applaud DC for his sticktoitiveness, and for his passion for saving the history of our sport. I would ask you all to subscribe as well, to help keep print alive and relevant. Because when they’re all gone, we’ll be just like the proverbial tree falling in the woods.......