8 replies to this topic

[B Squared]

INTERNATIONAL MOTOR RACING RESEARCH CENTER

RECEIVING THE ARCHIVES OF NATIONAL SPEED SPORT NEWS

WHAT:

The archives of National Speed Sport News are being donated to the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen. The gift comes from Corinne Economaki, president and owner of National Speed Sport News, and the Dyson Foundation. Economaki and Rob Dyson will officially present the archives to J.C. Argetsinger, president of the Racing Research Center.

WHEN:

Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011 at 10 a.m.

WHERE:

International Motor Racing Research Center, 610 S. Decatur St., Watkins Glen, NY.

WHY:

On March 23, 2011, National Speed Sport News published its final print edition, after nearly 77 years as the nation’s leading motorsports newspaper. Decades of materials belonging Chris Economaki, known as the founding father of the American motorsports media, were sold, along with the publication’s own accumulated materials. Corinne Economaki, who succeeded her father as owner and publisher, and Rob Dyson together determined that the NSSN archives should go to the Racing Research Center, where they would be available to everyone.

The NSSN archives include bound volumes going back to the 1930s, most of which are on microfilm also being donated; the newspaper’s photographs back to the 1950s; and negatives of decades of racing photos taken by Chris Economaki.

RSVP:

An RSVP is appreciated, but not required, by calling Director of Administration Max Neal at (607) 535-9044 or via email, max@racingarchives.org.

On a personal note, I don't think that this historical racing archive could have found a better home. Congratulations to my friends at the IMRRC and many thanks to all involved for making this happen.

[RA Historian]

NSSN still owes me $40.00
Tom

[fbarrett]

Tom:

Don't hold your breath. Magazines that go belly-up rarely refund anything, though they sometimes arrange for subs to continue with a similar magazine.

Everyone should read Chris' book, Let 'Em All Go! published by Dave Argabright (I recall). It's got a ton of interesting stories.

Frank

[RA Historian]

Tom:
Don't hold your breath. Magazines that go belly-up rarely refund anything, though they sometimes arrange for subs to continue with a similar magazine.

Yes, Frank, I am sadly aware of that. I have gone through the drill with Formula/Racecar, On Track, Sports Car Graphic, and a couple other sadly deceased publications. However, in each case the going-out-of-business mag arranged for another mag, such as Autoweek, to pick up the balance of the unfulfilled subscription. This is the first time that I have gotten stiffed.

So, while sadly realizing that I threw forty bucks into the toilet, it just grinds the heck out of me!
Tom

[RA Historian]

Of course that is great, Brian. Just sayin' that ole Chris should send me a check for forty bucks! As I said, I don't like getting stiffed.

[E1pix]

So, while sadly realizing that I threw forty bucks into the toilet, it just grinds the heck out of me!

Tom, this is not the first time you've mentioned your $40 loss on this BB.... I doubt Chris stiffed you in malice.

Mr. Economaki deserves all the respects he has earned, and my guess is he did everything imaginable to save the fruits of his life's work. Perhaps in the end he had the choice of bailing limited funds over to another pub, or make one last desperate attempt to save the magazine — and chose the latter with earnest intent.

In my business, in the past 4 years, we have had over 20% of our sales go unpaid from bankrupted companies and others suffering financial stresses — monies in the tens of thousands of dollars. One case is we sold the front cover and other photos for a state's Vacation Guide, and were not paid the $1,800 licensing fees when that publisher filed bankruptcy just days after they had us rush the signed contract back — and this in an era where our business is already down 60% from a family medical catastrophe. Though this reeked of deceitful intent, but I'm not naming names for companies running out of money, simple realities of a bad economy.

Point being.... the donated archives as presented by Brian are a real tribute to a great publisher and an aged legend's work, and will remain a tangible legacy for generations to come. Please don't ruin that over a lousy 40 bucks.

[RA Historian]

I am being misunderstood here. I am not in any way begrudging the donation. It is very good indeed that Economaki has donated the accumulated work of, what, almost 80 years to the IMRRC. I think that is great. I am not trying to "spoil" anything about that. I also think that it is a crying shame that NSSN went out of business, for several reasons. First, Almost 80 years of effort does not deserve such a sudden end. Secondly, I feel sorry for Mr. Economaki who has had his life's work end so ignominiously. He certainly does not deserve that.

I mentioned the money still owed me as a bit of an aside, knowing full well that I will never see it. Forty bucks is not much at all in the big picture, and there are no doubt several thousand like me left holding an empty bag. It just galls me a little bit that the remainder of their subscription list was not passed on or sold to another publication as has happened with every other mag to which I subscribed which went bust. Maybe there were no takers. I guess not every one understood that.

Sorry if I got some people upset, but believe me, it was not my intent nor by any means did I do so in an effort to undermine the donation. Not at all.

[gfastr]

I am being misunderstood here. I am not in any way begrudging the donation. It is very good indeed that Economaki has donated the accumulated work of, what, almost 80 years to the IMRRC. I think that is great. I am not trying to "spoil" anything about that. I also think that it is a crying shame that NSSN went out of business, for several reasons. First, Almost 80 years of effort does not deserve such a sudden end. Secondly, I feel sorry for Mr. Economaki who has had his life's work end so ignominiously. He certainly does not deserve that.

I mentioned the money still owed me as a bit of an aside, knowing full well that I will never see it. Forty bucks is not much at all in the big picture, and there are no doubt several thousand like me left holding an empty bag. It just galls me a little bit that the remainder of their subscription list was not passed on or sold to another publication as has happened with every other mag to which I subscribed which went bust. Maybe there were no takers. I guess not every one understood that.

Sorry if I got some people upset, but believe me, it was not my intent nor by any means did I do so in an effort to undermine the donation. Not at all.

Seems to me I got some sort of notice from NSSN that I could get some number of issues (6?) of Area Auto Racing News as a substitute for time left on my unfulfilled subscription. AARN is northeast regional publication so probably not much interest for other locales, but I can't recall if there were other options.

[RA Historian]

No option for me. A very poor substitute.