It's likely that the passing of Brock Yates, following a long bout with Alzheimer's, will go unremarked among those who do not consider themselves "car guys".
This would be a shame.
Brock is known in the automotive community for a number of achievements which have affected the lives of everyone who has ever owned, or driven, a car - both directly and indirectly.
In 1964 he teamed up with the late autojournalist legend David E. Davis to take over the moribund Car and Driver magazine. The pair would elevate C&D from a raggedy racing recap rag to the pinnacle of automotive commentary, arguably holding line honors until succeeded by Davis' next project, Automobile Magazine, in 1986. With DED's departure, Yates held the line at Car & Driver for another twenty years.
It was Brock Yates who spent the late 60s and all of the 70s challenging Detroit to stand up and compete with the Japanese, whose industrial insurgency he predicted in his 1968 expose entitled The Grosse Point Myopians. Brock saw the looming evolution of the automotive industry, away from the Big 3's lineup of overweight, underpowered, ill-mannered behemoths and toward today's lean, tight, powerful - and economical - touring and GT cars. More than anything else he was devoted to the idea that cars - every car - should be reliable and fun to drive.
It was this latter belief that led him into what would become his most high profile venture. In 1971, Brock teamed up with racing legend Dan Gurney to launch the inaugural Cannonball Baker Memorial Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, later to become known as, simply, "The Cannonball". It was a no rules, no holds barred run on public roads from Connecticut to California. Yates and Gurney won the first race in a "borrowed" (some believe that "stolen" might have been a better description) Ferrari 356 GTB Daytona. Gurney later remarked of their winning effort, "At no point did we exceed 175 mph", setting the tone for events to follow.
The Cannonball was transcripted by Yates, in the late '70s, into a now somewhat legendary movie, The Cannonball Run, produced and directed by stuntman Hal Needham and Burt Reynolds, and featuring the latter leading an all-star cast.
Brock Yates was the driving influence behind countless automotive journalists and enthusiasts, including yours truly. He is survived by his wife, who he always referred to as The Lady Pamela, four children, and a legacy that will live forever.
This would be a shame.
Brock is known in the automotive community for a number of achievements which have affected the lives of everyone who has ever owned, or driven, a car - both directly and indirectly.
In 1964 he teamed up with the late autojournalist legend David E. Davis to take over the moribund Car and Driver magazine. The pair would elevate C&D from a raggedy racing recap rag to the pinnacle of automotive commentary, arguably holding line honors until succeeded by Davis' next project, Automobile Magazine, in 1986. With DED's departure, Yates held the line at Car & Driver for another twenty years.
It was Brock Yates who spent the late 60s and all of the 70s challenging Detroit to stand up and compete with the Japanese, whose industrial insurgency he predicted in his 1968 expose entitled The Grosse Point Myopians. Brock saw the looming evolution of the automotive industry, away from the Big 3's lineup of overweight, underpowered, ill-mannered behemoths and toward today's lean, tight, powerful - and economical - touring and GT cars. More than anything else he was devoted to the idea that cars - every car - should be reliable and fun to drive.
It was this latter belief that led him into what would become his most high profile venture. In 1971, Brock teamed up with racing legend Dan Gurney to launch the inaugural Cannonball Baker Memorial Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, later to become known as, simply, "The Cannonball". It was a no rules, no holds barred run on public roads from Connecticut to California. Yates and Gurney won the first race in a "borrowed" (some believe that "stolen" might have been a better description) Ferrari 356 GTB Daytona. Gurney later remarked of their winning effort, "At no point did we exceed 175 mph", setting the tone for events to follow.
The Cannonball was transcripted by Yates, in the late '70s, into a now somewhat legendary movie, The Cannonball Run, produced and directed by stuntman Hal Needham and Burt Reynolds, and featuring the latter leading an all-star cast.
Brock Yates was the driving influence behind countless automotive journalists and enthusiasts, including yours truly. He is survived by his wife, who he always referred to as The Lady Pamela, four children, and a legacy that will live forever.
