Brock Yates, R.I.P.

From Autoweek:
Automotive-journalist icon Brock Yates, inventor of the Cannonball Run cross-country road race, writer of successful screenplays and a fixture for decades at Car and Driver, died Oct. 5 from complications of Alzheimer’s. He was 82.:cry:
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
R.I.P., Brock!

Yates is one of the powerhouse names in autosports...goes way back!

Dugly :cool:
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
Brock was a giant in the automotive journalism world... We've not seen him for a number of years and I suspected that he may have become ill....
Rest in peace Brock and thank you so very much for everything you've done for the automotive world while you were here...
 

Rick Muck- Mark IV

GT40s Sponsor
Supporter
I know Brock and last saw him three years ago at the Watkins Glen Vintage event being escorted around by a mutual acquaintance. The mutual friend told me that Brock had Alzheimer's and that this was one of his "good" days. He pretended to know most of the people he was introduced to (although he did that for MANY years, he was known to address people's wives as "and your lady" as that saved him needing to remember a name).

I first met him when he driving the Warren Agor Racing Camaro in the Watkins Glen and MIS Trans-Am races. A friend of mine was Agor's crew chief so I signed on as unpaid helper/gofer and was privy to some very interesting events. I am in Yate's book "Sunday Driver" as at the Glen event, fearing rain, we decided wipers would advantageous! The original Camaro arms and blades interfered with the windshield retaining clips. The arms from the tow rig didn't work either. We scattered to find something that would work. An E Type parked in the paddock looked like the answer......we "borrowed" two of the three wipers on it with the intention of replacing them after the race. Pretty sure the Camaro went on the trailer with them still attached!

Genesee Beer was the sponsor and they would send us to the track with lots of cases of beer which Agor would trade off for parts, etc. although we did share with many of the teams ,especially Penske as Warren had worked for Roger. I remember Mark Donahue coming into the team motor home and asking slyly "hey, you guys don't know were someone can get a beer, do you?" ):
 
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