John Sturbin, Senior Writer
John Sturbin joined the staff of RacinToday.com after a 35-year career in the daily newspaper business, the last 12 as nationally recognized motorsports beat writer at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He was point-man for the paper’s expanded and award-winning motorsports coverage beginning in the mid-1990s, centered around NASCAR and IndyCar series events at Texas Motor Speedway. Sturbin covered his first Indianapolis 500 in 1980, and has staffed “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” every year since. He regularly has covered the National Hot Rod Association’s annual event at Texas Motorplex in Ennis since the mid-1980s. A native of Rome, N.Y., Sturbin first followed the careers of NASCAR Modified champions Richie Evans and Jerry Cook at Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, N.Y., as a fan before eventually covering both drivers as sports writer at The Daily Sentinel. While at The Sentinel, Sturbin began staffing Formula One’s annual autumn visit to Watkins Glen International during the mid-1970s. Since moving to Fort Worth in October 1978, he has covered Formula One events on street circuits in Dallas and Phoenix and at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Sturbin’s international travels while covering professional boxing led to a freelance assignment staffing the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans for The Associated Press. He also has authored freelance articles for numerous clients, including Texas Motor Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway. John has served as a voting member of the Driver of the Year media panel since 1996, as well as various industry-related hall of fame selection committees. Sturbin received the prestigious Bloys Britt Award in motorsports, as judged by The Associated Press, for a feature on IndyCar icon A.J. Foyt Jr.’s rehabilitation from devastating foot and leg injuries. He also is a past recipient of the National Hot Rod Association’s Media Award. During his tenure at the Star-Telegram, Sturbin received numerous in-house awards for motorsports coverage, including Editorial Employee of the Month and Spot News Story of the Year for his report on the death of seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt in February 2001. In addition to his motorsports resume, Sturbin logged two stints covering the Dallas Cowboys as backup beat writer. He also has covered the NFL, Major League Baseball, NBA, NHL, NCAA football and basketball, World Gymnastics Championships and various high school and semi-pro sports. A graduate of Utica (N.Y.) College, Sturbin is a classic car and motorcycle enthusiast. He resides in Southwest Fort Worth.
Articles by John Sturbin
Erica Enders’ quest to earn respect in the male-dominated sport of drag racing was the subject of the inspirational Disney Channel movie “Right on Track,” which chronicled her rise through the ranks of the NHRA’s Jr. Drag Racing League.
Twenty years later, Enders entered a league of her own with a victory in the Pro Stock [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
The lifetime commitment James Buescher made when he married Krishtian Turner has not guaranteed long-term job security with his NASCAR team-owner. Fellow-Texan Steve Turner not only fields the Camping World and Nationwide series vehicles Buescher is driving in 2012, he also is James’ father-in-law.
“At times, it’s very, very awkward,” Kris [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Fernando Alonso delivered the second return on Scuderia Ferrari’s $32-million annual investment in him on Sunday, scoring an emotional Formula One victory in the Grand Prix of Europe before his adoring countrymen in Valencia, Spain.
Alonso, who openly discounted his podium chances after qualifying 11th on Saturday, became the first repeat [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
The 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule will remain at 15 races, with the season-finale at the 2-mile Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., to be expanded by 50-laps/100 miles to a 500-miler.
INDYCAR, the series ‘ Indianapolis-based sanctioning body, has been looking for a potential replacement event since June 13, when [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
INDYCAR’s top cop has acknowledged that the sanctioning body erred when it issued a drive-through penalty to Scott Dixon during the Milwaukee IndyFest presented by XYQ at The Milwaukee Mile.
Dixon, of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, finished 11th in Saturday’s IZOD IndyCar Series event won by Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport [...]
While Audi Sport Team Joest appeared headed to victory with one of its ground-pounding R-18 E-tron Quattro Hybrid Prototypes, Corvette Racing was forced to rally through a long night and difficult morning in the 80th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Through 18 hours, the No. 73 and No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.Rs were [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Practice speeds topping 200 mph produced instances of blistering tires at the newly repaved Michigan International Speedway Friday, prompting The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company to change its left-side tire recommendation for Sunday’s Quicken Loans 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
The decision was announced late Friday evening after several teams [...]
FORT WORTH, Texas – Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage has declined an invitation from INDYCAR officials to host the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series finale in Fort Worth.
The opportunity arose Wednesday following cancellation of an IndyCar race scheduled for Aug. 19 in Qingdao, China, which left the sanctioning body and Randy Bernard, INDYCAR president/CEO, seeking [...]
With his formal, pre-race inspection still three months away, FIA Formula One™ Race Director Charlie Whiting has given Circuit of The America’s 3.4-mile road-course a preliminary passing grade as preparations continue for the inaugural United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.
Whiting heads F1’s Technical Department and manages the logistics of each grand prix. His [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
FORT WORTH, Texas – One of his many hired drivers, Eddie Cheever Jr., perhaps said it most eloquently about the man, the myth, the legend that is Super Tex: “If A.J. Foyt didn’t exist, we would have to invent him.”
An open-wheel staple for over 50 years, Foyt’s legacy is linked [...]