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
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Fort Worth, Texas – Separated in age by 30 years and wheeling vehicles at opposite ends of the bling scale, Nathan Hale and Don Blackburn spent Friday night racing at Texas Motor Speedway.
“Drag racing at Texas Motor Speedway. What do you think about that?” said Kenton Nelson, TMS’ assistant general [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
A.J. Foyt Racing is anticipating a pair of morale boosters this weekend, when the IndyCar Series visits Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International for the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen.
Substitute driver Ryan Hunter-Reay returns as defending champion, although the 28-year-old American won last year’s event while racing for Rahal Letterman [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Scott Dixon’s next IndyCar Series victory will put him into an Indy Racing League of his own.
Dixon’s victory in the SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway Saturday night was the 19th of his IndyCar career, tying the New Zealander with Sam Hornish Jr. for most in series history. In [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
With each IndyCar Series victory this season, the memories of Dario Franchitti’s Not-So-Great NASCAR Adventure continue to fade.
Franchitti scored his second IndyCar win of 2009, and second in as many starts at Iowa Speedway, Sunday afternoon with a workmanlike effort in the Iowa Corn Indy 250. Franchitti finished 5.0132 seconds [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Free-agent Danica Patrick doesn’t plan to announce a decision on her next contract until after the current IndyCar Series season ends in October.
But ”kicking butt” on the racetrack and streamlining her “brand” will be the key factors in where Danicamania operates beginning in 2010 and beyond.
“I think the most important [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
The official awards ceremony saluting the winners of the 57th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans had finished maybe 20 minutes earlier, and Jochen Mass suddenly was a man alone with his thoughts.
Strange, because Mass and co-drivers Manuel Reuter and Stanley Dickens had just won the world’s most [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
The new General Motors will emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy with a significantly reduced financial stake in NASCAR.
GM announced Friday it has cut off funding to its Chevrolet Racing teams in NASCAR’s Nationwide and Camping World Truck series, according to several published reports. Among the affected organizations are Kevin Harvick [...]
By John Sturbin/Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Fort Worth, Texas – In the colorful history of pre-event promotions at Texas Motor Speedway, only Robosaurus has cast a larger shadow over O. Bruton Smith’s palace of speed than Shaquille O’Neal.
Shaq, the gentle giant who plays center for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, made his first visit to an American racetrack last [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Fort Worth, Texas _ Johnny Benson’s sponsor-induced exit from NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series earlier this week may not be the last by a champion.
Todd Bodine’s post-race celebration of his historic fifth series victory at Texas Motor Speedway Friday night was tempered by the reality that Germain Racing may have [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Fort Worth, Texas – Helio Castroneves became a three-time IndyCar Series winner at Texas Motor Speedway on a Saturday night featuring a curious caution flag, a flawless pit stop and some clinical criticism about the quality of racing.
That latter issue – raised post-race by runner-up Ryan Briscoe and third-place Scott [...]