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
On a day when he couldn’t get from Point A-to-B, Antron Brown made motorsports history.
Despite a fiery, first-round Top Fuel loss, Brown became the first African-American driver to win a major U.S. auto racing championship at the 48th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals.
Brown – eliminated by Don [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Allen and Roy Johnson celebrated their first NHRA Pro Stock world championship at opposite ends of Pomona Raceway Saturday afternoon, a father/son team of few words but 17 years-worth of emotion.
“It’s been quite the journey,” said Allen Johnson, who clinched the 2012 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Pro Stock title [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Jack Beckman was 7-years-old when he attended his first drag race.
Ron Capps was in the womb.
Thousands of time-slips later, fate has returned the Don Schumacher Racing teammates to their Southern California roots, where one will emerge Sunday as 2012 NHRA Funny Car world champion.
“Yeah, interesting stuff,” said Beckman, driver of [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
FORT WORTH, Texas – A line of respect between Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson was drawn on Lap 327 of Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, where “Bad Brad” reiterated that as NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup begins to heat-up, he won’t back down.
Befitting his status as [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
FORT WORTH, Texas – Johnny Sauter’s season of disappointing double-digit results in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series does not include the two races run at Texas Motor Speedway.
When he races at TMS, Sauter conveniently develops a case of “Romnesia.”
“I’m worried about Tuesday and Mitt Romney winning (the presidential election)…that’s [...]
FORT WORTH, Texas – Clint Bowyer concedes that, yes, Jimmie Johnson is the favorite to win the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver’s championship.
“Same old Chase. Same races, same racetracks and same guy (Johnson) you’re trying to beat for the championship,” said Bowyer, referring to NASCAR’s 10-event/12-driver playoff. “It’s damn sure the same Chase. But [...]
FORT WORTH, Texas – Danica Patrick will huddle-up with crew chief/mentor Tony Gibson for the first time Friday morning at Texas Motor Speedway, where her new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief likely will address a lingering issue.
That would be Mr. Landon Cassill, the Cup driver who became a YouTube curiosity when Patrick sent him [...]
FORT WORTH, Texas – James Buescher’s bid to end “Dillon Domination” of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series continued Thursday evening at Texas Motor Speedway, where two practice sessions laid the groundwork for Friday night’s Winstar World Casino 350.
A 22-year-old native of nearby Plano, Buescher will take a 21-point lead over rookie Ty Dillon into [...]
Reigning NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. currently is second in the point standings, six behind leader Elliott Sadler of Richard Childress Racing.
Stenhouse padded his NNS points lead with a sixth-place finish last November for Roush Fenway Racing at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, site of Saturday night’s O’Reilly Auto Parts [...]
By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Teammates Ron Capps and Jack Beckman are taking their intramural squabble for the 2012 NHRA Funny Car world championship to the end of the line, in what promises to be two weeks of 24/7 obsessing at Don Schumacher Racing.
Capps posted his Full Throttle Drag Racing Series-best fifth Funny Car victory [...]