Hi Wes!
It wasn't me. I didn't write it. And I wouldn't have written it quite
that way if I had. My luck: with stories that have no byline, such as
that one, the website directs all the mail to me.
All the same, the guy who did write it, Mark Vaughn, had heard from
more than half a dozen racers who wished to make clear that Burt didn't
ever hold the top speed record for bikes. So he set out to make it
clear. That was the entire point: keep the record straight. We haven't
seen the film, we haven't reviewed it, we haven't had any comment on
it, at least so far.
In the process of reporting on the accuracy issue however, someone used
the word "offended" and then someone else used the word "scandal" in
the headline in print. So we've stirred up a bit of a tempest in a
teapot. I've had the online story edited to better reflect reality.
This is our writer's list of contacts who wished to have the record set
straight. That they are "offended" can be a matter for debate but that
they objected to something is unquestionable:
Derek McLeish, John Backus, John Bjorkman, Will Scott, Roy Creel, Rick
Byrnes, Roger Lessman.
If you'd do me a favor: Tell the folks on your mailing list to a)
notice that we've changed the story on the website and b) direct
letters to the editor to awletters@crain.com
I'm a little weary with the hate mail in my inbox. Some of your "pals"
can be quite insulting and ugly, and it's quite clear that many of them
never heard of or cared about AutoWeek one way or another until someone
decided to flood my inbox.
Best regards and thanks for one of the more cogent and thoughtful
messages of the day,
Kevin A. Wilson
Senior Editor/Special Projects
AutoWeek
1155 Gratiot Ave.
Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 446-0336
fax: 1027
kwilson@crain.com
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