Spotter’s Guide To The November 2016 Road&Track

Posted on by

It’s not the worst 45th birthday present ever. This month’s Road&Track features three — count ’em, three — articles by yours truly. I drive the new Focus RS from the race track to the autocross, try Tanner Foust’s 552-horsepower GRC Beetle, and rip a LaFerrari through the Hocking Hills of Southwestern Ohio. I’m even on the cover!

Perhaps best of all, this issue was a family affair. You can see my son and his TopKart in the Supercars article, while Danger Girl appears a few times through the Focus RS piece as stunt driver and/or passenger.

I’ve had no end of minor troubles this past year, from my broken leg to various career and personal issues, but this month’s R&T is a sharp reminder to me that I should be grateful for what I do have.

29 Replies to “Spotter’s Guide To The November 2016 Road&Track”

  5. John

    Smart work with this Spotter’s Guide tease too. I look forward to reading the new R&T cover to cover. I think its reasonable to say that the challenges you’ve managed since 2014, and the reactions you both request and get from an engaged audience, have sharpened your writing that we enjoy. Keep up the good work!

    Reply ↓
  6. DirtRoads

    Jack I’ve only been reading your stuff a relatively short time, but I won’t stop until you stop writing. Congratulations on prevailing over challenges life throws at you and for recognizing the blessings that have come your way.

    I saw an article on the FoRS on my Yahoo page, which was a link to the R&T dyno of the RS. Not to take away from the articles you have written, with yesterday’s Bark talk about the RS, I thought of you guys when I saw the article.
    http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/videos/a31143/heres-what-the-ford-focus-rs-actually-puts-down-on-the-dyno/

    Reply ↓
  9. Frank Galvin

    Happy Birthday Jack. I have to say - the colored typeset to match the cover shot is spectacular. This cover and last month’s are timeless.

    Reply ↓
    • Tomko

      I have to agree in the R&T covers. They’ve been spectacular. I especially like that the masthead has been color coordinated.

      Reply ↓
  13. Rob

    Warm wishes, Jack. Mine’s tomorrow, and we appear to be in good company, as my homies Eminem and Vlad Putin are also Libras.

    Reply ↓
  16. Ryan

    Happy birthday!

    Man I would love to get behind the wheel of one of those rally cars. How crazy would it be to have something like that on the road?

    The Golf R is certainly fun, but why isn’t VW making something crazier based on this??

    Reply ↓
    • Jack BaruthJack Baruth Post author

      It’s in November. I meant that the November issue was a nice birthday present.

      I’m going to get myself something really nice for my 45th. I hope.

      Reply ↓
  23. Hogie roll

    Wow Canadian run TTAC’s comment section has devolved into a bunch nihilistic lib fag pussies signalling their superiority to us by denouncing trump.

    That site is dead if it weren’t for you. How about just copy pasta your articles here word for word.

    Reply ↓
  24. VolandoBajo

    “a sharp reminder to me that I should be grateful for what I do have.”

    I found this statement of yours about fifteen minutes after I sent you a litany of recent problems and catastrophes in my life, after you graciously got back in touch to see how I was doing.

    And reading that statement of yours above was like the frosting on my cake…for all that I am going through currently, and have gone through recently, I too should be, and am, grateful for what I do have.

    Ray Davies once wrote the theme song for the Lindsay Anderson Film, O! Lucky Man! directed by Lindsay Anderson, a must see if you haven’t already…and in it he wrote “If you have a friend on whom you can rely, you are a lucky man.”

    So I have already hit the jackpot at least twice…my wife (the last and only real one), and my son (my only, and very real one). Plus I suspect I have other true friends here, perhaps less close by circumstance, but friends and true nevertheless.

    Your writings never fail to entertain and often inspire me Jack. Never mind about the naysayers.

    I’m curious about who tried to doxx you but haven’t found out yet if you named him. I have a personal hunch, and if you tell me privately, I’ll tell you if I hit the nail on the head or not.

    And I may be able to find someone who could help you counterpunch, if the game is still on. Let me know. And never be discouraged into thinking that what you do has little or no meaning…it has meaning and value to me, and to many more, I’m sure, above and beyond the automotive (and other motive) aspects.

    I am also a fan of the writing, especially the essays, of Harry Crews, and feel that he was a largely unrecognized genius of twentieth century US literature. And I feel that there will come a day when the same will be said of you, if that day hasn’t already come.

    I’m curious to know if you ever plan on doing something more long form, whether a novel or a book on the history of something relevant, or whatever. I suspect I’d find it something I’d stay up all night to read.

    Reply ↓

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *