people

Remembering the Car People We Lost in 2021

By Betty C. Morrow 3 weeks ago

file an archive picture, dated 15 february 2014, shows sabine schmitz of team frikadelli racing sitting in her car during a car parade at the nuerburgring race track, in nuerburg, germany photo thomas freydpa usage worldwide photo by thomas freypicture alliance via getty images

picture alliance/Getty Images

Here’s some news no one will be surprised by: 2021 was tough on the automotive world as part of an already difficult year. The rituals and events we’ve grown used to were all subject to change or cancellation, and our lives in many ways were different from every year before. One thing did not change, however: we lost people whose lives, directly or indirectly, had an influence on our own. This is where we pay tribute to 16 people—executives, visionaries, designers, leaders, and drivers—who were important in automotive life. They will be remembered long after we’ve emerged from the current situation.

1

January: J.D. “Dave” Power III, Quality Control Surveyor (b. 1931)

Some names are so predominant that it’s easy to forget they were originally attached to a person. That’s the case with J.D. Power, who established the company that bears his name and is known for

… Read More

‘We Can Inspire So Many People’

By Betty C. Morrow 8 months ago

Paretta Autosport

A century ago, a Philadelphia widow named Maude Yagle did something no other woman had yet done: She became the first female race car owner to win the Indianapolis 500, even though she had to watch from the stands because she was forbidden from the pit and even though she had to enter her name under her initials while reporters fretted that the “weaker sex invades the speed game for no good reason at all.”

On Sunday, Beth Paretta and Simona de Silvestro and their majority-women team will mark another series of firsts: Together they are the first female owner (Paretta), female driver (de Silvestro) and female-led crew to compete together at the Indy 500, one of the world’s most famous races.

As Paretta is fond of saying, her focus is always on safety and competition, in that order. With her statement-making Paretta Autosport, she is also looking

… Read More

4Real Bill Automotive helps people get where they need to go with oil changes, break jobs and more | News

By Betty C. Morrow 8 months ago





4Real Bill Automotive

RONAN — Small business ownership is not for the faint of heart, and for many it is a path that beacons with the hope of autonomy, financial security and a better life. Marlene Rorvik, the owner of 4Real Bill Automotive, was driven to start a business so that she could provide more opportunities for her and her son William. She also hopes that 4Real Bill Automotive can someday be used as a catalyst for local jobs in the trades.

Located in Ronan, 4Real Bill Automotive specializes in oil changes, brake jobs and engine repairs. William is the mechanic behind the operation, providing reliable diagnoses of car problems and expert repairs. 

The Rorviks started the busines two years ago, and in 2020 it was a recipient of a small business grant provided through the CSKT Economic Development Office for Tribal member-owned businesses. While 2020 was a hard year for all business

… Read More