Author Kevin Clemens to Speak at October Meeting

In addition to his monthly column in European Car magazine, his two books and other freelance work, Kevin races an MG-TD in vintage and a GTi in ITB. Kevin is an MSCC member, holds an MC Competition license and races with us and VSCDA whenever his schedule permits. Reproduced below, with permission, is recent press coverage of his Ken Purdy Award for Excellence in Automotive Journalism. Come and join us for some fascinating tales from the front lines!

CLEMENS WINS 2005 KEN PURDY AWARD FOR JOURNALISTIC EXCELLENCE

New York-- Freelance writer and automotive journalist Kevin Clemens has won the 2005 Ken W. Purdy Award for Excellence in Automotive Journalism. His award-winning book, "Motor Oil for a Car Guy's Soul" (River's Bend Press), released at the end of 2004, is a collection of works primarily drawn from columns and feature stories that Clemens wrote for European Car magazine. Presented by the International Motor Press Association at the New York Auto Show, the Purdy Award recognizes an article published in a newspaper or magazine, a book, or a script that resulted in a movie during the calendar year preceding the award presentation.

The 2005 recipient of the Purdy Award is truly a "car guy." Kevin Clemens holds BS and MS degrees in Materials Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY) and worked as a tire research engineer and eventually as Public Relations manager for Michelin Tire Corporation in Greenville, SC. In 1992, he left corporate life and became the Technical Editor for Automobile Magazine. His column "On the Line" began appearing in European Car magazine in 1996 when he was asked to give the magazine some "personality." The monthly essays by Clemens have covered subjects as diverse as driving across the country, racing vintage cars, visiting junkyards and how to be a successful automotive packrat. In addition, his freelance work has also appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Mercedes Star, Reader's Digest, Roundel, Sport Compact Car, and other publications. His lifelong passion for cars finds outlet in vintage racing a traditional 1952 MG TD and old Volkswagens. Clemens lives in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. "Motor Oil for a Car Guy's Soul" was his first book; and his first novel, "Eat Free or Die," a murder mystery set in the automotive industry, will be out later this year.

The man after whom the Purdy Award is named was among the best automotive writers this country has produced. He was an exceptional writer whose main interest happened to be automobiles and the people who drove them. His Kings of the Road , published in 1949, is still a landmark. Purdy died on June 7, 1972, and the award that honors his memory is considered by many to be the most important award in automotive journalism.

Kevin's web site can be found at www.eatfreeordie.com.

Copies of "Motor Oil for a Car Guy's Soul" are available directly from the publisher at www.riversbendpress.com.