Reporter's Notebook: Being Out in The Field

If you have been watching “MotorWeek”, you would know that they, too, are celebrating an anniversary. As part of their 45th year on television, MW’s John Davis and Jessica Ray have been hosting a special run of podcasts (both audio and video, as we do) with former and longtime staffers from the show. 

When talking about their past adventures, they bring up the media drive events they get invited to. It is a part of what we do, when called upon by an automobile manufacturer to travel to another place to check out their latest vehicle ahead of its arrival into dealer lots. 

For the record, I never had anyone from MW on join on any of the “waves” of these media drives I participated in since 2012. I wished I did. Davis and Ray are definitely wonderful people, and I am glad that they are a part of the automotive media business. 

When I meet both of them on the auto show circuit, I try not to “fan girl” them. Although, we are fans of the show, as they set a standard for what automotive media looks like on television and on viral channels. The production quality at “MotorWeek” is absolutely top notch. 

Their podcasts did prompt me to look back at my own adventures at these media drive events. The fact that I got invited to these events was indeed an honor that I uphold. It informs the automotive industry that this writer/journalist/content creator is worth having as one of their guests to their event. 

The main reason for their invitation was not just V&R. On occasion, they looked at my entire work, including lifestyle/culture media (er, Lavender Magazine). Sometimes, they wanted LGBTQ+ representation as part of their media mix. 

No matter the reason, it was always an honor to be invited. A bigger honor to participate. They can count on me to deliver the work – even multiple pieces of work. 

What goes on at a media drive event? As they pointed out on the last MW podcast, it’s not all “wining and dining.” If I believed everything that I read in Car magazine when I was in high school, I would’ve believed that, too. 

Yes, they do treat you to meals, a nice hotel room and a flight to and from the nearest city where the event is taking place. They also gave you a presentation on the vehicle you will be sampling and get you out on the road to drive it. 

From there, you have to find a way to create content with said vehicle in the limited amount of time allotted for you to work with it. Be it still photography or video, you have to create some original content while you’re there with the vehicle. 

Looking back, I wanted to try to parse out my best experiences of all of the media drive events I attended. That’s a tough one to do. There had been so many good ones in the past 14 years, but I bever felt that I should’ve stayed home for any of them. 

If I must start somewhere, it has to be the first one in 2012. The year before, we were watching the development of the first Fiat-based vehicle to be produced by the Chrysler side of the merger – the 2013 Dodge Dart. The digital media manager at FCA put me on the list of content creators on the social media wave. It was the first time that I met some of my colleagues – including those who have gone on to greater things. I also made some great industry contacts that I am still in contact with today. 

FCA flew us to Austin, Texas to take the new Dart into the Hill Country. It was the furst time I visited the state without having to change planes. It was more of the experiences in the culture of Austn and the Hill Country that won me over. The fact that we had out presentation inside Austin City Limits was a definite winner. The drive wasn’t bad, either. 

Three years later, I got myself involved in a few media drives and immersive events. A few were in Michigan and in Minnesota. However, it would be the 2016 Lexus RX that was held in Cary, North Carolina – a suburb of Raleigh and Durham. I was out there before some years ago, but this was a first for a business-related function.

We stayed at the Umstead Hotel, established by the couple who founded SAS Software – which headquarters’ campus was located down the street. Our driving day was wet, but it was no problem to get the work done to check out the newest version of its volume-selling SUV from Lexus. This was indeed a first class experience throughout the program. 

In 2017, we had the pleasure of “finding new roads” in the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox up over the Blue Ridge Mountains. We were based in Greenville, South Carolina during the spring equinox – an irony unto itself. When I landed late the night before the program, the city hosted one of the rounds of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Apparently, the city was abuzz!

Our driving adventure was beyond remarkable. We went through historic battlefields, chasing history and landing in Asheville, North Carolina for the night. We were treated to music art the Moog synthesizers headquarters and really cool places to eat in the hippest city in the Carolinas. The Blue Ridge Parkway was a fun road, as long as you stick the speed limit. 

A year later, Hyundai flew us to Detroit for the 2018 Hyundai Veloster and Kona. The driving loops were cool, as we stretched into the far suburbs, as well as into the city. However, the real treat came in the presence of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. They were shooting their first episode of “The Grand Tour” in modern muscle cars. 

Sure, Hyundai’s newest vehicles were our focus for those two days. Still, having the the-biggest stars of automotive media content in the world (at that time) in the same hotel at the same time we were there was worth the trip out to the Motor City. 

A few more years later, Nissan and their multicultural media agency were responsible for the last two big media opportunities for me. First, we drove the 2023 Nissan Z in Las Vegas towards Lake Mead. Amazing adventure with some cool content creators. The thing that I had to set aside was the fact that I was the “only gay in the village.” But I did make some friends out of that trip. 

A couple of those friends showed up for my turn with the 2025 Nissan Kicks in Santa Barbara. That trip was special as it is located in my favorite part of California – not just Santa Barbara itself. Along the way, I took the Kicks into Solvang – a place that is near and dear to our family’s heart. Mom used to take us there, so she can get her latest needlepoint project from Thumblelina. You might say that one part of my early life came full circle during that trip. 

Not all media trips required a flight and a hotel room paid by the manufacturer. I had a few occasions of driving to the Chicagoland area and Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin for programs held by Toyota and Lexus, as well as in Minneapolis for Toyota and Hyundai. While I tried to make the return on investment work in my favor, the fact that I was able to be at these events were worth the effort. 

I will say that I had the opportunity to visit some new places among these media trips. Taking in new experiences in the latest vehicles available. Those were the days. 

Do I miss those experiences being out in the field? Yes and no. Yes, because they elicit excitement about the new vehicle while putting in the work to present them to you. On the other hand, I have to consider my latest health challenges to be cautious with my mobility and potential ramifications upon my body. Perhaps I will be back doing this part of my job, as long as I can get back to semblance of “normal.”

The memories of these trips are what I keep close to my heart and soul. But, as always, it is good come home afterwards. That is where the real work begin.

All photos by Randy Stern