Motor Press Guild Names Finalists, Winners in its Prestigious Best of the Year Awards Program
2021 MPG Dean Batchelor Award for Excellence in Automotive Journalism Goes to Neal Bascomb for his book Faster
Los Angeles, February 26, 2021. The Southern California-based Motor Press Guild, the largest automotive writers and public relations professionals organization in the United States, announces the finalists and winners of its prestigious Best of the Year journalism awards, including the ultimate award, The Dean Batchelor Award for Excellence in Automotive Journalism.
Since 1995 MPG has been acknowledging the best journalistic work related to the automobile and the industry that builds, markets and services them. Each year a blue-ribbon panel of auto journalists, photographers and video producers reviews articles, films, photographs, podcasts, radio shows, books, videos, and social media content submitted by writers, photographers, social media producers, and videographers from around the world.
MPG’s goal with its awards program is to foster ever higher-quality work by recognizing the people whose efforts inspire others by being of the most exemplary professional caliber. Former winners include Adam Carolla, Sam Posey, and Brock Yates.
“The current pandemic certainly took a toll on the number of entrants we received in various categories this year and yet the overall quality of the entries was very high,” said Jack R. Nerad, writer, radio host, and president of the Motor Press Guild. “Each and every entrant should be proud of what they presented to us for judging this year. Decisions were extremely difficult.”
Here is a compilation of the finalists and ward-winners in each category:
MPG Best of the Year News Article Finalists
“Life on the Road” by Mercedes Lilienthal
“Driving Across the Globe” by Mercedes Lilienthal
“Jessi Combs” by Mercedes Lilienthal
The MPG Best of the Year Award recipient is Mercedes Lilienthal for “Life on the Road”
MPG Best of the Year Feature Article Finalists
“History Repeating” by Viju Mathew
“Paradise Found” by Elana Scherr
“Lessons Learned, 50 Years On” by John L. Stein
The MPG Best of the Year Award recipient is Elana Scherr for “Paradise Found”
MPG Best of the Year Social Media Finalists
Raiti’s Ride by Joe Raiti
Crankshaft Culture by Andy and Mercedes Lilienthal
Randy Wells’ Instagram – by Randy Wells
The MPG Best of the Year Award recipient is Randy Wells for Randy Wells’ Instagram
MPG Bob D’Olivo Award for Photography Finalists
3931 Finals by Lisa Linke
0511 Finals by Lisa Linke
Delica 4×4 in Alabama by Mercedes Lilienthal
The MPG Bob D’Olivo Award for Photography recipient is Mercedes Lilienthal for “Delica 4×4 in Alabama”
MPG Best Book of the Year Award Finalists
Faster by Neal Bascomb
Shadow by Pete Lyons
Don The Snake Prudhomme by Don Prudhomme with Elana Scherr
The MPG Best Book of the Year Award is Faster by Neal Bascomb
MPG Dean Batchelor Award for Excellence in Automotive Journalism
The MPG Dean Batchelor Award for Excellence in Automotive Journalism is awarded to the MPG Best of Awards category winner whose work most clearly expresses the highest degree of quality and professionalism in the field of auto journalism as exemplified by Dean Batchelor during his long and hallowed career.
The recipient of the MPG Dean Batchelor Award for Excellence in Automotive Journalism for 2021 is Neal Bascomb for his book Faster.
The 2020 MPG Excellence in Journalism Awards judges were chaired by Ricardo Rodriguez-Long, and included Jason Camissa, Justin Berkowitz, Dave Buchko, Amelia Dalgard, Matt Delorenzo, Geno Effler, Aaron Gold, John Grafman, Bob Heathcote, Ken Manfred, Jack R. Nerad, Andrew Quilin, Miles Reagan, and Mark Vaughn.
The finalists and award winners were announced in a virtual presentation that first aired last night. It was hosted by Aaron Gold and included Ricardo Rodriguez-Long and Jack R. Nerad.
About the Motor Press Guild
The Los Angeles-based Motor Press Guild (MPG) is the largest automotive media association in North America. This exclusive, non-profit organization is dedicated to upholding the highest ideals in automotive journalism and promoting education and information exchange within the motoring press. For more information, please visit www.motorpressguild.org.
