Then he left for the East Coast, still gainfuly employed by Petersen Publishing Company and producing arms-length editorial materials for HOT ROD and Car Craft magazines. A scant three years later, his revolving door once again turned and he arrived back at the West Coast PPC office, this time a bona fide HRM staff member. However, as his career path would once more change, in less than a year the East Coast claimed him again.

In late ’78, the lure of a staff position (Feature Editor) at Petersen’s Motor Trend magazine managed to unearth his East Coast roots and he found himself once again on the freeways of Los Angeles… but it was a short-lived experience. Upon his revolving door return to the East Coast, it would be fifteen years before he once again graced the halls of Petersen Publishing. But when he did, it was as the Editor of HOT ROD Magazine. Finally, culminating a circuitous route to perhaps the most prestigious journalistic spot on the enthusiast publication landscape, he’d “arrived.” Having paid his dues grossly understates the achievement. 

It was from this seat that he launched a phase of his career unlike any previous segment. This time he confronted the rigors of dealing with “corporate” issues while trying to craft an editorial package that reflected his perspectives of the ever-evolving performance enthusiast community. However, it wasn’t about just “playing any editorial foul balls” that might get hit in forecasting the best story package, he had to deal with the unavoidable internal politics that tend to erode the creativity which spawns the former. 

Ultimately, he elected to move, yet again. This time, circumventing the inclusion of any issues woven into that decision, Florida became home. And it was from this location that he agreed to once more apply his editorial skills to another “performance car” venue, the Internet. Now armed with decades of extensive journalistic experiences, a network of long-time friends literally at his fingertips and a desire to “make a difference” one more time, he became Editor of MaxChevy.com. 

To craft a description of how well he performed in this capacity would be akin to painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa.  He did beyond good. And now, unceremoniously and not out of character for him, he is gone from the site. He said to me, “I regretted that I never signed off.” Well, Ro, I took the initiative to do it for you. After all, you managed to endure our friendship for forty years, and I’m hoping for many more. The audience of MaxChevy is disadvantaged by your absence, in my opinion. But then again, as Smokey Yunick often said to me, “When I want your opinion, Jim, I’ll give it to you.” Hang in, Ro. Come back whenever you can. The place seems a lot emptier now.