Justin Banner
Verified
As seen in:
MotorTrend,
MSN,
MSN Canada,
USA Today,
Aol,
Yahoo Finance,
Substack,
Flipboard,
Yahoo Sports,
AZCentral | The Arizona Republic,
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
and
Covers:
Automotive, Auto Repair, Auto News, Auto Racing, New Auto Reviews, EV Autos, eBikes, Automotive Technical Topics
Doesn't Cover:
Books, Housekeeping, Home Repair, Politics, Religion, Computer Repair, Gaming, Gambling, Firearms
I do stuff around cars when I'm not on Twitter.
carbageonline.substack.com
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
MotoIQ and it was on the history of drifting and Formula Drift's future.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, it was a word processing typewriter and my grandmother made sure I learned how to type as she felt it was important for my future.
How is social media changing news?
It's starting to spread fake news too much. More needs to be done to curve it but it is overwhelming.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Raoul Duke
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To tell people about the world as you observe it, truthfully and without influence by money or gifts.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email is best
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I use Microsoft Word, Affinity Photo, & Davinci Resolve Studio. Camera is a Panasonic Lumix G85 with 12-60mm f3.5 & 20mm f1.7 lenses.
What's your favorite social network?
Facebook as it has the best mix of writing, photography, and video integrations.
Who do you wish followed you?
Don't really have anyone specific in mind.
Why did you become a journalist?
I always wanted to be a racecar driver but really I just wanted to drive cars all day. Being an automotive journalist has achieved that.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No, I didn't get involved in writing until after getting involved with radio broadcasting when I was 25 years old.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I still feel my story on the GT4586 is as it showed that I was capable of writing multiple stories during a busy event like SEMA.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Just before or just after noon during the week.
What's your favorite drink?
Black Tea
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Riding or modifying my Super73 Z1.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Drive's War Zone
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That you absolutely need auto repair experience in writing about a car. It's helpful but not required or even necessary.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.