Our Founder Passes

[RIS-Dusty Brandel]

It is with great sadness that I post his..

For those of you who haven't heard, Mike Hollander died just past midnight today. As you know, Mike for years has been very active in our association and was the AARWBA National Vice President and was our Webmaster. He had been diagnosed with mesothelioma about a year ago and had put up quite a battle.

A memorial service is scheduled for 1 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 26, at Hillside Memorial Park, 6001 W. Centinella Ave., Los Angeles, 90045 (right off the 405 just south of the Marina Freeway.
(Note):
This was posted after Mike found out he had cancer:

Michael F. Hollander, 61, the motorsports
journalist who effectively invented online racing news reporting in
1979, has been diagnosed with a form of colon cancer external to the
colon.  Hollander is resting at home after a brief stay at Little
Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance, Calif.

"I'm going to fight this with the help and support of my family and
friends," said Hollander.  "I'm amazed at the number of people who
have called or written."

In 1979, Hollander worked with the then-fledgling CompuServe
Information Service to provide motor sports news on a real-time basis
worldwide.  By Sept. 1, 1983, that service evolved into the Auto
Racing SIG and later into The Motor Sports Forum.  The service
initially relied on volunteer reporters and phone calls to race tracks
to get racing results, later creating a cadre of top professionals and
talented amateurs.  In 1995, Hollander brought the service to the web,
where it continues today as <"http://www.motorsportsforum.com"> The
Motor Sports Forum.  The service was discontinued on CompuServe not
long after that service's purchase by AOL.  In addition to The Motor
Sports Forum, the newswire contributes to print and online news
outlets throughout the world.

He has authored two books, The Complete Datsun Guide, and
The New Mazda Guide, both for the TAB Books division of
McGraw-Hill.  The Datsun book led him from a career path in aerospace
to one in marketing and advertising.  He worked as product information
manager and later as product information director on the Nissan
advertising account at William Esty Co. Inc., Advertising and at
Chiat/Day Advertising.  He is currently the manager of information
resources for PCGCampbell, the 10th largest privately-held marketing
communications company in the United States.  Current accounts include
the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Auto Club of
So. Calif., Yokohama Tire Corporation, the Pebble Beach Concours
d'Elegance and Tesla Motors, manufacturer of the high-performance
electric sports car.

Hollander is the national vice-president of the American Auto Racing
Writers & Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) and the secretary of the
Motor Press Guild (MPG), respectively the largest organizations of
motor sports and automotive journalists.  He has been honored with
numerous awards for his work, including special recognition in 1995 to
the Car Craft magazine Drag Racing All Star Awards; the AARWBA
Dusty Brandel President's Award in 2007; the International Automotive
Media Association Awards; and the AARWBA writing, photography and
broadcasting contest sponsored by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and
IndyCar Racing.  He is the past chairman of the Datsun Owners Clubs
Association (DOCA) and the former editor of its magazine, Datsunews.
He is the editor at large for MotoRacing and also writes for
Automotive Performance News.

He is married to Dr. Sandra Horwitz, Optometrist.  They have one
daughter, Sharon, who is a
student in the South Bay Academy.


 

[RIS-Lewis Franck]

Mike was a real friend.
A friend to all in the fields of motorsports and the automotive industry.
 I remember when he first showed up, at races, with a tiny portable tv and strange computer.
Amusement turned to amazement when results of races appeared.

Then, in the early 80s when he arrived at the Atlanta airport with one of the first Radio Shack Model 100s,
the penny fell hard this was the dawn of a new era. A couple of normal batteries and a couple of ear muffs
(acoustic coupler modem) and you were connected to the world.

Mike's notoriety spred to Japan, where he had a good reputation already, but in a parallel universe Nifty-serve,
almost a Compuserve clone was also beginning.

The world came into my apartment four lines at-a-time. Thanks to Mike the racing world was accessible
virtually anywhere including a telephone booth, at a boat dock on Long Island.

He was at home at the Pebble Beach Concours as well as at the Long Beach Grand Prix media center.
Always generous with his time for anyone and with a big heart.

Farewell my friend.

[Tony_Solorzano]

I cannot honestly say that I would even be in this industry were it not for Mike Holander and his optimism in giving me an opportuntiy to learn from him.

I cxan only say thank you and the debt I owe you can not be paid in three lifetimes

[RIS-Dave Chess]

Mike gave me my opportunity on CompuServe in the early 1990s.

I think it was with a 600 baud modem and a funky used IBM PC with either the green or orange screen.

Text and images were kept apart.

We had online libraries with tons of photos and .txt files.

There was no World Wide Web back then to speak of.

It has been a great time ever since.

I have enjoyed myself immensely and I owe it all to Mike.

[RIS-Ron Fleshman]

MIke called me during the 1996 NASCAR season and told me I should consider "grabbing my laptop" and covering a race.  Then NASCAR Editor Mike Snow then invited me to Rockingham, NC at Mike's suggestion so I see what it was all about.  I had a great time, and after Mike Snow left RIS and Karen Van Allen assumed the position, I was assigned the February, 1997 race at, yes, Rockingham.  I've been on board ever since.  It wouldn't have been possible without the vision Michael Hollander had about internet reporting and portable computers. 

Mike had faith in me, and encouraged me almost weekly over the last 12 years.  Had it not been for Mike, I would never have known the greatness that this sport is and gave me the opportunity to do what I had longed to do since high school.  I'll always be greatful and remember Mike fondly.