Ulrich Wins 2013 Ken Purdy Award - Honored For Excellence In Automotive Journalism

NEW YORK--April 19, 2013: The International Motor Press Association named Lawrence Ulrich winner of the 2013 Ken Purdy Award for excellence in automotive journalism for "Wins & Loses," (www.automobilemag.com/features/news/1211_wins_and_losses) his heartfelt sojourn through automotive heartland published in the November 2012 issue of Automobile Magazine.

"The road trip is an all-too-familiar journey for automotive writers that frequently dead-ends in truisms and cliche," said Alex Taylor, senior editor at large for Fortune and a Purdy Award judge. "But Lawrence Ulrich weaves nostalgia for the past with a realistic understanding of the economics of the present into a rich account of a city and an industry.

"With a deft touch, Ulrich allows the car -- a new Z06 Chevrolet Corvette -- he is driving play a supporting role to memories from his youth and his thoughts about the future."

"It's a great honor to win the Ken Purdy Award," said Ulrich, chief auto critic for The New York Times , whose work also appears in Road & Track, Popular Science, Details and Yahoo! Autos. "Especially for a subject that means a lot to me: The care, feeding and fate of my Motown hometown."

According to IMPA President David Kiley, "the Ken Purdy Award is one of the few journalism awards left that specifically recognizes excellence in covering the auto industry.  Lawrence Ulrich's piece for Automobile stood out among an outstanding list of entries that included books, magazines, podcasts, online video, as well as magazine and newspaper content.

"There is a lot of great work and good story telling around the auto industry going on across all media."

IMPA established the award in 1972 in memory of Ken Purdy, considered by many as perhaps the best auto writer this country has produced, and author of the seminal 1949 automotive tome Kings of the Road. Purdy was editor of Parade and True in the 1940s and '50s before he became a freelance writer who contributed both fiction short stories and automotive pieces to Playboy magazine.

Eligible works for the award include a newspaper or magazine article, a book, a script resulting in a film or video, or an online piece. Regardless of the nature of the entry, publication or release must have been during the calendar year preceding the award presentation.

IMPA, one of the country's oldest organizations of automotive journalists and public-relations professionals, was founded 52 years ago in New York City. During its history, IMPA has spawned similar organizations, while continuing to provide its members with a convivial meeting place and links through modern communication technologies. Membership includes journalists from all media -- print, broadcast and online -- as well as public-relations representatives of the world's major automotive manufacturers and suppliers. All members share the same privileges of membership, whether they are journalists or public-relations professionals.