January 2020 will mark my sixth year here at Engine Builder magazine, and every year I find my favorite time of year is right now – Fall. No, I’m not talking about seasons in particular. I’m talking about the time of year as it pertains to business. However, if you’re curious, summer takes the cake for me as a favorite season.
When it comes to business, fall is my favorite time of year, but It’s not the pumpkin spice coffee, the changing color of the leaves or the cooler temps. I do love watching football, but what I love about this time of year is what happens in our industry from October to December.
Much like the changing color of the leaves, this time of year means our industry gears up for the next year to come. We get excited about going out to Las Vegas and spending a week oohing and aahing at all the bling of AAPEX and SEMA, then we head to the Midwest for the PRI Show in Indianapolis – where we really see what new products racers and engine builders will be employing on the track. Before we know it, we’re ringing in the New Year.
It’s a busy time for most of us – whether you’re working in an engine shop, in a manufacturing setting or putting out pages of a magazine. New products and projects are coming out of the woodwork and the prior year is being put to bed.
Because it’s such a busy time, I’m more driven than ever during the fall to make sure our magazine is running on all cylinders (pun intended). My days are filled with writing and interviewing, of course, but also with planning our time at these tradeshows, and working with the team to hit our goals at the start of the next year.
We just launched the new look of Engine Builder in October, which has been a long time in the making. Our website will follow suit in January, and new editorial is slated for all of 2020 for everyone to enjoy. Who wouldn’t be excited about all of that?!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot… fall also means the offshore powerboat crowd gathers in Key West, FL for the Offshore World Championships from Nov. 3-10, which are being promoted this year by Race World Offshore (RWO), an American Power Boat Association (APBA) sanctioning body.
The exciting annual event brings the world’s top offshore boat racers to Key West every fall, where racers push the limits for three days in an effort to be crowned World Champion. In honor of the offshore powerboat racing season, please enjoy our cover feature on offshore marine engines – starting on page 26!