Let us be silent...

Warning: Long poignant post ahead.

Sport Compact Car is one of the car magazines that I read regularly. The people who write and produce the magazine are circuit racers, speed junkies and car geeks. In other words, they are our kind of people .

So its with great sadness that I read the March copy as its their swansong issue. They have been around for 15 years and have been covering the modified Japanese car scene before it was even a scene, where it started with the drag wars where impossibly fast Hondas broke into the 10s, 9s, 8s and 7s. Through the Fast & The Furious-created hype where every man and his dog wants to be 'JDM'. And finally drifting and time attack.

And now what?

I read with pride Jay Chen's words that 'If you are reading this it means that you are a true car geek and a survivor. If you are still driving your tuned import, you're not just some kid out to chase tail and look cool.'

And with sadness when he lamented that 'import tuning will never be the same again. Say goodbye... to being part of the mainstream... One day your kids will look at you as we once looked at hot-rodders, old men and women obsessed with a bygone era fixated with antiquated technology.'

I still remember the look of pride my dad has on his face 20+ years ago when look at his original Mini. It was painted a fiery red and looks impossibly tough with a custom fab roll cage.

I didn't understand his emotions back then. I do now.

Perhaps my future kids will too, if they could pull themselves away from Gran Turismo 8 long enough to appreciate real cars.