Wheels wins at AJAC awards

ARNE GLASSBOURG FOR THE TORONTO STAR

And the Toronto Star AJAC award winners are, clockwise from left, Mark Richardson for Wheels, Peter Bleakney, Jil McIntosh and Brian Early

Mark Richardson

WHEELS EDITOR

The Toronto Star's Wheels section won big at this year's AJAC journalism awards, taking away a tableful of prizes from last month's hotly-contested presentation.

All awards are independently judged by panels of experts in their relevant field.

Peter Bleakney won the Wakefield Castrol Award for vehicle testing, given each year to the member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada deemed to have written the best "shorter" review.

Rather than longer features, the judges consider "the everyday material auto writers publish to bring their insight to readers."

Last year's winner was Wheels' Kathy Renwald.

Bleakney won for his story about driving the Audi R8 to Niagara and crashing a wedding party.

"This review puts a remarkable vehicle in context without missing an ounce of its excitement," said Marsha McLaughlin of Wakefield Castrol Canada.

Jil McIntosh was presented with the Car Care Canada Award for car safety journalism for her August article, "Out of sight, but still deadly." It gave a first-hand account of discovering a broken shock absorber on a young woman's car.

The Wheels section was also presented with the Mitsubishi Design and Layout Award for a print publication.

The three judges declared that Wheels offers "a more creative alternative to the traditional presentation of automobiles. Its use of photography is intriguing and dynamic and immediately draws you into the section.

"Language is creative and the subject matter is relevant. Overall, the layout is clear and easy to read and accommodates advertising without detracting from the editorial."

Wheel's Brian Early was a runner-up for the Pirelli Tire Photography Award in the "best unpublished photo" category, placing second to Amee Reehal of Calgary.

AJAC's Journalist of the Year award, presented last year to Wheels' Mark Toljagic, was presented this year to The Globe and Mail's Jeremy Cato.

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