Sometimes, if you want people to take you seriously, you’ve just got to back up your words by taking action.

Last year, after hearing too many jokes from my fellow editors at Flyer News about the frequency of my automotive-themed columns, I went to my then-editor-in-chief and asked a favor. I wanted to start a recurring column in the opinions section devoted solely to car talk, whether it would appear every issue or just occasionally.

I wanted Flyer News to effectively do for automotive discussion on campus what it did for restaurant and food conversation in creating “The Sauce.”

However, though my editor-in-chief admired my innovative “why not?” attitude, I ultimately got a big thumbs down. Our managing staff just didn’t seem to think there was enough demand for such a recurring column, or that such a niche, car-fanatic audience existed on campus. Disappointed, I did the only thing I knew I could: I wrote regular opinion columns about cars when I was able.

Well, it’s my last year here, and this year, I want to try to make a difference.

In the past, I’ve written about transmission options, the automotive market, the joys of driving and more in these pages. And by all means, despite the lack of interest I’ve heard in response, I plan to continue writing such columns whenever I am so inclined. But I can’t do it alone. That’s why I’m calling on students, faculty and alumni with a serious passion for cars to help me out.

There is a huge market for automotive journalism out there, including dozens of car magazines, TV shows and car news publications. The Internet is full of websites and forums devoted entirely to automobiles and even more car-related video channels on YouTube. So, what’s wrong with a little car talk in the University of Dayton’s student newspaper?

Motor heads, gear heads, speed freaks, car guys and girls; where are you? I know from responses to my past car columns, conversations I’ve heard and cars I’ve seen on campus that there are definitely car people at UD. If you can talk about them with your friends, like any other current or trending topic, then why can’t you express your opinions in this forum? Is there a certain brand that you feel is steering us toward the future of the car? Have you seen a car commercial that really annoys you? Or, perhaps you have a perspective on a certain number of cylinders or aspiration type that you think makes for the ideal engine? Well, all I’m asking is that you include your car-loving peers in the debate by writing into Flyer News.

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