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  Mark Bechtel
Mark Bechtel, a staff writer for Sports Illustrated since the summer of 1995, covers the motor sports beat for the magazine and CNNSI.com. Born in Cleveland and raised in Huntsville, Ala., Bechtel double majored in economics and political science before graduating with honors from Vanderbilt in 1993. A profile of Tubby Smith he wrote after the Wildcats won the 1998 NCAA men's basketball championship is Bechtel's favorite Sports Illustrated contribution, especially since it involved interviewing Ashley Judd. Bechtel also wrote about Richard Petty for the "Sports Illustrated Presents: NASCAR 50th Anniversary Issue." "That story was fun to do because Petty played such a big part in NASCAR's first 50 years," Bechtel says. Bechtel admits to being "an avid Indians and Browns fan, almost to a fanatical extreme." He also follows Sunderland, a soccer team in the English Premier League. A decent golfer with a handicap in the low teens, Bechtel counts British fiction novels among his hobbies. He bears no relation to the Bechtel Corporation Bechtels or the racing Bechtels.
Mark Bechtel's
Insider Archive:

Bechtel: NASCAR should take a second look at traveling safety teams (8/11/03)
Bechtel: Brickyard is more hype than substance (8/4/03)
Bechtel: Fuel-mileage gambles make for intriguing finishes (7/28/03)
Bechtel: After years of disappointment, NHIS getting it right (7/22/03)
Mark Bechtel: NASCAR points system revisited (7/14/03)
Bechtel: Current NASCAR points system doesn't add up (7/7/03)
Tracking NASCAR - Marck Bechtel: Points system needs an overhaul (7/7/03)
Mark Bechtel: Sponsorship changes leave NASCAR stuck between a rock and a hard place (6/23/03)
Mark Bechtel: Schedule shakeup will hurt NASCAR tradition (6/16/03)
Mark Bechtel: There's no 'gentleman's agreement' in racing (6/9/03)
Mark Bechtel: Is the Double worth the time? (5/26/03)
Mark Bechtel: Grading on a third (5/19/03)
Mark Bechtel: Users jump to defense of Park (5/5/03)
Mark Bechtel: Park sticks foot on gas, in mouth (4/28/03)
Mark Bechtel: One-car operations won't compete for the Cup (4/14/03)
Mark Bechtel: NASCAR has yellow fever (4/7/03)
Mark Bechtel: NASCAR wants it both ways -- and it's wrong (3/31/03)
Mark Bechtel: Better days ahead for Harvick (3/24/03)
Mark Bechtel: Darlington is for racers (3/17/03)
Mark Bechtel: Front and center (3/10/03)
Mark Bechtel: Common template will make differences less apparent (3/3/03)
Mark Bechtel: Despite racing, The Rock remains endangered (2/24/03)
Mark Bechtel: Speed Weeks proved one thing: Trucks rule (2/17/03)

 


 
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