How to Get Into Automotive Journalism with Travis Okulski - My Automotive Job

If you’ve not heard of Travis Okulski before, you’ve definitely heard of the websites he’s run.

Jalopnik. Road & Track. Motor1. BMW Car Club of America.

Travis has been Editor in Chief of them all.

The US-based automotive journalist has what sounds like the dream job for anyone with even a passing interest in cars - driving fast cars, writing about them, and getting paid to do it all - but how did Travis get to where he is? We spoke to him to find out.

“I wanted to be a race car driver and ran karts until I was 16,” Travis explained. “Then I had  to choose if I wanted to continue racing or go to school.

“I knew I wasn’t good enough to be a pro, but I was a decent writer and thought that maybe there’d be a way for me to come back to racing and cars by writing about them”.

To give him some credit, “not good enough to be a pro” might not be entirely fair, as he’s not exactly shabby behind the wheel. Being trusted by BMW to not only drive - but race - their M1 IMSA Group 4 car, as well as an E46 M3 GT (at Monterey Car Week no less) isn’t an opportunity afforded to many normal journalists.

Clearly, Travis isn’t a normal journalist. Having tried to break into the industry “for a long time”, he got his first break starting an automotive section for Business Insider. This led to opportunities at Jalopnik, Road & Track, Motorsport Network and, most recently, BMW Car Club of America (where he runs two print magazines and their web presence). 

Many journalists have reached those publications and many more will, but how does someone go from trying to get into the industry to being at the head of some of the most prestigious publications in the world? According to Travis, it’s all part of the hallmarks of a good journalist - contacts, speaking to people, and making people want to read your content.

“First, this is what I always wanted to do, so it didn’t feel like work.

“It was fun meeting people I read for years and constantly learning how to be better at writing AND engaging and growing an audience. I also had goals of where I wanted to work. I didn’t necessarily set out to be the EIC of Jalopnik and Road & Track, but those are places I wanted to work, and I was lucky to get the chance to lead both of them.

“A lot of moving to those publications had to do with connections. Staying in touch with people I met at auto shows or responding to people who were interested in a chat about the future. It never hurts to talk to someone, and you never know where it can lead”.

Of course, automotive journalism isn’t simply jumping into fast cars and writing about them. Sure, that’s part of it, “If I want to drive a new car, I can call and it’ll be delivered to my house”, says Travis, but the job does come with other sides that aren’t reflected in the pages.

“It’s stressful. There’s a lot of travel, a lot of writing, and a lot of thought and planning that goes into it, especially when creating a print magazine. Add in the current state of media, and it’s a tough environment, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything”.

Media certainly is undergoing a shift, as more and more print publications change frequency and media sites shutter. Just this year, Autoweek - a magazine-turned-website started in 1958 - underwent major staffing changes, while MotorTrend shut down its production company MotorTrend+ (killing its immensely popular Roadkill series after 13 seasons) and Motor Authority closed completely.

Staying in media isn’t a role for the faint of heart then, and comes more from the passion the people in it have for automotive. Passion is definitely something that comes across from Travis’ history - rising through the ranks of automotive journalism - to complete a childhood goal.

“I spent two years at the helm of Road & Track, America’s oldest sports car magazine. It was my favorite magazine when I was growing up, so to get the chance to run the place and put my fingerprint on it, even for a brief time, was beyond special.

“I’ve also been lucky to be trusted to drive and race a number of pro-level race cars that I never thought I’d see in person, let alone experience”.

And for some final advice? Much like when we spoke to RideApart’s Jonathon Klein, Travis says being authentic is key.

“Write, and don’t just write about cars. Show you have other interests and perspectives you can bring into your writing. And ask for feedback. Everyone is better with an editor”.

More from BMW Car Club of America can be found here, while you can follow Travis on Instagram at @tokulski.