Tom Reynolds

A reminder that the ThomasrDotOrg media training workshop is just a week away.

This is your last chance to join what will be the most useful off bike training you will do all year. While the workshop is in principle a media training event covering Radio, TV, Print and Web, we will also cover sponsorship, public behaviour and fan interaction and more. This workshop will complete you as a rider, team member or team principle.

We are pleased to announce two additional trainers who have joined the lineup:

Dieter Kahsnitz is a star of multi media. Owner of 50 Kaliber Films, by day he makes corporate videos, TV Commercials and the like. On weekends, at night and during his lunch hour he’s the host of “The C-Word” video podcast and award winning community TV show. He manages BSB racer Josh Brookes, hosts MotoGP events and knows how to make every media post a winner. Dieter will be conducting interviews with all attendees, who will then be provided with a DVD of the footage for any purpose.

Marscelle Tully has written more press releases than there have been races in the world. While that may not make sense, Marscelle talks sense. She will show you how to structure a press release if you’re going DIY. If you have a PR staff member/helper/trained monkey, Marscelle will take you through how you can make their life easier (ie tolerable) and how to make the most of the written word.

Already we have announced:

Tom Reynolds is the principal of ThomasrDotOrg Media Services and will lead the media workshop training day. Tom has worked in marketing, PR, advertising, web technology and the media for over ten years. He has worked for (or continues to ply his trade with): Australian Superbike Championship, Australian Rally Championship, Radio 3AW , Radio SEN, ABC Sydney, Holden Race Team, Grand Prix Corporation as well as hosting many events and media calls.

Jay Mueller. Radio MMM Melbourne Breakfast Senior Producer.
Long time producer of top rating breakfast show on 3AW, last year Jay made the jump to MMM to take the senior producer role on Eddie McGuire’s new brekky show “The Hot Breakfast“. Jay will be going through what he finds works on radio. He will explain how to prepare for your interview with people who know nothing about you or your sport. He will also address how to get yourself on radio and what producers (the gate keepers!) are looking for when they decide to put someone to air.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#/event.php?eid=254690579194&ref=mf
Map: http://bit.ly/aeqkZM

Total cost $135 includes digital copies of your portrait shoot plus a short HD video interview with **you**.
Bookings essential and numbers will be limited email: training AT thomasr.org to secure your spot!

Today I’m announcing that I am joining the renowned and revitalised Australian Rally Championship (ARC) as their PR/media manager.

I’ll be responsible for the key areas of ARC media relations and PR. I will be writing press releases across many aspects of ARC activity- from pre thru post event as well as stories on the teams, characters and places the ARC visits.

As well as the written word, I will also be hosting press conferences across all event weekends and interviewing drivers for web and TV. Some of these will be available live on the ARC website. Between rounds I will be writing press releases for teams and drivers and augmenting the written word with HD video interviews, podcasts and photos.

I’m genuinely excited to be involved with the peak rally series in Australia. I’ve already had some involvement in the past with Neal Bates, Coral Taylor, Simon & Sue Evans as well as Scott Pedder. So far all have been very welcoming and it’s clear this is a tight knit and professional paddock. It’s my job to ensure the public get to see and feel just how exciting rallying is.

My first event with the ARC will be round one in Tasmania from the 26th – 28th February.

Many thanks to Paul Mullan from Black Magic and ARC Director Scott Pedder for helping make this possible.

You’ll hear from me soon! In the meantime check out http://www.rally.com.au/

—ENDS–

For more information, contact: Tom Reynolds. ph 0409 964 549 email: thomasr@thomasr.org twitter: thomasrdotorg

It’s not a well known secret that I am participating in Dieter Kahsnitz’s wonderful new panel style show “The C-Word Naked” along with Lincoln Burns. We’re not actually naked (well one of us is), but we are free from restrictions.  Perhaps that’s why it’s naked. Who knows?

Ep 3 is online now! Go to Cword.tv/naked

Back in 2006, when Casey Stoner was a first year MotoGP rookie, I was one of about 3 people to attend his press conference (including his wife- at that time she was The Girlfriend).

He was riding for Honda and was not on the factory team. In retrospect, I’m pretty sure he had already signed for Ducati, so when I was pressing him about whether he would stay with Honda (at that time I thought it was a good idea to stay with the number one team!), he was cagey…

Enjoy

To subscribe, cut and paste this address into iTunes: http://thomasr.org/blog/?feed=podcast or click This link to subscribe via iTunes- automatically!

DSCN1896, originally uploaded by thomasrdotorg.

————-PRESS RELEASE———-

Woodstock Thor Honda and Thomasrdotorg are pleased (some might say “fully stoked”) to announce a one year deal for Melbourne motoring journalist Tom Reynolds to race in the factory Woodstock Thor Honda team aboard a special one off Japanese prepared CRF450X.

Team owner Yarrive Konsky: “After Tom’s startling performances in last year’s Dirt Bike Master’s we were ready to look at a full year deal. His performances showed us we had found a rider for the over 50’s. Of course he’s ‘only’ 37, so that did make things a little difficult- but we’ll sort that out in due course. All jokes aside, we were pleased with the races he competed in where he didn’t crash- and that was a special one. The race where he crashed and broke two ribs showed us that he was a special rider. Very special. Of course at the time, we didn’t know the full extent of the damage and we were very, very worried. It was only later we discovered that it was a triple clamp setup, a set of handle bars, a full set of plastics, an exhaust and two marshals.”

Yarrive continues:
“After looking at the team members for 2009, it was clear we were going for a youth policy, so bringing Tom into the team will help to raise not only our spirits, but also the average age. We’ve gone from an average of 18 to 29 by adding just one rider.”

Tom Reynolds:
“There will naturally be some people who see this as a decision that is not based around talent, but more around whether I can get Yarrive a drive in an Aston Martin for the weekend. The answer is yes; anytime Yarrive wants a drive in an Aston I can organise it for an hour or two.”

While the deal has only just been finalised, Reynolds rejects any suggestions that he will not be fit enough for this weekend’s opening round at Albury Wodonga. “I won’t lie, at 37 it’s a struggle to get to a racing weight and Honda have been very supportive by providing a rear suspension setup straight off a Gold Wing. Meanwhile I’ve been hard at it for months. I’m on a semi strict diet of hops, barley and wheat delivered by liquid infusion. In time I’ve been on said diet I’ve gone from 72kgs to a race ready 97kgs.”

At time of writing, the final hurdle is an ASDA supervised drug test, due to be completed this afternoon 1 April 2009…

——————ENDS—————-

11:59am STOP PRESS UPDATE:
Woodstock Thor Honda regret to announce that Tom Reynolds has been released from his racing contract for 2009 effective immediately after failing a drugs test. Details at this time are sketchy, but it is understood that an excessive amount of oestrogen was found in his system, rendering him not only unable to compete in the men’s division, but a threat to other team members safety.

——-ENDS——

the-age-30-3, originally uploaded by thomasrdotorg.

Wait, yr doing it backwards!

Thanks to Suzanne Carbone for having the vision to include a few paras about me at the F1 GP tweeting like an OCD sufferer (without the suffering bit!)

No… where are those offers of Social Media work? HUH?

Lord Paul Drayson:

With a seat in the House of Lords, a biotechnology fortune in the bank and good sight in just one eye, Paul Drayson is an unlikely candidate to become Britain’s next motor-racing hero. But yesterday the 47-year-old minister for defence equipment and support wrote one of the most unusual resignation notes in political history and told Gordon Brown he was standing down to pursue his dream of winning the Le Mans 24-hour motor race.

More here

With Adrian Rowe in tow, we went up to the Toolangi state forest for a visit to the testing site for the Rally Of Melbourne where Neil Bates took me for a wild ride in his Toyota Corolla S2000 class rally car. I have been in cars with several race drivers and I have never, ever seen a driver as busy as a rally driver. Sawing the wheel back and forth like Mr Miyagi’s “wax on wax off” scene and more toe tapping than a blues gig, it’s a busy office for the rally folk.

I would hasten to add, that until you experience travelling through the bush at warp factor ludicrous… well maybe you haven’t lived.

www.flickr.com thomasrdotorg’s Rally of Melbourne photoset

What a busy, insane, fun, triumphant, and satisfying weekend.

Broadcaster, producer, news reporter, interviewer, host, MC, commentator and- above all else- MotoGP fan.

More pics here.

In this:

Ford FPV R- Spec Typhoon Turbo.

Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) has released its new limited edition F6 R-Spec Typhoon, featuring FPV’s innovative R-Spec suspension and handling package. The F6 R-Spec is the first of FPV’s six-cylinder models to feature the R-Spec suspension. The stylish new addition to the FPV stable is identified with distinctive R-Spec badging, and ”Dark Argent”gunmetal accents on the wheels and rear spoiler as standard. With production limited to just 300 units, the new F6 R-Spec will come with a unique build certificate of authenticity.