RIP Louis Brewster

I know there are a lot of former IE and SoCal people here. Louie was longtime sports editor for the Ontario paper and the premier motor sport writer in the region.

Beloved sports editor, columnist Louis Brewster dies at 70 – Daily Bulletin

Tough year in the IE losing Louie, Brian Goff and Steve Hunt.

 

A funny story about Lou and John Force

LOUIS BREWSTER, DEAN OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RACING WRITERS, PASSES | Competition Plus

A few years ago, at a media gathering at Pomona, Calif., John Force was regaling everyone with a story about misplacing one of his championship rings.

He had stopped at a fast-food restaurant for some breakfast and a cup of coffee. After leaving there, he happened to look down at his hand and saw the precious ring was missing from his finger. And that sent him into a tizzy.

He sped back to the restaurant and frantically told the workers there what had happened, and together they tore through bags of garbage looking for the bling. Finally, Force stopped to think for a minute and trace his steps of that morning. He looked in the newspaper box from which he had bought the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin to read as he enjoyed breakfast. And there sat the Funny Car champion’s dazzling ring – right on top of the stack of remaining newspapers, a good hour after he had bought his own copy.

“And that,” Force said to Daily Bulletin sports editor / writer Louis Brewster in the audience, “is proof that nobody reads your s---!”

 

That wouldn't be a very funny story if told by a sports figure these days.

But back then, when Force (and Brewster) were well-known in papers that were being read regularly? Great.

 

Holy shit. This hits hard.

I only worked for Lou for a short time, but he was one of the most decent people I've met in newspapers — or anywhere, really. Just a great, great guy.

He took me out to eat before I left, and that day he told many stories about Force and Earnhardt and other racing figures. My next to last day at the Sun, he arranged for me, buckweaver and Gluck to get a champ car ride on the California Speedway infield track, three laps, fast as hell and where's the speed up button? I can't remember the driver's name, but he could pilot that car.

Lou would talk about his honey-do list at home and said his wife hired a Mexican — him.

Shit, man. I corresponded with Lou infrequently after I left, but I've never forgotten him. This is like losing an uncle.

RIP, Lou. No more landscaping for you.

 

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