By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(November 11, 2014) I'm not the kind of guy who says, no, when invited to an auto show. This is true particularly when the show is in South Florida and I can tack on a few extra days to hang with friends.

 Now, I said I was invited, but truth be told: I sort of had to petition the show to be invited. I was on the list and then off the list and then, well.... So I took the bull by the horns. It was South Florida, for the love of God! I reached out, made my case and wound up back on the invite list. Sometimes it helps to be me.

By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(October 30, 2014)  I'm not the kind of guy who is often overwhelmed by sensory overload. I can multitask with the best of them. Well, I'd much rather attack one thing at a time, but, when push comes to shove, I've been known to keep a few balls in the air. All of my juggling skills came into play at the recent Toyota media event for the 2015 Sienna, Camry and Yaris in Ponte Vedra, just outside Jacksonville, Fla.

By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(October 11, 2014) I'm not the kind of guy who gets all lathered up over pickup trucks. Sure, when you need a truck, you need a truck; but how often is that, really? For most of us, not very.

My recent week with a GMC Sierra 2500 4WD Crew Cab was a series of highs and lows. The greatest high was using its 765 lb-ft of torque to pull down my shed. The greatest low was needing to schedule myself to go to the gym before 11 a.m. to be able to get it parked before the lunch crowd showed up at the restaurant next door.

By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(October 5, 2014) I'm not the kind of guy who gets all giddy over driving on a race track. Truth be told: I'd much rather spend the day off roading than taking laps at a track. Don't get me wrong; zipping around a track is fun, but it's not my favorite thing. Fortunately, in my line of non-work, I occasionally get to off road as well as clocking some track time.

By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(September 9, 2014) MIDDLEBURG, Va. — I'm not the kind of guy who libels law enforcement at every turn. In fact, my experiences with state, county and city officers of the law since making South Carolina part of my routine has been pretty positive. But, I must admit, one of the reasons Virginia was never on my list of places to which I might relocate is because of its jackbooted enforcement of its speed limits — many of which are downright unbearably low.

By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(August 26, 2014) I'm not the kind of guy who pays people to do jobs around the house that I can do myself. It just rubs me the wrong way. When I have time on my hands, I have lots of time on my hands – one of the benefits/curses of freelancing. That's how this blog got started: Work was slow and I wanted something to do. I got the bright idea to create a blog. I posted on it nearly every day in the beginning. Now, I'm lucky to post twice a week. But that's another story.

By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(August 10, 2014) I'm not the kind of guy who turns down a trip to Nashville; even if it is the third visit in less than a year. Toss in a chance to drive the yet-to-be-released Lexus NX, and you've got me hook, line and sinker. Just reel me in like the big, old lunker I am. I like Nashville a lot. It is brimming with personality. And the live music! Oh, Momma.

By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(July 21, 2014) MEMPHIS — I'm not the kind of guy who goes in much for tourist traps. I've never seen the “world's largest ball of twine,” for example. But there I was in Memphis, Tennessee with Hyundai for the Southeast media first drive of the redesigned 2015 Sonata with the prospect of visiting Elvis' Graceland for the first time dangling in front of me. What was I going to say, no?

By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(July 6, 2014) I'm not the kind of guy who gets jaded after years and years of being entertained and informed by car companies. In many respects, I still approach most media car launches wide eyed and full of anticipation. After more than 25 years, I still love what I do and appreciate when carmakers include me in their events.