Prescott, AZ — Former racer and automotive journalist Ron Grable died Oct. 31 in Prescott Ariz., at the age of 85.

A native of Sullivan, IN, Grable served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, then earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California San Diego.

He spent the next 40 years in California, where he worked for various companies in the semiconductor industry, and in his spare time discovered a love for auto racing, motorcycle riding and flying. His racing exploits ranged from the amateur status to international professional, in a wide variety of cars.

Grable’s racing career covered more than 25 years, featuring competition in sports cars, prototypes, stock cars and Indy cars. He raced in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Colombia, Canada, England, France, Italy and the United States, earning three national championships plus numerous regional and divisional titles. “My Favorite Race” in Vintage Motorsport’sMay/June 2018 issue highlighted Grable’s win at the 1970 F5000 Continental Championship at Laguna Seca, a contest he won by more than 40 seconds.

After hanging up his racing helmet in 1989, Grable started a new career in automotive journalism as technical editor of Motor Trend magazine with responsibility for testing, analyzing and reporting on a variety of products in the automobile industry. He also revived his interest in aviation and began flying in aerobatic competitions.

When he left Motor Trend he became a freelance journalist, writing for various aviation, automotive and motorcycle magazines.