Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum, H-D Forums, The Mustang Source, Mustang Forums, LS1Tech, HondaTech, Jaguar Forums, YotaTech, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts. Derek also started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Fast and Furious Race Between a Camaro SS and a Nissan GT-R

Warning: Do not try this at home. Or on a public street. You’ll see why… A few gearheads recently got together to pit American muscle against import power in a drag race. Remember this scene? The video below is a lot like that, except that it features a Chevy vs. Nissan contest. A 4th-generation Camaro […] More »

By: Derek Shiekhi | March 14, 2014

The Camaro Z/28 Grips the Track and Its Own Tires

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Man, I love being a turtle. Oops! I mean: There’s a reason I’m a writer and not an engineer. “I have never thought that a tire rotating around its wheel would ever be a problem. The 2014 Camaro Z/28’s engineers have. The Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes and their 1.5 g in deceleration force have a tendency to […] More »

By: Derek Shiekhi | March 13, 2014

The 2016 Camaro Will Look A Lot Like the Current One

Do you remember the XLR convertible hardtop, the Cadillac based on Chevy (Corvette) underpinnings? Well, the 2016 Camaro will turn that arrangement 180 degrees by being a Chevrolet riding atop a Caddy platform. Specifically, the rear-wheel-drive chassis from the ATS and CTS sedans. Despite its luxury bones, it will keep most of its blue-collar muscle […] More »

By: Derek Shiekhi | March 12, 2014

Rob Dyrdek Makes a World Record Jump… in Reverse?!

If you’ve ever seen “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (and who hasn’t?), you’re familiar with this scene: Well, Rob Dyrdek, professional wildman, just topped that by flying into the Guinness World Records book. In a Chevy Sonic. In reverse. Across 89 feet and 3¼ inches. To be more specific, he nailed down the Farthest Reverse Ramp […] More »

By: Derek Shiekhi | March 10, 2014

2014 Corvette Stingray and Z51 Performance Package Prices Going Up

Chevrolet’s new Corvette is doing well. It’s the darling of numerous automotive publications and was named the North American Car of the Year. But perhaps it’s doing too well. A Chevrolet representative told CorvetteBlogger that “customer demand for both Stingray models and especially the Z51 has exceeded expectations and we are trying to meet that demand.” […] More »

By: Derek Shiekhi | March 7, 2014

A Bow Tie is Cool, but a “Flowtie” is Cooler

The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 is bound to be hungry, especially when it hits the track. There, its hand-built 7-liter V8 will be consuming massive amounts of fuel – and the car itself will be gobbling up as much air as possible to cool its lap-heated hardware. To maximize air intake and ease the thermal […] More »

By: Derek Shiekhi | March 7, 2014

The Camaro Z/28’s “Flying Car” Performance Traction Management

There’s a reason I’m a writer and not an engineer. Were I making a track-focused car, I would concentrate on things such as power, brakes, weight reduction and cooling, but I would never consider what Chevrolet has incorporated into the new Camaro Z/28. They call it “flying car” logic. Normally, when a car soars over […] More »

By: Derek Shiekhi | February 26, 2014