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.
When it comes to the 2018 Jeep Wrangler, the letters JL make sense, but these characters may not: C6A1, 6022, and A951. It’s OK if they don’t right now. They soon will.
The JK Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited twins are not long for this world, but the light in their eyes still hasn’t dimmed. In fact, for 2017, it’s getting brighter.
The Jeep Grand Wagoneer has as much a reputation for its wood exterior panels as it does for getting people through the actual woods…and across the creek in them…and up the mountains beyond that.
Have you been hearing a rattling noise coming from the back of your 2015 or 2016 Jeep Renegade? If so, your vehicle could be covered under a new recall campaign.
Remember those two vintage Jeep fire trucks we told you about last week? The ones that were supposed to appear at the 2016 Toledo Jeep Fest? They had company. Lots of it.
Some friends of JK-Forum have taken the bits and pieces revealed about the 2018 JL Jeep Wrangler and combined them into a rendering of how it might look.