2025 RACER Creator Awards Recap: Top Automotive Content Creators and Winners Revealed

all photo credit: Instagram/@aussie.rob

 
A room full of creators and conversation set the tone for the inaugural RACER Creator Awards presented by Dunlop at the Los Angeles Convention Center. After spending a day exploring cars on display at the Auto Show, attendees shifted focus from shiny metal to storytelling for the awards ceremony on November 20, 2025, during AutoMobility LA, the press and industry day of the LA Auto Show. The event gathered top creators in automotive and motorsports media to celebrate innovation and impactful storytelling across the community.

Programming began with an opening session and continued with a panel discussion on “How Automotive Meets the Creator Economy” featuring Taro Koki, Larry Chen, and Diego Rodriguez, before winners were announced across many categories. Our founder was honored with a nomination for Best Educational/Explainer Content, highlighting work that shines a light on distinctive automotive cultural stories. While the award was not won this year, the nomination is a strong indicator of ongoing dedication to meaningful storytelling in the motorsports space.

The evening celebrated creators such as Emelia Hartford, who won Creator of the Year along with several other awards, and paid tribute to legacy influence with the Ken Block RACER Legacy Award. Although Ken’s wife was not present to accept the award because their daughter Lia Block was preparing for the final F1 Academy race, Ken’s longtime collaborator Brian Scotto attended and shared insights into who Ken was. Sponsors included Dunlop, KYB, Crown, K1 Circuit, PRO Performance Racing Industry, Neft Vodka, Metalore, Forty Three Institute, The Meet, Id Agency, and the LA Auto Show.

Despite a rainy day, energy inside remained high, and the event set a new benchmark for recognizing creativity and community in automotive media. While steady rain dampened the red carpet outside, the atmosphere indoors was electric with energy, conversations, and mutual respect. Though our founder did not win this year, the aim for next year is clear: pursue the Best Newsletter Award.

Here is a list of those lucky winners who walked away with an award:

Creator of the Year: Emelia Hartford

Ken Block RACER Legacy Award: Ken Block (accepted by partner)

Best Branded Content: Warwick Patterson & Christopher Bowe

Best Car Review Content: Cars & Bids

Best Cinematic Videos: Ben Bertucci

Best DIY / How-To Content: ChrisFix

Best Educational / Explainer Content: Sean Heckman

Best Motorsports Content: Adam C. Hughes

Best Short Form Content: Nicole Johnson

Best Tuning & Custom Builds: Emelia Hartford

Best Vlog: Matthew Spivey

Best Newsletter or Written Creator: Sam Mitani

Best Podcast or Audio Content: The Smoking Tire

Best TikTok or Instagram Creator: Al Arena

Best YouTube Channel: ChrisFix

Best Automotive Lifestyle Creator: Luke Huxham

Best Emerging Creator: Suellio Almeida

Best Fan Engagement or Community Builder: Polyphony Digital Inc

Best Female Automotive Creator: Emelia Hartford

Best International Creator: Dino Dalle Carbonare

The inaugural awards highlighted a diverse group of creators actively shaping the future of automotive storytelling. We are proud to be part of that community, energized by the conversations and connections made at AutoMobility LA. Expect more coverage, deeper profiles, and collaborations in the months ahead as we continue to grow and evolve our community. For those who want to keep up with our contributions to automotive culture, subscribe to the Racers and Riders newsletter at racersandriders.com/newsletter.