I’m usually pretty good at calling April Fools’ jokes, but this morning I fell for an elaborate April Fools’ prank perpetrated by Car & Driver magazine. I mistakenly thought an upstanding publication such as C&D would never lower its journalistic standards to print such a reckless story — even in jest.

Car & Driver realized its egregious error and pulled the story, but not before the damage was done to the magazine’s once sterling reputation. I totally agree with PR rep Denny Darnell, who wrote in an email to USA Today: “I’ve been in this business more than 30 years and I have never seen a story so irresponsible.”

By the way, USA Today quoted me in an article about the April Fool’s joke today — though they got my site wrong:

    A Car and Driver April Fool’s hoax on the Web, reporting President Obama had ordered Chevrolet and Dodge out of NASCAR after the 2009 season, turned into a sizzling Internet topic Wednesday.
    “Just when we thought we could take a breather from Barack Obama’s wacky policies, he reached across the Atlantic today to drop another one on us,” wrote Sandra Rose at Rightfielders.com. “Naturally, NASCAR fans are outraged.”

    Car and Driver later pulled the fake story (which estimated savings of $250 million between the manufacturers) and apologized for “going too far” while noting the magazine ” has a proud tradition of irreverent editorial and we amplify that each year with our April Fool’s Day joke.”

    The mea culpa wasn’t enough for Denny Darnell, who does public relations for Dodge’s motor sports program. He wrote in an e-mail that “I’ve been in this business more than 30 years and I have never seen a story so irresponsible.”