ven though we’re still a few weeks away from Halloween as I’m writing this, by the time you read it, we’ll be preparing for the end-of-the-year holidays (I’ll let you fill in the blanks as to what specific festivities you partake in, if any). I’ve always loved the ability to write “in the future” with these crazy magazine publication dates!

So, seeing as this is our last official issue of 2023 (cover date wise!), I figured there was no better time than the (future) present to do a “state of the magazine” address, as it were. December also marks 3-1/2 years since Classic Truck Performance’s (and Modern Rodding’s) inception—smack dab in the middle of the COVID breakout no less—and we’ve actually come quite a long way since then.

First and foremost, despite our initial claims/goals to focus primarily on digital media platforms, relying solely on print to help promote, we’ve learned since 2020 that people still want paper magazines! Like, a lot! We may not be selling a million copies a month (yet) like I’d prefer, but our distribution has increased significantly. Speaking of which, something else we’d vowed to shy away from—that being newsstand sales—has also shown to be a huge benefit, not only to us but to our non-subscription readers as well. To date, all In The Garage Media brands can be found in Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Walmart, as well as specialty retailers across the nation. That’s kind of a big leap from our primary “subscription-only” business plan, and we’re pretty excited to see where it goes from there!

wning a Blazer like this requires a lot more than just a bag full of cash. Well, of course, a substantial amount of expendable money would help someone pay to have one delivered to his or her home, but there are other, more important characteristics that dictate the success of a finished project. Pride is definitely one important part of the equation. Style is another. Without the combination of the latter two points, money might be able to buy some kind of questionable-looking status symbol but it most likely won’t come out this damn good.

Jaime Medrano of Carlsbad, New Mexico, is the owner of this ’74 Chevy K5 Blazer, and you’d better believe that he has both pride and style for miles. The monetary aspect of getting this truck done is relatable to how the majority of custom truck owners would be able to afford it—by hard work, saving up, and scouting out the right shops to lend a helping hand. Jaime has had a longtime affinity for classic Chevy trucks, and it is that appreciation for how cool these trucks are, even in bone-stock condition, that has lit the fire underneath him to do what needed to be done in order to own one of the slickest Blazers around.

t’s Sunday afternoon and I’m sitting on a plane (in First Class no less, as I dropped $100 on a last-minute upgrade that was well worth it!) reflecting on my truly amazing experience at Nashville Superspeedway: the first Triple Crown of Rodding.

I flew out Thursday with very high expectations, knowing Bobby Alloway and Gary Case don’t skimp or cut any corners, not to mention the constant buzz leading up to the inaugural event, this was bound to be one for the memory books … and boy, was it!

Thursday evening was the official Kickoff Party at the host Embassy Suites—but, unlike most traditional kickoffs, this seemed more like a reunion … for hot rodders! All my idols I’ve come up in the business working with, like Roy Brizio, Art Morrison, Troy Trepanier, Chip Foose, and my buddy Alan Johnson, to name but a few, were all on hand, having as good of a time as me, if not better. It was really a memorable night.

o say vintage 4x4s/SUVs are a new trend would be kind of naïve … but then again, if you’ve been following any of the larger auctions the last year or so, well, I digress! So, to be fair, let’s just say they’re a new trend to CTP!

This one in particular, David Drew’s ’72 K10, came to be after its owner, unimpressed with all the lowered C10s he’d been seeing, sought out an individual by the name of Cole Foster, local to him in Salinas, California, to go the opposite direction—up!

ave you ever just fallen in love with a particular model ride but realized that it just wasn’t meant to be? Tasso Romnios had an experience like that and somehow got a grip on how to make it all work out in his favor. “One day at a car show I sat in a beautiful ’56 Ford F-100. The truck was for sale, and I was interested. So, I jumped in and sat down. I then realized that I barely had room for my body, especially my knees. It wasn’t going to work for me. I loved the look, but just hated the way I felt in it!”