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!

Technically speaking, our relationship with Vertiqul, our primary digital partner since day one, is expanding to include even more enhanced content in what we’ve found to be the best “vertical” magazine format for smartphones, computers, and tablets period. We’re really looking forward to taking our smart device digital experience to the next level … and beyond! (At the same time, we still have our Zinio digital magazine available for your viewing pleasure on “standard” computers!)

Above and beyond the monthly content and related social media, that finicky tool we love and hate all the same, CTP is beyond proud to have established some solid relationships with several events. Along with becoming the sole media sponsor for the Triple Crown of Rodding, which is bound to become one of the nation’s premier shows, we’re also honored to be a supporting sponsor of Dino’s Git Down and a title sponsor of the Grand National Truck Show. Furthermore, we hope to continue both the Top 20 at the GM Truck Fair as well as host of the Reunion Show kickoff party. We’re not limited to the abovementioned, either, as we welcome the opportunities to help promote and grow quality events—especially the truck-only ones!

Lastly, but definitely not least, are the project trucks, of which I’m “only” juggling two personally (we do have a variety of trucks in the tech center that are well on their way to hitting the road as well). The ’69 C10, aka the “Polished Turd,” has come a long way since I initially purchased it a few years back—but, much of that progress has been in an effort to remedy all the wrongs by the previous owner/builder … we’ve gotten most all of the mechanicals sorted out, and now, believe it or not, I’m going to convert the Fleetside to a Stepside, and swap out the poorly molded front sheetmetal for a ’67-68 model! (I just want to give my painter as much work as possible to do and/or redo when the time comes!) And then there’s the ’48 Chevy three-window—the poor truck that, up until just yesterday, sat dormant in my garage, patiently waiting for me to get off my butt and move forward with it. Well, I’m happy to say that the “moving forward” aspect is finally happening, and thanks to Paul and the crew at Old Anvil Speed Shop you’ll be seeing plenty of that forward-action here real soon!

So, in closing, my outlook for 2024 is as follows: More of the same … but better! As always, any complaints or praise, don’t hesitate to drop me an email at the address above!