or all intents and purposes, I’d figured I had written my last editorial when I electronically penned my farewell opener for Rod & Custom as it succumbed to the corporate numbers game. But alas, some things were meant to be—and for me, that something is making magazines.

As decades of automotive publishing were removed from public consumption in one fell swoop this past December, the question I heard most buzzing throughout the industry and amongst the hobbyists who support it: What’s next? Well, on behalf of my colleagues whom I’ve spent the last quarter-century working alongside, Tim Foss and Brian Brennan, I present to you the answer to that question: Classic Truck Performance (and its sister publication, Modern Rodding) via our grassroots, truly enthusiast-run, In The Garage Media.

Our mission statement is simple: To bridge the gap between yesterday’s automotive aftermarket media and today’s; where others have continually failed, to successfully complement print and digital media.

Those “others” have left us a huge void to fill, and to be completely honest, I couldn’t be more excited to take on that task. The aftermarket and the hobbies that support it need an outlet they can rely on, and we’re here to keep those engines revving and the tires spinning! What can you expect from us? From the onset, we’ll be producing both titles, Classic Truck Performance (CTP) and Modern Rodding (MR) on a bi-monthly basis—with a monthly schedule to follow at the beginning of the year—both electronically and in traditional print form. The difference will be in the quality and in the presentation and the experience the reader gets from each issue. We’ve teamed up with a cutting-edge digital production company to build the most user-friendly online magazine possible—one that will keep you coming back for more rather than keep you from coming back, period. Additionally, our magazines will be supported by fresh and unique web content, not the regurgitations of the same thing.

The classic truck market and the hobby that supports it are what we’re solely dedicated to. From the owners and the builders who put their heart and soul (or at the very least, a 40-plus hour work week!) into keeping the domestic relics on the road, to the companies who strive endlessly to produce and market the parts needed to do so—we’re here to support that wholeheartedly so that we all can continue to enjoy this thing we do for many years to come.

So, yeah, in a nutshell, we’ve got a lot going on—our work is cut out for us, that’s for sure, especially in the current worldwide health pandemic we’re all trying to make it through. But there’s no other job in the world I’d work my fingers to the bone for. Everything we do started in the garage—the hobby as a whole, the aftermarket industry, my career—and here we have come full circle, back In The Garage. The ride’s far from over, however, and the destination’s yet to be determined … so hop in, buckle up, and hold on tight, cuz we’re about to put the pedal to the metal!