Lack Of S/SS Magazine Coverage

Gary Smith · 05-13-2010, 07:35 AM

Is it me or has anyone else noticed a decline in modern stock & super stock features in magazines, or even bracket racing? Another disturbing trend is the disappearance of Hot Rod, Car Craft, and Popular Hot Rodding from our local drug store and supermarket news stands. Has class racing become that narrow of a market? Or perhaps the focus on drag racing has been watered down to the few professional teams? Economics can't be a player since the import-tuner-heads-up and "pimp my ride" magazines fill the racks these days.

Dion Hildebrandt · 05-13-2010, 07:58 AM

it seems that the racing focus in the magazines is on the outlaw street and muslecar stuff. I dont know i dont care for it much. the restoration magazines will do features on s/ss cars but only touch on the history of the cars and the racing class not anything about current stuff

X-TECH MAN · 05-13-2010, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Smith

Is it me or has anyone else noticed a decline in modern stock & super stock features in magazines, or even bracket racing? Another disturbing trend is the disappearance of Hot Rod, Car Craft, and Popular Hot Rodding from our local drug store and supermarket news stands. Has class racing become that narrow of a market? Or perhaps the focus on drag racing has been watered down to the few professional teams? Economics can't be a player since the import-tuner-heads-up and "pimp my ride" magazines fill the racks these days.

Its a sign of the times. Us dinosaures are about to become extinct. The magazines you mentioned havent had anything in them worth reading for about 25 years.

Evan Smith · 05-13-2010, 08:50 AM

This is right in my wheelhouse so I will answer.

First and foremost, it's not 1970, there is a lot more cool drag racing going on than just NHRA/IHRA Stock and Super Stock. The heads-up stuff, not just 10.5 Outlaw, is awesome and exciting racing. Go to any NMCA or NMRA race and you will find guys having fun, racing heads-up. The rules are just as strict as NHRA and it is very professional and competitive. Events are two and three days so it's easier to do for many people, and you can build a car using new parts and go very fast. Plus there are car shows, which is another attraction to magazine guys.

With that, both Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords and Super Chevy, two books which work on, have done NHRA Sportsman coverage. In fact, the July '10 issue of SC, which is about to hit, will feature Jerry MacNeish's Z/28, and SC has done tech and feature stories on the Ficcaci's, Steve Calabro/Joe Fasano, Aubry's 409, all in the last few years. In MM&FF I've done stories on John Calvert, Travis Gusso, Jeff Swanson, Grace Howell, John Presing, Indy coverage, etc.

Have any of you contacted editors and requested an article? Editors are always looking for ideas, so be proactive and propose an idea, with a photo or two and a well-written email.

Terry, I'm sorry you feel that way about those magazines. I can't speak for the other editors, but it is our job (as editors) to follow trends and keep our publications current. If all you care about is what happened in the '60 and '70s then that is cool, but you can't expect the rest of the world to linger in the past. That is not a dig on you, you are entitled to like whatever you want, but don't degrade a magazine just because it doesn't suit you. I don't care about street rods, but that doesn't mean what's been printed is meaningless. Obviously, there are many people reading our books, or we'd be out of business.

While I love Stock and SS racing, you couldn't sell enough advertising or magazines to do a book just on those topics these days. The racing world is just too segmented. Because many of put so much passion into racing we expect that the things like racetracks, magazines, sanctioning bodies, etc. should be perfect and the way WE want them to be. But there is also a business end of things. Most people would crumble at the knees if they knew our printing and publishing costs. It's amazing that we can still offer a product providing as much information as we do for just a few bucks.

http://www.superchevy.com/features/c.../photo_01.html

Evan

X-TECH MAN · 05-13-2010, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evan Smith

This is right in my wheelhouse so I will answer.

First and foremost, it's not 1970, there is a lot more cool drag racing going on than just NHRA/IHRA Stock and Super Stock. The heads-up stuff, not just 10.5 Outlaw, is awesome and exciting racing. Go to any NMCA or NMRA race and you will find guys having fun, racing heads-up. The rules are just as strict as NHRA and it is very professional and competitive. Events are two and three days so it's easier to do for many people, and you can build a car using new parts and go very fast. Plus there are car shows, which is another attraction to magazine guys.

With that, both Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords and Super Chevy, two books which work on, have done NHRA Sportsman coverage. In fact, the July '10 issue of SC, which is about to hit, will feature Jerry MacNeish's Z/28, and SC has done tech and feature stories on the Ficcaci's, Steve Calabro/Joe Fasano, Aubry's 409, all in the last few years. In MM&FF I've done stories on John Calvert, Travis Gusso, Jeff Swanson, Grace Howell, John Presing, Indy coverage, etc.

Have any of you contacted editors and requested an article? Editors are always looking for ideas, so be proactive and propose an idea, with a photo or two and a well-written email.

Terry, I'm sorry you feel that way about those magazines. I can't speak for the other editors, but it is our job (as editors) to follow trends and keep our publications current. If all you care about is what happened in the '60 and '70s then that is cool, but you can't expect the rest of the world to linger in the past. That is not a dig on you, you are entitled to like whatever you want, but don't degrade a magazine just because it doesn't suit you. I don't care about street rods, but that doesn't mean what's been printed is meaningless. Obviously, there are many people reading our books, or we'd be out of business.

While I love Stock and SS racing, you couldn't sell enough advertising or magazines to do a book just on those topics these days. The racing world is just too segmented. Because many of put so much passion into racing we expect that the things like racetracks, magazines, sanctioning bodies, etc. should be perfect and the way WE want them to be. But there is also a business end of things. Most people would crumble at the knees if they knew our printing and publishing costs. It's amazing that we can still offer a product providing as much information as we do for just a few bucks.

http://www.superchevy.com/features/c.../photo_01.html

Evan

Evan......That is why I said we are Dinasours and its a sign of the times. I peronally just dont care for S$$T boxes with fart can mufflers and late model recycled "Tooth Paste Tubes" being built today. Its apples and oranges and when guys like John Dianna moved on (and got old) the magazines I used to read from cover to cover lost any appeal to me. I drive a newer Corvette and HATE the piece of junk. Its hard to work on (almost impossable) and other than the A/C its not what I would rather have. Im a 63-67 Corvette fan. Hot, low tech, bad mileage and all. I used to race a 69 Corvette NHRA stocker in the 7 inch tire days and almost beat Larry Lombardos "Buck Shot" Chev 2 a couple of times and could take it apart and put it together blindfolded.. As far as Fords go I love the older Mustangs (64-70),Falcons and I used to own (10 years ago) a black 1963 1/2 390 Police interceptor fast back Galaxie with a 4 speed (love the 61 Starliner also). Its was perfect with 53,000 original miles on it. I loved it but like most I screwed up and sold it like I did with my 67 427/435 Vette Gezzzz Im stupid.....lol. . Ive owned a 426 street wedge Plymouth when it was a new car and had the daylights stomped out of me by the GTO's on the street and the drag strip. Im not brand tunnel visioned. I love them all. What Im saying is the new stuff has no intrest to me and I cant speak for everyone but Im sure a lot of guys my age feel the same way. I was good friends with the Stock and Super Stock photographer Woody Hatten when he was alive and other than the funny car articles thought that mag. was the best out there. When the magazines mentioned in the other post followed current trends (computers and elec FI) I just let my subscriptions expire. Im old now and in exellent health, retired, and have some $$$ to play so what can I say. Its a young persons world today and I will survive as long as Im breathing and be a gear head and car nut until I die but NOT for the new stuff. Not even the new Corvettes interest me these days. My time as a tech person (1970's and 1990's) for NHRA and IHRA allowed me to meet and get to know people like the Late John Lingenfelter, Bobby Warren, Bob Glidden, Roy Hill, Jack Roush, Grumpy Jenkins, the Late Don Carlton, the Late Ronnie Sox, Tom Sneeden, Herb McCandless, Woodro Joesy, Jim Moragn (CJ racer and I lived close to his shop and used to do his and Dick Estivez's cyl. heads) and the list goes on and Im very thankful of those oportunities but like those guys.....our time has come and gone just as yours will in the future and all the younger guys racing today. Enjoy what you enjoy because one day it will all be different and you will miss it just as I do.

Gary Smith · 05-13-2010, 10:26 AM

Thanks for your input Evan. Honestly I was searching for support on some of the stuff I've said about class racing's future. I also was hoping you'd step up in order to get a publisher insider viewpoint.

As I've said many times that in order to sustain what we like we must be willing to roll with the times which doesn't stand still. I had assumed the subject of magazines has been a no brainer in regards to direction but opted in making it questions instead of broad statements in order to let the subject draw other opinions.

BTW I've tried contacting Dave Freiberger at Hot Rod about doing something with my late father's '65 Mustang but have yet to receive a response. Not sure if it was lost in a shuffle or fails to meet current reader criteria (they seemed to be focusing on nostalgia stuff as of late).

Evan Smith · 05-13-2010, 10:53 AM

Terry, I can appreciate and respect your love for early muscle and your history as a racer and tech guy. Who doesn't love those cars? They were amazing in looks, power and performance. They had character, that certainly lacks today, and there were many more cars and options to make them more personalized from the factory.

But new cars rule in terms of drivability, performance, economy, comfort and safety. A new Camaro or Mustang can run 12s stock and 11s or 10s with a few bolt-ons. They last about 100,000 miles longer than any old car and to the contrary, you can work on them, even though you can't twist the distributor and change jets. And with all do respect, just because you hate them and don't accept them, doesn't mean you have to have such negativity towards them and the state of racing today.

I don't know what year your Vette is, but we see a ton of cam and head swaps on LS cars, gear changes, intake and throttle body upgrades, stroker kits, carb conversions, etc. There are plenty of modified LT and LS GM cars.

CBS · 05-13-2010, 11:17 AM

I have to comment on this one....I was an old car kind of guy too...certainly loved old camaro's....chevelles and vettes....owned, raced and worked on many.....and I loved them....I had no use for fuel injection and overhead cams....and all this new stuff....but being kinda open minded.....I said why not ...lets try it.....

And of course now its pretty neat.....a tremendous amount of work but a lot of fun also....the new engines are really well developed from the factory probably because of guys like Terry that worked on those old combos for years and many of those things are standard on engines today......We done many things to our cars to make it much easier to work on....which I think scares a lot of people away....I know I was...but all in all when you get it the way you want...its no different than the old cars.....just a few more wires for fuel injection......lol...some of you old timers would be experts in no time...and probably love it....try tuning cylinder 6 only in 2 minutes.....with a couple of keystrokes.....

I still enjoy driving my 170 mph super gas vette.....but the 08 CJ is a blast.....

Rock Haas
323 SS/DA
302 S/G

It was in Drag Racing Action Nov 09 issue.....

mopar68 · 05-28-2010, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

Its a sign of the times. Us dinosaures are about to become extinct. The magazines you mentioned havent had anything in them worth reading for about 25 years.

With rare exceptions, X-Tech Man, you hit the nail right on the head!! I can't recall last time I bought an issue of CC, HR or PHR magazine. Okay, I do....it was sometime back in the early/mid-1990s but only 'cause it had a rare Hemi Mopar featured or some resto article, but even back then it was a very rare occurance for I stopped buying Car Craft on a regular basis in 1985 and PHR and Hot Rod a couple of years (or so) earlier. I believe SS/DI was gone after 1996 so that was the last time I purchased it but only after checking out its table of contents.

Man, I remember those misspent, car-crazed daze of my youth when I couldn't wait for next month's issue of Car Car, Hot Rod, Popular Hot Rodding, Super Stock & Drag Illustrated, High Performance Cars, Rodder & Super/Stock and Speed & Supercar (or some special issue put out by one of the aforementioned) to arrive at my local newsstand, all of which I'd buy without thumbing through the issue first or checking out its table of contents to see if anything worthwhile (read: cool!) was contained therein. I just parted with my 50 or 75 cents and went on my merry way anxious to get home and start reading every word and checking out every picture on every page including the really cool ads that were once the norm.

That was really a great time...

M68

J DeForrest · 05-13-2010, 11:22 PM

I have no affiliation with them, but "Drag Racing Action" has at least 1 sportsman feature a month. Past 2-3 years have had David Rampy, Gary Richard, Iggie Boicesco, Shawn Langdon, Jim Boudreau, Darren Smith, Tracy Dennis, Frank Maiolo, Will Hatcher, Dave Layer, Brian Browell, ETC. Worth checking out in my opinion.

Jason

05-13-2010, 07:35 AM	#1
Gary Smith Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 820 Likes: 9 Liked 132 Times in 30 Posts	Lack Of S/SS Magazine Coverage Is it me or has anyone else noticed a decline in modern stock & super stock features in magazines, or even bracket racing? Another disturbing trend is the disappearance of Hot Rod, Car Craft, and Popular Hot Rodding from our local drug store and supermarket news stands. Has class racing become that narrow of a market? Or perhaps the focus on drag racing has been watered down to the few professional teams? Economics can't be a player since the import-tuner-heads-up and "pimp my ride" magazines fill the racks these days. __________________ Gary Smith "another broke racer spectating"

05-13-2010, 07:58 AM	#2
Dion Hildebrandt Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: calgary alberta canada Posts: 383 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Lack Of S/SS Magazine Coverage it seems that the racing focus in the magazines is on the outlaw street and muslecar stuff. I dont know i dont care for it much. the restoration magazines will do features on s/ss cars but only touch on the history of the cars and the racing class not anything about current stuff __________________ Dion Hildebrandt 6009 STK H/SA

05-13-2010, 08:50 AM	#4
Evan Smith Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Tampa Posts: 400 Likes: 7 Liked 115 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Lack Of S/SS Magazine Coverage This is right in my wheelhouse so I will answer. First and foremost, it's not 1970, there is a lot more cool drag racing going on than just NHRA/IHRA Stock and Super Stock. The heads-up stuff, not just 10.5 Outlaw, is awesome and exciting racing. Go to any NMCA or NMRA race and you will find guys having fun, racing heads-up. The rules are just as strict as NHRA and it is very professional and competitive. Events are two and three days so it's easier to do for many people, and you can build a car using new parts and go very fast. Plus there are car shows, which is another attraction to magazine guys. With that, both Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords and Super Chevy, two books which work on, have done NHRA Sportsman coverage. In fact, the July '10 issue of SC, which is about to hit, will feature Jerry MacNeish's Z/28, and SC has done tech and feature stories on the Ficcaci's, Steve Calabro/Joe Fasano, Aubry's 409, all in the last few years. In MM&FF I've done stories on John Calvert, Travis Gusso, Jeff Swanson, Grace Howell, John Presing, Indy coverage, etc. Have any of you contacted editors and requested an article? Editors are always looking for ideas, so be proactive and propose an idea, with a photo or two and a well-written email. Terry, I'm sorry you feel that way about those magazines. I can't speak for the other editors, but it is our job (as editors) to follow trends and keep our publications current. If all you care about is what happened in the '60 and '70s then that is cool, but you can't expect the rest of the world to linger in the past. That is not a dig on you, you are entitled to like whatever you want, but don't degrade a magazine just because it doesn't suit you. I don't care about street rods, but that doesn't mean what's been printed is meaningless. Obviously, there are many people reading our books, or we'd be out of business. While I love Stock and SS racing, you couldn't sell enough advertising or magazines to do a book just on those topics these days. The racing world is just too segmented. Because many of put so much passion into racing we expect that the things like racetracks, magazines, sanctioning bodies, etc. should be perfect and the way WE want them to be. But there is also a business end of things. Most people would crumble at the knees if they knew our printing and publishing costs. It's amazing that we can still offer a product providing as much information as we do for just a few bucks. http://www.superchevy.com/features/c.../photo_01.html Evan __________________ Evan Smith 1798 STK Last edited by Evan Smith; 05-13-2010 at 08:54 AM.

05-13-2010, 10:26 AM	#6
Gary Smith Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 820 Likes: 9 Liked 132 Times in 30 Posts	Re: Lack Of S/SS Magazine Coverage Thanks for your input Evan. Honestly I was searching for support on some of the stuff I've said about class racing's future. I also was hoping you'd step up in order to get a publisher insider viewpoint. As I've said many times that in order to sustain what we like we must be willing to roll with the times which doesn't stand still. I had assumed the subject of magazines has been a no brainer in regards to direction but opted in making it questions instead of broad statements in order to let the subject draw other opinions. BTW I've tried contacting Dave Freiberger at Hot Rod about doing something with my late father's '65 Mustang but have yet to receive a response. Not sure if it was lost in a shuffle or fails to meet current reader criteria (they seemed to be focusing on nostalgia stuff as of late). __________________ Gary Smith "another broke racer spectating"

05-13-2010, 10:53 AM	#7
Evan Smith Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Tampa Posts: 400 Likes: 7 Liked 115 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Lack Of S/SS Magazine Coverage Terry, I can appreciate and respect your love for early muscle and your history as a racer and tech guy. Who doesn't love those cars? They were amazing in looks, power and performance. They had character, that certainly lacks today, and there were many more cars and options to make them more personalized from the factory. But new cars rule in terms of drivability, performance, economy, comfort and safety. A new Camaro or Mustang can run 12s stock and 11s or 10s with a few bolt-ons. They last about 100,000 miles longer than any old car and to the contrary, you can work on them, even though you can't twist the distributor and change jets. And with all do respect, just because you hate them and don't accept them, doesn't mean you have to have such negativity towards them and the state of racing today. I don't know what year your Vette is, but we see a ton of cam and head swaps on LS cars, gear changes, intake and throttle body upgrades, stroker kits, carb conversions, etc. There are plenty of modified LT and LS GM cars. __________________ Evan Smith 1798 STK

05-13-2010, 11:17 AM	#8
CBS VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Commerce, Mi Posts: 1,387 Likes: 1 Liked 4 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Lack Of S/SS Magazine Coverage I have to comment on this one....I was an old car kind of guy too...certainly loved old camaro's....chevelles and vettes....owned, raced and worked on many.....and I loved them....I had no use for fuel injection and overhead cams....and all this new stuff....but being kinda open minded.....I said why not ...lets try it..... And of course now its pretty neat.....a tremendous amount of work but a lot of fun also....the new engines are really well developed from the factory probably because of guys like Terry that worked on those old combos for years and many of those things are standard on engines today......We done many things to our cars to make it much easier to work on....which I think scares a lot of people away....I know I was...but all in all when you get it the way you want...its no different than the old cars.....just a few more wires for fuel injection......lol...some of you old timers would be experts in no time...and probably love it....try tuning cylinder 6 only in 2 minutes.....with a couple of keystrokes..... I still enjoy driving my 170 mph super gas vette.....but the 08 CJ is a blast..... Rock Haas 323 SS/DA 302 S/G It was in Drag Racing Action Nov 09 issue.....

05-13-2010, 11:22 PM	#10
J DeForrest Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Ramsey, MN Posts: 112 Likes: 95 Liked 73 Times in 18 Posts	Re: Lack Of S/SS Magazine Coverage I have no affiliation with them, but "Drag Racing Action" has at least 1 sportsman feature a month. Past 2-3 years have had David Rampy, Gary Richard, Iggie Boicesco, Shawn Langdon, Jim Boudreau, Darren Smith, Tracy Dennis, Frank Maiolo, Will Hatcher, Dave Layer, Brian Browell, ETC. Worth checking out in my opinion. Jason __________________ superstock5150@gmail.com