''Hot Rod'' is an American car

magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...

devoted to

hot rod Hot rods are typically American cars that might be old, classic, or modern and that have been rebuilt or modified with large engines optimized for speed and acceleration. One definition is: "a car that's been stripped down, souped up and ma ...

ding, drag racing, and muscle cars—modifying automobiles for performance and appearance. It was published monthly until 2024, when it transitioned to quarterly publication.

History

''Hot Rod'' is the oldest magazine devoted to hot rodding, having been published since January 1948. Robert E. Petersen founded the magazine and his Petersen Publishing Company was the original publisher. The first editor of ''Hot Rod'' was Wally Parks, who went on to found the

National Hot Rod Association The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsport sanction ...

(NHRA). Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher

EMAP Ascential (formerly EMAP) was a British-headquartered global company, specialising in events, intelligence and advisory services for the marketing and financial technology industries. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange until it was ac ...

in 1998, who then sold the former Petersen magazines to

Primedia Primedia is a South African media group, headquartered in Sandton, Johannesburg. History Primedia was established in 1994 and its listing on the JSE Securities Exchange was completed in April 1995. Primedia remained listed on the JSE until 1 O ...

in 2001. Today, it was published by

Motor Trend Group Motor Trend Group, LLC (formerly known as Source Interlink Media and TEN: The Enthusiast Network) is a media company that specializes in enthusiast brands, such as ''Motor Trend'' and ''Hot Rod (magazine), Hot Rod''. Headquartered in El Segundo, ...

, formerly known as TEN: The Enthusiast Network and Source Interlink Media. Source Interlink acquired the magazine along with Primedia's Consumer Magazine division in 2007. In December 2024,

Hearst Communications Hearst Corporation, Hearst Holdings Inc. and Hearst Communications Inc. comprise an American multinational mass media and business information conglomerate owned by the Hearst family and based in Hearst Tower in Midtown Manhattan in New York ...

acquired

and most of its assets including ''Hot Rod'' from

Warner Bros. Discovery Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational mass media and Outline of entertainment, entertainment Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It was formed from WarnerMedi ...

. ''Hot Rod'' has a strategic relationship with

Universal Technical Institute Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (UTI) is a private for-profit system of technical colleges in the United States. It was established in 1965 by Robert Sweet. History Universal Technical Institute was founded in 1965. UTI expanded its progra ...

, referring to UTI as its sponsor. In March 1948, ''Hot Rod'' published the first appearance of

Tom Medley Tom Medley (20 March 1920 - 2 March 2014 ) was an American hot rodder and cartoonist, best known as creator of Stroker McGurk. History Medley was born in Lebanon, Oregon, 20 March 1920.Vaughn, Mark, West Coast Editor. "Tom Medley 1920-2014", wri ...

's cartoon hot rodder,

Stroker McGurk Stroker McGurk is a cartoon character created by Tom Medley, featured in Hot Rod magazine, ''Hot Rod'' and Rod and Custom magazine, ''Rod & Custom''. Medley's famed creation debuted in the third issue of ''Hot Rod'', and continued in the magazine u ...

. The feature would survive until 1955.

Sponsored events

Between 1961 and 1969, the Hot Rod Magazine Championship Drag Races, "one of the most significant drag racing events" of that era, were hosted by the magazine at

Riverside Raceway Riverside International Raceway (sometimes known as Riverside, RIR, or Riverside Raceway) was a motorsports race track and Road racing, road course established in the Edgemont area of Riverside County, California, just east of the city limits ...

. The championship offered a US$37,000 prize, greater even than a

national event prize at the time. The "Hot Rod Power Tour" is an organized tour where hot rodders drive a pre-planned route throughout the United States. It began in 1995 when ''Hot Rod'' staff members decided to take some of their project cars on a cross-country drive from Los Angeles, California to Norwalk, Ohio. Thousands of people participated along the way but only seven participants (other than staff members) made the entire journey and were inducted into the original "Long Hauler Gang". It is typically six to eight days in length and held in late May or early June. In recent years, the tour has evolved to become what is essentially a continuous trek around the United States in that it begins in or near the location that it ended in the previous year. Each stop is combined with varied events or activities. The starting points can change from year to year on the power tour. Tour Stops along the way on the power tour often feature entertainment, celebrities, contests, and games.

Video games

'' Burnout: Championship Drag Racing'' (1998) was licensed by Hot Rod. ValuSoft has published ''Hot Rod: American Street Drag'' and '' Hot Rod: Garage to Glory'',

drag racing Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, mos ...

video games in which the goal is to win the cover feature of ''Hot Rod'' magazine.

References

External links

Official site
{{Hearst Motor Trend Group Automobile magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1948 Monthly magazines published in the United States Magazines published in California Automotive events Hearst Communications publications