Draft:Super Stock & Drag Illustrated Magazine

The history of Super Stock & Drag Illustrated Magazine.

In 1964 John (Monk) Reynolds assisted by Jim Davis, published a weekly drag racing magazine called Eastern Drag News. The magazine was based in Alexandria, VA and was distributed free to the many local drag strips. Income came from ads in the magazine placed by the various drag strips. Reynolds primarily sold advertising for the magazine while Davis wrote most of the articles and did the paste-up work to prepare the magazine for printing.

The publication could not be produced during the winter months so Reynolds had to take a job for income. Davis had a full time job as a mechanical designer. Reynolds suggested that the two of them start a nationally distributed magazine, primarily so Reynolds would have year around income.

At the time (1964) Super Stock drag racing was a major activity, primarily on the East Coast, but received very little coverage in the existing automotive magazines, most of which were published in California. Davis and Reynolds felt there was a place for a publication that featured super stock drag racing and Super Stock & Drag Illustrated was born. The two traveled to New York in order to secure a distribution arrangement and signed with Ace Distributing. An arrangement was made with World Color Press in St. Louis to print the magazine.

Davis wanted the first issue to have major coverage of the 1964 NHRA Nationals event held in Indianapolis. He managed to get coverage and assembled the first issue in record time beating every other monthly magazine by a full month in coverage.

The very first issue was a sales success and profit was made. Reynolds sold advertising which was initially an uphill battle. Davis wrote much of the copy and assembled the paste-up pages preparatory to printing.

Initially the duo continued to produced the weekly Eastern Drag News and the monthly Super Stock Magazine. Even with additional help the workload was too much and Reynolds sold Eastern Drag News to Jack Redd.

Initially both publications were being produced out of an old rented house, but it was drafty and poorly heated and no A/C. So the operation was moved to a much larger commercial building. And as the magazine continued to prosper, the pair bought a large two story building next door to the rented prior set of offices.

Over the first few years a number of people were hired who went on to have great careers in the hot rod publishing field. An early hire was John Raffa, a personal friend of Jim Davis. He went on to become publisher of Car Craft Magazine with an interim stint at National Dragster. Leslie Lovett was hired as staff photographer and he went on to a lengthy career as photo director at National Dragster. A well known photographer named Jim Kelly also served as staff photog for the magazine. Ro McGonegal went on to a career at Hot Rod Magazine and Motor Trend.