devistating news from HOTROD .

[mcat]

looks like the magazine let Rob Kinnan go on monday. that sucks out loud....
dragweek and all other HR events will not be the same without him .. and i think the mag. will suffer without his writting style..though im sure a guy with his credentials will be just fine...

[CDMBill]

Wow, that is a huge shock. He'd been there for almost his entire career.

[nesabo]

that sucks. I am sure he will bounce back.

[Ron Ward]

I think Rob did a fantastic job with Hot Rod. I have known him since 2001 and worked with him when he was part of the ProMedia event staff (read: NMCA/NMRA).

I'm wondering out loud here, so bear with me. Jason Reiss recently left RacePages magazine (NMRA publication) as their editor to go to work for DMC Race Cars. Rob did a bang-up job for NMRA before he went to Hot Rod and is good buds with Steve Wolcott & Charlie Harmon (the owners of ProMedia). ProMedia has grown a bunch with its west coast events and absorbing NHRA Unleashed. I am not saying Rob has been hired by ProMedia, but I think he would stand a really good chance given the circumstances.

Whatever path he chooses, I wish him the best of luck as he is really a stand up guy.


Ron

[Brian Lohnes]

Definitely blows, big time. Rob is a good egg. I hope something finds him or he finds it...quickly.

Brian

[milner351]

sheesh - really?

now I feel bad about not getting HRD sub.... I know the print outlets are dying with the internet - but lots of car guys still get mags...

I trust he will find greener pastures.

[Caveman Tony]

Some bean counter probably said "why are we paying for two editors?". Which sucks because he was awesome, but also because Freiburger's head is going to grenade soon without him around. Start the countdown.

[TheSilverBuick]

Whoa

[dieselgeek]

It sucks losing a job in this economy but, at least Rob has good experience and credentials - he'll land somewhere just fine.

[SuperBuickGuy]

why pay two when you can work one twice as hard? dumb move HR, dumb, dumb move

[Bob Holmes]

sucks, Rob was really good. But you could see it coming. Two editors was one too many.

[mike343sharpstick]

Or is it? It would be true IF Hot Rod were a "regular" magazine, but with as much as that Magazine puts out in addition to the printed Magazine (Drag week, Power Tour, A TV show, web content, car builds, Top Speed Challange, and probably more), it may be that two editors was not one too many?
Time will tell.

[Bob Holmes]

There is an entire infrastructure at Source Interlink that works on the events, TV, web, etc.

[Brian Lohnes]

Rob's voice will be missed. DF is a friend and a man who certainly stands as an icon in this industry, I'm not knocking him. Rob had an interesting perspective on things and was willing to probe areas where the magazine probably wouldn't go without him. With his racing in the Mustang series he was in a couple years ago and with projects like the Factory 5 '33, he brought good juju to the magazine.

Brian

[Scott Liggett]

This sucks. I frankly don't understand it. Why hire Finnegan, then fire Kinnan a couple months later? I don't think it's an economy question. Something isn't right.

I know Rob pretty well. He's a really great guy and very friendly and approachable to talk to. Not all editors are easy to talk to.