A Tribute to Steve Collison

One summer afternoon I was talking with Marty Schorr, the editor and founder of "Vette Magazine." Marty happened to mention to me that there was a new editor at Hi-Performance Cars - a new guy they brought in from Super Stock Magazine, named Steve Collison. "You should give him a call, he's a pretty good guy." Marty said.

It turned out that Steve was living in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, just up the road from where I was living at the time, in West Collingswood, New Jersey. We met at a diner in Mt. Laurel and I showed Steve my portfolio. "Cool stuff, man! Sure we can use you." That was the beginning of a 23 year working relationship with Steve.

Like many in the automotive press, Steve did his share of moving around the car magazine world and I was fortunate enough to be able to tag along. I did several technical and feature illustrations for "Cars." When Steve went to Hurst Performance, he introduced me to Dave Grob, and I did many concept illustrations for Hurst/Olds cars. Steve's second tour of duty at "Super Stock & Drag Illustrated" provided me with the opportunity to create dozens of line drawings, as well as a regular feature titled, "Retrospect: Drag Racing History." In the late '80s Steve worked at CSK Publishing and helped open the door for me there as well. While working as a contributor at CSK I met Richard Lentinello, who eventually became the editor of "Vette Magazine" after D. Randy Riggs left the editor's chair. It was Richard who gave me the opportunity to do the "Illustrated Corvette Series" that is currently running in "Vette." Steve also introduced me to Dave Wallace, former "Car Craft" staffer and editor of "Hot Rod Magazine." Dave has been carrying my drag racing nostalgia prints in his "Magalog" since 1995. All that and more was helped along for me thanks to opportunity to work with and be friends with Steve

In short, I owe a debt of gratitude to Steve for a very big hand up in the car magazine business, as well as my commercial art business.

Steve was one of those rare people who leave you feeling good about life after you spent some time with them. Steve moved to Atco New Jersey about the same time I moved to Marlton, New Jersey. We were only about 5 miles apart, so I used to deliver my monthly contributions to Steve's house in the woods. Except for his time at CSK Publishing, Steve worked out of his home in a den office just behind his family room. It was a cool, little space PACKED with car magazines, articles, car stuff, press kits, posters... LOTS of car stuff. When he had the time, we'd shoot the breeze, bench race, or talk about our kids. His frisky dog Booey would always give me a sloppy hello.

After a while, I started calling him "Top Speed Steve." He was an amazing story teller (check out the "Speed Shifting With Grumpy" story in the Bench Racing Section), but since Steve knew where the story was going, most of the time he'd be cracking up over the punch line that he knew was on the way. Many times, the stories would speed up as they were getting close to the end - hence the nick-name, "Top Speed Steve."

Steve had another funny thing that he would do. Every time I would drop off artwork, Steve would lightly touch the drawings with his finger tips. I have no idea what he thought he was going to feel, but he seemed VERY interested.

We all know that one day, it will be our day, and one day it will be all of our friends day. Knowing this does little to take away the pain and the sting of the sudden loss of a friend or loved one. I try to temper my pain by asking myself, "Would I feel better if he had lingered on in a slow decline for years?" Obviously, no, it wouldn't. From there, I gather up my happy thoughts and fond memories and say a silent, "Thanks, it was so good to be able to call you friend."

Steve Collison was simply a terrific guy. I, like so many others, will remember and miss him for the rest of our days.

Scott Teeters

 

One of Steve Collison's long time best friends, Dave Wallace, posted the following tribute on his Hot Rod Nostalgia website. If you knew Steve and would like to share your experiences or maybe a photo or two, you can contact Dave Wallace at http://www.hotrodnostalgia.com

Here is Dave Wallace's tribute to his friend, Steve Collison.

Steven G. Collison

May 20, 1946 - December 14, 2000

Steve Collison, Drag Racing USA's editor and a big booster of Hot Rod Nostalgia, kicked the rods out during an afternoon telephone call in his New Jersey home office. With his final words, Stevie questioned his staff editor and longtime friend, Dale Wilson, as to the whereabouts of photographs scheduled to appear in the DRUSA issue then in production. When Stevie went away from the phone, Wilson assumed that he was searching through his office. In fact, Stevie never left his chair; when his wife, Kathy, came home a couple of hours later, the telephone handset was in his lap.

If his grieving friends and tens of thousands of fans can find any solace whatsoever in such a tragedy, it's that the end came so quickly that this 54-year-old who was never at a loss for words didn't make a sound. When our time comes, we can only hope to be so fortunate.

We can also be grateful for the millions of words that Stevie leaves behind, along with no small number of photos. Because Stevie and his colleagues necessarily carry cameras to work, entire careers and lives are illustrated in a way unique to the entertainment fields. Our archive photos begin in 1970, not long after Collison launched from oblivion to a Car Craft staff job, and continue through November 30, 2000 -- the 14th-to-last day of his life.

Thus are we able to offer a partially complete pictorial history of an incredible 30-year career that included the editor's chair at DRUSA, Bracket Racing USA, Super Stock & Drag Illustrated (thrice!), Drag Racing Monthly, Cars and Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords, among some obscure titles that aren't coming to mind. There was also what is likely the briefest staff-writer stint in the history of National Dragster (a few weeks, after which Steve was inexplicably fired), plus one 'real job' (as, briefly, a PR guy for Hurst Performance). We can be grateful that so many images have survived.

We'd like to share even more. Those of you with your own set of Stevie photos are encouraged to send them via e-mail (goodcom@volcano.net) or snail mail (P.O. Box 249, West Point, CA 95255-0249). Your own prints or negatives or transparencies of Collison will receive white-glove treatment (literally!) from our staff; scanned on our high-end scanner; added to this collection; and promptly returned. Detailed descriptions and identification of any persons, vehicles, etc., are appreciated. (If you can't stand the e-concept of anyone with a computer being able to copy your image for whatever purpose, please don't send it; the objective here is to share the joy of someone's life with as many people as possible.)

Anyone with additional information about the following photos from HRN's archives is encouraged to elaborate on and/or correct the accompanying captions -- which were mostly written from memory by a 51-year-old guy whose personal hard drive is full and somewhat damaged. Some of that damage is undoubtedly attributable to adventures shared with Steve Collison from 1973 through 2000. A small price to pay for so many memories, if you ask me. --DAVE WALLACE

Gotta GREAT BENCH RACING STORY that you'd like to share???