By Nicole June
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Clarksville native Patrick Nichols is making a name for himself in the automotive world.
Nichols currently works as a freelance writer for HotRod, a globally recognized automotive magazine that covers industry trends and technical information related to hot rodding.
His foray into the world of journalism began in early 2016 when he scoped out a vintage muscle car for sale in Fresno, California. Nichols’ instinct told him the car was a special find, so he traveled to the west coast to purchase the car.
“It was a very rare car, a treasure, and I determined that from one photo,” he said.
He documented his journey and later contacted a representative from HotRod to share his discovery. The magazine immediately recognized Nichols’ potential and hired him to write for the publication. Since then he has written several stories, two of which have been featured on the cover.
All photos courtesy of Patrick Nichols
Nichols is an Austin Peay State University graduate and has lived in the Clarksville area his entire life.
He has an extensive background in cars and has been familiar with older muscle cars since his teenage years. He and his two brothers build them, race them, buy and sell parts, and work on these rare vehicles.
“I’m mostly a Chevy guy, but anything that’s cool I will write about. I love anything from the muscle car era,” Nichols said.
His advice for anyone who wants to deal with vintage muscle cars is simple: “You have to know the cars backwards and forwards.”
Nichols’ latest story will be featured on the cover of the June 2017 issue of HotRod and can be found in stores everywhere.