Lance Martz

A life in the book.

Lance grew up in Etiwanda, California. His grandfather, Charles Martz, taught photography among other things at the intermediate school Lance attended, and that early time with a camera stuck. Years later, when a friend, Shaun Carlson, started working at a publishing company that needed help with writing and photography, Lance went to the offices in Placentia as fast as he could.

He was already on his second mini truck, a ’92 Toyota XtraCab, and had been spending nights in Carlson’s parents’ garage helping cut and customize vehicles. He began shooting tech and weekend show coverage, first with his grandfather’s fully manual Nikkormat 35mm, then with cameras he bought himself. After about four to six months he was hired full time as Tech Editor — “the lowest man on the totem pole,” he later wrote, and he did not care, because he was on staff at the magazine he had read since it spun out of Truckin'.

He spent ten years at Mini Truckin'. He moved from film to digital as the company did, and at one point served as Editor in Chief, responsible for the monthly book, its budget, and the freelance photographers and writers around it. He helped bring on Mike Self, Mike Finnegan, and Mike Alexander. Mike Alexander took over when Lance left the magazine in 2005.

In 2026 he offered his services as Senior Editor of the newly formed Mini Truckin' Magazine, and joined the team documenting the culture’s next chapter.

• RoleFormer Editor, Mini Truckin' magazine. Senior Editor of the revived title.
• StudioL Martz Media, est. 1995
• Magazinekeeponminitruckin.com
• SocialInstagram · TikTok · Facebook