Podcast Archives - Page 7 of 19

#186, CEO Tim McGrane embraces M1 Concourse challenge

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:06 — 50.9MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | More Tim McGrane has a long, varied career in the automotive industry. It’s steered him to his current role as the CEO of M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan. The 87-acre playground for auto enthusiasts includes the world’s largest community of Private Garages and a 1.5-mile Performance Track with its own private Motorsports Club. A native of England whose previous experience tenures at Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California, and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, McGrane is my guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on assignment. McGrane assumed his latest position in March and like the management of other automotive facilities,

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#185, West Coast Bike Week set for Monterey Peninsula debut

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:20 — 38.9MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreMotorcycle racing and lots of related activities will add to the always-full calendar of motorsports with the debut of West Coast Bike Week at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The community-focused, 10 days of racing and fan interaction will be geared toward those who enjoy all things on two wheels. Barry Toepke, Director of Heritage Events & Public Relations for the raceway, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts James Raia and Bruce Aldrich discuss with Toepke the new series as the racetrack’s future as pandemic restrictions have been upgraded. Activities will begin July 9 at the MotoAmerica in downtown

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#184, Monterey Auto Week is back including memorabilia

Monterey Auto Week. Monterey Car Week. Classic Car Week. By any name, the now nearly two-week presentation of all things automotive will be back in mid-August. After a one-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic, most of the usual annual attractions — shows to auctions, speakers’ forums to memorabilia — will unfold throughout the Monterey Peninsula. Recently approved as an indoor show, the Automobilia Pop-Up Show, with a new one-year-only husband-wife organization team, will be held Aug. 10-11 at Embassy Suites in Seaside. Monterey Auto Week Is Back While long-time show organizer Everett Anton “Tony” Singer (www.vintageautoposters.com) continues plans for a full-field 2022 return, Andrew Herrala and his wife Kim Foxx will coordinate this year’s edition. It will include about

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#183, Fun Father’s Day gifts for car fans

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:05 — 26.6MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreProud car owners aren’t often at a loss for words. It’s part of the enjoyment of sharing artwork of wheels. The artists at Respoke Collection offer another way to showcase a favorite machine or a showroom full of automobiles or motorcycles. Forward a quality image online to the company’s online presence, and it will return a vehicle rendering on canvas or on paper in dimensions as large as 24×36. It’s an ideal, unique Father’s Day gift for the car collector in the family. On this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss Father’s Day gifts for auto enthusiasts.

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Car collector Scott Gunnari: A Man & His Edsels, #182

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:03 — 42.7MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | More Many cars have failed, but none quite like the Edsel. Scott Gunnari knows all the stories. But the vintage car collector enjoys the car named after Henry Ford’s his son as much as any collector of any brand. Gunnari, the lead inspector for Page One Automotive, the automotive fleet and event management service company in Brisbane, California, has had six of the much-maligned machines in his collection. He now owns three. Gunnari is our guest this week on Episode #182 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Gunnari about three his 1958 Edsels — a Corsair 4-door

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Energy Observer, Toyota team for global catamaran ride, #181

Dr. Katia Nicolet, a marine biologist, is part of two, five-person crews rotating on board the Energy Observer. The self-sufficient, 100-foot catamaran is the first round-the-world, hydrogen-powered sea vessel. It’s a working lab designed to showcase zero-emission technologies and demonstrate that clean energies can be accessible to everyone. As part of its six-year odyssey, the Energy Observer arrived in early May on Pier 9 in San Francisco about two weeks after entering the United States in Long Beach, California. Nicolet, who has been involved with the project for about a year, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. After joining several other guests for Nicolet’s extensive tour of the vessel, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia

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#180, New website thatsanicecar.com showcases exotic cars

It’s easy to hear overt enthusiasm in Bill Mayer’s voice. He’s owned, restored and sold several of what he calls “works of art” — classic and exotic cars. After many years of planning, Mayer is now also the co-founder of the website, ThatsANiceCar.com. It reflects his passion for expensive automotive rarities. Andrew Sparrow is also a co-founder and the site’s technology guru. Launched in January, the website features only high-end exotic cars offered in a unique pricing platform. It’s for buyers and sellers. Mayer is our guest on episode #180 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Mayer the idea for the website and his plans to compete in the online marketplace. Exotic cars

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#179, California hydrogen highway growing, still unheralded

Three mainstream automobile manufacturers, Honda, Hyundai and Toyota, sell and lease hydrogen vehicles. The Clarity (Honda) and Mirai (Toyota) are sedans; the Nexo (Hyundai) is a sport utility vehicle. Combined, the three vehicles compromise a small fraction of the automotive industry and are overwhelmingly in California. Ben Xiong, the Communications Specialist at California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) in West Sacramento, California, discusses the hydrogen vehicle industry on this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia report on the progress of the hydrogen car and truck industry, the public’s perception of hydrogen fuel and the availability of hydrogen refueling stations. “My main passion, really, is reacting with people via public website and social media about

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#177, Author details Indy car racing and its money-grab

A long-time battle between racing organizations could have destroyed Indy Car Racing. It’s unlikely anyone has as much intimate knowledge of the chaos, anger, resentment and money-grab than John Oreovicz. With the Indianapolis 500 on the not-too-distant horizon, Oreovicz, author of the new book Indy Split, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss with Oreovicz the money battle between the competing organizations and the men who sought to control the sport. A long-time motorsports reporter, Oreovicz began attending the Indianapolis 500 as a teenager in the late ‘70s. It allowed him to witness the sport’s growth as an avid fan before documenting its decline as a journalist. “My growing interest

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#178, Nvidia expanding the future of autonomous vehicles now

Nvidia, an American multinational technology company based in Santa Clara, California, began in 1993. It originally designed graphics processing units (GPU) for gaming, professional markets and mobile computing. Since 2014, Nvidia has diversified its business, focusing on three markets: gaming, automotive electronics and mobile devices. Danny Shapiro, Senior Director, Automotive, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Shapiro the ever-evolving status of autonomous driving. The Nvidia GPU (GTC) annual event in San Jose was a virtual event this year. It was held April 12-16 with an “After Party” set for April 19-23. Conference sessions are also available on demand. Nvidia: Expanding Autonomous Vehicles The GTC (Global Technology Conference) features

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#176, RVTravel.com expands, adds weekly podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:33 — 39.2MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | More RVTravel.com is the country’s pre-eminent recreational vehicle website. It reports on every conceivable component of tthe ever-expanding industry. It has expert text and video, twice-weekly newsletters, daily tips, a huge social media presence and a forum. Its new feature is a weekly podcast. Scott Linden, a long-time television and radio broadcaster and an avid RVer, is the host of the podcast which debuted in early April. Linden our guest on episode #176 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss with Scott the back story of how he started the podcast via his friendship with Chuck Woodbury, the publisher of

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#175, 2021 LA Auto Show virtual media preview

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:42 — 64.1MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | More After a postponement and cancellation because of the COVID-19 pandemic, LA AutoMobility and the LA Auto Show will be back later this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Collectively, the automotive industry can’t wait. Plenty of other auto shows didn’t occur last year and won’t until later this year. But organizers of the Los Angeles show, the first major industry event of the season, decided to offer a glimpse into the future. A virtual media gathering with representatives from many carmakers was recently held, and The Weekly Driver Podcast was part of it. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia listened to several

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#174, iseecars.com: Ford tops new, used 2020 sales

Karl Brauer has an extensive history in the automotive industry, including his current position as the executive analyst for iseecars.com. The website, an automotive research firm and data-driven car search engine, helps shoppers find the right car at the right price. It also develops and shares powerful studies and market analyses that have been featured in over 2,000 media outlets. Brauer is our guest on this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. iseecars.com is a top auto search engine Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Brauer several areas of the automotive industry, including the research firm’s recent study on top-selling new and used cars for 2020. It’s no surprise the Ford F-150 leads both categories. The enduring

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#172, Tiger Woods, Rolls-Royce, New Corvette C8 book

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:08 — 34.5MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreThere’s always a lot happening in the auto industry. But it’s been a particularly wild ride lately. Tiger Woods crashed a new 2021 Genesis GV70. I test drove a 2022 Rolls-Royce Ghost for four days. And a new coffee table-sized book on the new mid-engine Corvette C8 has been published. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss the three topics and more on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Woods sustained multiple leg injuries early February 23 when he was involved in a single-car accident in Los Angeles County. The accident continued the golf icon’s years of misfortune while driving. After removing Woods

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#171, Liz Carmichael: car fraud, transgender, anti-hero

“The Lady and the Dale” tells the little-known story of Liz Carmichael in the 1970s. Carmichael rose to prominence when she released a fuel-efficient, three-wheeled vehicle while being responsible for one of the biggest auto scams in history. Nick Cammilleri, the creator, writer, director and co-producer of the four-part docu-series now showing on HBO Max, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Cammilleri about his 10-year project making the series, his relationship with Carmichael’s family and the twists and turns of the film’s unique circumstances. Born Geraldine Elizabeth “Liz” Carmichael in 1927, the American automobile executive and a convicted fraud, was married four times. She was born Jerry

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#170, WeatherTech Raceway ready for racing

Just like any business relying on visitors, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca had it tough during 2020. Events were rescheduled and canceled. But management did its best to offer recreation opportunities when it could. One unheralded but important track use is the facility’s access to non-competitive racing clubs and performance driving programs. Members rent or bring their vehicle to the racetrack and experience the famous layout. Barry Toepke, the director of heritage racing at the WeatherTech Raceway, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Toepke the upcoming 2021 season and the varied competitive events on the horizon. WeatherTech Raceway: Improve Your Driving But we also talk about programs available

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