Drive Thru News #72 - When is Technology too much Tech?

In this episode of Formula Fanatics, we banter about Lance Stroll’s DNFs and near-record Q1 eliminations, and discuss Charles Leclerc reaffirming his Ferrari commitment, credited to Fred Vasseur. We debate whether Lewis Hamilton can win the title or Max Verstappen is more likely to win his next championship than Hamilton, while criticizing team pit strategy and praising George Russell’s tire longevity. Race recaps cover a DNF-heavy, boring Dutch GP and an exciting Monza where Kimi Antonelli charges from the back and extends his points lead, while Verstappen features prominently. We pan to the Madrid street-style circuit as a near-parade where Antonelli wins and Hamilton retires early, note the 2027 schedule adds Portugal and replaces Catalunya with Madrid, mention Verstappen’s dominant kart race publicity stunt, Hamilton’s car-collection sale and F40, a Gilles Villeneuve documentary, Jamie Chadwick’s F1 test, and make Azerbaijan podium predictions. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 The No Homework Recap 01:00 Stroll Stats Roast 01:54 Why Leclerc Stayed at Ferrari 02:39 Hamilton vs Verstappen Championship Debate 04:46 Strategy, Tires and Team Orders 08:03 Dutch GP Breakdown 09:38 Monza Chaos and Kimi Charge to the Front 15:11 Madrid Ring - Street Circuit Reality Check 17:55 2027 Calendar Shakeup 18:29 Verstappen Karting Blitz 20:05 Hamilton Sells the Fleet for an F40 21:14 Gilles Villeneuve Film Preview 22:12 Jamie Chadwick and Women in F1 / Superlicense Debate 27:18 Azerbaijan Predictions and Wrap ==================== Formula Fanatics, is the high-octane sub-series of Break/Fix Podcast’s Drive Thru Motorsports News! This is your pit stop for all things Formula 1 — from breaking headlines and race recaps to insider analysis and paddock buzz. The Motoring Podcast Network : Years of racing, wrenching and Motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge, stories and information. #everyonehasastory #gtmbreakfix - motoringpodcast.net More Information: https://www.motoringpodcast.net/ Become a VIP at: https://www.patreon.com/gtmotorsports Online Magazine: https://www.gtmotorsports.org/

Break/Fix’s Drive Thru News returns with banter about Brad’s right-shoulder surgery and a broader discussion on when car tech becomes too much, sparked by Tesla giving Grok AI control of vehicle settings. A Pacifica check-engine light leads to complaints about opaque diagnostic codes, printed manuals, and expensive infotainment upgrades like a $2,000 Uconnect swap. The hosts connect soaring diesel prices to data centers that rely on massive diesel backup generators, then criticize VW/Audi trends such as in-car game subscriptions, an EV “GTI,” factory closures, SEAT’s discontinuation, ugly new designs, and “quattro ultra” complexity. They touch on rumors of a 300-hp AWD Mazdaspeed3, evaluate Kia’s K4 hatchback power figures, discuss Chinese EVs, and note car-buying advice generated by ChatGPT favoring a Mazda CX-50. The episode also covers Cybertruck defects, TV viewing, new automotive books/films, collectibles, Florida-man driving stories, IROC and IndyCar notes, sim-racing updates, Lemons prep, site updates, and network announcements. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00:00 Brad's Shoulder Surgery & Anesthesia Car Dreams 00:03:54 When Tech Goes Too Far 00:06:20 Why Cars Hide Diagnostics: The Pacifica's Mystery Code 00:13:34 Data Centers Burn Diesel? 00:20:13 VW In-Car Games, Why? 00:28:17 Electric GTI Controversy 00:31:55 We ask AI to redesign the Corrado 00:34:48 Audi Design and "Quattro Ultra" 00:41:06 "Peak Car" 2004 Debate 00:43:23 DSG Tech Gone Wrong, Speed Limits & GPS Lockouts 00:46:47 Mark 4 Golf is the G.O.A.T. 00:48:57 AI Mitsubishi Starion GSR Dreams 00:52:38 Mazdaspeed3 Rumor Mill 00:54:16 Kia K4 Power Reality Check 01:02:05 Chinese EVs and Renault Concepts 01:03:55 ChatGPT Car Shopping Story: What Would You Buy? 01:12:46 The Horsepower Perspective Check: Torque Versus Feel 01:19:27 Cybertruck Warranty Drama 01:20:08 New Grand Tour Review 01:22:43 New Books and Documentaries 01:25:41 Rich People Gift Picks 01:31:00 Florida Man Roundup 01:40:52 Motorsport Headlines 01:43:12 Sim Racing Updates 01:48:18 GTM Trackside Report 01:51:34 Shoutouts, Sponsor Credits, and Outro ==================== The Motoring Podcast Network : Years of racing, wrenching and Motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge, stories and information. #everyonehasastory #gtmbreakfix - motoringpodcast.net More Information: Visit Our Website Become a VIP at: Patreon Online Magazine: Gran Touring Follow us on Social: Instagram

Automotive History Live marks Pontiac’s 100th anniversary with Tim Dye tracing the brand from Edward Murphy’s 1893 Pontiac Buggy Company to the 1907 Oakland Motor Car Company and GM’s purchase after Murphy’s 1909 death. He covers Oakland’s 1924 quick-drying paint and early four-wheel brakes, GM’s “car for every purse and purpose,” and Pontiac’s 1926 debut at $825, record 76,742 first-year sales, and rapid expansion into the "Daylight Plant." Dye highlights key eras including the end of Oakland in 1931, wartime production, and Pontiac’s performance transformation under Bunkie Knudsen, Pete Estes, and John DeLorean—racing wins, Wide Track, Tempest innovations, the GTO, OHC six, Firebird, and the Endura bumper—plus influential advertising and design. He recounts Pontiac’s final years, the last Pontiac built (a white 2009 G6), and how he tracked it down, alongside museum and convention milestones. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Buggy Company Origins 02:14 Chief Pontiac Namesake 03:16 Oakland Becomes Automaker 04:54 1924 Innovations Tour 06:11 GM Ladder and Pontiac Launch 08:30 First Pontiac Stories 10:49 Myths and Promoters 14:03 "Daylight Plant" Expansion 14:37 Depression and Oakland Ends 15:41 War Work and Reinvention 17:45 Wide Track and Tempest Tech 20:39 Racing Dominance to GTO 23:39 The DeLorean Era Innovations 27:36 Design Ads and Leadership 30:10 World Tour and Final Home Plant 31:37 Last Pontiac Hunt 33:44 Museum and Centennial Wrap 34:42 Sponsors and Closing Credits ==================== The Motoring Podcast Network : Years of racing, wrenching and Motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge, stories and information. #everyonehasastory #gtmbreakfix - motoringpodcast.net More Information: Visit Our Website Become a VIP at: Patreon Online Magazine: Gran Touring Follow us on Social: Instagram This episode is part of our AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY LIVE! SERIES and is sponsored in part by: The Studebaker National Museum and The Society of Automotive Historians (SAH) and was recorded in front of a live studio audience.

In this Evening With A Legend session, Michael Keyser—driver, filmmaker, and author—recounts his path from photographing Le Mans in 1970–71 to racing there as a privateer, while also filming material that became The Speed Merchants. He describes shooting in heavy rain, pit-lane life, encounters around Porsche and Ferrari teams, and early experiences with danger, including Piers Courage’s fatal crash at Zandvoort. Keyser details his 1972 Le Mans in a 2.5L Porsche 911 ST with Jürgen Barth and Sylvain Garant, finishing 13th and winning the GT 2.5 class as the only 911 to finish, plus a similar Porsche Curves off in 1974 with an RSR and a 1976 Le Mans attempt in a Monza ended by drivetrain failure. He explains where his footage went, how The Speed Merchants was released and is still available on DVD via autosportsltd.com, and shares opinions on modern Le Mans and why he doesn’t plan to return. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Meet Michael Keyser 02:01 First Le Mans As Photographer 06:13 Rainy Night And Piper Crash 08:16 Lost Keys And Track Roaming 11:16 1971 Return And Changing Paddock 13:01 From SCCA To FIA License 14:02 Watkins Glen Shunt 15:22 New 911 ST And Film Crew 17:56 European Races: Targa Florio To Nürburgring 22:02 Arriving At Le Mans 1972 23:48 Racing in Night Fog and Bonnier Crash 28:23 Porsche Curves Mistake 29:26 Finishing 1972 Le Mans: Only 911 To Finish 31:18 Filming Speed Merchants 33:43 1974 Armco Repeat 38:25 Why The Monza (1976) 41:22 Monza Shakedown Chaos: Tires Off The Rims! 47:12 Where The Films Are Now 49:07 Modern Le Mans Thoughts 50:06 Lessons And Legacy 53:13 Closing Thanks And Sponsors ==================== The Motoring Podcast Network : Years of racing, wrenching and Motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge, stories and information. #everyonehasastory #gtmbreakfix - motoringpodcast.net More Information: Visit Our Website Become a VIP at: Patreon Online Magazine: Gran Touring Follow us on Social: Instagram To learn more about or to become a member of the ACO USA, look no further than www.lemans.org, Click on English in the upper right corner and then click on the ACO members tab for Club Offers. Once you become a Member you can follow all the action on the Facebook group ACOUSAMembersClub; and become part of the Legend with future Evening With A Legend meet ups.

This episode features Quinn Beekwilder, assistant professor and coordinator of Belmont Abbey College’s Motorsport Management program, who shares his path from a political science degree and real estate to graduating from the program, working a decade at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and returning to teach. He recaps the program’s origins with Belmont resident and Charlotte Motor Speedway leader Humpy Wheeler, created to reduce industry turnover by preparing students for motorsport’s demanding realities. Once NASCAR-centric, the curriculum now spans global disciplines, emphasizes motorsport history, and requires multiple internships and experiential trips (Rolex 24, IndyCar St. Petersburg, World of Outlaws, PRI). Belmont Abbey has grown to 60+ undergraduates, launched the nation’s first fully online M.A. in Motorsport Management with 20+ first-semester students, started the Accelerate Abbey high school summer camp, and received Colonel Donald Capps’ motorsport collection for its library. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Meet Quinn Beekwilder 01:25 Quinn’s Career Path 02:16 Why Motorsport Education? 03:32 Program Origins with Humpy Wheeler 05:26 Degree Growth and Expansion 06:27 Broadening Beyond NASCAR 07:58 Teaching History and Context 09:40 First Masters of Arts in Motorsport Management 11:47 "Accelerate Abbey" Summer Camp 13:13 Don Capps Collection Donation 14:31 Alumni Network in Action 16:42 Experiential Trips and Internships 19:10 Building the Full Ecosystem 20:02 What’s Next and Thanks ==================== The Motoring Podcast Network : Years of racing, wrenching and Motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge, stories and information. #everyonehasastory #gtmbreakfix - motoringpodcast.net More Information: Visit Our Website Become a VIP at: Patreon Online Magazine: Gran Touring Follow us on Social: Instagram This episode is part of our HISTORY OF MOTORSPORTS SERIES and is sponsored in part by: The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), The Society of Automotive Historians (SAH), The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Argetsinger Family - and was recorded in front of a live studio audience.

This episode of The Logbook, our History of Motorsports series, revisits a 2015 IMRRC “Syracuse Mile: A Look Back” program celebrating the New York State Fairgrounds’ famed dirt oval, the “Moody Mile,” after its final season. Moderators Joe Marotta and Gary Montgomery lead a driver panel with Wes Moody, Glen Donnelly, Alan Johnson, Gary Tompkins, Danny Kapuschinski, Johnny Birosh, and Mel Lane, sharing stories of record-speed laps, unique innovations like the Gary Ballou car, wide-open sprint car runs, pit strategy, crashes, and the culture of Super Dirt Week. Donnelly recounts launching Super Dirt Week in 1972, weather battles, and future plans for new facilities and track surfaces. Historian Dr. Gary George traces the track’s history from early 1900s auto races and AAA/USAC champ cars through stock cars, special events, and tragedies, underscoring the Syracuse Mile’s legacy and irreplaceable significance. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00:00 Moody Mile Tribute 00:01:52 Welcome and Introductions, Meet the Panel 00:06:15 Wes Moody 100 MPH Lap 00:10:45 How Super Dirt Week Began 00:15:05 Donnelly Vision and Grit 00:17:18 Danny K First Time Magic 00:21:35 Birosh Sprint vs Modified 00:26:08 Tompkins Racing Memories 00:35:21 Mel Lane Two Car Perspective 00:37:42 Sprint vs Modified Times 00:38:21 Knoxville vs Syracuse 00:39:11 Alan Johnson Takes Stage 00:40:05 Survival and Strategy, a Non-Qualifiers Comeback 00:44:48 Early Driving Myth 00:45:38 Turn One Crash Memory 00:47:29 Offseason Shop Grind, and "Syracuse-Only" Cars 00:52:04 Aero Tricks and Fords 00:53:58 1900 Letter Origins 00:54:55 Famous Cars 00:58:22 Future Track Vision 01:00:49 Unsung Heroes and Jackets 01:03:07 Afternoon Session Setup, Joe Marotta Childhood Memories 01:10:55 Dr. Gary George History Slides 01:14:22 War Pauses Racing; Roaring Twenties Motorcars 01:21:36 Postwar Return 1949 01:22:12 Fifties IndyCar Glory 01:24:05 Date Changes, the 1974 Crash and Stock Cars Take Over 01:27:39 Women And Early NASCAR 01:29:28 Innovation And Big Wrecks + First Night Racing 01:35:41 Salt City And USAC Disaster 01:37:29 Motorcycles, Trucks and Snowmobiles 01:41:11 Supermodifieds & Outlaws 01:44:58 4th of July Tragedy 01:48:07 Break And Thanks 01:48:38 Tom Thumb Autograph Story 01:51:03 Gary Tompkins Takes Ride 02:01:25 Ballou Car Shockwave 02:05:51 Hochman Dirt Week Journey 02:18:02 Legacy Farewell Sponsors ==================== The Motoring Podcast Network : Years of racing, wrenching and Motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge, stories and information. #everyonehasastory #gtmbreakfix - motoringpodcast.net More Information: Visit Our Website Become a VIP at: Patreon Online Magazine: Gran Touring Follow us on Social: Instagram This episode is part of our HISTORY OF MOTORSPORTS SERIES and is sponsored in part by: The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), The Society of Automotive Historians (SAH), The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Argetsinger Family - and was recorded in front of a live studio audience.

Recorded live at the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen, Joe Marotta and Kip Zeiter preview a day-long retrospective celebrating the history of Syracuse’s “Moody Mile” after the track’s final race, emphasizing celebration over politics with driver roundtables, slides, and video. Historian Dr. Gary George discusses his lifelong racing passion, early visits to Syracuse dating to 1949, and a presentation built with fellow historians Jeff Ackerman and Mike Maney, including video starting with the 1972 race. Guests recount memories such as the naming of the “Moody Mile” linked to a 1970 100-mph modified lap, snowmobile and motorcycle racing at the fairgrounds, and standout competitors like Gilles Villeneuve and Smokin’ Joe Frazier. Drivers Cal and Mel Lane share experiences, while champion Gary Tompkins reflects on key Syracuse runs and the Jim Beachy/Pillsbury era.  ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Pit Stop - Live at Watkins Glen! 00:58 Moody Mile Farewell 02:17 Meet Dr. Gary George 04:32 First Syracuse Mile Memories 05:33 Chris Economaki Stories 06:52 Building the History Presentation 08:12 Joe Cali and Racing Archives 09:59 How the Moody Mile Got Named 13:15 Drivers Cal and Mel Lane 15:29 World of Outlaws at the Mile 17:21 Secrets of Mastering the Mile 18:49 Motorcycles and Memories 19:34 Mel Retires and Rebuild Talk 20:08 Snowmobile Legends 21:44 Gary Tompkins Joins In 22:35 Mile Near Win and Strategy; 2002 Fuel Gamble to Second 24:27 How Gary Got the Ride 25:46 Championship Magic Season and Classy Banquet Stories 27:41 Landing National Sponsors 28:57 Gary’s 2015 Comeback Grind 31:10 Smokin’ Joe Frazier Tease 31:57 Preserving the Moody Mile 33:41 Sign Off and Sponsors ==================== The Motoring Podcast Network : Years of racing, wrenching and Motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge, stories and information. #everyonehasastory #gtmbreakfix - motoringpodcast.net More Information: Visit Our Website Become a VIP at: Patreon Online Magazine: Gran Touring Follow us on Social: Instagram This episode is part of our HISTORY OF MOTORSPORTS SERIES and is sponsored in part by: The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), The Society of Automotive Historians (SAH), The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Argetsinger Family - and was recorded in front of a live studio audience.

In this episode of The Ferrari Marketplace Podcast, host William Ross interviews Chris Miele of Prancing Horse of Nashville (Ferrari of Nashville) about his lifelong passion for Ferraris, from attending Ferrari Club of America Nationals as a kid in New Jersey to serving as a Marine scout sniper in Hawaii while obsessively reading car magazines. Miele explains how he entered the auto business through Mercedes-Benz, gained early Ferrari dealership experience in Hawaii, helped launch a New Jersey Ferrari dealership in 2004, and witnessed key model eras, calling the 360 a major game changer. He discusses how Ferrari options and tailor-made evolved, the importance of deep product knowledge and Ferrari Academy training, and how Nashville was chosen to fill a regional market gap. He outlines the dealership’s ownership group, unique atelier features, Classiche work, restoration and concours projects, events, storage services, and the strategy behind sourcing rare inventory. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Meet Chris Miele 01:06 Early Ferrari Spark 02:29 The Marine Corps Years 05:07 First Dealership Break 06:33 Building Ferrari NJ 09:42 Breaking Into Ferrari Sales 13:53 Options and Tailor Made Evolution 17:57 Classiche and Concours Projects 21:21 Chris' Detour to Rolls and Porsche 23:57 Launching Prancing Horse of Nashville 28:24 What's it like opening a Ferrari Dealer? 31:07 Ferrari Academy Training 32:24 Ownership Group Spotlight 33:33 Designing the Atelier Room 35:50 Sourcing Rare Inventory & Classiche Program Value 40:22 Italy Projects and Events 43:43 Collector Market Realities 48:07 Growth and Storage Business 50:23 Wrap Up and Sponsors ==================== The Motoring Podcast Network : Years of racing, wrenching and Motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge, stories and information. #everyonehasastory #gtmbreakfix - motoringpodcast.net More Information: Visit Our Website Become a VIP at: Patreon Online Magazine: Gran Touring Follow us on Social: Instagram On Ferrari Friday's, William Ross from the Exotic Car Marketplace will be discussing all things Ferrari and interviewing people that live and breathe the Ferrari brand. Topics range from road cars to racing; drivers to owners, as well as auctions, private sales and trends in the collector market. Copyright William Ross, Exotic Car Marketplace a division of Sixty5 Motorsports. This episode is part of our Motoring Podcast Network and has been republished with permission.

Motoring historian Jon Summers records a monologue from Highway 40 in New Mexico about long-haul trucking, sparked by a former FBI agent’s book claiming many truckers are serial killers; Jon argues the job’s transience and past lack of surveillance could enable predators, while stressing most truckers are not killers. He links truck-stop culture with prostitution/sex trafficking and discusses how CCTV and truck monitoring change risks today. He also describes the alienation of American rest stops, grueling hours, energy-drink dependence, dangerous speed differentials, and how trucking’s distances strain family life. Exploring his fascination with big rigs, especially Freightliner and Volvo dominance due to fleet support networks and aerodynamics, while Kenworth/Peterbilt serve owner-operators and Mack fills niches. Jon considers buying a truck, CDL requirements, owner-operator “indentured servitude,” pay claims, high turnover, and predicts autonomous trucks will end the era of piloted over-the-road hauling. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Trucker Serial Killer Claim 03:00 Transience and Truck Stops 05:13 Sex Trafficking Connection 07:24 Love's and Driver Fatigue 11:01 Freightliner Obsession 17:47 Why Fleets Choose Volvo? 20:04 Autonomous Truck Future 22:21 Buying a Used Rig 26:19 Pay Rates and Turnover 29:34 The Owner/Operator Trap 32:11 City Driving, Wrap Up and Network Credits ==================== The Motoring Podcast Network : Years of racing, wrenching and Motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge, stories and information. #everyonehasastory #gtmbreakfix - motoringpodcast.net More Information: Visit Our Website Become a VIP at: Patreon Online Magazine: Gran Touring Follow us on Social: Instagram Jon Summers is the Motoring Historian. He was a company car thrashing technology sales rep that turned into a fairly inept sports bike rider. On his show he gets together with various co-hosts to talk about new and old cars, driving, motorbikes, motor racing, motoring travel. Copyright Jon Summers, The Motoring Historian. This content is also available via jonsummers.net. This episode is part of the Motoring Podcast Network and has been republished with permission.

This episode of The Logbook, our History of Motorsports Series features Arthur Carlson, Director of Archives and Research Operations at the Revs Institute, outlining a major expansion in automotive archival preservation and access. He describes Revs’ new, highly secure Archives and Research Center in Naples, Florida; the scale of its holdings (including the Revs Digital Library’s ~724,000 photos, plus extensive books, periodicals, film, audio, art, and automobilia); and plans for a high-end digitization lab and modular researcher workspace. Carlson explains partnerships using AI and machine learning for car and facial recognition to generate richer metadata across hundreds of thousands of images, plus an oral history initiative with the University of Kentucky leveraging transcription, translation, and linked data. He also details renewed digitization uploads, new acquisitions, returning internships, and a proposed consortium (“G.A.R.A.G.E.”) to create shared discovery and digitization standards across institutions. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Arthur Carlson, Introduction 01:43 Revs Library Origins 02:49 New Archives Facility 04:24 Digitization and Access 05:23 AI Car Recognition 08:26 Face Recognition Finds 10:15 Oral History Initiative 13:17 New Collections 15:19 "G.A.R.A.G.E." Consortium Vision 18:07 Audience Q&A 25:02 Closing Thanks and Sponsors ==================== The Motoring Podcast Network : Years of racing, wrenching and Motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge, stories and information. #everyonehasastory #gtmbreakfix - motoringpodcast.net More Information: Visit Our Website Become a VIP at: Patreon Online Magazine: Gran Touring Follow us on Social: Instagram This episode is part of our HISTORY OF MOTORSPORTS SERIES and is sponsored in part by: The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), The Society of Automotive Historians (SAH), The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Argetsinger Family - and was recorded in front of a live studio audience.