Formula Fanatics #11 - Pit Stops & Pole Positions from Baku to Bahrain

Automotive History Live hosts Colin Clark and Len Johnson from the Ian Fleming Foundation about preserving, restoring, and exhibiting authentic screen-used James Bond vehicles. They recount the foundation’s origins with the $3,000 purchase and restoration of the Neptune submarine from For Your Eyes Only, which gained attention via a People Magazine story and led to tips about other vehicles. Colin and Len explain how they authenticate vehicles using VINs, build sheets, provenance, film-scene matching, and producer verification, and describe challenging restorations such as the damaged film fire truck and the Lockheed Jetstar from Goldfinger. The collection totals about 40 vehicles and tours museums via loans to fund upkeep, while the foundation’s broader mission promotes Ian Fleming through scholarships and teen literacy grants and aims for a permanent museum. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Bond Cars Legacy 01:51 Neptune Submarine Origins 03:11 People Magazine Breakthrough 04:32 Authenticating On-Screen Cars 07:41 Restoration War Stories 12:14 The Lost Goldfinger Aston-Martin DB5 14:13 Gadgets And Modifications 15:14 Ian Fleming Foundation Collection Highlights 16:55 The "Wet Bike" (Jet Ski) First Appears in Bond Film 18:42 Mission and Museum Dream 20:26 Bond In The Modern Era 27:24 What Car is Next? 32:54 Collecting the Fleet 36:57 Goldfinger Jetstar Rescue 40:37 Dream Bond Vehicle Wishlist 42:44 Where to See Them 47:01 Moving Museum Logistics 48:48 Join the Ian Fleming Foundation and Support 50:56 Future Foundation Vision 51:37 Thanks and Wrap-Up ==================== 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.

Andrew Beckman of the Studebaker National Museum recounts how Studebaker’s New Carlisle, Indiana Proving Ground—opened in 1926 with a three-mile high-speed oval—unexpectedly hosted major Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) gatherings from 1950–1953, enabled largely through sports-car-enthusiast designers tied to Raymond Loewy Associates. Using archives and period coverage, he highlights the cars, personalities, results, and humorous race “shenanigans,” including appearances by Jim Kimberly’s early Ferrari, Jaguars, specials, and Studebaker-linked hybrids, plus growing attendance before the events ended amid Studebaker’s financial struggles. The talk then shifts to Sherwood Egbert’s 1961 push for a new sports car, leading to the Loewy-designed Avanti and Andy Granatelli’s Paxton-engineered performance program. Studebaker’s Bonneville efforts set 29 USAC records in 1962 and 72 more in 1963, spawned Super Lark/Hawk packages, narrowly missed 200 mph with the Avanti “Due Cento,” and ultimately ended as South Bend production shut down, though a Studebaker Avanti finally exceeded 200 mph in 1993. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Studebaker Performance 01:30 New Carlisle Surprise Meet 03:09 Inside The Proving Grounds 07:49 Designers And Their Cars, Exotics and Oddballs 15:19 Racing Format And Results 17:59 More Meets 1951 the Final 1953 Event Fallout 24:05 The Unbuilt Sports Car 25:10 Selling Sporty Studebakers 28:35 Avanti Built to go Fast! 33:00 Bonneville Record Run 36:44 Super Larks And Hawks 40:10 Chasing Two Hundred Miles per Hours 40:58 Studebakers Legacy 43:33 Audience Q & A and wrap-up ==================== 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 Formula Fanatics recaps three 2026 races with heavy commentary on boring street circuits, safety car rules, and car software dependence. In Azerbaijan (Baku), Audi starts at the back after upgrades, Kimi recovers from 16th, Stroll retires on lap 9, multiple yellows slow the race, and it finishes under caution with George Russell winning from pole by a tenth over Verstappen, followed by Hadjar; Leclerc is fourth and Kimi fifth, while Bottas’ crash sparks discussion of software-controlled drivetrains. The Bahrain GP in Malaysia is rain-delayed and red-flagged on the formation lap due to a wet-mode software limp issue; strategy chaos follows, including Hamilton starting on slicks, Perez pitting six times, and a finish of Verstappen, Kimi, and Hamilton. Singapore features rain delays, the final sprint of the season, Russell crashing in the sprint and starting last for the race, Stroll retiring again, and Verstappen winning ahead of Leclerc and Kimi, with discussion of Mercedes/Russell-Kimi fan drama and Kimi’s likely title run-in. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Lance Stroll Roast! 01:30 Google Gemini F1Report Teasers 02:13 Azerbaijan (Baku) Race 04:09 Stroll + Aston Debate 06:48 Boring Race Broadcast 08:59 Safety Car Rules Rant 11:10 Lewis Passing Torch to Kimi? 15:03 Baku Finish and Bottas Glitch 16:29 Why are You Hating on Audi? 19:11 Gemini's Baku Recap 20:24 Bahrain GP in Malaysia Recap 23:39 Sepang Returns: Rain Drama and Are Drivers Still Driving? 26:52 Hamilton Slicks Gamble 29:19 Chaos, Pits, and Perez 31:17 Safety Car + Lando Scare 32:24 Final Podium Recap; Stroll and Aston Points! 33:23 Toto Wolff responds to F1 Fans (and Haters alike) 34:53 Russell vs Kimi Driver Debate 39:39 F1 Futures 41:02 Singapore Sprint Confusion? 42:14 The future of F1 Technology: Windshields! 45:02 McLaren Crash Drama 47:12 Singapore Race Breakdown 51:14 Season Outlook And Predictions 54:43 Wrap Up And Sponsors ==================== 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/

Dear loyal Drive Thru News listener, if you were expecting another sarcastically filled news episode this month, you're in luck! *It's delayed* Because of our 24 Hours of LeMons racing attempt at Summit Point Raceway. We wanted to make sure that we cover all the racing action and some of the wrap-up topics for the tail end of the Drive Thru year. So stay tuned... Come back to this date as we replace this episode once we get it all recorded, edited, and in the can - as they say. But look forward to the next episode of Formula Fanatics on Thursday, and we'll see you next month for even more Drive Thru antics! ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00:00 A special Message from the Crew! ==================== 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 spotlights the true story of San Diego inventor Louis Mattar, who in 1952 drove a heavily customized 1947 Cadillac nonstop—wheels never stopping—from San Diego to New York City and back in six days, using on-the-move refueling and repairs, and amenities like a shower, kitchen, bar, communications gear, and a combined toilet/washing machine. Guest Heidi Lewis, author of the new picture book Louis Mattar’s Fabulous Car, explains how she discovered the car at the San Diego Automotive Museum, researched primary documents with Mattar’s family, and details Mattar’s self-taught ingenuity, including changing tires and brake pads while moving and coordinating police escorts before the interstate era. The episode also covers a second 1954 nonstop run from Anchorage to Mexico City, the car’s ongoing display in San Diego, and where to buy the $18.99 book. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Who is Louie Mattar? 03:36 Discovering the Car 06:33 SoCal DIY Genius 09:25 Tires and Brakes On The Go 11:33 Trailer Refueling Tactics 14:31 Speed Planning and Communications 17:01 Cost and World Records? 20:20 Toilet/Washer Shock 22:21 Mud, Laundry, and Showers 23:49 Inside the Rolling Lounge 24:49 Trailer Dinette Secrets 25:39 Breakdowns And No A/C 26:57 Lee Joins The Drive 28:28 Powering Gadgets Onboard 30:45 Mapping The Route East 33:01 Footage And TV Appearances 35:15 Heidi's Book Origins And Research 37:16 Lessons For Young Readers 39:11 Route 66 Road Trip Revival 42:23 Cadillac Heritage And Festivals 45:43 Where To Buy The Book 46:43 Final Thanks And Museum Visit 49:55 Sponsors And Sign Off ==================== 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.

The Motoring Historian, Jon Summers, travels through rural Oklahoma west of Oklahoma City while reflecting on the centenary of Route 66, designated in 1926 from Chicago and St. Louis to Santa Monica/Los Angeles. Driving on I-40 with old Route 66 running nearby, he describes surviving original stretches, the road’s many museums and roadside ephemera, and why so many buildings and towns along it declined after freeways bypassed them and as vehicles became more reliable, reducing the need for frequent service stops. He connects Route 66 mythology to pop culture like Pixar’s Cars, murals of 1960s–70s muscle cars, and a TV-era romance of cross-country travel tied to Hollywood dreams. He also notes evolving freeway infrastructure, a Tulsa routing mistake, and mixed feelings about Route 66 icons like Cadillac Ranch and its imitators. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Rolling Into Oklahoma 01:11 Route 66 Explained 02:08 The Road Still Exists 03:53 Museums and Roadside Life 05:07 Why Towns Died Off 07:42 Cannonballing, Murals Cars, and Romance 10:54 Hollywood Dreams Myth 12:23 How Bypasses Kill Towns 17:20 Cadillac Ranch And Copycats 19:28 Network 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 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 Automotive History Live! panel explores how American roads evolved from mostly dirt paths in the early 1900s into the Lincoln Highway, Route 66, and the Interstate Highway System. Moderator Bob Casey sets context on poor early road conditions and rising demand from motorists. Jeff Blair of the Indiana Lincoln Highway Association highlights Carl Fisher’s role, the highway’s 1913 coast-to-coast route, Indiana’s two alignments, notable landmarks and preserved sections (including the Ideal Section in Dyer), and today’s focus on signage, education, and tourism. John Weiss of the Illinois Route 66 Preservation Committee explains Route 66’s creation from connected paved segments, its 1926 designation, 1985 decommissioning, cultural fame, and preservation of places and stories, including the Whoopee Auto Coaster in Lyons, Illinois. Finally, Matt Anderson details Eisenhower’s Interstate System origins, numbering, completion in 1992, and current funding challenges tied to fuel taxes, tolls, and mileage-based options. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Welcome and Panel Intro 01:34 Why Roads Matter 03:10 Lincoln Highway Walkthrough 03:52 Carl Fisher and Origins 05:23 Indiana Highlights East 06:07 Fort Wayne to Ligonier 07:43 Goshen to South Bend 09:21 Rolling Prairie and Beyond 10:57 Ideal Section and Legacy 12:20 Eisenhower Caravan Link 12:57 Preservation Signs and Tourism 14:11 Audience Q & A 17:17 Route 66 Story Begins 17:57 Why Route 66 Is Famous 19:16 Four Minute Route 66 History 23:37 What Preservation Means and an Oddity Worth Saving 27:42 Audience Q & A 31:20 Interstate System Origins 33:51 Trust Fund and Fuel Tax 37:39 Funding Fixes Ahead 41:37 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 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.

Automotive History Live welcomes Barn Find Hunter and author Tom Cotter, who recounts driving a restored 1926 Ford Model T from Times Square to San Francisco largely along the Lincoln Highway, inspired by concerns that modern cars remove the act of driving. With co-driver Dave Coleman and photographer Michael Allen Ross, Cotter describes day-one challenges like no gas gauge, cold weather, and staying in period roadside lodgings, plus human-interest stops including the Flight 93 Memorial, quirky diners, historic Lincoln Highway sites, and encounters with local enthusiasts. The trip highlights evolving road routes, a brief, tense stretch on Wyoming’s I-80 among fast trucks, a visit to Bonneville’s wet salt flats where they helped tow out a stuck car, and Nevada’s “loneliest road.” They reached the western terminus, baptized the tires in the Pacific, and shipped the car home with sponsor help. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Welcome Tom Cotter 01:05 Why a Model T? 03:09 Lincoln Highway Origins 03:58 Times Square Sendoff, A Hudson River Baptism 07:04 Day One Road Lessons 10:58 Flight 93 Memorial 13:02 Teapot and Speed Trap 14:19 Early Auto History Ohio 15:32 Studebaker Museum Visit 16:26 VW Camper Night 17:38 Police Escort Out of South Bend 18:41 Unpaved Lincoln Highway 20:52 Iowa and American Pickers 23:31 Reed Nyland Corner 24:48 Boone Tractor Treasure 27:40 Speedy Bill Museum 28:37 McPherson College Tune Up 31:11 Wyoming Interstate Gauntlet 34:02 Bonneville Salt Rescue 37:29 Highway 50 Ghost Towns 38:48 Silver State Surprise 40:18 California Or Bust! 40:56 Donner Pass Hospitality 42:27 Golden Gate Finish 43:10 Audience Q & A, Sponsors And 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 Ferrari Friday episode of The Ferrari Marketplace podcast/vlog, William Ross interviews Chris Miele about the past year’s surging Ferrari collector market following major auctions from Kissimmee’s Mecum Bachman Collection through Monterey, citing record-setting results and continued momentum into Pebble Beach 2026. They discuss how unique color/spec, provenance, single ownership, documentation, and rarity (including manual gearboxes, numbered cars, and tailor-made/atelier builds) are now often valued even more than ultra-low mileage, driving major gains in models like the 360 Challenge Stradale, manual 360 Modena, 575/550 variants, and modern specials such as TDFs and 812 Competizione. Miele attributes demand to new wealth, lifestyle events, and increased market transparency, advises buyers to insist on thorough pre-purchase inspections amid online-sale risks, and shares his favorite Ferrari picks by decade, highlighting limited-production cars and the 550 Maranello as a daily driver. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 The 2026 Ferrari Marketplace! 01:23 Bachman Collection Boom 03:37 Specs Over Mileage 07:53 Dealers Factory Access 11:36 New Money Heatwave 14:05 Lifestyle Events Scene 15:53 Monterey Auction Takeaways 18:01 How Pros Bid 20:27 Modern Cars Surge 24:44 Tailor Made Premiums 29:54 Ferrari Customization Growth & Tailor Made Options 32:40 Resale And Brand Status 34:47 Why Buy Through Dealers? 36:23 Online Buying Risks 39:54 Pre-Purchase Inspections 41:46 Importing Euro Ferraris 46:05 Auction Timing And Hype 48:23 Federalized Car Stories 49:24 Dream Ferrari Picks 51:39 Why The 550 Maranello? 55:05 Dealership Culture And Trust 57:10 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.

Guest speaker and longtime journalist J.J. O’Malley recounts how Watkins Glen fell into “dark years” after financial and safety troubles culminated in the Grand Prix Association’s 1981 bankruptcy, the loss of Formula 1, event cancellations, foreclosure action by the Bank of New York, and a 1982 auction. He describes how SCCA Glen Region leaders formed the Green Flag Committee to find a new owner, and how Corning Glass executive Jim Reisbeck—after seeing Daytona’s economic impact—commissioned studies and began talks that led Corning Glass to form Corning Enterprises to revive the track. Partnering with International Speedway Corporation (20% ownership), they created Watkins Glen International, closed public roads through the circuit, removed the Scheckter Chicane, upgraded facilities, emphasized family-friendly safety and strong law enforcement, and relaunched major racing with IMSA/Camel GT, Trans-Am, and eventually NASCAR’s Budweiser at the Glen in 1986, followed by successful vintage reunions. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Watkins Glen on the Brink 01:19 JJ’s Racing Origins 04:37 First Trips to the Glen 07:50 Collapse and Bankruptcy 10:37 Foreclosure and Auction 12:15 Green Flag Committee Forms 14:24 Corning Discovers the Glen 18:23 Corning Makes Its Move 23:53 Rebuilding and New Leadership 32:02 Five Months to Race Day 38:27 Camel GT / Continental Series Returns 41:30 NASCAR Comes to Town 44:10 Vintage Revival and Festival 45:20 Q&A and Closing Thanks 45:58 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 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.