Celebrating the History of the Syracuse "Moody Mile"

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.

Formula Fanatics #9 covers rumors that Mercedes’ onboard AI mislearned George Russell’s energy deployment, contributing to issues like his anti-stall start in Budapest. We discuss the 2026 calendar changes, including Barcelona potentially rotating with Spa while Madrid becomes the Spanish GP, and debate why classic venues like Germany and France aren’t prioritized; Hockenheim’s possible return is linked to a $250M rehab. We recap a pit-stop-heavy Hungarian GP where Lando Norris takes his first win of the year ahead of Verstappen, Antonelli, Leclerc, and Hamilton; Russell recovers to seventh, Audi scores points again, and Aston’s upgrades yield 13th/14th. After criticizing Lance Stroll, we question Audi and Cadillac’s long-term competitiveness, touch on wing/DRS-style activation, discuss benign silly-season notes (Alonso extension talk, multiple driver engagements/marriage, contract renewals), a Formula E viewing, and look ahead to Zandvoort and race-cancellation minimums. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Mercedes AI troubles? 02:35 F1 Calendar Shakeups ... Spa Rotation Bombshell! 05:01 Budapest "The Race of many Pit Stops" 05:45 Why is Stroll still in F1? 07:35 Tech Talk: Active Wings 08:43 Lando Wins! 11:37 Audi's Points and Big Claims 14:34 Cadillac's future in F1 18:57 Audi Underperforming Debate 19:48 Driver Market Rumors 20:56 Trying Formula-E 23:45 More "Silly Season" Headlines & Rumors 24:21 F1 Pasta Salad 25:20 Engagements and Weddings 26:50 Contracts and Title Hopes 28:36 Dutch GP Foreshadowing 29:15 End of Season Schedule Uncertainty and FIA Rules 31:25 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/

Break/Fix’s Drive Thru News #71 debates whether car culture is dying, citing fewer young drivers, cars becoming appliance-like (EVs, driver aids, subscriptions), the decline of manuals, and a “sweet spot” around 2008 for tech that didn’t interfere with driving; we also discuss parts scarcity for older cars and concerns about increasing regulation and tracking. Headlines include Ford’s rumored Mach-4 sedan and naming controversies, Honda pausing manual Civic Si/Integra for emissions certification, Ferrari’s polarizing "Luce" meeting sales targets via a $40M charity auction, a luxury/hypercar market slump, Volkswagen transmission reset quirks and rumored lineup cuts, Stellantis’ Charger Sixpack branding, Maserati wanting V8/manuals despite weak demand, GM’s CEO gets a dig on its oversized vehicles, a $64K limited GR Corolla, Subaru app-based remote start fees, and upcoming cars like the Rivian R3X and VW-owned Scout. Other segments cover lost-and-found car oddities, dealership misconduct, viral driving fails, and a trackside update: their endurance race car runs again, aiming for Summit Point and possibly Road Atlanta, while Brad faces upcoming surgery. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00:00 Is Car Culture Dead? 00:04:11 The "Flip Phone" Epiphany and the Collector Market Wealth Shift 00:10:07 Low Tech Sweet Spot, 2008? 00:15:16 Mustang Mach-4 Debate 00:17:42 More Manuals On The Chopping Block 00:21:13 Ferrari Luce $40 million sale? 00:25:49 Luxury Market Confusion 00:27:49 What Is OEM Plus? 00:34:49 Oh Volkswagen... 00:39:14 Bugatti Bolide on Steroids, aka Destrier 00:41:16 Dodge Charger Sixpack? 00:46:02 Maserati Wants a V8 Back 00:51:33 GM vs Kei Cars 00:53:12 GR Corolla Price Shock 00:55:04 Subaru Remote Start Fees 00:59:21 2026-2030: The Cars Worth Waiting For? 01:02:43 Scout Skepticism 01:04:43 Lost And Found 01:10:05 Dealer Parts Cannibalism 01:12:29 Rear Wiper Delete Fail, Jawn 01:15:39 Hot Wheels Storage Racks 01:17:25 Lego Subaru Rally Car 01:18:23 Florida Man! 01:23:42 Days Of Thunder 2 Rumors 01:27:17 DC "American 250" Street Race Preview 01:29:05 Trackside Report: The Focus Fix! 01:33:01 Wrap Up, Sponsor Plugs and Post Outro Banter ==================== 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 History of Motorsports episode features Skip McGoun, emeritus finance professor at Bucknell University, comparing Grand Opera and Formula One Grands Prix as expensive spectacles that persist because they serve social functions beyond entertainment: creating a “there there” (brand identity for places) and providing venues to “see and be seen.” McGoun traces opera’s shift from royal courts to civic opera houses used to signal wealth and cultural sophistication, noting architectural features designed for social display. He argues F1 has similarly become an internationally recognized marker of wealth and technological sophistication, increasingly used by countries—especially from Hungary (1986) and Malaysia (1999) onward—for global rebranding, and he points to luxury/fashion and technology sponsorships as evidence of elite audiences. He closes by asking whether F1 has reached “peak Formula 1,” paralleling opera’s post-peak contraction, followed by audience discussion on rebranding, economics, and media change. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Introduction: Opera to Grand Prix 01:39 Images and Stereotypes 03:54 Two Shared Similarities 06:20 "There-There" Explained 07:50 Opera Origins and Civic Pride 10:44 Modern Opera Branding & Social Theater 15:27 Opera Spectacle Locations 17:03 Grand Prix as Status Symbol 17:43 F1 Expansion Timeline 22:07 Rebranding Nations with F1 26:08 "They're-There" at the Track 27:52 Luxury Sponsorship Mechanics - Sportswear vs High Fashion 31:25 Peak Era? and Tech Shift - The So What? 35:14 Opera Today Still Alive 38:02 Audience Q&A 47:12 Wrap Up, 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.

This episode is a live Motoring Podcast Network panel from Automotive History Live explores why the Bianco Speciale—Ferrari 250 GTO chassis 3729 GT, the only factory-white GTO and one of eight right-hand-drive cars—stands apart through provenance, racing history, engineering influence, and market impact. Crew Chief Eric, William Ross, and motoring historian Jon Summers recount how the car came to MECUM Kissimmee via Prancing Horse of Nashville and discuss John Coombs’ British club-racing use, including period modifications that influenced later GTO development and claims it was studied at Jaguar to aid the lightweight E-Type. They cover notable drivers and owners (including Graham Hill, Roy Salvadori, Jack Sears, John Shirley, and current owner David Lee), the car’s evolving configuration and recast engine while retaining the original, debates over its distinctive white livery, and how GTO values and buyer tastes are shifting amid modern auction surprises. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Panel Introductions 00:52 Bianco Speciale Overview 01:58 How the Auction Happened 03:37 John Coombs Backstory 06:04 Jaguar Reverse Engineering 08:46 What Makes It Unique 14:50 The Mystery of Coombs White 19:31 Racing Pedigree and Drivers 23:36 Archival Racing Photos: Spotting GTO Evolution  26:26 The Hidden Driver Revealed: David Hobbs and Jaguar Link 29:50 Exclusive Owners Club and Famous Names 33:09 Private Sales And Price Range 36:10 Mecum Auction Outcome 39:05 Hot Wheels Immortalization 39:51 Modern Values Inflection Point 42:58 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 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, drives between Fort Wayne and Indianapolis on a museum tour, focusing on the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum housed in the remaining Auburn factory. He frames museums as “a bunch of stuff” versus curated stories, then seeks the Duesenberg creation myth, especially the engineering behind the Model J. He recounts Duesenberg history: self-taught brothers Fred and Augie from bicycles and racing; the Model A’s four-wheel hydraulic brakes and inline eight; WWI aero-engine work including a V16; and E.L. Cord buying the company, keeping Fred as chief engineer, and commissioning the Model J, with styling contributions from Leaming. He praises the car quantity, Auburn evolution exhibits, hood ornaments, and Buehrig clay-modeling offices, but criticizes crowded displays, awkward mannequins, and intrusive volunteer “gallery hosting,” comparing lessons to the Studebaker Museum and Indiana’s component-based auto industry. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 The Road Trip Museum Quest 01:08 What Makes a Museum? 02:37 ACD Origins and Myth, and Why Duesenberg Mattered 05:23 Showroom Vibes and Ornaments 06:42 Model J Design and Craft 09:19 Auburn Roots and Studebaker Link 09:58 Is the Museum Any Good? 12:07 Duesenberg Tech Breakthroughs 13:45 Did the Story Land? 20:21 Lifestyle Ads and Model J Styling 23:26 Docents and Interrupted Viewing 29:50 Studebaker Wagon Creation Myth 34:56 Indiana vs Detroit Making Cars 38:51 Baseball Hall of Fame Parallel 41:09 How to Curate the Magic: Storytelling vs Visual Aids 44:34 Credits and Network 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.