The Smoking Tire

This week Matt, Zack and myself catch up in studio on what we've been up to and ramble through whatever else comes to mind. Zack went drifting in his Crown Vic at Sonoma Raceway, we discuss the merits of full EV cars vs hybrids, Matt flogged a highly modified Saab 900 Turbo and updated on his Mustang and I installed a new Magnaflow catback on my Fiesta ST.

This week we welcome Richard Waitas of Magnaflow exhaust. Richard has an extensive background in engineering and worked his way up through the Magnaflow organization. With a lot of fabrication, development, testing and design time under his belt Richard debunked a lot of the myths behind exhaust designs. In addition we cover some concepts in tuning air fuel mixes, usage of nitrous oxide and Richard's mobile workshop...

This week we're joined by John Bothwell Commercial Director of Pur Sang Automotive of Argentina. Pur Sang builds what are referred to as "continuation cars" which basically amount to exact recreations of classic cars built entirely by hand. Some might dismiss Pur Sangs Bugattis as kit cars but you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between an original factory Bugatti and a Pur Sang continuation built in exactly the same manner as the original...

This week we're talking with comedian and noted podcaster Eddie Ifft (@eddieifft). We cover what is and is not appropriate behavior in middle-eastern monarchies, partying with $50 hookers, commandeering boats, the emergence of standup in the east, middle eastern toilets, sketchy amusement parks (Action Park) taxidermy and of course Eddie's new mobile podcast studio built in a short bus.

This week we're joined by Amy Lerner (@TeamLerner) driver for the Team Lerner Racing an off-road/adventure team. Amy (a chronic over-achiever) has jumped from wallstreet, to being a full-time mom only to end up as a prominent offroad driver in the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles. Amy tells the tale of how she went from dipping her toes into off-roading to becoming a staple in her series' of choice.

Rain drifting, weird speed limits, no cops, and a ride in something too fast for the WRC. This is the podcast from TST's New Zealand Adventure. The Smoking Tire podcasts on the last night of their New Zealand trip. Our guests are Andrew Lamb and Caswal Parker, the founders of the game Automation, which lets you design cars and engines and then test them on the track and on the market...

This week Matt and I are joined by Andrew Johnson co-founder of Wheelwell a new social networking site tailored to the automotive community. We of course talk about Wheelwell and how it serves the community vs. forums and older sites like CarDomain but we also cover his track prepped C5 Vette, Pfadt and LG suspension parts, IRS Foxbodyies, the new Ford GT, bargain bin 996 Porsches, the maladies of selling minivans and I share my thoughts on the 2015 Ford F150 Ecoboost.

This week we're joined in studio by Spike Feresten (@SpikeFeresten) host of Car Matchmaker on Esquire.  We cover Spike's deep love of Porsches, his time working with Jerry Seinfeld and cheating at gokart racing with David Letterman for the Late Show Team.  In addition we talk Pebble Beach, the spite of Ferrari, Barn Finds and Matt cracks the wheels on his Corvette for a 3rd time.

This week we're joined by Brendon McAleer (@brendan_mcaleer) of Canda, Road & Track, TTaC as well as some BBC stuff alongside his compatriot one Mr. Jack Baruth (@JackBaruth) also of Road & Track, TTaC.  This week we discuss the US Nissan Skyline market, Jack tells us about his time in a McLaren racecar and their 650S, we talk Detroit Auto Show, Ford GT, ATS-V, CTS-V, Boss 302 vs GT350, C7 vs C6 ZO6 and why a 996 track car makes very little sense. Also Matt got a moving violation on his bicycle.

This week we're joined by Travis Okulski (@tokulski) Editor at Jalopnik along with Jeff Glucker (@JGlucker) co-founder of Hooniverse.  Travis is in town for the Corvette Z06 launch and Jeff... well he was just killing time after recording a Hooniverse Podcast. With Travis' impending time in the Z06 we of course discuss that and the potential of its new 8 speed automatic...