Adrián Fernández is a one-of-a-kind story with deep roots in IndyCar and sportscar racing. Raised with modest means in Mexico City, the idea of tenacity is redefined with his story, literally having himself smuggled to the Netherlands with no money to further his career, and eventually becoming a multi-time winner in IndyCar and IMSA, many of which were achieved with his own team. Beyond that, his legacy is probably best seen with re-invigorating the next wave of Mexican racing heroes, paving the way for many of today’s names. Dinner was served courtesy of Bulla in Coral Gables, Florida, with “On The Way” by Jonezen taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
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Alex Job is one of the most accomplished and respected team owners in the history of sportscar competition. Starting as an amateur racer balancing motorsport ambitions with a career in auto sales, the Florida native would use a rarely seen level of caution and calculation to slowly build his own racing team, Alex Job Racing, into a powerhouse that would not become one of the most heralded Porsche teams in history taking wins at Daytona, Petit Le Mans, and an unprecedented 10 victories at Sebring. Dinner was served courtesy of Rodello’s in Leesburg, Florida, with “Somewhere New” by Louis Island taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
Pipo Derani is one of the most talked about characters in IMSA racing today. One of the most aggressive and unapologetic drivers in the GTP and prototype ranks, the Brazilian’s tenacity has to led to victories at Daytona, Sebring, and with a reputation of being as fast as they get. What makes Pipo interesting, however, is his completely opposite off-track character, being nothing but a polite and likable family man and a remarkably pleasant guest. Dinner was served courtesy of THE NOW DEFUNCT Maloko Miami in Miami, Florida, with “Don’t Look Anywhere” by Sara Flint taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
Sebastien Bourdais is probably best known as the king of IndyCar (formerly ChampCar) racing throughout the mid-2000’s. Winning four-consecutive titles, the Frenchman was as dominant as you could get in that era, before heading off to careers in Formula One, returning to IndyCar, and now in the GTP ranks of IMSA. Fiercely analytical and incredibly honest about himself,Sebastien’s candor makes for a truly one-of-a-kind look at one of the sport’s quiet greats. Dinner was served courtesy of Il Ritorno in St. Petersburg, Florida, with “On Fait la Fete” by Bamton taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
Bill Lester is probably best known for his groundbreaking role within NASCAR, known as the first African American to earn a pole position in the Truck series as well as compete in a full season of NASCAR. What makes Bill such an interesting story, however, is his origins leading to this. Transforming himself from software engineer to club racer in amateur sportscars, Bill’s path to professional motorsports was anything but traditional. Dinner was served courtesy of Don Bonachon in Suwanee, Georgia, with “Ain’t Looking Back” by Richard Farrell taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
Jim Downing may not be a household name in modern day racing, but his legacy has saved countless lives. A long-time sportscar racer and team owner in his own right, after achieving incredible success with Mazda and his famed Kudzu racing team, the lasting legacy of Jim will always be his co-invention and distribution of the HANS device, which took years to finally become a mainstay of modern safety in racing. Lunch was served courtesy of Henri’s Bakery and Deli in Brookhaven, Georgia. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
When it comes to sportscar engineers, especially in GT racing, Lars Giersing has long been a known figure in the paddock. Coming from a very non-traditional background, Lars is one of the most accomplished figures in the paddock without ever earning a degree, relying instead on incredible intuition and knowing how to shape any racing program. This has led to countless IMSA championships, wins at Daytona, Sebring, and beyond. Dinner was served at Zen Bistro in Daytona Beach, Florida, with the song “Island” by Christopher Young taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
Filipe Albuquerque has become a staple of modern prototype racing. A winner at Le Mans, Daytona, and having driven for some of the most prolific teams including Audi’s legendary LMP1 program, the Portuguese driver is known for his talent on track and enthusiastic personality off of it. Lunch was was served at Bonefish Grill in Daytona Beach, Florida, with the song “Promised Land” by Dan Ayalon taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
A driver synonymous with BMW, Augusto Farfus is a legend of touring car, GT, and now prototype racing. Hailing from Brazil as a dominant driver in junior categories, Augusto came into the sport with a family history unlike any other, and transitioned it wins at venues like Macau, Spa, Nurburgring, Daytona, and more. Dinner was was served at Bonefish Grill in Daytona Beach, Florida, with the song “Hey Love” by Rex Banner taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
Nick Tandy is considered one of best drivers in modern sportscar racing. A winner at Le Mans, Daytona, and just about every other race you can imagine, Nick is a current IMSA GTP driver for Porsche Penske, but his foundation is anything but traditional. Growing up in the UK racing mini stocks on ovals, his path to road racing greatness was far from obvious. Lunch was served to a very hung over Nick at Boondocks in Port Orange, Florida, with the song “Let’s Go” by Marc Robillard taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
When it comes to the Indianapolis 500, the novelty of “Bump Day” may be less talked about today, but the consequences can still be dire. For some, just making the race is a critical as it can be, as it was in 2008 for Pacific Coast Motorsports, who put it all on the line to be part of it. As part of our “Bumped” video series on MotorTrend, we now present the extended interviews with the people behind the scenes. The fifth and final episode is with General Manager Michael Harvey, his wife Joanna, and Tyler Tadevic’s wife Stephanie to show just how this sport can affect families, not just a race team. Dinner was served by Joanna Harvey in their then-Indianapolis home, with the song “Big Leagues” by Vic Sage taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
When it comes to the Indianapolis 500, the novelty of “Bump Day” may be less talked about today, but the consequences can still be dire. For some, just making the race is a critical as it can be, as it was in 2008 for Pacific Coast Motorsports, who put it all on the line to be part of it. As part of our “Bumped” video series on MotorTrend, we now present the extended interviews with the people behind the scenes. The fourth episode is with engineer Tim Lewis and crewman Daniel Martin who shed light on how the story affects more than just the drivers and owners. Dinner was served by Chanos Drive-In in Sean Heckman’s living room in Pasadena, CA, with the song “Yeah That’s Me” by Frank Bentley taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
When it comes to the Indianapolis 500, the novelty of “Bump Day” may be less talked about today, but the consequences can still be dire. For some, just making the race is a critical as it can be, as it was in 2008 for Pacific Coast Motorsports, who put it all on the line to be part of it. As part of our “Bumped” video series on MotorTrend, we now present the extended interviews with the people behind the scenes. The third episode is with driver Mario Dominguez who risked life and limb to make his dream a reality. Lunch was served in Mario’s condo complex in Mexico City, Mexico, with the song “Never Looking Back” by Veshza taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
When it comes to the Indianapolis 500, the novelty of “Bump Day” may be less talked about today, but the consequences can still be dire. For some, just making the race is a critical as it can be, as it was in 2008 for Pacific Coast Motorsports, who put it all on the line to be part of it. As part of our “Bumped” video series on MotorTrend, we now present the extended interviews with the people behind the scenes. The second is Part Two of our dinner with Team Owner and ringleader, Tyler Tadevic, who literally risked it all. Dinner was served via Tacoshop 760 at Tyler’s shop in Thermal, California, with the song “Finding Out As I Go” by Evening Traveler taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
Paul Tracy has spent nearly half a century building himself as one of the unique characters of the sport. Whether you consider him one of the greats, one of the most polarizing, or simply one of the most fascinating, Paul’s place in the sport is without question. As part of our “Dinner(s) with Paul Tracy” video series, we follow up on our 2017 podcast with a video series, spending a week with him at his home. This episode is an extended version of our sit down with Paul and his partner Lisa at their home in Scottsdale, AZ, acting as a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Dinner was served at Paul’s home courtesy of Lisa, with the song “Internet Girlfriend” by Asher Postman taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
Paul Tracy has spent nearly half a century building himself as one of the unique characters of the sport. Whether you consider him one of the greats, one of the most polarizing, or simply one of the most fascinating, Paul’s place in the sport is without question. As part of our “Dinner(s) with Paul Tracy” video series, we follow up on our 2017 podcast with a video series, spending a week with him at his home. This episode is an extended version of our sit down with his mother and sister in Ontario, Canada, acting as a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Lunch was served at State & Main in Pickering, with the song “The Walmart Parking Lot” by Leon Laudenbach taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
Paul Tracy has spent nearly half a century building himself as one of the unique characters of the sport. Whether you consider him one of the greats, one of the most polarizing, or simply one of the most fascinating, Paul’s place in the sport is without question. As part of our “Dinner(s) with Paul Tracy” video series, we follow up on our 2017 podcast with a video series, spending a week with him at his home. This is the second of a two-part extended cut of our video interview with him, acting as a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Dinner was served courtesy of his partner Lisa at his home in Scottsdale, AZ, with the song “Castle Heist” by Willpower taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
Paul Tracy has spent nearly half a century building himself as one of the unique characters of the sport. Whether you consider him one of the greats, one of the most polarizing, or simply one of the most fascinating, Paul’s place in the sport is without question. As part of our “Dinner(s) with Paul Tracy” video series, we follow up on our 2017 podcast with a video series, spending a week with him at his home. This is the first of a two-part extended cut of our video interview with him. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Dinner was served courtesy of his partner Lisa at his home in Scottsdale, AZ, with the song “Unapologetic” by War Haven taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.
Tammy Johnson and Martin Bannon are two key members of the Grand Prix on Long Beach. For Tammy, a three-decade run as the Director of Ticket Sales has made her a key fixture of the event, often serving as the first interaction for many event newcomers. With a profound ability to guide and customize the experience for nearly 200,000 people, Tammy’s role in making the event an experience for everyone is unmatched. When it comes to the sponsorship sales and marketing, however, Martin Bannon’s nearly 40-year role with the organization has also been a stable force in the event’s sustainability. Cultivating partnerships and maintaining relationships through the decades, Martin is uniquely qualified to discuss the trials and tribulations of fulfilling sponsor obligations on a track that is built and torn down every year. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Tammy’s lunch was served at Phil Trani’s in Long Beach, while Martin’s was served at King Taco, both with the song “Driving Cars onto Mars” by MILANO taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
Davey Carillo and Crandall Dickinson are two key members of Long Beach’s construction team. It’s hard to watch the race on TV, or even visit in person, and have any clue just what kind of challenges a temporary facility built on city streets of a busy downtown can create, and these two provide a great insight into just what it takes. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Lunch was served at Guadalupe’s Mexican Grill in Long Beach, CA, with the song “How the Story Goes” by Ge Filter Fish taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
If there is one name who’s routinely given credit for making sure the actual event of Long Beach happens, it’s Dwight Tanaka. A long-time member of the family, Dwight is the Director of Operations for the Grand Prix, but that title doesn’t do justice to the all-knowing and all-powerful Dwight who orchestrates everything it takes to put the weekend together. Now a family affair, Dwight’s son Jake has been a member of the organization since he was volunteered to work for his Dad at a young age. Now one of the senior members of the team, Jake is another instrumental part of the organization, for which he’s rewarded during race weekend by being a pace car driver. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Dinner was served at 555 East Steakhouse in Long Beach, CA, with the song “It’s Going Down” by SOURWAH taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
One of the most colorful characters in the whole city, John Morris may not be a traditional “racer,” but he’s a perfect fit to tell the history of the city. A serial entrepreneur and one of the most prominent restaurant and bar owners in the area, John was the driving force behind some of the first downtown restaurants and bars through the decades, including Legends Sports Bars which was notorious through the years. Currently, John owns a seaside restaurant known as Boathouse on the Bay, where he comfortably tells stories like no others. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Lunch was served at Boathouse on the Bay in Long Beach, with the song “So Good” by Orkas taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
One of the key members since Year One, Jim Michaelian went from a kid with an MBA helping out in finance, to the current President and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. From boots on the ground at the beginning, to steering the ship today, Jim is uniquely qualified to know both the history of the event and the challenges that face the Grand Prix today. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Dinner was served via pizza we ordered in to the Grand Prix offices in Long Beach, CA, with the song “Something New” by Castle Heist taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
When it comes to the story of building Long Beach, the first episode has to go to the event creator, Chris Pook. A known figure for a number of motorsport ventures, including running CART for some time, Chris’s wild idea to hold a street race in the California port city of Long Beach in 1974 was the start of tradition that continued today. Hailing from the UK and working as a long-time Long Beach resident, Chris’s path to creating the event was anything but smooth, with the detailed story in this podcast. This is of course a complimentary episode to our “Dinner with Racers” video series on MotorTrend’s YouTube and MotorTrend+ streaming, where you can see the story unfold in a two-part special. Lunch was served at 555 East Steakhouse in Long Beach, CA, with the song “I Got Me” by Jane & The Boy taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
Brad Sweet’s legend in the dirt world is only growing by the year, having just won his fourth straight World of Outlaws title. Growing up on the dirt tracks of California, Brad is a true racer’s racer, earning opportunities purely off of his talent and being paid exclusively in prize money, ultimately leading to his current reputation as arguably the best winged sprint car driver of the modern era. Beyond his current success, Brad also enjoyed spells in different NASCAR ranks, and is now co-found of SLC Promotions with his brother-in-law Kyle Larson, where they promote multiple race tracks and events, as well as the upcoming High Limit Sprint Car Series, beginning in 2023. Lunch was served at Brad’s home in Placerville, CA, with the song “Daddy’s Daughter” by The Ghosts of Liberty taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
If you’ve watched INDYCAR or IMSA on NBC in recent years, then you’ve already heard the sultry sounds of broadcaster Kevin Lee. A Hoosier through and through, Kevin grew up with a fondness for the radio broadcast of the Indianapolis 500, which always stayed with him as he pursued additional sports broadcasting paths. His openness to opportunities of all kind have led to him to work in the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NCAA, and ultimately what we know him for, as one of the foremost reporters in our sport, be it the booth, the pits, or mentoring his son Jackson’s burgeoning career. Dinner was served at Stone Creek in Plainfield, IN, with the song “Zooming Skywards” by Carlie Fairburn taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.
Chances are you already know him, but Bob(by) Rahal is a true INDYCAR legend. Raised by a Lebanese family with a passion for racing, Bob transitioned from garage racer making do with what he could, to becoming a sportscar winner that found his way into IndyCar competition, where he’d achieve his biggest highlights: three IndyCar championships and the 1986 Indy 500. This eventually led to the creation of his own team, now known as Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL), which continues to win in IndyCar as well as the IMSA ranks with BMW. Dinner was served at Steak 44 in Carmel, IN, with the song “Music” by Assaf Ayalon taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire and Acura for making it all happen.