Dinner with Racers

Derrick Walker is a true legend of the sport, first working in Formula One with Brabham and then on to IndyCars with Roger Penske, leading to owning his own race team and then becoming one of the main guys in charge at IndyCar. We have no idea why he took the time for us, and apparently neither did he, but regardless it was an excellent time hearing his stories. Lunch was brought to him courtesy of BBI deli in Indianapolis, he didn’t eat it.Thanks to Continental Tire for the continued support!

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Sean Johnson is a soccer goalie for the US Men’s National Team and Chicago Fire in MLS. So why is he on our podcast? Well this dude won Continental’s first season of “What’cha Got?,” a web competition series where MLS players raced each other to win a Lamborghini for a year. The dude has a major interest in racing, this is the episode for anyone looking to learn the fundamentals of racing. Lunch was served at Hub51 in Chicago, with the music of Elle Carpenter sending us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for the continued support.

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Gill Campbell has been the head woman in charge of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca since 2002, and holy crap is she awesome. In our conversation she doesn’t dodge anything as she explains the challenges of a publicly owned track, which fans are the worst, and who she would get on her knees for. Lunch took place at Turn 12 in Monterey, California, with the music of Citizen Cope sending us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for the continued support.

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Memo Gidley is a driver who truly came from living on a boat in California, to driving in IndyCar just seven years later…. only to suffer a major accident in January, 2014, that that he’s still recovering from. Despite this, Jose Guillermo can tell some awesome stories, ranging from his recovery, to being smuggled in to the country, to growing up on a boat with guys named “Bugle Tom.” Dinner was delivered by Sol Food in Mill Valley, California, with the music of Slightly Stoopid sending us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for the continued support.

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Marshall Pruett is a journalist who didn’t start that way, and it shows because he has an understanding of the sport and technical aspects that make him one of the most respected reporters in the paddock. Starting as a shop grunt and eventually going to “the other side of pit wall,” we learn about jobs outside of racing, the WWE, 80’s rap and he even managed to sneak in a few quotes from Bill Burr. Lunch was served at The Smoking Pig in Fremont, California, with the music of I See Hawks in LA sending us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for the continued support.

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Paul Pfanner has uniquely succeeded in the business of motorsports, which makes us wonder why he took the time for us. Not only did the guy start Racer Magazine, but he runs a very successful marketing and consultancy business that has carved a rare niche for him as a Captain of the industry… but the dude still has a good sense of humor and you see why he’s so respected. Breakfast was served at The Citrus Cafe in Tustin, California, with the music of Stoney Spring sending us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for the continued support.

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Erik Valdez is a true working actor, having starred in television shows such as Graceland, a little show called General Hospital, and more. A true racer at the core, we cover everything from the parallels between both industries, calling him out on actor nonsense, and how Zach Morris once beat him on the track. Dinner was served at The Canoe House in South Pasadena, California, with the music of Elle Carpenter sending us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for the continued support.

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CJ Wilson is not only a bad-ass All-Star pitcher, but the Anaheim Angels star also owns a championship-winning race team, and the dude just loves cars. Random series of conversations include passenger-seat coaching, how baseball works, and an endless series of impressions. Lunch was served at Las Barcas in Huntington Beach, California, with the music of Stoney Spring sending us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for the continued support.

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Oriol Servia has been an IndyCar driver for over 15 years, proving that a random guy from Catalonia can make it if he’s actually a good person… which this guy is. Topics covered include the movie Navy Seals vs. Zombies, the movie Oldboy, and extensive further discussions of pissing in race seats. Dinner was courtesy of Tsukiji Sushi Sen in Santa Monica, with the music of Citizen Cope sending us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for the continued support.

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Patrick Long is the lone American Works driver for Porsche, which is too bad considering they’ll likely drop him after hearing this. Great conversation including doing stupid stuff when you’re young (or in your 30’s), life as a new Dad, and proof that he’s a master impressionist. Brunch was courtesy of Deus Ex Machina in Venice, California, with the music of The Grouch & Eligh sending us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for their continued support.

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The “SpeedFreaks” are used to being the ones running the interview, so we decided to put them on the other side of the microphone for a change. Having run various iterations of their motorsport talkshow for over a decade, we learn that the fights between Kenny Sargent and co-host/wife Crash Gladys are real, Kenny loves discussing scabs and urine, and we’d be subpoenaed if Ralf Schumacher ever disappeared. Lunch was courtesy of the Hillside Spot in Phoenix, Arizona, with the music of Slightly Stoopid sending us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for being supporters of both shows!

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Our first special edition! After Jeff Braun talked for nearly an hour on the various projects of Level 5 Motorsports, we decided this had to be a stand-alone piece. We won’t get in to the history of Level 5 here, but just imagine if you had a team owner who gave you a virtually unlimited budget to just go out and do things exactly as you’d always wanted to…. with music sending us out courtesy of The Aggrolites. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all possible.

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Jeff Braun is one of the most experienced and respected engineers in all of motorsports, and now we know why. Not only does this guy have incredible stories, but the dude literally lives in his race shop in Ovalo, Texas (see: middle of nowhere). Dinner was served in his kitchen courtesy of Jeff and his wife, Diane, with the music of Double Naught Spycar playing us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all possible.

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Beaux Barfield has been a Race Director for over a decade, and has managed to build a career and namesake despite holding racing’s least desirable job. Here his tales from IndyCar, sportscar, as well as learn about his car collection that he can’t get rid of. Dinner was served at Beaux’s Bar & Grill in Houston, with food delivered by Hungry’s. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all possible.

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Driver Katherine Legge has a few glasses of wine, and the awesomeness ensues. A veteran of IndyCar and sportscar racing, the first woman to win in professional open-wheel racing in the U.S. covers topics including: her least favorite teammate, her favorite crashes, and going 240mph. Dinner was served at Zuma Sushi in Atlanta, with the music of Citizen Cope (available on iTunes) sending us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all possible

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Driver Spencer Pumpelly and his father, Tom, a former driver himself, discuss vehicular manslaughter, flipping busses, being homeless, and the dynamic of a father and son in racing. While Tom was a star of IMSA racing in the ’80’s, the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree (on the track) with Spencer’s two wins at The Rolex 24 at Daytona. Lunch was served at Raging Burrit

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Top Gear USA hosts Rutledge Wood and Tanner Foust ramble on for two hours about everything from arriving hung over on set, to dance pants, to witnessing a rat run across the floor mid-conversation. Dinner (pizza) was served at an undisclosed hotel in northern Los Angeles county, with music from I See Hawks in LA (available on iTunes) closing us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all possible.

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Television commentator Bob Varsha takes us through his career through four decades of motorsports and beyond, working for networks including FOX Sports, SPEED, ESPN and more. Topics cover everything from announcing during tragedies all the way to his time at the glee club. Lunch was served at Folk Art in Atlanta, with music from Stoney Spring (available on iTunes) closing us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for make this all possible.

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Legendary driver Andy Lally discusses everything from how people in NASCAR cheated better than him, late-80’s wrestling, and virtually no talk of sportscar racing at all, despite the fact he’s a four-time Rolex 24 winner and three-time champion in the former GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Dinner was served at Ammazza in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, with music from The Blue Hours (available on iTunes) closing us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making it all possible.

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