BREAK/FIX the Motorsports & Vehicle Enthusiast Variety Show

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. In this episode, Jon reviews three vehicles, he discusses the Fiat 500e, highlighting its small size, aggressive regenerative braking, and plasticky interior, questioning its value considering depreciation. Next, he delves into the Dodge Durango Hellcat, lauding its 707 horsepower engine but critiquing its high price and overall build quality compared to competitors like Lexus and Genesis. Finally, he briefly evaluates the Acura ZDX, noting its competent performance but ultimately finding it unmemorable. Throughout, Jon shares anecdotes about technology glitches and driving experiences.

In this episode of The Sparky Life podcast, host Lia Lamela welcomes Crew Chief Eric, the owner of Gran Touring Motorsports and the Motoring Podcast Network to the show. The conversation spans Eric’s background in motorsports, driven by his family’s passion for cars, to the creation and evolution of GTM. Discussion points include the extensive career opportunities within the motorsports industry, the similarities between motorsports mechanics and construction workers, and the importance of teamwork in both fields. Eric also elaborates on the educational aspects of racing, challenging stereotypes, and promoting inclusivity within the motorsports community.  Throughout the episode, Eric’s enthusiasm for racing and mentoring shines, inspiring even those unfamiliar with the sport to take an interest in driving. The episode also includes sponsor mentions for SupplyHouse.com.

Tonight, we have an opportunity to bring a piece of Le Mans to you, sharing in the Legend of Le Mans with guests from different eras of over 100 years of racing.  Andrea Robertson, a woman who carved her name into Le Mans history. In 2011, Andrea became the last American woman (to date) to race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans—and more impressively, the first to ever stand on the podium in the race’s 100-year history. She and her late-husband, David Robertson, along with pro driver David Murry, took on the grueling challenge of Le Mans as privateers, fielding their iconic Ford GT40 against some of the biggest names in endurance racing. With grit, determination, and sheer passion, they defied the odds and made history on one of motorsport’s biggest stages. How did they do it? What was it like to go wheel-to-wheel against factory-backed giants? And what does Andrea’s success mean for the future of women in endurance racing? That’s what we’re here to find out.

While men have taken the lion’s share of media attention across motorsport, there have been women who would gain substantial coverages. From Brittany Force to Hailie Deegan, women in motorsport have hit sport headlines on various networks and modalities. While coverage of women in motorsport may be more positive, in terms of quantity and perception (driver talent versus overt sexism, etc.), has academia had any sort of focus on women in motorsport? The purpose of the current literature review is to summarize the current academic literature across two repositories (EBSCO Host & Google Scholar) to gain a broader understanding of this academic realm of inquiry. Various search term including Women in Racing and variants were included in the search. Initial results suggest that women in motorsport are often a part of academic research, but are less so the main focus. Using the PRISMA methodology, articles were selected from relevant criteria and reduced from a larger sample. Methods and themes from articles will be discussed. Mike Stocz is the assistant director for the department of kinesiology, and a senior lecturer of sport management & leadership at the University of New Hampshire. He is one of the founding members and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Motorsport Culture & History. Mike’s recent works have included a co-authored book chapter about the future of Formula 1, as well as works surrounding big game hunting legislation on land preserves, an economic funding model for college athletics, and critiques on K-12 coaching certifications surrounding sexual assault.

In this 55th episode of ’Drive-Thru’ Crew Chiefs Brad & Eric, along with their Executive Producer Tania share a mix of automotive news, personal anecdotes, and discussions about cars. Brad confesses to selling his Volkswagen due to ongoing maintenance issues and discusses his criteria for a future car purchase, sparking a debate about the merits of German vs. Japanese cars. The show then transitions into a discussion on Volkswagen news, notably the new Golf R and its varying performance characteristics. They move on to talk about the downsides of modern car features and subscriptions, highlighted by a review of Tesla’s camera vs. LIDAR system. Wrapping up with motorsport news, the episode covers the recent Formula 1 race, driver performances and more. There’s also a humorous ’lowered expectations’ and Florida-man segments featuring stories of bizarre and unfortunate events involving cars. So tune in for Episode #55 of The Drive Thru! our monthly news episode containing automotive, motorsports and entertaining random car-adjacent news.