Episodes

  • Mythbusting: The Brakes Just Failed!
    Mar 11 2025

    “A mythbusting episode,” Ross suggested. “Great idea!” Sam and Jeff said.


    Then we blinked, and we had gone off-topic again, taped an entire show about 19th-century American cultural hegemony. What a corker! More specifically, we had taped a show about the life and times of a long-dead American statesman who also happened to be a strong supporter of the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution, a.k.a. Prohibition.


    Naw—that’s an exaggeration. We wouldn’t do that to you. This episode is about *20th-century* political hegemony. (Everything else above stands.)


    Still here? Good! Everything above is a fib, a gambit designed to root out the nonbelievers. Except the “mythbusting” part.


    Here’s a myth for you: It’s never important to read all the way to the end!


    This show changes format weekly, because squirrel. We call this format “IT IS VERY UNLIKELY THAT THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL WILL SUE US.”


    RELATED TRIVIA: Sam, Ross, and Jeff will all be at the Long Beach Grand Prix in April. Jeff will be working his day job with AWA Racing; Ross and Sam will just be hanging out. Sam will have a pocketful of free INTC stickers. And yes, that last sentence is a threat.


    This episode was produced by Mike Perlman.


    **

    Who We Are + Spicy Merch:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Support It’s Not the Car:

    Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Check out Sam's book!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Where to find us:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    ABOUT THE SHOW:

    It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts.

    Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine.

    We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel.

    New episodes every Tuesday.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Off-Topic Show — You Asked For It!
    Mar 4 2025

    You guys have emailed to ask what we talk about off-air: "Have you ever considered an off-topic show?"

    Hey, why not?

    Sam cracked a beer on an empty stomach. Jeff poured a large coffee. Ross continued his streak of amusingly clean and healthy living. With no plan, we ended up yapping on—among other things—racing, Lotuses, how Sam’s grandpa got out of mowing the lawn forever, and that time Jeff’s son Colin whacked straight into a flying bat while lapping a kart in their yard in the middle of the night.

    This format is an experiment. If you like it, we’ll do it again. If you don’t like, hey, no worries, it’ll go Poe’s raven, nevermore!

    This show changes format weekly, because squirrel. We call this format “INTC TANGENT HOUR.”


    RELATED TRIVIA: Sam was drinking Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier. From the world’s oldest brewery, which dates to the year 1040. “Fruity nuances of banana and cloves,” their site says. Coincidentally, that’s how Sam’s wife describes his writing. (Sam: “Tough, but fair.”)

    This episode was produced by Mike Perlman.


    **

    Who We Are + Spicy Merch:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Support It’s Not the Car:

    Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Check out Sam's book!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Where to find us:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    ABOUT THE SHOW:

    It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts.


    Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine.


    We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel.


    New episodes every Tuesday.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Jeff Just Won Daytona!
    Feb 25 2025

    We’re back! And one of our hosts just won the 2025 24 Hours of Daytona!

    His name is Jeff Braun, he’s the competition director for the IMSA Corvettes of Toronto’s AWA Racing, and he’s won Daytona twice before. We’re dang proud of him. We asked him to break down this year's win—moment by moment, all the ups and all the downs.

    AWA’s win at Daytona this year marks the first 24-hour win anywhere for the Corvette GT3 car. It’s also the first time in decades that a privateer Corvette has won the race.

    This show changes format weekly, because squirrel. We call this format “RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES.” Which might sound a little tawdry, but hey, Sam wrote it, so there you go.


    RELATED TRIVIA: Hey, it’s a show again! It’s Not the Car took a short hiatus just after Christmas, but our second year starts here. Thanks to everyone who emailed or DM'd to check in and ask when we were coming back—it means a lot!


    This episode was produced by Mike Perlman.


    **

    Who We Are + Spicy Merch:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Support It’s Not the Car:

    Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Check out Sam's book!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Where to find us:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    ABOUT THE SHOW:

    It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts.


    Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine.


    We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel.


    New episodes every Tuesday.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 40 mins
  • Two-Wheel Science 101 — w/Nick Ienatsch
    Dec 24 2024

    How is speed on a bike different from speed in a car? Is chasing the limit different if you’re more likely to get hurt? And just why did your crazy old Uncle Eddie yardsale that ratty Ducati across a field, anyway?

    Complex questions. Except Uncle Eddie. Dude owns a Chevelle and loves Foreigner a little too much, you know? Probably got hot blooded one night, wanted to know what love is. Maybe it felt like the first time? Tires were cold as ice, though, too many head games! But I digress.

    Nick Ienatsch is the creator of the Yamaha Champions Riding School, one of the country’s best two-wheel performance training programs. He’s also a writer, a racer, and a hell of a good teacher. Before his current gig, Nick spent more than a decade as the lead instructor at the celebrated Freddie Spencer Riding School.

    We ask Nick about motorcycles in this one. Ross, Sam, and Jeff are all bike people, but that's not a prereq here. At the core, this is an episode for anyone who likes wheels and owns a brain.

    And maybe also Uncle Eddie.


    RELATED TRIVIA: This episode marks the end of INTC’s first year on air! Fifty-two shows, one every week—weird, right? Honestly, we’re just geeked to still be here. Thank you for listening!

    This episode was produced by Mike Perlman.


    **

    Who We Are + Spicy Merch:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Support It’s Not the Car:

    Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Check out Sam's new book!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Where to find us:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    ABOUT THE SHOW:

    It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts.

    Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine.

    We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel.

    New episodes every Tuesday.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 27 mins
  • Drifting is Harder Than You Think — w/Vaughn Gittin, Jr.
    Dec 17 2024

    Fifteen years ago, a guy from Maryland took a camcorder and a bone-stock Ford Mustang GT to Japan and filmed a series of YouTube videos on drifting and local car culture. Back home in the States, a handful of people—including INTC producer Mike Perlman, then 15 years old—watched those videos and asked, What the hell is going on here?

    By that point, Vaughn Gittin, Jr. was already an accomplished professional drifter, an off-road racer, and a self-proclaimed “professional fun-haver.” Fast forward a decade and a half, and Gittin’s hands-on approach has helped drifting be taken seriously in America—and he’s done so much more.

    For INTC’s 50th episode, Gittin joins us to talk about the nuance and difficulty of drifting, building a career in motorsport, and how our very own Ross Bentley changed his life!

    This episode was produced by Mike Perlman.


    **

    Who We Are + Spicy Merch:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Support It’s Not the Car:

    Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Check out Sam's new book!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Where to find us:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    ABOUT THE SHOW:

    It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts.

    Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine.

    We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel.

    New episodes every Tuesday.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Flowing into the Zone
    Dec 10 2024

    Have you ever been in the zone, or in flow? Want to get back there again and again? In this episode we talk with Dr. Sue Jackson, a psychologist who has specialized in sport and exercise psychology. She co-wrote Flow in Sports with the “father of flow” research, Mihaly "Mike" Csikszentmihalyi; her latest book, Experiencing Flow, looks into how we can all spend more time experiencing peak performance, whether on the race track or at any other time in our life. Sue talks about her recent interest in racing, and specifically Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher (since they knew a thing or two about getting into the zone!).


    This podcast is all about what’s driving the car, and this time we dig ever deeper in the minds of high-performing drivers.

    **


    For more information about Dr. Sue Jackson and her books:

    Website:

    https://www.bodyandmindflow.com.au

    Instagram:

    https://www.instagram.com/suejackson_flow/

    Facebook:

    https://www.facebook.com/bodyandmindflow

    LinkedIn:

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsuejackson


    This episode was produced by Mike Perlman.


    **

    Who We Are + Spicy Merch:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Support It’s Not the Car:

    Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Check out Sam's new book!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Where to find us:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    ABOUT THE SHOW:

    It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts.

    Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine.

    We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel.

    New episodes every Tuesday.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 10 mins
  • When NASCAR Broke America — (1979 Daytona 500 Fistfight)
    Dec 3 2024

    This episode has everything: Punches. Pepsi. Snow! Plus, a guy named Cale crashes a 190-mph race car in sneakers and kicks somebody on national TV.

    Naturally, save the snow, this all happens in Florida.

    This show’s format rotates weekly, because squirrel. This episode is our monthly deep dive into an epic moment from racing history. In this case, that means the 1979 Daytona 500 and the childish, joyous three-driver fistfight that changed NASCAR forever.

    RELATED TRIVIA: To hell with trivia this week—we’re just gonna use this space to rattle off every badass old NASCAR first name that’ll fit. Here goes: Dale and Cale and Fireball and LeeRoy and Bobby and Davey and Donnie and Joe and Curtis and Marshall and Lee and Richard and Buddy and Pearson and Benny and Cotton and Junior and Buck and Hershel and AJ and the other Bobby and Harry and Dan and Red and Dick and Weatherly and Rex and the other other Bobby and Ned and the other Lee and you know what? Each and every single one of those dudes knew how to slide a big ol’ Detroit sled like ***nobody’s business***.

    And we like that.

    This episode was produced by Mike Perlman.


    **

    Who We Are + Spicy Merch:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Support It’s Not the Car:

    Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Check out Sam's new book!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Where to find us:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    ABOUT THE SHOW:

    It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts.

    Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine.

    We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel.

    New episodes every Tuesday.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 13 mins
  • Jeff Tells a Story: Meeting 1967 Formula 1
    Nov 26 2024

    Strap in, kids—it’s time for another story from Jeff’s past, and this one’s a doozy.

    In 1967, future pro racer and INTC host Jeff Braun won a contest to visit the United States F1 Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.

    Jeff was nine years old. The trip blew his mind.

    Guaranteed in this ep: Our very own J.B. as a wee man! Quality hangs with Dan Gurney and Jack Brabham! Sam explaining why Sixties F1 was bonkers-deadly but great! Jeff swimming at the Glen Motor Inn with Gurney and Jim Clark and Graham "Mustache" Hill! A private garage tour! And more!

    This show’s format rotates weekly, because squirrel. We call this format “Jeff Tells a Story.”

    RELATED TRIVIA: So at one point, our boy hits the Watkins concession stands. He wants a burger. Being nine, he is not tall, can’t see over the counter. Then, suddenly, someone lifts him up. He turns around—it’s future F1 World Champion Jochen Rindt! Suited and booted, driving that weekend, three years before his death at Monza. RIP, you legend: Trackside meatwich brings everybody together.


    This episode was produced by Mike Perlman.


    **

    Who We Are + Spicy Merch:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Support It’s Not the Car:

    Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Check out Sam's new book!

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    Where to find us:

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    **

    ABOUT THE SHOW:

    It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts.


    Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine.


    We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel.


    New episodes every Tuesday.

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    1 hr and 4 mins