Dinner with Racers

Ep.177 – Zoom Catch-Ups: Zach Veach

We’ve said we’d avoid doing remote interviews but, well, changing times call for changing approaches. The final in our series of catch-ups with previous guests, we reached out to Zach Veach, who in only five months has encountered a whole number of life changes, luckily he can laugh. Closeout song is “Climb Down That Tree” by Jacob Montague. Thanks to Continental Tire, Valvoline and Acura for making this happen.

Ep.176 – Zoom Catch-Ups: Ricky Taylor

We’ve said we’d avoid doing remote interviews but, well, changing times call for changing approaches. The fourth in our series of catch-ups with previous guests, we reached out to Fonzie’s Dad’s Brother, Ricky Taylor, who since his initial recording with us in 2015 went on to be the dominant force in the 2017 DPi debut, drive for Roger Penske, become an Acura factory driver, test an IndyCar, and is now bringing this all back to his father’s team for 2021 . Closeout song is “Big Shot” by IRONTOM. Thanks to Continental Tire, Valvoline and Acura for making this happen.

Ep.175 – Zoom Catch-Ups: Andy Lally

We’ve said we’d avoid doing remote interviews but, well, changing times call for changing approaches. The third in our series of catch-ups with previous guests, we reached out to Andy Lally, who since his initial recording with us in 2015 was unsure of his future with Magnus Racing or in the sport, where he’s continued to thrive taking another win at Daytona, multiple other wins and podiums, as well as several NASCAR outings. Closeout song is “Champion” by That Kid CG. Thanks to Continental Tire, Valvoline and Acura for making this happen.

Ep.174 – Zoom Catch-Ups: Mike Shank

We’ve said we’d avoid doing remote interviews but, well, changing times call for changing approaches. The second in our series of catch-ups with previous guests, we reached out to Mike Shank, who since his initial recording with us in 2016 went on to run a factory GTD program, win a GTD championship, start an IndyCar team, and now returns to the top tiers of IMSA with the Acura DPi. Closeout song is “Benedictus” by SAILR. Thanks to Continental Tire, Valvoline and Acura for making this happen.

Ep.173 – Zoom Catch-Ups: Bill Riley

We’ve said we’d avoid doing remote interviews but, well, changing times call for changing approaches. The first of our series of catch-ups with previous guests, we reached out to Bill Riley, who since his initial recording with us in 2015, has changed his main program between three different vehicles, had a mixed outing for his own prototype, and enjoyed the fruits of his pop-culture juggernaut status courtesy of us. Closeout song is “Don’t Change” by Secret American. Thanks to Continental Tire, Valvoline and Acura for making this happen.

Ep.172 – Brickyard Empire, Pt. 2 (John Pappas)

Recovering from a global pandemic, living in a world at odds with itself and in the throws of economic collapse, we’re of course talking about the 1930’s, right? In looking to our past to help us understand the future, our search for a hero came back with, well, something more on-brand for us. Welcome to the story of Mike Boyle, the “business man” who started an Indianapolis 500 dynasty.  Recorded specifically for our Amazon Prime series, here are the less-edited versions of the same stories, closing with John Pappas who is one of the partners in the Boyle Racing Headquarters Foundation. Closeout song is “I’ll Change My ways” by Danny Stewart, and lunch served at Dawson’s on Main in Indianapolis, Indiana. Thanks to Continental Tire, Valvoline and Acura for making this happen.

Ep.171 – Brickyard Empire, Pt. 1 (Mark Dilll, Wayne A. Johnson, John J. Binder)

Recovering from a global pandemic, living in a world at odds with itself and in the throws of economic collapse, we’re of course talking about the 1930’s, right? In looking to our past to help us understand the future, our search for a hero came back with, well, something more on-brand for us. Welcome to the story of Mike Boyle, the “business man” who started an Indianapolis 500 dynasty.  Recorded specifically for our Amazon Prime series, here are the less-edited versions of the same stories, beginning with Mark Dill who teaches us about 1920’s and 30’s racing, followed by Dr. Wayne A. Johnson and John J. Binder, two Chicago historians with a background in organized, errr, “business.” Closeout song is “When You Came Along” by CHPTRS. Thanks to Continental Tire, Valvoline and Acura for making this happen.

Ep.170 – Death-Defying Dick Simon and Other Animated Tall Tales

Dick Simon is still here, and after you hear these stories you’ll never understand why. If you listened to episodes 153 and 154, you already know INDYCAR legend Dick Simon’s backstory, this here is a new recording with even more crazy tales. Recorded specifically for our Amazon Prime series, you can see these very same stories in cartoon form on the latest episode of “Dinner with Racers” on Amazon Prime. Lunch was served via The Coffee Importer in Dana Point, California, with setting courtesy of Dick Simon Yachts. Closeout song is “Christmas to Remember” by Brian Reith. Thanks to Continental Tire, Valvoline and Acura for making this happen.

Ep.167 – June, 2020, Pt.3 (feat Road America, Eldora)

With the country in lockdown in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic, our hosts took a 15,000 mile road trip during the month of June, 2020, to see just what the effect was on race tracks across the country. This was all part of the first episode of Season Two “Dinner with Racers” on Amazon Prime. Here now are the less edited versions of some of those meetups. This episode focuses on enthusiast-owned tracks, beginning with Mike Kerscher of Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin and then Roger Slack of Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH. Music of Heartbreak Kid’s “That’s My Life” taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura Valvoline for making it all happen.

Ep.168 – June, 2020, Pt.4 (feat Perris Auto Speedway, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca)

With the country in lockdown in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic, our hosts took a 15,000 mile road trip during the month of June, 2020, to see just what the effect was on race tracks across the country. This was all part of the first episode of Season Two “Dinner with Racers” on Amazon Prime. Here now are the less edited versions of some of those meetups. This episode focuses on government-owned tracks, beginning with Don Kazarian who own promotional rights to Perris Auto Speedway which is a California Fairgrounds-owned track, followed by two representatives of Monterey County (CA) owned WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Barry Toepke who handles marketing for the track, and Supervisor Mary Adams, the elected Supervisor of Monterey County. Music of Tall Heights’ “Learn Again” taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura and Valvoline for making it all happen.