Dinner with Racers

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.

Ep.169 – June, 2020, Pt.5 (feat Texas Motor Speedway, Sebring Int’l Raceway)

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 corporate owned race tracks, namely Texas Motor Speedway’s Eddie Gossage, who manages one of the biggest oval facilities in the country for Speedway Motorsports, and John Story, who runs PR and marketing for Sebring International Raceway, a famed road course that is now part of NASCAR Holding’s ownership of IMSA. Music of JMR’s “Sugar Cane” taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura and Valvoline for making it all happen.

Ep.166 – June, 2020, Pt.2 (feat Daugherty Speedway, VIRginia Int’l Raceway)

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 the family owned tracks, Michael Daugherty of the privately owned Daugherty Speedway dirt track in Benton, IN, and Kerrigan Smith of the famed VIRginia International Raceway road course located in southern Virginia. Indiana breakfast was courtesy of Yum Yum Donuts in Indiana, with Tyrone Briggs’ ”Glory” taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura and Valvoline for making it all happen.

Ep.165 – June, 2020, Pt.1 (feat Rep. Grier Martin)

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 an overview with North Carolina’s State Representative for District 34, Grier Martin, who delivers an overview of the pandemic from the political perspective of someone in a motorsport-based state with a politically diverse population. Dinner was delivered courtesy of The Pit in Raleigh, NC with Jamie Lono’s ”I Feel Free” taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura and Valvoline for making it all happen.

Ep.164 – Mark Martin, Pt.2

It’s Mark Martin. We drove to Montana. Dinner was delivered courtesy of Rosa’s in Bigfork, MT with Beeleaf’s ”Love Thy Neighbor” taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire, Acura and Valvoline for making it all happen.