SpeedFreaks: Biggest Motorsports Show On The Planet

Guests: Seven-Time & 2016 NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson, ARCA Daytona Lucas Oil 200 Winner Austin Theriault, Evel Knievel's Son Kelly Knievel

Seven-Time & 2016 NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson came into The Freak Nation this week to share some thoughts on the new NASCAR format that'll debut next week during the season-opening Daytona 500. Johnson calls it the new NASCAR ecosystem. It includes new race formats, new points formats and new formats for driver safety and concussion protocols. Johnson is another long-time Friend of the Freaks so when he comes in for a chat, it's always something new for us to learn. Listen...

ARCA Daytona Lucas Oil 200 Winner Austin Theriault won in a rain-shortened ARCA opener. Theriault, though, was in charge of the race and going away when the race was red-flagged for a crash and the rains came bringing out a black flag and the end of the event. Theriault drives for former NASCAR regular Kenny Schrader. Their entry in the race Saturday wasn't guaranteed until the last minute. Listen...

Evel Knievel's son Kelly Knievel came into The Freak Nation Sunday night to tell us that two valuable pieces of the Knievel memorabilia vault are being released on the world. A set of leathers used by Evel jumping 50 cars in the L.A. Coliseum are being auctioned as well as a custom cane used by Knievel during his many rehabilitation periods. Kelly is releasing the pieces for a reason. And the sales could solve a problem for him. What is it? Listen...

Guests: NHRA Pomona Top Fuel Winner Leah Pritchett, 2004 IndyCar Champion Tony Kanaan, NHRA Pomona Funny Car Winner Matt Hagan

NHRA Pomona Top Fuel Winner Leah Pritchett came into The Freak Nation Sunday night a few hours after her big win. Pritchett is one of many woman in the NHRA who do more than look good. They win!! Events and Championships. What's it like to beat the men in their own drag racing game? What's like to take over and compete equally with the men in their own drag racing game? Leah t3ells us some of those answers. Listen...

MHRA Mello Yello Pomona Funny Car winner Matt Hagan was in The Freak Nation Sunday night. Actually he had a great conversation with Statt Mann before the Pomona Winternationals. He has two championships in 2011 and 2014 to back up his, now, 22 wins since he entered the category in 2009. But Hagan has something that he'll be overcoming in the 2017 season, the death of his brother over the winter. Hagan is a longtime Friend of the Freaks. That made it even more difficult to have this conversation with him about his off-season. Listen...

2004 IndyCar Champion Tony Kanaan, winner of the 2013 Indy 500, broke some news this week in The Freak Nation. The Brazilian born Kanaan is now an American citizen. That's a piece of news he offered. And there's more. Tony is a long time Friend of the Freaks who has a resume that also includes a 2015 overall win at the Rolex 24 t Daytona. So when we get a chance to visit with Tony, there's always something new. Listen...

NHRA drag racer JR Todd is leaving the Top Fuel ranks to run a Funny Car for Kalitta Motorsports in 2017. Todd has been with Kalitta since March of 2014 and has battled all the way to second in the Top Fuel standings in 2014 and fourth last season. In addition, his resume includes being the first African-American driver to win a Top Fuel race. That was back in 2006. But switching to the more demanding Funny Cars will bring all of his experience to task starting this weekend in Pomona. Listen...

NHRA Funny Car driver Jack Beckman is a favorite in The Freak Nation. His background is teaching people to get their drag racing licenses so he has considerable knowledge on what makes you fast in a four second Funny Car. Beckman has 24 career wins in the NHRA including a 2012 Funny Car championship. He finished fifth last season after challenging for the title at midseason. Beckman knows a lot about the four second quarter mile. Listen...