The Weekly Driver Podcast

Colton Herta is 21 years old and he's been behind one steering or another since he was age six. Go-karts to Indy cars and several racing classes between, Herta is now competing at his best as the NTT IndyCar Series concludes this week in Long Beach, California.

Herta (Andretti-Autosport), the youngest driver to win an IndyCar race, successfully defended the Grand Prix of Monterey title he won two years ago on Sept. 19. He completed the 212.61-mile race at WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway in 2 hours, 2 minutes and 32 seconds and at an average speed of 104.114 miles per hour.

Colton Herta is the youngest driver to win an IndyCar race.

Herta's season of crashes and other misfortunes was reversed with a dominating performance as smooth as well-performing tires.

After attending the event for three days and getting the opportunity to interview the young star one-on-one during the weekend, his performance and revisiting the IndyCar circuit is the subject of Episode #198 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Colton Herta, then age 18, after winning his first IndyCar race.

Colton Herta Interview

Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss the enduring series and we've included my brief, varied interview with the race winner, a Southern California native.

After a cool, misty morning, the championship was held with temperatures reaching into the low 70s and with track surface increasing to more than 100 degrees. The finale thus included its share of tire changes. We also cover that component of racing.

Bruce and I also discuss Herta's relationship with his father, Bryan Herta. The elder Herta, a four-time Indy winner including twice at Laguna Seca, is now his son's strategist. The father-son team communicates during races via radio.

"I made mistake or two," Herta said after his win. "I dropped a wheel or two. It wasn't a perfect weekend, but it was pretty close."

Herta had a momentary concern late in the race. He ran over something on the track, near turn 8, the famous "Corkscrew."

"It was either a squirrel or a bunny," he said. "But he came along with me to win the race. He's done a lot more than some IndyCar drivers."

Herta's 2019 win in Monterey occurred a few months after his historic first career IndyCar series title. He became the youngest winner in the circuit's history at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas at 18 years, 359 days old.

Please join us for a varied conversation about IndyCar racing as well as the skills of Colton Herta.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is approaching its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests: famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions. Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below. Amazon.com iheartradio iTunes Spotify

Ashlee Tilford is the managing editor of QuinStreet.com, the marketing and search engine service company. It recently released a consumer-based post detailing a new study by CarInsurance.com — the cheapest and best car insurance companies.

Tilford is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Tilford the CarInsurance.com, one of QuinStreet.com's companies, compiled the resource guide.

CarInsurance.com has picked the best and cheapest auto rates.

While considering what's available in major and small auto insurance companies, the report includes information vetted by experts in several categories, including driver’s age, location and driving habits.

"We compared rates among 35 different insurance providers," Tilford explains. "But before we did that, we created 11 different driver profiles because almost anybody is going to find into one or more of those categories or someone on their policy probably will."

Car Insurance: Different Rates, Different Drivers

Tilford explains the categories were established to relate to consumers to see what should be expected for "whatever their driver profile is."

The study shows good value insurance options considering various categories: comprehensive coverage, drivers with speeding tickets, drivers with poor credit, drivers with accidents, student and teenage drivers and low-mileage drivers.

Tilford also provides insight into some of the controversial areas insurance companies use to determine rates, including credit score and marital status.

"I compare credit scores to high school GPAs or even college GPAs," says Tilford. "People said 'when you get out there in the real world, your GPA isn't going to be that big of a deal. Nobody is going to care about that. Credit scores are similar.

"We can shuffle them under the rug and we can ignore them for a long time. But when they do start affecting us and they do, that is when it becomes apparent how important it is. Your credit score absolutely impacts your auto insurance rates."

Please join us on Episode #197. Our guest provides knowledge and a jovial approach to what is often a mundane but integral part of car ownership.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is approaching its fourth , and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.

Amazon.com

iheartradio

iTunes

Spotify

If you enjoy our podcast, please also consider supporting the hosts by buying us a cup of coffee. Visit the cup of coffee icon below. Make a one-time donation or a monthly contribution.

Driving a new car is generally enjoyable; the process of acquiring it? Not so much.

Bruce Aldrich, the co-host of The Weekly Driver Podcast, hadn't purchased a new vehicle in more than a decade. His Subaru Outback will soon approach 200,000 miles, and it's doing fine.

But Bruce and his wife, Alene, decided a new Ford F-250 pickup truck is the vehicle to get. It'll tow an RV just fine, which is a good thing since the couple is planning to do more traveling with friends who are also RVers and who also own a pickup truck.

Co-host Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss the process of buying a new truck.

Bruce "built" his new truck online from the Ford website, and now he'll wait for the truck to arrive. Delivery could take months.

The process of buying a new vehicle is the first of three topics this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. I interview Bruce about his experience negotiating with dealership personnel and what he expects from the sales department when the truck arrives.

Buying A New Truck Isn't Easy

Bruce's purchase is also timely with the current chaos in the truck segment. Inventory is still slim because of the microchip shortage. If he didn't want to wait, Bruce could have purchased a recent-year used truck. But it would have cost more than a new truck.

In the second portion of the podcast, Bruce and I discuss two recent e-mail letters I received from the readers of my new car reviews. The Weekly Driver began in 2004 and I recently received that could have motor

One letter writer provided overt praise about a piece I wrote on Charlie Watts, the deceased drummer for the Rolling Stones. Within a few hours, I also received a harsh letter about my recent view of the 2021 Honda Ridgeline. The letter pretty much said I'm in the wrong line of work.

Bruce and I discuss the letters and have some fun doing do.

Support Our Podcast: Buy Us A Cup Of Coffee

Lastly, with this episode, listeners who like our podcast can help support. The podcast and its host website, TheWeeklyDriver.com have a new feature. It's called "Buy Us A Cup of Coffee."

By clicking on the area below that shows a cup of coffee, you can contribute as little as $3 as a one-time contribution. Or, you can contribute more on a one-time or monthly basis. Contributions are secure and submitted through PayPal.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:

Amazon.com

Google Play

iheartradio

iTunes

Spotify

Stitcher

Giles Chapman is a prolific automotive journalist whose book topics have ranged from the importance of car badges to the history of Land Rover. His latest title is "Jaguar Century: 100 Years of Automotive Excellence."

Jaguar Century chronicles the company and its remarkable vehicles. It covers the manufacturer's start in 1922 by William Lyons and William Walmsley, and it reports on the current F-Type sports cars to the F-Pace SUV.

a 1961 Jaguar XKE presented a recent Jaguar event in Sacramento, California. Image © Bruce Aldrich.

Chapman, who began his career in 1984 in automotive consultancy, is our guest on episode #195 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Aches, pains at 100

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia reached Chapman in England where he enthusiastically discussed all things Jaguar.

As the book's advanced materials detail the book covers the transformation of the Swallow Sidecar into one of the auto industry’s most revered car brands, synonymous with performance and luxury. It's filled with images, history, and in-depth analyses of the incredible cars Jaguar has created year after year."

Jaguar Century is the latest book by Giles Chapman.

"The task was to really cover the entire century, from the very beginning of the company to now, says Chapman. It takes you from a period from before they even made a car. The first thing they did in 1922 was to produce a sidecar on the side of a motorbike."

The book details the brand in the trying economic times leading up to World War II. It also covers the resetting of Jaguar during England’s bleak postwar years, first with its XK120, then the XK140 and XK150.

As the press information states, the new volumes also chronicle sporting saloons (i.e., sedans) like the Mark 2 and Mark X standards for four-door luxury in the 1950s and 1960s. And it reports on the unveiling of the E-Type in 1961, the vehicle often cited as the most beautiful car ever made.

"I accepted the commission to do it because I thought there was a fantastic story to tell there, not just of the cars but of the people," says Giles.

As the author of more than 50 books, Chapman is an award-winning writer and commentator on the industry, history and culture of cars. In 1991 became the editor of Classic and Sports Car, the top-selling classic car magazine.

Giles Chapman is a prolific automotive journalist.

Giles has been a freelance writer since 1994. In addition to his books, Chapman contributes to national magazines and newspapers and is a commentator on automotive history.

"What I really have enjoyed is stitching this whole thing together in a way I hope somebody who drives a Jaguar now and doesn't know a tremendous about the history would get to know it," Giles says.

While Giles has a great appreciation for Jaguar, he doesn't own a new or used model. But he's driven many.

"The original XJ6 is just an amazing pinnacle of Jaguar did," Giles says of his favorite of the manufacturer's varied offering. "It was such an extraordinary compromise between the handling of the car and the ride comfort. It's amazing how they did it. I just love driving old XJ6s.

"At the time, they were like nothing else and now they continue to feel like that. It's hard to express if you haven't driven one. They're very soothing and they make you feel very proud."

"Jaguar Century: 100 Years of Automotive Excellence" is scheduled for publishing Sept. 28, 2021, by Motorbooks. The hardcover is 224 pages and is priced at $75. With Chapman's other books, it's available via Amazon.com.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected]. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:

Amazon.com

Google Play

iheartradio

iTunes

Spotify

Stitcher

Tesla isn't new to controversy and nor is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and both are back in the news.

The NHTSA, previously critical of the electric vehicle manufacturer, recently said its conducting a preliminary evaluation into the carmaker's self-titled "Autopilot" systems after 11 crashes in nine states.

NHTSA has questioned Tesla after 11 of its cars were involved in 11 accidents with emergency vehicles.

The concern, the agency reported, is how the driver assistance technology works to "monitor, assist, and enforce the driver's engagement with driving while Autopilot is in use."

Bryant Walker Smith, an associate professor in the School of Law and the School of Engineering at the University of South Carolina, discusses the Tesla situation on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Tesla questioned again by NHTSA

Podcast co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Smith about a full range of emerging transport technologies.

"I will refer to automation technologies generally," Smith explains during the opening of the podcast. "But I think we will be specifically talking about driver assistance technologies of which Tesla has questionably named AutoPilot and the future of automated driving technologies, that is those that could truly deserve the name self-driving."

Smith is also an affiliate scholar at the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School and co-director of the University of Michigan Project on Law and Mobility.

He previously led the Emerging Technology Law Committee of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies and served on the US Department of Transportation's Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation.

A graduate of New York University School of Law, Smith also has a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin. He advises cities, states, countries, and the United Nations on emerging transport technologies.

"In a lot of ways, the stats are old news, the roughly dozen crashes involving Tesla vehicles and Emergency Responding vehicles have been widely reported and discussed," says Smith. "What's news is the NHTSA's formal inquiry into them which to could potentially lead to a finding of defect or an effort to get some sort of recall.

"In that way, it's not terribly big news. It's one piece t it's a piece of a much larger set of questions about Tesla, its technologies and really its marketing. That's a much more important story."

Bruce and I further discuss with Smith the quickly changing auto technology in several areas.

"Drivers in all kinds of vehicles, unfortunately, do collide with emergency vehicles," he says. "Emergency vehicles tend to be in dangerous places. That is a problem. Driver distraction is a problem. Tesla's driver assistance technologies may have very serious problems in their design and their interactions with the drivers and in the marketing and all of that is worth examining and it's important in a broader context."

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is approaching its fourth year. We've had a diverse collection of guests: famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected]. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.

Amazon.com

Google Play

iheartradio

iTunes

Spotify

Tesla isn't new to controversy and nor is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and both are back in the news.

The NHTSA, previously critical of the electric vehicle manufacturer, recently said its conducting a preliminary evaluation into the carmaker's self-titled "Autopilot" systems after 11 crashes in nine states.

NHTSA has questioned Tesla after 11 of its cars were involved in 11 accidents with emergency vehicles.

The concern, the agency reported, is how the driver assistance technology works to "monitor, assist, and enforce the driver's engagement with driving while Autopilot is in use."

Bryant Walker Smith, an associate professor in the School of Law and the School of Engineering at the University of South Carolina, discusses the Tesla situation on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Tesla questioned again by NHTSA

Podcast co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Smith about a full range of emerging transport technologies.

"I will refer to automation technologies generally," Smith explains during the opening of the podcast. "But I think we will be specifically talking about driver assistance technologies of which Tesla has questionably named AutoPilot and the future of automated driving technologies, that is those that could truly deserve the name self-driving."

Smith is also an affiliate scholar at the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School and co-director of the University of Michigan Project on Law and Mobility.

He previously led the Emerging Technology Law Committee of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies and served on the US Department of Transportation's Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation.

A graduate of New York University School of Law, Smith also has a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin. He advises cities, states, countries, and the United Nations on emerging transport technologies.

"In a lot of ways, the stats are old news, the roughly dozen crashes involving Tesla vehicles and Emergency Responding vehicles have been widely reported and discussed," says Smith. "What's news is the NHTSA's formal inquiry into them which to could potentially lead to a finding of defect or an effort to get some sort of recall.

"In that way, it's not terribly big news. It's one piece t it's a piece of a much larger set of questions about Tesla, its technologies and really its marketing. That's a much more important story."

Bruce and I further discuss with Smith the quickly changing auto technology in several areas.

"Drivers in all kinds of vehicles, unfortunately, do collide with emergency vehicles," he says. "Emergency vehicles tend to be in dangerous places. That is a problem. Driver distraction is a problem. Tesla's driver assistance technologies may have very serious problems in their design and their interactions with the drivers and in the marketing and all of that is worth examining and it's important in a broader context."

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content.

Donald Osborne is an opera singer, museum CEO, international business owner and one of the voices of the Concours on the Avenue in Carmel, California. He knows cars and people and the gift of gab.

Osborne recently returned from Europe but in plenty of time for Monterey Auto Week. The coronavirus and its variants are in different stages in Italy and England, where he attended globally renowned automotive events.

On Tuesday morning, Aug. 10, the proprietor of Audrain Auto Museum in Newport, R.I., was in his usual perch nearly the judging platform on Ocean Avenue, looking dapper in his official blazer, bowtie and Panama hat.

Osborne was among four guests co-host Bruce Aldrich and I spoke with him during the first of our three days of days attending Monterey Auto Week.

Kim (above) and Rick Franke own a 1960 Buick Electra 225 and showcased at the Concours on the Avenue during Monterey Auto Week. Images © Bruce Aldrich/2021.

"This year we are in a different place," said Osborne, a short while before he sang the national anthem. "It's a testament to both the strength of this event and the enthusiasm for cars that people will do what they have to do come and share an event like with other people."

The Concours on the Avenue, abiding by amended COVID-19 regulations, required attendees to show proof of being vaccinated or were required to wear a mask. Car owners, officials and car enthusiasts in attendance with proof of vaccination were light blue paper wristbands.

Classic Cars, Classic Owners

Show attendees moved through vaccine stations with short lines and with no longer than brief delays. Enthusiastic covid rule compliance was matched only by the enthusiasm for the oxymoron of common rare cars, Ferrari to Porsche, to rarities even unfamiliar to industry devotees in attendance.

Bruce and I also spoke with Kit and Rick Franke, owners of a 1960 Buick Electra 225 and David and Pam Hibbert, owners of 1974 Jaguar Type E 4.2 liter. Its Regency Red exterior was as eye-catching as the Buick and its black sheen.

Kit and Rick inherited a 1960 Buick Electra 225 and showcased what they call a "land yacht" for the first time at the Concours on the Avenue. The family has owned the vehicle since 1962.

A Regency Red 1975 Jaguar XKE Type E 4.2 was displayed at the Concours on the Avenue during Monterey Auto Week.

The Buick, 20-feet long, has been upgraded with disc brakes, LED lights and seatbelts. Its exterior black paint is vivid black, a shade making the darkest of dark black enticing.

At the opposite end of Ocean Ave. from the Frankes, the Hibberts sat in short lawn chairs watching over Jaguar. Its Regency Red exterior was as eye-catching as the Buick’s black sheen. We discuss its legacy and Rick's Jaguar is his native England.

On Wednesday, Aug. 11, Bruce and I attended the Little Car Show in Pacific Grove. Like the Concours on the Avenue, the Little Car Show is free and has the same welcoming atmosphere for those who appreciate vintage cars and trucks

We interviewed Jessica Denecour of Pacific Grove, the owner of a 1947 Crosley Convertible. She bought the car as a retirement gift to herself and now drives the car throughout the Monterey Peninsula, but never on the freeway. Like all vintage car owners, Denecour has plenty of stories to tell about her light blue Crosley.

It's the way it is during Monterey Auto Week.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests: famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected]. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.

Amazon.com

Google Play

iheartradio

iTunes

Spotify

Learning how to operate a manual transmission car or truck was a rite of automotive passage for drivers of a certain age. It's now a rarity, with a few exceptions including a campaign introduced by Hagerty.

The American automotive lifestyle and membership company, Hagerty in July announced, as part of its 10th anniversary of the Hagerty Driving Experience, a mission. Its goal: to teach 500 people to drive a stick shift in 50 days.

Rachel Ventimiglia, Assistant Manager of Car Culture at Hagerty, is my guest on Episode #192 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Hagerty started a program in July to encourage more drivers to learn how to drive manual transmission vehicles.

Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on assignment, so I discuss with Ventimiglia the ever-increasing disappearance of manual transmissions and the importance of Hagerty's mission.

Consider some drastic statistics:

The first car to use a manual transmission with synchromesh (single clutching) was the 1929 Cadillac;

The first automobile model to use an automatic transmission was the 1948 Oldsmobile;

In 1980 models, 35 percent of cars produced for sale in the United States had manual transmissions;.

In 2011, the number had fallen 13 percent;

In 2020, only 2.4 percent of new cars sold in the United States had manual transmissions.

Want to drive a manual? Hagerty can help

In a recent report published by U.S. News & World Report, only 18 of current U.S. drivers can drive a vehicle equipped with a stick shift.

To reach the 500-person goal, Hagerty is calling on manual drivers to connect with an untaught friend or family member and spend an hour in a parking lot or quiet road to teach the basics.

Many vintage cars were equipped new with manual transmissions but far fewer new cars and trucks have stick shifts.

Drivers are asked to share their experience on the Hagerty Community website, after which they will receive two "Shift Happens" hats for their participation.

"Being able to drive a manual transmission is exhilarating and empowering, and we want to offer people the chance to get behind the wheel of a cool car and experience the fun and passion that enthusiasts know so well," said Hagerty CEO McKeel Hagerty. "Teaching others how to drive stick is at the heart of car culture, and we hope to pass down this skill to the next generation of car lovers."

Since 2011, Hagerty and its volunteers have trained more than 4,000 people how to drive a manual transmission through initiatives such as the Hagerty Driving Experience and Hagerty Driving Academy, a series of more than 40 events nationwide that teach safe, proficient driving skills and the art of shifting a manual. For more information, call (800) 922-4050 or visit www.hagerty.com.

Join me for my discussion with Ventimiglia. She provides a few unusual stories of drivers who've learned to operate a stick shift for the first time. We also discuss some of our personal experiences learning how to drive a manual transmission.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests: famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected]. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.

Amazon.com

Google Play

iheartradio

iTunes

Spotify

A few events have been amended,  few postponed for another year. But by any name, Monterey Auto Week to Classic Car Week, and with events from The Little Car Show to the Concours d'Elegance, it's back.

The all-encompassing showcase of automobiles and many related areas returns after a one-year COVID-19 hiatus.

A crew attends to details on a vintage Rolls-Royce just prior to the bidding during Mecum Auctions at Monterey Auto Week. All images © Bruce Aldrich

The festivities begin August 6 and continue through August 15 at multiple locations throughout the Monterey Peninsula.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James it all during this Episode #191 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. We'll be on-site for four days beginning Aug. 9. Plans include a podcast from the Concours on the Avenue in Carmel (Aug. 10) and The Little Car Show (Aug. 11) in Pacific Grove.

Aston Martin will have a world debut in Pebble Beach (August 12), and we'll be there, too.

Monterey Auto Week: Auto Overload

In the meantime, Bruce and I discuss our previous experiences attending various activities during Monterey Auto Week.

We agree the best show to attend for the money (it's free) is the Concours on the Avenue. Get there early and watch the cars arrive on Ocean Ave. and the surrounding side streets. It's a show with a variety of vintage vehicles, some rare, some not-so-much.

A rare Pagani was featured at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering during Monterey Auto Week.

But every vehicle has a passionate owner and the enjoyment of the show is as much to them as it is the showcased of vintage machines.

Attending Mecum Auctions (August 12-14) at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa/Del Monte Golf Course is like attending a circus for automobiles (although no cars are mistreated). It's a three-day parade of vehicles for sale, 600 in all, with a vehicle on the auction block ready for bidding every few minutes.

We've attended the auction several times. It's held during daytime hours and it's nationally televised. Ticket prices vary but all are inexpensive. It's complete entertainment. Plentiful refreshments are available and the combination of car-and-people-watching is hard to beat.

The Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach Golf Links (August 15) traditionally ends the annual celebration. And it will again with the finale's 70th anniversary. It will also be Sandaa Button's 35th presentation as the event chairwoman.

The first Bugatti Veyron was auctioned a few years ago during Monterey Auto Week.

If you're on the Monterey Peninsula during Monterey Auto Week make sure to pick up a free copy of the Monterey Herald's specialty publication on the now nearly two weeks of activities. It includes a detailed schedule of events and profiles of the people and vehicles involved.

As a long-time contributor to the Monterey Herald, I have six articles in the specialty publication.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.

Amazon.com

Google Play

iheartradio

iTunes

Spotify

A few events have been amended,  few postponed for another year. But by any name, Monterey Auto Week to Classic Car Week, and with events from The Little Car Show to the Concours d'Elegance, it's back.

The all-encompassing showcase of automobiles and many related areas returns after a one-year COVID-19 hiatus.

A crew attends to details on a vintage Rolls-Royce just prior to the bidding during Mecum Auctions at Monterey Auto Week. All images © Bruce Aldrich

The festivities begin August 6 and continue through August 15 at multiple locations throughout the Monterey Peninsula.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James it all during this Episode #191 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. We'll be on-site for four days beginning Aug. 9. Plans include a podcast from the Concours on the Avenue in Carmel (Aug. 10) and The Little Car Show (Aug. 11) in Pacific Grove.

Aston Martin will have a world debut in Pebble Beach (August 12), and we'll be there, too.

Monterey Auto Week: Auto Overload

In the meantime, Bruce and I discuss our previous experiences attending various activities during Monterey Auto Week.

We agree the best show to attend for the money (it's free) is the Concours on the Avenue. Get there early and watch the cars arrive on Ocean Ave. and the surrounding side streets. It's a show with a variety of vintage vehicles, some rare, some not-so-much.

A rare Pagani was featured at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering during Monterey Auto Week.

But every vehicle has a passionate owner and the enjoyment of the show is as much to them as it is the showcased of vintage machines.

Attending Mecum Auctions (August 12-14) at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa/Del Monte Golf Course is like attending a circus for automobiles (although no cars are mistreated). It's a three-day parade of vehicles for sale, 600 in all, with a vehicle on the auction block ready for bidding every few minutes.

We've attended the auction several times. It's held during daytime hours and it's nationally televised. Ticket prices vary but all are inexpensive. It's complete entertainment. Plentiful refreshments are available and the combination of car-and-people-watching is hard to beat.

The Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach Golf Links (August 15) traditionally ends the annual celebration. And it will again with the finale's 70th anniversary. It will also be Sandaa Button's 35th presentation as the event chairwoman.

The first Bugatti Veyron was auctioned a few years ago during Monterey Auto Week.

If you're on the Monterey Peninsula during Monterey Auto Week make sure to pick up a free copy of the Monterey Herald's specialty publication on the now nearly two weeks of activities. It includes a detailed schedule of events and profiles of the people and vehicles involved.

As a long-time contributor to the Monterey Herald, I have six articles in the specialty publication.

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