The Weekly Driver Podcast

It's easy to hear overt enthusiasm in Bill Mayer's voice. He's owned, restored and sold several of what he calls "works of art" — classic and exotic cars.

After many years of planning, Mayer is now also the co-founder of the website, ThatsANiceCar.com. It reflects his passion for expensive automotive rarities. Andrew Sparrow is also a co-founder and the site's technology guru.

Launched in January, the website features only high-end exotic cars offered in a unique pricing platform. It's for buyers and sellers.

A 2015 Ferrari 458 Italia Speciale is among the exotic cars for sale on thatsanicecar.com.

Mayer is our guest on episode #180 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Mayer the idea for the website and his plans to compete in the online marketplace.

Exotic cars get reactions

"I'm a car guy and I like to talk about cars," says Mayer. "I've been working on this concept for a while. The way I came up the with name is that it's kind of a common understatement that I hear car guys make.

"Let's say I'm at a Cars and Coffee event and I'm standing next to a beautiful Ferrari or a Lamborghini. Someone will just nod their head a little bit and say, 'that's a nice car.' That's the genesis of the name."

Mayer has been researching and studying exotic cars online for about 15 years. He started when several niche print publications switched to online publishing. He was first interested in classics.

"I had a hard time finding classic cars for a while," Mayer explains. "There weren't really any sites devoted to classic cars. You really couldn't find any sites that were only devoted to classic cars. I remember being frustrated when I looking."

A 2019 Lamborghini Urus is among the exotic cars for sale on thatsanicecar.com.

Mayer's interests then moved toward exotics and supercars.

"I was starting to see exotic cars much more regularly, Mayer says. "Ten or 15 years ago, you almost never saw a Ferrari, Lamborghini or Aston Martin just driving down the road or parked in a parking lot. But now you do. It started to occur to me that if there was another segment of the used car marketplace that needed to be segmented like the classic car segment had evolved, it's supercars and exotic cars."

Thus, the online business began.

Please join us for an engaging conversion on how the site acquires vehicles and the platform for buyers and sellers to negotiate.

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

Three mainstream automobile manufacturers, Honda, Hyundai and Toyota, sell and lease hydrogen vehicles. The Clarity (Honda) and Mirai (Toyota) are sedans; the Nexo (Hyundai) is a sport utility vehicle.

Combined, the three vehicles compromise a small fraction of the automotive industry and are overwhelmingly in California.

Ben Xiong, the Communications Specialist at California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) in West Sacramento, California, discusses the hydrogen vehicle industry on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

The 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell showcases hydrogen technology. Image © James Raia/2018

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia report on the progress of the hydrogen car and truck industry, the public's perception of hydrogen fuel and the availability of hydrogen refueling stations.

"My main passion, really, is reacting with people via public website and social media about the industry," said Xiong, who has been working with the CaFCP for 15 years. "Right now there are 45 locations in California that are open for retail (public) use in California," said Xiong. "They are primarily focused in Southern and Northern California and we do have one in the central valley at Harris Ranch (Coalinga)."

Hydrogen Cars Have Perks

Founded in 1999, the California Fuel Cell Partnership is an industry/government collaboration aimed at expanding the market for fuel cell electric vehicles powered by hydrogen to help create a cleaner, more energy-diverse future with no-compromises zero-emission vehicles.

While unheralded and limited, Xiong explains his industry's beliefs in fuel-cell vehicles and the monetary perks of buying or leasing a hydrogen vehicle.

Chris White of the California Fuel Cell Partnership was among the first drivers of a Honda Clarity Fuel Cell hydrogen vehicle. She's now on her second vehicle.

Please join us for an interview with a hydrogen fuel industry proponent.

Beyond our podcast, please visit www.cafcp.org for hydrogen vehicle specifications, a map of fueling stations in California and a host of articles about the industry.

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

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A long-time battle between racing organizations could have destroyed Indy Car Racing. It's unlikely anyone has as much intimate knowledge of the chaos, anger, resentment and money-grab than John Oreovicz.

With the Indianapolis 500 on the not-too-distant horizon, Oreovicz, author of the new book Indy Split, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Author John Orevicz details Indy car racing's vicious money battle in his new book, Indy Split.

Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss with Oreovicz the money battle between the competing organizations and the men who sought to control the sport.

A long-time motorsports reporter, Oreovicz began attending the Indianapolis 500 as a teenager in the late ‘70s. It allowed him to witness the sport’s growth as an avid fan before documenting its decline as a journalist.

“My growing interest in Indy car racing in the late 1970s coincided with the original USAC vs. CART split," said Oreovicz. "I was just a kid, but I studied the roots of the conflict. I was as fascinated by the politics, the personalities and the posturing as I was by the cars and the competition."

The book traces the roots of Indy car racing’s dysfunction, which began in 1945 when Tony Hulman rescued the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from its potential redevelopment.

Over the next 75 years, the Hulman-George family used the stature of the Speedway to carve out a powerful position in American auto racing that sometimes resulted in conflict with Indy car competitors. A volatile period in the late 1970s sparked the formation of Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), and tensions ramped up even more when Hulman’s grandson, Tony George, assumed power in 1990.

Indy Car Racing: Civil War, Ugly Racing

According to his bio, Oreovicz has loved cars since he was a child. He turned that passion into a career as a professional sportswriter specializing in auto racing. He covered Indy car racing in print and online for 30 years for major media outlets, including National Speed Sport News, Racer, and ESPN.

Oreovicz currently resides a short walk from Turn 1 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"The 1996 IRL-CART split was a civil war and an ugly divorce, all wrapped into one," he said. "No matter how it started or who was responsible for prolonging it, the split took a toll on anyone who cared about Indy car racing Friendships were strained. Historic venues and events were lost, key sponsors and manufacturers departed. NASCAR was the only real winner in the Indy car split."

Indy Split includes a foreword by Motorsport Hall of Fame inductee Robin Miller, arguably Indy car racing’s most vocal advocate.

"I started writing this book in 2017," said Oreovicz. "But I’ve been doing the research for most of my life. Over the last 45 years, it was my privilege to attend or cover nearly 500 Indy car races. I wanted to tell this important story in an accurate, entertaining, and hopefully, reasonably objective way.”

"As I followed the sport as a fan through the ‘80s, it was clear the CART-USAC conflict was not totally resolved. The Indy 500 was sustained by CART’s growth, yet a crucial part of CART’s success was the inclusion of the Indy 500 in its championship. There was an uneasy coexistence, but still a lot of hard feelings on the USAC side that occasionally flared up during the month of May at IMS."

Indy Split "The Big Money Battle that Nearly Destroyed Indy Racing," ($35), will be published by Octane Press on Sunday, May 30. (https://octanepress.com)

Please join Bruce and me in our engaging discussion with the enthusiastic author.

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 auto reviews.

The podcast is in its third 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

iheartradio

iTunes

Spotify

Nvidia, an American multinational technology company based in Santa Clara, California, began in 1993. It originally designed graphics processing units (GPU) for gaming, professional markets and mobile computing.

Since 2014, Nvidia has diversified its business, focusing on three markets: gaming, automotive electronics and mobile devices.

Danny Shapiro, Senior Director, Automotive, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Nvidia is increasingly focusing on autonomous cars and trucks.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Shapiro the ever-evolving status of autonomous driving. The Nvidia GPU (GTC) annual event in San Jose was a virtual event this year. It was held April 12-16 with an "After Party" set for April 19-23. Conference sessions are also available on demand.

Nvidia: Expanding Autonomous Vehicles

The GTC (Global Technology Conference) features breakthroughs in AI, data center, graphics, accelerated computing and intelligent networking. A wide range of interactive sessions, recorded presentations, demos, podcasts and training covering transformative technologies are included.

"The autonomous automotive world is going through a tremendous transformation," said Shapiro on the eve of the conference. "It's in the form of AI. It's a function of the software. It's a function of bringing supercomputing into the vehicle.

Shapiro explained that until recently Nvidia was not well-known.

"We started out developing a lot of computers the were used by other computing companies," Shapiro said. "We started out making 3D graphics and graphic cards so people could play video games."

"Our products now span everything from consumer electronic devices live tablets to PCs to work stations to supercomputers and data centers. But also now we have a group that's been around that's developing technology that goes into cars."

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

Stitcher

RVTravel.com is the country's pre-eminent recreational vehicle website. It reports on every conceivable component of tthe ever-expanding industry. It has expert text and video, twice-weekly newsletters, daily tips, a huge social media presence and a forum. Its new feature is a weekly podcast.

Scott Linden, a long-time television and radio broadcaster and an avid RVer, is the host of the podcast which debuted in early April.

Scott Linden is the host of the new RVTravel.com podcast.

Linden our guest on episode #176 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss with Scott the back story of how he started the podcast via his friendship with Chuck Woodbury, the publisher of RVTravel.com. Scott also details how he plans to host the podcast and topics it will cover every Sunday.

"There's so much to be done in the works of RVing," Linden says. "Especially now when there are some many people trying it for the first time. That's probably the most exciting part about it for me is trying to help people have more fun."

That first-timer appeal is not unique to RVing either. The same instinct — unpack once, wake up somewhere new, let the vehicle do the driving — is why European river sailings sell so well to people who would never book a bus tour, and why the lines now sell pre and post cruise packages that add hotel nights in the departure and arrival cities so travellers get real time on the ground at both ends.

A long-time hunter and fisherman, Linden will combine his television and broadcast experience and enjoyment of RVing into the podcast every Sunday.

Linden will strive to make the podcasts about topics RVers want to know about. He won't make it a show geared toward his interests.

Chuck Woodbury, Publisher of RVTravel.com, welcomes a podcast to the popular site.

"I want to cover topics of interest to them instead of what's of interest to me," he says. "The feedback has been very positive. We are really ringing the bell of a lot of folks."

The new podcast is available on RVTravel.com and will soon expand to popular podcast outlets.

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.

After a postponement and cancellation because of the COVID-19 pandemic, LA AutoMobility and the LA Auto Show will be back later this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Collectively, the automotive industry can't wait.

Plenty of other auto shows didn't occur last year and won't until later this year. But organizers of the Los Angeles show, the first major industry event of the season, decided to offer a glimpse into the future.

The 2021 Toyota Mirai was discussed during the recent LA Auto Show virtual Media Day.

A virtual media gathering with representatives from many carmakers was recently held, and The Weekly Driver Podcast was part of it.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia listened to several presentations and follow-up question-and-answer sessions. We even submitted a few questions that were answered.

The LA Auto Show will be held Nov. 19-28.

In the meantime, on episode No. 175 of The Weekly Driver Podcast, we'll hear from representatives from Magna, Toyota and Volkswagen.

Magna International is a Canadian mobility technology company for automakers. It produces automotive systems, assemblies, modules and components supplied to BMW, Fiat-Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mercedes, Volkswagen and Tesla.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 was introduced during the 2021 LA Auto Show virtual Media Day.

Toyota's presentation is the introduction of the 2021 Mirai. It's one of only three mainstream hydrogen fuel cell cars available in the United States.

EVs on the horizon

In the ever-expanding electric vehicle segment, Volkswagen's latest offering is the ID.4. It debuted in late 2020 in Europe and in early 2021 to North American customers in early 2021.

It's the fully electric crossover SUV under the Volkswagen brand. The German manufacturer is marketing the ID.4 as a high-volume, mass-market electric vehicle: a car for “the millions, not the millionaires." We'll hear VW's presentation, too.

Please join Bruce and me for this virtual presentation hosted by the Motor Press Guild. It's an audio-only preview of the pending LA Auto Show.

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

Stitcher

Karl Brauer has an extensive history in the automotive industry, including his current position as the executive analyst for iseecars.com.

The website, an automotive research firm and data-driven car search engine, helps shoppers find the right car at the right price. It also develops and shares powerful studies and market analyses that have been featured in over 2,000 media outlets.

 

iseecars.com: The Ford F-150 pickup truck remained the country's top-selling vehicle in 2020.

Brauer is our guest on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

iseecars.com is a top auto search engine

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Brauer several areas of the automotive industry, including the research firm's recent study on top-selling new and used cars for 2020.

It's no surprise the Ford F-150 leads both categories. The enduring pickup truck has been the top-selling truck in the United States for nearly 50 years. It's also been the country's top-selling new and used vehicle for many years.

Karl Brauer of iseecars.com.

Brauer details why he believes pickup trucks have remained at the top of the sales rankings for so many years.

We also discuss with Brauer the immediate future of electric trucks. It's a super-competitive segment including Tesla, Rivian, Bollinger and pending EV trucks from traditional manufacturers like Ford.

Besides its recent new and use best-selling vehicle list, iseecars.com's recent studies have included the popular survey of manufacturers' percentage of vehicles lasting 200,000 miles.

And we talk about the popularity of vehicles by state. Surprise! Ford reigns again.

According to the website, iSeeCars.com has saved users more than $249 million by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points. The site uses proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new and used cars.

Join Bruce Aldrich and me as we absorb the knowledge of industry leader Karl Brauer.

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

There's always a lot happening in the auto industry. But it's been a particularly wild ride lately.

Tiger Woods crashed a new 2021 Genesis GV80. I test drove a 2022 Rolls-Royce Ghost for four days. And a new coffee table-sized book on the new mid-engine Corvette C8 has been published.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss the three topics and more on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss Tiger Woods, the 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost and a new book on the mid-engine Corvette C8 on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Image © Gretchen Gaither/2021.

Woods sustained multiple leg injuries early February 23 when he was involved in a single-car accident in Los Angeles County. The accident continued the golf icon’s years of misfortune while driving.

After removing Woods from his vehicle with the “jaws of life,” the golfer was taken by ambulance to Harbor UCLA Medical Center. It was Woods’ third car accident since 2009.

Woods, 45, an 82-time PGA Tour winner, was in the Southern California area for his annual Genesis Invitational golf tournament at the Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades.

A lot still remains unknown about the accident and Woods' future. Bruce and I give our opinions, which mostly streamline to: "Hey Tiger. Live Longer. Hire A Driver."

Tiger Woods suffered multiple leg injuries Feb. 23 in a single-car accident in Southern California. It was Woods' third car accident since 2007.

Woods recently had another in his long series of back surgeries and he recently said his recovery could recent back surgery could keep him out of the upcoming Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia.

The 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost attracted as much attention as any vehicle I've reviewed in 16 years as an automotive journalist.

The entry-level Ghost and siblings Cullinan, Dawn, Phantom and Wraith attract attention like no other carmaker’s offerings. Global sales of 5,125 in 2020 continued the brand’s reputation. It’s a name everyone knows, a car few see.

The Cullinan, the company’s first SUV, debuted in 2018. It catapulted sales to record levels. The Ghost is described as the carmaker’s “purest expression.”

Podcast No. 172, Tiger Woods, Rolls-Royce, Corvette C8 Book

Who’s to argue? Newness abounds this year in the long-anticipated five-passenger sedan’s second generation. The so-called entry-level Rolls Royce was the brand’s top-seller for the previous decade.

The new Ghost features a 6.75-liter, twin-turbo, 48-valve V12. It produces 563 horsepower and advances from zero to 60 miles per hour, via its eight-speed automatic transmission, in 4.6 seconds. The top speed is 155 miles per hour.

The drive is powerful, smooth, quiet and carried on 21-inch, 10-spoke wheels. And while the wheels spin, the RR center emblems remain upright.

It’s all impressive for a vehicle that weighs 5,540 pounds and extends slightly more than 18 feet.

And speaking of beauty, consider the new Corvette. The debuts of the 2020 C8 and its 2021 sibling, both delayed in production by the coronavirus pandemic, feature what Chevy considered for decades: a mid-engine.

With diminishing sales for several years, the eighth generation is unlike any previous Corvette. Its engineers, like other renowned American artists, were influenced by European supercar masters from Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren. Some purists were aghast, others welcomed the change.

With a starting price of less than $60,000 and stunning specs: a 6.2-liter V8, top-speed of 194 miles per hour and 0-60 mph in less than three seconds, the new Corvette has global sales aspirations. Chevy hopes its sports car flagship’s reputation, cultivating since 1953, accelerates across continents and into competitors’ domains.

The new Corvette also disrupts previous signature traits. An eight-speed, double-clutch transmission replaces a stick shift.

Please join us for another episode as we examine the ever-changing automotive world.

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

Stitcher

"The Lady and the Dale" tells the little-known story of Liz Carmichael in the 1970s. Carmichael rose to prominence when she released a fuel-efficient, three-wheeled vehicle while being responsible for one of the biggest auto scams in history.

Nick Cammilleri, the creator, writer, director and co-producer of the four-part docu-series now showing on HBO Max, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Liz Carmichael: Her life is portrayed in the HBO series "The Lady and the Dale."

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Cammilleri about his 10-year project making the series, his relationship with Carmichael's family and the twists and turns of the film's unique circumstances.

Born Geraldine Elizabeth "Liz" Carmichael in 1927, the American automobile executive and a convicted fraud, was married four times. She was born Jerry Dean Michael but was transgender.

Liz Carmichael: Marketing Felon

Arrested for counterfeiting U.S. currency in 1961, she went on the run in 1962. In the late 1960s, faked a serious car accident and changed her name to Liz Carmichael.

Twelve years after her arrest and while still a fugitive, Carmichael worked at the U.S Marketing Institute in Los Angeles where she met Dale Clifft. The latter had invented a three-wheel car with low gas consumption.

"Dale Clifft was an engineer and he built this thing called a commuter cycle," explains Cammilleri. "It was a three-wheel contraption, some people called it a Dune Buggy when he drove it around Ventura Blvd. (in Los Angeles).

"When he came into the office where Carmichael was working, he said 'I've built this car and it gets 70 miles per gallon. This might be a thing.' Liz Carmichael thought 'we could have something really special here.' Basically, she signed a deal so she could license it, believing she could market it."

The complex and convoluted saga of the Dale had begun.

None of the vehicles were produced, and only four prototypes of the Dale were made. Only one prototype was able to move under its own power.

Carmichael, who died of cancer in February 2004, lied about her personal life and her education and lots of other things. She eventually was charged with 31 counts of grand theft, fraud and corporate security violations.

The bizarre tale of the Dale vehicle, Carmichael's life as a transgender person, her years of hiding from law enforcement and her eventual arrest in 1989 are all detailed in the series.

"Was she criminal or a hero? I view her as an anti-hero," says Cammilleri. "I think she's one of the best anti-heroes I've ever seen. She did nothing different than people like DuPont, Budweiser, Coca-Cola. All those companies to extra-legal things. She did a lot of stuff those companies did."

Among the unusual circumstance of Carmichael's life: She served 18 months in a men's prison, despite having been recognized as a woman by the courts.

The documentary, which premiered on January 31, has a 100 percent critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The reviewers' consensus: "An intoxicating blend of historical footage, candid interviews, and animation that deftly captures Liz Carmichael's incredible life, The Lady and the Dale is a wild ride."

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

Stitcher

Just like any business relying on visitors, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca had it tough during 2020. Events were rescheduled and canceled. But management did its best to offer recreation opportunities when it could.

One unheralded but important track use is the facility's access to non-competitive racing clubs and performance driving programs. Members rent or bring their vehicle to the racetrack and experience the famous layout.

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has a full schedule of racing as well as programs for improving driving skills.

Barry Toepke, the director of heritage racing at the WeatherTech Raceway, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Toepke the upcoming 2021 season and the varied competitive events on the horizon.

WeatherTech Raceway: Improve Your Driving

But we also talk about programs available to the public to develop their skills behind the wheel.

For a minimal fee, and sometimes a club membership, anyone can come and take part in a track day. Participation usually consists of five, 20-minute sessions circling the track.

Several organizations such as Hooked on Driving and Speed SF also offer one-on-one professional coaching, for those who desire more confidence in a high-performance vehicle or want to take their skills to the next level.

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is renowned for its varied motorsports racing.

In many cases, professional instruction is required for those who’ve never driven on track before, ensuring the safety of all participants. There are manufacturer group programs as well, such as the Lexus Performance Driving School featuring instruction by championship driver Scott Pruett.

For someone looking for a way to get a competition license and graduate into a professional series, regular renters like Skip Barber Racing School, the Allen Berg Racing School and the AMG Driving Academy offer enthusiasts the chance to learn from seasoned professionals how to get the most out of their car and themselves.

As Toepke details, it's the best way to learn how to handle a car under racing conditions.

The Skip Barber Racing School has seen many graduates go on to race professionally. Patrick Dempsey Paul Newman and Jerry Seinfeld have frequented the driving programs at the racetrack. And icons Jeff Gordon and Chip Ganassi honed their careers at the facility's driving programs.

For individuals or groups looking for time on the track or a detailed list of the racing season, visit WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

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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.

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