The Weekly Driver Podcast

Gunther Buerman and his wife Maggie Buerman opened the Newport Car Museum in 2017 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. They've constantly updated the combined automobile and history museum including its latest presentation — an homage to Porsche.

Gunther Buerman, whose interest in automobiles began as a young boy when practiced wax paper transfer etchings of car advertisements from National Geographic Magazine, is our guest on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

A repeat guest who was willed a 1966 Ford Mustang nearly 40 years ago, Buerman owns dozens of vehicles, none any more important than his collection of the German sports cars of his early youth.

The Newport Car Museum has a new permanent display of Porsches.

He moved to New York as a young boy with his family where Buerman eventually became an attorney. He's the former chairman of Harris Beach, LLC, a major New York law firm.

From his early life fondness for cars, Buerman and his wife, who live in Highland Beach, Florida and Newport, R.I., have established the largest auto museum on the East Coast.

Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I interview the car collector and avid sailor about his nearly lifelong interest in cars, notably the expansive collection of prized Porsches at the Newport Car Museum

Starting with a 1956 Porsche 356a Speedster, the Museum’s collection includes every Speedster developed to date. The Speedster was redesigned in 1989, ’94, 2011 and for a final time in 2019.

After the 356 came a legend among modern automobiles, the Porsche 911. Ahead of its time when introduced in 1964, the rear-engine 911 evolved over three decades when Porsche introduced a new 911 Carrera in 1999.

Among the Museum’s 911s are a 1979 930 Turbo, a 2016 Targa 4S and three GTs – the 2011 GT3 RS 4.0, 2016 GT3 RS, and 2018 GT2 RS Weissach – the latter representing the highest-powered (700 hp), dual-track-and-road cars of their vintage.

The museum's 2005 Carrera GT is one of the last real supercars with manual transmission: a naturally aspirated 10-cylinder "monster." Finally, the 2015 918 in the collection is forever relevant as one in the trifecta of current hypercars. The McLaren P1 and Ferrari La Ferrari are the also in the prized threesome.

The vehicles in the Newport Auto Museum are complemented by mid-20th Center Modern furnishings of renowned international designers and automotive artworks by Los Angeles-based artist David Lloyd Glover.

Please join Bruce Aldrich and me as we spend 30 minutes with a passionate automotive expert.

THE NEWPORT CAR MUSEUM PREVIOUSLY ON THE WEEKLY DRIVER PODCAST

#228 Newport Car Museum artist David Lloyd Glover

#226 Newport Car Museum Visionary Gunther Buerman

The Newport Car Museum, 1947 West Main Rd., Portsmouth, R.I., is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Email: [email protected]; Phone: 401-848-2277; Website: https://newportcarmuseum.org

John Kraman knows the car auction business as well as a broadcaster. He's the senior member of the Mecum Auctions team and the only announcer who's been on all 16 years of the country's largest automobile auctions broadcast. He's our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.

With broadcast colleagues and varied responsibility crew, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Kraman the auction's participation Aug. 17-19 in Monterey Auto Week. Mecum is the only daytime auction during what is now nearly a two-week celebration on the Monterey Peninsula of all things automotive.

1963 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster. Thought to be the 100th production car, per serial number, following the initial prototype car. Billed to Shelby American on March 13, 1963. All images courtesy of Mecum Auctions/2023.

The Monterey stop on the Mecum Auctions nearly yearlong circuit is the company's smallest in volume. About 600 vehicles are sold in three days. But the Monterey Auction, held at the Hyatt Regency and the adjoining Old Del Monte Golf Course, has the auction's highest average amount per individual sale.

Kraman, a repeat guest who's also a vintage car collector, details how the auction works live and with remote bidding.

A mechanic and pilot, Kraman joins his colleagues with a fast-paced presentation. He knows the pedigrees of all of the vehicles and details each one like it’s his favorite.

1966 Chevrolet Corvette Race Car. The only 1966 Corvette campaigned by Alan Green Chevrolet and raced by Gary Gove in SCCA AP Class competition.

As always, rarities will be highlighted during the Mecum Auctions. But attainable vehicles are the norm. As in past years, vehicles are auctioned every few minutes. It's the only auction televised live during Monterey Auto Week.

Here are three unique vehicles ready for auction during Mecum Auction's gathering in Monterey:

1948 Packard Super 8 Convertible Victoria. Currently owned and for the past decade by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, six-time NBA Champion, and the league's only six-time MVP. The Packard was one of 4,750 built for 1948;

1963 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster. Thought to be the 100th production car, per serial number, following the initial prototype car. Billed to Shelby American on March 13, 1963;

1966 Chevrolet Corvette Race Car. The only 1966 Corvette campaigned by Alan Green Chevrolet and raced by Gary Gove in SCCA AP Class competition.

For more information on Mecum Auctions Monterey 2023 and all other Mecum auctions, visit Mecum.com. Mecum’s website is updated daily with the latest consignments and includes detailed descriptions and photographs of the vehicles to be offered. For schedule information, to consign a vehicle or to register as a bidder for this and all Mecum events, visit Mecum.com, or call (262) 275-5050 for more information.

Auction Schedule: The Daytime Auction: Mecum Monterey 2023, Aug. 17-19, 2023

Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa – Del Monte Golf Course1 Old Golf Course Rd.Monterey, CA 93940

Bidder Registration: Options for in-person, telephone and internet bidding start at $100

Admission: $20 in advance online, and $30 at the door and online after Aug. 16—per person, per day; children 12 and younger receive complimentary admission

Preview: Gates open daily at 8 a.m.

Auction: Vehicles begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17, and at 9 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 18 and Saturday, Aug. 19

TV: Friday, Aug. 18 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Live) on MotorTrendTV and MotorTrend+ and from 2-6 p.m. (Re-Air) on MotorTrendTV; Saturday, Aug. 19 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Live) on MotorTrendTV and MotorTrend+, from 10 a.m.-noon (Live) on Discovery and from 2-6 p.m. (Re-Air) on MotorTrendTV. (All timed PDT)

MECUM AUCTIONS PREVIOUSLY ON THE WEEKLY DRIVER PODCAST

#188 Broadcaster John Kraman Talks Mecum Auctions

#95 Mecum Auctions Defines Fun in Monterey

Buying a vehicle made in the United States is essential to many consumers.

According to Cars.com, about half of the car buyers in the United States say they will pay more for a vehicle that creates U.S. jobs. Additionally, 24 percent of Americans believe a manufacturer has to be headquartered in the U.S. to qualify as "substantially contributing to the U.S. economy."

Tesla holds the top four places in the 18th annual American-Made Index announced by Cars.com.

Jenni Newman, the editor-in-chief of cars.com, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. We discuss consumers' preferences for cars made in the United States.

Co-host Bruce Aldrich is away this week, so I interview Newman, a repeat guest, about the online publication's 18th annual American-Made Index (AMI). The index independently evaluates and ranks the highest-contributing vehicles to the U.S. economy for manufacturing, parts sourcing and employment.

The Honda Odyssey is a mainstay on the American-Made Index announced recently by Cars.com. Image © James Raia/2016.

Newman speaks to the methodology behind the compilation of the list, the disconnect between consumer understanding and the American-made automotive market.

This year, the AMI consideration set comprises 388 vehicles. Only 100 made the cut with Tesla sweeping the first four spots, joined at the top by mainstay Honda and returning Acura. Volkswagen is debuting in the Index’s top 10.

Here's the list, Nos. 1-10 on this year's AMI list

Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model X, Tesla Model S, Honda Passport, Volkswagen ID.4, Honda Odyssey, Acura MDX, Honda Ridgeline, Acura RDX.

Please join me as Newman and I examine the AMI list and further discuss its relevance in today's automotive marketplace.

All of the cars.com podcasts

#266, Cars.com releases 18th ANNUAL American-made index

#224, Cars.com editor reports on EVs, NY Auto Show

#202, Joe Wiesenfelder of Cars.com talks future of EVs

#200, Few Carmakers Get Top Grades in Car Seat Installation

Ben Parker and Toby Kraus are co-founders of Lightship. Both entrepreneurs worked for Tesla but are now immersed in a collaborative project in the recreational vehicle industry.

Parker and Kraus recently introduced the prototype of the L1. It's a pending all-electric trailer Lightship is marketing for a 2024 debut.

Parker was my recent guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast. During the indoor Outdoor Sports Retail Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah, Parker and I sat in the front seat of a Ford Lightning, the new electric pickup truck. It was part of Lightship's vendor exhibit, which attracted strong industry attention during the multiple-day show at the Salt Lake City Convention Center.

The Lightship L1 is the prototype of the new Colorado-based EV RV company.

Co-host Bruce Aldrich was on vacation, so I was the solo host for the episode as our podcast progresses in its sixth year.

Among many topics, Parker and I discussed how the RV industry and the automobile industry will soon work together for consumers interested in towing an electric trailer with an electric truck or sport utility vehicle.

Parker explained the futuristic-looking trailer, the company's two planned models and other plans for the Colorado-based company.

According to the company's website (www.lightshiprv.com):

"The L1 was tightly engineered for zero emissions, for comfort, and built to last. We started with aero principles to create a near-zero range loss for EVs and lower costs at the gas pump.

"From the battery and solar roof down to appliances, every decision was about ease of use. And of course, relaxing just outside nature’s door.

"Kick back with plenty of room to gather and stow it all away in smart storage solutions. Add the bonus of powering your home or charging your EV, and this is unlike any travel trailer you’ve ever had."

With enthusiasm to spare, Parker detailed the prototype and the pending consumer model specs: 300 miles of range, 3 times more dynamic than a traditional trailer, the 7-foot-6 interior and height and its 2-3 kW of solar power.

The Lightship's interior is a combination of a minimalist's nirvana and RV innovation. Spacious windows and a modern design prevail.

In vast detail, Parker explained how the trailer generates power and how he and Kraus began their company. He detailed the reservation process and the pricing structure.

Please join me for a 30-minute conversation with Parker as the entrepreneur explained the company's vision for the future of the RV 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.

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

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. All episodes are also archived via the link: www.theweeklydriver.com/twd-podcast.

Chris Miller has been a friend of The Weekly Driver Podcast for three years. An artist who lives Maples Corner, a hamlet outside Calais, Vermont, Miller began made his sculpture career nearly 50 years ago. He works in granite, wood and marble, and his work is featured in private collections, public buildings and galleries.

It's all acclaimed work and he continues his various commercial contracts. But Miller's "hobby" is his side project making stone cars, trucks and tractors.

Chris Miller designs and makes stone sculpture vehicles. He's currently making his sixth of 10. His seventh is being negotiated. Images courtesy of Chris Miller.

Miller is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. It's our third interview with the 65-year-old artist.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Chris about the progression of this limited series of creations. He's now working on his sixth vehicle. He's only making 10.

Miller's series stone vehicle was inspired by a stone creation of a Volkswagen Beetle built in Ithaca, New York, in 1976. His first piece was built in 2012. It was created in five weeks after Miller launched a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of $2,500. He received $3,200 from 85 backers.

According to his bio on www.chrimillerstudio.com, Miller is primarily self-taught, although he studied art in college. He also studied anatomy and sculpture with the late Lothar Werslin of Sandgate Vt., and drawing and anatomy under Billy Brauer of Warren Vt. He collaborated with several stone sculptors nearby Barre Vt.

There’s a lot involved in making a true-to-size (or larger) stone truck. Miller’s initial piece included 8 loads of quarry stone, 2 pallets of bluestone, a marble tailgate and big chunks of granite. The truck weighs about 40 thousand pounds.

Chris Miller of Vermont is in the middle of creating h10 stone sculpture vehicles. Images courtesy of Chris Miller.

While Miller's sixth project is in the works, a seventh stone vehicle is in negotiation.

Please join us as the article details the advancement of his works and the labor involved. The podcast episode also showcases Miller's enthusiasm for his work.

Here are the links to our previous episodes with Chris Miller:

Episode #164: Chris Miller builds his third stone vehicle

Episode #134: Chris Miller builds stone trucks

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.

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

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. All of the episodes are also archived via the link: www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast.

Megabus, the discount city-to-city bus system, debuted in 2006. Marketed as having served more than 50 million customers in more than 500 cities, the express service features tickets between metro cities for as little as $1 each way.

The travel option available throughout the United States and in Europe, has had successes and failures. But with heavy travel season approaching, Megabus recently announced its return to the California market.

According to its press release, May 15 marked the return of Megabus to California with three trips daily between Anaheim, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Fresno, San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento.

Colin Emerson, VP Commercial for Megabus, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.

While co-host Bruce Aldrich is on vacation, James Raia interviews Emberson about the service's return to California.

Megabus began its service on April 10, 2006 in the United Kingdom and advanced to the United States within two years with routes between Chicago and Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and St. Louis. Several major city hubs were quickly added as the inexpensive travel option had increasing success as a commuter and vacation travel option.

"We pride ourselves in being a really good value-based, reliable, green option for people to get around," said Emberson. "We want to make it as easy as possible. We want to make it as enjoyable as possible."

Like many businesses, Megabus face challenges during the pandemic.

"We have a very good product and we know there's a need for affordable, safe to get folks around, Emberson said. "What we do is look to offer a really good value when things are a little bit slower. When the domain is high, the prices will reflect that."

A recent search for a ticket from Sacramento to San Francisco within the month revealed a one-way ticket for as low as $7.77. A return ticket was also available for the same price.

Emberson emphasized that passengers can use the service with the company's app as little as five minutes before departure. Most Megabus users book tickets like airplane travel with advance purchases and with ticket prices based on supply and demand.

Another popular travel option, Emberson noted, is random travel with the company's "fare finder."

The idea is explained: A trip from Sacramento leaving on June 27 at 3:05 a.m. at arriving in Los Angeles at 2:05 p.m. also costs $7.77. A return trip leaving at 7:05 a.m., and arriving at 7:15 p.m., also costs $7.77. A trip leaving June 27 and returning June from Las Vegas to St. George, Utah, is as low as $52 each way. A trip from Louisville, KY to Evansville, Ind., on the same dates is as low as $40. Some off-hour, low-demand travel is as little as $1 per each way. All transactions included a $3.99 service fee.

"We did see quite a lot of folks buying very last-minute tickets which, I guess, is somewhat surprising to me that somebody on a whim might take in some cases an eight, nine or 10-hour bus ride," said Emberson. "But I guess some people live a little more spontaneously than I might."

Megabus also has a call center to assist passengers with ticketing and other information. The company's website is https://us.megabus.com/.  The telephone number is 877-462-6342.

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.

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

All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.

The citizens of Santa Cruz and the surrounding oceanside towns and tree-lined hamlets may hold an unofficial record for their entrepreneurial ways. Creativity rules small businesses, from bespoke bicycle makers to artists to Annie Wolff Patsch.

Wolff Patsch and her husband, Adam Patsch, combine their last names without a hyphen. The unique pronunciation and the former's upbeat personality are the reasons she's mostly known as Annie. It's the only name on her business card as the founder of Brew Cruz.

A 1964 Volkswagen Bus is showcased at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz. Image © James Raia/2023.

While co-host Bruce Aldrich was on vacation, I interviewed Annie for this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

I interviewed Annie as part of a media trip to the central coast city. Annie's enterprise is a two-vehicle proprietorship, a 1989 Thomas International school bus and a 1964 Volkswagen Van. It's known as Santa Cruz's Original Brewery Tour. It's "fueled by local craft beer," reads the back of Annie's card. The bus is named Betty Jane; the van is Slowboy. Reasons are detailed.

Approaching a decade ago, Brew Cruz was established after a seven-month renovation of the school bus. Purchased in San Francisco as an abandoned vehicle of a disbanded band, it's redone in funky chic. Annie bought a one-way ticket to San Francisco, bought the bus and drove it home.

A beer drinker with a business plan, Annie and other drivers take passengers on pub tours and various, sometimes unbound, celebrations. The bus has a captain's swivel chair with one arm, a living room-style sitting chair, shiny wooden floors and other endearing qualities of any customized school bus.

"On my gosh; At this point, I wish that I had kept sort of a journal, an Anthony Bourdain-like "No Reservations" or "Kitchen Confidential" situation," Annie said. "I've been doing it for so many years, the memories are expansive and there hasn't been a bad tour, except for maybe one.

"Most of the memories just revolve around joy and reconnection, some hilarity, some inappropriateness, which of course means what happens on the Brew Cruz, stays on the Brew Cruz."

While accompanying larger groups was fine, a more intimate option soon seemed wise.

The 1964 VW bus at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz takes guests around town. Image © James Raia/2023

"I knew when I was searching for a secondary vehicle I wanted something smaller to be able to facilitate small groups and to be able to get around town easier," Annie said. "I knew I wanted to get a VW bus. I mean, whose dream is it not to at some point drive or own a VW bus, especially if you have some sort of family nostalgia."

The result is a 1964 VW van. For several years, the 13-window microbus has been parked in front the Dream Inn, the surf city boutique hotel perched along West Cliff Drive and overlooking Cowell Beach. It was purchased a few cities away after a national search.

It's a perfect match. The hotel celebrated its 60th anniversary in March. The VW bus, its myriad siblings still surfers' favorites, will soon turn 60. Guests of the hotel are often passengers on the facility's unofficial mascot.

Whether she's driving the International or VW to brewpubs, parties, weddings or a wake, the small business on wheels personifies the city’s work spirit and history.

"Everyone had one; everyone had a story," Annie said. "My own mother-in-law had a VW bus that she towed my now husband around in for most of his young life. And Santa Cruz? Our funky beach town? It has many of those stories.

"It's almost instantaneous when the bus goes out that somebody's going to walk up and start chatting or asking questions about it or regaling their own stories. But the younger generation I love because, whether they'll ever drive one, with popular culture trends, you could argue they (the buses) never went away. They are definitely considered cool in cross-culture now."

Not long ago, Annie recalls being at the Dream Inn cleaning the inside of the VW. While listening to a podcast she heard a saxophone. She turned down the podcast, looked out the window and there was a teenage boy standing in front of the vehicle playing "Happy Birthday" on his saxophone. The boy's parents were filming the performance on a mobile phone to send it to their son's grandfather, a VW enthusiast, on his 80th birthday.

"I was like, 'What is this? I don't know what's going on," Annie said. "But whatever it is, it's amazing for so many different reasons.”

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.

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

All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.

From time to time during the more than five years of The Weekly Driver Podcast, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia catch-up on automotive news instead of having a guest. This week on Episode #260 we visit four diverse topics — cheap SUVs, the death of speed racing icon Craig Breedlove, the most expensive states to own vehicles and no ignition new car

It's no secret, Hyundai and Kia have drastically improved in recent years. The related manufacturers' vehicles have had some of the industry's top ratings, from economy to luxury segments. The 2023 Hyundai Venue is also the country's cheapest SUV. It only has 121 horsepower and its cargo area is a postage-stamp sized at 32 cubic feet. And it's not available with all-wheel drive. But for about $20,000 its base model is available.

Breedlove, who died in April at age 86, was a professional race car driver and a five-time world land speed record holder. A California native living in Rio Vista, Breedlove was the first person in history to reach 500 and 600 miles per hour.

The Hyundai Venue is the cheapest SUV in the United States.

All of his turbojet-powered vehicles were named Spirit of America, and Breedlove's persona fit the name. He was handsome and flamboyant and perfect for the spotlight.

The need for speed was also a family affair. Breedlove's wife, Lee Breedlove, became the fastest woman in the world when she drove the Sonics 1 to 308 mph in 1965. Craig Breedlove was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2009.

Bruce and I also discuss the most expensive states to own a vehicle. And here's a surprise: It's Connecticut where $1,503 on average is the year cost for a minimum insurance policy. The cost increases to $2,999 for a full coverage policy.

Finally, Bruce and I talk about the 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge. It's the first vehicle both of us have driven that doesn't have an ignition button, toggle or switch or any need for a keyfob except to have it nearby to operate the car.

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.

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

All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.

Greg Abbott, an ordained minister for nearly 40 years, is also a steel fabrication artist, craftsman, prop builder and television personality based in Los Angeles, California.

Mostly, he's known as "Reverend Gadget" or just "Gadget" for his leading role in a custom car build team on the short-lived Discovery Channel series Big!

Abbott, my guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast, has also been part of several other cable television programs, including his current show on EarthxTV.

During the episode, Abbott discusses his advocacy of alternative energy sources by converting gasoline-powered vehicles to electricity.

Abbott took the name "Reverend Gadget" to reflect his craftsman works and because of his minister responsibility that began in 1986. According to his website, he currently holds 10 Guinness World Records for his works, some of which were with the Big! build team. He was interviewed in the documentary Revenge of the Electric Car.

Revered Gadget was also a guest at the recent EarthX Electric Vehicle & Alternative Fuel Ride & Drive in Dallas, Texas. The three-day event featured manufacturers and dealers, Trophy Nissan in Dallas and included nearly a dozen of top-selling electric vehicles for test drives and purchase.

The models included the Audi Q4 e-tron, Chevy Bolt, Lucid Air, Nissan Ariya, Nissan Leaf, Polestar 2, Volvo C40 and Volvo XC40.

Are Tesla owners groups also displayed dozens of vehicles. Also, eCarra, electric vehicle ride-sharing and Wallbox, which features smart electric car charging stations, were represented as were Peterbilt and solar car teams.

Reverend Gadget's Garage is broadcast Monday nights on EarthxTV. It's available on Charter Spectrum, Directv, and FuboTV.

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.

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

All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.

Jimmy Creed, born and raised in Talladega, Alabama, is a decades-long journalist whose interest in motorsports and specifically NASCAR racing began when he was a young boy.

Creed knows the city's famous racetrack as well as any journalist. He cultivated his knowledge in his long tenure as the sports editor of The Anniston Star in nearby Anniston, Alabama.

As one of four writers who've collaborated to write NASCAR 75, a definitive volume of the legendary sport, Creed is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Talladega International Superspeedway is prominently featured in the new book NASCAR 75.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia speak with the veteran journalist about his lifetime involvement in motor racing and his participation in compiling the text and images of the coffee table-sized book.

"You really can't go into anything with a pre-conceived notion," says Creed, who also wrote a biography of famous driver Donnie Allison. "When I first got this assignment, I sat down and I knew I was going to have to talk about the evolution of the cars.

NASCAR 75

"I knew the '80s started the restrictor plates, so I was going to write about that, and I knew I was going to write about Dale Earnhardt and his emergence. And I did touch on it. But when I researched it what surprised even me was that Darrell Waltrip just dominated the 1980s."

With sections also authored by veteran journalists Al Pearce, Mike Hembree and Kelly Crandall, NASCAR 75 captures the greatest moments throughout the sport's decades.

According to its marketing materials, NASCAR 75 covers the sport "from the beaches of Daytona to the jaw-clenching competition, the mind-bending technology, the triumphs, the teamwork, and the high-speed thrills."

Large-format photography from throughout NASCAR history ideally complements the text. The authors cover the evolution of the vehicles—from modified family sedans to 700-horsepower race-built behemoths to the “Next Gen” cars that debuted in 2022.

The book celebrates the drivers who have mastered the tracks in Daytona, Talladega, Darlington, Las Vegas and other cities. The sport's icons — Richard Petty to Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip to Kyle Busch — are all profiled.

Also reported on is the history of the series while celebrating crew chiefs, pit crews and owners on and around the superspeedways, short tracks and road courses.

Join us for our varied 30-minute conversation with Creed, a writer whose passion for motor racing is infectious — even after all these years.

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.

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

All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.