About this episode
Experience the thrill of IMSA endurance racing at Watkins Glen as the hosts recount a surprise Father's Day trip to the historic New York track. They dive into the track's origins, the unique freedom of the infield spectator experience, and how the local town gets completely taken over by race teams. From sharing a Thai restaurant with professional drivers to hearing a wild story about a Brazilian stock car racer who started driving himself to kart races at age thirteen, this discussion captures the pure, accessible magic of sports car racing culture.
Watkins Glen
"Mike was actually on one of the first episodes we did with Somebody, yes, remember that. So she got us, well, she got me tickets and we were all staying at the same place to go see some inso racing, Yes, at Watkins Glen, which I had never seen in person."
A legendary race track in upstate New York that started out as races on actual public streets in the 1940s before moving to a dedicated, safe track. It is famous for hosting long-distance sports car races.
Watkins Glen International, nicknamed 'The Glen,' is a historic road course located in Watkins Glen, New York. Originally starting as a 6.6-mile race through public town streets in 1948, a permanent closed circuit was built in 1956. It has hosted prestigious events including the Formula One United States Grand Prix, NASCAR Cup Series, and IMSA sports car endurance races.
IMSA
"So she got us, well, she got me tickets and we were all staying at the same place to go see some inso racing, Yes, at Watkins Glen, which I had never seen in person."
A major sports car racing organization in North America. They run races where different types of fast cars—some looking like spaceships and others looking like modified street cars—all race together on the track at the same time.
The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) is the premier North American organizing and sanctioning body for sports car racing. Its flagship series, the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, features multi-class racing where exotic prototypes and production-based GT cars compete on the track at the same time in grueling endurance events.
Ford Mustang
"...ther races in general. Like they had a dark Horse Mustang Challenge which was cool to watch. When they got ..."
The Ford Mustang is a famous two-door sports car made by the American company Ford. The "Dark Horse" is a special, high-performance version of this car designed to be driven fast on race tracks.
The Ford Mustang is an iconic American pony car, with its seventh-generation (S650) model featuring the track-focused Dark Horse variant. The Dark Horse Challenge is a spec racing series showcasing this high-performance version, which is powered by a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine. It represents Ford's continued commitment to V8-powered, rear-wheel-drive sports cars.
Audi RS3 TCR
"So, you know, they did have AUDI basically the it said r S three three. It's an A three basic, but it's a wide body, it's a TCR kit and two not the RS three fire cylinder, so they run on the twos and they only run front wheel drive, which I did not understand that."
A race-only version of the Audi RS3 sedan built for touring car championships. It has a wide body kit and front-wheel drive instead of the standard road car's all-wheel-drive system.
The Audi RS3 TCR is a factory-built race car designed for the global Touring Car Racing (TCR) category. Unlike the road-going Audi RS3 which features a 5-cylinder engine and quattro all-wheel drive, the TCR version uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine driving the front wheels only to comply with class regulations.
Cupra Leon TCR
"And also they have not the gt I but the Coupra. Yeah. I kind of was deflated about that. Like Volkswagen really dropped the ball when it comes to motorsport racing..."
A racing hatchback made by Cupra, a sporty European brand owned by Volkswagen. It is built specifically to compete in touring car races against other modified everyday cars.
The Cupra Leon TCR is a high-performance touring race car built by Cupra, the performance brand spun off from Spanish automaker SEAT (a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group). It shares its front-wheel-drive MQB platform and 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with other Volkswagen Group TCR cars like the Audi RS3 TCR and Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR.
Honda Civic
"... or whatever the case is. So, but it was actually Civics and the group was the type N. Speaker 1: Yes and ..."
The Honda Civic is a small, reliable passenger car made by the Japanese company Honda. It is available as a sedan or a hatchback and is widely used for everyday driving.
The Honda Civic is a highly popular compact car known for its reliability, fuel efficiency, and diverse lineup ranging from practical daily drivers to high-performance models. It is frequently discussed in motorsport contexts due to its strong aftermarket support and competitive history in touring car racing.
Porsche Cayman
"Oh, they had the Sorry no, I was just gonna say that it was the Caymans. Oh yeah. And I could not believe how loud the Caymans were, Like they just echoed through everything."
A smaller, two-seat sports car from Porsche. Because its engine is located in the middle of the car rather than the back, it handles corners incredibly well.
The Porsche Cayman is a mid-engined, two-seater sports car known for its exceptional balance, precise handling, and analog driving feel. Positioned below the 911 in Porsche's lineup, its mid-engine layout places the weight of the engine in the center of the chassis, offering superior handling dynamics on both the road and the race track.
1984 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI
"And I've been talking about this stuff here and there, but I'm probably definitely selling my eighty four rabbit GTI. I don't think I'm ever gonna get a chance to work on it because I can't get stuff."
A classic, sporty version of the original Volkswagen Rabbit hatchback from the 1980s. It is famous for proving that a small, practical, and affordable car could also be incredibly fun to drive.
The Mk1 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI is the legendary vehicle that popularized the 'hot hatch' segment in North America, combining everyday hatchback practicality with a sporty, fuel-injected 1.8-liter engine. The 1984 model was the final year of US production for the first-generation Rabbit GTI, highly prized by enthusiasts for its lightweight chassis, boxy styling, and engaging, analog driving dynamics.
Volkswagen Gti
"...thing, or someone wants to put together their own GTI that you know, it's not out there already and the..."
The Volkswagen Golf is a small hatchback car made by the German company Volkswagen. It is designed to be practical for daily use while still being fun to drive.
The Volkswagen Golf is a benchmark compact hatchback, with its GTI variant serving as the definitive "hot hatch" that combines everyday practicality with sporty performance. The eighth-generation model features advanced digital displays and turbocharged powertrains, making it a popular choice for enthusiasts looking to customize their vehicles.
Cupra Born
"...ed to it. Yeah, And the GTI got before my son was born, right, So it's just a different mindset. Speaker..."
The Cupra Born is a small, fully electric hatchback car made by a European brand called Cupra. It runs entirely on battery power and is designed to look and feel sporty.
The Cupra Born is an all-electric compact hatchback produced by Cupra, the high-performance spin-off brand of SEAT under the Volkswagen Group. Built on the MEB platform, it shares its underpinnings with the Volkswagen ID.3 but features sportier styling, a more driver-focused interior, and tuned suspension.
Volkswagen Passat Wagon
"Looking at that, like I want to get rid of that. I'm gonna have my silver Passat wagon for sale soon."
A mid-sized station wagon made by Volkswagen, loved by car enthusiasts who want a comfortable European car with plenty of room in the back for gear.
The Volkswagen Passat Wagon is a mid-size family estate car that offered European refinement, cargo utility, and a variety of engine options ranging from efficient TDIs to sporty VR6s. It has long been a favorite in the enthusiast community for its clean styling, comfortable highway cruising, and massive cargo capacity.
Volkswagen Passat Syncro (B3)
"I want to get that car finish up, so it's like where I want it to be. And like my B three sinker like wagons, the same thing."
A rare, older Volkswagen station wagon from the early 1990s that featured an early type of four-wheel-drive system, making it great for driving in bad weather.
The B3-generation Volkswagen Passat Syncro is a rare, all-wheel-drive wagon produced in the late 1980s and early 1990s, featuring VW's early 'Syncro' viscous-coupling AWD system. Often powered by the supercharged G60 engine or the 16-valve inline-four, it is highly sought after by vintage VW enthusiasts for its unique styling (notably its grille-less front end) and rare drivetrain.
2013 Honda Pilot
"Get on the highway. I'm in the Honda Pilot, which is the car that i've you know, this is the boring car that I was just talking about. Twenty thirteen Honda Pilot, three hundred thousand miles."
A large, boxy family SUV made by Honda that is known for being extremely reliable, spacious, and lasting for hundreds of thousands of miles.
The 2013 Honda Pilot is a mid-size, three-row crossover SUV powered by a reliable 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 250 horsepower. Known for its boxy, traditional SUV styling and immense interior practicality, it is highly regarded for its longevity, often easily surpassing 200,000 miles with routine maintenance.
2013 Audi Q5
"Chad, you usually snipes them out and he did with a twenty thirteen out e Q five. It's gonna need pistons. He's doing all this within the next week. It's gonna need pistons, rings, the whole rings, timing chain."
A luxury compact SUV made by Audi. While comfortable and stylish, models from this era are famous for burning through engine oil rapidly due to a design flaw in the engine's pistons.
The 2013 Audi Q5 is a premium compact luxury crossover SUV. The 2.0T variant is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which in this era was notorious for high oil consumption issues due to defective piston rings, often requiring a complete engine teardown and rebuild to correct.
ABA swap
"So I saw this come across a little while back Scientific Rabbit. He is fitting an oil and plus airbox kit for ABA swaps and Mark one for Mark one platform."
Taking a tough, reliable 2.0-liter engine from a 1990s Volkswagen and putting it into an older 1970s or 80s VW to give it more power and modern reliability.
An 'ABA swap' refers to installing the 2.0-liter, 8-valve inline-four engine (engine code ABA) from a Mk3 Volkswagen Golf or Jetta into an older Mk1 or Mk2 chassis. This swap is highly popular because the ABA engine is incredibly robust, offers a significant torque increase over older stock engines, and features simple wiring that makes it relatively easy to install.
Cash for Clunkers
"It reminds me we have cash for clunk absolutely because. Our friend Mike that we actually were just hanging out with this past weekend. He works at dealerships and he had these cars come in and he said most of the cars would just seize right up instantly when they put that mixture into the motor."
A 2009 government program that paid people to trade in their old, gas-guzzling cars for new ones. Dealerships had to pour a chemical into the old engines to ruin them permanently so they could never be driven again.
Officially known as the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), 'Cash for Clunkers' was a 2009 US federal program designed to boost auto sales and promote fuel efficiency by offering rebates to trade in older vehicles. To ensure these trade-ins were permanently off the road, dealerships were legally required to destroy the engines by replacing the motor oil with a liquid sodium silicate solution and running the engine until it seized.
Ford Bronco
"...aid, I have no problem working on a seventy three Bronco, but to work on a brand new Bronco, you need all ..."
The Ford Bronco is a utility vehicle made by Ford that is built for driving on rough, unpaved roads. Older versions from the 1970s were simple to fix, while the modern version is highly advanced with many computers and sensors.
The Ford Bronco is a rugged, body-on-frame SUV designed for off-road driving, originally introduced in 1966 and revived as a modern mid-size SUV for the 2021 model year. While classic first-generation models (like the 1973 version) are highly valued for their mechanical simplicity, the modern version is packed with advanced electronic driver aids and independent front suspension.
Right to Repair
"So there is legislation right now that luckily has made it to the house floor. It's it's past all the hurdles and it's the right to work legislation basically saying allowing people to work on their own vehicles, old or new, and trying to figure out navigate ways to work on stuff..."
A movement and set of laws that protect your right to fix your own car (or take it to any local shop you want) rather than being forced to go to an expensive dealership because the manufacturer locked the car's computer systems.
Right to Repair is a consumer advocacy and legislative movement that seeks to ensure vehicle owners and independent mechanics have equal access to the same diagnostic software, tools, and repair manuals as manufacturer-authorized dealerships. This prevents automakers from monopolizing repairs through proprietary digital locks and software restrictions.
Cadillac Ctsv
"Actually there was a Cadillac booth with real Cadillact. Yeah, not prototype the V cars so it had like Cadillac Escalade V and yeah, the CTSV and."
A luxury Cadillac sedan that has been fitted with a massive, supercharged Corvette V8 engine, making it incredibly fast and loud.
The Cadillac CTS-V is a high-performance luxury sedan designed to challenge elite European sports sedans. Its final generation featured a supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 V8 engine producing 640 horsepower, paired with advanced magnetic ride control suspension to deliver track-ready handling alongside executive luxury.
Cadillac Escalade V
"...ct. Yeah, not prototype the V cars so it had like Cadillac Escalade V and yeah, the CTSV and. Speaker 3: The whole dash..."
The Cadillac Escalade-V is a very large, expensive luxury SUV made by the American company Cadillac. It has an extremely powerful engine that allows it to accelerate much faster than a typical large vehicle.
The Cadillac Escalade-V is a high-performance version of Cadillac's flagship full-size luxury SUV, powered by a hand-built 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine producing 682 horsepower. It represents the pinnacle of American luxury muscle, combining massive size and three-row utility with sports-car-like acceleration.
2001 Volkswagen Jetta Wagon
"Like I drive an oh one Jetta. Like granted it's a wagon, it's got three two, but it's a fucking Jetta. It's a Bora but whatever."
A station wagon version of the Volkswagen Jetta from the early 2000s. This particular one has been modified with a larger, famous 6-cylinder engine from a high-performance VW Golf R32.
The Mk4 Volkswagen Jetta Wagon (known as the Bora Variant in Europe) is a compact estate car praised for its upscale interior materials and solid build quality. This specific vehicle has been modified with an 'R32 swap,' meaning its original engine was replaced with Volkswagen's legendary 3.2-liter VR6 engine, known for its distinctive, throaty exhaust note.
Volkswagen Bora
"...s got three two, but it's a fucking Jetta. It's a Bora but whatever. Yeah, like I don't want any of that..."
The Volkswagen Bora is a small four-door sedan made by the German company Volkswagen. In some countries, like the United States, this exact same car was sold under the name Jetta.
The Volkswagen Bora is a compact family car that was marketed as an upscale alternative to the Golf, sharing its platform but featuring a traditional sedan body style. In North America, this vehicle was sold as the Jetta, and it remains popular in enthusiast circles for engine swaps, such as dropping in VW's 3.2-liter VR6 engine.
Dodge Road Runner
"... Back, and then I got to six and nine playing the road Runner. So like there is a lot going on and I can't I ju..."
The Road Runner is an older, powerful two-door car built in the United States during the late 1960s and 1970s. It was designed to be a simple, fast, and affordable vehicle.
The Road Runner is a classic mid-size muscle car produced by Chrysler's Plymouth division from 1968 to 1980, though it is often associated with sister brand Dodge due to their shared "Mopar" B-body platform and engines. It was designed as a back-to-basics, high-performance car focused on pure speed and affordability.
Volkswagen Golf Rallye
"scrap daily or garage? Okay, A twelve valve golf rally, yep, A sixteen valve turbo golf rally or an O seven K golf rally, all are in mint condition."
A very rare, rally-inspired version of the 1980s Volkswagen Golf. It featured boxy, flared fenders, four-wheel drive, and a supercharged engine.
The Mk2 Volkswagen Rallye Golf is a rare, homologation special built in limited numbers (5,000 units) to qualify VW for the World Rally Championship. It featured a supercharged 1.8-liter G60 engine, Syncro four-wheel drive, distinctive box-flared wheel arches, and rectangular projector headlights, making it one of the most collectible water-cooled Volkswagens in existence.
Porsche 911 Turbo (996)
"Yeah, I mean there is a nine ninety six right now for a yellow nine ninety six. That is automatic, no manual, hard top... Oh turrible ninety six for sale."
A high-performance version of the Porsche 911 from the early 2000s. It uses twin turbochargers and is famous for having an incredibly tough, race-proven engine.
The 996-generation Porsche 911 Turbo, produced from 2001 to 2005, was the first water-cooled Turbo model. It is highly regarded for its legendary 'Mezger' 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six engine, which was derived from Porsche's Le Mans-winning race cars and is famously robust, avoiding the intermediate shaft (IMS) bearing issues that plagued standard 996 models.
Dodge Charger
"...he syncral Wagon because I have the prototype pro charger kit that's on there. And I think for the most par..."
The Dodge Charger is a large car made by the American brand Dodge. It is known for having powerful engines and a sporty design.
The Dodge Charger is a historic American muscle car nameplate that has transitioned through various forms, most recently as a four-door sedan and now a next-generation coupe and sedan offering both electric and inline-six twin-turbo powertrains. It is a frequent platform for aftermarket supercharging and high-performance modifications.
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