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211 - A Dry Heat

211 - A Dry Heat

Track Walking Oct 27, 2025 41 min
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About this episode

Scott and Seth share their experiences from the Big Bend Open Road Race in Texas, discussing the challenges of racing in extreme heat and the unique format of the event. They delve into the intricacies of open road racing, including speed classes, safety requirements, and the camaraderie among participants. The episode features amusing anecdotes about their trip, the cars involved, and the quirky nature of the race, making it a fascinating exploration of a lesser-known motorsport. Listeners will get a taste of the excitement and community surrounding this unique racing experience.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

Mazda Miata

".... Yeah. Yeah. It's, I remember in old days in the Miata, I would easily get to 120 in there, just rough. ..."

The Mazda Miata is a small, sporty car that seats two people and is really fun to drive. It's known for being light and easy to handle, making it a favorite for people who love driving fast and enjoying the open road.

Car

Honda Civic

"...I'll call it his old GLTC Civic, but his current race car. Right. And what were those things?"

The Honda Civic is a small car that many people use for daily driving. It's known for being dependable and economical, and some versions are used in racing.

Concept

Big Bend open road race

"...the thing that the trip was built around was the Big Bend open road race, which goes between Fort Stockton, Texas and Sanderson, Texas."

The Big Bend Open Road Race is a race that takes place on regular roads in Texas. Drivers compete to see who can complete the course the fastest, and it's set in a beautiful area.

Concept

road rally

"...I hear that and I hear road rally. Okay. And I think it's similar in that it's like average speed timed on a set course..."

A road rally is a type of driving event where participants follow a set route and try to finish as close to a target time as possible. It's about timing and navigation, not just speed.

Concept

bracket race

"...it's like a really, really, really long bracket race. Yes. Okay. So it's kind of the halfway between a bracket race and a road rally..."

A bracket race is a racing format where drivers are grouped based on how fast their cars are. They try to run their best time without going too fast, which helps make the race fairer.

Concept

unlimited class

"...the only speed limits are associated with your class. And that's a safety thing until you get to the high classes, the unlimited class, which doesn't have a speed limit. So the only people are doing what you would think of as like an open road race..."

In the unlimited class of racing, there are no speed limits for the cars. This means drivers can go as fast as they want, which makes it very exciting but also very dangerous.

Term

average speed

"...they're judged on raw average speed, whoever achieves the highest speed with, you know, done with both runs..."

Average speed is how fast something goes over a certain distance. In races, it's important because it helps determine who was the fastest overall.

Term

cruise control

"have their cruise control on the fastest I talked to somebody, they have had their cruise control set at 130..."

Cruise control is a feature in cars that lets you set a speed so you don't have to keep pressing the gas pedal. The car will maintain that speed for you.

Car

Chevrolet C5

"You have to buy a certain year of C5 Corvette to have that happen. There's like two or three years you can do it."

The C5 Corvette is a sports car made by Chevrolet that was produced between 1997 and 2004. Some versions of this car had a feature that allowed the cruise control to be set to very high speeds.

Term

horsepower

"...was a C7 thousand-ish horsepower. As he said, he was like, I can make more, but I don't know if I can make more reliably..."

Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful an engine is. The higher the horsepower, the more work the engine can do, which usually means it can go faster.

Term

premium fuel

"...they asked this question like, what fuel are you using? And we're like, we're, no, no, no, we're not playing that game... Premium if we can get it."

Premium fuel is a special kind of gasoline that is better for high-performance cars. It helps the engine run smoothly and prevents problems like knocking.

Term

fire suppression system

"full very serious cage, fire suppression, you know, all the good, all the bits and pieces up to 110 mile an hour class."

A fire suppression system is a safety tool in cars that helps put out fires quickly if they start. It's important for keeping drivers safe during races.

Term

autocross

"like cotton pants in a helmet, like, but as one does. Yeah. So like autocross levels of prep basically."

Autocross is a type of car racing where you drive through a course marked by cones. It's more about skill and control than going super fast.

Term

HPD

"Yeah. That's like HPD. Yeah. HPD basically, except I want a fire extinguisher in the car"

HPD means High-Performance Driving, which is a way for drivers to practice and learn how to drive better, usually on a racetrack.

Concept

speed traps

"...through speed traps. And they've got five or six guys out there with radar guns at places they don't tell you where they are, but they're out there."

Speed traps are spots where race officials check how fast cars are going. They use tools to catch anyone going too fast or too slow during a race.

Term

target speed

"...you can't go below 30 miles an hour below your target speed. Okay. Because like you, you can't just like get 10, right?"

Target speed is the speed a driver tries to keep during a race. They need to stay close to this speed to finish the race at the right time.

Term

open road races

"For the people who want to go fast, there is nothing like this as far as the open road races go. Like you, you know, you're talking about being able to drive a Corvette"

Open road races are competitions where drivers can race their cars on regular roads that are closed off to other traffic. This lets them drive fast without worrying about other cars.

Term

final drive

"...he has the lower final drive in the Civic and everything else, he did find out in the test run..."

Final drive is a part of the car's drivetrain that affects how fast the car can go and how quickly it can accelerate. A lower number means better acceleration but might limit top speed.

Term

GPS

"...he did find out in the test run that his car arrows out with a slight tailwind at about 140 GPS..."

GPS is a system that helps you find your location using satellites. In cars, it can also tell you how fast you're going based on your position.

Term

target time

"...Brian's target time was 32 minutes, 10.9 seconds. Yeah, I was about to say somewhere in there..."

Target time is the time a driver tries to beat during a race or event. It helps them know how fast they need to go to perform well.

Term

100 miles an hour

"...hold your car above 100 miles an hour for half an hour. That's a lot. I feel like..."

Driving at 100 miles an hour means going really fast—about as fast as many cars can go on highways. It's important to be careful and skilled at that speed.

Concept

land speed racing

"...even the, if you're going land speed racing, that's the big course for the cars that go, you know, 200 and some 300 and some miles an hour is only seven miles long. Yeah."

Land speed racing is a type of racing where cars try to go as fast as possible over a straight distance. This usually happens on flat roads or special areas, and the cars can be very unique and modified for speed.

Concept

Silver State Classic

"...at the Silver State Classic, they do that twice a year. They have a shorter course and a..."

The Silver State Classic is a racing event that happens every year in Nevada where cars race on closed roads. It allows different types of cars to compete, making it exciting for both drivers and spectators.

Car

Superlite SLC

"What was the most interesting car to you at the event? There's a guy who was running a super light SLC,"

The Superlite SLC is a fast and lightweight sports car made for racing. It's built to be very quick and handle well on tracks.

Car

Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Club Sport

"Like there was a Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Club Sport. So the factory GT4 car that you can just buy and go FIA GT4 racing with"

The Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Club Sport is a special version of the Cayman sports car made for racing. It's built to be fast and light, making it great for the track.

Car

Chevrolet Camaro

"...e. That was wild. There was a RX8 with a V6 swap, Camaro V6 swap. There was, it was probably 70% Camaros, ..."
Car

Ferrari 308

"a guy drove a Ferrari 308, that was pretty interesting."

The Ferrari 308 is an older sports car that many people admire for its beautiful design and fast performance. It's a classic Ferrari.

Car

Honda Odyssey

"... like if you could like Honda, Honda's race press Odyssey, like something like genuinely weird would be kin..."

The Honda Odyssey is a big family car that can fit a lot of people and their stuff. It's designed to be comfortable and safe for families, making it a popular choice for parents who need space for kids and gear.

Concept

arm restraints

"...got a great slow mo video of the importance of arm restraints. So did he try to put his arms up or did the other guy have his arms not flipping out of the car?"

Arm restraints are straps that keep a driver's arms inside the car during a crash. They help keep the driver safe by preventing their arms from getting hurt if the car flips or crashes.

Part

pan hard bar

"And we were adjusting the pan hard bar in the rear as one does, as one does."

A panhard bar is a part of a car's suspension that keeps the back axle in place. It helps the car handle better when turning.

Car

Porsche 911

"He went to Petrace with his vintage air-cooled 911 Porsche."

The Porsche 911 is a famous sports car that many people love for its speed and unique shape. It's been around for a long time and is very popular among car fans.

8 cars featured

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