0:00 / 0:00
Episode 386 - A Chaotic Rumble in Fort Wayne, Duane's Trip to PRI and More Silly Season Announcements

Episode 386 - A Chaotic Rumble in Fort Wayne, Duane's Trip to PRI and More Silly Season Announcements

Dirt Nerds Podcast Dec 23, 2025 90 min
0:00
0:00

About this episode

A chaotic recap of the recent PRI show and the Rumble event in Fort Wayne highlights the ongoing debates in the racing community, particularly around new safety innovations like the Butler Built seat. Dwayne shares insights from his PRI experience, discussing various driver opinions on the seat's design and its potential impact on safety. The episode also covers the latest racing announcements, including team changes and upcoming events, while touching on the challenges faced by tracks and teams in the current racing landscape.

Filter:
|
Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

MG Midget

"...r next year. Or maybe you're working on a rumble, midget right now, a rumble, chili bowl, midget right now..."

The MG Midget is a small, fun car that was made in Britain and is known for being easy to drive and enjoy. It's a classic sports car that many people love because it's light and can zip around corners quickly.

Term

internship

"...she's trying to look for an internship because she's in the engineering Indiana Purdue motor sports engineering."

An internship is a short-term job where students or recent graduates work to learn about a specific career. It's a way to gain experience and skills in a real work environment.

Term

motor sports

"...she's in the motor sports program. So she's trying to look for an internship because she's in the engineering Indiana Purdue motor sports engineering."

Motor sports are competitions where vehicles like cars and motorcycles race against each other. It's a popular sport that includes events like car racing and motorcycle racing.

Term

midget car

"...maybe an opportunity with a place that sponsors a midget cool."

Midget cars are small race cars that are very fast and used in racing competitions. They are designed to be lightweight and can be seen racing on smaller tracks.

Part

racing seat

"...the biggest thing was the baller built seat, you know, with the mounts different."

A racing seat is a special seat used in race cars that helps keep the driver safe and secure while driving fast. It is designed to fit the driver well and often has extra support.

Term

seat belts

"So like buddy says he goes, you know, it's never been crash tested. How do you know what those seat belts are going to do?"

Seat belts are straps in a car that keep you safe by holding you in your seat during an accident. They help prevent injuries by keeping you from being thrown around inside the car.

Term

chassis

"Because right now your belts connect to the chassis, right?"

The chassis is the main structure of a car that holds everything together, like the engine and wheels. It's like the skeleton of the vehicle, giving it shape and strength.

Concept

safety meeting

"...some of those guys had a safety meeting, which I actually got invited to on Thursday night..."

A safety meeting is a time when race teams and drivers talk about how to stay safe while racing. They discuss things like equipment and what to do in case of an accident.

Term

HANS device

"...you're in there too tight. Yes. So now the things that are moving is your brain, your insides..."

A HANS device is a safety tool that helps protect a driver's head and neck in case of a crash. It keeps the head from moving too much, which can prevent serious injuries.

Concept

NASCAR

"...NASCAR will NASCAR's move, but they're in like a couple of different shells..."

NASCAR is a type of car racing that happens in the United States. It involves cars that look like regular cars but are specially built for racing.

Car

Dodge Super B

"...met Will's son or grandson. He always talks about Super B races and out in Texas. Yes, but in the other Mat..."

The Dodge Super Bee is a fast and powerful car that was made a long time ago, mainly in the late 1960s. It's popular among car fans because it looks cool and can go really fast, especially in races.

Concept

sprint car racing

"...the big talk of all the sprint car drivers like. And it was so and there wasn't any between either."

Sprint car racing is a type of car racing where very fast cars with big wings race around a track, usually made of dirt. It's exciting to watch because the cars go really fast and often race closely together.

Part

shock absorber

"Did you see the pictures of Austin Kirkpatrick at the Bilstein booth? The shock is horizontal real on the top of the chassis and has a cam over on the go that actually goes down."

Shock absorbers help keep the car stable and comfortable by controlling how much the car bounces when it goes over bumps.

Company

Bilstein

"Did you see the pictures of Austin Kirkpatrick at the Bilstein booth? The shock is horizontal real on the top of the chassis and has a cam over on the go that actually goes down."

Bilstein makes parts that help cars handle better on the road or track. They are famous for their shock absorbers, which are important for a smooth ride.

Company

Five Star Bodies

"Garrett Schultz actually reached out to me on Instagram and it was too late... he works for Five Star Bodies announced the new sprint car body."

Five Star Bodies makes parts for race cars that help them go faster and look good. They focus on the outer parts of the cars that you can see.

Term

thermoplastic

"...maybe it'll say those are just thermoplastic. I think he's take a heat gun to pop out..."

Thermoplastic is a kind of plastic that can be heated and reshaped over and over again. It's useful for making car parts because you can fix or change them easily.

Term

carbon fiber

"...then you get the carbon fiber ones. But plastic, I'm not saying it can be..."

Carbon fiber is a very strong and light material made from tiny strands of carbon. It's often used in sports cars to make parts that need to be both strong and light.

Term

patch kits

"...and carbon fiber starts cracking. Yeah, you can buy patch kits..."

Patch kits are tools you can use to fix small holes or cracks in materials like carbon fiber. They usually come with glue and pieces to cover the damage.

Company

Kaiser manufacturing

"...Kaiser manufacturing integrity shocks like they don't go anymore. And they always just have one of the more popular boost for dirt racing..."

Kaiser Manufacturing makes special parts called shocks that help cars handle better on bumpy tracks, like dirt racing courses.

Concept

NHRA

"...US 131 got a national NHRA event. Why is there? Mm hmm..."

NHRA stands for National Hot Rod Association, which is the main group that organizes and runs drag racing events in the U.S.

Car

Fiat 600S

"...ook his first indoor midget win and then, uh, the 600s, the non-wing went to Larry Joe Schroof, uh, long..."

The Fiat 600 is a small car that was made in Italy and is known for being affordable and easy to park in tight spaces. It was popular a long time ago, especially in cities, because it was small and economical.

Concept

rally cars

"...I'm guessing rally cars of some kind, which means I'm guessing, uh, like, uh, I don't know if same as rally cross..."

Rally cars are cars that are built to compete in rally racing, which is a type of motorsport that takes place on different types of roads, often off-road. They are designed to be very tough and fast on rough surfaces.

Concept

rallycross

"...I don't know if same as rally cross. Yeah. I don't know. I probably should have looked that up..."

Rallycross is a type of racing where cars race on a track that has both dirt and pavement. It usually involves several cars racing at the same time, making it very exciting to watch.

Concept

trophy truck

"...when they did like the trophy truck thing, um, that's like tear the track up and it, uh, kind of didn't work that well..."

Trophy trucks are special off-road vehicles built for racing in rough environments like deserts. They are very strong and can go over bumps and jumps at high speeds.

Concept

rally X

"Yeah. And they have the, so there's rally X and rally X America's league, which is Crandon, Aldora, and then, uh, basically off road."

Rally X is a type of car racing that takes place on different surfaces, like dirt and pavement. It usually has jumps and sharp turns, making it a thrilling sport to watch.

Brand

Napa

"...sponsored by Napa. Is it has been? I don't know if he is this year, but he has been for quite a while."

Napa is a company that sells car parts and accessories. They are often involved in sponsoring car races and events, which helps them promote their brand.

Concept

stock car racing

"...Got a new stock car driver going to be at El Dorr for points. Oh, yeah. Yeah, Chad Parman..."

Stock car racing is a type of car racing where cars look like regular cars you see on the road but are made to go really fast. They race on tracks and compete for points.

Term

Mullins engine

"...So they just went to Pura, Illinois, and got a Mullins engine. Oh, cool. Um, yes, like we talked to PRI..."

A Mullins engine is a special kind of engine used in race cars. It's built to be very powerful and reliable, helping drivers go faster on the track.

Car

Alfa Romeo Sprint

"...he world or changed. I forgot. For long, it'll be sprint cars. Um, then you'll upgrade your sponsorships t..."

The Alfa Romeo Sprint is a sporty car made by an Italian company, known for looking great and being fun to drive. It's a favorite among car lovers because of its speed and style.

Car

International Harvester Scout

"...w rows. I moved. So we'll see what happens to the scout deal. He scouted them out and said, yeah, next ye..."

The International Harvester Scout is an old SUV that was built to be tough and go off-road. It's loved by many for its ability to handle rough terrain and is considered a classic vehicle.

4 cars featured

Request an Explanation

Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.

Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.

Want to learn more?

Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.

Explore Terms

Help improve this episode

See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.

Report incorrect info
Suggest better explanations
Flag missing cars