John Davis welcomes Lisa Barrow, a pioneering automotive journalist and one of MotorWeek's original feature reporters, to celebrate the show's 45th anniversary. Lisa shares her journey from her family's car dealership roots to her adventurous reporting career, including memorable experiences like driving a tank and exploring the Lamborghini factory. The conversation highlights her unique contributions to automotive journalism, her transition to public relations, and the evolution of the industry. Lisa reflects on the camaraderie with fellow journalists and the thrill of globetrotting for stories, making this episode a rich tapestry of automotive history and personal anecdotes.
The lovely Lisa Barrow joins John and Jessica on this special episode of the MotorWeek podcast! Lisa spent over a decade as MotorWeek’s FYI reporter in the late 1980s and talks about her global travels, how the show inspired her adventurous side, and where life took her after she left the show.
There is also a video version of this podcast that can be found here: https://youtu.be/K8M2HQCWZq4
"I was driving a Pontiac Fiero which I think maybe except for whatever I was driving was like the only sporty vehicle in the parking lot..."
The Pontiac Fiero is a sporty car made by Pontiac in the 1980s. It had a special engine design that made it different from most cars at the time.
The Pontiac Fiero was a mid-engine sports car produced by Pontiac from 1984 to 1988. It was known for its unique design and was one of the first mass-produced mid-engine cars in the United States.
"...n the parking lot I think there were a couple of Mustangs of course that like like Craig Singhouse obviousl..."
The Ford Mustang is a popular sports car that people love for its speed and cool looks. It has been around for a long time and is often seen as a symbol of American cars, which is why it comes up in conversations about cars.
The Ford Mustang is an iconic American muscle car that has been in production since 1964. Known for its powerful performance and distinctive design, the Mustang has become a symbol of freedom and American automotive culture, making it a frequent topic of discussion among car enthusiasts.
"my favorite car was my Mazda RX 7 manual transmission bright red I love that car..."
The Mazda RX-7 is a fun sports car made by Mazda that was popular for its small size and special type of engine called a rotary engine.
The Mazda RX-7 is a sports car that was produced by Mazda from 1978 to 2002. It is known for its lightweight design and rotary engine, which provides a unique driving experience.
"...two man teams from 16 nations will take Land Rovers through some of the most challenging terrain known to man..."
Land Rover is a company that makes tough vehicles designed for off-road driving. They're famous for going through difficult places like jungles and mountains.
Land Rover is a British brand known for its off-road vehicles, particularly the Defender and Discovery models. The brand is synonymous with ruggedness and capability in challenging terrains.
"... with her from here because bill would record uh Range Rover used their own crew yeah so you often would use ..."
The Land Rover Range Rover is a fancy SUV that can handle rough terrains while keeping you comfortable inside. It's a vehicle that many people admire for its style and ability to go off-road, which is why it’s often talked about.
The Land Rover Range Rover is a luxury SUV known for its off-road capabilities and premium features. It combines rugged performance with high-end comfort, making it a popular choice for those who want both adventure and luxury in their vehicle.
"they don't really have their own test track they test on the the roads"
A test track is a special road where car companies can safely test their cars to see how well they perform.
A test track is a closed course specifically designed for testing vehicles under controlled conditions. Manufacturers use them to evaluate performance, handling, and safety.
"...some of the world's most exciting cars like this diablo se are built here there was a they don't really h..."
The Lamborghini Diablo is a super-fast sports car that looks really cool and is very rare. It's famous for its speed and unique design, making it a dream car for many people.
The Lamborghini Diablo is a high-performance sports car produced from 1990 to 2001, known for its striking design and powerful V12 engine. It represents the pinnacle of Italian automotive engineering and is often celebrated for its speed and exclusivity.
"...their main rival Ferrari has this big test track they do..."
Ferrari is a well-known Italian car brand that makes very fast and luxurious sports cars. They are famous for their success in racing and their stylish designs.
Ferrari is another iconic Italian sports car manufacturer, known for its racing heritage and high-performance vehicles. The brand is synonymous with luxury and speed, producing models like the 488 and LaFerrari.
Car
Yamaha XD 225
"...so i got a little yamaha xd 225 it was a great starter bike you know if it and it was it's it's good it was good for me because i have long legs..."
The Yamaha XD 225 is a small motorcycle that's easy to handle, making it great for new riders. It's light, so if you drop it, you can pick it up easily and keep going.
The Yamaha XD 225 is a lightweight dual-sport motorcycle, ideal for beginners due to its manageable size and weight. It's known for its versatility in both on-road and off-road conditions, making it a popular choice for new riders.
"...automotive journalist goes with a car company it's often referred to as going to the dark side..."
An automotive journalist is someone who writes about cars and the car industry. They test cars and share their opinions on how they perform and look, helping people decide what to buy.
An automotive journalist is a writer or reporter who specializes in covering news, reviews, and trends in the automotive industry. They often test drive vehicles and provide insights on performance, design, and technology to inform consumers and enthusiasts.
"...the i think he worked on all the the jeeps at that point in time um and they i always love the story where they were out doing testing..."
An off-road vehicle is made to drive on bumpy or uneven ground, like dirt roads or trails. They usually have special features to help them drive better in those conditions.
An off-road vehicle is designed for driving on rough, unpaved surfaces. These vehicles often have features like higher ground clearance, four-wheel drive, and rugged tires to handle challenging terrains.
"...rand so he was cheap didn't he which he worked on wrangler uh yeah he did you know the i think he worked on..."
The Jeep Wrangler is a tough-looking SUV that people love for going off-road and exploring nature. It's built to handle rough paths and is popular with those who enjoy outdoor adventures.
The Jeep Wrangler is a compact SUV known for its off-road prowess and rugged design. It has a loyal following due to its versatility and ability to tackle challenging terrains, making it a favorite among outdoor enthusiasts.
"it must have been really interesting when you moved over to the pr side as time went on because you i don't know how long exactly were you with christler"
Chrysler is a car brand from the United States that makes various types of vehicles, including cars and minivans. It has been around for a long time and has changed ownership a few times.
Chrysler is an American automotive brand known for its cars and minivans. It has a long history in the automotive industry and has undergone several ownership changes and brand transformations over the years.
"you were tired with it being known as stilantis but oh my gosh it was quite a while"
Stellantis is a big car company that was created when two other car companies merged. It owns several well-known car brands.
Stellantis is a multinational automotive manufacturing corporation formed from the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Group. It encompasses a variety of brands, including Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Peugeot.
"...one of the most legendary names in automotive journalism in the united states as well as one of the first true women competitors..."
Automotive journalism is when people write or talk about cars and car-related topics. This can include reviews of new cars, news about car companies, and coverage of car races.
Automotive journalism involves writing and reporting about cars, the automotive industry, and motorsports. It covers everything from car reviews to industry news and motorsport events.
"...with the formula one teams back and in her day you were paired with denise in germany for an anniversary of the original"
Formula One is a top-level car racing series where teams compete in fast cars on different tracks. It's known for its exciting races and advanced technology.
Formula One is the highest class of single-seater auto racing, governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). It features a series of races known as Grands Prix, held on various circuits around the world.
"...you've been driving a 1914 Mercedes-Benz car and wagon with his high voice..."
Mercedes-Benz is a famous car brand from Germany that makes high-quality and luxury cars. They are known for their advanced technology and stylish designs.
Mercedes-Benz is a German automotive brand known for luxury vehicles, buses, and trucks. The brand is recognized for its innovation, quality, and performance in the automotive industry.
"...you've been driving a 1914 Mercedes-Benz car and wagon with his high voice..."
The 1914 Mercedes-Benz is an old car from the early 20th century. It's important because it shows how cars were made a long time ago and how they have changed since then.
The 1914 Mercedes-Benz is a historic automobile that represents the early days of automotive engineering and design. It is notable for its significance in the development of luxury and performance vehicles.
"...we were gonna drive the Rubicon trail and that was in he's the one that orchestrated that whole thing..."
The Rubicon Trail is a well-known off-road path in California that is very tough to drive on. Many people go there to test their off-road vehicles, especially Jeeps, because of the big rocks and rough ground.
The Rubicon Trail is a famous off-road trail located in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, known for its challenging terrain and scenic views. It's a popular destination for off-road enthusiasts, particularly those driving vehicles like Jeep.
"...you get in an open-wheel car like they explained explained all right burtle ruse just for everybody..."
Open-wheel cars are racing cars where the wheels are not covered by the body of the car. This design helps them go faster and handle better on the track.
An open-wheel car is a type of racing vehicle where the wheels are outside the car's main body, allowing for better aerodynamics and handling. These cars are commonly used in racing series like Formula 1 and IndyCar.
"...the burtle ruse racing school you get like in an open-wheel car like they explained explained all right burtle ruse just for everybody..."
Burtle Ruse Racing School is a place where people can learn how to drive race cars. It was started by a famous racer and helped many drivers improve their skills.
Burtle Ruse Racing School was a driving school founded by renowned racing competitor Burtle Ruse, where students could learn professional driving techniques and skills. It was located at Pocono Raceway and aimed to train aspiring racers.
"...he had a driving school up at the pocano raceway up in pennsylvania and burle ruse was..."
Pocono Raceway is a famous race track in Pennsylvania where many car races take place. It's known for its unique shape and is popular among racing fans.
Pocono Raceway is a tri-oval race track located in Pennsylvania, known for hosting various motorsport events, including NASCAR and IndyCar races. It features a unique layout with three different turns, each resembling a different famous track.
"we had been practicing this bench racing and i don't even remember who taught us bench racing but we're you know we they gave us the layout of the track"
Bench racing is when car lovers talk about cars and racing while sitting down, usually not actually racing. It's a fun way to share stories and experiences about cars.
Bench racing refers to the practice of discussing and comparing cars, racing techniques, and performance while not actually on the track. It's a way for enthusiasts to share their passion and knowledge about cars in a casual setting.
Select text to request an explanation
Welcome to the podcast of Motor Week, television's original automotive magazine.
Motor Week is made possible by AutoValue and Bumper2Bumper and TireRack.com.
Here's your Motor Week podcast host, John Davis.
Welcome to Motor Week podcast number 363, I am indeed your host John Davis and welcome
to a special edition in a series of podcasts to celebrate our 45th anniversary season and with
that we are also recording a video version of this podcast so if you want to watch it you can do
so at Motor Week's YouTube channel. So if we are doing a special video podcast it must be
because we have a very special guest and indeed we do. Our anniversary season is a great time to
take a look back on how we got to where we are today and what better way to do that is then
hear from some of the crew that helped bring this show to life and last for 45 years. So for
the next year we will be periodically having Motor Week alumni on the podcast both audio and video
to reminisce about their experiences from over the years before Motor Week, during Motor Week and
afterward. Today we are joined by one of our very first FYI feature reporters who was with
Motor Week for 11 years in the late 80s and early and to the 90s and traveled the globe for us to
report on exciting automotive events like the Camel Trophy. She's looking at us like this but
also enlighten us on the latest consumer reporting in fact largely defined how Motor Week approached
the automotive lifestyle and then and now she embraced it so totally she's still a very good
friends and if you haven't guessed it already here is welcome to the one and only Lisa Barrow.
Lisa welcome. Thank you I'm excited to be. Well we're delighted to have you and by the way we are
so joined by our producer of this podcast today our digital producer Jessica Ray who will be here
sort of to make sure if you and I just keep moving this along in the right direction
and really this is a conversation with you so everybody's probably just incredibly curious
about you those that have watched the show for a long time of course may know you but an awful
lot of our fans are relatively new to the show and they've seen you on some of our retro reviews
and and say just who is that lady there and where is she going this time let's start even before
the beginning what it was your background before you joined Maryland Public Television and Motor Week?
Well I blame it all on my grandfather. You gotta blame something on someone. Well my grandfather
and his brother they owned Barrow Brothers Ramler dealership in Oak Park Illinois
so I think I had the car gene. I didn't I don't think I knew this and I found a picture of it
online there was a photograph so I have that somewhere but um so because of that you know
trickled down to my dad and my dad's a total car nut so then I became a car nut
and when I when you hired me yeah it's gotta make me cry oh yeah well when I hired you I had gone out
into the parking lot to see what people drove and you were driving a Pontiac Fiero which I think maybe
except for whatever I was driving was like the only sporty vehicle in the parking lot I think
there were a couple of Mustangs of course that like like Craig Singhouse obviously had a Mustang
but I saw that and I said I think I went to the guard at the front desk I said who owns that car
and they said well Lisa and she's down there in master control but you know before I get to the
Fiero what did you own before that if you had this automotive gene did it did it manifest itself
I my favorite car was my Mazda RX 7 manual transmission bright red I love that car but the
problem was I you sit so low in it and my legs are so long every time I let the clutch out it would
pop my kneecap and for a year I did that to my knee to the point where I could barely walk so then
that had to go and then it was replaced by the Fiero so but when you owned the Fiero you were
already working at MPT doing what I was in master control at that right part of the engineering
department and uh I was so different than what you would be eventually doing on camera that's
engineering that's like logistics and but she was the announcer for the station that's right
so you were the live announcer back in those days when you uh had a master control director
and master control for those of you not in television that's kind of where the the brain
center for every television operation where stuff comes in and goes out to the transmitters
and you were the master control director you had to keep track of all the programming that we
showed every day and all the announcements and many of those announcements you did either
pre-recorded or live so you were effectively what we used to call the booth announcer because a lot
of it was done in a booth and so everyone that watched MPT knew your voice and of course when I
found out that you were driving something ordinary not ordinary something other than you know an
iconobox and had this wonderful voice it's like you know take me to her please well I remember
when Charlotte Nichols right she was our first fii fyi reporter she stopped to mine by master
control and she's like oh i'm leaving i'm like you're leaving my wheels are turning i'm like
leaving and i just remember putting story ideas on your desk you were downstairs i yeah story ideas
and i mean thinking i'm like calling my dad and yeah you see i remember just perfect for me i remember
totally the opposite i remember begging you to come down and go to the trial why had people in the
edits we had teaching me how to edit so i could prove that i could actually you know do a story
again or so is so if you were in master control for about six years before you started working at
motor week you were working at MPT around the time motor week began like in its earliest of day because
i was didn't i start with motor week 88 i think so so you i think you came just after we had begun
because we started in 81 i don't remember like the whole time were you kind of like looking at
motor week and being like it would be really cool to work with because i would i when i would go home
and see my dad we'd watch it he watched it long before i did though he was on it he loved watching
you guys he did he really did and he that would you know that would influence the different cars
that he uh gravitated toward did charlotte kind of push you to go down and apply well charlotte
she came in and said that you know basically i'm out of here it's like you're out of here well then
i'm like and those were the days when you know we were still um how she kind of said television
was different in those days so you when when you were going to come with us and charlotte had already
been through this you weren't by yourself you worked with a producer oh absolutely and that
so you ended up forming a team with susan children yes that uh and susan is god rest her soul she's
with us but this dream team came to motor week and i thought my life had just been made so much
easier because literally you two would come up with wonderful ideas and you would go but what
was it like on your side do you mean with our relationship yeah and also when you were and
when you would come up with ideas oh yeah we would brainstorm all the time we were always
bouncing stuff off of each other and then we would bring um videographers into say would this work
would this actually work would it visually would it look good so we actually made it uh it was a
lot of teamwork i think that went into it incredible teamwork but and then susan and i would split the
stories oh we decided okay she's like i'd like to do that when i'd like and then i'd say i'd like to
do this one so sometimes i was a producer as well as on camera and sometimes she was producing it so
it just depended on who wanted to do which story do you remember any butterflies in those early days
about going out on some of the shoots and how you know just learning learning by doing because
i mean we really just sort of threw you into it said go to it we need we need this many segments
a year go and there are a lot of them well i always go back i always go back to the tank like what was
i thinking oh that was passed on the owner said that idea if i recall a videographer i'll drive a
tank and then i remember sitting in the cockpit of this tank that wade was i don't know who knows
65 many times 65 times or whatever i like what am i doing in here i got a moment of freak out
and i'm like i gotta do it now to get a feel for how well the m1a2 performs under strenuous
engine and transmission loads the place to go is churchville the m1a2 was incredibly stable
as we pounded around the church bill course with hairpin turns and downhill runs complete with
moguls that got us airborne the rides at disneyworld will never be the same
but then the controls are like you it's just like a couple of modes and you pull this let's
this elastic piece out and move it between the gears that you want it was easy to draw it yeah
and that's motorcycle grips you weren't driving slow either too there were some shots for you're
rolling well you're doing about probably 20 20 miles an hour in this thing that's like it's popped
out of the well if you went too slow it was harder if you got a little speed it's moved
it out and you could go you know but like also who can say that they've driven a tank an m1a
rums tank in those days the m1 had a bad reputation because it was considered this big you know army
tank that was way over budget and everything else so they were actually interested in good promotion
for it so they allowed us to allowed you anyway to have access to it but but while you're doing this
did you start to develop this sense of adventure that you eventually became so well known for and
i'll get to that in a minute yeah i mean i was exposed to so many different opportunities with
the show that you know it's kind of like usually little baby steps and all of a sudden you're like
wow this is this is like a a wide world filled with all kinds of adventures that would that
i loved and would work for the show and now let's get to that you became the motor week
globetrotting ambassador on so many exciting overseas shoots some of them the the car makers
would basically invite you to i guess you know to help us so because we certainly couldn't afford
to send you on all those johns ourselves right um how did that start or do you remember i think it
started with land rover land land rover in those days with bill baker as their public affairs
guru he put together some of the most remarkable overseas trips to promote their new vehicles
and he understood video he understood he was from television yeah that was his background so but he
understood how it goes together and he understood what made some a story really great visually and uh
and he wanted to go on all these my i wanted to go there too so he would like come up with an idea
and then you know off we'd go with a small usually small groups tell us some of the adventures oh my
gosh some of your best moments on them i'm trying to think uh maybe uh your best hair moments maybe
oh no that's not fair but i was gonna ask in anyway wait wait wait wait i had to there are so many
things last night i called him bed and i was thinking what the heck what there's so many stories
there is the pith helmet that was what mongolia when you did you you were in mongolia and you came
back and your stand-ups that was a bill baker extremely that was a bill baker show no i i remember
that trip because the invitation came in and i thought about going and bill said no i want lisa
and and to be fair to bill uh they were short on rooms and you had to uh they need someone to
room with another with jean lindamood jean lindamood gennings and um they needed someone that would
room with jean and so i wouldn't fit but bill loved you i mean i must tell you now your biggest
fan was probably bill baker besides me but you said when you did the story the pith helmet i couldn't
see your eyes and i remember coming in your oven saying you know what were you thinking and i know
and you told me it was the hair over the next 17 days two man teams from 16 nations will take
landrovers through some of the most challenging terrain known to man it's a thousand miles of
dense jungle treacherous mountain passes and leeches that drop from the trees above the hair
was out of control because you couldn't there was no place to wash your hair big hair is like
and putting makeup on forget about it there was no makeup on you know it's the opposite of what you
would normally do with your stand-up but but you were you were the lone you and jean in that case
were the lone women on these trips and you actually were one of the first uh globetrotting
female automotive journalist out there i mean it's just it was a small group in those days
what was that like you know what i was treated really well i sometimes i mean lots of times it
would be just me and the rest of the group or men yeah um every once in a while i might end up with
denise mcluggage right um or maybe jean um lendamoon right jennings um but for the most part it was
me so and they uh yeah i was treated like a princess i mean who's gonna argue well it must
have been strange too because you know back now it's so different with video and and the automotive
realm but like back then when you were doing a lot of these stories you were probably the only one
with cameraman with you well and sometimes it would she wouldn't even have a camera person with
her from here because bill would record uh Range Rover used their own crew yeah so you often would
use theirs so she was out there pretty much by herself i mean yeah that was a it was vermont
studios uh yeah sally and alan yes yes yes very good for you remembering that wonderful husband
wife team oh yeah they were awesome and you could just say to them you know or that we would you
know you'd have a conversation with them i'd really like to have this shot this shot this shot
okay adventures tell us some of the adventures even if you have to use your cheat sheet that's okay
we can do that because you traveled so much one that sticks in my mind was um i was i did
story on the Lamborghini factory the moment you hit the auto strata you know there's something
special about italy there's an excitement in the air and it's no wonder that some of the world's
most exciting cars like this diablo se are built here there was a they don't really have their own
test track they test on the the roads that's right so Valentino Balboni was their test driver
and so he grabs a um it was a Lamborghini diablo se Yoda oh that's pretty good do you remember all
that i'm like okay i'm in so i we we did a tour of the factory which is was kind of interesting
because it's all very um i mean they're all just building everything by hand there's no big machines
or anything like that so that was interesting to to see how the the factory went together and
they gave me some little leather uh Lamborghini patches that go in the seats so that was i think
i still have one of those somewhere but um so they had this uh diablo and uh the um head engineers
like do you look do you want to go out you want to go for a ride i'm like yeah and on the public
road we're flying it was crazy it was so much fun and he was in control the whole time of course
and uh no one pulled us over so that was good i don't even think they would have ever pulled
them i have a feeling in that in that locale they probably knew exactly what was going on so was that
in italy yeah that was right in italy by the Lamborghini factory their roads aren't known
for being the best i will say i don't know that's that's that was my experience when i've driven
italy i don't know if that was but their main rival uh Ferrari has this big test track they do
and so Lamborghini's just out there basically on really on real roads which you have to give
them credit for in some aspects but just don't get in their way i guess i wonder if i honestly
don't know if that's still the case or not if you if you buy if you bought one of the vehicles
you'd be driving it on the road that's true that's true pretty good thing i suspect nowadays they
they have since they've been bought and sold a couple times since then they have access to
to a more controlled environment but okay you spent a lot of time in the Mediterranean part
of the world uh were you in Morocco once twice what was that i think that was a i remember the
first time might have been an outie trip well the first Morocco trip was i think that might have
been a rain trove and then i know Audi took you at one point too well then i rode motorcycles
there yeah so and that was after you know yeah and this is my goofball period of life
but there's a uh we even have a still somewhere in the office uh lisa on a camel
yes you know i'm glad i have that shot but riding a camel so you tell me again i can't imagine
getting up on it i'm not saying i would never do it again for a shot of some sort if there's a
who was in control of that one no you should do it once yeah you should do it once any places
else you went that any places else you went that didn't sound right uh that are you know if they see
i mean you've you've been places that most people have on their bucket lists and never get to check
off well well places but also like things like you've done a lot of things too well because once
i kind of switched over into the you know the motorcycle section of life and let's talk about
that that really sort of started after you left the show yes right you want why don't you give us
a how you got in well there's from four wheels to two wheels there's a um probably the most famous
motorcycle us that the of all i would say is probably tiffany codes and so um a couple of my
friends in new jersey and i we connected and my one friend in austria we connected with tiffany
codes and we started going around the world doing these motorcycle trips and tiffany would be the
leader and um the first one the first one was india because we went to the highest motor will pass
in india which at the time was cardoon law now i understand that somebody else just kind of put
extra rocks on top of some of the other peaks to make those
though i don't know if that's true but um it's a good story so tiffany i mean i've been all over
the world with tiffany um she uh we um just did napal with her uh and uh got back a couple months
ago and that was fascinating just the uh the language and the people and the colors the dress
the terrain was awesome it was tough though you know i'm uh so when you were out there and you've
done napal and and i know you you rode across australia yes yeah that was just two of my
girlfriends and we're like let's just ride in australia well one of them one of my girlfriends
lives there so that helped that helped um so we had a backup plan but the logistics you know
of getting the bikes there and then maintaining them once they are there was that ever a problem
or are you just you know there there was enough help locally or what we would typically get the
motorcycles locally oh you would okay so yeah for like india there was a we had a local guy
that got all the bikes and they were they were all royal landfills and he they were a mess
he would take these hammers and beat them along the way and you know you're climbing to the top
of the mountain and you some he'd say hey hold on and then lisa bam bam bam what they used to call
persuader it was great big hammer but that just and and everybody had royal everybody was on
royal landfills for that first trip and uh that was where i had my first water crossing oh my gosh
i think i i think i sent you guys we're not talking about a puddle here no and i i'd never done a
water crossing before on a motorcycle and um i'm like sweating getting up to it and the water's
rushing down from the top of the mountain and you had to go went the area that you had to go
through you had to really go through it and then it kept rushing down that way and i'm like i'm
getting through that water i don't know how yet but anyway i just floored it i got through the water
and then i then i kept going and i didn't take my hands i was like just didn't take my hands off of
the accelerator and all of a sudden i'm running into a rock and fell over i sent you guys some
pictures of that that was ridiculous now you got in your fascination with motorcycling you owe
that to your husband jack right do now tell us the story about you kind of went around jack's back
on that right i decided that i because he was you know he'd been riding for a while so and i
should point out jack's done some land speed record runs yeah he's going over 200 miles an hour on
motorcycle he's crazy right yeah oh my gosh good matchup i can't hold a candle to him but i am i for
motor week i covered the motorcycle safety school and the guys are like at the end of it well you
gotta you gotta come back and take the class and so anyway i went back and i did take i went back
and took the class and got my license and i think i got it when he was gone one weekend yeah he was
gone yeah and i thought and when he came home i had the license and then i'm like i need a bike
so i got a little yamaha xd 225 it was a great starter bike you know if it and it was it's it's
good it was good for me because i have long legs and it just spit me really well and then if i if i
dropped it it didn't weigh anything i just picked it right back up and kept going but um yeah it was
a good way to learn so it was i i like the idea of learning you know with layers and it doesn't
matter what it is good advice learn layers as opposed and some people like to be thrown into
something but i like having layers and you learn and you pick up what's what works and what doesn't
work you know the safer way to do something or you understand how much you can get away with i
guess is in the end but yeah layers for anything not just riding a motorcycle driving a car or
anything well it's funny that that like you know you you did a story for motor week that was related
to motorcycles that eventually like impacted you know a decision that you eventually made and and
now you ride but um you know a lot of the stories that you ended up doing a lot of fyi stories were
like these really helpful like consumer reporting bites yes where i mean one's off the top of my
head you know a lot of like car buying advice whether they use new a lot of safety stuff that was
the concept for the fyi segments and still is really so my question is like when you were i'm
assuming you were learning a lot while you were doing research for oh yeah well and susan and i both
susan children's and i both and because we would split the segments up and want to you know we would
take turns producing the the segments so i was at things you wanted you wanted to learn or like
things that you thought other people usually mean we would meet with john and then we would discuss
ideas yeah and then uh you know he had the final say yeah but you could all but you could always
tell when when any feature reporter comes in and they give you a list of stories you know when they
get to the ones that they really want to do that you know are going to have great enthusiasm i'm
at least his face would light up just like it is right at the moment and uh and so you knew you know
that's the one you had to you had to go with so it was a it was a real tough decision on my part
you know the one that stands out to me was the airbag story ah yes do you remember back when
airbags were a new fangled uh you know item on car and very few cars had them go ahead no i mean
they you know i was with i did it with gm i think yep it was jam and uh sitting in there and waiting
you know they had they had the airbag yeah ready to get deployed on me and sitting there and you
don't know what's gonna happen don't you don't really know what it's like and um and they weren't
they were nervous because it's coming into your face you know they don't want me to assume
which i wouldn't have done but anyway because i was dumb enough to get in the seat begin with but um
it's over so quickly and it's really just a bunch of you know it's almost like smoke
but when we came back here and did a slow mo of it in the edit suites and you see it popping out
and the my face is just i mean this horrible look on my face like i'm in pain which i wasn't
but it's interesting how the reaction yeah to anyone that's never had that experience
and the movies they always have the airbags go off and just stay there but they don't they're
and gone yeah just a second you know there are many fans of yours who bemoan the fact that you
ever left the show uh when it came time for you to leave to be fair part of it with the show was in
one of its many throws of financial problems i mean it's it's public television so we're all
used to that but can you think about that time when you made the decision to lead and and figure
out where you were going from there uh what was going through your mind besides possibility of
being unemployed well when i left you can blame mike gaylen and we should say the the legendary
public of relations gentleman uh mike gaylen basically is uh if you're on the east coast of
the united states and you're in the automotive business everybody knows mike everybody knows
mike good guy such a good guy but i was so mad at him for coming after you well i remember him
calling me like hey did you think about living in california i'm like what yeah living in california
i just lost my uh west coast p r manager and the office is in beverly hills one block west of
rideo drive right and this was mike was representing christler that's right yeah yeah and and mike called
me and he said basically uh you know what he was after i think he actually asked me if it was okay
but i'm not sure that really would have mattered sure he did yeah but mike's always been a gentleman
still is and and i was i was heart sick but at the same time you know who who am i to stand in
way of of a of anybody's dream so you know when you uh decided to leave that was a very sad time for
us because i mean listen i had a great time here yeah i absolutely did look at i mean just traveling
in the world and all the p it was a great the staff was always awesome and yeah i learned so much
but you went when a when an automotive journalist goes with a car company it's often referred to
as going to the dark side oh yeah but what was it like how did you handle that transition
from being what has been described to me as a taker to a giver it was different for me because
the journalists were already my friends they everybody knew i didn't it wasn't one of those
things where uh she's just a pr person coming in she doesn't know anything right i didn't have to
deal with that because i you know i have to tell you a lot of it's just to you though
i'm gonna hire him as well well you're disarming you know uh but you're right everybody
everybody knew lisa because of going to the press events and your exploits on video and so forth
well and i met a lot of people through you you were introducing me like crazy so um
but the other the journalists yeah i already i already i knew him already and there were some
people on the west coast that i didn't necessarily right but that didn't take a long time to do that
and then you eventually came back to the east coast and along the way you met your future husband
who was this incredible daredevil in his own right we had him come in and he was part of a um
he was a he was a spokesperson i had to i had him in a in a story and um he did a great job and one
thing led to another and you know uh i had to marry him he can fix anything but he's a crazy daredevil
i mean he really is so it uh that was it what brand was he was he a spokesperson for a specific
brand so he was cheap didn't he which he worked on wrangler uh yeah he did you know the i think he
worked on all the the jeeps at that point in time um and they i always love the story where they were
out doing testing and something's going wrong with one of the vehicles and uh everybody's panicking
and jack's like let me i can fix it he crawls under the jeep you know all the executives
standing around he crawls under the jeep fixes it gets out all right we can go now
they're a high bolster bobby got out of their head yeah i'm sure he scored some points for this boss
for that one can you remember while you were doing public affairs for christ are any either
really embarrassing moments or just moments you don't want to remember but you'd rather forget
you know something that sticks out that was made that part of your career
is so truly memorable besides meeting jack like you must have had like a whole other
like bit of traveling that you oh yeah it was up in that i had the whole what i had the west
the west coast and then you had almost the whole east coast you had everything from what
dc up i guess yeah dc up um but the the west coast is just laid back yeah very different
vibe we did i would do a lot of programs in uh in bemberley hills and uh have the you know
because there were a ton of journalists in san amonica so it was you know very concentrated
with journalists and then san francisco had a has a great group of journalists there as well and then
seattle and portland so there were basically three regions that i traveled back and forth
between tough to make the transition from east coast to west coast and back again you know i
remember early on all of a sudden i'm like wait a minute i'm the one that has to get everything
for these journalists now what the heck is before i was getting waited on hand and that's what i was
talking about no no no that that took me that that took me a little bit of time not too much
because you gotta get over it but all of a sudden i'm like oh you need a kleenex how could you
next you know just crazy stuff all right you i it must have been really interesting when you moved
over to the pr side as time went on because you i don't know how long exactly were you with christler
because well it went through a lot of iterations and eventually you were tired with it being known
as stilantis but oh my gosh it was quite a while 25 maybe 25 years a lot longer than you were with
us i think if you left in like 90 yeah 98 you're tired and 20 i'm so bad with you know i'm so bad
with the numbers it probably gets to me around 20 25 probably yeah probably maybe a little under
that between 20 and 25 so it must have been interesting you know doing that for for almost 25
years and seeing how the business changed the business changed but there's a whole new generation
of also automotive journalists who probably grew up watching everybody a motor week gets that
yeah no i know but like going from going to like the pr side where now you're interacting with them
in that opposite way that must have been kind of interesting but also coming up to you being like
lisa i just i remember watching you and when i was just a little kid right a little kid i didn't
get that i did get that but i hear that same thing about you from young women auto journalists today
that many of them got the bug after watching you do you know exploits with range rover
halfway around the world or whatever and they basically said you know that's the job i want
when i grow up so well and they they're really lucky today because there's so many different
ways to get your stories out there what there weren't that many back in the day you know it was
print yeah or and you physically had to bring the tape or film back you know you couldn't just
basically get an internet connection and send back the file exactly so now it's like they can do all
kinds of things and i and i i watch them on social media and people are posting all the time with
really and they put good stories together and there's so many more women now i just love that it's
just because for a while they're just weren't no i think that's a handful yeah the whole the social
media part of it has really been good for uh you mentioned denise mcluggage one of the most
legendary names in automotive journalism in the united states as well as one of the first
true women competitors she basically hung right in there with the formula one teams back and
in her day you were paired with denise in germany for an anniversary of the original
bends automobile do you remember anything about that that was a fairly that was a that was a big
coup for us to get you on that trip i remember that that was the for the bird of bends rally the
bends and i can still hear the engineer saying you've been driving a 1914 Mercedes-Benz car and
wagon with his high voice and um and then i'm paired with denise why i was just i was we were in
awe of denise but i was nervous i was so nervous and uh she uh so she's you know she's driving
and you know i'm trying to and trying to navigate but um it uh it it was kind of scary for me
because i you know she was this icon like wow i'm sitting here in this car with denise mcluggage
and uh so we did the whole rally and uh everything was great and um we ended up becoming you know
fast friends and i went out to see her and santa fe and hung out with her and we did you know i did
some stuff with her out there and uh every time i saw her she asked about you every time but at first
you know it's like denise icon and i'm like just this little any other moments like that like if
you have i put you on the spot and said what was your most memorable time or adventure is it something
anything we haven't talked about uh that you were on the motor week staff
wow well even just to go back before that the whole off-roading idea that was a that was with
that was mark smith you remember mark smith yes i do and he um he was in georgetown california
and that's the first time and i don't know how i how we ended up there maybe it came from you
but we went out susan and i went out there and um we were gonna we were gonna drive the rubicon
trail and that was in he's the one that orchestrated that whole thing and drive when you are in jeeps
going over the rubicon trail it and we were so green at that point it blew our minds it was great
it was awesome there was going over these you know they always say jeep-sized boulders it's true
but that that was so much fun so he he stands out to me as um somebody who definitely influenced
he put the bug in you didn't he did he did and you look at things and you're like there's no way
i can do it and it was crazy terrain i don't think i have i don't know if i've done anything that
harkinson i think what's really cool about like a lot of the the stories that you you ended up doing
is like such a wide variety of experiences that you got to do but i felt like you were very fearless
in a lot of them that's like a great example is like uh the burtle ruse racing school you get
like in an open-wheel car like they explained explained all right burtle ruse just for everybody
doesn't know he you know well a renowned uh compete racing competitor he had a driving school up at
the pocano raceway up in pennsylvania and burle ruse was uh just kind of an icon for all of us at
motorway because he taught us so much about professional driving take it from there well
susan and i did that together susan children yes there's footage of like you guys both drove it
and susan in the car oh yeah yeah yeah yeah and we were like we when we got there we were freaking
out we're like what are we doing this or you know they but we had been practicing this bench racing
and i don't even remember who taught us bench racing but we're you know we they gave us the
layout of the track and so we're you know closing our eyes and we're imagining going through all
the different corners and which actually that whole thing really works um but that both of us
what are we doing and then we loved it it was so much fun and you know it's the the whole idea of
the layers you know you go around slowly and then you get a little more speed a little more speed
and then we were flying around that track open-wheel cars are intoxicating i mean i think that's where
you probably got your your desire to do motorcycling you know what maybe yeah maybe because that uh yeah
that's a stand that's definitely a standout that was in my little list of uh of little standout things
did you do the slide car while you were there the car that had the gimbals on our four wheels
i think he took us out in that wasn't that something really good i think so yes i think it was we
got a whole idea was it's to keep treat you car control because just if you turn the steering
wheel too much it basically gives into a spin yeah that that was fun that's actually a good
teaching lesson yeah yeah that was a you know that doing something on a track for the first time
that was a good place to do it it uh you know plenty of support and instruction was really good
and he taught us all about bench racing and susan and i were diligently going through the track
like we're not going to screw this up that must have been like so fun for like you two to be so
close and be good friends to like go experience something like that oh yeah yeah we yeah there
were no secrets between us it was the dream team for motor week and really still is thanks lisa
thanks so very very much for coming down and being a part of our podcast this was truly memorable
thanks for having me it was great and all of you out there thanks for watching i want to thank
also um the sponsors of our podcast and all things motor week the folks over at auto value
and bumper to bumper and of course tire rack dot com we know all of our viewers and listeners
appreciate your dedication to all things motor week also don't forget uh regardless of whether
you watch motor week on tv or your phone or tablet you can stay up with all of our recent
road tests and features including our podcasts by downloading our totally free motor week app
it's the quickest way to stay up with us whether it's audio or video thanks lisa again for being
with us today it's wonderful to have you a part of our 45th anniversary celebration and thanks
jessica for basically anchoring uh our fan seat here at the table and thank you for listening to
the podcast today now if you are wondering where motor week can be seen on your local public
television station go to our website motor week dot org click on the tab watch motor week then enter
your zip code for the days and times in your area or hop over to our cable partner racer network at
racer dot com for their schedule as well as the latest in motor sports you can also watch current
events current episodes of motor week on the pbs app which is also free and you can download that
right to your smart tv we're also proud to announce that recent seasons of motor week are available
on the free streaming service to be lastly all of the individual road tests and features are also
available at youtube dot com slash motor week if you've got a screen you can watch motor week
thanks to jessica again and for producing audio engineer nicole phillips nailer podcast creator
bob mixture also the fastest way to find car reviews be sure to include motor week in your
search engine i'm john davis thank you for being a part of motor week you've been listening to the
podcast of motor week television's original automotive magazine motor week is made possible by
auto value and bumper to bumper and tire rack dot com visit our website at motor week dot or
for more car reviews and the latest automotive news and watch motor week television's longest
running automotive magazine series each week on your local pbs station or the motor week app
Request an explanation for:
7 cars
Scroll for more
7 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.
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.
