TMCP #633: The 2025 Christmas Show: 17th Annual Feature Interview with Santa Claus – Does The Sleigh Have Turbine Power?
The MuscleCar Place
TMCP #633: The 2025 Christmas Show: 17th Annual Feature Interview with Santa Claus – Does The Sleigh Have Turbine Power?
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Concept
Legends car
Legends cars are small, affordable race cars that many people use to learn how to drive fast. They’re the same size as a toy car but built for real racing.
Car
Chevelle
The Chevelle is a classic American car made by Chevy. It’s often restored by enthusiasts because of its strong performance and iconic look.
Part
jet engine
A jet engine is a machine that pushes air out the back to make something move forward, like how a plane flies.
Brand
Chrysler
Chrysler is a company that makes cars and trucks, like many other car makers in the U.S.
Concept
concept car
A concept car is a special test vehicle that shows what future cars might look like, but it’s not usually sold to the public.
Part
turbine engine
A turbine engine is a machine that spins blades to turn fuel into power, similar to how some cars use pistons but with rotating parts.
Car
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is a big American car that can go very fast. It’s popular for its strong engine and roomy inside, making it a favorite for people who like powerful cars.
Company
SEMA
SEMA is a big event where people show off car parts and custom cars. It’s like a huge auto fair for enthusiasts.
Car
Chevrolet Camaro (4th Gen F body)
The Camaro is a popular sports car made by Chevrolet. The 4th generation ran from 1993 to 2002 and had a distinctive look that many people still love.
Part
teetops
Teetops are extra roof pieces you can put on a car to make it look cooler or help it go faster. They’re common on cars like the Camaro.
Car
Mustangs
The Mustang is a popular sports car made by Ford that many people like to drive and modify for better speed or looks.
Car
Corvette
The Corvette is a fast sports car made by Chevrolet that many people love to drive and show off.
Concept
NASCAR
NASCAR is a racing competition in the U.S. where drivers race fast cars on big oval tracks.
Part
T-tops
T-tops are panels on a car's roof that can be taken off so you can drive with the top down, but they keep the car strong.
LIVE
The Muscle Carplights online podcast, episode number 633. This week, it's our 2025 Christmas show, and you know what that means. Our guest is the fastest man on earth. He is the top dog, the big man, Numerou Uno, Huncho, the head cheese, the man in the red suit himself, that jolly old elf with a hard gold, a really fast sleigh Santa Claus. Now we got him on for his 17th annual interview. There is of course time for you kids to get your listen to him still, and he'll tell you how.
In the years of making this show, his voice to the world, he's always shared more details than I think he meant to, and anymore I don't know. I think Santa's just getting loose with the inflow, including how he really did put a jet engine on a sleigh once, just like in the movie Elf, but it ended pretty differently.
I don't need to tell you what happens when a jet engine sucks up reindeer exhaust since lace was fake to be. So with that, you heard him, bird of the elf, old school intro please, take it away.
Welcome to the Muscle Car Place Online Podcast. The weekly show dedicated to the people worldwide that loved the 1960s and 70s American Muscle Cars.
Whether you're buying them, selling them, restoring them, or just plain can't get enough of them, this is the place for you. Because just like you, we know that they're not really just cars, they're family, and here's your host Rob Kibbie.
Yes, indeed, I am Rob Kibbie, and welcome to the Muscle Car Place Podcast. Yes, my favorite show of the year, the one show of the year that Burn of the Elf is forced to use the old school intro, the one that I made myself. I really did make that in 2009, our very first year of this show, I made a Christmas show.
And I just took the old intro that I had also made myself. And the music is Christmas and Hollis by Run DMC, as made famous in the Christmas movie classic, the movie Die Hard with Bruce Willis.
Sure, you've heard of it in Architomic Plaza, blah, blah, blah. The engine you heard in there was my chavelle running way before as a pro touring card. It had like the third or fourth 350 that I'd built for it under the hood.
Run through a set of two and a half inch pipes into flow masters. The guy do the announcements as a guy named Paul friend from town. He still lives here. I don't seem as much anymore. He used to do announcing at drag races. He has that big Boomey radio voice. Good guy, really good guy. I love hearing that intro.
It does not stand the production quality of anything Bernie McPartland does. Elf or otherwise. So hey, Burns, speaking of production, how about a little, a little music in here? And then you like rifters, maybe that's the one I like.
Okay, again, this is my favorite time of year. The music, the lights, the feeling, you know, as hard as it is to remember the magic of being a kid.
I do still feel that this time of year. And once again, at the end of the year, we do this kind of show together. It's a wrap-up show of the season. If you're a new listener here, this will all be new for you, of course. But for our regulars, this show is the most important one we do.
Not just because we have Santa Claus on the show, which, you know, I'm not bragging. It's a big deal. It's totally big deal. But because we wrap up here together, with the most important message of all.
So I thought I'd just make this show kind of my annual Christmas letter to you. And, you know, those braggie letters that your mom or your grandma used to send out to neighbors and other relatives to mostly tell the truth, but like embellish how awesome you are.
That's kind of what this show will be. But first, a little something from the repertoire of Christmas movies. Burn, take your pain.
Oh, fuck. Only I didn't say fudge. I do like that one burn. But there's one more I'm waiting for. You know the one I want.
There you go. That's the winner. We did review Christmas vacation on the Caribbean French show this week. Thank you, Catherine.
Where's that usually easy? Again, for me, this time of year isn't just one thing. It's a culmination of numerous things. Christmas movies aside, one of my other favorite things is just to look back on the year that was so here you go.
Here's the Christmas brag letter, the year and review, if you will. So what a year it's been. So personally, for me, this was a mom marker. I turned 50 this year in June.
And a year ago, almost this time, oh, I guess it'd be 11 months ago. I started towards a goal of just being a healthier me to intentionally live healthier. I was 5.11. At that time was 205 pounds. I had a goal of being 30 pounds lighter. So 175 by my 50th birthday.
I got close in the end. I think on my 50th birthday is almost down 25 pounds and I have basically maintained that sense. Maybe I was 20 pounds. I've trimmed down a total of 25.
And I'm learning to live that way. It's not too hard to live that way. It's harder to lose it than it is to live that way. But I did it. I now have a new goal for the show. I'll share new goals in 2026.
But it took half a year to mostly get to where I wanted to go. And then I started tweaking refining it. And I even did a little better as the year went, but I'm learning how to live in a new life here.
And it's not that much harder than the old life was. It's just more intentional. It wasn't that I was sick or wasn't healthy. I was OK.
I will admit I'm a lot healthier now. That is for sure. It's obvious now. And I still have a diet co-condition that's probably not OK, but there's just a few unhealthy habits left to kick here.
But that was a big marker for me. I'm turning 50. The weight loss is just something I wanted to mark the occasion and kind of just start living this way. I'm not old, but I'm definitely not young to the point where I can just breath stuff off anymore.
You kind of got to work your way through it now on the network here. Another big thing happened about the halfway mark. Finally after years of hoping and praying and wondering and trying to figure out a way to do it.
Finally brought on Kirk Hanson to this company full time, officially July 1st. He actually started doing stuff part of that. But we hit the high performance expo in Charlotte just before he started full time.
We hit that trade show. We hit the Mo party trade show. And I hate to say it this way. It was so successful that I wasn't. I didn't have to be there. Our whole team went minus me and it was terrific.
We put together our biggest seam a trip in years. And it was so helpful and informative and courage. I mean, it was just a great year.
We went back into this account. Here's how many shows we put out. We put out 37 muscle car places 19 ultimate street cars and 47 Kibbe and French shows, including all of the Patreon shows.
That's 103 episodes if you edit all up. And if you want to do a little math here, this is probably not high enough math. If each show produced show is eight hours door to door to right record, produce release.
That's 824 hours of straight production time just to do the content side of the business. That's 20 solid weeks for one person 20 weeks at 40 hours a week.
Just doing content and content is one of the things we do here. It is not the only thing we do here. And that doesn't account for the marketing, the scheduling, the travel.
So I say all that because there's not a single episode that we turn out that doesn't go through the final fingers of one Bernie, the elf producer, MacPartland, who this year also had a big birthday. He turned 65 this year.
And I will say, hey, thank you, bird. Not too shabby. I think this network is keeping us young. It's either keeping us younger, keeping us dumb. What's that burn?
You say you're ready to retire because you're in a terrible haze. Like a purple haze.
Oh, you're ready to be fired if you don't get a rate. I totally track you now. Totally get. I'm not going to fire you and I'm not giving you a raise, but I understand. I'm just saying it works. That's important.
Plus Kirk Hansen's the boss. No, man. Nothing I can do but okay. But after we have go on this year, we released new merch on the muscle car place.com, starting with just some simple shirts.
Hope to expand that out in 2026. Man, we had a lot of good business episodes on it. I love all the universe we do, but I love the business ones. I think we started last year.
Oh, with the guy from ironworks customs and ended up meeting him in person at the Roadster shop party at SEMA.
What a year it's been for those type of interviews. We have several already lined up for 2026. We did a Toys for Tots campaign again successfully again on the Kibbe and Friends show.
This place is just a proud place for me to be. I'm really lucky that they get to do this from a car perspective.
My personal car adventure perspective was building cars or racing or doing adventures myself for those of it follow along.
This year all of that for me personally just took a back seat and in the front seat was my son Dallas.
So I'll give you a little update on my kids here. So for my son Dallas, and I'm doing this in that order because he's the car kid.
All of my kids can do whatever they want and we support that and they are all different and they all have their own dreams.
And whatever their dreams are, are okay with me. We have truly never forced them one way or the other.
But we have exposed them to a lot with the hope that maybe a couple things would stick.
But more that they would get an idea to know what's out there and what they like and what they, you know, just importantly what they don't like.
For Dallas, he's a lot like me. He is a musician but probably doesn't love it as much as I did.
He is a far better athlete than I ever was but we both have an absolute love to drive.
Just love it. It never gets old. For me, it still doesn't get old. He has loved racing.
And really as time marked us forward here, that is settling down to be his sport.
The only sport he's left playing is basketball. Everything else, he's kind of retired out of.
He ran track last spring and he'll probably be done with that unless he does it just for the training.
You know, give him his body fit but really 2025 was a transition year for him to understand like what does it look like to go racing more full time.
2025 was just developing. He and I probably logged about 15,000 miles in my truck between April to October and he ran almost 30 races in a Legends car.
I trained just in this year from being a crew chief and the setup guy and doing everything to general contractor.
I started working with a race team that is better at setups than I am but really for my son to grow, we did hit a point in our father's son relationship
and I'm sure you guys can relate to where you kind of got to hear from somebody not your dad at least for now.
I needed a coach that he could learn from and frankly is who knew more than I did and we found both of those things and we've had a great year together with that.
We went to the PRI Show just last week. I mean, that's how we ended the year. There are so many paths to go right now.
He's a junior in high school. He just turned 17 years old and while that sounds young in the perspective of up and coming racing, it isn't.
And now is the time to go and that adds a lot of pressure and stress to him and I'm sure and had that to being a teenager and recovering from all sorts of injuries that he's had over the past year.
It can take a toll both on your mental health and your heart and your head and all of it.
But I have great faith in Dallas. He has a bright future no matter where that leads and we have a whole lot more time to spend together.
2026 racing season just around the corner. He's going to run a test session in Florida on January 2nd and 3rd and his legends guard is going to run all the big legends races at least through the end of June this year.
By the end of the year, my goal is that he will have some experience in a late model, maybe a sports car, possibly something off road, maybe even rally or stadium truck, something like that.
Next year he'll be a senior in high school and we want him to have a solid finish to high school, graduate well, have the opportunity to do college, maybe simultaneously with a racing career.
And of all my kids, you probably hear most about Dallas in the show and the honest answer is it's because it's related to the business that we're in.
That's why you hear about it a lot here, but I'm just really proud of him, just really him.
Our oldest daughter Emily, Emily made a big move this year. She's now a sophomore in college. She started off last year as a freshman at Drake University.
A smaller, more large college, about 40 miles away, great academics, small campus feel, and she was alone and sad there.
She made some friends, she had a job, she had a great church group, the church group was about the only always positive thing.
She ran into a world view conflict with her professors and finally got to the point where she concluded, I cannot excel or continue to grow here in my field of study.
And that was hard for her. I mean she struggled with losing a college in the first place, she didn't want to pick a college, she just wanted a college.
And then when she finally realized I can't do this and it's not just because I'm not trying hard enough, then we had to start all over. And we did.
We went college shopping again. I took her to Wheaton College last year over Valentine's Day weekend. My wife took her up to, I think it was Bethel College in Minnesota.
We looked at several again. In the end, it came down to Wheaton College or Iowa State University right here back at home.
Both had the field of study that she wanted. Iowa State had a specific major. I would say it had the music. Wheaton probably was more the environment she wanted.
But in the end, she chose Iowa State. I think that's been a good fit for her. She's a lot happier. She's starting to make friends. She's got a new church group.
And since this is the Christmas brag letter, all on her own, she is a 4.0 student. She's a grinder. She has learned how to put in the work.
And most importantly, she's not doing it for us. She's doing it for the best reason of all for herself, for her own benefit.
I wish I thought of it that way when I was in school. I got so much more out of it than I actually did probably. I loved my time in college, but I didn't study that.
She's studying early childhood education. She's playing the French horn. She made the top Iowa State bands after all that worry and fear that she wouldn't she did.
Again, she's a grinder. She practices. She takes lessons. She works. She would love to own a preschool one day.
And play in an orchestra at Christmas time, like to home alone. What's the second home alone in lost in New York?
She loved to play the home alone lost in New York theme in New York in whatever that concert hall was that was in home alone while she owns a preschool.
What else is she also? Oh yeah, she's been self-employed since last summer. She's been a babysitter and a nanny. Just hand over fist, break it in the cash.
So our youngest dad know well, she is a freshman in high school. All of our kids have done a dual enroll homeschool for their K through 12 years. For our youngest know well here.
She's 9th grader now, like all of our kids. She is a dual enrolled homeschooled kid. She does summer stuff at home, some through a co-op, some through the high school, but the thing she loves most is dance, like ballet dance.
Just like Dallas and Emily, she got to a point this year after putting in so much work and effort that something she really wanted to happen didn't.
And it was heartbreaking. She didn't get chosen to be the part she wanted to be for the Christmas performance of the Nutcracker here.
It hurt, man. I was really painful. I mean, and she liked Emily. She's a grinder. Like she was going to class this five or six days a week.
She is one of the teachers for the little kids class like the age three through five years old. I mean, she seemed to be doing everything right.
But then we met with the instructors again and we said, like, what isn't working here? Mostly he just had to hear she has more growing to do.
And as hard as that was to hear, we have found a way to put it more work or put in different work and go do the things where she needed to grow and what she wanted to do the most.
And she went ahead and took the roles in the Nutcracker that were far better than she'd ever done before.
She was the mouse king and she was a flowers on point. If you don't know anything about the Nutcracker, just know those are cool parts.
Those were not the parts she wanted, but she chose to embrace it and she got good and she killed it. She's the best mouse king ever in my opinion.
So in January, she'll have a solid performance in Kansas City that she's preferring for for a competition.
I'm just really proud of her because she is continuing to put in the work and chase what she really loves doing, which is dance.
So, okay, that's it. That's all three kids. My wife is awesome and super cute. That's enough of my family regulator.
I am very lucky with the family I have. I know that I'm honestly now hitting the point where I'm struggling seeing the end of kind of my regular parenting and just a very short while will be down to one kid at home probably and then no kids at home.
So I'm trying to soak it up while I can.
All right, with all that said, I'll save my personal big plans for 2026 for our first show of the year with Rick Schmidt.
And I'm happy to announce National Parts Depot is back again for another full year together as a programming note.
The first show, a formal show with Ask Rick will be Friday, January 9th, 2026.
We will run a little bonus show over Christmas break though just to tidy over and that will be from Seema.
And that was a roundtable we did after Seema is over with me and Kirk Hansen, Jeff Allison, Zip Simons, Dandy Justino, Brandy McPartland.
We did a round robin interview and just reminisced about bringing my Chevelle with all of those people who are all over the country.
We took my Chevelle from zero to hero, took it to Seema, debuted in 2013.
And that all started 15 years ago this January.
So I'm going to play for you that interview.
It was good for me to be reinspired by all that.
It was stressful when we did it really stressful, but we did it.
I just can't believe it.
So let's go ahead and get on with the show.
Don't forget, once per month, we do have Mr. Rick Schmidt from National Part Depot on to talk all things in PD.
You can ask him anything you like.
Send in your questions to me.
And of course visit National Part Depot dot com to Peru's for all your muscle car parts needs because they find the source they expect the best there is a difference and they've got the goods.
The questions you send in will be for February 2026.
That's right.
Send in your Valentine's Day questions, kids.
How did that happen?
We're already in February, not even through the Christmas show.
Well, here is our feature interview.
This is the one you've been waiting for all year.
It's the big guy, the guy at the top, the top of the porch, to the top of the wall, dash away, dash away, that guy.
If you're ready to get an answer to the final questions you have before Christmas, you are in luck.
There's still time to get on the nice list.
There's still time to get your letter to Santa.
Burn to the Yelp, queue up the feature of features.
This is him for a 17th year in a row, Santa Claus.
The Muscle Car Place Weekly Podcast interview is brought to you by our good friends at National Parts Depot.
See them through the link at themusclecarplace.com.
Today, on the Muscle Car Place Podcast, our guest is on for his world record appearance on any media outlet.
It is his 17th year in a row.
He's the man we'll all be waiting for on Christmas Eve and goes by many names.
Father Christmas, Pear, Noel, or Old St. Nick, but we'll call him by the name that everyone knows best.
Santa Claus, welcome to the show.
Yeah, Jerry, I have a second.
It hasn't started.
Seriously though, I thought you got me out of it this year.
I mean, it's going too far.
Did you hear that corn dog guy on the podcast?
How did he know our slate was actually used in the movie Elf?
I thought we had a confidentiality agreement, Jerry.
That's totally top secret, Jerry.
No.
Wait, what?
You didn't send the confidentiality agreement.
What?
You forgot?
You forgot because of the new girl often wrapping.
Not again.
Man, that's finally it.
I mean, that's like the 15th year in a row here, man.
You're on the naughty list, Jerry.
I'm not kidding this time.
I don't care that you gave me that kidney.
This is ridiculous.
Hello.
And while we're at it.
Hello.
And I tell you before we start to bring me two whiskies.
Hello.
Nog, I was Santa Claus.
Are you there?
Welcome to the show.
Santa.
Oh, Merry Christmas, everyone.
I hope you weren't waiting there too long.
I was just getting ready to check my list twice.
You know, just like this long and back.
Sorry, it's every year.
I want to tell you next time and tell me before we start this thing.
The passphrase is the Elf on the shelf needs to see a man about a horse.
Well, I mean,
oh, everyone.
Santa, good to hear you again.
yet. Why is it that you always seemed a little surprise and cut off guard when we call?
I always seem to catch you in some deep private conversation.
Well, you know, old Santa has a lot going on this time of year. I'm juggling a lot of snowballs,
both metaphorically and literally. Sorry about that, but I'm sure happy to be here with all of
you good boys and girls. You know, Robert, I look forward to this interview each and every year.
In fact, it's my favorite. Well, it's great. I share the sentiment. You know, when I launched
this show back in 2009, I had hoped you would be my big Christmas guest and I never knew it would
last for 17 years in counting. You and me both, bro. I mean, one fair is no biggie for you here,
but I had no idea. I mean, I mean, I mean, I have no idea for 17 years in counting. This would be
the number one way I'd get to talk to all of the good boys and girls of the world. But here we are again
and Santa is ready for whatever you throw at me. Okay. Well, by the way, Santa, your connection
this year is this considerably better that has been yours fast. Why don't we get some technology
up here to the North Pole? Yeah, that fiber is better than ever. Let's start here with a question.
I have it on good authority that the sleigh your sleigh was used in the movie Elf and actually
flew in the movie. Is that true? Hold on a second. I knew he'd ask about this. You're in it up to
your sleigh bells, Jerry. I mean it. Okay, Robert. Well, I must confess that is true. That is 100%
true. Hollywood is always asked us to do stuff like that. And I love Will Ferrell a lot. I just
couldn't say no. So we went to my sleigh and we got to talking and then showed them this one
experiment we tried in the 60s. That's why it had the jet engine on it. But the movie got the rest
of that poorly wrong. What was wrong about the movie? Well, the engine was just something we put on
this one time so Rudolph could coast every now and again because we were starting to carry heavier
and heavier loads of presents. It had nothing to do with the lack of Christmas spirit. That was just
movie make believe. We do have a closet meter in the sleigh, but it just counts the number of
me's that are in the sleigh at any one time. So it's either pointed at zero or one. I cannot
afford the health of me. Remember why we put that in there seems kind of dumb now that I think about
it was back in the 60s. Anyway, back in the 60s, we had a bunch of bells that knew people at Chrysler
and they had this little turbine engine from a Chrysler concept car. Anyway, they stuck it on the sleigh
one night for a test run and that's where things got out of hand. Oh boy. Oh, really? What do you mean
by out of hand? Oh, see, Jerry, Jerry, this is why we need that confidentiality agreement. Come on.
See, well, we had a little communication breakdown within the speed and deer department and
the deer department had just switched over to baked beans the night before a flight. I don't
need to tell you what happens when a jet engine sucks up reindeer exhausts and slaves with baked beans,
but what happened to me is basically what happened to cousin Eddie when his wife, Caroline,
rubbed up the microwave. You've been seeing a lot of Northern lights lately. Have you been seeing that
online? Yes, I have more Northern lights. Yeah, those aren't Northern lights. That's a combination of
baked beans and jet engines up here at the North Pole. I see quite the stories. So that's a strange
tie-in to the movie Elf, but I'll leave that to you. Let's change topics to something less gassy.
Well, man, you're the one that asked about it. That is true.
Santa, what are the top gifts that people want for Christmas this year?
Well, let me just look at my list here. In fact, let me look at it twice.
Here we are. The most popular gift seems to be that all the good boys and girls of the world
just want peace and harmony and one thing. What's the one thing? Well, of course,
they want Dodge, but a heavy and the new charger. That's what the people want most.
Yep, that's it. What is the second most thing that they all want? Well, of course,
world peace. I mean, you just ask any good boy or girl and that's what they'll tie a Dodge,
but a heavy and the new charger and world peace. I mean, that's pretty much the answer you're
going to get from any kid around the world nowadays. I see. Well, all right. That's one into
what's number three? What's third? Oh, well, I had to say it, but it's iPhones. It's always iPhones.
Personally, we'll say that's for the new nice NASCAR game for his Xbox, but that's just me.
And you can't really play that on an iPhone. It doesn't do it the kind of justice. So that's why
you really need the Xbox version of the NASCAR game, but that's just me. Okay. I get it. All right.
Oh, but now that I'm thinking about it, I need to put an Xbox and a little TV unit in the sleigh.
I mean, sometimes those long halls over the ocean where we don't have any presence to deliver
and play in that NASCAR game or we'll find it in the sleigh. You could take the
Xometer out and put that in there. That would be brilliant. You're a little tall for an
Elf Robert, but if you ever wear the market for an Elf job, I might just have an Elf job position.
Jerry, you hear that? Jerry, I'm going to hire Robert and send you. You got that. I mean,
how about a different topic? Ask me if I have any Santa jokes. Okay.
Santa, do you have any Santa jokes? Well, I'm glad you asked what a complete surprise.
What do you call a kid who doesn't believe in Santa? I don't know. What? A rebel without a clause.
Oh, okay. Guys, all right. Good. How much did Santa pay for his sleigh? I don't know what.
Nothing. It was on the house. Oh, okay. What's the difference between the Christmas alphabet
and the ordinary alphabet? I don't know. What is the difference? The Christmas alphabet has no well.
Oh, okay. I like that. All right, stick with me here. We're almost done. We're almost done. All right.
How does Good King once a sloth like his pizzas? I don't know. How does he like his pizzas? One that's
deep-paned, crisp, and even. Well, should you get that, Robert? I do now.
Deep-paned, crisp beneath. That's your best joke. That's a good one.
I could say deep-paned, very dead-to-pan. Yeah, you can. Santa's here all night kids for one night.
One night only. Don't forget to tip your elbows and reindeer. Okay. Very funny. Say good. I'm
starting to think that you and Bernie the Elf are roommates or something. Anyway, say let's
get back to cars. The Muscle Car Podcast. This is a car show. We know you love all cars everywhere.
Since this is your 17th year in a row, we should celebrate that. Santa, what are your favorite things in
cars this year that you got to enjoy? What do you think of the auto industry, too? You know, Robert,
Santa does indeed love all cars. We've been giving toy cars out every year for over 100 years now.
And the cars of today are just marvelous and outstanding. I did notice that the good boy and girls
at Holly brought a sweet fish mouth Camaro to SEMA. You know, Santa loves those 4th Gen F bodies,
especially with the teetops. Jerry, we need teetops for the sleigh. Start working on it. Really,
Robert's coming up here. Robert will put teetops on my sleigh. Okay. Okay. Sorry about that.
Did that aside thought there? I think what's going well now is performance with the new Mustangs
and the Corvette, of course. And Santa loves those series caddies, too. I like where innovation is
going. And I really like when they are people enjoy driving and modifying and racing their cars.
Safely and legally, of course, otherwise you end up on the naughty list. I see.
Oh, I think I asked you this last year, but what do you think about Chevy killing and keeping the
Camaro dead? Yeah. Santa's got to make sure he doesn't say bad words here because they brought
it back to NASCAR anyway, right? I mean, unlabeled my big T-tops for everyone now that I'm thinking
about it, we should all have T-tops and all our cars. Oh, but they bring it back. You know what,
you could make that happen. You have the power. I'm sure you can do it. Oh, laying a little finger
aside of my nose. Maybe we'll get some Camaro's ears. What for? I have some rapid fire questions
for you that listeners have sent in. I think we did this last Christmas. People loved it.
So would you like to give it a try again? Oh, Santa was born ready. Okay. See if this has changed.
What is the best Christmas movie car in your opinion? Oh, easy. Same as last year, the
Chris Wald Ford, Torres Wagon, and the Christmas vacation movie. A lot of sap on that car. A lot of
sap. I mean, you got to have a car like that to be able to bring a whole tree home like that. That
was just impressive. Dug it out of the ground myself. Yeah. What is the best Christmas cookie?
You know, that is an interesting one because we finally learned after all these years that
giving the reindeer carrots and apples just makes them sick. They need the vitamins that only cookies
can provide. So leave any kind of cookie for the deer. Yeah, for the deer. Leave the cookies for
the deer and maybe get old deer sand to might have one or two of the cookies. Maybe a sugar cookie.
Sugar cookie? All right. I like that. Years from our man, Corn Dog. How long is the sleigh?
Corn dog, huh? All right. I guess I'll let you know fun. It's 18 feet long and one candy cane.
We measure in feet and candy canes at the North Pole just because we have a lot of them available
and that's a pretty standard unit of measure. I can see that.
Yeah. That's probably a thing of 18 feet and one candy cane. What is the color code of the sleigh?
Good question. I'm pretty sure it's the same one is on a star ski and hutch car. I just know
that it's red. Okay. Now, whatever you do, though, Robert, don't ask me what the top speed is.
You know I cannot tell you that no matter how many times you always try to trick me,
just like I always try to trick me into picking my favorite muscle car because, you know,
Santa loves all muscle cars. I understand, Santa. And I would never, ever try to trick you into doing
something like saying, what color is your Camaro? No, it's white. Oh, right here. She got me again.
Oh, it's too easy. Back to the Santa's little helper here. I did notice that Santa had
a Christmas cocktail. Yes. I have to put some hair on your chest. I do have a number of questions
from our listeners that their kids really want to know the answer to as well. People are listening
with their kids. So first, Santa, how old are you? Oh, you know, Robert, I'd be happy to tell you.
I was born on March 15th in the year 270 AD in the village of Atara and Asia Minor. My parents
named me Nicholas. Now, that would make me 1,755 years old by now. I'm doing the math, right?
You know, any math geniuses out there, please correct me if I'm wrong. But at some point,
I just seem to stop aging. My parents raised me to trust Jesus. And like he said, to sell what
you own and give the money to the poor. And that's what I've tried to do my whole life. Giving
is, in fact, what keeps me from aging, I think. Okay, great. What came first the elves or the sleigh?
Oh, another good question here, Robert, the elves. The elves were here before I was, but like I've
told you before, I really can't share info on the elves because if I tell you, then I'd have to kill
you and then I'd be on the naughty list. Just kidding, of course. Not really. Don't ask about it again.
Anyway, the sleigh was my daily driver back in the day. I used it to get around and deliver everything.
And when I was bestowed with the Christmas spirit, well, the sleigh just started to fly. I learned
how to control it. We put some lights on it. And it's still the same old girl I fly today.
Well, and just think about that. Giving you another little fun fact. I get most of all my sleigh
parts at National Parts Depot. They really do stock the best stuff. And they are on Santa's
list for sure. Oh, we love our corporate sponsors. Yes, we do, sir. Yes, we most certainly do.
And you said you plug sponsors better than anyone I know.
Well, here's another topic. I'm wondering since you started delivering gifts back in the third
century into the drying socks of people in need to the modern sleigh flights you take today
coordinated with GPS, NORAD, the FAA. And of course, the Burt Reynolds Foundation. Have you seen
the spirit of Christmas change over the years? You know, Robert, that's the beautiful thing about it.
And all joking aside, this is the most important part of the interview that we do every single year.
Christmas is now and always has been about celebrating the birth of Christ, the world Savior.
In Bethlehem, over two thousand years ago, and that very event changed the world forever.
And as a result of it, the gift of salvation. Everlasting salvation is now there for us.
The thing that has never changed about Christmas is a Christ's salvation is a gift there for all to
take with no charge and no strings. But because it's a gift is something we must accept and receive,
just like opening a Christmas present is not yours until you open it. So my hope each year
is that people receive that wonderful message. And that's what it's really all about.
That is what it's about, Santa. And I love here and you say that every year. I know that
boys and girls listening will love to hear all that as well. I know here that your time with us is
short, but for those listening with their kids who just heard that message, can you explain what
the nice and the naughty list is? Well, normally as I'm talking to you, I would just make something up
about this, but you know, this year, I'm really going to tell you how it happens.
You know, good boys and girls are really the ones that are doing right by others. They're helping
each other out. They can, you know, they chip in and they deserve to be rewarded. Now the bad boys
and girls, they're not doing all the right things that they need to be doing. And we give them
coal just as a reminder that there are some dark days, but there's always light after the dark day.
And each day can be better. And they can work on it for next year and try to get on that nice list
for the next year. And you know, when it comes to the nice list, one thing I really like to see
in others is that giving. And if your listeners could do me a favor this year, if you see a family
in need, Santa would ask that you give them a gift this year. That could be food, a few dollars,
or even a wrapped gift like I like to give out. Toys for Tots is a wonderful campaign. And if you
need some ideas of how to help, just call your local church too. And speaking of Toys for Tots,
you're one of the things that Santa does to get in this excellent physique that I have for Christmas,
is I do a Toys for Tots 5K in early November. Really? Even something like that can help you out,
get you on the nice list as well as help out a lot of kids and families in need. So look for events
like a Toys for Tots 5K, give you a little fun and do a lot of giving back as well. I love it.
Thank you, Santa.
Santa, is there still time for people to send in their letters to the kids?
Well, of course, all the little children are welcome to send them in and I'll take them all
the way up until December 24. Just drop them in any mailbox. Leave them in your fireplace.
They'll find me. These are the spirit of Christmas and the Christmas magic. It just makes it work.
It'll work every year. And I love it. That's a great reminder, Santa.
Last one, where can people get more information about your flight this Christmas Eve so that
they're in bed before you get there? Well, that is very important because if they are not in bed,
I have to go down and circle around the block a couple times and hopefully they'll fall asleep.
Otherwise, we have to skip the whole neighborhood and try to come back later. So we do need people
to go to noradsanta.org. That's been my favorite one over the years. But Google has one now too,
I believe. There are some of those app things for the phones. You know, that third most favorite
thing that people ask for that iPhone. Go ahead and put that into good use and get that
NORAD app on there and you can track my flight on Christmas Eve and make sure you're in bed
so that I don't have to skip your house on the way by and take a few minutes out of your
Roblox game or what else you're doing on that iPhone and check that NORAD Santa app and you can see
where I am and everybody will have a nice happy, fun, healthy Christmas Eve.
All right, Santa. Thank you for coming on this 17th year in a row. I can't believe it myself,
but thank you again and Merry Christmas to you. Oh Robert, all kidding aside from earlier,
this is my favorite thing to do. Well, you know, after delivering presents, of course. So this is my
second favorite thing to do every year and I love hanging out with you and all of your muscle
car place listeners and as always, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good muscle car.
Thank you Santa. Man, what a guy. That jolly old guy. What a nut. What a nut cracker. That
nut cracker has a heart of gold. Now, if you've heard this show before, you know that I really do
believe that Christmas is more than just a happy time of year. It's more than lights. It's more about
the gifts and the cookies and the eggnog and the movies. It is about the most important
eternal thing whoever was and ever will be. It's about the birth of Jesus Christ Himself
who came to earth as a man to be the light and hope for all the world. Now, every year,
here's how I like to convey that to you best. This is Linus from a Charlie Brown Christmas
explaining it all with a reference to the Bible Luke 2 8 through 14.
The glory of the Lord shall round about them and they were so afraid and the angels said unto
them, fear not. For behold, everything you tidings the great joy that shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you. He shall find the Abraham and slot him close, lying in the
manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God
and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.
That's what the Christmas is thought about, Charlie Brown.
I was from the peanuts Christmas special, a Charlie Brown Christmas, a debut in 1965.
And when I was a kid in the 80s, that ran on CBS every year and I watched it every year.
And yeah, there was all the others like Rudolph the Red Nose reindeer and stuff like that. But
that message from Linus told me what Christmas really was about.
Charles Schultz created peanuts and in an interview, he was quoted as insisting about one core
purpose for the Charlie Brown Christmas special. It had to be about something, namely the true
meaning of Christmas. And the producers asked him whether he was sure he wanted to include
a biblical text in the special. And his response was, if we don't do it, who will?
So I share that Christmas message from peanuts or Charlie Brown Christmas because if I'm honest,
that's what I'm supposed to be doing here. If I don't share it with you, who will?
Everybody in our team thinks that way. You're shocked by that. But I need you to know, if that's
the only thing I ever do for you and the only thing you ever get out of this show, you've won.
We all have. The most important thing you will ever do is to understand who Christ was
and why he was here and why it was just for you. Christ came to earth as a man with a purpose
to blamelessly walk in our shoes and to set the example and then to do the thing we couldn't do.
Take the wrath of punishment for our sin. Then that sin would have kept us away from God
for all of eternity. But Christ took it for you on your behalf. And Christmas here is to celebrate
the birth of Christ who did that for all of us and became my personal savior and yours. And
that salvation is a gift, a total gift. No strings at that, just like Xanaclus said, no strings
attached. And that gift has been prepared for, designed for, thought of, plan for, just for you.
But it's just that it's a gift and a gift that you never accept is one that's never received.
So I hope that if you have never heard of this or done this or finally taken action on us,
but this is the year that you pick up that gift under the tree and you choose to make it yours and
you accept it and you understand what it's for. And if you're not sure where you stand,
now is the time to look for that answer. There's no better time for Christmas than that.
So I think we'll go ahead and wrap this year out together. It's in the nostalgic time of year
whenever I hear a song silent night, I'll bet Bernie has found it and slipped somewhere.
I still think of my dad, my dad, and I would always sing in the choir together
when I was a kid at our church. And it was a real choir, like with hymnals and people singing the
first and second tenor and first and second bass. And I can hear him singing the second tenor part.
I can't get through that song without joking up and thinking about him.
Maybe this time of years got you choked up thinking about somebody else too,
but I'm here to tell you it is the best time of year because of who it's about.
Jesus Christ Himself. I hope this is the year. That's what you get from under the tree.
Let me end with some thank yous here. First, a special thanks for their continued support of this
enterprise, my wife Laura, and my kids Emily Dallas and Noel. And also to the muscle car
place team, all you wackos. Scotty, staff for show, write-ups, Kirk Hanson, our new network overlord,
officially on board for the first time. And we jumped to this for years. Just in Kornat,
my co-host of the Kibbe and Friends show, a great friend and a complete wacko of Dukes of
Hazard Inside knowledge, but man, there's nobody better. And Nathan Warren, Garrett Daniels and Cody
Youngs, you guys are all part of our family. We have a Kibbe and Friends text chain and then they've
started their own Instagram. I think they started the Instagram like a long time ago. It's called
Kibbe and his friends. It's a whole separate Instagram channel that I'm invited to but so that they
can talk around me. It's awesome. I love you guys. And last but not least at all, my good friend and our
show producer, Bernie the Elf from Portland, who makes this show Kibbe and Friends Ultimate Streetcar
and everything that we could possibly think of without a single complaint. Bernie, you are the
best in the business. I don't deserve you and you are appreciated. Please know that. Everybody
listening shares those sentiments, Bernie. Well, just like that, our show is done for the week,
done for the month, done for the year. And I'd be remiss if I didn't thank you listeners.
You're the reason we have the show. There are new listeners that have become great friends of
the show, even in this past year, even more so. And I just can't believe I'm this lucky. We'll
put out a bonus episode over Christmas there with the story of my chavelle going to Sima to tidy
over till January 9th. January 9th will be our first show, our official show of 2026.
If you find this show an Apple podcast, please leave a rating for it. Would you please share this
episode in particular under social media channels? I would really appreciate that. Man, 2026,
that will start year number 17 for me in the podcast business. How did that happen? Bernie,
it's time to take us out. Joy to the world with a morbid and tamer of Apple choir, please,
Bernie. All right, I'll be back on January 9th, 2026. Between now and then, hit me up on Facebook
or Instagram, be sure to sign up for our weekly email newsletter. You can do all that on the homepage
of themusclepowerplace.com website. And as always, don't forget to keep chasing your dreams like you've
let me chase mine. Thanks, listen, everybody. Merry Christmas. Bye-bye.
Thanks for parking at the MuscleCard Place online podcast, sponsored by National Part Steepo.
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About this episode
The 2025 Christmas Show features the beloved annual interview with Santa Claus, marking the 17th year of this festive tradition. Santa shares humorous anecdotes about his sleigh, including a past experiment with a jet engine, and discusses the most wanted gifts for Christmas, like the new Dodge Charger and world peace. Host Rob Kibbie reflects on personal milestones, family updates, and the importance of the Christmas spirit, emphasizing the true meaning of the holiday. The episode blends humor, nostalgia, and heartfelt messages, making it a unique holiday treat.
Original notes
’Tis the season, and it’s time once again for the Christmas episode of The Muscle Car Place—a tradition now 17 years strong. We’re thrilled to welcome our most exclusive guest of the year, known by many names around the world, but to us he’ll always be Santa Claus. 2025 was a whirlwind year filled with unforgettable moments alongside the Holley MoParty and the Kibbe & Friends gang, from epic parking lot steak dinners to incredible interviews with creators and automotive legends, capped off by the best SEMA experience I’ve had since debuting my Chevelle. We came home with a mountain of great content, lasting memories, and gratitude for the amazing community that continues to surround this show.
As always, this episode also pauses to remember the real reason for the season—the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If the noise of Christmas has made it easy to miss that truth, Linus Van Pelt said it best long ago by reading Luke 2:8–14, which we share again in this episode. If that message stirs something in your heart—whether it’s brand new or something you’ve drifted away from—know that you can always come home, and Christmas is a perfect time to do it. If you’d like to learn more about accepting Christ’s gift to you, I or anyone on our staff would be honored to talk with you.
The post TMCP #633: The 2025 Christmas Show: 17th Annual Feature Interview with Santa Claus – Does The Sleigh Have Turbine Power? first appeared on The Muscle Car Place.
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