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We reimagine Willow Springs

We reimagine Willow Springs

That Car Show Oct 27, 2025 35 min
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About this episode

The Willow Springs reimagined launch event brought together car enthusiasts, celebrities, and industry insiders to celebrate the iconic track's new chapter. Hosts Ann and Lindsay share their experiences, detailing the impressive turnout and the unique atmosphere that blended nostalgia with excitement for the future. They discuss notable attendees, including racing legends and car culture icons, and highlight various displays and activities, including celebrity races and classic car showcases. The episode captures the essence of community within the automotive world and the significance of Willow Springs in car history.

Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Concept

Sonoma Raceway

"about that Sonoma Raceway. I just learned about that. So this was billed as their sort of reintroduction of the track following the change of ownership."

Sonoma Raceway is a racetrack in California where cars race. It's famous for hosting big racing events and has been updated recently.

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Concept

Willow Springs

"All right, just to establish, Willow Springs is this legacy track. They filmed Ford V Ferrari there, right?"

Willow Springs is a well-known racetrack in California where many car races take place. It's famous for being featured in movies and has been around for a long time, but it has faced some challenges recently.

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Concept

Ford V Ferrari

"They filmed Ford V Ferrari there, right? I mean, it was kind of like this, like in Amber, right?"

'Ford V Ferrari' is a movie based on a real story about how Ford tried to beat Ferrari in a famous car race. It shows the challenges and teamwork involved in building fast race cars.

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Concept

Ford versus Ferrari

"...it was used for filming Ford versus Ferrari. Some of the scenes from Herbie the Love Bug were filmed there..."

'Ford versus Ferrari' is a movie about the competition between the Ford and Ferrari car companies during a famous car race called Le Mans. It shows how they tried to outdo each other in building fast cars.

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Concept

Herbie the Love Bug

"...Some of the scenes from Herbie the Love Bug were filmed there, Top Gear filmed there at one point..."

'Herbie the Love Bug' is a fun movie about a Volkswagen Beetle that can drive by itself and has a personality. It’s a family-friendly film that includes racing adventures.

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Concept

Top Gear

"...Top Gear filmed there at one point, Jay Leno's Garage has filmed there..."

'Top Gear' is a TV show from Britain that talks about cars. It features reviews, fun challenges, and famous people driving cars, making it very popular among car fans.

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Concept

road course

"...It is the oldest permanent road course in continuous use in the U.S."

A road course is a racetrack that has turns and curves, unlike a simple circle track. Cars race on these tracks, and they need to handle turns well to be fast.

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Car

Myers-Manx LFG

"...including the Myers-Manx LFG. Yeah, that thing is pretty badass."

The Myers-Manx LFG is a type of dune buggy that's great for driving on beaches and off-road. It's light and fun to drive, often built on a Volkswagen base.

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Term

Porsche engine

"...Yeah, it's a Porsche engine."

A Porsche engine is a powerful engine made by the car company Porsche. These engines are known for being very good at making cars go fast and handling well.

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Brand

Ken Block

"...great to see the Ken Block cars were all there. Right. It was great to see McLaren had quite a few cars."

Ken Block is a famous driver and car enthusiast known for his exciting driving videos. He has special cars that are designed for racing and stunts.

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Brand

McLaren

"...It was great to see McLaren had quite a few cars. I did. Good folks at Dirtfish brought some rally cars."

McLaren is a car company from Britain that makes very fast and high-quality sports cars. They are also involved in racing, especially in Formula 1.

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Company

Dirtfish

"...Good folks at Dirtfish brought some rally cars. Yes. Triple zero were there with some cars."

Dirtfish is a company that teaches people how to drive rally cars, which are specially made for racing on rough roads. They also bring these cars to events.

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Company

Galpin

"...Who else was there? Galpin was there."

Galpin is a car dealership that sells many different types of cars, including fancy and rare ones. They often show off special cars at events.

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Term

custom color

"If you don't know, they are, they actually match my lipstick, which is unplanned. But there's this brilliant magenta custom color"

A custom color is a special paint job on a car that is made just for that car, instead of using the usual colors that are offered.

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Ford GT
Calreyn88 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Ford GT

"and he's got a GT and a GTD in the same color."

The Ford GT is a fast sports car made by Ford. It's designed for racing and has a unique shape that helps it go really fast.

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Porsche 911 GT3 R
David Villarreal Fernández (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Car

Porsche 911 GT3 R

"...and they had the GT3R Wren Sport. One of those was there, which is really cool to see."

The Porsche 911 GT3 R is a special version of the Porsche 911 made for racing. It's designed to be very fast and handle well on the track.

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Company

Drake Motor Cars

"...that car show is proud to partner with Drake Motor Cars. Drake Motor Cars is Denver's premier destination for exactly the kinds of vehicles..."

Drake Motor Cars is a car dealership in Denver that sells special and luxury cars. They focus on vehicles that car lovers would be interested in.

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Audi Rs6S
Dinkun Chen (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Audi Rs6S

"...Think Velocity Broncos, Audi RS6s,..."

The Audi RS6 is a fast and powerful version of the regular Audi A6. It has a lot of luxury features and is designed for people who enjoy driving quickly and comfortably.

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Term

Velocity Broncos

"...Think Velocity Broncos, Audi RS6s,..."

Velocity Broncos are special versions of the Ford Bronco that have been upgraded to be better for driving off-road and for performance. They are popular with people who like adventure and custom cars.

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Acura Nsxs
This picture has been taken by Oleg Yunakov. Contact e-mail: yunakovgmail.com. Image can be used in accordance with the terms of the СС-BY-SA license. Other photos can be seen here. (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Acura Nsxs

"Acura NSXs, and air-cooled Porsches."

The Acura NSX is a fast sports car that combines power and technology. It's known for being fun to drive and has a unique design that stands out.

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Shelby Gt350 Shelby
Bull-Doser (Public domain)
Car

Shelby Gt350 Shelby

"Just trying to think, what else? There was a GT350, Shelby GT350. Yeah, GT350 and a GT40, a Mark III GT40,"

The Shelby GT350 is a special version of the Ford Mustang that was made to be faster and better for racing. It's famous for its strong engine and sporty design, and many people love it because of its history in car racing.

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Ford GT40
MrWalkr (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Ford GT40

"...and a GT40, a Mark III GT40, a modern GT..."

The Ford GT40 is a famous race car that was built to win races, especially the Le Mans. It's known for its unique shape and speed, making it a classic in automotive history.

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Ford Mustang GTD
Calreyn88 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Ford Mustang GTD

"...Ford were gracious enough to lend me a magenta Mustang GT with a..."

The Ford Mustang GT is a powerful version of the Mustang, a popular American sports car. It has a strong engine and a sporty look, making it fun to drive.

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Part

aftermarket exhaust

"...because it had an aftermarket exhaust, or not an aftermarket, it had a factory exhaust, but it's an option and it adds something like 20 horsepower to the car."

An aftermarket exhaust is a part you can buy to replace the original exhaust system on a car. It can make the car louder or help it perform better.

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Term

horsepower

"...it adds something like 20 horsepower to the car. But the thing is, every traffic light..."

Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful an engine is. The more horsepower a car has, the faster it can go.

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Term

gearbox

"...and the gearbox is great. I'm sure the Dark Horse is a great car..."

The gearbox is a part of the car that helps it change speeds. It connects the engine to the wheels and lets you drive faster or slower depending on the gear you choose.

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Term

manual transmission

"So was this one a manual? This was, yeah. And the Dark Horse was as well."

A manual transmission is a type of car gearbox where you have to change gears yourself using a stick and a pedal. It gives you more control over how the car drives.

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Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS
MrWalkr (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Car

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS

"...the trackers bought some cars to run as like, you know, school cars. So they bought GT4 RSs."

The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS is a fast sports car designed for racing. It has a powerful engine and special features that help it perform well on the track.

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Hudson Hornet
Bull-Doser (Public domain)
Car

Hudson Hornet

"...d they had the doc, they had a doc Hudson, Hudson Hornet there who was the pace car for that race initiall..."

The Hudson Hornet is an old car that was made in the 1950s and is known for being very fast and stylish. It became famous because it won a lot of races and was featured in a popular movie about cars, making it a favorite among classic car fans.

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Brand

Singer

"...like what Singer is and that brand and the kind of cars that Singer makes,..."

Singer is a company that takes old Porsche cars and makes them look and drive better. They focus on classic models, especially the Porsche 911, and are famous for their high-quality work.

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8 cars featured

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