The Dork-O-Motive Podcast

The Decade That Tried To Kill Nitro Drag Racing: The 1970s

Incredibly, nitro powered drag racing nearly didn't survive the 1970s. It is a story often lost to modern history but it's a harrowing tale of shortages, price escalation, racer intervention, and the survival instincts of racers in Top Fuel and Nitro Funny Car. In this podcast we examine the tumultuous decade that saw performances escalate, star power grow, and in the end, the sport brought to its very knees as its most famous lifeblood was nearly stolen from it. Would you believe that many racers were advocating for its end in drag racing? They were and the proof is in here. Drag racing history isn't all about the records set on the track, it's often about the survival of its cars, of its venues, and of its fuel off of it.

E72 May 27, 2026 35 min 81 annotations

Sunken Hemi: The Chrysler Concept Car At The Bottom of the Atlantic Ocean

It was late 1956 and craftsmen in Turin were thrashing to complete the latest, mosrt beautiful, and most complex project they had ever done for Chrysler. It was a concept car called The Norseman and it was both an exceptional design and a near impossible build. After missing its first shipping date, the job was finished a month later and the car ewas hurriedly placed on the Italian luxury liner Andrea Doria, one of the best known ships in the world, for its trip to New York City. No one outside of the factory in Turin that produced it had ever seen the car in person. It would be a grand reveal. The Stockholm was a much smaller ocean liner, in fact the smallest to be sailing the high seas in that class of ship at the time. A little more dowdy than the Andrea Doria, it was a tough ship with an ice breaking prow that could smash its way through just about anything. This is the story of the disaster that befell these two ships and sent one of the most beautfiul Detroit dream cars, concept cars, or idea cars ever created to the bottom of the sea forever.

E71 May 27, 2026 33 min 45 annotations

Slicks: The Sticky History of the World's Fastest Racing Tires

The story of drag racing is typically seen as one defined by insane horsepower. The super fuels, the massive blowers, the acceleration that is unmatched by any wheel driven vehicle on Earth. But that actually isn't the root of the story. The real foundation of it all? Traction. And where did that come from? It came from tire shops at first. Taking old passenger car tires and gluing more rubber on them than they were ever supposed to hold. Next it came from a genius of a man from a small town in Massacusetts who quite literally invented the scratch built drag slick. And it's only gotten faster from there. This is the story of the genesis of traction. Of the birth of the one thing that drag racing has relied on more than nitromethane, more than superchargers, and more than steel tubing. Slicks. The tires that make drag racing the incredible sport that it is today.

E70 May 27, 2026 106 min 253 annotations

Glorious Failure: Mickey Thompson's Wild 1967 Wynn's Spitfire Indy 500 Car

f there is a story in American motorsports history more compelling than Micke Thompson versus the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I am not sure what it is. The man conquered everything in his path over the course of a titanic career, except Indy. His ideas were wild, his concepts extreme, his timelines always stretched. In 1967 he would unveil a car so far out there that the media went crazy, the tech inspectors didn't know where to start, and engineers the country over scratched their heads. Front engine, front wheel drive, four wheel steering, and a driver seated basically between the rear tires, it was incredible. It was also powered by a custom made 3-valve small block Chevy. It was also doomed to fail. This is the story of the 1967 Wynn's Spitfire of Mickey Thompson.

E69 Dec 17, 2025 34 min 37 annotations

War Boost: An Introductory Lesson In WWII Aircraft Engine Supercharging

There's nothing like upping the horsepower of an engine with boost. Multiple methods of supercharging exist today and have been brought to an incredible level of efficiency. While these methods were not invented in WWII, their use was vastly studied, tweaked, and tested to their limits back then. This video is the next in a series about the history of centrifugal superchargers and their use on piston engines. Consider this your 101 level course in WWII supercharging. Here we go over the various methods and systems used on aircraft from the USA, Germany, and Great Britain. Which countries did it best? Which country made a mistake in their method? Who ruled the horsepower roost and why? It was a war of horsepower and boost was a huge factor in making more of it than the other guys

E68 Dec 08, 2025 21 min 22 annotations

Powerama 1955: When GM Ruled The Earth They Put On The Greatest Horsepower Show of All Time

In 1955 General Motors decided to put on a show, not just any show, a gathering of vehicles, horsepower, and entertainment the likes of which the world had never seen before and never saw again. Powerama was a one million square foot fantasyland of every off-highway division of General Motors on display. Dubbed the "World's Fair of Power" it had locomotives, bulldozers, elephants, aircraft, tanks, a submarine, pleasure craft, a shrimp boat, the Motorama dream cars, an 85-ton cannon known as Atomic Annie, and more and more and more. In this history we investigate the genesis of the event, the execution of the event, and the machines that made it one of the most unique gatherings in the gearhead history of Earth. Seriously, this is wild.

E67 Dec 01, 2025 38 min

The Birth of American Muscle: The Story of The Liberty V-12 Engine

This is the story of an engine. Not just any engine, but the engine that created the idea of "American Muscle". It was the lightest, most powerful airplane engine in the world during WWI and it was designed by two guys in a hotel room during a five day marathon in Washington D.C.in 1917. Making 450hp and being produced by multiple American car companies, this engine was a master class in simplicity, integration of existing ideas, and mass production. While it can't really be said that it solved the war for the allies, what it did do was to introduce the idea of an America that stood as a colossus of industry among its peers in the world. The Liberty V-12 has an awesome story and the engine itself is worthy of your admiration.

E66 Nov 26, 2025 43 min

The History of Hydrazine In Drag Racing: The Liquid Boogey Man Explored

This is the in-depth history of Hydrazine in the sport of Drag Racing. It is one of the most mythic, misunderstood, and undocumented stories of the sport's past. In this video we'll explore the origins of hydrazine, how it found its way into cars, how it enhances nitromethane and all of its associated dangers. Hydrazine was by far the most dangerous chemical ever handled regularly by drag racers and perhaps the most destructive as well. In this exploration, we bust myths, dive deep into the players who ran "The H" successfully, and document the cars, people, and events that were effected by it most. Using loads of period books, magazines, interviews, and history, the story is told in depth. Enjoy!

E65 Nov 11, 2025 57 min

A History Of Nitromethane The Greatest Race Fuel On Earth: Part 1 - 1872-1960

Nitromethane is the world's most powerful racing fuel but it's history and how it came to be may actually be more fascinating than its chemistry. Nitromethane was first made in a laboratory in Germany back in 1872 and as you'll find out, it's history goes far beyond the race track. In this multiple part series we'll explore the origins of nitromethane, why is it a miraculous chemical compound, how it found its way into race cars, its major uses around the world, and it's history that ranges from awesome to terrifying. We'll explore the myths, confirm some, disprove others, and take you inside this truly unique substance. Where did it come from? How is it used? Why does it work in engines? Who banned it? Who failed it ban it and why it scared people very badly in 1958. It's all here! A history of nitromethane...part one!

E64 Oct 31, 2025 69 min

War Wagon: The Story of The WWI Liberty Truck

While the Liberty V-12 airplane engine of WWI is widely celebrated, there was another Liberty machine that has been all but forgotten. The WWI Liberty truck was designed and manufactured in great haste for an American Army that had all but forgotten to modernize itself before The Great War began. After chasing Pancho Villa around Mexico with a rag-tag fleet of hundreds of different vehicles in 1916 and early 1917, the US Army finally realized the need for standardized vehicles. An incredible national effort of engineering and manufacturing was put out to produce an order of more than 40,000 trucks in 1917 and 1918. But did it come too late? Could the nation answer the call? That's the crux of this story. The story of the WWI Liberty Truck is about the can-do spirit of a country wholly unprepared for war, the chutzpah of it's leadership in industry, and the idea that when the entire might of a country is thrown behind an effort, magic can happen. The lingering question though. Was it worth it?

E63 Oct 15, 2025 25 min

500mph Failure: The Incredible Wingfoot Express 2 and A History of Rocket Cars 1928-1965

This is the story of Walter Arfons' incredible Wingfoot Express 2 rocket land speed car. It's also a history of some pretty incredible rocket powered cars from the 1920s through the 1960s. Machines that raced on dirt tracks, performed at fairs, and even ran at the Indianapolis 500. The story of the creation of the Wingfoot Express 2 is one of perseverance, dedication, mechanical skill, and pure guts. It was a giant rolling science experiment designed to not only break the world's land speed record, but also break the sound barrier. To say that this thing was a glorious failure would be an amazing understatement. Imagine building the first ever JATO rocket powered land speed car from scratch at your home shop, having it break 500mph on the salt flats and still being labeled a failure? Rough, but we're here to tell you why.

E62 Oct 06, 2025 33 min

Coventry Climax: The Forklift Company That Dominated F1 - A History

This is the story of a company that is one of the most incredible in auto racing history. An operation known for making small engines for fire pumps, for manufacturing forklifts, and for creating marine diesel engines would become the most dominating F1 engine builder of the late 1950s and early 1960s. How did this happen? Why did this happen? Who MADE this happen? All those questions are answered here. You'll learn about the genesis of the company's racing program, the successful projects, the failed projects, the triumphs, and the brilliance of the people behind them all. Many people think Coventry Climax was an engine. In fact it was many engines and much, much success. A British company that was driven by passion, sometimes hidden passion, came to dominated the likes of Ferrari and all the others at their peak. This is truly a tale for the gearhead ages.

E61 Oct 06, 2025 50 min

Fastest Car In The World: The 1906 Stanley Steamer Rocket - A Canoe Bodied Record Smasher

This is the story of the fastest car in the world in 1906. The first car to exceed 120mph and a machine that destroyed the most decorated field of automotive competition ever assembled to that point in history...and it ran on steam. The accomplishments of this short lived racing marvel are huge in the history of the automobile. The speed record it set stood as the outright automotive land speed record for four years. I t held the steam powered speed record for 103 years. Yes, 103 years. This is a historical exploration of the history of the Stanley Brothers, their car company, their adventures with steam, and ultimately their conquering of the world's land speed record with a car that used a body and frame made by a canoe company. A story of early automotive history, Yankee ingenuity, and plain guts, there are elements of tragedy and triumph you will never see coming.

E60 Sep 09, 2025 44 min 3 annotations

The Novi V8: A History of the Indy 500s Star-Crossed Horsepower Monster

The famed Novi V8 is one of the most storied engine in American motorsports history and also one of the most star-crossed. Massively power, innovative in its design and capable of making noise like no other engine in the history of the Speedway, it never won a race. But why? How does the most powerful engine for a two decade span not win...anything? This is a complete history of the Novi both in its developent and in competition. The people that made it, the technology that advanced it, and the issues that sunk it. If you have wondered where this engine came from, how much power it made and what its guts looked like, you'll know now. Built in incredibly limited number, they were gloriously and awesomely lauded by Indy 500 fans, no matter their record on the track.

E59 Sep 09, 2025 51 min

Party Crashers: How Five Stock Bodied Cars On Nitro Changed Drag Racing Forever

This is a story about how five cars with no proper competition class, all running on nitro, crashed the party at the 1965 NHRA US Nationals and changed drag racing forever. This is the story of early funny cars, their search for acceptance, the resistance they had to battle, and how creative owners and builders got in making sure they got the attention and press they deserved. These cars were rebellious as much as they were unique. This is their story.

E58 Sep 09, 2025 42 min

The Engine That Refused To Die: An Offenhauser History

The Offenhauser four cylinder engine is one of the most incredible power plants in the history of American motorsports. It's basic design was conceived as a boat engine in the 1920s, making about 125hp. By the time it was all said and done, Offy engines raced into the 1980s and were making 10 times the power they were at first. The story of the Offy is so amazing because of the cast of characters involved in its creation, the fact that it survived so many attacks, direct and otherwise, on it from bankruptcies, to world wars, to racing rules and more, it survived and thrived. This is the history of the Offenhauser, from its origins to its heights of success in American racing and how this small engine crafted by brilliant minds and hands dominated competition in a way that we'll never see in racing again.

E57 Aug 22, 2025 71 min

Designed to Dominate: The Ford DOHC V8 Story - An Indy 500 Legend

Ford's foray into the Indy 500 in the 1960s is a motorsports story for the ages. In 1963 the company used a pushrod engine derived from their successful 260ci small block V8. After nearly winning the race with that effort, engineers were turned loose to build the ultimate version of the engine. What they designed was dual overhead camshaft, 255ci V8 that made peak power at 8,000 RPM, was tested to within an inch of its life, and arrived at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ready to win. While 1964 didn't go Ford's way, the engine would win 7 Indy 500 races, countless USAC events, and spur the development of a horsepower war that lasted into the 1970s with turbochargers and ever increasing speeds. This is an in-depth exploration, starting in 1962 of the development of this awesome engine.

E56 Aug 22, 2025 52 min

Blown Into Obscurity: The False Start of Centrifugal Superchargers in Drag Racing

Today, centrifugal superchargers play a huge roll in the sport of drag racing. They are capable of making huge power efficiently and the technology built into them is of the highest orders of strength and precision. This is a far cry from the early 1960s when four guys, thousands of miles apart thought that drag racing needed a new boost option for the masses. The Dahms brothers in Connecticut came out with their Eliminator centrifugal supercharger and in California Ran Stuber and Bob Chernow created the Stubercharger. Beautifully constructed and seemingly functional they both failed to capture any sales or a market who wanted them. Perhaps a total of two were ever built. And then they disappeared. Why? How? What happened? In this first of several installments on the history of centrifugal superchargers, we look into the curious case of two designs just a couple of decades ahead of their own time.

E55 Aug 22, 2025 15 min

The 313mph Backyard Hot Rod: The Story of Art Arfons' 2,500hp Anteater

The history of land speed racing is marked by some of the most innovative, interesting, and oddball vehicles ever made. One of them belonged to Art Arfons and was known as The Anteater. Using a turbocharged and supercharged 1,710ci Allison aircraft engine, it was Arfons' first dedicated Bonneville car. It ran more than 300mph and was actually used to try and set a speed record at Daytona International Speedway as well. This is the story of a unique car that was full of cool ideas, went more than 300mph and mixed it up with the most advanced and high budget efforts of the day for a fraction of the cost. A true 313mph backyard hot rod.

E54 Jul 13, 2025 37 min

Masters of Disaster: The Men Who Invented and Perfected Oil Well Firefighting

This is the story of three men. Three men who through their own bravery, creative approach, and lifelong obsessions, created the industry of oil well fire fighting. Tex Thornton, Myron Kinley, and Red Adair all built up each other's knowledge and success to make scads of money while risking their lives on a daily basis to put out burning oil and gas wells, cap blown out wells, and otherwise battle the most intense and wild forces Mother Nature has to offer. You'll learn about the major triumphs in their careers, how they came to find themselves in this wild line of work, and why they all fell so deeply in love with it. These guys traveled the globe to places that are remote in 2025 but were beyond exotic more than 75 years ago. It's all true but it's still unbelievable.

E53 Jul 13, 2025 71 min

The Man Who Made Garlits: Setto Postoian and Drag Racing's First Top Fuel Rivalry

He's a man who have likely never heard of, Serop "Setto" Postoian, an early top fuel master who helped to make Don Garlits. Postoian was among the earliest stars in a young sport. Motivated, fearless, and every bit the match for the man who would eventually become known as the greatest drag racer of all time. The rivalry between Garlits and Postoian in the early days of top fuel drag racing was contested across the nation. They were among the earliest match racing stars and battled from California to Maine, from Tacoma to Tampa, Florida. It was a relentless fight waged between 1957 and 1960. This is the story of the man who made Don Garlits. The man who pushed Garlits to be better, to be faster, to be more relentless than he ever knew he could be and who forced him to a lay a foundation that would build into drag racing immortality. You've likely never heard his name...until now.

E52 Jun 02, 2025 37 min

Ludicrous Speed: The Racing and Land Speed Record Tractors of the 1930s

This is a look back, 90+ years back into the history of speed to check out the exploits and impact of the amazing racing tractors created by the Allis-Chalmers company in the 1930s that literally changed the world by racing and chasing land speed records. These were the first tractors with rubber inflatable tires and that changed the farming game as well as entertained millions of fans over the course of five years in the 1930s. They raced, they crashed, and they performed as well as many available cars at the time. From the road trips they took to the records they set at Bonnville, these Allis-Chalmers Model U tractors were amazing. Here's their story.

E51 Jun 02, 2025 14 min

Harnessing Hell: A History Of Top Fuel Clutch Technology 1950-1970

This is the story of how early drag racers developed the clutch technology that has ultimately lead to the engineering wonders in today's 11,000hp top fuel dragsters and nitro funny cars. It is the story of experimentation, of failure, of accidents, and of success. The development of the multi-disc, centrifugally controlled clutch was incremental in all areas. From the materials, the design, and finally the manufacture of these pieces, everyone had their own ideas on how to approach the issue. It was one major revelation by racers. The idea that a slipping clutch as far more efficient than slipping tires that allowed performances to sky rocket while the danger level of the sport did the exact same thing. If you love the history of early drag racing, especially the mechanical side of it, you'll enjoy this deep dive into the clutches that almost stopped the sport and then those that saved it.

E50 Jun 02, 2025 35 min

War For The Woods: The Incredible Effort To Save New England's Forests After The Hurricane of 1938

When the Hurricane of 1938 struck New England, it was a disaster of proportions unknown to the region at that point. No storm in modern history had wrought more destruction or devastation than that one. Beyond the cities and towns, past the population centers, there was another looming nightmare...the forests. Nearly 1,000 square miles of New England Pine Forest were blown down, placing nearly 2 billion board feet in logs and lumber in jeopardy of not only waste but of becoming a massive fire hazard. No salvage logging operation on the planet before or since has been as large or as robust as that of the New England Timber Salvage Administration of 1938. In this video we tell the story of the hurricane, the aftermath, the plan, and the execution of this most audaciously bold plan. Somehow a Hurricane helped restore the forests, prepare the country for WWII, and in a plot twist has had a very pleasant after-effect on modern life in New England. The story of this amazing and massive collaborative effort has been largely forgotten until now. If you love American history, you'll love this tale of grit, gumption, and communities rising up to take on a problem the likes of which the world had never tried to tackle before.

E49 May 12, 2025 34 min

The Malcontent: Scotty Fenn's Self-Destruction In Drag Racing

There are few stories in the history of drag racing that can compare to that of Alfred Gordon Fenn, known as Scotty. He was a visionary and created the first commercial dragster chassis business in the world circa 1958, but his life story goes far, far beyond that. For the first time ever, learn the back story, learn the success story, his precipitous fall in the sport, and how he managed to continue his career for years after people thought that he had disappeared. One of the sports most off the wall, acerbic, and out-spoken characters, it was Scotty's mouth that no only sunk his business, but dead stopped a career that was on track to be one of the most influential in drag racing history.

E48 May 12, 2025 48 min