Cold Start

The Canadian-American Challenge Cup, or more commonly known as Can-Am, is a racing series that has firmly placed itself in the history books, being an era known for no rules – and cars faster than Formula 1 at the time. What's not to love about unlimited innovation and high horsepower/ light weight racecars? Todd and Sylas dive into the Can-Am era, breaking down the crazy cars, great racing, and ultimate demise of the series. As it always seems with motorsports, the greater the series, the shorter its flight path.  Cold Start Hint: 1971 Championship winning car Answer to Episode 62 Cold Start: R53 Mini Cooper S

Diving into the passion of your average car enthusiast, the guys invited Chucho Shoots onto the show to share his journey of becoming a car enthusiast, an automotive photographer, and to defend his love for Mini Coopers. From building his following by shooting photos of some of the premier cars and collections in the Bay Area to cultivating a community around a forgotten enthusiast car, Chucho has established himself as a hub within the community, looking to connect with others and experience cars to their fullest. His energy is infectious; just ask to check out his Mini! Cold Start Hint: Super charged but half the expected cylinders Answer to Episode 61 Cold Start: 2009 Ford GT1

Could you imagine if the most expensive, exclusive, powerful, and raw hypercars in the world raced together in a single series? Back in the 1990s, this happened -- one of the golden ages of sports car racing: GT1 Class Racing. The GT1 class was diverse, well-funded, and birthed "homologation special" cars -- racecars effectively disguised as production street vehicles. Sylas and Todd review all time greats like the Porsche GT1, McLaren F1 GTR and LM variants, and the infamous Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR and CLR. And more than one of these cars went for an unexpected flight, thanks to the aerodynamics and manufacturer budget war which pushed automotive development to its limit -- and beyond. Cold Start Hint:  You can almost hear the blue oval. Answer to Episode 60 Cold Start:  Roborace Robocar launch

Racing has always been the proving ground to help develop new technologies in the automotive industry – like tires, fuel, and hybrid engines. So it would make sense for manufacturers put their autonomous vehicles to the ultimate test at the limit... on the racetrack. Could motorsports be a feasible testing ground for autonomous technology, and would people actually care to watch it? Todd and Sylas look into the world of autonomous racecars, the series that are already making it a reality, and where the "sport" could go in the future. Now's the time to be scared that the robots are taking over.  Cold Start Hint:  Prepared for its inaugural "Session Alpha". Answer to Episode 59 Cold Start: Waymo Jaguar I-Pace boarding sound

The robots are here – and they have come for our love of driving. 🤖 Well, that may not be the complete picture.... Todd and Sylas dive into their first hand experiences with autonomous vehicles, offering a survey of where the technology currently is. They also discuss what the future might be in regards to personal transport and how this growing technology will reshape our current infrastructure. Could it be the dystopian car enthusiast future we think it will be, or can the robots bring peace to the roadways? Find out on this week's episode.  Cold Start Hint: Total missed opportunity not calling it a Johnnycab! Answer to Episode 57 Cold Start: Xbox One Forza Edition Start Up  

Sim racing has become a huge part of the motorsports industry in the last 10 years, as sim setups and racing titles have become more realistic. This leads to the question as to how sim racing fits into the development of real racing drivers. Is it just a game that makes it convenient to race in your living room or is there some validity in it being used as a real tool to develop the next generation of drivers? Todd and Sylas talk about their experience in using simulation racing as a tool for training and competing in real world racing, and how they see these fitting together into the modern motorsport ladder. Cold Start Hint: This one is for the video game nerds   Answer to Episode 57 Cold Start: BMW E36 M3

As car enthusiasts, there are those of us that are mechanically inclined and quite enjoy getting our hands dirty working on cars. Then there are the others that prefer to just be behind the wheel rather than under the hood. Regardless of which category you fit in, it's important to at least have a bare minimum understanding to keep your car working properly. However, there are times when there may be a noise or vibration you don't recognize but that opens up opportunities to solve the mystery and understand how another part may affect the drivability of your car. Todd and Sylas, mainly Sylas since he drives BMWs, share stories of when they had some mechanical mysteries, how they solved them, and what was the lesson learned.  Cold Start Hint: Duh its a broken BMW, but which one?   Answer to Episode 56 Cold Start: F1, IndyCar, NASCAR  

The 2026 race season is fully underway! Formula 1, IndyCar, and NASCAR are all back on track, having completed their first couple of races. If you haven't been keeping up-to-date with the action, Todd and Sylas tell you why you what you've been missing -- the lead up to and a recap of the biggest story lines in each series so far. IndyCar and NASCAR have also been doing some collab events with their shared TV broadcaster FOX Sports; the guys cover the future implications of this as the major American motorsports series try to play catch up to the global popularity of F1.  Cold Start Hint: A little taste of all three   Answer to Episode 55 Cold Start: Mercedes CLK 63 AMG

Shedding a little light on the cars that are a part of the race but never get to participate, Todd and Sylas talk about pace cars and safety cars in F1, NASCAR, and IndyCar. The guys dive into the history of how these cars become a part of each series with F1 waiting until 1993 to formally require a safety car. They also get into the differences between pace cars, safety cars, and medical cars, giving some cool examples through the years, and telling stories of when they made the highlight reels for all the wrong reasons.  Cole Trickle: "Hit the Pace Car!? What for?" Harry Hogge: "You hit every other damn thing out there. I want you to be perfect." – Days of Thunder (1990) Cold Start Hint: Golden Era F1 Safety Car   Answer to Episode 54 Cold Start: Jim Russell FJR-50 Formula 3

Folllwing our prior episode about the demise of racing schools, Sylas and Todd take a deep dive into a novel racing school which lived and thrived at Sonoma Raceway in the early 2000s into the 2010s, but has sadly passed on: "Simraceway".  A successor to the storied Jim Russell Racing School, Simraceway simultaneously offered a brand new simulation racing platform online, as well as a real life racing school featuring Audi roadcars and Formula 3 racecars at Sonoma. Learn about what it was like to be a student, a member, and an employee of this place that kickstarted professional motorsports careers, and inspired driving passion in young and old drivers alike. And a little speculation on what could have been different. Cold Start Hint: Stig Tested, Fittipaldi Approved (Pietro, we mean)   Answer to Episode 53 Cold Start: Formula Mazda 13B rotary

It seems like with more options to get on track through track day providers, fewer people have been going to proper racing schools, killing that industry. Back in the day, it used to be mandatory to have a racing license to get on a racetrack. But with laxer requirements, people are taking the path of least resistance and reshaping the ladder into racing as schools are struggling to stay open. The guys look into this changing of tides within the industry, and discuss what the potential solution might be to put the cool back into school 😎.  Cold Start Hint: A dying formula car series with a funky engine   Answer to Episode 52 Cold Start: BMW SpecE30, God's chariot 

What seemed like a simple afternoon for a professional driver to go to a track day to hang with friends, turned into a deep dive into the mental side of motorsport -- and what it means for a competitive individual to actually have fun at an activity they've spent years training to master. After chasing the high of racing wheel-to-wheel, Sylas shares his insights of what it's like to take a step back to chill track days and the struggles he faced in just going for fun to Thunderhill in his Spec E30. Cold Start Hint:  The best examples have shiny or painted headers.   Answer to Episode 51 Cold Start: Nissan 240SX with a Tomei Exhaust

As car enthusiasts, leaving our cars stock is simply not an option. We always need to be tweaking and making changes to make our cars our own. Anyone can modify their cars but there is an art to modifying them well. Todd and Sylas talk about what they have learned from their own journeys of modifying cars and what they think is the proper order of operations to make a well modified automobile.  Cold Start Hint: It has a modified exhaust   Answer to Episode 50 Cold Start: Porsche 991.2 GT3RS

There has been an interesting phenomenon that has been sweeping the nation in the motorsport industry. More and more "country club" racetracks have been popping upper to cater to the uber wealthy car/racing enthusiast. This business model has become so popular that even some public tracks have started to make the transition to go private and more exclusive. The guys explore this topic and discuss its long term effects on the grassroots enthusiast and motorsport industry as a whole. And they also answer the question of if these exclusive racetracks are even worth the hype.  Cold Start Hint: The perfect starter car to go with your track membership   Answer to Episode 49 Cold Start: 2005 Dodge Ram SRT-10 

The guys are back with more difficult decisions of Automotive "Would You Rather?" In this episode, they get a little more... eclectic in their comparisons. Decisions get harder and arguments get fiercer as they try to come to an agreement of which car would be the better choice. Listen to hear how Sylas and Todd made their decisions, and see how your opinions stack up. And remember, if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice!  Cold Start Hint:  Is that the car or the truck?   Answer to Episode 48 Cold Start: 1979 BMW M1 Procar Racecar

The BMW M1 is an iconic car within the BMW lineage because it represented the beginning of ///M and was the first time that BMW created a car specifically for racing and then turned it into a street car. The guys talk about the story of the M1 Procar, the racecar version, and its rise to fame in the late 1970's and how a rule change in homologation almost terminated the project but actually resulted in one of the greatest single make racing series of all time. The M1 Procar series will go down in motorsport history as one of the best "Plan B" decisions ever made.  Cold Start Hint: Designed by the Italians, powered by the Germans    Answer to Episode 47 Cold Start: 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL

BMW celebrated 50 years of art cars in 2025, so Todd and Sylas decided to reflect on the 20 official cars that make up that collection and talk about their significance in the automotive community. What started in 1975, turned into an iconic blend of art and motorsports throughout the decades but some were more iconic than others. The guys talk about their favorites and even touch on some of the art cars that some may have never known about. They also may get a little philosophical on what art really means -- listen, and find out!  Cold Start Hint: Na na na na na na na na Na na na na na na na na   Answer to Episode 46 Cold Start: Mercedes C63 AMG Black Series

We have all played the game "Would You Rather?", so the guys decided to play the automotive equivalent: pitting automotive icons against one another to see which would reign supreme in their dream garages. See what cars they can agree upon -- easy choices -- and where some more questionable choices have to be justified.  Cold Start Hint: It has a V8 with an accent   Answer to Episode 45 Cold Start: Straight Piped 2000 Honda Civic

You took a perfectly good car and did what to it?!? Modifying your car is almost a must as a car enthusiast but there is most certainly the right way and the wrong way in changing things on your car. Todd and Sylas go through a list of the automotive "no no's" when it comes to modifying your car. If Dante Alighieri was a car enthusiast, he would categorize levels of hell based on these horrid modifications. So if you're an offender of bad modifications, just leave them in 2025 and remember that sometimes the better mod is no mod at all... keep it classy. Cold Start Hint: The rev bomb king   Answer to Episode 44 Cold Start: Dodge Charger with Notifications turned on

The new age of technology is upon us, and you might be scared to find out how much your car knows about you. Privacy and cyber security are not the first things you think about when you think about cars, but it may be time to start paying more attention to those Terms & Conditions agreements when setting up your new car's infotainment system. Now that modern cars are connected to the internet, it changes the way we engage with our cars and most importantly how the manufacturers are engaging with their consumers. In this episode, dive into the world of the technologically advanced automobiles and learn how modern cars are becoming more computer than machine, and how this affects us as car enthusiasts. Cold Start Hint:  Your Stellantis car has an update   Answer to Episode 43 Cold Start: Cadillac V-Series.R LMDh

Todd and Sylas get into a heated debate on whether downforce makes for better or worse racing. There has been a long pursuit of making racecars more efficient through the air and utilizing more downforce to making them faster around a track – but does that make for better racing? There are two forms of philosophy when it comes to what makes racing exciting: the first is that the technology and engineering of the cars is the forefront of the entertainment and seeing what is possible; the second is taking the variable of the car out of the equation and putting the drivers at the forefront. Both have their benefits and downsides, you decide if you are team aero or not. Cold Start Hint:  World Standard LMDh   Answer to Episode 42 Cold Start: 2019 Scuderia Toro Rosso STR14 F1 car

A lifelong motorsports fan, Sylas finally made a personal breakthrough in 2025 and became a dedicated Formula 1 racing fan. His connection to F1 started back at the US Grand Prix at COTA in Austin, and his passion for the sport has only increased ever since. Todd couldn't be happier about infuencing Sylas into becoming passionate about the premiere league of formula car racing. During this recap of an exciting F1 season, hear the guys' reflections on what was exceptional about 2025 in terms of drivers, teams, and racing -- and their insights about the evolution of this top tier of open wheel formula motorsports.  Cold Start Hint:  From Minardi the team to Lindblad the driver   Answer to Episode 41 Cold Start: BMW 8 series Gran Coupe

Have you ever wondered what type of car enthusiast puts their fun car online for strangers to borrow? Todd and Sylas look to answer that question as they explore the online world of Turo rentals. What they found was way more than they bargained for, as the descriptions for fun enthusiast cars all seemed to be weirdly grandiose and heavy-handed. Come along for the journey as we survey the odd landscape of how "car enthusiasts" describe their cars to potential renters. Listener warning: some of these are hard to listen to; you have been warned. Cold Start Hint:  A G16, or an 8GC   Answer to Episode 40: Jim Russell F3 Racecar

"Track Days Are the Best Days"® is the official trademark and slogan of Flying Husky Racing, a group we assembled for the first time back in 2020, when going to drive at the racetrack was one of only the activities we were able to do under the heavy restrictions imposed by COVID. This group of track drivers and car nerds evolved into a club of automotive enthusiasts, bringing together elements from racing, track days, car meets, and totally unrelated events to share epic experiences together. This is the story about how we brought world-class driving coaches, programmed themed days on track, a fleet of open wheel racecars to share and spread capability, and a great group of people committed to doing good while having fun, all to make the recipe that make "FHR" events unlike any other track days around. Enjoy this discussion where Sylas and Todd get into the details of how it worked and what makes it all so special.  Cold Start Hint: FHR's not-a-rental-car rental car   Answer to Episode 39:  1985 Chevy Cavalier

There are two different kinds of "first cars" for the car enthusiast: there is the car that was legitimately the first one you had when you freshly turned 16, and then there's the first car that shapes your journey in the automotive community. Todd and Sylas tell the stories of their first cars, and relive what it was like being young car enthusiasts -- and how their early choices may have shaped their taste in cars. Who doesn't love a good story time? Cold Start Hint: It'll get you point A to point B, maybe...   Answer to Episode 38:  Hans Zimmer's BMW M IconicSounds Electric Vehicle

With the growing popularity of cars in pop culture, is the car community going too mainstream? Are cars and motorsports becoming over-popularized? If you ask us, it is quite apparent that car culture and interest in all things automotive has changed dramatically over the last 5-10 years -- and many people are just connecting with that culture as part of the latest fashion trends. However, just like any trend, things becomes more popular... until they don't, and then what's left for the true hardcore fans? The guys discuss and debate some of the warning signs that signal we may be starting to experience the downfall of car culture and the car community as we know it. What does the correction look like where millions of current followers decide to shift their attention elsewhere? While we think there is reason to be optimistic about the future of our hobby and passion, it's a reserved and cautious optimism. Learn more from Sylas and Todd about the nuances of what's happening with cars on a macro level, and how we as fans can remain dedicated to an area that's changing all around us. Cold Start Hint: A film composer's design for the future of cars   Answer to Episode 37:  Porsche 997.1 GT3

Some may think that going on a drive is a fairly simple task that we do every day to get from point A to point B – but there is a fine art to a successful spirited drive, especially when it includes a handful of your buddies. The guys cover some of the basics of how to put on a successful group drive, and what details are often overlooked. With just a little extra attention to detail, you can turn your next fun drive from a good time to a memorable experience. Cold Start Hint: An analog choice for a spirited drive   Answer to Episode 36 Cold Start: 2019 Toro Rosso STR14

Todd and Sylas finally attend their first Formula 1 race, making the trip out to Austin, Texas, to experience the 2025 United States Grand Prix. Hear what it's like to actually see F1 in person, and whether it's really as breathtaking and life changing as people say. How does the F1 experience compare to seeing a NASCAR or IndyCar race? Have we finally made an F1 fan out of Sylas? Cold Start Hint:  Moose Craft Hot Dogs and Italian design   Answer to Episode 35 Cold Start: Porsche 991 GT2RS Weissach

What is the ultimate GT car? The Porsche 991-era GT2RS makes a compelling argument as one of the all time great Grand Touring street cars, not to mention being a more-than-capable track day machine. And it's not all about the fastest 0-60 times (though it'll compete quite admirably in that arena, as the fastest and most powerful road-going Porsche 911). Join Sylas and Todd on a drive to explore this powerful sportcar, complete with its twin turbo soundtrack, departing from Sonoma Raceway to the beautiful Northern California coastal destination of Point Reyes National Seashore. Powerful ocean waves, meet Porsche power on tap. Cold Start Hint: Lighter than usual, because Weissach made it that way   Answer to Episode 34 Cold Start: 2025 Cadillac Escalade V

If you have ever wondered what it takes to drive like James Bond and escape the bad guys, the harsh reality of what it actually means to drive like private security may surprise you. Even though the job of a private security guard may seem like an action packed job, the truth of what it means to be a good driver is a lot more about proper technique and consistency. Sylas shares his insight of working as a chief instructor for security driver trainings and reveals how much overlap there is between racing and security driving, where there are differences, and what sort of mindset it takes to be successful in the executive protection and security industry.  Cold Start Hint: Cool Soccer Practice Car   Answer to Episode 33 Cold Start: 410 Winged Sprint Car

What may be the last true form of motorsports in America, Sprint Car racing is overlooked by so many motorsport fans. Todd watched his first Sprint Car race as they returned to Calistoga Speedway in Napa County, California. Blown away by the spectacle, Todd and Sylas dive deeper into the history of Sprint Cars and how they became such a popular way to get into racing. Keeping its raw grassroots style throughout the years, Sprint Car racing is something every motorsport fan needs to experience once in their life. Cold Start Hint: Can you tell if its a 410 or a 360?   Answer to Episode 32 Cold Start: 2005 Porsche Carrera GT

Who would pass on the opportunity to street drive the world's great analog supercar? The guys take the Porsche Carrera GT out for a nice drive in Wine Country and talk about all the things that make it the pinnacle of the analog car experience -- as well as touching on the things that make it scary and intimidating to drive on public roads. The road noise is a little louder in this episode, but what do you expect from a carbon fiber monocoque racecar for the street? Sound deadening would have just added weight.  Cold Start Hint: Descendant of an F1 car and an LMP car, with a V10   Answer to Episode 31 Cold Start: 1957 BMW 507

On today's episode, Todd and Sylas talk about a Seattle Car Show that potentially outclasses The Quail. The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, is an annual car show during Monterey Car Week, known for its unbelievable car lineups, beautiful backdrop, and high class amenities -- but what if we told you that a show just popped up in the Pacific Northwest that may rival its exclusivity and aura? Chapter One was an event put on by the same team that hosts Northwest Exotics at Carillon Point in Kirkland, WA, and they turned every dial to 11. Listen to hear Todd and Sylas's experience of attending this incredible event, and why it may be the newest must-attend event for diehard car enthusiasts. Cold Start Hint: Only 252 ever made, all hand built   Answer to Episode 30 Cold Start: 410 Sprint Car (on Dirt)

Tim Barber, an infamous name within the NorCal racing scene, joins the show on today's episode to share his stories of racing up the ranks with sights set on IndyCar and what it took to make it full time in Sprint Car Racing. He also gives his blunt insights on working within the motorsport industry and getting into motorsports as a whole. The hard truth is difficult for a lot of us to hear but Tim has made a career out of giving it how it is, and becoming a motorsport therapist to many.  Cold Start Hint: Stand back or you might get hit by a dirt clod   Answer to Episode 29 Cold Start: BMW E39 M5

The guys hit the road once again, bringing the newly acquired BMW E39 M5 on a short drive around Sonoma County. Listen as Todd and Sylas give their opinions on the driving experience as well as talking about the charm of early 2000's BMWs -- and how the brand has deviated since. Is the E39 M5 the pinnacle of M5's? How does the M5 really fit into the BMW M lineup? Find out the answers to these questions and more on this episode. Cold Start Hint: Manual transmission was standard, no other option offered   Answer to Episode 28 Cold Start: 1989 Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9L

After their weekend in Monterey for the historics races at Laguna Seca, the Cold Start team goes on the road once again, visiting the Pacific Northwest to attend the Northwest Exotics car show -- and they bring the Toro Rosso F1 car with them! On this episode, Todd and Sylas bring Cold Start live to the event, where they walk around giving their thoughts of the show and sharing what cars caught their eyes. It's just like being there amidst this stellar collection of automotive history. Cold Start Hint: Small and French   Answer to Episode 27 Cold Start: 1989 Mazda 767B prototype

After their trip to the 2025 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca, Todd and Sylas give you their impressions of the sights and sounds of what is quite possibly one of the best vintage racing events in the world. From seeing all seven generations of IROC racing on the track at the same time to Zak Brown almost writing off an invaluable piece of motorsport history, Car Week in Monterey is always an unforgettable experience for any car enthusiast. Cold Start Hint: Angry Dorito    Answer to Episode 26 Cold Start: 2019 Toro Rosso STR14 Formula 1

This episode tells the incredible story of how a 2019 Formula 1 car found itself in private hands, and not just any F1, but the Toro Rosso STR14 that got Pierre Gasly his first podium at the Brazilian GP. The car was also driven by Alex Albon in the first half of the 2019 season, including to a 6th place finish at the German Grand Prix, before he was promoted to team Red Bull and Gasly demoted. On top of covering the racecar's incredible history, Todd and Sylas also cover the logistics of transporting an invaluable piece of history from Europe to America, as well as, the experience of owning the newest F1 in private hands.   Cold Start Hint: Well when it had an engine, it sounded like this...   Answer to Episode 25 Cold Start: Ferrari 488 Pista

"Up to Temp" is our newest segment on Cold Start, where we take you along on a drive in cars that are worthy of deeper exploration. In our premiere "Up to Temp" episode, Todd and Sylas get out on the road, offering their insight into the behind-the-wheel experience and road-going qualities of the 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista. The Pista is Ferrari's "track-oriented" version of the 488 platform, built to achieve a fine balance of Ferrari luxury and the sport dynamics of a track vehicle for the street. Did the ragazzi from Maranello, Italy, hit the mark? Or could it have been executed better? For a special bonus, we offer you a little Ferrari ASMR. Mamma mia! Cold Start Hint: 2 turbos and sinuous lines... Che bella! 🤌    Answer to Episode 24 Cold Start: 2003 BMW E39 M5

After a long search, Todd achieves off a longstanding dream acquisition: a 2003 BMW E39 M5 (as featured in our Todd's 2015 Dream Garage episode). Sylas, our resident BMW expert and enthusiast, couldn't be more pleased! This was a team effort -- a rollercoaster story of ups and downs and false starts, finally realized thanks to everyone's most talked about auction platform: Bring a Trailer. But did BaT help to deliver on extremely heightened expectations, or did it result in a regretted purchase? Learn about our journey, and what yours might look like if you ever thought about, or have experienced, buying a car online, sight unseen.  Cold Start Hint: It's got 8 ITBs and an S62 Answer to Episode 23 Cold Start: 1973 Porsche RSR 3.0 IROC

Wouldn't you want to know who would be the best driver in the world out of all disciplines: F1, IndyCar, NASCAR, IMSA, WEC, etc? Well there used to be a series to find out just that. IROC, the International Race Of Champions, was a 4 race shoot out that would put the best of the best from all forms of motorsport against one another on equal footing, to determine who was the best driver in the world. Todd and Sylas talk about the history of the incredible series and its very colorful racecars. They also touch on the demise of the series, where the cars are now, and what a IROC 2025 could potentially look like if they were given the reins.  Cold Start Hint: Three liters and a boxy air dam on this racing sports car   Answer to Episode 22 Cold Start: 1967 Porsche 910 prototype racecar

On this week's episode, Huffaker Motorsports Crew Chief, Gary Rubio, joins the show to share his journey in motorsports from being a racer in Indy Lights to becoming a crew chief for teams in IMSA, SRO, and vintage racing. He helps to answer the question of what makes motorsports such an addictive industry, and what it took to climb the ranks of open wheel racing in the late 1980's. What do motorsports legends Wally Parks, Chip Ganassi, Danny Sullivan, Roger Penske, Carl Haas, Jeff and Mario Andretti, Juan Fangio III, Paul Tracy, Tony George, Dale Coyne, and Johnny O'Connell all have in common? Gary Rubio!   Cold Start Hint: German racecar, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-[this]-[and this]   Answer to Episode 21 Cold Start:  Super Comp dragster

After dropping repeated hints about an upcoming Drag Racing episode in prior installments of Cold Start, This Time... Drag Racing! Todd chats with Sylas about this different world of motorsports -- contrasting the approaches, cars, and mindset of driving fast in a straight line on the drag strip, versus our more familar grounds of road course and oval racing. It's an eye-opener for Sylas, highlighting Todd's own experience as an NHRA Sportsman racer in the SuperComp class, and getting deeper into the procedures and culture of what motivates drag racers to stomp that loud pedal. If you think it's all just "hit the gas and go", you might want to give this a closer look and listen too.  Cold Start Hint: It's got 9+ liters / 598 cubic inches of displacement and more power than you need.   Answer to Episode 20 Cold Start: Ligier JSP320 LMP3 prototype racecar    

After Todd had started winning Formula 3 races in the Simraceway series, he looked for a new challenge within motorsports. Wanting to take that next step, he set his eyes on prototype racing and specifically the LMP3 category. Listen to hear his struggles of transitioning into a new car and series, as well as some unforeseen circumstances that may have cut the dream short. Racing is truly never a boring sport. Cold Start Hint: French chassis, Japanese power   Answer to Episode 19 Cold Start: 2007 Porsche GT3 (997.1)

How do you start a car show when you don't even have a driver's license yet? Tom Fathi joins the show this week to talk about how a dream of a 15 year old turned into one of the most premier high end car shows in the Pacific Northwest. Northwest Exotics has grown into an event that showcases some of the rarest and most exclusive cars in the Seattle area, and beyond. We also talk about what it's like to engage with the world of high end car collections and their collectors. Cold Start Hint: This is Tom's dream car   Answer to Episode 18 Cold Start: MFG Road Course Sprint Car

In this episode, Sylas recalls racing the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2023. He shares how a small team from Northern California built a Road Course Sprint Car in the course of 6 months and took it to Colorado to race the infamous hill climb. Racing to over 14,000ft is an insane challenge to take on, but listen and find out how Sylas and the MFG Motorsports team was able to walk away from the event finishing 2nd in class and being awarded Rookie of the Year. Cold Start Hint: 2023 Pikes Peak Rookie of the Year Winner   Answer to Episode 17 Cold Start: Porsche 991.2 GT2RS Weissach

The conversation about racetracks continues from Episode 14, but now venturing outside of California to some tracks across the country. Todd and Sylas debate which tracks are worth the visit and which are overrated. Shockingly, when bumps are your only racetrack characteristic, it doesn't make for an enticing experience. Listen to find out why Sebring sucks, and opinions about other famous US racetracks.  Cold Start Hint: One of the fastest production street cars (non-EV)   Answer to Episode 16 Cold Start: "Big Red", the Save Mart shopping cart

General Manager and EVP of Sonoma Raceway, Brian Flynn, joins us to talk about his history working in the NASCAR industry with Richard Petty, as well as giving us his thoughts on the current state of NASCAR and how it's changed in the modern era. And of course, we talk about Todd and Sylas's home track, Sonoma Raceway, and learn more about the inner workings of operating an internationally recognized race facility.  Cold Start Hint: The mascot for one of Sonoma Raceway's main sponsors   Episode 15 Cold Start Answer: MFG Road Course Sprint Car (Pikes Peak Special)

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the second-oldest auto race in America that most Americans have never heard of or watched. Since testing on the mountain has started for this year's race, Todd and Sylas cover the fascinating history of the race and Sylas shares some of his personal insights of the logistics of how a race is held on a public road that ends at the summit of a mountain over 14,000ft.  Cold Start Hint: it has a wing the size of a picnic table   Episode 14 Cold Start Answer: Radical SR3 XXR

With so many racetracks across America, where else do you start the conversation than with the ones in your own backyard? Todd and Sylas chat about the tracks they have driven and whether they are worth the hype, or not. Starting in California, the guys talk about Sonoma Raceway, Thunderhill, Laguna Seca, Buttonwillow, and more. Cold Start Hint: powered by a motorcycle engine but has four wheels   Episode 13 Cold Start Answer: EuroNASCAR