August, 2014. Gasoline and burnt rubber linger in the air at Spa-Francorchamps circuit, where the podium celebration for the Belgian Grand Prix is underway. The announcer calls the name of the second place finisher - Nico Rosberg. This should be a moment of celebration. But the crowd below roars with boos. Because the driver who Rosberg has overtaken in the quest for the championship is his childhood friend, turned F1 teammate, turned bitter rival, Lewis Hamilton. And just hours prior, Rosberg r...
Feb 12, 2024•54 min•Ep 229•Transcript available on Metacast The 70’s and early 80’s were practically an arms race of automotive engineering. From fuel injection to turbos to aerodynamics, manufacturers and privateers alike were breaking new ground in the name of ever-faster lap times. It was an age of pioneering that bridged the gap between the legends of the past and the racing we love today. What was Group 5 Special Production? Why were the late 1970’s considered a golden era for circuit racing? And how did Ford manage to unseat one of the most success...
Feb 05, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep 228•Transcript available on Metacast Just one decade into their journey, Cosworth had dominated IndyCar racing and changed the face of Formula 1. But while any other company would be satisfied with that kind of record, Mike and Keith were far from done. Even though Cosworth already had a stack of incredible achievements under its belt, what the company has been able to achieve post-1970 is just as, if not more, revolutionary. But how would the lessons Cosworth learned in their early years affect their philosophy moving forward? How...
Jan 29, 2024•52 min•Ep 227•Transcript available on Metacast Between 1968 and 1974, every single Constructors Championship in F1 was won by the same Cosworth engine - the DFV - and in 1969 and 1973, every single F1 race was won by a DFV-powered car. This one engine was responsible for F1 wins across four decades - the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. But who the hell is Cosworth? What’s their magic formula? And most importantly, how did two gentlemen engineers in suits manage to create an engine-tuning empire that changed racing for decades? Today on Past Gas, it’...
Jan 22, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep 226•Transcript available on Metacast Mark Donohue never quite fit the look of a race car driver. But regardless of how he looked on the outside, his methodology not only changed the literal rules of racing but also the industry as a whole. So how did this All-American, Ivy League guy end up in a race car? How did he go from being nicknamed “Captain Nice” to “Dark Donohue?” And why did he pull that classic race driver stunt by coming out of retirement after only a year off? Today on Past Gas, we’re talking about Captain Nice himself...
Jan 15, 2024•46 min•Ep 225•Transcript available on Metacast Like many of the other car companies founded just before the turn of the 20th century, Renault made itself known for its revolutionary innovations — a concept that the company has employed time and again, to varying degrees of success. But how did three French brothers decide they had a shot in the automotive industry? What was it about Renault's innovative approach to business that keeps it balancing on a fine line between success and failure? And how could a company bearing a family name survi...
Jan 08, 2024•57 min•Ep 224•Transcript available on Metacast Catch our episode on the historic rivalry between Audi and Lancia on this exclusive episode revisit! Group B. The Golden Age of Rally Racing. It’s safe to say that auto racing will never again be this fast, thrilling, and dangerous. The most iconic battle of Group B was in 1983, when the beefy 4WD Audi Quattro faced off against the stylin’ Italian rear-wheel drive Lancia 037. Who prevailed in what many consider to be the greatest rally battle of all time? You gotta listen to today’s Past Gas to ...
Jan 01, 2024•50 min•Ep 224•Transcript available on Metacast It’s finally that time of year that James, Nolan, and Joe are winding down at the podcast studio, getting ready for a loooooong winter’s nap. So today on Past Gas, they’re gonna learn a little bit about some different listener-submitted stories and a whole lotta big dogs. This is Santa’s Coal Bag: We Did Your Crummy Ideas, volume 2! Thanks to our sponsors: Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://SHOPIFY.COM/gas ! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a t...
Dec 25, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep 223•Transcript available on Metacast During the 80s and early 90s, Pablo Escobar was the richest, most ruthless cocaine trafficker in the world. But before his life was monopolized by drugs, money, and gang wars, Pablo was a man with a simple dream: to be a race car driver. And for two memorable seasons in the Colombian circuit, Pablo cheated and stole his way onto a championship podium. But how did he do it? What driver did he bring up on the way? And did everyone know his REAL job?! Today on Past Gas: the brief but insane racing ...
Dec 18, 2023•54 min•Ep 222•Transcript available on Metacast “In some circles, the Mint 400 is a far, far better thing than the Super Bowl, the Kentucky Derby and the Lower Oakland Roller Derby Finals all rolled into one. This race attracts a special breed,” wrote Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. But how did a bunch of hospitality industry employees with little-to-no knowledge of motorsports turn a publicity stunt into The Great American Off-Road Race? Why did the Mint 400 go dark after twenty successful years? And what about this uni...
Dec 11, 2023•56 min•Ep 221•Transcript available on Metacast In its first two decades, AMG had brought racing and performance prestige to Mercedes. But in 1999, co-founder Hans-Werner Aufrecht was ready to sell a majority stake of AMG to Mercedes, effectively handing over control of the company. Today, on the final episode of Past Gas’s History of Mercedes: How did Aufrecht and co-founder Erhard Melcher form their tuning house? How did Mercedes make a triumphant return to racing? And how is Mercedes-Benz continuing to shape our world and the future of the...
Dec 04, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep 220•Transcript available on Metacast It’s 1952 and the world is still recovering from the brutality of WWII, including Mercedes. So how did Mercedes return to prominence just a decade after the war? How did Rudolph Uhlenahut create the world’s first supercar using only parts from the Mercedes parts bin? And how did he shape Mercedes into the brand we know today? Today on Past Gas, part three of four on our history of Mercedes. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PASTGAS and g...
Nov 27, 2023•47 min•Ep 219•Transcript available on Metacast June 1926. An era of progress, rapid automotive adoption, and record-breaking feats spurred on by the rivalry between Benz and DMG had given way to a crisis. So how did a conniving aristocrat convince DMG to create the Mercedes brand? How did DMG and Benz usher in the era of the modern automobile? And how did these two competitors find themselves in a position where the only way to ensure their survival was to merge? Today on Past Gas, part two of the history of Mercedes-Benz. Thanks to our spon...
Nov 20, 2023•49 min•Ep 218•Transcript available on Metacast New Years’ Eve, 1879. 35 year old Karl Benz and his wife Bertha are huddled around a small block of iron. Karl no doubt thinks about the decade’s worth of work and near-financial ruin contained in its small footprint. But even if he can finally get it to run smoothly, it’s only a first step. His end goal is to use it in a horseless carriage, with the hopes of changing the way people move. But how did Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler, and Wilhelm Maybach revolutionize the internal combustion engine? H...
Nov 13, 2023•48 min•Ep 218•Transcript available on Metacast New Zealand is known for having a small population. Many leave to find opportunity elsewhere, while others build a life in the place they were born. These people can become a big fish in a small pond or, if they’re lucky, an even bigger fish in the international pond. But is it possible to take a dip in both ponds? How do you make a name for yourself by staying in the same place? Where do you find the resources to create one of the most influential motorbike designs that inspired the racing worl...
Nov 06, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep 216•Transcript available on Metacast In 1986, the Williams Formula 1 team should have taken the World Championship, but their drivers Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell decided to turn on each other instead. But how did the son of a Brazilian doctor become one of the most controversial names in Formula 1 history? What was it that catapulted a young Nelson Piquet into the international spotlight so soon after his first-ever go-kart race? Was the bias against him legitimate, or was it the product of a nationalistic media playing favorit...
Oct 30, 2023•58 min•Ep 235•Transcript available on Metacast Talladega was a prime testing facility because it was the fastest circle track on the planet, and Chrysler was there to set a record. The day was overcast and cool as NASCAR legend Buddy Baker shifted into gear and pulled onto the track. It didn’t take long for the driver to smash the 200 mph record. What was this top secret car that Chrysler hired NASCAR royalty to test? How did they shatter open-wheel Indy Car records with a lowly stock car? How did this weird, but effective, race car win back...
Oct 23, 2023•57 min•Ep 234•Transcript available on Metacast Dan Wheldon was a talented and charming driver who left an indelible mark on the world of motorsport. But how did this unflappable Englishman break through to IndyCar stardom? Why did he turn down the offer to race in Formula One? And how did his tragic death shape the future of IndyCar? Today on Past Gas, we explore the legacy of IndyCar champion, Dan Wheldon. Thanks to our sponsors: Go to https://SHOPIFY.COM/gas to take your business to the next level today. Signing up for Chime takes minutes....
Oct 16, 2023•53 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast RWB is legendary to car enthusiasts world-wise. But how did a drift kid from Japan redefine the Porsche? How did some carbon fiber fenders take over the desires of gamers drooling over air-cooled 911s? How can a leather arm chair, a carton of smokes, and some Mexican Cokes get you one step closer to owning your own outlaw Porsche? Today on Past Gas, we dive into the origins of the most controversial Porsche tuner to ever get his hands on a pneumatic sawzall - Akira Nakai. Thanks to our sponsors:...
Oct 09, 2023•53 min•Ep 214•Transcript available on Metacast June 11, 1994. It’s the opening night of The Petersen Automotive Museum, and Hollywood is out in full force. But it’s not the celebrities we usually think of - it’s the cars they drive. None of this would have been possible without the charity and automotive passion of the museum’s namesake: Robert E. Petersen. How did he turn his passion for hot rodding into the modern car show? How did he, without a formal education, turn an 8-page, 25 cent magazine into one of the world’s premier publishing c...
Oct 02, 2023•50 min•Ep 213•Transcript available on Metacast Chevrolet isn’t just a company, it’s an American institution. Today on Past Gas, the story of a world-conquering company that almost wasn’t. How did the men who made Chevy lose it so quickly? How did the company nearly get shut down by its own board, then come back to overtake Ford in sales only 7 years later? How did an up-and-coming lawyer flip Chevy’s attitude about safety even quicker than a Corvair could flip itself? All that and more on today’s Past Gas, about the beginnings of Chevrolet a...
Sep 25, 2023•1 hr•Ep 212•Transcript available on Metacast After the end of WWII, the world was eager to get back to work, and more specifically, back to makin’ cars. Japan was particularly ready to rebuild their economy, but were missing some crucial materials: steel, gasoline, and money. And as it turns out, the lack of those resources crafted the perfect storm for the creation of the Kei car. Often misunderstood, underappreciated, and forgotten, these minimobiles are some of the most fascinating examples of problem-solving in automotive history. How ...
Sep 18, 2023•1 hr•Ep 211•Transcript available on Metacast Anyone who’s ever been to Speed Week at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah knows the incomparable feeling of standing on this hallowed ground. Some dream, work, scrimp, and save their entire lives to get a chance to make a pass at breaking a land speed record here. The story is as old as time, but perhaps none have embodied it better than Kiwi motorcycle legend Burt Munro and his 1920 Indian Scout. But how does an almost 70 year old man from New Zealand, with no sponsorships, travel nearly half way a...
Sep 11, 2023•1 hr•Ep 210•Transcript available on Metacast Colin Chapman’s Formula 1 trophy case is an impressive one, with seven Constructors’ Championships and six Drivers’ Championships since 1963. Beyond his championship seasons, Chapman’s imprint on the sport is hard to comprehend – some suggest that Chapman might have more to do with the basic design of today’s mid-engine, open-wheeled racing cars than any other single builder. Would Formula 1 be recognizable without Colin Chapman? Did his habit of playing fast and loose with F1 rules foreshadow t...
Sep 04, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep 209•Transcript available on Metacast In the world of engine tuning, two names (strange as they may be) are often at the top of the list. These companies upended the racing world with their attention to detail and refusal to accept anything but the best in terms of power, precision, and yes, speed. Today on Past Gas, we take a look at Spoon and Mugen. How did these companies start? How have they evolved over the years to stay on top? What are their plans for the future? And where did they get the name ‘Spoon’ from, anyway? Thanks to...
Aug 28, 2023•59 min•Ep 208•Transcript available on Metacast IT’S THE 200TH EPISODE OF PAST GAS!! To celebrate, Nolan, Joe, and James learn a little bit about three different listener-submitted suggestions, then look at (and judge) pictures of your 20 pound dogs. Y’all have a lot of 20 pound dogs, btw. Then the gang brings Donut host Jeremiah on for a very special reading. Thank you SO MUCH for listening to the pod - we could have never made it to 200 without you. Thanks to our sponsors: Get Valvoline for your car! Cancel your unwanted subscriptions – and...
Aug 21, 2023•58 min•Ep 207•Transcript available on Metacast It’s the 2006 X Games in Los Angeles, California. The Staples Center is abuzz, ready to watch competitors face off in a festival favorite event: the Moto X Best Trick. X-Games favorite 23 year-old Travis Pastrana gets himself ready to run his first trick… the “superflip” – a backflip with a Superman (for good measure). How did Travis Pastrana become the modern day Evel Knievel? What did he do to revolutionize freestyle motocross? How did this motorcycle prodigy become an action sports legend? To...
Aug 14, 2023•58 min•Ep 206•Transcript available on Metacast In 1969, Argentina was a different place than it is today. Only three years after a violent military coup, it was a time of deep political unrest. And yet, amidst widespread protests and government crackdowns, the attention of the nation was stolen by an unlikely event at the Nürburgring. For three straight days, radios across the country buzzed with live coverage of a scrappy team of racers as they attempted the impossible at one of the longest endurance circuit races ever held. Why is a souped...
Aug 07, 2023•50 min•Ep 205•Transcript available on Metacast By the time he had reached the starting line at the inaugural Belgian Grand Prix in 1925, Antonio Ascari was a living legend. He was to “slow down” by race officials at Monza, and even won the first Belgium Grand Prix by a whopping 22 minutes. But how did Antonio Ascari come to be one of the most respected drivers of his era? How did his son Alberto not only live up to his father’s legacy, but become a legend in his own right? And how would their nearly symmetrical lives, both in glory and in tr...
Jul 31, 2023•56 min•Ep 204•Transcript available on Metacast After rally racer Thierry Sabine got stuck in the Sahara Desert for three days, his rescue team airlifted out a changed man. On Thierry’s return trip to France, an idea began to crystalize in his mind: one rally to rule them all. How did Thierry Sabine’s near-death experience lead to the most infamous off-road race in the world? What about the endurance rally’s extreme risk attracted drivers, adventurers, and European celebrities eager to cheat death? And why, after many years, many deaths, and ...
Jul 24, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep 203•Transcript available on Metacast 
