Brian Tooley of BTR Racing is like a master chef who brings together unlikely ingredients to create unique recipes for high horsepower systems. Willie and Kevin welcome “The King of Cams” back to the podcast for a professional grade discussion on boosted vs. nitrous in the HP wars, and whether nitrous and supercharging can work together. As Kevin observes, “The world is full of random facts, and this guy puts it together in some sort of map.”
Rick Fragnoli’s dad was an electrician who knew nothing about cars, but when he lost a union election, he chucked it all and bought a junkyard. Since then, the family Pick-a-Part has morphed into Cleveland Power and Performance, a virtual gold mine for swapping modern power trains into old school metal. On this episode, Rick sits down with the guys to talk about the journey from the bone yard to “the Panacea of Power Plants,” and in particular his game changing ’69 Charger project called Reverence.
CARtoons Magazine entertained and enthralled generations of car kids and adults from its birth in 1959 through its final issue in 1991. That is until 2015, when Mark Methout unexpectedly resurrected the legendary title. In this podcast, the CEO and Publisher regales Willie and Kevin with the colorful tale of his unlikely journey from recovering the abandoned trademark and reuniting some of the original artists, to reviving the beloved publication.
Bogi is not only co-host of MotorTrend’s hit series All Girls Garage; she’s a renowned ASE certified master technician and owner of Girl Gang Garage in Phoenix, Arizona. In a candid conversation with Kevin and Willie, Bogi discusses the challenges she faced coming up in a male-dominated industry; her passion for empowering women to take a more active role in car ownership and career opportunities in the automotive field; and how Two Guys Garage influenced her decision to branch out into television.
Evan Smith of REVan Media has a reputation as THE behind-the-scenes media mogul of the automotive world – a writer/photographer/test pilot with all the inside scoop on the OEs. And man, can this guy wheel! Kevin and Willie sit down with REVan Evan for a freewheeling discussion about all the baddest, newest and trendiest goings on, and what it’s like in the driver’s seat of the Ford GT 350 and 500, Corvette C8, Dodge 392 and ZL1 Camaro. Strap in and hang on for a fun ride!
Following in his dad’s footsteps, Mark Bowler began scraping transmissions at age 9 and rebuilding Mom and Pop trannies by 13. His dad deterred him from performance stuff until he retired in 2001, and today Bowler Performance Transmissions works with all the top companies around the world. On this episode, Mark and the guys discuss the difference between rebuilt and reman; less gears, more gears and overdrive; and the pros and cons of paddle shift automatic transmissions.
Matt Hagan is ruthless on the racetrack, but as nice a guy as you’ll ever meet in person. As the two-time DSR Funny Car Champion playfully explains to Willie and Kevin, at 300 mph “it’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity!” The racer, farmer and entrepreneur also shares his recipe for success, reveals what scares him to death, and discusses running in the NHRA in the time of COVID.
Driveshafts take a relentless beating, constantly applying load with substantial torque. Repairs, upgrades and modifications are always top of mind for Lee Mejia of The Driveshaft Shop. Citing expensive custom builds that completely neglect driveshafts and axles, Lee regales Willie and Kevin with stories of destructive and real-world testing, like what happens when a heavy projectile made out of steel suddenly pole vaults or grenades.
The Einstein of Additives, Chris Gabrelcik of Hot Shot’s Secret, returns for another informative podcast in which he demystifies viscosity; discusses the endless learning curve involved in developing problem-specific solutions for friction; and amazes the guys with tales of the World’s Fastest 7.3, his 11 Diesel World Records, and the very real 100,000 mile oil change.
They may not be all that sexy, but when it comes to pneumatics and air tools, a compressor is the first and most critical big tool you’re likely to buy. Today the guys learn from Jarrett Affolter of Ingersoll Rand all there is to know about air compressors – the different types, what the fail points are, how to make them last forever, and what size you need to do what you want to do.
Dr. Jamie Meyer’s credentials are impressive to say the least: PhD in Anatomy and Cell Biology; postdoctoral researcher in molecular genetics; former head of GM Performance; and now the newly minted President of the Performance Racing Industry. In a frank and wide-ranging conversation, the guys discuss everything from the LSX and COPO Camaro initiatives he led, to Dr. Meyer’s vision for PRI during COVID-19 and a post-pandemic world.
For Jim Chadick, life was a choice between being a rock star or a car guy. While the former didn’t quite work out, the CEO of Performance Online has no regrets. Jim and his Operations Manager Larry Ashley join the guys to reflect on how tastes have changed from the early 90s – when how you looked in a car or truck was all that mattered – through today, where owners want classics to handle like modern cars.