Cold Start

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