Perfect Lap Podcast

Perfect Lap Podcast hosts Mark Jager and Mark Kilgore talk with Alex Bernstein, a longtime automotive journalist and photographer, track driver, and founder of Sub2Speedhouse. Alex explains how his E92 M3 shaped his driving and business philosophy, why his consultancy emphasizes curated parts and incremental builds, and how a last-minute Corvette outing at Laguna Seca became a memorable time-attack weekend. The conversation also traces his path through car culture and the unusual BMW 135i build that helped grow his profile. Alex provides his input on the tradeoffs between an underdog project and a competitive platform, and how a serious car fire changed his priorities. https://www.instagram.com/bernooo/https://www.instagram.com/sub2_speedhouse/https://www.sub2speedhouse.com/ Wush Automotive is a proud sponsor of The Perfect Lap Podcast. Check out Wush's line of Wush Bespoke Wheels for fully forged wheels that can be customized to your exact needs.www.wushautomotive.comhttps://www.instagram.com/wushautomotive/https://www.facebook.com/WushRacingWant 5% of your Wush Bespoke order? Provide the code "perfectlap" at checkout and receive a 5% discount for our loyal listeners! 00:00 The E92 M3 fire and the lessons of staying naturally aspirated04:32 How Sub Two Speedhouse grew from a napkin idea07:32 Why curated parts and customer goals matter11:11 Learning from one upgrade at a time14:15 The E92’s development and a hard-won Laguna Seca lesson16:45 A spontaneous C8 Corvette time-attack entry21:35 The failed wings and the no-rear-wing solution26:03 Sub Two’s Club Sport focus and build consultancy31:50 Why novice drivers should resist too much power39:20 Track notes, setup data, and repeatable progress43:46 Growing a one-person business without losing the personal touch51:17 From early Volkswagens to the BMW 135i project01:04:06 Turning a narrow-body 135i into a 1M-style track car01:08:54 The E82 135i changes hands and returns to the track01:13:08 E82 versus E92: chassis feel, geometry, and driving character01:16:49 When modifying a 135i costs more than buying a faster platform01:20:28 Charles’s F82 build and the case for strategic development01:24:43 Self-imposed build goals and what makes a project meaningful01:27:25 Street-driven track cars, trailers, and protecting time for the hobby01:31:04 The E92’s pace, the Thunderhill fire, and Alex’s return to racing01:40:13 Burnout, perspective, and committing to a 2027 Gridlife season01:46:10 Why the E92 keeps its V8 and gets a sequential gearbox01:51:17 A lighter supercharger concept targeting 600-650 wheel horsepower01:57:47 Rapid-fire car questions and Alex’s future track-car wish list02:00:32 Closing thoughts and where to find Alex 

Perfect Lap Podcast hosts Mark Jager and Mark Kilgore talk with Tony Szirka about winning the Ultimate Track Car Challenge at Eagles Canyon, then recount the drivetrain failure and fire that ended his event. The conversation turns the incident into practical safety lessons on fire suppression, emergency response, and practicing exiting from a race car.https://www.instagram.com/umstunah/Wush Automotive is a proud sponsor of The Perfect Lap Podcast. Check out Wush's line of Wush Bespoke Wheels for fully forged wheels that can be customized to your exact needs.www.wushautomotive.comhttps://www.instagram.com/wushautomotive/https://www.facebook.com/WushRacingWant 5% of your Wush Bespoke order? Provide the code "perfectlap" at checkout and receive a 5% discount for our loyal listeners!00:00 Meet Tony and the Ultimate Track Car Challenge01:16 What makes UTCC a run-what-you-brung event04:29 Learning Eagles Canyon and the first off-track moment05:54 Belt failures threaten Tony’s limited track time07:35 Finding pace: 56 seconds, then a 55.209:39 A broken driveshaft triggers the fire11:19 Smoke, fire-system confusion, and a difficult escape14:09 Tony describes the trackside fire response18:05 Why working fire extinguishers matter22:30 Footage, the UTCC win, and how the lap time compared25:22 Exit practice, HANS snags, and the steering-wheel release29:29 Toxic smoke, protective gear, and practicing in darkness32:02 Power-steering smoke versus a real fire34:01 Knowing what your fire-suppression system sounds like34:51 Staying calm and practicing emergency exits36:30 Why quick-release windows matter in a fire39:29 Track-day fire risks and basic protective gear42:04 The fire-system coverage gap under the flat bottom45:32 Sponsor break: Wush Bespoke Wheels47:29 Fire-system testing mistakes and heat damage51:12 Supporting Tony’s return to the track52:58 What Tony would change after reviewing the fire57:00 Handheld extinguishers and extinguisher recertification01:00:19 The team gets to work rebuilding the car01:02:24 Unfinished business and the tracks Tony loves01:05:12 Rebuild priorities, damaged parts, and the S2000 for sale01:11:20 Finals plans and show sign-off

In this episode, Luke Lederman shares his journey from autocross to time attack, his modifications on the Nissan 350Z and Porsche Cayman, and insights into getting started in SOCAL time attack. The episode explores how Luke moved from his Nissan 350Z to a Porsche Cayman and how he developed as a driver. We follow up with Luke recapping his experience at Gridlife Laguna Seca, including overcoming radiator issues, strategic decisions during a race, and winning Street Class.https://www.instagram.com/gasbrakegrip/https://www.youtube.com/@gasbrakegripWush Automotive is a proud sponsor of The Perfect Lap Podcast. Check out Wush's line of Wush Bespoke Wheels for fully forged wheels that can be customized to your exact needs.www.wushautomotive.comhttps://www.instagram.com/wushautomotive/https://www.facebook.com/WushRacingWant 5% of your Wush Bespoke order? Provide the code "perfectlap" at checkout and receive a 5% discount for our loyal listeners! 00:00 — Luke Lederman joins after a Gridlife podium01:16 — Early car background and choosing the 350Z03:53 — Autocross beginnings and moving into Time Attack04:49 — Nissan Challenge championships and track records06:34 — How Nissan Challenge compares to Honda and BMW Challenge10:16 — Local Time Attack events versus Gridlife13:03 — Making the leap to larger events18:43 — Building the 350Z for Time Attack20:13 — Suspension, differential, cooling, and setup22:44 — 200-treadwear tires and driving to the track23:15 — The 350Z’s splitter and aero setup25:00 — Why Luke started looking for a Cayman S27:54 — Choosing the 718 Cayman S31:13 — Cayman S specs and choosing PDK33:25 — Tire sizes and grip on the Cayman35:21 — Learning to drive a mid-engine car38:20 — Cayman upgrades: suspension, brakes, and exhaust41:24 — Early Gridlife results and a Laguna Seca record44:05 — Why the Podium Sprint is so compelling47:35 — Triathlon training before Laguna52:15 — Tuning, heat management, and car prep55:37 — The Cayman’s center radiator and cooling setup58:50 — Track sessions and the first signs of trouble61:46 — A rock punctures the radiator66:43 — Keeping the weekend alive68:40 — Planning a repair with help from the paddock74:02 — A Home Depot fix saves the weekend76:15 — Bleeding the cooling system79:06 — Sunday misfire and tune adjustments81:59 — Managing coolant temperatures during the sprint83:29 — Entering the Podium Sprint in P386:20 — The final laps and a 139.06 record lap91:20 — Learning Luke had won93:28 — A close Street class podium sprint98:19 — Upcoming events and plans for the Cayman100:24 — Considering aero or weight reduction102:57 — Cayman power potential and current output105:34 — Where to follow Luke106:48 — Rapid-fire questions and track preferences

Jager made a bet and lost....to a Cayman....at Laguna. Kevin Burke, co-host of the What's Up Player? Podcast steps in as the winner of the first annual Time Attack Podcast Challenge. Will Jager come back? We'll have to see. Kevin talks about his history in time attack from a record-setting Honda S2000, a C7 Corvette, a Dodge Viper, and a Porsche Cayman GT4RS. We talk Gridlife Laguna and how much cooler Kevin is than Jager.https://www.instagram.com/_schmevin_/https://www.youtube.com/@KevinBurkeRacing00:00 Podcast challenge at Laguna Seca01:14 How the Instagram bet started02:38 First impressions of the Supercar Three R03:26 What’s Up Player? and how it began04:50 Building cars for fun, not just winning05:18 Laguna Seca: lap times and cold tires06:11 SDC’s growth06:55 Tire warmers and getting heat into the tires09:13 Three R pricing, sizes, and ideal applications10:36 Why Kevin likes the Three R for consistent lapping12:03 Alignment, camber, and tire temperatures13:57 Kevin’s S2000 and current track cars14:26 The Viper’s engine failure and rebuild plans17:08 Why seat time beats chasing peak horsepower18:34 Looking ahead to future time attack battles19:27 Favorite tracks: Watkins Glen and The Ridge21:37 The growing competition in Street Mod23:20 How Kevin first got involved with the Viper25:09 The Torco partnership and early Viper wins27:03 Buying the Viper and its history28:27 Updating the Viper’s suspension, diff, and aero29:25 The Viper’s weight-loss and power plans31:15 Traveling and sharing costs with SDC33:01 Racing culture, social media, and “lifers”36:38 The challenges of covering every time attack battle42:11 Why time attack can be hard for spectators to follow44:11 Laguna’s podium sprint battles45:37 Tire strategy and starting at the back47:19 Why reliability matters in podium sprint48:16 A standing-start format idea for time attack50:33 Why live timing boards help spectators51:25 Kevin’s history with GridLife events55:42 Class tech, rule enforcement, and cheating59:46 Reputation and the consequences of cheating61:37 Ideas for improving tech inspections65:24 Should intentional cheating mean harsher penalties?68:20 The real cost of traveling to race73:42 Why West Coast track culture is different77:45 Bailey Woods, the E36, and long-term development79:56 Torque-based traction control in time attack81:49 Why Mark’s BMW i8 project was canceled83:17 Choosing a unique car build88:02 The challenges of modifying a carbon-tub car90:26 Why the BMW Z4 GT3-inspired build made sense95:53 Why Kevin still loves the Viper98:32 Devin’s Z4 build and the retractable roof100:26 Building a car for the experience, not just results101:39 Privateer racing and the resource gap103:12 Sponsorship economics and content demands105:48 Planning a rematch with Jaeger107:11 Rapid fire: car types, tracks, and driving style109:41 V10 engine swap talk109:54 Rapid fire: analog cars, championships, and favorites110:26 Moving on from cars without regrets111:03 Lime Rock and future track plans111:50 Where to follow Kevin and What’s Up Player?

 In this episode, Nads shares his deep history and insights into the world of time attack racing, from its origins in Japan to its evolution in the US. We explore legendary cars, racing strategies, media coverage, and the future of time attack as a grassroots motorsport series. Nads shares his opinions on what things are right, and what could be better, in the current time attack scene, both domestically and across the globe. We discuss iconic cars, legendary drivers, the culture of Time Attack, and the future of the sport. Don't miss this one!Wush Automotive is a proud sponsor of The Perfect Lap Podcast. Check out Wush's line of Wush Bespoke Wheels for fully forged wheels that can be customized to your exact needs. www.wushautomotive.com https://www.instagram.com/wushautomotive/ https://www.facebook.com/WushRacing Want 5% of your Wush Bespoke order? Provide the code "perfectlap" at checkout and receive a 5% discount for our loyal listeners! 00:00 — How Time Attack Came to America 02:39 — Choosing Buttonwillow as Time Attack’s Home 04:20 — The Japanese Roots of Time Attack 05:39 — Minimal Rules vs. Creative Cheating 07:02 — The Lost JC Menet Record 10:27 — From Global Time Attack to World Time Attack 12:16 — Why Time Attack Needs Better Storytelling 14:15 — The Problem with Unlimited Classes 15:42 — The Media Personalities Covering Time Attack 17:35 — Why Car Specs and Driver Stories Matter 21:16 — The Mike Warfield and Eastern Creek Strategy 23:16 — What Professional Drivers Bring to Time Attack 26:43 — Building the Ideal Time Attack Media Platform 30:17 — Why Long-Form Automotive Journalism Still Matters 35:31 — The Golden Era Teams and Cars 37:37 — The HKS Track Attack Altezza and “Outlaw” Cars 40:45 — Aero, Slicks, and the Limits of Technology 43:52 — Time Attack Controversy and Racing Lore 46:25 — The Cyber Evo and Bending the Rules 48:25 — When Time Attack Becomes an Arms Race 52:19 — Horsepower, Aero, and Choosing the Right Track 55:25 — Why Grassroots Tracks Matter 60:58 — The Rise and Fall of Red Line Time Attack 67:16 — Why Time Attack Needs a Pinnacle Event 69:07 — Simplifying the Rules and Racing for Time 71:55 — The Japanese Philosophy of Time Attack 77:11 — Nads’ Most Memorable Time Attack Experiences 80:24 — The Factory Chevrolet Cobalt That Changed Everything 83:13 — Professional Awesome and the Buttonwillow Curse 90:10 — The Sierra Sierra Evo Story 100:23 — What Today’s Time Attack Scene Gets Right 104:40 — Rivalries, Promotion, and Making Racing Exciting 108:52 — Why the Stopwatch Never Lies 112:01 — The Future of Time Attack Coverage 114:09 — Learning from Time Attack History 119:09 — Rapid-Fire Time Attack Questions 122:14 — Closing Thoughts and Where to Follow the Podcast