Race Theory

Elyshia and I rewind the Daytona 400 race which was the cut off race for the playoffs. We discuss the two drivers who failed to make the playoffs by not being able to point their way in because of getting hurt in activities nonrelated to driving the race car in the Cup Series. They were not able to win a race either since their return to full time racing.My perspective comes from my own experience in the Cup Series as well as being hurt, not able to get back in the car as well as driving hurt. The professional race car driver has an obligation to car owners, sponsors, teammates, and manufactures who spend a great deal of money and time promoting this extension of the brand.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

This episode goes in depth about the current state of NASCAR stock car racing. The sport has been through many changes over time, but none more significant that the implementation of the NEXGEN car. This car is a complete departure from our stock car racing roots, with now an emphasis on the road racing sector. We breakdown the influx of Australian race car drivers coming on the scene in NASCAR for the Indy-road course race. Shane Van Gisbergen a driver from the Supercar Series comes in and wins the race at the Chicago Street Course NASCAR race and sets everyone back on their heels. This one shot fired across the world has set things in motion for how and who may get new opportunities in NASCAR. The dynamic has now shifted to road racing instead of oval racing as a discipline that provides more chances to win in the Cup Series to make it to the playoffs.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

We go back in time to 1970 and 1980. This is a time when racing on the west coast provide great platforms to race and to see some outstanding race car drivers perform at high levels. This would also set the tone for a migration of young talent to go to the east coast to pursue stardom. I reflect on race car drivers that made an impact on me and would set standards for drivers to aspire to. There were three drivers from on the west coast and they would win 11 West Coast Grand National championships between them. I expand on other drivers that would use these examples to make their own decisions to fulfill dreams of becoming professional race car drivers.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

Elyshia and I get on our soapbox in this episode. We dive straight into the actions of drivers in NASCAR and other racing series that put themselves in a bad light and find the means to justify their actions. This is and has been prevalent in NASCAR for some time. The driver's attitudes and personalities have become so self-serving and continues to put the sport in a bad light. We touch on a multitude of driver's currently as well as some from the past that seem to have continued to drive a narrative that is detrimental to motorsports.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

This episode explores the different elements of the art of road racing. The differences and approaches to teaching methods as well as definitive techniques depending on the type of race car and gearbox application. The optics are something that I spend a great time discussing as well as the process used in breaking down video on a frame-by-frame basis. I also use the data that the AIM Data Analysis provides as a tool to overlay multiple driver's data over one another to provide another visual aid in understanding deficiencies.Understanding the race car driver and their abilities are key, but also how far they can be pushed. There are certain techniques and visual progressions that need to take place to reach the un-tapped potential in the driver. That will provide what is necessary to manipulate a race car instead of just driving it well. Raw God-Given talent is hard to beat, but a great work ethic and desire can go a long way to becoming the race car driver you desire to be.I provide some additional insight on what Elyshia and I have about ready to showcase at track soon, and that is the HOT LAPZ Radical Race Car experience. We will be testing the car this week to finalize the ride along program as well as this new exciting coaching-teaching tool.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

This episode is all about young race car drivers and their varied paths moving forward to become professional race car drivers. Road racing is the focus and we discuss the difficulties that most all race car drivers go through on their quest to be successful in a highly competitive form of sport. We both touch on the areas of work ethic, and the preparation necessary each week to be the best you can be each race weekend.The TransAm TA2 series is the focal point and the upcoming races at Road America and Nashville, a street course and the nuances of each. Additionally, we speak about the genetic disorder EB that Darin has and the limitations of this, and how he copes with it as well as using racing as a mechanism to bring light to this and to raise awareness about this.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

Elyshia and I share our recent road trip to Mid-Ohio. We discuss our observations with regard to all the manicured lawns throughout the countryside on our way to the Mid-Ohio Road racing event in Lexington, Ohio. I have now re-named this state Mow-Hio!We made a stop for the night in Mt. Vernon, Ohio at the Grand Hotel and had dinner in a fine restaurant called the Alcove. What a wonderful little city and so quaint in every way.We further dive into what we came to Ohio for, and that was the Trans Am TA2 race. I dive into the drivers on tap for Nitro Motorsports and how their practices and qualifying efforts go leading up to the actual race. There are obstacles and concerns that have to be dealt with when it comes to decisions on what the weather could hold for everyone. Additionally, we touch on the disparity of all of the Nitro drivers and their mindsets and perspectives for the upcoming race.NASCAR is also mentioned when we showcase the street course race in the city streets of Chicago. A first for the NASCAR Cup Series.We end this episode with updates on the Racetheory Hot Lapz ride along program that we will be offering soon. We just picked up our Radical RXC Spyder 2-Seater race car, and we expand on the offerings and packages for a VIP Racing experience or a corporate outing.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

This episode we have a guest, Kevin Lepage. He provides and in-depth look into his career from the very start in Shelburne, VA and his journey south to the heart of Stock Car racing. We touch on how our careers parallel each other, as well as similar obstacles and the need to start and own our own teams out of necessity.Kevin highlights his pole qualifying efforts and the wins in the Busch Series and his years at Roush Racing and their multi car teams. There are very candid views and opinions of race team car owner's decisions that require Kevin to make countless changes in direction and continue to strive to make impressions that will provide him another shot at the NASCAR Cup Level.We discuss the controversial "Start and Park" time frame of the sport of NASCAR and the harsh comments from the press and perception within the industry. This leads us to offer insight into his way of coping with the latter stages of an athlete's career, as well as the current state of NASCAR and the sport of motor racing as a whole.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

This week we delve into the link between NASCAR, IMSA, and World Endurance Racing. We seg way from this past weekend's road races in Xfinity and the NASCAR Cup Series race to the Garage 56 effort that has been in the process for preparing for the Centenary Edition of the 24 hours of Le Mans. This effort was more of a building of bridges and to strengthen relationships between IMSA and WEC IN Europe. The NASCAR NEXGEN car with the addition of Lights, Carbon Brakes, Dive-planes, and minor engine changes makes it's debut at Le Mans and steals the show!This year's race marks 100 years of the running of the 24 hour of Le Mans, and 50 years since Ferrari has made an appearance and entered the event. We discuss the changes to BOP, (the balance of performance) made prior to the race that were not well received by the OEM's. This year's Hyper car entry proved to be a force to be reckoned with. Toyota has won the last 5 years at Le Mans, but it would be Ferrari's day!Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

I have many opinions of the current state of racing in general. I dive into something that I have a real distaste for and that is protests. I explore the reasoning and the detrimental aspects of what protesting the finishes of race does to the sport. The sanctioning bodies of all these racing series need to find a way to deter the young youthful racers from being so self-absorbed and understand their role as race car drivers being watched by the racing fans of the world. They have a responsibility to conduct themselves as extensions of companies, as brand ambassadors, and the faces of motorsports in general for many years to come.The parents, car owners and sponsors need to have a say and step up and say NO, we will not condone this type of behavior, it is unacceptable, wrecking other race cars, potentially hurting other drivers, just to win the race is not how it is done.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

Elyshia and I discuss the Indianapolis 500. We breakdown this very special event in May. I provide my own insight into the diversity of drivers in the series currently as well as how it related to the events of their race cars on this very day.The race has a great deal of excitement and aggressive driving right from the start and throughout the entire event. The story lines are especially compelling this year with the departure of Tony Kanaan and this being his last Indy 500, along with many young drivers having outstanding efforts and the return of A.J. Foyt's race team back at the front with Santino Furrucci at the wheel who ultimately finishes third with a shot at winning.We enter into the factors that lead the sanctioning body to set a new precedent with a red flag and only two laps to go in the race, and decide to go back green with only one lap to go in the race that has never been done by IndyCar!Right or wrong that is your opinion, but as usual Elyshia and I give you our thoughts and perspective on the decision.Additionally, we provide some insight into HOP LAPZ, a ride along program presented by Racetheory in our new acquisition, a Radical RXC Spyder open cockpit race car that we will be doing corporate outings and ride along opportunities for race fans.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

I set the stage for the beginning of summer in racing with two Major racing events and the significance of Memorial Day. The month of May has always been an exciting time for motorsports in general. The Indy 500 and the Coca Cola 600 are two outstanding races on the schedule with a great deal of hype and spectacular pre-race pageantry. I discuss the unique efforts by four drivers to date that have ran the double in the same day, the Indy 500 and the Coca Cola 600 and their own results and obstacles that each drive had to overcome.Additionally, I speak about the qualifying procedures and the nuances of the two race-tracks and how that relates to the driver's ability to fully commit to the mind over matter mental aspects needed to perform at the highest levels. I further elaborate on the starting positions for the Indy 500 and the upcoming qualifying for the Coca Cola 600.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

This episode starts out at this past race weekend in Darlington. This was the throwback weekend with all the old past race paint schemes. We discuss how all the teams and drivers participate in a major way and have a great deal of fun with it. We also delve deeply into the Ross Chastain and Kyle Larson wreck at the end of the race which took both teams and drivers out of the opportunity to win the race. Controversy continues but now with Rick Hendrick asking what Chevrolet is going to do about it? This continues to happen and now seems to be coming to a boil, just in time for the All-Star race at North Wilkesboro. Elyshia and I discuss our likes and dislikes when it comes to tracks and I bring back two of my biggest altercations with drivers that happened to be at...where else North Wilkesboro.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

This is a sport fueled by emotions and passion, but with that controversy its inevitable. Our episode goes in depth into NASCAR as a benevolent dictator and its stance of it is our sandbox and if you want to play, you play by our rules. With this attitude and ever-growing desire to monetize every aspect of their business driver and team owners begin to lose a grip of their own brands and merchandising programs.We also highlight the so-called manipulation of races through debris or entertainment cautions as well as the changes to come from the Charter System and the implementation of sports betting and how that relates to major change.We also touch on the current driver extra activities outside of driving the race car that has resulted in injuries that have sideline them for extensive periods of time.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

This episode we return to women in racing and introduce additional names that I do not want to leave out. These women have made contributions to motorsports and have been instrumental in its continuation for respect in the sport of motor racing. Elyshia and I discuss NHRA Drag Racing and how it relates to the inclusion of female race car drivers their highly notable accomplishments.We provide our thoughts as to decisions that women have to make when it comes to relationships and distractions that could compromise the end goal. There have been and will continue to be major hurdles that women will have to overcome, but we both feel at some point in the near future we will see a dynamic ultra competitive women enter the pinnacles of motorsports.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

In this episode we start with female race car drivers in history, such as Janet Gutherie who paved the way for females to have a place in motorsports. We delve into the challenges facing females that are unique only to them, including opportunity, physical limitations and their tolerance in the paddock. We also discuss many names through the years that have proven themselves worthy of more success on the track, but the common pitfalls that befell them all. We name current female drivers that have yet to make their mark, and how they can learn from their women predecessors.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

We continue the discussions with Hall of Famer Waddell Wilson starting off with Fireball Roberts at Daytona. Waddell highlights the most memorable events during his 7 Daytona 500 victories. We dive into breaking the 200 MPH barrier and the safety rules that ensued afterwards, of particular note of the wreck of Bobby Allison at Talladega. We also delve into the cheating that began to take place and the repercussions on the sport. We round out the discussion with our personal thoughts of what made this sport great and why we still love it today.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

We discuss the early days of NASCAR, Holman and Moody and the life and times of Waddel Wilson's journey. He discusses the ins and outs of the sport through 1960, 1970, 1980 and up to his Induction in the NASCAR Hall Of Fame in 2020. A true gift to listen to the pf the most gifted engine builders of our time. The success he has had and the many drivers that went to victory lane because of his expertise.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

In this episode we discuss what drives you to succeed. Passion, heart, desire, and a willingness to push yourself outside a comfort zone. We explore the elements that present themselves to you that can provide clarity on a direction as well as profound avenues to overcome the obstacles that are necessary to enhance and elevate your abilities in your career path. This episode also provides reasoning for self-checking and not allowing arrogance to get in the way of opportunities for progression.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club

Elyshia and I dive into looking at the balancing of ambition with realistic expectations both from a personal standpoint and as a parent of a child athlete. We discuss how data analysis has changed over the years and how it can provide valuable insight into performance that is irrefutable. We share personal stories about balancing ambition with expectation and the dangers of setting unrealistic ones. We highlight the importance of listening to experienced drivers who have been through the same struggles.Check out our website at RaceTheory.Club