Latest / In Wheel Time Podcast / Ford Scholarships For Future Auto Techs

Transcript

Ford Scholarships For Future Auto Techs · In Wheel Time Podcast

• 0:03
  Don Armstrong: From the Dual City Studios in Texas, USA.
• 0:08
  Don Armstrong: It's the award-winning in-wheel time car talk show.
• 0:11
  Don Armstrong: Just ahead, Ford Auto Tech Scholars at the Worth 400.
• 0:16
  Don Armstrong: That's the big NASCAR race up in uh Dallas Fort Worth at the Texas Motor Speedway.
• 0:22
  Don Armstrong: Uh later, Jeff will have the crews in our events calendars, and I'll bring you the stories making automotive news this week.
• 0:28
  Don Armstrong: Howdy, along with Mike out of this world, Mars.
• 0:31
  Don Armstrong: We have, as always, we need more Jeff Zeke and David Ainsley's uh listening and looking and going, what?
• 0:39
  Don Armstrong: Why am I wasting my time?
• 0:41
  Don Armstrong: And then there's me, Don Armstrong, and glad that you could join us today.
• 0:44
  Don Armstrong: We really appreciate that.
• 0:47
  Don Armstrong: Uh it's uh it's a beautiful day.
• 0:50
  Don Armstrong: We have had a tremendous amount of rain in the Houston area uh yesterday in particular, and I'll tell you what, it was a gully washer.
• 0:58
  Jeff Dziekan: Yeah, my rain gauge, I got about an inch and a half at my place.
• 1:01
  Don Armstrong: It was a real gully washer out there, and we didn't know what we're gonna wind up being today, but it's a beautiful day here in the Houston, Texas area.
• 1:10
  Don Armstrong: It's yep, sunshine and bird singing.
• 1:13
  Don Armstrong: All right, Mr.
• 1:14
  Don Armstrong: Morris, do we have our guest?
• 1:16
  Mike Marrs: Yes, we do.
• 1:17
  Mike Marrs: All right, uh both of them on right this minute.
• 1:21
  Don Armstrong: All right, Jennifer Maher, CEO of Tech Force Foundation.
• 1:25
  Don Armstrong: She is with us along with Christian Fuhr, and he is an auto tech scholar.
• 1:30
  Don Armstrong: So let's get them.
• 1:31
  Don Armstrong: Jennifer, let's start with you first.
• 1:33
  Don Armstrong: Uh tell me about this scholarship thing that's going on on behalf of Ford Motor Company.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_05: Well, thank you.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, um, I'm with Tech Force Foundation and Ford Philanthropy and the Ford dealers across the country collectively have donated over$11 million since 2023 to Tech Force, supporting students, um, about 2,200 students across 46 states to be able to go get their technical education and uh become auto techs that our country really needs.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_05: I don't know about you, but if your car started today, thank a tech, right, Christian?
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 2:14
  Don Armstrong: So, Christian, let's bring you in on on this as well.
• 2:17
  Don Armstrong: Now, you're a scholar.
• 2:18
  Don Armstrong: How how did you get the title of a scholar?
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: So I was at my job and uh I had just started working for Ford, and my shop foreman asked if I wanted to go to college on you know their behalf to get my certifications and told me kind of what it was gonna be about in the tech force foundation.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um so I said sure and I signed up and I got an email and it was the Tech Force and they I was I was honestly mind-blown.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: It was like only a three-day turnaround from signing up to whenever I had my help.
• 2:56
  Don Armstrong: So, Christian, where are you?
• 2:58
  Don Armstrong: You in the Detroit area?
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: Uh no, sir.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: I am in Dallas, uh, Texas.
• 3:02
  Don Armstrong: In Dallas, okay.
• 3:04
  Don Armstrong: And so there lies the connection between tomorrow's big NASCAR race and Texas.
• 3:10
  Don Armstrong: I I get it.
• 3:11
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, yeah.
• 3:12
  Don Armstrong: Well, that that's great.
• 3:13
  Don Armstrong: So where were you working before you got the uh tap on the shoulder that says, hey, why don't you apply for this?
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh before I was working at QuickCar.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um kind of a smaller lube shop uh for tires and oil changes and lighter mechanical work.
• 3:30
  Don Armstrong: How did they learn about you?
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: Uh QuickCar?
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: No.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: The Ford Foundation.
• 3:36
  Don Armstrong: The Ford Foundation.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, uh, I guess through my job, um, I I left QuickCar to come work for Ford, and I had been here for two months, and then that's whenever my shop foreman asked if I wanted to go uh into college for the tech for for the Ford Ford asset program.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 3:58
  Jeff Dziekan: That's pretty fantastic.
• 4:00
  Jeff Dziekan: Now, were you are are do they did they get a group of y'all together at the dealer and say this is what we're offering you as a program, or do they just single you out?
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so initially I was the only person um but then there was a student who was in his second year of school that needed to go to a dealership, and so he ended up coming to our dealership.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: And then as I'm about to complete my first year of school next next week or two weeks from now, um our our dealership actually hired in five students to go to Asset this year.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, there you go.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_05: So I think that's the beautiful part is Ford Philanthropy partners with Tech Force.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_05: We're a national nonprofit.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_05: And so we work with the schools, the technical schools, community colleges, and then all those Ford dealerships.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_05: And through all that community outreach, whether it's people who are working at the dealerships, apprenticeships, it's students in high school who want to go on to a community college, you know, often they just don't know how to do it or how to pay for it.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_05: And so by all this outreach, we're able to welcome people and say, let us help you in that financial tuition, or maybe it covers costs of attendance like transportation or credentialing fees.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_05: You know, we tell people they can be anything they want in the world, but then we kind of throw them to the wind and expect them to figure it out.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_05: For Christians to be approached and say, hey, we can actually help you connect these dots and get career ready.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, these are high-paid, high-skilled, in-demand jobs now.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_05: And uh, we need people like Christian to kind of fill this whole technician shortage.
• 5:39
  Jeff Dziekan: Christian, we're where where are your goals from here?
• 5:42
  Jeff Dziekan: Now that you're you're in the system and and you say you're gonna be uh graduating pretty soon, what what are your aspirations from this?
• 5:48
  Jeff Dziekan: What what what do you think that you would be best at in the in that dealer or maybe starting your own?
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um lifelong dream is to own my own shop, and um it truly is uh difficult, you know, being a mechanic.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_00: So I have been a mechanic now for about seven years, six six years-ish.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but when I decided to come to Ford, um I was not able to get into the main shop doing heavy line mechanic work, like pulling out engines and transmissions until I had my Ford certifications.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_04: Right.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: And so there's two different routes you can go with that.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: Stay uh stay working at the dealership, and every couple of months or something you might be able to get in line for a classroom that's free, and you just go and take your classroom, and now you have that certification.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: That path of being Ford master certified would take probably four to five years, if not longer.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: The other option is to go to college and to go to the asset program, which is offered by Ford, and that would only take two years, and you would be fully Ford master certified.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: So I chose the college path, but there is an amazing thing to that, which is there's absolutely no way I would have chosen that at all unless it was for the Ford philanthropy, because you know the tuition's expensive, and whenever you're missing out three days a week out of a five-day work week and at work to go to school, that's even further less income that you're making.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: So the philanthropy made literally made my my career a possibility right now.
• 7:36
  Don Armstrong: So, Jennifer, let me ask you how how do you if we don't have some boss or somebody tapping you on the shoulder and say, hey, we're gonna nominate you for this, how can you get involved in this, at least get your name in front of somebody?
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_05: Well, that's it, and that's why we need you know viewers and listeners of yours to be able to know that it's possible for them.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_05: So you can just sign up for a free account at techforce.org, uh forward slash Ford Philanthropy to be able to read more about these Ford scholarships.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_05: Um, but Ford joins all of our other donors at Tech Force.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_05: Uh, Ford's contribution this year, four million dollars in scholarships to 800 students across the country, collectively with other Tech Force donors.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_05: We'll be doing over four and a half six and a half million dollars in scholarships.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_05: Um, but then there's also all the other wraparound services in support from self-esteem to how to pay for housing and childcare, all the other things as Christian described, that you really need kind of a holistic approach to have a plan to get through and into these careers.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_05: And that's where techforce.org kind of wraps around you.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_05: Um, so it's free.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_05: Explore the career, come on, learn what it's like to be an auto tech to go over the wall for one of your favorite teams, you know, dream aviation, welding, there's all types of technical careers.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_05: Um, but in the end of the day, there's a massive shortage, so we need you.
• 9:02
  Don Armstrong: So we don't we don't have to worry too much about the location.
• 9:06
  Don Armstrong: I mean, Detroit is obviously the world center for Ford Motor Company, but uh, like for instance, uh Christian here, he's up in the Dallas Fort Worth area, and I assume that that would go for anybody anywhere in the United States.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_05: It's anywhere.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_05: And again, not everybody wants to go to a four-year university anymore.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_05: The pendulum's swinging in America where all of a sudden people are realizing we need skilled careers, and you're now seeing enrollment in those community colleges and tech schools rising.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_05: So Gen Z wants alternative pathways, and uh, we need that, but it doesn't matter if you're in rural America, urban cities, uh, doesn't matter your state.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_05: Tech force is here to support you, and uh, we really again want that uh solving of this technician shortage.
• 9:53
  Don Armstrong: So, Christian, where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_00: I hope still at Ford.
• 9:59
  Don Armstrong: Well, no, I I understand that, but that's kind of a given.
• 10:03
  Don Armstrong: But uh you hope to uh advance all the way to the management level.
• 10:07
  Don Armstrong: You want to wear a suit and tie, you want to stay in the shop.
• 10:09
  Don Armstrong: What what are your goals?
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I personally would love to stay in the shop.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I think not everybody wants to have the responsibility of being like, let's say, a shop foreman or you know, a team leader for a major department.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: But like I think that's one of my favorite things is helping people with what's in my brain.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I think 10 years from now it would be pretty cool to be a shop foreman or or at least a team leader of the main shop side.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_05: You know, what I love about what you just said, Christian, is we hear this at Tech Force among people all the time.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_05: I want to help people.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_05: And I think there's something really magical about being a technician, is these are problem solvers.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_05: They love working with their hands, they love fixing things, but they love helping people, and they really believe by keeping America rolling, uh, that we're keeping our lifestyle and our families safe and moving on the roads.
• 11:06
  Jeff Dziekan: Well, I think, yeah, Christian's that looks he's a company man, he's at the shop, I believe, right now, aren't you?
• 11:10
  Jeff Dziekan: Taking the interview to shop?
• 11:12
  Jeff Dziekan: I understand because of this, uh Jennifer's gonna give you extra credit for coming on on the show.
• 11:18
  Don Armstrong: On the NWL Time Car Talk Show, yeah, exactly.
• 11:20
  Don Armstrong: And uh, you know, the phone's gonna be ringing off.
• 11:22
  Don Armstrong: Hey, look, we're getting ready for graduation time, and uh everybody's looking for summer work, and uh, you know, it'd be really nice to have some sort of an internship kind of thing, Jennifer.
• 11:33
  Don Armstrong: Is there something like that available now?
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, if you go to techforce.org, go inside the network, right?
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_05: You have to create that free account, log in, get inside Tech Force, and we have student jobs, we have technician jobs, we have free tickets to events like the NASCAR uh races.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_05: So there's all types of things to do.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_05: And if you're looking for exploring this career a little bit more time this summer, please come on and check it out.
• 12:00
  Don Armstrong: Well, it it sounds great.
• 12:01
  Don Armstrong: Well, I'll tell you what, I wish there was something like that back in my day.
• 12:05
  Don Armstrong: I'd have signed up for that.
• 12:07
  Don Armstrong: Yeah.
• 12:07
  Don Armstrong: Um, I I had my my career was short-lived in the automotive industry in what uh Christian is going for.
• 12:15
  Don Armstrong: But I will tell you that um if I had the opportunity to do it again, I think that I would at least explored uh opportunities like you're presenting yourself today.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I would like to add something small to that.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: Um, as far as if you're wanting a career and you're wanting the opportunity that Tech Force can help with, you know, in you choosing that career, um, go to a local Ford dealership and ask to speak to the service department.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: I guarantee almost all of the Ford, you know, dealerships are looking and seeking for students to take part in asset.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: So that's a really surefire way, a quick way of you know getting into this opportunity if if that's something that people would want to do.
• 13:00
  Don Armstrong: Well said.
• 13:01
  Don Armstrong: Well, Jennifer, you know, I uh I'm really impressed uh by Christian and the program that you have to offer here.
• 13:08
  Don Armstrong: And you know, it was by default, I think, that you got to join us today, or was that planned?
• 13:13
  Don Armstrong: You just wanted to say hi to us.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_05: Absolutely.
• 13:20
  Don Armstrong: Are you gonna go to the race tomorrow, Jennifer?
• 13:22
  Don Armstrong: Well, I'm actually in Phoenix, so I think listen, that corporate jet does just fine.
• 13:28
  Don Armstrong: We'll get you right over there in a couple of hours.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_05: There you go.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_05: I'll I'll put a request in.
• 13:33
  Don Armstrong: Do that.
• 13:34
  Don Armstrong: I got you.
• 13:34
  Don Armstrong: Christian will pick you up at the airport.
• 13:36
  Don Armstrong: There they have in a Ford Motor Company car.
• 13:38
  Don Armstrong: There you go.
• 13:39
  Don Armstrong: Uh, Jennifer, Christian, great to talk to you guys.
• 13:41
  Don Armstrong: Thanks so much for explaining the great program, it seems like, and uh, we appreciate you taking the time today.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_05: Thank you.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_05: Okay, great.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_05: Thank you.
• 13:48
  Don Armstrong: Y'all take care.
• 13:49
  Don Armstrong: Best of luck.
• 13:50
  Don Armstrong: Okay.
• 13:50
  Don Armstrong: All right.
• 13:51
  Don Armstrong: Uh, coming up here on the In-Wheel Time Car Talk Show, uh, we have the cruise in and events calendars.
• 13:57
  Don Armstrong: Oh, yeah.
• 13:58
  Don Armstrong: And uh we got some other good stuff coming here.
• 14:01
  Don Armstrong: Come on, little tick boy.
• 14:02
  Don Armstrong: We invite you to stay with us here on the in-wheel time car talk show.
• 14:05
  Don Armstrong: We continue right after this break.
• 14:07
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• 15:33
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• 15:44
  Don Armstrong: And of course, if you miss it, you can catch a 30-minute podcast of this show from your favorite podcast store.
• 15:50
  Don Armstrong: It's free.
• 15:51
  Don Armstrong: And we thank you for joining us today.
• 15:54
  Don Armstrong: All right, time now for the cruise in and events calendars.
• 15:58
  Don Armstrong: It's that time of the year, Jeffrey, where lots is going on.
• 16:01
  Jeff Dziekan: There's hundreds out there, so if you don't know where to go, you can you can Google anything, use the interweb, and it'll take you to whatever you want to see.
• 16:08
  Jeff Dziekan: But we're going to start out with we just had Tammy Dooley on there.
• 16:11
  Jeff Dziekan: Next week, May 9th, is the Granbury Car Club show.
• 16:15
  Jeff Dziekan: This is separate from the what we're going to see.
• 16:18
  Jeff Dziekan: This is at uh Jerry Durant Chevrolet Buick GMC.
• 16:21
  Jeff Dziekan: It's at 1909 East Highway 377 in Granberry.
• 16:25
  Jeff Dziekan: Uh it's the event will be from 10 to 2.
• 16:29
  Jeff Dziekan: It'll feature a raffle.
• 16:30
  Jeff Dziekan: There's going to be five trophies for the judge's choice, and the first hundred empty entries will receive a goodie bag.
• 16:36
  Jeff Dziekan: And who does not like a goodie bag?
• 16:38
  Jeff Dziekan: We do.
• 16:38
  Jeff Dziekan: Depends on what's in goodies.
• 16:41
  Jeff Dziekan: Okay.
• 16:41
  Jeff Dziekan: And then you got hot rods and muscle car cruising at Whataburger.
• 16:45
  Jeff Dziekan: This is in uh Shavano Park, which is in San Antonio area.
• 16:48
  Jeff Dziekan: It's at 4050 North Loop, 1604 West.
• 16:51
  Jeff Dziekan: It's May 9th from uh 6 p.m.
• 16:53
  Jeff Dziekan: to 10 p.m.
• 16:54
  Jeff Dziekan: So it's an evening cruise.
• 16:56
  Jeff Dziekan: Hot rods, muscle cars, all that stuff takes place on Saturday.
• 16:59
  Jeff Dziekan: Weather permitting, of course, because they have to say that because it may cancel.
• 17:03
  Jeff Dziekan: The events, uh, crude hot rods, muscle car owners.
• 17:06
  Jeff Dziekan: I'll be out there.
• 17:07
  Jeff Dziekan: Any information you can find the flyer on their website.
• 17:10
  Jeff Dziekan: You can go to Hot Rods and Muscle Cars Cruising.
• 17:13
  Jeff Dziekan: And then uh Don, we've got one that's it's the Damn Car Show.
• 17:16
  Jeff Dziekan: It's at uh committed.
• 17:17
  Jeff Dziekan: The damn car show.
• 17:18
  Jeff Dziekan: The damn car show.
• 17:19
  Jeff Dziekan: It's a cold spring.
• 17:19
  Jeff Dziekan: Another damn car show or just the damn car show?
• 17:22
  Jeff Dziekan: It's the uh the damn car show.
• 17:23
  Jeff Dziekan: It's at 5H Ranch Outdoor Venue in Cold Springs.
• 17:27
  Jeff Dziekan: Uh it's Lake Livingston area.
• 17:29
  Jeff Dziekan: 22 awards, 50 dash plaques available, 50-50 spleet, pot raffle, uh all dash products.
• 17:35
  Don Armstrong: Back in the day, I I used to go for dash plaques.
• 17:38
  Don Armstrong: Dash plaques, yeah.
• 17:39
  Don Armstrong: Gates opened.
• 17:42
  Jeff Dziekan: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 17:42
  Jeff Dziekan: Uh that concludes it too, food beverages, and all that stuff.
• 17:45
  Jeff Dziekan: So take your damn kids, take your damn wife out there.
• 17:47
  Don Armstrong: Um is it next to the dam or something?
• 17:49
  Don Armstrong: Because this is D A M.
• 17:51
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, yeah.
• 17:51
  Don Armstrong: The dam car, so not D A M N.
• 17:53
  Jeff Dziekan: Well, you know, you can spill it any way you want.
• 17:55
  Jeff Dziekan: It's at 864 Camellia Lake Road.
• 17:58
  Jeff Dziekan: Take take take that out there.
• 18:00
  Jeff Dziekan: And then you got rides and pies.
• 18:01
  Jeff Dziekan: Who doesn't like pie?
• 18:02
  Jeff Dziekan: It's at 11330 Panther.
• 18:05
  Jeff Dziekan: What are you talking about?
• 18:05
  Jeff Dziekan: Parkway, May 9th from 11 to 1.
• 18:08
  Jeff Dziekan: It's in Frisco, Texas, which is in the Dallas Fort Worth area.
• 18:11
  Jeff Dziekan: Uh, it's at Halo, Pizzeria, and Frisco.
• 18:13
  Jeff Dziekan: Cars, motorcycles, owners invited.
• 18:15
  Jeff Dziekan: Wait a minute.
• 18:16
  Don Armstrong: I thought we were talking about pies.
• 18:17
  Don Armstrong: Yeah.
• 18:18
  Don Armstrong: Oh.
• 18:18
  Don Armstrong: Pizza pie.
• 18:19
  Don Armstrong: Pizza pie.
• 18:20
  Don Armstrong: I know.
• 18:20
  Jeff Dziekan: I was thinking of lemon meringue and cherry and apple and all that pie stuff.
• 18:26
  Jeff Dziekan: Uh park up front confirmation, uh, pizza slices and drinks.
• 18:31
  Jeff Dziekan: First, first few registerants, get that free slice.
• 18:34
  Jeff Dziekan: And then you got uh Crazy Train Car Meets.
• 18:36
  Jeff Dziekan: This is May 10th.
• 18:37
  Jeff Dziekan: It's a Sunday, 3 through 7.
• 18:39
  Jeff Dziekan: Crazy Train?
• 18:40
  Jeff Dziekan: Yeah, in Magnolia.
• 18:41
  Jeff Dziekan: It's a 38925 FM 1774.
• 18:45
  Jeff Dziekan: Uh Speed Bump Classics is putting this on.
• 18:48
  Jeff Dziekan: It's open to automotive and motorcycle enthusiasm.
• 18:50
  Jeff Dziekan: Speed bump classics.
• 18:51
  Jeff Dziekan: No, it's the story of our life.
• 18:53
  Jeff Dziekan: Uh and Ven encourages respectful behavior, so it's a family-friendly event.
• 18:56
  Jeff Dziekan: The last one we got good old Willis Classic Car Cruisers in the U.S.
• 19:01
  Jeff Dziekan: We haven't talked about them in a while, but we're talking about them now.
• 19:04
  Jeff Dziekan: It's at the DM True Value Hardware Store in Willis, Montgomery Road.
• 19:08
  Jeff Dziekan: So go out there again, check your internet.
• 19:10
  Jeff Dziekan: There's they're all over the place.
• 19:13
  Don Armstrong: You know, they used to not be.
• 19:14
  Don Armstrong: By the way, uh, I don't know whether you guys, Mars, you're included in this.
• 19:19
  Don Armstrong: Do you realize that next weekend we'll mark our 15th anniversary on this program?
• 19:24
  Don Armstrong: How about that?
• 19:25
  Mike Marrs: Yes, sir.
• 19:26
  Don Armstrong: You are aware of that.
• 19:27
  Mike Marrs: I I'm aware of that.
• 19:28
  Don Armstrong: I yeah, I was uh Well, were you gonna surprise us with something?
• 19:32
  Mike Marrs: No, no.
• 19:33
  Mike Marrs: I I got some other.
• 19:36
  Mike Marrs: But it just it I got to thinking about it, you know.
• 19:40
  Mike Marrs: That's a long time.
• 19:42
  Jeff Dziekan: Yes, I haven't been on 15 years.
• 19:45
  Jeff Dziekan: Well well close.
• 19:47
  Don Armstrong: But the the the program is you know May the 7th, 2011 was our first show on the radio.
• 19:55
  Jeff Dziekan: And he knows this because uh the folder he keeps his uh information for the show is the same folder he had 15 years ago.
• 20:03
  Jeff Dziekan: It is, honest to God.
• 20:04
  Jeff Dziekan: It is because there's the day's right there.
• 20:07
  Don Armstrong: I don't know why I won't get a new folder, but why?
• 20:09
  Don Armstrong: It's perfect.
• 20:10
  Don Armstrong: It is.
• 20:10
  Don Armstrong: It's lasting 15 years.
• 20:12
  Don Armstrong: 15 years.
• 20:13
  Mike Marrs: You won't get another one in the last 15 years, that's for sure.
• 20:16
  Don Armstrong: We're just gonna run out in two weeks.
• 20:19
  Don Armstrong: I don't know if that'll last another.
• 20:23
  Don Armstrong: Okay.
• 20:23
  Don Armstrong: Uh European luxury brands, have some of the headlines this week.
• 20:26
  Don Armstrong: European luxury brands such as BMW and Mercedes losing their grip on Chinese buyers as a fundamental shift redefines automotive prestige.
• 20:35
  Don Armstrong: And I tell you this, this is the one that I uh spoke about in our tease earlier that today about how things that happen in China ultimately wind up making or having an influence here in the United States.
• 20:47
  Don Armstrong: Younger generations value software capabilities over brand heritage.
• 20:53
  Don Armstrong: According to a software executive whose company works with virtually all major automakers, the time is running out for legacy automakers that fail to transition quickly as the younger tech savvy generations become the dominant buyers for new vehicles over the next five years, according to Miao Lu.
• 21:12
  Don Armstrong: Miao M-I-A-O, Miao.
• 21:17
  Don Armstrong: Director of Technology Strategy at QT Group.
• 21:20
  Don Armstrong: I thought it was M E O W.
• 21:22
  Don Armstrong: M No it's not.
• 21:23
  Don Armstrong: That's why I spelled it.
• 21:25
  Don Armstrong: The Finland-based company provides software frameworks for automotive interfaces and cockpit systems, works with Mercedes, Volkswagen, General Motors, Ford, and several Chinese automakers.
• 21:36
  Don Armstrong: The SDV market is set to grow to$1.19 trillion by 3036 from$470 billion this year, according to consultancy research and markets.
• 21:51
  Don Armstrong: Growth is driven by AI, 5G, cloud computing, and consumer demand for smartphone like experiences in vehicles.
• 22:00
  Don Armstrong: Such as app stores, over-the-year updates, and seamless connectivity.
• 22:05
  Don Armstrong: Western automakers must treat software as the primary value driver, offering tech-centric features that appeal to younger buyers rather than relying on brand heritage, this Lao Lu person says.
• 22:20
  Don Armstrong: While legacy brands struggle to adapt, emerging Chinese automakers are becoming aggressive global competitors.
• 22:27
  Don Armstrong: International car makers' share of China's light vehicle market fell to 31% in 2025 from 56% in 2017.
• 22:36
  Don Armstrong: The story goes on and on.
• 22:38
  Don Armstrong: I mean, it's it's more involved.
• 22:39
  Don Armstrong: And but the whole focus basically is on AI.
• 22:43
  Don Armstrong: That's where it's all going to AI.
• 22:45
  Don Armstrong: And these younger, our our grandchildren are coming up, they're expecting AI in the car to basically take over everything.
• 22:54
  Don Armstrong: Obviously, a lot of it has to do with self-driving features.
• 22:57
  Don Armstrong: That's AI.
• 23:00
  Don Armstrong: The uh power of the stack, Tesla is a prime example of an automaker with a vehicle architecture built from the ground up for AI, giving it an advantage over legacy automakers retrofitting software onto older platforms.
• 23:13
  Don Armstrong: Tesla has transitioned to a broader tech ecosystem, applying its automotive AI expertise to robotics.
• 23:20
  Don Armstrong: He said the automakers should also view software as a standalone product that can be leveraged across industries.
• 23:28
  Don Armstrong: And I bring this up, and that is the General Motors decision to not include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
• 23:39
  Don Armstrong: You gotta pay for it.
• 23:40
  Don Armstrong: Well, through their own app, basically uh the uh OnStar.
• 23:46
  Jeff Dziekan: You did a story last week on that.
• 23:47
  Don Armstrong: That's what I'm saying.
• 23:48
  Don Armstrong: Yes, exactly.
• 23:49
  Don Armstrong: And uh so are they are they barking up the wrong tree?
• 23:53
  Don Armstrong: They usually do.
• 23:55
  Don Armstrong: I mean, it is General Motors that is based in Detroit, uh day late and a dollar short, but Mary Barra is still making her$29 billion.
• 24:04
  Jeff Dziekan: But you bring up the the younger generation and driving and AI my mind went to drag racing.
• 24:11
  Jeff Dziekan: Could you use AI and like a funny car, top fuel funny car, to make that vehicle go down the road?
• 24:18
  Don Armstrong: By the rules.
• 24:19
  Jeff Dziekan: That's what I'm thinking.
• 24:20
  Jeff Dziekan: You know, but what's gonna change there?
• 24:22
  Don Armstrong: Well, here's what's gonna happen is that it's all gonna be from pro stock automobiles.
• 24:27
  Don Armstrong: And that whole thing is evolving.
• 24:29
  Don Armstrong: You know, they're going back to that great big ugly hood scoop.
• 24:33
  Jeff Dziekan: Uh Erica Enders ran uh she didn't run a pro stock, she ran what's the step low?
• 24:37
  Jeff Dziekan: It's the uh uh Mountain stock alcohol or whatever yet.
• 24:41
  Jeff Dziekan: Oh, the top alcohol drive she ran one of those.
• 24:43
  Jeff Dziekan: I saw uh a test run of it.
• 24:45
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, she's she's getting into other things these days.
• 24:48
  Jeff Dziekan: And her sister's marketing company is sponsoring a car.
• 24:50
  Don Armstrong: And her sister is pregnant.
• 24:52
  Jeff Dziekan: I did not know that.
• 24:53
  Jeff Dziekan: Uh but she's sponsoring a car or a team uh at this week's race, I believe, in Texas.
• 24:57
  Jeff Dziekan: Okay.
• 24:58
  Mike Marrs: But but where where are they going to do this?
• 25:01
  Mike Marrs: I mean, if you look at incorporate AI.
• 25:04
  Mike Marrs: I I'm not quite seeing that because the drivers have got so good at cutting lights.
• 25:09
  Mike Marrs: I mean, they're they're not gonna be able to do that.
• 25:11
  Don Armstrong: Oh, I don't think it's I don't think it's gonna be that necessarily.
• 25:14
  Don Armstrong: I think that it's going to be more along the lines of engine tuning.
• 25:18
  Jeff Dziekan: Yeah.
• 25:18
  Don Armstrong: Uh and it'll be on the spot, on the fly, engine tuning, whatever the wheels bl break loose, and AI will take over all of that and control the wheel spin.
• 25:27
  Don Armstrong: And it'll be I think that it's gonna go in a different direction, and I think that a lot of it's gonna have to be formed by the young kids, basically the rice rockets that are out on the streets these days.
• 25:40
  Don Armstrong: I mean a thousand horsepower easily out of four-cylinder engines, and they're doing it.
• 25:44
  Jeff Dziekan: Well, you could ask AI, what's the thickness of the copper gasket on my head for this quarter mile run or thousand foot run?
• 25:50
  Mike Marrs: I mean, is all that information gonna be uh uh glommed from AI and hey, what what is the stroke and dimensions and I think they're doing a lot of that now, but I think like Don was saying, it's gonna be more of where it a control device.
• 26:04
  Mike Marrs: Uh you know, the tires break loose.
• 26:06
  Mike Marrs: I mean, Chrysler's got something similar there for their launch.
• 26:10
  Mike Marrs: And so you could do the same thing.
• 26:12
  Mike Marrs: The computer says, Oh, the tires are broke loose, so I'm going to transfer the tires power over to this tire or that tire.
• 26:17
  Mike Marrs: I I could see that more.
• 26:18
  Mike Marrs: I was kind of going more of taking helping the driver, but I can see where that would be more productive.
• 26:24
  Don Armstrong: Okay, so now put your hat on for being an actual official with NHRA trying to find that on your car.
• 26:34
  Mike Marrs: But is it illegal?
• 26:35
  Mike Marrs: Is it illegal?
• 26:35
  Don Armstrong: Oh, well, probably we don't know.
• 26:37
  Don Armstrong: Not yet that I'm aware of, but I'm sure I know that there are regulations as far as what you can plug into your car, especially in uh the class of that Stan Holt runs, say for instance.
• 26:49
  Jeff Dziekan: And if you're winning consistently, they're gonna think you're doing something illegal.
• 26:52
  Jeff Dziekan: So that's just the way the the cookie crumbles.
• 26:55
  Don Armstrong: Or the tire spins.
• 26:57
  Jeff Dziekan: Yeah, or yeah, there you go.
• 26:59
  Jeff Dziekan: Just thought I'd bring that up.
• 27:00
  Jeff Dziekan: Yeah, no.
• 27:01
  Jeff Dziekan: Since we're in that we are we're a car talk show.
• 27:03
  Don Armstrong: All right.
• 27:04
  Don Armstrong: Well, um, it's been an interesting 30 minutes there in this past segment.
• 27:08
  Don Armstrong: Thank you for that, Mr.
• 27:09
  Don Armstrong: Mars, lining up that guest.
• 27:10
  Don Armstrong: That was good.
• 27:11
  Don Armstrong: We didn't really know what we were gonna get into with because I didn't quite fully understand it, but now that I've we don't never get to know what we're gonna get into when we show up.
• 27:20
  Jeff Dziekan: Well, that that's that's that yeah.
• 27:22
  Don Armstrong: Mike, you know.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_04: Surprised.
• 27:24
  Don Armstrong: Surprised.
• 27:25
  Don Armstrong: We're not gonna be on the air today because fill in the blank.
• 27:30
  Don Armstrong: Well, uh coming up in the next hour, we're going to talk to the president of the Lone Star Jeep Club, Tim Mahaffey, find out what's going on with them in the world of Jeep and clubbing and that sort of thing.
• 27:41
  Don Armstrong: So we invite you to stay tuned for that.
• 27:43
  Don Armstrong: And then later on in the next hour, we'll also have our what the new car, old car sold for.
• 27:49
  Don Armstrong: We always love to do that.
• 27:51
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, it gets gets everybody involved.
• 27:53
  Don Armstrong: All right.
• 27:53
  Don Armstrong: Uh hey, if you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an email.
• 27:56
  Don Armstrong: The address is info at inwheeltime.com.
• 27:59
  Don Armstrong: We're back after this quick break.
• 28:02
  Don Armstrong: The Tex Max dining experience is defined by Lupi Tortilla, your destination for Texas's best beef fajitas and frozen margaritas.
• 28:10
  Don Armstrong: Since 1983, Lupi Tortilla has served authentic and time-tested recipes made with the freshest ingredients.
• 28:17
  Don Armstrong: Atmosphere is part of the award-winning experience at Lupi Tortilla, all developed in a little house near Highway 6 and I-10 in Houston.
• 28:24
  Don Armstrong: Visit any of the Loopy Tortillas and you'll see the same attention to detail in each and every location.
• 28:29
  Don Armstrong: Start your loopy experience with queso flamingato and guacamole, along with a classic frozen margarita.
• 28:35
  Don Armstrong: Dine on famous loopy beef and chicken fajitas or pepper shrimp brochette, or a fish or vegetarian entree, and finish with a scrumptious vlan for dessert.
• 28:43
  Don Armstrong: Find loopy tortilla in Houston, College Station, Beaumont, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas, Fort Worth.
• 28:49
  Don Armstrong: There's a Texas location near you.
• 28:50
  Don Armstrong: The recipes are authentic and time-tested.
• 28:53
  Don Armstrong: The ingredients always fresh.
• 28:55
  Don Armstrong: Loopy tortilla is pretty good.
• 29:02
  Don Armstrong: The N-Wheel Time Car Talk Show thanks you for 15 wonderful years.
• 29:06
  Don Armstrong: Yep, our first show aired May 7th, 2011, on the local radio station.
• 29:10
  Don Armstrong: Then it was a move to the digital world and social media, and you followed.
• 29:13
  Don Armstrong: Thank you.
• 29:14
  Don Armstrong: We continue to build and grow our fan base, and it's all because of you and your auto-enthusiast friends.
• 29:19
  Don Armstrong: We appreciate your support.
• 29:20
  Don Armstrong: It's always great to see you at our remote broadcast, too, and we hope you'll continue to stop by and say hello.
• 29:25
  Don Armstrong: It's been a great ride, and we hope to bring you more fun and adventure right here on the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show.
• 29:33
  Don Armstrong: That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time Car Show.
• 29:36
  Don Armstrong: I'm Don Armstrong, inviting you to join us for our live show every Saturday morning on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and our InWheeltime.com website.
• 29:47
  Don Armstrong: Podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Podcast, Podcast Addict, TuneIn, Pandora, and Amazon Music.
• 29:55
  Don Armstrong: Keep listening, and we'll see you soon.