Latest / In Wheel Time Podcast / Inside The Texas Muscle Car Club Challenge: Growth, Classes, And 2026 Plans

Transcript

Inside The Texas Muscle Car Club Challenge: Growth, Classes, And 2026 Plans · In Wheel Time Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to another In Wheel Time podcast.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_01: It is the award-winning In Wheel Time Car Talk Show.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_01: Just ahead, Scott Stregel.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_01: Texas Muscle Car Club Challenge.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_01: You'll find out about it and uh the final standings for the year.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_01: Plus, Jeff will have the crews in and events calendars, and I'll bring his stories making automotive news headlines this week.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: Howdy, along with Mike out of this world bars.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: He's here today, oddly enough.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_01: We need more Jeff Zeken, Chief Engineer David Ainsley.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Don Armstrong.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for joining us today.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_01: Scott Streakel, Muscle Car Texas Muscle Car Club Challenge.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: Scott, good morning.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Good morning.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: How are you?
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: I am good.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: Can't complain.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: Lots of stuff to do, getting ready for our interseason banquet and stuff like that.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm pretty busy at these.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: Or you're gonna have the banquet this year.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: The banquet's gonna be at the Star Golf.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_03: Very nice.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um it's called the Star.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um we're doing fajita bar this year.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll have beef and chicken fajitas, all the fixings, you know, rice, charro beans, so on and so forth.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um what what what time does that start?
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, really.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we'll be there.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: I know that we got the invitation.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's somewhere.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: I I've misplaced it, I guess.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's on December 13th, starts at six o'clock in the evening time.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: Goes until about six.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: Mars will be there.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_01: He'll he'll find him in the bar about 4, 4:30.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_02: I gotta warm it all up.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_02: There you go.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: That's it.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: So there's that.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_01: All right.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_01: Well, let's talk about the Texas Muscle Car Club Challenge.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um it's an event within usually another event, is it not?
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Well, we are getting to the point where we try to be standalone.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um so what do you do?
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: You go on a rent runner.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, we don't we have an agreement with the drag strip.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um they get a cut of every tech card, and they get a cut of every spectator, and then we get a cut as well.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: So at the end of the day, I'm gonna say we're making about$2,500 each race, and the track is probably making$5,000 each race.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: That's on top of the day.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: Huh?
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: That's not paying per day of anything.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_01: The uh the actual Muscle Car Club challenge, though, didn't start off that way, did it?
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: 40 years ago, 41 years ago, no, it didn't.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: Um I remember it well.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_01: I remember it well, Scott.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_01: I I uh you were just uh uh a grasshopper back.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_01: I was building a spine, yeah.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: Right, there you go.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: But but it's evolved quite a bit to where we're running, you know, let's say uh our last race of the season at Extreme in uh Ferris, we were 140 cars.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_01: Wow, I didn't know it was that has it has grown to that point.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: I will give you an average when we are in that that would be at the motorplex or at Innes, we're averaging about 130 cars per race.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: When we go out of town, which would be Houston or um Concho Valley, somewhere like that, or up to Oklahoma, we're averaging about 80 to 85 per race.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_02: Man, that thing that thing is gross.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and it's strictly a day race, typically on Sunday.
• 3:43
  unknown: Correct.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_02: Mostly on Sundays.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: I will say this um the in town race, and we're kind of graduating towards towards doing the out-of-town races on Saturdays, uh, starting at three o'clock in the afternoon and getting done around midnight.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: That way, people that have to go to work on Mondays, you know, aren't traveling along because we got some guys, I'm telling you, that come four, five, six, seven hours away.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: So I don't want to get them home at midnight and then have them get up to you know go to work at six o'clock in the morning on Sunday morning.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: That's just crazy.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's not gonna work too much.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_01: So let's talk about this past season, how things have been.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_01: Fantastic.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: We um I scored 14 races.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: We we had uh three of those get washed out of weather, which was my my plan all along, instead of scheduling 10 and then having makeup races, which always seemed to occur during July or August.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: I said, let's schedule 14.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: If we can get out, we just cancel the rest of the race, period.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: That way we don't have to pull around states getting into somebody's vacation, you know, what have you.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and by and large, it went really well.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: I I had very, very few complaints, had a lot of um compliments, especially uh about Britney Leslie.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: She does all of my marketing, uh, all of my advertising and all of my social media stuff.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um something new that I've started this year.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_02: She's done a great job.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_02: I've noticed that real quick about how much more uh active all that has gotten to be with the images that you've got out there of the actual races and things.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's been really impressive this year.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: And it's not only just us, it's us go to Houston.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: Well, she's advertising that track as well as us.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: So they're getting as well as TMCCC is getting benefits.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I think the only thing we might change next year is get her an assistant that can change, you know, take pictures and and and videos and stuff like that so we can get them posted, especially with adding our new class uh for TV vehicles.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: We want to promote that, and I think she needs somebody to help her out there so she's not trying to race and do all that stuff on her own.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_01: Interesting.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, who were the what were the classes and uh what trophies did you hand out for those classes?
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: Well, uh we have the 5A class, which is a big club, and that first place went to Red River Motor uh Muscle Club, which is my my team.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um not only am I the president of KMCCC, but I also run that team as well.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we took first place in that for the second year in a row.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um the 4A was oh, you're gonna make me look it up.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: No, it's not gonna make you do anything.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_01: Sorry.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to worry about it.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so how many how many classes are there?
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: There's four, or excuse me, five A, which is large.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: Uh that'd be anything over uh 16 vehicles, I think it is.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um then there's 4A, which is gonna be seven, 15 vehicles per race, and then there's three A, which is all the smaller uh clubs out there.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um so each of those classes, so each of those classes uh have different cars and different, I guess, areas of which they race in, correct?
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: Correct.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: Um even though everybody competes against everybody, and what I mean by that is a 5A car will compete against a 3A car, um the 3A cars are competing, so to speak, against their own division for points.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: So it's incumbent upon them not only to beat the 5A car, but to continue on so that they garner as many points as possible throughout each event.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_02: So so it's not based on the performance of the car per se.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, so you could end up with a 5A car and a 3A car that are basically a heads-up match.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_02: Am I understanding that right now?
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_02: Almost.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: Almost.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you we are bracket racing.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um and and the bracket serves not separated by a whole so for instance.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: I compete in the company in my bracket are within a couple of tenths of a second, top to bottom.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: Well, a couple of tenths a second is huge.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: That makes sense.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_01: When it comes to now, are you eighth mile, half a mile, quarter mile?
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_01: What are you?
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_00: We are eighth mile mostly.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: We only have uh at this point, we only have one track that's quarter mile, and then that would be the most motorplex.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: Um waiting for next to try to get us in at Pine Valley, which is a quarter mile, and get us back up Intervalley, which is quarter mile.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: Unfortunately, we only allow quarter mile uh racing to be done with the street tire classes, um which we have stock street and king, but they basically are tree cars more or less.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um race car, race cars are they're doing eighth miles.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: That's what they're geared toward.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um the tracks around here are eighth mile, as you guys well know.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, we we're gonna be able to do that.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_01: That's where a quick change rear end comes in handy from time to time.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_01: It's only money, Scott.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, what the heck?
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: Those kinds of things that none of us would have the money to to to afford to do.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_01: So uh when when did you start when did you start racing?
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_02: I think you're you're kind of getting in and out on it, Scott.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, that uh that uh telephone line connection that you've got there, Scott, is finally catching up to you.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, I try I tried to get off that AOL dial-up a long time ago, and they just didn't have it.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: That I've been around so long.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_01: Because I think that's where I started as uh AOL dial-up.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, there is that.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: Were the day, man, when dial-up was the thing.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that's all there was.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's all there was chinking.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_01: Well, Scott, uh congratulations to you for what I understand is a great season.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_01: And uh, I understand that uh you've got uh more goodness coming for 2026.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_01: When does that season start for you?
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: We're hoping to start in the middle of March.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I still haven't got some dates yet uh from uh the tracks that I'd like.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: I I only have two iron in ironclad dates um down the little river, but I'm working on getting a start in the middle of March.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we'll go the spring session until the end of June, and then we'll start up again on the uh beginning of September and we'll go to the uh end of October for the fall session.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, sounds good.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_01: So uh what's the website?
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: That would be tmcc.org.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um, from there you can see everything, all of our rules, brackets, classes, pictures, almost everything you want to know.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: And my phone number and web, uh excuse me, my email and phone number and all of the executive council emails and phone numbers are on there.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_00: So if anybody has questions, they are more than than uh welcome asked.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_01: Well, Scott, we look forward to working with you again next year for 2026.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um absolutely.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: We're hoping we can get into Pine Valley and maybe drag you guys out there some Saturday and and uh see us out there.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_01: You never know.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's right.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_01: It depends on what kind of underwear Mars is wearing.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_01: Careful what you wish for.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, exactly.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_01: Scott, it's great to talk to you.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_01: Tell everybody we said hello, and we'll talk to you again soon.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_02: All right, man.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, take care.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_02: You guys have a good day.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_01: Sorry, I didn't mean to cut him off.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_01: I thought he was done, but whether the glitch we couldn't do.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, the connection there was spotty at best.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_02: It's like we were talking past each other.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_02: He was hearing what we were saying, but it wasn't.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, he doesn't have the uh you know 10 gigawatt connection that we do wherever he is.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_01: It's sort of like marriage.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_01: Like I said, it's it's uh that's that AML dial-up.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_01: There you go.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_01: Or did he say that?
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_01: Whatever.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, he said it.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um coming up, Jeff's cruise in and events calendars, and I'll have the stories making automotive news headlines this week.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_01: Stay with us here on the award-winning in-wheel time card talk show.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_01: We'll continue after this break.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_01: The Tailpipes and Tacos Christmas Edition 2025 happens Saturday, December 13th, from 8 to 11 a.m., and you want to be a part of it.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_01: Tailpipes and Tacos is the cruise in everyone wants to attend.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_01: And the Christmas edition is extra special.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_01: Donate an unwrapped new toy and help yourself to a free Loopy Tortilla Breakfast Taco.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_01: Velvey Adult Beverage is available for purchase too.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_01: And don't forget your ride.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_01: Just cruise in and you're automatically registered to compete for one of three famous chili pepper trophies.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_01: Best Hot Rod, Best Classic, and Best Modern Classic.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_01: Tail Pipes and Tacos Christmas Edition will be held Saturday, December 13th, 8 to 11 a.m.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_01: at the Loopy Tortilla Tex-Mex, located at 703 West Grand Parkway, just south of the Katy Freeway in Katy.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, and don't forget to bring the kids.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_01: There'll be special trophies and goodie bags for them too.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_01: It's the Tailpipes and Tacos Christmas Edition 25, Saturday, December 13th, 8 to 11 a.m.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_01: at the Loopy Tortilla Tex-Mex at 703 West Grand Parkway in Katy.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_01: Bring a toy, get a free breakfast taco, and enjoy the camaraderie.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_01: In Wheel Time will be there too.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_01: Apple or Android InWheel Time podcasts can be found everywhere, on the stream and through downloads.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_01: Whether you're on the road or at home and Jones in for a different kind of car talk show, give In Wheel Time a try.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_01: Honest new car reviews, fun, informative interviews with real car people, weekly automotive news, features like Jeff's car culture and Mike's driving destinations, all on In Wheel Time.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_01: Check us out on Sirius XM Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or while you're shopping on Amazon through Amazon Music.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_01: Mm-hmm.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_01: InWheeltime.com has a list, and we know you love lists.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_01: I think that we're watching ourselves.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_03: Are we?
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_01: I can't see this.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_01: Hollywood lights are in my eyes.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_02: I can't.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_02: That's why you wear sunglasses, you know.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_02: That's cheap sunglasses.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_02: Really?
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_02: That's that's the reason why?
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_02: Why not?
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: Perfect.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: All right.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I'll I've got some in the next one.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_01: Where are we going?
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna dig those out.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_01: Come out with the cruise in an events calendar.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's where we're at.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: Cool.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: All right.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_03: I'm glad somebody I'm glad somebody's paying attention, dang it.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_03: O'Reilly's cruising the coast car show.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_03: This is actually today from 8 to 4.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_03: This is down in El Campo, Texas.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_03: So you still got time to get down there.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_03: It's at 2116 North Mechanic Street in El Campo.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, the event begins with a cruise that participants can start at any of the five O'Reilly's.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_03: And then they uh in El Campo, Wharton, Bay City, West Columbia, and Palacious.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_03: Participants who visit all five stores will receive an additional 10 points added into their scorecard because it is an event.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_03: So it's uh goes to approximately 3:30, 4 o'clock this afternoon.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_03: So get out there and enjoy that.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_03: It's gonna be a cool event.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_03: Next one we've got a car show and audio competition for all of the people that like the big decibels going on there.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_03: This is actually in Corpus Christi, South Texas Race Ranch, is where it's gonna be going on.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, it's a competition.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_03: Uh the event begins with setup at 9 a.m., which is going on right now.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_03: Uh awards will be presented at 4 o'clock.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_03: There's a$25 entrance fee.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, there's a lot of stuff going on there, a lot of things for the kiddos and and have you ever been to one of those VB race?
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_03: A long, long time ago.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_03: Long, long time ago.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_03: That's when they had you know Casio radios in the car and all that.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_03: Long time ago.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_03: The next one is 17th Annual Harvest Festival.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_03: This is going on next weekend.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_03: It's from 9 to noon.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_03: And where's it at?
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_03: Well, it's going to be uh in Sugarland, Texas, right down the road from where the studio is at here.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_03: Goes from 9 a.m.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_03: to noon.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_03: Organizers uh they postponed the event due to weather last time.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_03: Uh celebration, rides, attractions, all kinds of good stuff.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_03: There's a$10 uh fee for a wristband to access all the rides for the kiddos, and that's at 1200 Walker School Road in Sugarland, Texas.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_03: Uh Mike knows where it's at.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_03: 2520 uh 2025 Pecan Harvest Festival.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_03: This is next weekend in Richmond, Texas, from 10 to 5.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_03: Uh takes place at the historic downtown Richmond, Texas.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_03: Well, we're in Richmond right now, so it's not far from here as well.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_03: Uh 10 to 5, hosted by the Rotary Club of Richmond.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_03: Visitors expect to see car shows, unique vendors, all kinds of good stuff.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_03: Go out there and enjoy it.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_03: There's many, many more things coming up for toy drives.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_03: You see the loopy tortillo ad we have.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_03: So get out there, enjoy it.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_03: Falls coming, good weather, good cars.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I just wanted to fit in.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_01: And uh the only problem is that I have to put my uh readers over the top of the sunglasses because the sunglasses are dark enough, it kind of blacks it out.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_02: You can't really see them well.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_02: It just looks like you've got super thick lenses.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, either that or I look like Stevie Wonder.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_03: One of the I think you're a little shorter than he is.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_03: Is that what it is?
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_03: I thought that there was some something.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_03: Something's not right.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_03: Something's awry there.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_02: In the movie I saw, yeah, you're shorter.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I just thought that hey, those are my$20 sunglasses that I paid a lot of money for at uh Academy.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_01: Kathy's got a pair of sunglasses that are$200.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_01: This is$20, which is way too much likely to be.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, yeah.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_01: All right, some of the stories making headlines this week.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_01: Volkswagen Group and Rivian.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_01: What a pair.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_01: Volkswagen Group and Rivian have ambitions of selling electric vehicle technology.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_01: Uh-oh.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_01: They are developing together to other automakers in the future.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_01: Well, here's my suggestion run the other way.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_01: Their joint venture, known as RV Tech, somebody in the marketing department had a field day with that, I'm sure, said it has made solid progress on delivering the EV electrical and software platform that VW needs to compete with Tesla in Chinese rivals.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_01: Really?
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_01: VW is grappling with tariffs in the U.S., shrinking deliveries in China, and muted demand in Europe.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_01: I like that muted demand.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: As part of its push to cut costs and bolster sales, it's turning to Rivian for the kind of software and EV technology its initial battery-powered models were missing.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_01: The automaker is investing up to$5.8 billion.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, we only need one billion here on the In Will Time Show.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_01: We're very cost effective.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_03: Absolutely.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_03: Efficient.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_03: Efficient and frugal.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_01: I thought you'd like to know before we destroy the story.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_01: Okay?
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_01: Just going there.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_01: How about you?
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_01: Another Chinese automaker, Cherry, Cherry, Cherry, uh-huh, apologized and promised to pay for repairs to a historic land market damaged while attempting to copy a Range Rover stunt from 2018.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_01: What?
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_01: Way to go.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_01: Videos posted on social media November 12th show a yellow Cherry Fingyong.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_01: It's the name of the car, XL or X3L driving up the 999-step stairway to heaven in Tianmen Mountain in China's Xinji Zhou province.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_01: I had that for dinner last night.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_01: I had a bout with it in there.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_01: Never mind.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_01: During a particularly steep portion of the climb, the extended range electric SUV loses traction before skidding backward and crashing into a railing as onlookers screamed.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_02: What if they had the Led Zeppelin in the background with the fleckers going with that?
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_01: Here, take that home.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_01: Let your mom read that.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_03: She's going to jump a lot of it.
• 20:30
  unknown: Yeah, well.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_01: Anyway, we have a good time.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_01: That's life.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_01: Matter of fact, I think I'm going to I'm going to I think I'm going to pick this up off the floor.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_01: No, give me just a second.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_01: Uh-oh.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_01: Because if he gets down there, you won't be able to get it.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: Well, either that or I'm going to fall between the chair and the table and the wall here.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, there's the picture.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: Test, yes.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: The test was intended to mimic.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_01: I already told you that.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_01: The video viewed nearly seven million times.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_01: Great PR.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_01: Shows the Range Rover navigating around with 99 hairpin turns over seven miles before climbing the 999 steps to Tiananmin Cave.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_01: A soaring natural arch known as Heaven's Gate.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_01: I've heard of that, yeah.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_01: Wait a minute, Heaven's Gate, wasn't that the bunch that killed themselves?
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_01: I believe that was.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_01: And they allowed it.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_01: That was a different meaning.
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, different.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_01: I know.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_01: But this is Heaven's Gate where they were all splayed out in rooms stacked one on top of the other.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_01: But that wasn't it.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_01: And somebody, the neighbor complained that it smelled bad.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_02: At the time.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_02: See, I wish they'd have let me drive because when it started sliding backwards, you know about that.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_02: A smokescreen.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_02: When you start spinning the tires and stuff, are you going backwards?
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_03: No, it's not AI, because you know, did they did they produce it AI car going into the thing?
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_03: And can I interject something on your story?
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_03: Did you hear about the um crash at the Meekham auction in Dallas?
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_03: No.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_03: There was a 57 or 58 pickup truck that they were taking across the block.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_03: Foot slipped on the accelerator.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_03: That truck went into a Corvette that was just sold, and that Corvette went into a Camaro that was just sold.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_03: Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_03: Three cars.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_03: The last auction in Dallas.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_03: I was almost going to put a story, but there wasn't enough uh information that I could get.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_03: They had a couple pictures, it was pretty bad.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_03: Driver going across the block, foot slips, boom, crashes.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_01: Well Heaven's Gate.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_01: At the time, Land Rover said it was the first vehicle to climb the 45 degree stairs.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_01: Tongue spokesperson described it as without doubt one of the most demanding driving challenges I've ever faced.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_01: He was the driver also.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_01: Way to go.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_03: Well, you know, a cat had his tongue.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_03: That's what it was.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_01: That's probably what it was.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_01: Um bad news here, but no surprise.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_01: Enios automotive is eliminating several hundred jobs globally as the young automaker enters a new operating phase and places more focus on existing and new customers.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_01: And good luck on the new ones.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_01: In a statement, Enios said the cuts affect several hundred head office staff across multiple locations.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_01: The company said it employed just under 1,700 globally before the reductions.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_01: Really?
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_01: I'm supposed to be getting an Inios in January.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_01: Oh yeah.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_01: I reached out to Mr.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_01: Ennios and they said, Yeah, we'll uh put you on the list.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_01: Great, put me on the list.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_01: I'll I'll I'll try one of those things.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_01: Got an inny in January.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_03: An any as opposed to an audio.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_03: Audios.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_03: Well, audio.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, the audio is February.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: That's what it is.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: Um auto industry got grappling with U.S.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_01: tariffs on imports, as well as multiple supply chain disruptions.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_01: Affordability also remains a headwind.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_01: New vehicle sales have slowed or remain sluggish in key markets such as China and Europe as consumers turn more cautious.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_01: The U.S.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_01: light vehicle market is well below its peak from 2015 to 2019 when annual electric sales top 17 million.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_01: Enios Grenadier starts at$75,000, and I'm sure that has nothing to do with it.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_01: It looks like uh an old Range Rover.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_01: Doesn't it?
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_01: Very much.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_01: With modern headlights.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_01: That's it.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_01: And uh Tesla shareholders approved CEO Elon Musk's pay package.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_01: Did you hear about this?
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_01: I heard something.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_01: Valued at up to one trillion with a T, the largest compensation award in corporate history.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_01: Way to go, Elon.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_01: Hey, way to go anybody.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_01: If you can if you can pull that off, more part to you.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_01: What we're about to embark on is not merely a new chapter of the future of Tesla, but a whole new book, Musk told investors gathered at Tesla headquarters in Austin, Texas.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_01: Big part of Tesla's growth will come from developing its humanoid robot, Optimus, according to Mr.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_01: Musk.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_01: There you go.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_02: But but you notice he has he's still got Tesla and he still promotes it, but he's kind of moving away from that.
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_02: He's going off into space and now he's gonna build some robots.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_03: Well, he's also got tunneling.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_03: He made drilling doing tunnels.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_03: He's got a tunnel company that's building tunnels.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_02: Really?
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_01: Oh yeah.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_01: Look it up.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_01: Are they electric tunnels?
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_01: No, but they're going to they're going to build a tunnel between here and Neederville.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_01: So you'll have a clear shot of it.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna be about that big around.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_02: Is it gonna have charging stations so the Tesla can charge for the stuff?
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_03: Oh yeah, no, but he has a he has a tunneling company for for mining and and all that other stuff.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_03: Yep.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_01: Where did we go wrong?
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_01: We went terribly wrong.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, we did.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_01: Why are you smiling and not saying anything?
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_03: We need a four-hour show to go tell you, in my opinion.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_01: If we can think that far back.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_01: We'll make up something.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_01: Hey, we'd love to be.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_03: We usually do.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_01: Most of this is all made up stuff.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_01: It's all AI.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_01: We get we get our news from automotive news.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_01: I just didn't dream all of this up.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_01: Some of it, not all of it.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_01: We'd love to hear from you.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_01: Shoot us an email.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_01: Guess what the address is?
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_01: Info at inrealtime.com.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_01: We will be right back after these.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_01: Who doesn't like a social event?
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_01: How about one that centers around your love for all things automotive?
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_01: Another Gulf Coast Auto Shield Car Social is back.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_01: Saturday, December 6th, 9 to noon, at 11275 South Sam Houston Parkway, just south of the Southwest Freeway.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_01: It's a morning packed with incredible cars, some of the finest rides in town, from classics to modern exotics.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_01: Here's your chance to talk to fellow car lovers.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_01: Grab a coffee and check out how Gulf Coast Auto Shield keeps these rides looking perfect.
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_01: Meet the team.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_01: Take a look around the shop to see firsthand how Gulf Coast Auto Shield gets the most of the look you're trying to create.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_01: In real time, we'll be there with their live car talk show.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_01: You might just be one of the guests.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_01: Don't miss this free, fun, and fast-paced car gathering of fellow car lovers and their rides.
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_01: Saturday, December 6th at Gulf Coast Auto Shield, 11275 South Sam Houston Parkway.
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_01: Bring your car, bring your friends, and bring your love for all things automotive.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_01: We'll see you then.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_01: The award-winning Inwheel Time Car Talk Show downreaches 5.3 million folks each year.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_01: Check us out on InWheeltime.com, YouTube, Facebook, and podcasts available from your favorite go-to source, including our live broadcast every Saturday, 10 to noon central time.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_01: The In Wheel Time Car Talk Show has informative automotive guest interviews, new car reviews, along with popular features including driving destinations, Jeff's car culture, latest car news, cruise-ins, and racing dates.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_01: It's all on InWheeltime.com.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_01: Join us.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_01: That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time Car Show.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Don Armstrong, inviting you to join us for our live show every Saturday morning, 8 to 11 a.m.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_01: Central on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and our InWheeltime.com website.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_01: Podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartPodcast, Podcast Addict, TuneIn, Pandora, and Amazon Music.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_01: Keep listening, and we'll see you soon.