Latest / In Wheel Time Podcast / Texas Dirt Track Talk with Rodney?

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Texas Dirt Track Talk with Rodney? · In Wheel Time Podcast

• 0:06
  Don Armstrong: From the broadcast studios in Texas, USA, it's the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show.
• 0:11
  Don Armstrong: Just ahead, Rodney Rodriguez joins us to talk about circle track racing, mainly in Texas, but I'm sure we'll talk about that elsewhere too.
• 0:19
  Don Armstrong: Absolutely.
• 0:20
  Don Armstrong: Uh we're gonna talk to him.
• 0:21
  Don Armstrong: Uh Jeff has the motor minute, and I'll review the redesigned 2026 Mazda CX5, very popular vehicle.
• 0:27
  Don Armstrong: Howdy, along with Mike out of this world, Mars.
• 0:30
  Don Armstrong: We always need more Jeff Zeken, Chief Engineer David Ainsley.
• 0:34
  Don Armstrong: My name is Don Armstrong.
• 0:35
  Don Armstrong: Thanks so much for joining us for our live version of the show.
• 0:39
  Don Armstrong: If you're listening, watching, being one with us on this Saturday morning.
• 0:44
  Don Armstrong: Um we're live usually every Saturday morning from uh 10 to noon, and that happens to be the moment that we're speaking to you right now.
• 0:54
  Jeff Dziekan: Yay.
• 0:56
  Don Armstrong: Yay.
• 0:57
  Don Armstrong: All right, well, um, let's just get right to it, shall we?
• 1:01
  Don Armstrong: From Circle Tracks Across the Nation and Moderator Extraordinaire from the talk show Dirty Air, ladies and gentlemen, Rodney Rodriguez.
• 1:11
  Don Armstrong: They're on their feet in the control room, sir.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, I I can tell.
• 1:16
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, I just head for the door.
• 1:19
  Don Armstrong: They're heading for the door.
• 1:20
  Don Armstrong: That's what they're doing.
• 1:21
  Don Armstrong: Yeah.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: Hey man, uh, it's good to see you.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: How are you?
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: Doing well, guys.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: Doing well.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, hope hope you guys are uh man, that this heat is atrocious, brother.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: And people are racing in this heat.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I was I was in um Iowa for the NASCAR race weekend, and uh those folks were complaining that oh my goodness, it's gonna be 88 degrees.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna bake.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: 88.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: 88.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: We'll take 88 anytime.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: Take it, it's 88 here.
• 1:48
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, you know, when you go to bed, it seems like that's exactly right.
• 1:52
  Don Armstrong: Um so uh what I want to know about the hat.
• 1:56
  Don Armstrong: What what what's the hat?
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: Uh oh, flow racing.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: They uh they do flow racing, yes, of course.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: Flow, yeah.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um I'm I'm fortunate I get to cross paths with them quite often, like with the chili bowl and um you know, different different stuff.
• 2:11
  Don Armstrong: Is Courtney Enders still with them?
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I don't I don't know on the drag racing side.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um so they they gifted me a hat, you know.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: They're like, wear this.
• 2:20
  Don Armstrong: That's a nice looking hat.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: It's all right.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: It's all right, yeah.
• 2:24
  Don Armstrong: And you know what's even better about it is it's free.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: Price is right.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: It it gets yeah, that's what the F is for.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: Free.
• 2:32
  Don Armstrong: Free.
• 2:33
  Don Armstrong: Well, uh it's great to have you with us uh in the middle of uh I middle to end of the racing season.
• 2:40
  Don Armstrong: I mean, I can't believe that we're gonna talk about September and October.
• 2:44
  Don Armstrong: It's almost over.
• 2:45
  Don Armstrong: And uh, you know, things I guess around the nation are building up to the the big few last few weekends of uh circle track racing, at least from my old experience, and I mean that in a kind way.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, well, you're a hall of famer.
• 3:01
  Don Armstrong: I mean, anybody that's a hall of famer, you know that uh that means that I'm old and I've been around a while.
• 3:08
  Mike Marrs: Anybody that lasts that long is good.
• 3:10
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, yeah, we don't, yeah, only only for that reason.
• 3:13
  Don Armstrong: There's a light at the end of that hall.
• 3:15
  Don Armstrong: That's right.
• 3:16
  Don Armstrong: Go into the light.
• 3:19
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, uh, so let's talk about circle track racing.
• 3:22
  Don Armstrong: Uh uh, you off this weekend?
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I I am actually off, but but I'm on the this weekend.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: I'm actually uh get this.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm gonna I'm gonna finish up uh talking to my my best friends right here.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: Uh then then I have to run have to run some errands, and then uh I'm heading to Edna, Texas to race.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: Race.
• 3:43
  Don Armstrong: You know, I had heard this rumor that uh somebody is actually going back behind the wheel and is racing.
• 3:52
  Don Armstrong: Is it your car?
• 3:53
  Don Armstrong: Are you racing somebody else's car?
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: Oh no, no.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: I my no.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: This uh this car belongs to Tony Blankenship, and he's uh he's a dude out there in Edna.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: He's um, you know, Edna's kind of Victoria's about 30 miles from there, so it's a good way he's out there.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: But Tony has done everything uh that that you can think of doing at Texana Raceway Park.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: He operated the track, he's instrumental, and a lot of the success that that has happened there.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: It's just a beautiful place to catch races.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: And Tony is um Tony's truly the backbone of this thing.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: Well, he turns 65 today.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: So they called me and they're like, hey, Tony would really like for you to come drive the number 32 Nova.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: It's got leaf springs in it, so it's up my alley.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: I've driven it a couple of times with limited success.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: But it uh they said they said he wants you to come out, he wants you to be a part of the show, so uh, so I'm doing it.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I just got to find my helmet.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: I have no idea where it is.
• 4:48
  Don Armstrong: You don't need a helmet.
• 4:49
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, who needs a stinking helmet?
• 4:51
  Don Armstrong: So, what kind of motor does this thing have in it?
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: You know, Chevrolet 335, street stock, you know, Don, for like what what we've you know looked watched in the past.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, um, and it's cool for me because the first race cars I ever drove were Nova's two.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: So it's um it's it's really cool.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna pick up my dad on the way, so he's gonna be with me.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: So it it it's wow, it's fun.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: We celebrate uh Tony.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: They're doing spectator races out on the track, so hopefully, hopefully they're a lot more animated than my performance.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: Hopefully, if anything bad happens, it happens to a spectator.
• 5:23
  Don Armstrong: But now is this a yeah, is is it a steel-bodied Nova?
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, steel bodied Nova.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: Wow, it's got um, you know, it's got the Monte Carlo tail and nose on it, you know, like these dirt cars do nowadays.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: But it uh this is this is a relatively old race car, but it has won so many races.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like no pressure, and you know, no pressure at all jumping in a proven winner.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: But the the last few times that I've done this in Edna, they do they they call it a race at champions, and they bring they would bring in uh Howard Willis out of the Houston area there and uh Lawrence Miklichek out of the corpus area, just two, I mean, amazing people on dirt to race against me.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like I see them when they lap me, but they're not there to see.
• 6:15
  Don Armstrong: Is this going to be a dirt track or is it asphalt?
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: It's dirt.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that that's the other thing about it.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: You know, my my dirt experience is just very limited.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I was an asphalt racer for you know the time that I drove, so it's it's one of those things where I'm I I've had to try to acclimate myself where with asphalt that there's a lot of finesse, you know, you have to hit your marks, you want to keep your car going straight, where on dirt you don't want the car going straight.
• 6:42
  Jeff Dziekan: No, you want it sideways, you're gonna turn turn your wheel right to go left, right?
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, so it's it's a very weird feeling to me.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, when when I first got on a dirt track and I start sliding, I mean the asphalt tendencies come out to where you start sliding and you're like, oh hell, you know.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: So it um I've been practicing on PlayStation 5.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: That's the only practice I have.
• 7:05
  Jeff Dziekan: So there's a Walmart parking lot nearby, isn't there?
• 7:08
  Don Armstrong: You could do it just.
• 7:08
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, well, that would be yeah, that would be the nice grassed area out in the intersection somewhere.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: Well, and that's the other part, like with pavement racing.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: With pavement racing, you have about 10,000 practice sessions on race day.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, all day out there practicing with with these dirt tracks.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: You get about three hot laps, pack the track, and let's go racing.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll see how it works out.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: I'm looking forward to it.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: There's a lot of time what time is the race tonight?
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: Seven o'clock.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: Seven o'clock.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: Seven o'clock.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: You can you can catch it on raceon.com.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_00: Just look for raceon.com.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_00: Look for it.
• 7:39
  Mike Marrs: It's ought to be down to about what, 90 by that time?
• 7:42
  Mike Marrs: Nice and cool.
• 7:43
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, do they do they uh do they actually uh charge you to watch?
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you have to have a uh subscription.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um I don't know what it costs, but you you you can actually not just watch Texana, you can watch tracks all across the state.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: So it's uh it's really cool.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: You can just kind of flip back and forth.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: But um, yeah, the the seasons are winding down.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, with this is just a regular night program, you know, for them out there, but it's they're kind of all working to their their big shows coming up at the end of the year.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: That's usually what's um at this point because like like Don, it it's it it did it seemed like in the old days, right around this time of the year, we were winding it down.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: But as the years have gone on, the seasons string out even longer and they start even sooner, January and February, when they used to start in like March and April back then.
• 8:34
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, but you know, there are tracks like uh the Houston track that really pretty much shuts down in in the in the summertime because it's too dang hot.
• 8:41
  Don Armstrong: They don't get any spectators out there.
• 8:44
  Don Armstrong: You got racers out there passing out in the pits, so uh they they kind of postpone it.
• 8:49
  Don Armstrong: Of course, they've got other stuff going on out there at the track, like drag racing.
• 8:53
  Don Armstrong: But um, you know, I grew up at Meyer Speedway, and that was every Saturday night, basically from Easter all the way through past Labor Day.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, that's that's really what I remember too, you know.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, the the stigma was different uh in these parts.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, Texas is football country, you know.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: So it was like whenever high school football and all that stuff was getting getting fired up.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I remember vividly the track that we would go to when I was a kid, Austin Speederama, they were a Friday night track, and they would say, Well, high school football's coming, so you know, we can't compete with that.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: But I don't think that's necessarily the case anymore.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: I think there's plenty for everybody.
• 9:33
  Mike Marrs: Yeah, hey Rodney, when you were talking about the heat and and the hot laps to pack the track.
• 9:38
  Mike Marrs: I mean, you take the your hot laps, you get the track packed, but now you've got a lot of racing that's going to go on on that track.
• 9:45
  Mike Marrs: What does that do with this heat drying the track out?
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_00: Does that cause a problem?
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's the challenge right now, Mike, because it it's you you obviously you go in, they've been watering this this thing all week.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the the preparation for them, these dirt tracks, probably on a Tuesday, uh, to start uh you know, watering it, run get getting soak?
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, trying to get that water to build itself in because what what ideally what you want it to do is kind of sit under that first layer of clay or dirt, whatever it is, and then as as uh you know, the more traction and the more laps you get on the racetrack, it's gonna start to rubber up a little bit, but you still have a little bit of that moisture down there to keep it to keep the dust down, because that's that's the hard part, you know.
• 10:28
  Don Armstrong: And then it's and if it gets too dusty, then they get the water truck out and messes everything up right in the middle of the race.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: Turns it back to mud.
• 10:36
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, get the water truck out and spray the attendees.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_00: Well, yeah, that that I'm sure they wouldn't mind.
• 10:42
  Don Armstrong: So Edna is within driving range uh of Houston, right?
• 10:45
  Don Armstrong: And uh it's uh it's it's a pretty convenient place, I think.
• 10:49
  Don Armstrong: A little over an hour, maybe.
• 10:50
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, yeah, a little over an hour.
• 10:51
  Don Armstrong: Anyway, so let's talk about some of the other tracks that you are are famous uh for announcing there.
• 10:58
  Don Armstrong: Um, and I know that you're a well-oiled machine when it comes to these tracks that are around mainly around Texas.
• 11:06
  Don Armstrong: Uh what has really excited you here this uh past few months since we talked to you last?
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's just mainly the the the growth that I'm seeing around here.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: And and I I do focus on on South Texas.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, this is a little uh I mean I I work all at Texas, but South Texas, just kind of being where I'm from, is the one that that I focus in on more, and especially because it seems to be the one that has the struggles.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's it's lost the pavement tracks.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: And um now with now with dirt, there was a situation uh with the track in Corpus Christi, the dirt track.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um again, one of the tracks that I've worked at a few weeks ago, the the promoter left um uh put a note out that the track was going to be closing, that that there would not be any any more events happening uh this season or beyond.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: And then within a week, uh the the person that actually owns the racetrack, they had it up and going again and they raced last weekend.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: So one of the things that that I'm really seeing, and and I think that that the track promoters and the racers are finally starting to understand that the what's the thing about uh um a rising tide lifts the boat or whatever that songs.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 12:12
  Jeff Dziekan: Yeah.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: I think that I I guess you can see how often I use that philosophy.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: But it uh it really looks like that's what's happening right now because it I mean, time is of the essence right now, guys.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: This is this is a very expensive sport.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, anything automotive is expensive, but when you when when you want your hobby to survive, that that's what you have to do.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_00: That the tracks need to help each other, they need to work together.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: Um there are probably people in this business that don't like each other, but I think that they're beginning to realize that if they work together in the long run, it's more beneficial for the for the sport and for everybody that that that wants to do this.
• 12:49
  Don Armstrong: What is the class what is the class of cars that is the most inexpensive to run for the owner, the driver?
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um probably now because you have, of course, you had the IMCA modified, you know, then you had the limited modified, the sport mods or whatever.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_00: Now they've got what they call an E mod, and it's it's a modified car.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it it looks like a sport mod, but the E, I assume the E is for economy, and that one you tone the car down, and there's not a lot in comparison with some of the other modified that you can do.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: Uh of course, and then the the four-cylinder class, the mini stock or whatever you want to call it.
• 13:27
  Jeff Dziekan: Yeah, I would think the legends would be probably on that lesser, lesser end.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, legends probably more so on pavement, but the the thing was like a four-cylinder car to me, a four a four, a four-banger, the like they call them, to me is a much more interesting race um on pavement.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_00: Because when when you get those four-cylinder front-wheel drive cars on dirt, to me, it's kind of like yeah, exactly.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's yeah.
• 13:55
  Don Armstrong: If the back end gets loose on that thing, it's going around.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: That that's and you know that that's why I just think that they're tailored better for for um for dirt to to where, you know, and still like hobby stocks.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: What I'm what I'm racing tonight is is probably something where if I were going to do this full-time again for whatever silly reason, I'd probably go the route of of something like a hobby stock or something like that.
• 14:20
  Don Armstrong: See, I think I've got I've got a uh it's an offer, a suggestion for you.
• 14:24
  Don Armstrong: And that would be something along the lines of you call the race from behind in the car.
• 14:31
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, in the car while you're racing.
• 14:32
  Don Armstrong: Have you ever done that?
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_00: They used to want me to do that in Kyle.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_00: Well, uh at the uh at the pavement track.
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_00: And we we tried it once, but we couldn't get, of course, this was what 10 years ago.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, technology's come so far now.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_00: We tried to get something wired up.
• 14:48
  Don Armstrong: You could do it from your dang cell phone.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I I don't know, you know, I do try to keep those uh calls as clean as possible.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that that would be the problem, you know.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_00: As to I I've used I I've used uh in-car radios uh in the past just a couple of different times, and and the times that I've used them, the person on the other end's like, I don't ever want to spot for you again.
• 15:17
  Mike Marrs: See, yeah, but then you could if you could do that, you could put a camera in there as well, and you could describe the other racers and the other race cars that you can see.
• 15:24
  Mike Marrs: Yeah, but that tracks with them.
• 15:26
  Don Armstrong: But that's the part, Mike, that it would be you know, expletive deleted.
• 15:30
  Don Armstrong: Well, in a lot of beeps, description, a lot of horn beep, beep, beep.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, use uh no, you know, it uh it it it could get a let a little out of control, but it it um and that's kind of that's the cool thing about like with with race announcing.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_00: I think why I enjoy race announcing so much and like folks that that ask about my style, it's it's because I've been in the car.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: And I truly think that that for for folks that want to do this, it's it's beneficial if you have.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, look like on TV, you know, who the guys that are the experts are the guys that that drove the car.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: I just happen to be able to do the the play-by-play part two, but it's just like you see stuff and you you you have an idea what's gonna happen, you know, because you've been in that seat, and that's that's why I tell a lot of these folks that do races.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, if you get a chance, get in one of these things and go run a race if you can.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: It'll change the way you call the action.
• 16:21
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, absolutely.
• 16:22
  Don Armstrong: Yeah.
• 16:23
  Don Armstrong: So um, what what are you really looking forward to besides today's race?
• 16:28
  Don Armstrong: Uh in the in the future.
• 16:29
  Don Armstrong: How how how what do you think about NASCAR?
• 16:32
  Don Armstrong: Do you even follow NASCAR?
• 16:33
  Don Armstrong: Apparently, a lot of people, a lot of people don't anymore.
• 16:35
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, a lot of people have kind of shied away from it.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I I have to for work.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I mean, because it's it's a big old, big old thing, you know, that that obviously what what I do.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, I do follow NASCAR.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: I'm a fan of NASCAR.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I'm not I'm not especially a fan of this race car for what we're trying to do with it, for for the kind of racing that we're doing, but uh it it seems like it's coming around to where the mile and a half program is is really good.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_00: Um I like the fact that we're doing the the chase thing, although I I warned a lot of people to be ready because I think before we get to the uh end of the end of the season, before we get to that season finale, I think the champion's already going to be crowned.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um so it's not gonna be where we go into that finale and we're on pins and needles wondering what's gonna happen.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: But that's the way the system works.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_00: That's the way the system used to work.
• 17:25
  Jeff Dziekan: Yeah.
• 17:25
  Jeff Dziekan: September 6th is when the playoffs start.
• 17:27
  Jeff Dziekan: Okay.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_00: I like what they're doing.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I like I I wish they'd figure out this street course thing.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_00: Are you going back to San Diego?
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: Are you doing whatever?
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I'm not the biggest fan of that, but I understand trying to capture that fan base.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 17:40
  Don Armstrong: I think they need to go back to Washington.
• 17:42
  Don Armstrong: No, go to Washington, D.C., right?
• 17:44
  Don Armstrong: Maybe right behind the city.
• 17:45
  Don Armstrong: They did Chicago.
• 17:46
  Don Armstrong: They do.
• 17:47
  Mike Marrs: They already got it set up, yeah.
• 17:48
  Mike Marrs: Just did the end.
• 17:49
  Jeff Dziekan: I think it's the to me, it's the personalities of NASCAR.
• 17:52
  Jeff Dziekan: It's not the cars, not the tracks, it's the individuals and their arrogance and their, you know, you got a 22-year-old kid that thinks he's Dale Earnhardt, you know, stuff like that.
• 18:00
  Jeff Dziekan: That's what gets me turned off on it.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_00: Well, and and we're about to see because Connor Zilich, who drives for track house racing, signed um, it was announced this week that uh in 2028 he'll take over the 48 for Alex Bowman for Hendrick Motorsports.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that I think that we're about to see a shift in in these these drivers again.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_00: We're we're we're some of these drivers right now, look, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, all these guys, when it comes to race car drivers, cup drivers, they are the best.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_00: They can drive anything and uh run it right up to the front.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: But I think some of the what we're about to see some new names.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, there's people like Brent Cruz that are coming along.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: And um, I think that that personality, I mean, right now, um Connor Zilich is great for NASCAR.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_00: It is exactly what they need.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_00: They need uh a little fire plug guy that's going to be a little controversial.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_00: But he needs to win more races, though.
• 18:53
  Don Armstrong: So Rodney, we're out of time.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, sorry.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_00: I'm just babbling.
• 18:57
  Don Armstrong: No, that that's okay.
• 18:58
  Don Armstrong: No, you that's what that's why we get a hold of you to babble.
• 19:02
  Don Armstrong: We like your babbling.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_00: I'm nervous because I'm racing and I can't shut up.
• 19:05
  Don Armstrong: Well, that's perfectly understandable.
• 19:07
  Don Armstrong: So tonight in Edna, you go and see Rodney Race.
• 19:11
  Don Armstrong: That there's a name for a new show, Rodney Races.
• 19:14
  Don Armstrong: I like it.
• 19:14
  Don Armstrong: It's got a little ring to it.
• 19:16
  Don Armstrong: But it's always good to talk to you, my friend.
• 19:17
  Don Armstrong: You take care of yourself and uh let's let's let's touch base at the end of the season, shall we?
• 19:21
  Don Armstrong: Absolutely.
• 19:22
  Don Armstrong: We'll see how you won.
• 19:23
  Don Armstrong: Send us the trophy.
• 19:24
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, send us the trophy.
• 19:27
  Don Armstrong: The name of the show is Dirty Air.
• 19:29
  Don Armstrong: It's Rodney Rodriguez.
• 19:30
  Don Armstrong: Thanks so much, bud.
• 19:31
  Don Armstrong: Talk to you soon.
• 19:31
  Don Armstrong: Take care.
• 19:32
  Don Armstrong: All right, just ahead.
• 19:33
  Don Armstrong: Jeff's motor minute, and got a chance to review the redesigned Mazda CX5 when the in-wheel time car talk show continues right after this 90-second break.
• 19:41
  Don Armstrong: Stay with us.
• 19:43
  Don Armstrong: The Texas dining experience is defined by Lupi Tortilla, your destination for Texas's best beef heatest and frozen margaritas.
• 19:52
  Don Armstrong: Since 1983, Lupi Tortilla has served authentic and time-tested recipes made with the freshest ingredients.
• 19:58
  Don Armstrong: Atmosphere is part of the award-winning experience of Lupi Tortillas.
• 20:01
  Don Armstrong: All developed in the little house near Highway 69, Houston.
• 20:05
  Don Armstrong: Visit any of the Lupi Tortillas and you'll see the stained attention to detail at each and every location.
• 20:10
  Don Armstrong: Start your Loopy experience with queso flavigato and guacamole, along with a classic roast de margarita.
• 20:16
  Don Armstrong: Dine on famous Loopy Beef and Chicken Tajitas or Pepper Shrimp Rochette, or a fish or vegetarian entrep, and finish with this grumpy flan for dessert.
• 20:24
  Don Armstrong: Find Loopy Tortilla in Houston, College Station, Beaumont, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas, Fort Worth.
• 20:30
  Don Armstrong: There's a Texas location near you.
• 20:32
  Don Armstrong: The recipes are authentic and time-tested.
• 20:34
  Don Armstrong: The ingredients always fresh.
• 20:36
  Don Armstrong: Loopy tortilla.
• 20:37
  Don Armstrong: Eats pretty good.
• 20:43
  Don Armstrong: Apple or Android In Wheel Time podcasts can be found everywhere, on the stream and through downloads.
• 20:48
  Don Armstrong: Whether you're on the road or at home and searching for a fun car talk show, give In Wheel Time a try.
• 20:53
  Don Armstrong: Honest new car reviews, fun, informative interviews with real car people, weekly automotive news, features like Jeff's car culture, Mike's driving destinations, all on In Wheel Time.
• 21:03
  Don Armstrong: Check us out on SiriusXM Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or while you're shopping on Amazon through Amazon Music.
• 21:09
  Don Armstrong: InwheelTime.com has a list, so check us out.
• 21:14
  Don Armstrong: Thank you very much for joining us today.
• 21:16
  Don Armstrong: Time now for uh Jeff's Motor Minute.
• 21:19
  Jeff Dziekan: Yeah, we're gonna bring uh indie car racing a little early into this motor minute, but the Freedom 250 Indy Car Race in Washington, D.C.
• 21:25
  Jeff Dziekan: is uh this weekend, and the streets of the nation's capital are on the national mall.
• 21:30
  Jeff Dziekan: It's transformed into an indie racing car track.
• 21:33
  Jeff Dziekan: So it's the uh celebration of America 250 in Washington.
• 21:37
  Jeff Dziekan: The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington is set to take place in the Capitol.
• 21:42
  Jeff Dziekan: Uh it backdrops a 1.7 mile course and has seven turns.
• 21:46
  Jeff Dziekan: Organizers expect the crowds to be more than 120,000 people.
• 21:50
  Jeff Dziekan: Now, they reported that uh there was like over 200,000 people applied for tickets, and they only gave away about a hundred to one hundred and twenty thousand tickets.
• 21:58
  Jeff Dziekan: No, the free tickets.
• 22:00
  Jeff Dziekan: It's a free ticket.
• 22:01
  Jeff Dziekan: Now the event costs about 35 million bucks to stage.
• 22:04
  Jeff Dziekan: This is the second event because they did have the uh uh UFC fight.
• 22:09
  Jeff Dziekan: UFC 250 was on the uh White House lawn back in June.
• 22:13
  Jeff Dziekan: So this is kind of an extension of that for the 250.
• 22:15
  Jeff Dziekan: The Freedom 250 is a two-day event scheduled to take place today and tomorrow.
• 22:19
  Jeff Dziekan: Practice runs qualifying.
• 22:21
  Jeff Dziekan: It actually started this morning.
• 22:22
  Jeff Dziekan: It was on uh FS1 uh this morning, and it there's gonna be qualifying and things uh later on.
• 22:27
  Jeff Dziekan: But in addition, there's an international race of champions.
• 22:30
  Jeff Dziekan: There's an IROC race going on.
• 22:31
  Jeff Dziekan: Uh it's going to be there in Washington as well.
• 22:34
  Jeff Dziekan: Now, tomorrow's race starts at 1.10 Eastern.
• 22:38
  Jeff Dziekan: So uh tune in for the noon time here on the Fox Network.
• 22:42
  Jeff Dziekan: And the schedule goes today, 8 o'clock, which is 9 o'clock their time, uh was practice, and then the uh NTT, the next series, which is the lower end of it, uh, is at 1 o'clock, and then the qualified at 5 o'clock tonight for the big boys.
• 22:56
  Jeff Dziekan: And then tomorrow it kicks off the broadcast on FS1 uh for warm up and then 11:30, the pre-race, and then of course the race takes place tomorrow.
• 23:04
  Jeff Dziekan: So tune in.
• 23:05
  Jeff Dziekan: I'm gonna be watching it, and if I can, I'll probably record it and then come back to it later.
• 23:08
  Jeff Dziekan: But uh should be fun.
• 23:11
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, it'd be interesting to see the Washington Monument go by.
• 23:14
  Don Armstrong: Oh, yeah, all those time for this hour's car review 2026 Mazda CX5, all wheel drive.
• 23:24
  Don Armstrong: Available trim levels are the S, the S Select, the S Preferred, the S Premium, the S Premium Plus, and I had the S Premium Plus.
• 23:37
  Don Armstrong: There's a lot of S's in there.
• 23:40
  Don Armstrong: This is a small small SUV.
• 23:44
  Don Armstrong: Uh seats including the driver, five.
• 23:46
  Don Armstrong: Uh, exterior changes, all new, completely redesigned for 2026.
• 23:52
  Don Armstrong: Uh, exterior features include familiar Mazda grille with a balanced, staggered headlight design, smooth curves, attractive on the door panels, uh, black plastic wheel opening moldings.
• 24:06
  Don Armstrong: It seems like everybody's doing that these days.
• 24:08
  Don Armstrong: Yep.
• 24:08
  Don Armstrong: Uh rather large C pillar can hamper your rear side vision a bit, so keep that in mind.
• 24:15
  Don Armstrong: You'll have to use those uh side mirrors.
• 24:18
  Don Armstrong: What I liked about the hockey stick rear lighting, love that.
• 24:22
  Don Armstrong: The overall design gets high marks, in my opinion.
• 24:25
  Don Armstrong: What could use improvement?
• 24:27
  Don Armstrong: Nothing.
• 24:28
  Don Armstrong: Interior highlights.
• 24:30
  Don Armstrong: Uh, much improved over the outgoing model, and needless to say, it's bigger inside and out.
• 24:36
  Don Armstrong: They all do that also.
• 24:38
  Don Armstrong: Extra large center touch screen, uh, almost uh 13 inches now.
• 24:43
  Don Armstrong: Quality materials fit and finish throughout the cabin, clamshell doors on the console lid.
• 24:50
  Don Armstrong: See them?
• 24:50
  Don Armstrong: I'm just not a big fan because you still have to open both of them to get your hand down in there.
• 24:56
  Don Armstrong: Anyway, it's the way that it is.
• 24:58
  Don Armstrong: Um cargo room, bigger redesign, uh, allows larger storage behind the second row.
• 25:06
  Don Armstrong: And of course, you fold down the second row and got yourself a minivan back there.
• 25:10
  Don Armstrong: What I liked about it, almost everything on the interior.
• 25:12
  Don Armstrong: What could use improvement?
• 25:14
  Don Armstrong: Operating screen system is still difficult to use in many ways.
• 25:19
  Don Armstrong: Uh, thought that they would uh bump that up a bit.
• 25:21
  Don Armstrong: Uh try to change the radio station, I dare you.
• 25:24
  Don Armstrong: Engine 2.5 liter inline four-cylinder, 187 horsepower, 186 pound feet of torque.
• 25:32
  Don Armstrong: Till rating, 1,500 pounds.
• 25:34
  Don Armstrong: That's it.
• 25:35
  Don Armstrong: Uh now, as far as you know, mileage is concerned, expect 24 city, 30 highway for combined at 26.
• 25:43
  Don Armstrong: I got 26.8 mpg over 410 miles.
• 25:48
  Don Armstrong: What I liked about it, not bad gas mileage, pretty good.
• 25:52
  Don Armstrong: Uh, what could use improvement?
• 25:53
  Don Armstrong: I think that the hybrid version of it comes next year.
• 25:57
  Don Armstrong: Riding handling Mazda Sportiness.
• 25:59
  Don Armstrong: I'm gonna tell it like it is.
• 26:01
  Don Armstrong: Um, it could be a little bit too stiff for some people, but that's the Mazda way.
• 26:06
  Don Armstrong: What could use improvement?
• 26:07
  Don Armstrong: Not sure about its off-road ability.
• 26:09
  Don Armstrong: Uh, I did not take it off-road, and I don't think most people do take it off-road.
• 26:14
  Don Armstrong: Okay, here's the pricing.
• 26:15
  Don Armstrong: Base trim price is$38,900.
• 26:20
  Don Armstrong: Still under$40,000.
• 26:22
  Don Armstrong: But price is tested.
• 26:23
  Don Armstrong: Now we had the top of the line.
• 26:25
  Don Armstrong: So$41,080 is the sticker price on this particular car that I drove.
• 26:31
  Don Armstrong: Base model price.
• 26:33
  Don Armstrong: You can get in one of these for under$30,000.
• 26:35
  Don Armstrong: $29,990 is the base model.
• 26:37
  Don Armstrong: Good luck in trying to find one.
• 26:39
  Don Armstrong: Yeah.
• 26:39
  Don Armstrong: Here are the competitors.
• 26:40
  Don Armstrong: The Hyundai Tucson,$29,700.
• 26:45
  Don Armstrong: Kia Sportage,$28,790.
• 26:50
  Don Armstrong: And then the Toyota Rav 4.
• 26:53
  Don Armstrong: That's all new, also.
• 26:54
  Don Armstrong: That goes a little bit more at$31,900.
• 26:58
  Don Armstrong: My daughter just bought a RAV 4.
• 27:00
  Don Armstrong: Did she?
• 27:01
  Don Armstrong: That's another nice vehicle.
• 27:02
  Don Armstrong: You know, these new vehicles that are coming out now, they're pretty spot on.
• 27:06
  Don Armstrong: And uh they've made lots of improvements to the redesigns of all of these models.
• 27:12
  Don Armstrong: And if you're in the market for a car, uh, I think now's the time to buy.
• 27:16
  Don Armstrong: And the other thing is that on many cars, not necessarily the brand, brand, brand new ones, but on many cars, they're giving you a lower interest rate in financing out the wazoo seven years, 100 years, you know.
• 27:28
  Jeff Dziekan: She did her due diligence and uh she asked a lot of questions and she did good.
• 27:32
  Don Armstrong: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 27:33
  Don Armstrong: It can happen.
• 27:35
  Don Armstrong: And uh, I've got a story that I'm gonna do later on in our show today uh about Carvana.
• 27:42
  Don Armstrong: Now, you know, I was never a big fan of Carvana at the beginning, but the new guy at the helm of Carvana has turned things around.
• 27:51
  Don Armstrong: And one of the things that I found very interesting about Carvana, Carvana is one of those places that here's the price of the car, that's the price of the car.
• 28:01
  Don Armstrong: There's no negotiator.
• 28:02
  Don Armstrong: Right.
• 28:03
  Don Armstrong: Carvana gets up to$4,000 more for their cars than if you shop it around.
• 28:11
  Don Armstrong: And people are buying it.
• 28:12
  Don Armstrong: And the reason they're buying it because they don't want to have to hassle with a salesperson.
• 28:17
  Don Armstrong: Just saying.
• 28:18
  Don Armstrong: I'll I'll I'll read the story later on.
• 28:20
  Don Armstrong: You'll you'll get it.
• 28:20
  Don Armstrong: Hey, if you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an email.
• 28:22
  Don Armstrong: The address is info at nwheeltime.com.
• 28:25
  Don Armstrong: Back after this quick break.
• 28:28
  Don Armstrong: Your car is a direct reflection of you, so don't be satisfied with color fade or a dingy dull appearance.
• 28:34
  Don Armstrong: Get rid of those terrible automated car wash scratches.
• 28:37
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• 28:40
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• 28:45
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• 28:53
  Don Armstrong: Got a new car?
• 28:54
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• 28:56
  Don Armstrong: If you don't know which of the multitude of protection products to go with, John Gray will give you an honest opinion and won't tell you something you don't need.
• 29:03
  Don Armstrong: John will help you understand the many options and pricing right on the spot.
• 29:07
  Don Armstrong: He's your guy to have your ride looking its best and protected too.
• 29:11
  Don Armstrong: See the state-of-the-art shop yourself, free tours anytime.
• 29:14
  Don Armstrong: Gulf Coast Auto Shield is easy to get to, located just south of the Southwest Freeway on the Sam Houston Parkway.
• 29:20
  Don Armstrong: Gulf Coast Auto Shield, full service luxury car care today and online at GCAutoShield.com.
• 29:27
  Don Armstrong: Gift giving should be meaningful, and we have an idea.
• 29:30
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• 29:35
  Don Armstrong: Now you can get one or a car show poster customized for you, a friend, or a loved one.
• 29:39
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• 29:42
  Don Armstrong: No matter what the day, birthday, anniversary, or any day, an autographics custom illustration adds an extra touch of class to any home.
• 29:50
  Don Armstrong: Call Bill today, 832-922-0963.
• 29:53
  Don Armstrong: That's 832-922-0963.
• 29:58
  Don Armstrong: That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time Car Show.
• 30:02
  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.
• 30:12
  Don Armstrong: Podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartPodcast, Podcast Addict, TuneIn, Pandora, and Amazon Music.
• 30:21
  Don Armstrong: Keep listening, and we'll see you soon.