1 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, welcome back to another episode of Car Stories with. 2 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:12,319 Speaker 2: Sun King and Amelia Hartford. And today we have a 3 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 2: legend in the racing world. 4 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: When people bring up his name, they talk about this 5 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: guy as like a real life, fast, fierce. 6 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 2: Character, starting from street racing to professionally building and racing 7 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 2: in the drag racing world, to then transitioning to Formula 8 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 2: drift and having so many wins and worlds, firsts, you. 9 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,240 Speaker 1: Know, all the ogs. When they bring up this dude's name, 10 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: they talk about first how amazing he was, and actually 11 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: how smart he was. He would take all the knowledge 12 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: and actually constantly innovate totally. 13 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 2: I don't think you can talk about the history of 14 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:53,560 Speaker 2: automotive and the future it is today without his name 15 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 2: coming up in conversation. 16 00:00:54,960 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: Without further Ado Stephan Papadochius originally Stephan. You're from New York, 17 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: I read somewhere. 18 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 3: Born in New York. My mom's family's from New York, 19 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 3: but I was just basically born there. 20 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: And you grew up pretty much in Huntington Beach. 21 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, my dad is Greek from Greece, and he actually 22 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 3: when my parents got divorced, moved back there. So in Greece. 23 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: In Greece, Wow, yeah, I mean, Papa Doccas is a 24 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: pretty dope name. 25 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 3: Yeah it is. 26 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: It's like, what is that name, Papa Doocus. 27 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 3: It wasn't that fun growing up with that one. But 28 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 3: at the time there was a show called Webster where 29 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 3: the football dad was Papadopolis. 30 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:36,319 Speaker 1: Oh he was. 31 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:38,759 Speaker 2: That's right, you're a staple name in this industry. 32 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,680 Speaker 3: Yeah i am. I've come from the world of experience, 33 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 3: but I only have some college I don't have an 34 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 3: actual engineering degree. But when I find things that I 35 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 3: don't know about and I want to learn about, I'll 36 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 3: just go on eBay and find a used textbook that's 37 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 3: an edition or too old that you can for twenty dollars. 38 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 3: Then I'll start reading through the chapters that I want 39 00:01:57,400 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 3: to know. And you've combined that with YouTube videos and 40 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 3: even some lectures that are on YouTube. You can really 41 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 3: get a good base understanding enough for me to have 42 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 3: a good conversation with an actual engineer and then end 43 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 3: up with some good solutions that we can use in 44 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 3: the race cars. 45 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: Anytime Stephan's name comes up in the OG world, right, 46 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: they always go He's like the smartest person in the room. Right, 47 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: So he takes the information that makes it better, and 48 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: it adapts it and he just keeps growing, you know. 49 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: And I don't know if you know that they talked 50 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: about you like that, but that is your reputation. That's flattering. Yeah, okay, yeah, man. 51 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: And I think that kind of ethos and that perspective 52 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: on life is what kind of brought you into the 53 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 1: forefront of where you are in your career today. You know. 54 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, that helps. I mean it's being realistic of where 55 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 3: I'm at and what I know and where I'm trying 56 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 3: to get to, and then understanding that gap and then 57 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 3: trying to build a bridge to get to the goals. 58 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 3: What do you call the seeing the force through the trees? 59 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 3: I guess that's one of my attributes. Yeah. 60 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 2: Were you always into cars? 61 00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 3: Totally? 62 00:02:58,040 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, since the day you're born. 63 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 3: My mom said, I liked little cars when I was 64 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 3: growing up. I remember building legos when I was really 65 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 3: young and crashing them into each other and putting them 66 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 3: back together, and then building little model cars, and then 67 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 3: originally getting into radio controlled cars and so RC cars 68 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 3: from you know, when I was you know, eight or 69 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 3: ten years old, I was really into it. Dressed in 70 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 3: and then in my round thirteen or fourteen, I really 71 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 3: got into the off road RC car scene, which was, 72 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 3: you know, there was a bit of a scene here 73 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 3: in southern California, and I said, I want to be 74 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 3: a professional RC car driver. And I actually there was 75 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 3: a scene of RC car drivers here in something California, 76 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 3: because that's where they were manufacturing the cars and testing 77 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 3: them at the local RC track, And so I was 78 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 3: actually around professional RC car drivers and engineers. And I 79 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 3: remember specifically my mom telling me, I don't know what 80 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 3: kind of social life you'll have if you do that. 81 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 3: And I didn't understand that until years later. But once 82 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 3: I realized around fifteen that you can modify real cars 83 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 3: and change the suspect and do these different things engine upgrades, 84 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 3: and then enjoy driving them and be in the car, 85 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 3: I totally got out of the RC thing and went 86 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 3: straight into the real cars. 87 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: So nobody in your family actually planted the seat for 88 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: cars in your life. 89 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 3: Not at all. It's crazy. Nope, And I don't know 90 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 3: if that's a benefit or not, but for whatever reason, 91 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 3: I just went that way. 92 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 2: Well, you're talking about learning off of YouTube and buying 93 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: textbooks and whatnot, But when you started sure textbooks around, 94 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 2: but there was no YouTube. This was before social media. 95 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 2: How did you start learning about modifying cars? 96 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 3: So when I was sixteen, I got my first car 97 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 3: and it was a nineteen ninety one Honda Civic SI. 98 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:46,840 Speaker 3: And the reason I chose that one was, you know, 99 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 3: I wanted a Mustang or a Camaro or something with 100 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 3: a bunch of horsepower, but I wasn't going to get 101 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 3: that in my family. And I actually had some friends 102 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 3: that had to see YOURX and Civic and they were 103 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 3: modifying and lowering it and putting exhaust, and I was like, oh, 104 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 3: this is something that you can have fun with an modify, 105 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 3: but at the same time, it looks responsible enough for 106 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 3: you know, my family to get me that car. And 107 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 3: the day I turned sixteen, that morning I went to 108 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 3: the DMV and took my driving test, got my license, 109 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 3: and then that afternoon drove the car to my buddy's 110 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 3: house where we took the suspension off, cut the springs, 111 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:24,279 Speaker 3: lowered it, and you know, went cruising around. And so 112 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 3: I had this you cut the springs on it, Yeah, 113 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 3: that's how we would do it. 114 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, who taught you how to do that? 115 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 3: I had RC car buddies who had performance cars. They 116 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 3: had a Sera ax A Civic, and they knew how 117 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 3: to work on cars because they knew how to work 118 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,160 Speaker 3: on their RC car, and then so they also knew 119 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:40,280 Speaker 3: how to work on the real car, and so I 120 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 3: wanted to hang out with them as much as possible 121 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 3: to learn how to do that. 122 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 2: The only car I've ever cut springs on was on 123 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 2: a Honda Prelude, and it destroyed the ride quality entirely. 124 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 2: But it lowered the car, and if done incorrectly, can 125 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 2: be very sketchy. But that's so fascinating to hear that 126 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 2: that's what you guys did the day you bought your 127 00:05:58,320 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 2: first car. 128 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, And it was one of those situations where you 129 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 3: lowered it and it looks so cool and you drive 130 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 3: around and it's bouncing. I'm like, this is fun. I'm 131 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 3: old now and one of the good gride quality and everything, 132 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 3: but like, it was sort of like this exciting car 133 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 3: that you drive around and sometimes you go around turns 134 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 3: and it would bounce around, or you'd have to slow 135 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 3: down for driveways and all these different things. It was 136 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,359 Speaker 3: super low, but that was part of the experience. 137 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 2: What was the next mod after that? You're like all right, 138 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 2: I got this bouncy suspension. My car's low. I feel cool? 139 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 2: Was it speed? Next? 140 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 3: Yep? So the next was HKS Powerflow air filter. So 141 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 3: it's this green air filter that you replace the airbox 142 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 3: with NNGK blue spark plugs, wires and plugs. So those 143 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 3: are the next two. And then later I got an 144 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 3: HKS exhaust for the car, and then later a header 145 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 3: for it. 146 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 1: For the people out there listening that don't know anything 147 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: about cars, why would you do something like that? 148 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 3: Because you wanted to make more power. So the theory was, 149 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 3: you know, each one of these mods might give you 150 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 3: another two to five horsepower. In my car made one 151 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 3: hundred and eight horse power originally, and so you do 152 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 3: some calculations. Well, if I've got my exhaust and the 153 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 3: header and whatever, and then now I'm up to one 154 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 3: hundred and twenty five horse power. So when I go 155 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 3: out and try to raise these guys, I'm going to 156 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 3: be quicker. And they also make a cool sound because 157 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 3: that was part of the scene. 158 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 2: Right, So at what point did your reliable daily not 159 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 2: become your reliable daily anymore? 160 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 3: It took a few years, so you know, I eventually 161 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 3: went to this place called Dynamic Autosport in Irvine and 162 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 3: got a different performance camshaft installed in the engine that 163 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 3: opens the valves more to get some more horse power. 164 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 3: I then put nitrous on the car and hid that 165 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 3: so when we'd go to the Stree races and stuff, 166 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 3: you could, you know, get that extra fifty or sixty 167 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 3: horse power shot of nitrous. 168 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 2: And this is early nineties, right. 169 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 3: This would have been mid nineties. 170 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 2: Mid nineties, So I'm assuming you're talking around three hundred horsepower. 171 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 3: No, no, no, we're talking one hundred and okay horsepower car 172 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 3: that maybe makes now one hundred and sixty. 173 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, because back then, like these are, this was kind 174 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:07,679 Speaker 2: of like groundbreaking. Like sure, like some of the muscle 175 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 2: guys had done it, but with these tuner cars in 176 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 2: that era, not a lot of people were modifying them. 177 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 2: Not a lot of people were going fast, and there'd 178 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 2: be like stories like, oh well there's this guy here 179 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 2: who's got this modified car, and oh well this Civic 180 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 2: S size got this much horse power. 181 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: And that's a front wheel car. 182 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 3: Yeah right, yeah, back then, with these one point six 183 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 3: liter Honda engines, they were still trying to break two 184 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 3: hundred or two hundred fifty horse power. That was sort 185 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:34,679 Speaker 3: of like the upper limit of the guys rebuilding the 186 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 3: engines and putting turbo chargers and stuff. The understanding I 187 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:39,559 Speaker 3: had to make power out of these small four cylinders 188 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,319 Speaker 3: for the automotive aftermarket that we were in was minimal. 189 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:45,559 Speaker 3: It was it was just beginning. But in the scene 190 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 3: that I was in where we were going to the 191 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 3: street races and trying to earn some called street cred 192 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 3: or whatever and just having a string credit, Yeah, it 193 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 3: was about in my perspective, was trying to be as 194 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 3: sleeper as you could. So you show up, you pop 195 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:07,320 Speaker 3: the hood. It looks very simple and unmodified, and then 196 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 3: you would set up the race. Right you'd say, okay, 197 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 3: well you've got more modifications. Why don't you let me 198 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 3: start ahead of you? Set me out a little bit. 199 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 2: As you have that nitrous bottle hidden in a bag 200 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 2: in the backseats, no one can see it. 201 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, So we had all these different strategies. Or you'd say, 202 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 3: you give me the move, so instead of using like 203 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 3: a flagger with a person you know is there with 204 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 3: his hands up and then he drops his hands and 205 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:31,079 Speaker 3: both cars take off at the same time. There's a 206 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 3: thing called the move. So if you've got the faster 207 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 3: car and the maybe negotiate to where the slower you're 208 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 3: racing the slower car, you would say, all right, when 209 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 3: you move, then I move. That's called the move. So 210 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 3: they get like a head start. Oh and handicap a handicap. 211 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 3: So there's these ways that you would negotiate different handicaps 212 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 3: to try to make it a better race, to try 213 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 3: to get them to race. And then there might be 214 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 3: some wagers there, but usually pretty small, under twenty dollars 215 00:09:58,160 --> 00:09:59,839 Speaker 3: most of the time, and then some of the bigger 216 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 3: one might be fifty or a hundred dollars. But you 217 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 3: got to remember these are kids from sixteen to twenty 218 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 3: two years old and spending most of our money on 219 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 3: the mods for the cars, so we didn't have much 220 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 3: to try to bet. It was almost like just a 221 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 3: reason to have the race, just to make it more interesting, right. 222 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 3: So then I eventually started racing the car on the track, 223 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,319 Speaker 3: Like there was a track here in Long Beach called 224 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 3: Terminal Island that was run by a guy named Big Willie, 225 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 3: and it was ten bucks to enter, and they had 226 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 3: an open Friday night Saturday nights. And I eventually turned 227 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 3: with the nitrous too much and burned one of my 228 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:35,679 Speaker 3: valves in the engine, and that's when the car started 229 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 3: becoming less reliable. I had to rebuild the engine and 230 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,959 Speaker 3: it kind of snowballed from there. But that's another story. 231 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 3: And how that thing turned into a race car? 232 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 2: Was that your first engine rebuild? 233 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 3: I didn't do the rebuild, but I went to a 234 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 3: place called JG Engine Dynamics and they did the build 235 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:51,319 Speaker 3: for me, and I would hang out there as much 236 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 3: as I could to try to learn because, like you said, 237 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 3: there wasn't YouTube or there wasn't much information on how 238 00:10:57,280 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 3: to modify these cars back then, so you had to 239 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 3: surround yourself with people that knew more than you and 240 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 3: that would help, that would maybe share that information. So 241 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 3: I'd go there during the summer and try to hang 242 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 3: out at that engine building place. And then right when 243 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:12,400 Speaker 3: I got high school, right when I graduated high school, 244 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 3: I would start going there every day and I literally 245 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 3: just was sweeping the floor, doing enough so they wouldn't 246 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 3: kick me out. And eventually they're like, we might as 247 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 3: well just hire this kid. 248 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 2: You got a job there. 249 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:24,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, So I ended up getting a job there for 250 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 3: you know, minimum wage whatever. I didn'tven care. They could 251 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:28,200 Speaker 3: have not paid me. I was just wanted to be 252 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 3: there and learn what they were doing with these engines. 253 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 3: And one of the perks was I was able to 254 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 3: bring my car there and start working on it at 255 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 3: the facility. 256 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 2: Wow. 257 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,840 Speaker 1: What a great mentorship to have at that age too. 258 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:42,839 Speaker 3: Yeah, So what I learned was a combination of working 259 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 3: at that location and the mutual friends that were building 260 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 3: drag racing hondas and modifying them, and just within that 261 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:55,120 Speaker 3: scene everything was these cars. And so I'd get done 262 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 3: with work and then go to this shop called Pitcrew Motorsports, 263 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 3: and then we'd hang out while our buddy Charles and 264 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 3: some of the guys were finishing were up work, and 265 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 3: then we'd go to dinner together and then talk more 266 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 3: about cars. Like it was a full immersion into the scene. 267 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: Do you feel like with EV cars coming, it's just 268 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:15,599 Speaker 1: kind of killing this community. 269 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 3: I think that's a big question in my experience. The 270 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 3: EV car works well for commuting and sitting on traffic 271 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:25,839 Speaker 3: on the freeway, and I think it does that well. 272 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:29,440 Speaker 3: But as far as performance goes, I would a much 273 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 3: rather a lower number, like a slower accelerating car. But 274 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 3: that sounds cool and has that feeling with a manual 275 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:42,080 Speaker 3: transmission and just the whole experience in it, because I 276 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 3: think that the numbers of the accelerations and everything are 277 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 3: so out in the stratosphere that I can't actually enjoy 278 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:52,199 Speaker 3: that on the street anymore without potentially getting pulled over 279 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,319 Speaker 3: and getting handcuffed and taken away for such crazy speeds. 280 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,320 Speaker 3: So now I've kind of gone towards the older cars 281 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 3: more of an enjoyment sort of aspect of the performance 282 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 3: and the feel of it, and my friends in the industry, 283 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 3: and I think maybe you can speak to that for 284 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 3: you for your experience, But the enthusiast friends I've had, 285 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:12,079 Speaker 3: it's not about going as fast as you can on 286 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 3: the free where it's racing people in the street. It's 287 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 3: about having an enjoyment in the drive. Yeah. 288 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,840 Speaker 1: And also the process, like a process of building a 289 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 1: car gives you know, people a reason to come together 290 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:27,320 Speaker 1: and have community and break bread and talk shit, you know, 291 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: tell old stories, you know. So I love when I 292 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: meet guys from your era because they have all these 293 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: war stories, you know, and it's like we were talking earlier, 294 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: Like a lot of it seems like, you know, the 295 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: movies like Fast and Fears has taken bits and pieces 296 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,959 Speaker 1: of your guys's life and your experiences and put them 297 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: into the movie. And I think, you know, people always 298 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: ask this question, is like, you know, how come the 299 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: franchise has been able to go so long. It's like 300 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: because it was rooted in something that was real, you know, 301 00:13:56,640 --> 00:13:59,840 Speaker 1: and it is pretty amazing that you get to actually 302 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 1: meet these like living legends, you know, like meeting you 303 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: in person like this and sitting down, it's like it 304 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 1: is like kind of my like Elvis Presley moment, because 305 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:12,959 Speaker 1: I hear all these stories about you, you know, and 306 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: it's it's like I wish I could. I wish there 307 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 1: was a time machine where I could go back and 308 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 1: be like a fly on the wall and be at 309 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 1: these street races. You know. I know we don't like 310 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: to promote it, but it is fascinating for people that 311 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: weren't able to experience that era because it was, like, 312 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: you know, it was an amazing time from what I hear. 313 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 2: You know, you were the first to in a front 314 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 2: wheel drive to break one fifty miles part or one 315 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 2: sixty one seventy one eighty, Like you were kind of 316 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 2: the front runner to the forward the front wheel drive 317 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:46,240 Speaker 2: drag cars. I guess I'm just thinking if drag racing 318 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 2: in general of you know, what it was in the 319 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 2: nineties compared to what it is today, it's a lot 320 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 2: higher price tag to get involved. 321 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, it is, but I think it's a bit relative 322 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 3: because I remember I remember being at Battle the Imports 323 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 3: in could be nineteen ninety seven and watching these guys 324 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 3: doing thirteen or twelve second quarter miles, which at the 325 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 3: time where the front will drive quarter mile records globally. 326 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 2: Did you believe people would be going sixes at some 327 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 2: point at that time? Would you believe it if someone told. 328 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 3: You no, even nines? Yeah or tensre was like yeah, 329 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 3: they said, well, there were long term drag racer guys 330 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 3: that had these theories, Well, you're going to be limited 331 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 3: with this front will drive configuration at twelve second quarter 332 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 3: mile because what's going to happen is as you accelerate quicker, 333 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 3: the weight's going to come off the front tire and 334 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 3: then you won't have traction and then there's literally a 335 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 3: wall that you're just not going to be able to 336 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 3: get past. And they couldn't be more wrong, right, because yeah, that's. 337 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 2: So interesting to hear that as an argument back then. 338 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, and for someone that doesn't understand, you know, physics 339 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 3: well or just listening to this old guy with experience, 340 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 3: you might believe it. But at the same time we're like, 341 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 3: this old guy doesn't know what he's talking about, and 342 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 3: you just kind of keep going down what your path 343 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 3: that you're on. And I think that's what was an 344 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 3: advantage for a lot of us that came up in 345 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 3: that alternative motorsport scene was we weren't we didn't have 346 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 3: these guardrails, we didn't know what we didn't know, so 347 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 3: we just said, this is the direction we're going. We're 348 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 3: just going to keep going faster, and we're just going 349 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 3: to keep putting more power and keep putting a bigger tire. 350 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 3: And we just kind of learned what that meant on 351 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 3: the track and then started developing this front will drive 352 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 3: type of drag racing where we were trailblazing like there 353 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 3: was nobody else that knew how to do it because 354 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 3: no one had done that before, right, And that was 355 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 3: what was so exciting, and it taught us a lot 356 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 3: on how to build cars. 357 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: What's the draw for the foks that are into drag racing. 358 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: You know when I go to these events, like I 359 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 1: see it in their eyes, like there's this fire burning. 360 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 1: You know, it's like they have to keep breaking these records. 361 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: Do you think it's a way like the human being 362 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:16,399 Speaker 1: leaves their legacy or their mark on this earth, Like 363 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:19,480 Speaker 1: you know for the people out there that have never 364 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: been to drag race events, you know, the energy is 365 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 1: like I don't even know how to describe it. It's 366 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 1: like this, like it looks from half the people look intoxicated. 367 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:33,400 Speaker 2: They probably are, it's. 368 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 1: Right, and it was like nothing else matters, nothing. I mean, 369 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 1: they put all their money into these cars to like 370 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:41,880 Speaker 1: break the next record. Where does that come from? 371 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 3: Yeah? I think it's, Uh, there's parallel there with addiction, 372 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 3: right where you're addicted to I love working on this 373 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:54,119 Speaker 3: car and then getting it running and then trying to 374 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:57,159 Speaker 3: get it to go faster, and then thinking about what 375 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:00,080 Speaker 3: it is that I can do to attain the like 376 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 3: this next goal and so whatever it is, like it's 377 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:05,199 Speaker 3: this part that I need or I've got to put 378 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 3: this time into it, and like I can see it's 379 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:10,480 Speaker 3: like chasing the dragon. It's like, oh my god, it 380 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 3: was so good, Like it went down the track and 381 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:15,159 Speaker 3: it had this fast quarter mile time and all my 382 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 3: friends saw it and they gave me props for it. 383 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 3: And it's like, no, but I know I can go 384 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 3: a little bit quicker or this other guy that's faster 385 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 3: than me, but I have an idea of how I 386 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 3: can make more horsepower and then build the engine that 387 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 3: way and then get back to the track and beat him. 388 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 2: I think addiction is a good way to put it. 389 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, you can call it a hobby, and I think 390 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 3: if it goes maybe in an unhealthy way, that can be, 391 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 3: you know, a bad addiction. But man, thinking about my motivation, 392 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:44,960 Speaker 3: just I loved building cars and you would prove that 393 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 3: you were really good at it by what it did 394 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 3: on the track, and that was a way of justifying 395 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 3: the time and effort put into it, or like a 396 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 3: street cred kind of thing, and like showing other people, 397 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 3: like look at what I can do, and there's this 398 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 3: Some people just have that competition competitive spirit built within 399 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 3: them and that's the way that you know it comes out. 400 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 2: Can I just read some of your accomplishments out loud, 401 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:14,679 Speaker 2: because this is so freaking impressive. First Honda's in the Nines, 402 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 2: first front wheel drive, in the eights World's fastest sport compact, 403 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 2: first drag Honda to break two hundred miles per hour 404 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 2: rule drive, First Honda in the seven's reel drive, First 405 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 2: Honda in the six is reel drive, World's quickest Honda 406 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 2: rual drive. Like, this is freaking incredible. You were such 407 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 2: a trail you are a trailblazer, and to really focus 408 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 2: on the Honda platform. What made you take the shift 409 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 2: from front wheel drive to rule drive? Was it a 410 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 2: limitation of speed performance? Was it just a new passion 411 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 2: in a different space. 412 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 3: I wanted more competition. I wanted to do something more. 413 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:51,920 Speaker 2: Difficult because there's such a gigster and you're winning everything. 414 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:57,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, yes, yeah, So I'm looking at your resume right now. 415 00:19:57,720 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 2: I can see it and. 416 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 3: The guys that were racing the pro Import with those engines, 417 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:05,719 Speaker 3: I was like, that looks really challenging. It was a chassis. 418 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 3: I didn't understand the engines made more power. We would 419 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 3: use an engine platform that people hadn't developed yet. It 420 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 3: just looked like something really difficult to do. And I 421 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,240 Speaker 3: realized over the years that's what I like to do, 422 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 3: was go, you know, develop new things that are difficult 423 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:23,679 Speaker 3: and hopefully have success at it. And I kind of 424 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 3: was looking forward within the series, the NHA series, and 425 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 3: I said, you know what, I think the future for 426 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 3: me and sponsorship and keeping this thing going would be 427 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:36,919 Speaker 3: at the highest fastest class within this sport compact NHA series, 428 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 3: and that was the rear wheel drive sixteen hundred horse power. 429 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:43,359 Speaker 3: And I said, I think it needed to make a 430 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 3: transition from the front whee drive to the real wal 431 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 3: drive to be the fastest car within our series at 432 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 3: the track. 433 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 2: And what kind of horse party did you have in 434 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:52,200 Speaker 2: the front whel drive car before you made that transition 435 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 2: to shooting for sixteen hundred. 436 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 3: About eight hundred and fifty, that's wild. Yeah, So we 437 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:58,439 Speaker 3: were in the front wheel drives. We were running a 438 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 3: four cylinder turbocharge engine with alcohol fuel methanol. 439 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 2: Methanol, yeah, methanol for those listening, it's actually very dangerous 440 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 2: because it burns clear and if you're on fire, I 441 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:10,800 Speaker 2: don't know, if you guys put an additive in the car, 442 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:11,879 Speaker 2: you can't really see it. 443 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, And I've had that happen, really caught on fire 444 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:17,399 Speaker 3: in the engine bay. And so we had built this 445 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 3: new rearal drive tube chassis drag racing car for the 446 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:25,840 Speaker 3: top Pro Import class and we were still working it out, 447 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:27,879 Speaker 3: but the goal was sixteen hundred horsepower. 448 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 2: Wow. 449 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 3: And we're just doing some initial shakedowns of this new car, 450 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,400 Speaker 3: all built, and we go to the Irwindale Speedway here, 451 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 3: which has a drag strip and eighth mile drag strip, 452 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 3: and literally like one of the first times we've run 453 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 3: this car, and I'm out, I do a burnout and 454 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 3: the car stalls and then all of a sudden, I 455 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 3: feel like this heat and I'm in the driving seat 456 00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 3: right and I'm in my helmet and strapped and everything. 457 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 3: Feel this heat coming through like the windshield almost and then. 458 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 2: Was it PLEXI glass? Could you see it melting? 459 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:00,119 Speaker 3: Yeah? I started seeing the hood start bubbling, and I'm like, oh, 460 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 3: I think there's a fire. And so I hit the 461 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 3: fire extinguisher and as a built in fire extinguisher with 462 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 3: a little pull lever that you pull and then you know, 463 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 3: five pounds of fire extinguisher goes out on the engine 464 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 3: and inside the driver's compartment, and all of a sudden, 465 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,159 Speaker 3: I feel like like the wind getting knocked out of 466 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:17,440 Speaker 3: me and I can't breathe anymore. And so like there's 467 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:20,360 Speaker 3: a fire. I feel like the like there's no oxygen. 468 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 3: I just get the wind knocked out of me, and 469 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 3: just like I'm on the brakes, I start pulling my 470 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 3: seat belt off. I pulled the windownt down. I popped 471 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 3: the door open, and I jump out and I was 472 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 3: totally safe. It came over with some fire extinguishers and 473 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:35,159 Speaker 3: realized what was going on and put out the fire. 474 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 3: But there was no flames. 475 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, you can't see. 476 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 3: It was just it was pretty intense. 477 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 2: And that was the first time driving the car. 478 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 3: That was first time driving the car. Yeah. We made 479 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 3: a mistake on the fuel pressure regulator that wasn't large enough, huh, 480 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 3: and the fuel pressure spiked and it blew some fuel injectors, 481 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 3: basically the fuel rail off of the fuel injectors, and 482 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:58,159 Speaker 3: there was raw fuel spring in the engine bay and 483 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:00,560 Speaker 3: I got onto like the hot exhaust and that's ignited 484 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 3: it right right. 485 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 2: So how far did you guys get with this new 486 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 2: Reual Drive chassis. 487 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, within within three years, we had several wins within 488 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 3: the NHRA Sport Compact Series, second in the championship the 489 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 3: third year, and eventually ran the quarter mile in six 490 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 3: point five to two seconds. At two hundred and fifteen 491 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:19,880 Speaker 3: miles an hour. 492 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 2: How long ago was this? 493 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:22,880 Speaker 3: That was in two thousand and five. 494 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 2: That's insane, that's fast. Two thousand and five you also 495 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 2: won Rookie of the Year for Formula Drift. 496 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:31,920 Speaker 3: Yeah. So all I can say is I was kind 497 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:35,199 Speaker 3: of fast moving and always kind of looking forward on 498 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:38,160 Speaker 3: the next kind of adventure that I was going to attempt. 499 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 3: And so it went from front walll drive drag racing 500 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 3: to reel drive drag racing. And after a little bit, 501 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 3: I was like, I don't know if this Ntra Sport 502 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 3: Compact series is really going to have longevity. Sure, but 503 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 3: I want to keep racing. I want to keep you know, 504 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:53,119 Speaker 3: having fun at the track, and I don't want to 505 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:55,239 Speaker 3: die with the series. And at that same time, I 506 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:58,240 Speaker 3: had been drag racing now for you know, over a decade. 507 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 3: I was traveling to these really remote areas of America 508 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 3: where these drag racing tracks existed in like the areas 509 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 3: of Kentucky and Florida and stuff like that, to where 510 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:10,399 Speaker 3: you'd fly in, you go to the hotel, you go 511 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:11,960 Speaker 3: to the racetrack, you go back to the hotel, and 512 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 3: you fly back home. Yeah, and once in a while, 513 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:15,480 Speaker 3: would we go out and have some fun. But every 514 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 3: time I traveled to this new location, it was another 515 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 3: quarter mile drag strip that was straight made out of 516 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:24,960 Speaker 3: concrete or asphalt, with a giant parking lot, you know 517 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 3: for all of our stuff, and it just became a 518 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 3: bit redundant. And at this point I had probably a 519 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:34,920 Speaker 3: false sense of my driving ability and thought, oh, well, 520 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:37,479 Speaker 3: I should be able to parlay this into something more difficult. 521 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:38,919 Speaker 3: I should go road racing. 522 00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 2: Or did you personally pilot the car into the sixes? 523 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 3: I did, Yeah, So I'd been driving the car, you know, 524 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:48,480 Speaker 3: through all of this, and then also helping to develop 525 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 3: it as well. And there was a lot of partners 526 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 3: that we had with in that program that made it successful. 527 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:58,160 Speaker 3: AM Electronics developed the engine program initially when we built 528 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 3: the rear WORL drive car in around two thousand and three. 529 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:01,719 Speaker 3: They said, hey, we love sponsoring you, but we'd love 530 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 3: to have more of our engineering expertise in your car, 531 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:07,680 Speaker 3: not just a sticker on it, some of our products. 532 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 3: And I said that sounds great. Because the founder of 533 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:15,159 Speaker 3: AEM was a gentleman called John Concialdi, and he was 534 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:19,960 Speaker 3: a mechanical engineer with tons of experience with everything from 535 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:23,159 Speaker 3: car raiders to fuel injection to building engines, and he 536 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 3: had a personal and a company interest in building this 537 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 3: sixteen hundred horsepower turbochard to be six engine. So yeah, 538 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 3: they were there, were and still are an excellent partner 539 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 3: with the program that we have today. 540 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 1: You know, when I talked to the ogs, they always 541 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:40,880 Speaker 1: talk about how John was one of those folks that 542 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:45,360 Speaker 1: was so open to the kids that were from the streets, 543 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,440 Speaker 1: like you know, street racing, to allow them to come 544 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:52,359 Speaker 1: into the garage and support them. Without people like John 545 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 1: and AEM, I don't think a lot of these guys 546 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,479 Speaker 1: from the street racing scene would have been able to 547 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: go into the pro circuit. I mean, anytime somebody brings 548 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:05,200 Speaker 1: up like John from Am, they speak of him as 549 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: like a you know, like a godfather, as like an uncle. 550 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 1: So I just want to make sure we give John 551 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 1: from Am some props. 552 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,359 Speaker 3: Yeah. And as a sidebar here, you know, my parents 553 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 3: got divorced when I was when I was young, you know, 554 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:20,439 Speaker 3: five years old, and he moved My father moved back 555 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:22,199 Speaker 3: to Greece where he was from. So I grew up 556 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:26,440 Speaker 3: pretty much in a single mother household and no one 557 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 3: was in the cars in my family, which we talked about. 558 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,719 Speaker 3: Uh so I'd find these kind of father figures. There 559 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 3: was Javier, the guy that owned JG ended at Dynamics, 560 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:36,879 Speaker 3: the place that I got my first job out of 561 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,439 Speaker 3: high school. We've got John Concialte that was the founder 562 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:42,879 Speaker 3: of AM and then so, you know, not having a 563 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 3: father around, I kind of looked around at these different 564 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 3: men that were older that knew a lot more than me, 565 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 3: and I kind of picked like this thing that I 566 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:51,920 Speaker 3: really liked about him, Like John was very intelligent or 567 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:55,239 Speaker 3: still as very intelligent and a mentor as far as 568 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:57,679 Speaker 3: the technical side. And so I had these different, you know, 569 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 3: kind of mentors over the years, and it was definitely 570 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 3: one of them. 571 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:03,520 Speaker 2: I do want to hear about the formula drift stuff. 572 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:07,119 Speaker 2: So you start seeing the shift and you want to 573 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:11,200 Speaker 2: transition into drifting to get you know, a fresh taste 574 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 2: of a different category in sports, and you start building 575 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 2: drift cars. 576 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 3: So in two thousand and four, I got the itch 577 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,879 Speaker 3: to do some drifting because I was trying to, you know, 578 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:26,880 Speaker 3: what else can I do other than drag racing. They 579 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 3: had the one of the first D one drift events 580 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,760 Speaker 3: here in Los Angeles where they brought a bunch of 581 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,360 Speaker 3: competition drifters from Japan, which their main series out there 582 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 3: was D one and I was kind of like rolling 583 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 3: my eyes out and when I watched, I was like, 584 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 3: oh my gosh, this is pretty impressive what they're doing 585 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:44,719 Speaker 3: with the cars and what the drivers are doing, and 586 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 3: it was very engaging show. And I was like, oh, man, 587 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:50,679 Speaker 3: I think that's a better show than what we're doing 588 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,160 Speaker 3: with the drag racing. And I was looking for something, 589 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 3: you know, different to do, and I was like, Okay, 590 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 3: this could be something I should look at. Had some 591 00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 3: friends that were into it and talked to them and 592 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 3: it turned out the easy Ford car to build was 593 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:07,399 Speaker 3: a Nissan two forty SX. Yeah, and coincidentally, that was 594 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 3: a car that my mom had in the in the 595 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 3: mid nineties. She had a nineteen eighty nine to forty 596 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:14,920 Speaker 3: SX automatic. 597 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:16,920 Speaker 2: Did you take your mom's cars? 598 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 3: That's awesome. Yeah, So my mom got a new car. 599 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 3: I got her old car nineteen eighty nine. It was 600 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 3: burgundy color that was S thirteen is it S thirteen yep, 601 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:27,680 Speaker 3: which had over two hundred thousand miles on it because 602 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 3: she was communing with it all over to these different 603 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:32,880 Speaker 3: depositions for her job and pulled the little two point 604 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:34,880 Speaker 3: four leader to twelve valve engine out in the automatic 605 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 3: transmission and got a JDM SR twenty engine from the 606 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:42,600 Speaker 3: importers and basically converted it to a turbocharged, you know, 607 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 3: drift car, painted it, put different suspension on it, racing rollcage, 608 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 3: and in two thousand and four I had basically my 609 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:52,800 Speaker 3: mom's old commuter car turned into a drift car that 610 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 3: I was going to go learn in. That is so awesome, 611 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 3: and so I started doing some of the local drift events. 612 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 3: I was definitely not early into the drifting here. I 613 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 3: was the drag racer guy building a drift car. And 614 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:06,480 Speaker 3: they're like a lot of the guys were. They were 615 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:08,600 Speaker 3: actually pretty easy going, but in some ways it's like 616 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 3: you should stay in your lane, you know, know pun intended, 617 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 3: but like, you know, you're the drag racing guy. What 618 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:13,960 Speaker 3: do you guys? What are you doing over here in 619 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:16,840 Speaker 3: the drifting? But they they knew they had they had 620 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 3: been driving drift cars enough to they knew this is 621 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 3: really difficult. That was really difficult to drift at a 622 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:25,640 Speaker 3: competition level. And pretty quickly I learned like, ooh, A 623 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:27,800 Speaker 3: lot of the drag racing skills that I had didn't 624 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,440 Speaker 3: carry over to the drifting, Like we could make the 625 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 3: horse power, we could build the car. I wasn't scared 626 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 3: of the power. I wasn't scared of the car, but 627 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 3: counter steering and all the little tricks with driving. It 628 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 3: took a while to try to get up to speed. 629 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 2: So Tanner Faust drove for you on the first championship 630 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:46,200 Speaker 2: win with your team. Was it a tough decision to 631 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,440 Speaker 2: have a driver instead of using the person in the seat? 632 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 3: Yeah. So from me building that two forty and really 633 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 3: spending some time trying to learn how to drift, I 634 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 3: quickly realized the amount of effort it would and practice 635 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 3: I'd have to do to be at a top five 636 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 3: level to carry on being a professional driver. But in 637 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:08,760 Speaker 3: drift what would have been really challenging and maybe something 638 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 3: at twenty seven years old or whatever I was at 639 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 3: that time would be hard to do in my mid twenties. 640 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 3: And at the same time in two thousand and five, 641 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:19,360 Speaker 3: I met, you know, an up and coming driver named Tanner. 642 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 2: Faust, who how do you guys meet? 643 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 3: He was driving a car in Formula drift and we 644 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 3: met at the racetrack and he kept having engine problems 645 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 3: with the car that he was driving for the team 646 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 3: that he was driving with, so he would Tanners and 647 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:34,680 Speaker 3: smart guy, he'd start asking around and get some advice. 648 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 3: So we kind of hit it off and we saw 649 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 3: some synergies there, like he knew I could build a 650 00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 3: good car, and I knew he was an excellent driver, 651 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 3: maybe being held back by the car. And so we 652 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 3: made a deal for two thousand and six that we 653 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:49,560 Speaker 3: would do a two car drift team where he would 654 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 3: be in the A car and I would be in 655 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,680 Speaker 3: the B car. And so for two thousand and six 656 00:30:54,760 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 3: we retired from drag racing, basically took those sponsorship funds 657 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 3: and pivoted over to drift. And for the amount of 658 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 3: money we were spending in drag racing, we were able 659 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 3: to do a two car drift program. So we built 660 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 3: a three point fifty Z Nissan drift car for Tanner, 661 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:16,719 Speaker 3: and I was in a two thousand and four ish 662 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:20,400 Speaker 3: Honda S two thousand, but I was still learning how 663 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 3: and getting up to speed on becoming a you know, 664 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 3: a good drift driver. But Tanner was already there. So 665 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 3: within the first year we had a couple of wins 666 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 3: with Tanner. In two thousand and six. The second year 667 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 3: with Tanner, we won the championship. In the third year 668 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 3: with Tanner, we won the championship again, and I retired 669 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:37,440 Speaker 3: from basically driving at that point where I said, I'm 670 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 3: not coming up to speed quick enough as a driver, 671 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:42,200 Speaker 3: and really I've got to choose whether I'm a driver 672 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 3: or a team, you know, owner manager. And I said, 673 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:47,560 Speaker 3: I think I'm better at running the team and building 674 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:50,400 Speaker 3: the cars than driving. And I made a conscious decision 675 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:52,080 Speaker 3: to say, you know what, I'm just going to retire 676 00:31:52,120 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 3: from driving and I'm going to focus on building cars 677 00:31:55,120 --> 00:32:10,720 Speaker 3: for Tanner and running the program. 678 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 2: You make me feel like such an underachiever by the 679 00:32:12,920 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 2: way you're doing this at twenty seven. 680 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, So another sidebar here is is you really you 681 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 3: really can't go to school for a lot of this stuff. 682 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:24,000 Speaker 3: And so what I learned is sometimes you got to 683 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:26,720 Speaker 3: make investments into doing racing. I'm like a doer, like, 684 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 3: let's go do this thing. Let's ready fire aim, let's 685 00:32:30,560 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 3: go do it. We're not exactly sure that this is 686 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 3: going to pan out, but we're gonna learn a lot 687 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 3: doing it. And it's gonna cost us some money, and 688 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:42,000 Speaker 3: I'm gonna consider that an investment. And the plan is 689 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:44,760 Speaker 3: that whatever we learn in this endeavor, we're gonna take 690 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:47,840 Speaker 3: it and apply it to our main focused business and 691 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 3: we're gonna get steps ahead where normally we couldn't. And 692 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:53,360 Speaker 3: I think that's where one of our advantages is is 693 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:55,480 Speaker 3: instead of staying within the bubble of what we do, 694 00:32:56,160 --> 00:33:00,280 Speaker 3: look around, try some stuff somewhere else, Take what we've 695 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 3: learned outside of our main focus, and then apply it 696 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:06,000 Speaker 3: to that many focus and take another step ahead, hopefully 697 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:09,360 Speaker 3: being on the forefront of technology, speed, whatever it is, 698 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 3: and continue to be, you know, a leader in the 699 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:14,320 Speaker 3: motorsports and the class that we're at. 700 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:17,920 Speaker 1: That's great advice to reinvest into yourself and to keep 701 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 1: growing right, think outside of the bubble. 702 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:22,560 Speaker 2: I was about to ask if that's something you're you 703 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 2: feel your mom instilled in you growing up, maybe as 704 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 2: a single mother, watching her hard work and driving all that. 705 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 2: Do you feel that I had a big impact on 706 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 2: your Well. 707 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,640 Speaker 1: She was definitely out of box thinker, driving a too. 708 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:40,760 Speaker 2: Fo she was secretly driven, honest. 709 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:45,320 Speaker 3: So she grew up in a household where education was first, 710 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 3: and you followed all of the rules and you have 711 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:54,320 Speaker 3: a successful professional career after that. And she looked around 712 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:58,480 Speaker 3: at at maybe her family or herself and said, uh, 713 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:01,840 Speaker 3: this is not necessarily there about to happiness. You need 714 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:04,680 Speaker 3: to follow a passion. You have to have some fundamental 715 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:08,080 Speaker 3: you know, education and ethics and things like that, of course, 716 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 3: but follow your passion and you know, hopefully that leads 717 00:34:11,239 --> 00:34:13,520 Speaker 3: you in a place where you enjoy your life because 718 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:15,840 Speaker 3: getting things on what you might say, Okay, I'm going 719 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:17,759 Speaker 3: to go to school and I'm going to kick butt 720 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:19,839 Speaker 3: and I'm going to become a doctor, and now I'm 721 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:22,760 Speaker 3: going to you know, live my life you know, on call, 722 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:25,640 Speaker 3: and you know that's not necessarily where you're going to 723 00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:27,800 Speaker 3: be the happiest. And she let me follow my passion 724 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:31,120 Speaker 3: of motorsport. She helped fund an initial business that I 725 00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:34,239 Speaker 3: started where we were performance business, you know, in my 726 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:37,120 Speaker 3: early twenties, and you know, it all panned out in 727 00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:41,440 Speaker 3: a good way. But I've used that as a as 728 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:45,160 Speaker 3: a north star, you know, my whole life now, which 729 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:48,399 Speaker 3: is is this direction that I'm going going to lead 730 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 3: me somewhere that I'm going to enjoy waking up and 731 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:55,080 Speaker 3: look forward to going into the office or the shop 732 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:57,920 Speaker 3: or whatever it is that I'm doing that day, because 733 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:00,840 Speaker 3: at the end of the day, that's what's going to 734 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:03,600 Speaker 3: give me and the people that are close to me 735 00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:07,400 Speaker 3: enjoyment in life. And that's the misconception that I found 736 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 3: where I want to make a bunch of money because 737 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:11,600 Speaker 3: the idea of I want to get a job that 738 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:13,279 Speaker 3: I make a bunch of money so that I can 739 00:35:13,320 --> 00:35:15,919 Speaker 3: go spend that money on things that I enjoy. I've 740 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:18,600 Speaker 3: seen people get in that trap where they end up 741 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:22,360 Speaker 3: working so much for that money and for that payday 742 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:24,839 Speaker 3: that they don't actually get to enjoy the payday. They 743 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:28,480 Speaker 3: find that the ratio is off where I'm spending most 744 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:30,880 Speaker 3: of my week making the money is a little bit 745 00:35:30,920 --> 00:35:33,160 Speaker 3: of my week actually doing the things that I love. 746 00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:35,920 Speaker 3: So I'd rather just make enough to get by, but 747 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:37,560 Speaker 3: really enjoy waking up enjoying my life. 748 00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 1: You know, in a way, passing the baton off to 749 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:43,640 Speaker 1: Tanner as the driver and you being the builder. You know, 750 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:47,920 Speaker 1: it's pretty impressive to me because it sounds like, you know, 751 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,560 Speaker 1: you grew up and you're a hyper competitive and you 752 00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 1: probably still are, and to be able to give up 753 00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:56,840 Speaker 1: the steering wall to another driver and to be behind 754 00:35:56,880 --> 00:35:59,880 Speaker 1: the scenes says a lot about a person, you know, 755 00:36:00,280 --> 00:36:02,280 Speaker 1: and I'm sure that was hard, Stephan. 756 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:04,399 Speaker 3: There was some there. I mean I was still racing 757 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,600 Speaker 3: in the background. But the reality is my focus was 758 00:36:07,719 --> 00:36:13,760 Speaker 3: on I really enjoy building successful, competitive, winning race cars 759 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:17,239 Speaker 3: and having a winning, competitive team, and the guys that 760 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:20,439 Speaker 3: we work with on the team also enjoy that, and 761 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,399 Speaker 3: I'm not going to sacrifice that if I'm not the 762 00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:27,000 Speaker 3: best tool or the best driver for that. We knew 763 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:29,359 Speaker 3: that Tanner was. And at the end of the day, 764 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:31,440 Speaker 3: it's a team sport. I like cars and I like 765 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:35,320 Speaker 3: building them. And if my place, you know, isn't driving, 766 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:38,600 Speaker 3: then yeah, and Tanner was so much better than me, 767 00:36:39,040 --> 00:36:41,080 Speaker 3: and I couldn't. I felt that I couldn't get to 768 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:43,239 Speaker 3: that level like this is where we needed to be. 769 00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:45,080 Speaker 3: I don't know, it just seemed like a natural. 770 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:47,880 Speaker 1: That's awesome. I mean that's a rare trait too. Speaking 771 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:51,200 Speaker 1: of Tanner, you being a driver and then you seeing 772 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:54,880 Speaker 1: him being a better driver. What made him a better driver? 773 00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 1: What were those traits? 774 00:36:56,120 --> 00:36:59,800 Speaker 3: So there's a thing called getting into the zone, and 775 00:37:00,360 --> 00:37:03,160 Speaker 3: it would take me a day or two sometimes to 776 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 3: get into the zone, and driving like I'm really there 777 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:08,960 Speaker 3: and I'm ahead of the car. I want the car 778 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:11,440 Speaker 3: to do a certain thing, and it just sort of 779 00:37:11,480 --> 00:37:14,239 Speaker 3: happens naturally. I'm not having to think about how much 780 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:16,840 Speaker 3: throttle I'm giving it or what gear I'm in. You know. 781 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:19,600 Speaker 3: I was never really becoming one with the car, and 782 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 3: eventually I could, but it didn't work well with the 783 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:26,319 Speaker 3: format of drifting where you're sitting at the starting line 784 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:28,920 Speaker 3: and it's like, Okay, perform and you come back, and 785 00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:32,359 Speaker 3: like you had to perform immediately each time, and I 786 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:35,799 Speaker 3: wasn't consistent enough doing that, and I didn't feel like 787 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:38,480 Speaker 3: I had the mentality to be able to get in 788 00:37:38,520 --> 00:37:42,200 Speaker 3: that focused zone. And Tanner just could. You'd put him 789 00:37:42,239 --> 00:37:45,400 Speaker 3: there in a very high stressful situation and said perform 790 00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:48,680 Speaker 3: and then he could drive the car to the highest level. 791 00:37:48,719 --> 00:37:50,399 Speaker 3: And he had this not just knew how to drive 792 00:37:50,440 --> 00:37:52,640 Speaker 3: the car, but he could feel what the car was doing. 793 00:37:52,920 --> 00:37:55,880 Speaker 3: I need more front grip because the car is understeering, 794 00:37:56,480 --> 00:37:59,120 Speaker 3: it's over rotating, and it's over spinning, so we needed 795 00:37:59,120 --> 00:38:01,440 Speaker 3: to make a change to this suspension. He just was 796 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:03,640 Speaker 3: really good at not only driving it, but giving feedback 797 00:38:03,680 --> 00:38:04,080 Speaker 3: as well. 798 00:38:04,200 --> 00:38:06,840 Speaker 2: Not a lot of drivers can give feedback like that. 799 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:09,359 Speaker 2: Either that's a big trait to have, yep. 800 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:12,399 Speaker 3: And then that synergy that that combination of him having 801 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:15,560 Speaker 3: that driving skill and that feedback for the car and 802 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:18,279 Speaker 3: then me listening to it, and then our team being 803 00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:20,759 Speaker 3: able to then make changes to the car to give 804 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:25,000 Speaker 3: him what he wanted was very very competitive combination. And 805 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:27,400 Speaker 3: it's rare when you can have a team that's you know, 806 00:38:27,400 --> 00:38:29,120 Speaker 3: at the top of their game building cars and then 807 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:31,680 Speaker 3: a driver that's at the top of his game driving them. 808 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:34,680 Speaker 3: It's an almost unbeatable combination when that comes together. 809 00:38:34,840 --> 00:38:37,160 Speaker 1: Yeah. And then for folks that have him met Hannah 810 00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:40,280 Speaker 1: in person, he's like the sweetest dude, like the nicest 811 00:38:40,280 --> 00:38:41,120 Speaker 1: guy who will ever meet. 812 00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:44,359 Speaker 2: You know, him and Frederick Osbo, I'd also say, are 813 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:47,759 Speaker 2: two incredible people who, along with you and so many others, 814 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:49,360 Speaker 2: are great influences on this industry. 815 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:52,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, And that's what allows us to be a professional team, 816 00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:55,480 Speaker 3: right is at the end of the day, we work 817 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,759 Speaker 3: with great partners and you know, companies like Toyota, Rock 818 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:01,120 Speaker 3: Share and any drink, you know, Nato Tire, like these 819 00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:04,360 Speaker 3: different companies work with for years that they want to 820 00:39:04,560 --> 00:39:07,280 Speaker 3: work with us because they say these folks. They're passionate, 821 00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:10,960 Speaker 3: they're competitive, and they have similar values to what we 822 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:12,919 Speaker 3: have in our company. And so, you know, I guess 823 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:15,600 Speaker 3: you could say remarketable, right having a professional team or 824 00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:17,920 Speaker 3: professional business or whatever it is, you really want to 825 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:18,920 Speaker 3: check all those boxes. 826 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:23,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, shout out to Nato Tires their vice tire sponsor too. 827 00:39:23,560 --> 00:39:24,280 Speaker 3: I love Nato. 828 00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:25,560 Speaker 1: Harry is my guy. 829 00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:29,840 Speaker 3: You know, good people, they're passionate, you know. So we're 830 00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:32,440 Speaker 3: fortunate to have a great group of not just sponsors, 831 00:39:32,480 --> 00:39:33,600 Speaker 3: but the team guys and everything. 832 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:35,960 Speaker 2: What's the next ten years look like for you? What's 833 00:39:35,960 --> 00:39:36,480 Speaker 2: the future? 834 00:39:36,920 --> 00:39:39,160 Speaker 3: So form of the drift is where we compete right 835 00:39:39,200 --> 00:39:43,200 Speaker 3: now with Frederick Osbo. Frederick Osbo drives our GR Supra. 836 00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:48,120 Speaker 3: It's a turbo charged twelve hundred horsepower drifting machine. And 837 00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:51,360 Speaker 3: we have a second car which is a GR Corolla 838 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:54,319 Speaker 3: that Ryan Turk drives. Both that are a sponsor with 839 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:57,960 Speaker 3: Toyota and Rockstar Energy Drink and Nato. And then there's 840 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:00,280 Speaker 3: a third car that we handle for Jonathan ca Astro, 841 00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:03,359 Speaker 3: which is a GR eighty six Toyota. And so that's 842 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:05,799 Speaker 3: the core of our business is handling all of those 843 00:40:05,880 --> 00:40:08,000 Speaker 3: drift cars and going to the form of the drift events, 844 00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:10,840 Speaker 3: and the series is doing really strong their live attendance 845 00:40:10,840 --> 00:40:13,040 Speaker 3: and also the live stream is really good. So I 846 00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:15,920 Speaker 3: think we're definitely continuing that road for at least the 847 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:18,799 Speaker 3: next you know, two to five plus years beyond that. 848 00:40:19,320 --> 00:40:22,560 Speaker 3: I really like building things that don't have instructions and 849 00:40:22,640 --> 00:40:26,239 Speaker 3: no one's built before. I've seen other motorsport teams, like 850 00:40:26,320 --> 00:40:30,120 Speaker 3: all American Racers that have gone into building in aerospace 851 00:40:30,239 --> 00:40:33,920 Speaker 3: or you know, very cutting edge R and D projects. 852 00:40:34,560 --> 00:40:37,279 Speaker 3: Hollywood is big into that right where they'll be a 853 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:39,960 Speaker 3: concept and then they'll take it to a builder and 854 00:40:39,960 --> 00:40:41,960 Speaker 3: he'll turn it into reality something that actually works, like 855 00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:42,880 Speaker 3: the Batmoom bill. 856 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:45,399 Speaker 1: M That's cool. So that's what you want to be doing. 857 00:40:45,560 --> 00:40:47,759 Speaker 3: Yeah, I like doing stuff that's difficult, and I think 858 00:40:47,800 --> 00:40:50,240 Speaker 3: that building stuff that doesn't have instructions. Like my kid's 859 00:40:50,280 --> 00:40:53,839 Speaker 3: doing legos right now. He's eight, and it's fun watching 860 00:40:53,880 --> 00:40:56,080 Speaker 3: him read the instructions and kind of going through that process. 861 00:40:56,320 --> 00:40:58,080 Speaker 3: But I really want him to take the next step, 862 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:02,040 Speaker 3: which is understand the different pieces and understand the different 863 00:41:02,080 --> 00:41:03,719 Speaker 3: combinations that you can do that are not in the 864 00:41:03,719 --> 00:41:06,200 Speaker 3: instructions and building his own creations. 865 00:41:07,320 --> 00:41:10,400 Speaker 1: How has you becoming a father kind of change your 866 00:41:10,400 --> 00:41:11,400 Speaker 1: approach to racing. 867 00:41:12,120 --> 00:41:15,240 Speaker 3: It's gotten me to be a less one hundred percent 868 00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:18,799 Speaker 3: focused on the motor support and the team, and yeah, 869 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:20,760 Speaker 3: try to turn it off, you know, on the weekends 870 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:23,920 Speaker 3: and when I'm doing other things. And it's helped me 871 00:41:23,960 --> 00:41:26,440 Speaker 3: to become less of a micro manager in the shop 872 00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:29,560 Speaker 3: and allowing the great people we have, like Sean Andaldo 873 00:41:29,640 --> 00:41:33,560 Speaker 3: and everybody to actually, you know, let them do their job. 874 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:38,000 Speaker 3: Understand that if I was doing something myself, I make mistakes, 875 00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:40,920 Speaker 3: and allowing the guys to make mistakes learn from that, 876 00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:44,200 Speaker 3: and you know, like giving up control over certain parts 877 00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:47,160 Speaker 3: of like the car bills or whatever, heading logistics for 878 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:50,160 Speaker 3: the team and just let them do their job without 879 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:51,360 Speaker 3: me looking over their shoulder. 880 00:41:51,440 --> 00:41:53,399 Speaker 2: It's incredible that you have a team that you can 881 00:41:53,440 --> 00:41:55,919 Speaker 2: rely on and trust like that, because finding good help 882 00:41:55,960 --> 00:42:00,319 Speaker 2: is very challenging, especially anyone who is as passionate it 883 00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:01,000 Speaker 2: as you are. 884 00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:04,319 Speaker 3: Yeah, and the guys at the shop, you know, we've 885 00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:07,760 Speaker 3: been working together for you know, over ten years now, 886 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:12,080 Speaker 3: from drag racing to drift, through multiple drivers, through multiple 887 00:42:12,080 --> 00:42:16,480 Speaker 3: sponsors and everything. So you know, once you work with 888 00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:19,239 Speaker 3: somebody that is really good at what they do. You 889 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:21,440 Speaker 3: do everything you can to retain them. And it's not 890 00:42:21,480 --> 00:42:23,319 Speaker 3: always with money. It has to do with you know, 891 00:42:23,360 --> 00:42:26,319 Speaker 3: you're working with people that have similar passions and make 892 00:42:26,320 --> 00:42:27,600 Speaker 3: sure that you're fulfilling that for them. 893 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:30,759 Speaker 2: Yeah. I always say, at least for myself. If I'm 894 00:42:30,760 --> 00:42:33,239 Speaker 2: not learning, I'm not having fun. That's so important to 895 00:42:33,239 --> 00:42:35,719 Speaker 2: continue to challenge yourself instead of just doing the same 896 00:42:35,760 --> 00:42:37,879 Speaker 2: routine day to day. Do you have anything you want 897 00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:39,960 Speaker 2: to promote or anything you want to leave the audience with. 898 00:42:40,239 --> 00:42:41,839 Speaker 3: If you want to check us out on YouTube, it's 899 00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:45,600 Speaker 3: our channel's Papadocus Racing. I've got some videos that I 900 00:42:45,640 --> 00:42:47,160 Speaker 3: post there once in a while, a lot the last 901 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:49,000 Speaker 3: few years on some builds. So if you're interested in 902 00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:51,759 Speaker 3: seeing the guts of how a drift car or one 903 00:42:51,840 --> 00:42:55,040 Speaker 3: of these engines work, we've built some content around that. 904 00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:57,360 Speaker 3: If you want to see us competing, that would be 905 00:42:57,400 --> 00:42:59,879 Speaker 3: in Formula Drift, So you can go to Formula D 906 00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:03,560 Speaker 3: and I get I think this is important if you've 907 00:43:03,600 --> 00:43:06,600 Speaker 3: made it this far, and if you're an enthusiast and 908 00:43:06,680 --> 00:43:09,200 Speaker 3: you want to, you know, have a career in motorsport, 909 00:43:09,280 --> 00:43:11,759 Speaker 3: or you're interested in how to do kind of what 910 00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:13,799 Speaker 3: I do. I get this question a lot, to get 911 00:43:13,840 --> 00:43:15,600 Speaker 3: emails and you know, ask a lot of this track. 912 00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:19,560 Speaker 3: My best advice is to get hands on a car 913 00:43:20,080 --> 00:43:21,879 Speaker 3: so you can go to school for some of the stuff, 914 00:43:21,880 --> 00:43:26,080 Speaker 3: which is good, but go buy a car that's low consequence, 915 00:43:26,160 --> 00:43:28,520 Speaker 3: not the one that you're driving to work every day. 916 00:43:28,920 --> 00:43:31,000 Speaker 3: And it could be a maybe an older subru that's 917 00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:32,520 Speaker 3: unreliable and that breaks a lot. 918 00:43:32,800 --> 00:43:36,600 Speaker 2: You'll definitely learn too, I'll tell you that. 919 00:43:36,239 --> 00:43:39,600 Speaker 3: And and there's tons of information on the web on 920 00:43:39,719 --> 00:43:41,239 Speaker 3: how to fix these and work on it and just 921 00:43:41,719 --> 00:43:43,920 Speaker 3: get some tools and start taking something apart and put 922 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:45,840 Speaker 3: it back together, get it running again, and then go 923 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:47,480 Speaker 3: a little bit deeper, and go a little bit deeper, 924 00:43:47,520 --> 00:43:49,960 Speaker 3: and you're eventually gonna end up with more experience. And 925 00:43:49,960 --> 00:43:52,000 Speaker 3: then when you find the thing that you're passionate about, 926 00:43:52,200 --> 00:43:55,279 Speaker 3: keep going down that road and learning more. And if 927 00:43:55,320 --> 00:43:57,400 Speaker 3: you keep your head down, you know, the hope is 928 00:43:57,440 --> 00:44:00,000 Speaker 3: and the expectation is that you know you're enjoying them, 929 00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:02,640 Speaker 3: and then you know people can see that and you 930 00:44:02,680 --> 00:44:04,160 Speaker 3: can hopefully turn that into a career. 931 00:44:04,360 --> 00:44:07,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, And also a takeaway from your story is, you know, 932 00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:10,560 Speaker 1: don't be afraid to go out there and ask for 933 00:44:10,600 --> 00:44:14,000 Speaker 1: what you want. Like you went into the garage JG Motorworks, 934 00:44:14,080 --> 00:44:16,440 Speaker 1: right and you were sweeping floors. I mean, And for 935 00:44:16,920 --> 00:44:20,640 Speaker 1: young folks out there, people want to help. Those who 936 00:44:20,680 --> 00:44:24,040 Speaker 1: want that are asking for help, right, So don't be 937 00:44:24,080 --> 00:44:26,600 Speaker 1: afraid to ask for it, and don't be afraid to 938 00:44:26,600 --> 00:44:30,080 Speaker 1: get your hands dirty, because I mean, those are that's 939 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:33,080 Speaker 1: those are winning attributes, you know. And it seems like 940 00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:36,480 Speaker 1: the younger Stephan was that kid, you know that went 941 00:44:36,560 --> 00:44:40,000 Speaker 1: after what he wanted, you know, and so somebody to 942 00:44:40,120 --> 00:44:43,520 Speaker 1: really emulate and you know, kind of use as like 943 00:44:43,560 --> 00:44:46,520 Speaker 1: a north star if you will. So thank you for sharing. 944 00:44:46,680 --> 00:44:48,840 Speaker 1: It was a real honor to sit down and be 945 00:44:48,880 --> 00:44:49,600 Speaker 1: able to talk to you. 946 00:44:49,719 --> 00:44:51,759 Speaker 2: Yeah, thanks for coming on and joining us today. 947 00:44:51,840 --> 00:44:53,239 Speaker 3: Yeah, thanks for having me guys. It was fun.