Talbots Turn Fast Podcast

38: Peter Bruschi - 2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost

In this episode, Peter Bruschi tells us about his Red Buffalo Brewing sponsored S550 EcoBoost Mustang known as the Banana Stallion and how being a crew member on a figure 8 race team led to his desire to be an amateur race car driver.  He shared some great advice for pursuing an automotive career right out of college and how a retired school bus can be the ultimate car hauler/RV.

37: Fran Marchand - 1950 Chevy Truck

In this episode, Fran Marchand tells us how he went from being outlawed at the dirt track to building his 1950 Chevy truck to compete in Optima Ultimate Streetcar, Autocross Week, and LS Fest. Fran discusses some challenges and success he’s had racing his 75-year-old truck.

36: Grant Skidmore - 97 Jeep XJ

A straight axle, two-wheel drive Jeep XJ is the perfect autocross vehicle, right? For Grant Skidmore, it’s the perfect vehicle for collecting podium finishes in events such as Chryslers at Carlisle and Autocross Week. Grant tells us how he got started in autocross and what modifications were needed to get the #poorboysSRTJeep to go around a corner at speed. He also shares his latest engine modification details and Autocross Week experience.

35: Matt Ramirez - 2004 Ford Mustang

In this episode Matt Ramirez shares the history of converting his daily driver 2004 Mustang into the baddest New Edge Mustang in the country. Multiple engine failures and finding the limits of factory ABS systems along the way proved it would be no easy task. With help from his dad, Matt persevered through the failures and turned failure into opportunity for upgrades. His dedication to making the Mustang the best it can be has led to numerous class wins and podium finishes. Continuing the CAM-T wing discussion from the previous episode, I get Matt’s opinion on the topic.

34: Terry Fair - Vorshlag Motorsports- 21st Century Fox Body

In this episode I’m joined by Terry Fair who is the owner of Vorshlag Motorsports. We discuss the need for parity across racing organization class rules, particularly when it comes to wings in CAM-T. We also talk about Terry’s current CAM-T project, a 1988 Foxbody Mustang, which he’s touting as the 21st Century Fox.

33: Charles Utts - 1977 Dodge Power Wagon

After a 20 year break from racing dirt and asphalt ovals, Charles Utts decided to turn his very first truck into a very capable autocross racer. Charles blew the dust off the stalled restoration of his 1977 Dodge Power Wagon and sent it to Brian Finch at Finch Performance for one of his custom-built pro-touring chassis. While Finch was at it, he convinced Charles the only option for an engine would be a Hellcat. The enthusiasm and passion Charles has for this truck is contagious and he also proves that you’re never to old to get started in autocross!

32: Randy Johnson - D&Z Customs

In this episode I talk with Randy Johnson who is the owner of D&Z Customs who has built several high-end pro touring cars and trucks. Don’t be fooled by the show-car appearance of these hotrods, they were built to perform on the autocross and track at a high level. Randy brings us back to the beginning of D&Z Customs and we discuss several of his personal cars and customer cars.

31: Johnny Cichowski - Nine Lives Racing

Johnny Cichowski is the owner of Nine Lives Racing, who specializes in designing and manufacturing aerodynamic components for a variety of cars. Johnny shares his journey from the US Army to professional motorsports to owning a business in a very niche market. We discuss his approach to designing wings and splitters and how they can affect the performance of your race car.

30: Pat Gorman - The "Oldsmobeast" 1970 Oldsmobile 442

In this episode I’m joined by Pat Gorman, the owner of a 1970 Oldsmobile 442 known as the Oldsmobeast. Pat is also the owner of Gorman Performance Engineering who specialized in the design and manufacture of high-end GM A,F, & X  body suspension components. We discuss the current setup of the 442 consisting of a big HP LS, BMW DCT transmission, and the full catalog of GPE suspension parts.

29: Doug McIndoe - 2003 Chevy Silverado

Doug McIndoe is a rookie auto crosser with only one event under his belt at the time we recorded. The skyrocketing costs of muscle cars forced Doug to take a different path for his corner carver and chose a 2003 Chevy Silverado. In this episode, Doug shares his motivation for getting into auto cross along with details of the truck. I love the enthusiasm Doug has after such a short amount of time participating and I think you will too.