Speed Secrets Podcast

Dave Weckl, a drumming legend, joins me to talk about the rhythm of driving and drumming, how playing music relates to performance driving, and what makes the best performers in anything great. Modern Drummer magazine inducted Dave into their Hall of Fame and named him one of the 25 best drummers of all time, and he’s played with performers like Paul Simon, Madonna, Robert Plant and Chick Corea. But he also drives a Corvette on track, and has proven that driving is an art just like music.

Dr. Shannon Irvine talks about mindset, confidence, mental triggers, fear… and so much more of the mental game of performance & race driving. The mental game is what makes the difference on the track – but what do we do about it? Shannon shares some strategies to help you improve your driving performance and shares her own Speed Secret. Dr. Shannon Irvine is an Entrepreneur, High Achievement Mentor, Host of the Epic Success Podcast, a PhD. in Neuro-Psychology and a Philanthropist.

Adam Jabaay is back and we’re talking about his Slip Angle podcast, Gridlife events, and what makes a great driving event. He tells us how Gridlife is launching a wheel-to-wheel race series (Touring Cup), and what brings young drivers and spectators to driving events. Adam races a Honda in SCCA and NASA events, is a founder & organizer of the Gridlife events, hosts the Slip Angle podcast, and has a passion for older motorhomes.

Don Kitch talks about the art of racing in the rain. Don and I dissect eight of my Speed Secrets that are aimed at driving fast in the rain, as well as our love for simply being at a race track. Don and I have been close friends for over 25 years, and have worked together throughout that time. Don is the owner and chief instructor for ProFormance Racing School. He began racing in 1982… and some think he will never stop! He will never stop sharing his knowledge and passion for high performance driving.

Greg Woodrowjoins me to talk about what makes those crazy Aussie V8 Supercar drivers so good, and specifically the training they have all had racing Formula Ford. We also talk about the state of motorsport in Australia, the advice that Luke Youldon and Bruin Beasley of Erebus gave during my Inner Speed Secrets seminar in Melbourne, and finally, some of the fun that we had together when I was down-under recently. Greg is the owner of G-Force Motorsport and G-Force Events located in Melbourne, Australia.

Chuck Tucker joins me to talk about HPDE instructing – what the best instructors do, how the classroom sessions need to work with the in-car instruction, the secret of the “secret goal,” and the best driving drills being used today. Chuck, who is an engineering professor in real life, changes into his superman instructor suit when instructing with NASA Great Lakes Region, as well as the PCA and BMW clubs.

Andy Pilgrim joins me to talk about racing and traffic safety education. He tells us about his experience co-driving with Dale Earnhardt Sr and Jr at Daytona, why he’s won so often, and the work he’s doing in the traffic safety education world – and why you should care. Andy tells you how you can get free copies of the training videos he’s produced. Andy has driven the factory Corvettes & Cadillacs, give back through his Traffic Safety Education Foundation work.

Randy Beikmann joins me to talk about the ideal line – the one that results in the fastest lap times – something that he’s been modeling from a mathematical perspective, and then relating to real track driving. What he shares will give you a deeper understanding of why you drive the line you – or should drive the line you’re currently not! Randy is a former engineer for General Motors, and currently teaches engineering at Kettering University. He’s written the must-have book, Physics for Gea

Trey Shannon joins me to talk about how to improve your fitness for performance and race driving. We talk about how to train your breathing, vision, sense of balance, and your fine muscle control to improve your footwork. Trey provides some great tips for simple exercises you can do at home, without expensive equipment. Trey runs Podium Performance Fitness in Charlotte, NC, where he trains drivers like Tom Long, Colin Braun and John Edwards.

Phil Lombardi joins me to talk about what most drivers struggle with the most – corner entry speed – as well driving style, perception, and focusing on performance. Phil’s insights are hugely valuable. And even more important are his recommendations of how to work through these challenges to become an even better and faster driver. Phil was a long-time Skip Barber instructor, and currently provides personal coaching for drivers of all levels, and instructs for the Lucas Oil School of Racing.

Eric Meyer joins me to talk about the steps and process he’s seen that the best drivers – and organizations – use to become even better drivers. From first-timers to serious club racers & pros, there are certain things – situational awareness, passing and being passed, flags, race starts – that every should learn. Eric is the Chief Instructor for the NASA Great Lakes Region, and has raced in both amateur and pro racing – Grand-Am and Pirelli World Challenge, for example.

Mark Sternberg is on today’s show and we bounce around, talking about karting, Karma Automotive, the pros & cons of having ADHD, Formula One, Honda S2000s, and what to do when you need to pee. Mark is a life-long car and driving enthusiast who has turned his passion into a career. He helped re-launch the Peterson Automotive Museum, races karts, founded the L.A. F1 Fan Group, currently works for Karma Automotive, and is launching a car-themed watch company called Heel & Toe Watches.

Matthew Walker joins me to talk about the importance of sleep on your driving performance – from how it impacts learning to your ability react & focus. He also gives tips on how to get better sleep, how to manage jet lag, what a lack of sleep does to your health, what drugs and alcohol do to sleep, and memory formation. In addition to a love of all things motorsport, Matthew is the Professor of Neuroscience & Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and the author of the book, Why We

The tables are turned – I’m the guest, and Frank Greif is the host. Frank was my guest on episode #1, I coached him when he started racing, he’s a business coach and a former TV talk show host. Oh, and we’re good friends, so it was interesting to have him asking me questions. And that’s what the show is about: my thoughts on this podcast, learning, driving, Formula One, Indy Car, NASCAR, who my greatest influences were, and who my support team are. Thank you for listening and all the great feed

Bret Holmes joins me to talk about our passion for shifting, and specifically driving manual transmission cars. We talk about how young drivers DO have an interest in performance driving, the future of manual transmissions, and the 3 Pedal Car Club of America. Bret has a strong passion for driving manual transmission vehicles, which was the initial motivation for starting the 3 Pedal Car Club of America. You can – and should – join by going to www.3pcca.com.