In Wheel Time Podcast: Your Go-To Automotive Talk Show

Your car can be perfectly fine one day and on a recall list the next and some of these aren’t minor. We kick things off with a no-nonsense rundown of fresh automotive recalls, including a Hyundai software issue tied to the front camera that can accidentally trigger forward collision avoidance and cause sudden braking. We also talk through recalls touching control arms, instrument panel displays, and seat belt problems across multiple brands, plus why “it only happens once” is still a safety problem.

Then we switch gears into pure car-nerd fun with the Hemmings sold car price...

EV hype is easy. Living with an EV in Houston is where things get interesting. We talk honestly about what happens when charging infrastructure feels scattered, pricing feels unpredictable, and road-trip convenience still matters in a city built on long drives and cheap gas. From orange extension cords in the garage to the reality of finding fast chargers when you’re in a pinch, we break down why many drivers are rethinking their next move.

Rochelle Salinas, Vice President of the Houston Automobile Dealers Association, joins us with a dealer update and a behind-the-scenes look at what’s co...

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The road to the top of Pikes Peak looks beautiful right up until you imagine missing a corner. We call Richard Tomlin from the mountain to get a real-time look at what it takes to compete at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb when the sun is brutal, the air is thin, and even cell service feels like it’s fighting you. 

Richard walks us through a huge milestone for Apex Auto Works: the ApexOSET Miata based build qualifying in the Fast 15, plus the very different challenge of keeping “Big Bird” a 1968 Plymouth Road Runner, happy with carbure...

A garage that feels like a private club, a Corvette charity event that keeps getting bigger, and a luxury SUV review with a twist you won’t expect. We sit down with Space City Corvette Club president A.J. Loupe to talk Corvette Day at Garage Ultimate in Friendswood, Texas, where the National Corvette Museum brings its store on site and the community rallies to raise serious money for a great cause. A.J. explains how this event has pulled in huge Corvette attendance, why it’s become a destination, and how the museum partnership turns merch sales into dire...

Granbury doesn’t just “host” events, it builds a home for them. Recording live from Hewlett Park during the Lone Star Street Rod Association State Run, we talk with Tammy Dooley from Visit Granbury about what it really takes to make a car weekend feel legendary for participants and profitable for local businesses.

Tammy walks us through how Granbury earned its official identity as the Celebration Capital of Texas, including the community process and the Texas legislative steps it took to claim a moniker that fits year-round. If you care about destination marketing, place branding, or event touris...

Wiring is where a lot of classic car projects go to die: brittle insulation, mystery splices, random colors, and “temporary” fixes that turn into permanent hazards. From the Lone Star Street Rod Association State Run in Granbury, Texas, we sit down with Dennis Overholster from Painless Performance Products, the company so many builders mention when they want a clean, reliable automotive wiring harness for a street rod, classic truck, or restoration.

Dennis breaks down what Painless actually does day to day, from using tens of millions of feet of wire each year to building harnesses by hand on l...

A famous last name can open doors, but it can’t turn a wrench for you. We’re live from the Lone Star Street Rod Association State Run in Granbury, Texas, talking with Christi Edelbrock about the real work behind the Edelbrock legacy: foundries, manufacturing, learning parts and processes from the ground up, and stepping into tough spots when the business needs a fixer.

Christi walks us through how the 2008 to 2009 recession hit the automotive industry, why banks backed away from anything car-related, and how that kind of pressure forces hard decisions even for established performance brands. We a...

A trophy, a ’54 Chevy, and a marriage that outlasts more than a few engine swaps. We’re broadcasting live from the Lone Star Street Rod Association State Run at Hewlett Park in Granbury, Texas, and we sit down with Linda Rogers to hear how a lifelong hot rod passion turns into a family tradition you can literally see parked on the grass. Her stories hit the sweet spot between funny and real: being a “race widow,” surviving the long years of a project car, and watching the hobby become the thread that keeps everyone connected. 

Linda walks us throug...

A great car show isn’t just rows of shiny fenders. It’s the feeling that you’ve walked into a place where everyone speaks the same language, even if they drove in from three states away. We’re coming to you from Hewlett Park in Granbury, Texas during the Lone Star Street Rod Association State Run Car Show, and we sit down with chairman Rick Neely to unpack why this gathering keeps pulling people back year after year.

Rick tells us how the Lone Star Street Rod Association has evolved to stay strong, from its early pre-’49...

Rear-view cameras that go dark, airbags that don’t behave the way you expect, and screens that blank out at the worst time, that’s where we start. We run through a packed list of new vehicle recalls and talk about what they mean in plain English: what’s affected, why it matters, and the simple step every owner should take right now (hint: check your VIN and get on the schedule before it becomes a roadside story).

From there, we jump into the most addictive kind of car talk: real auction results. We use Hemmings online sales...

The car you buy says a lot about the life you think you’re going to live. Maybe that’s why “adventure vehicle” is one of the most loaded labels in the whole industry. We sit down with John Vincent from U.S. News & World Report to unpack the 2026 Best Adventure Vehicle Awards and figure out which winners make sense for real drivers who need a daily commute, weekend gear-hauling, and occasional dirt-road confidence. 

We run through the off-road SUV winners by category, including the Ford Bronco Sport, Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, Nissan Armada Pro-4X, Toyota RAV4 Wood...

White letters on a tire sidewall look like a small detail, but they carry decades of meaning. That bold ring of text became a calling card of 1960s and 1970s muscle cars, street racing, and the idea that performance should look like performance. We break down why the trend exploded, why it’s showing up again in today’s vintage and retro builds, and how branding and aesthetics can steer a tire choice just as much as the practical stuff. 

We also get specific about how white letter tires are actually made. Raised white lettering is built into...

The car market is doing better than the mood of the country, and that contradiction is exactly where we start. We talk with Jack Nerad from America on the Road about what he’s seeing up close, from California fuel prices to the real-world demand that keeps new vehicles moving even when the media drumbeat says the economy is falling apart.

Jack shares highlights from a trip to Georgia to see Hyundai and Kia production firsthand, including how fast modern plants build vehicles and why early all-EV plans are getting rebalanced toward hybrids and other powertrains people wi...

A timber-frame “cathedral” filled with Mopar muscle cars and neon signs sounds like a myth until you hear it from the guy who built it. We sit down with John Hovis, creator of the Hemi Hideout near Brookshire, Texas, to talk about the passion that drove him to collect late-1960s and early-1970s Dodge and Plymouth legends, why an original Superbird still stops people in their tracks, and how the space has grown into a full-on automotive time capsule.

We also get into what makes the Hideout more than a private collection: weekday tours, a volunteer crew...

Recalls are supposed to be rare. Lately they feel like a weekly habit, and we’re not letting them slide by as background noise. We kick things off by walking through a stack of new automotive recalls and what they mean for real drivers, from incorrect front wheel hub bolts to rollaway risk, seatbelt warning system problems, rear camera failures, airbag inflator concerns, and even driver-assist systems that can hit the brakes when you least expect it. If you care about car safety, reliability, and what to do when the manufacturer says “bring it in,” you’ll leave with a cleare...

A Pikes Peak build is never just a build, it’s a deadline, a weather gamble, and a test of whether your team can stay calm when everything tries to break at once. We catch up with Richard Tomlin from Apex Auto Works in Alvin, Texas, with the clock ticking two weeks out from the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. He walks us through the Apexoset, a Miata-based monster that keeps key Miata geometry and components but drops weight hard and runs a custom LS7-based setup making over 600 horsepower at the wheels. After taking a year off, the ca...

Four-wheel steering sounds like magic the first time you feel it. One moment you’re guiding a big SUV through a tight parking lot, the next it feels weirdly nimble, like the vehicle shrank around you. We dig into what all-wheel steering (AWS) actually does, when the rear wheels turn opposite the fronts, when they turn in parallel for stability, and why modern drive-by-wire control brings both benefits and new worries. We also get honest about the parts nobody puts in the brochure: added weight, extra complexity, and the kind of repair bills that can make you regret checking th...

A recall can be as small as a bolt and as serious as a roll-away, so we kick things off by sorting real risk from background noise. We talk through a stack of fresh automotive recalls, including incorrect front wheel hub bolts on full-size GM SUVs, a roll-away risk on the 2026 Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair, Ford Bronco hardtops that may crack and detach, camera and seatbelt warning glitches, and tech that can trigger unexpected braking. We also share what these problems feel like on the road and what questions to ask before you leave the dealer lot. 

Indy didn’t just get faster in the 1960s, it transformed. We’re joined by racing author and veteran journalist Rick Saffer to unpack the Indianapolis 500 era from 1962 to 1972, when track records fell at a shocking pace and the Speedway became a live laboratory for IndyCar engineering. We talk about the people who shaped it, the cars that redefined it, and why that decade still explains so much about modern American open-wheel racing.

Rick takes us through the biggest technology shifts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway: the move from front-engine roadsters to rear-engine machines, the turbocharged horsepower surge, the...

Synthetic motor oil is turning into the kind of “you’ll miss it when it’s gone” product nobody expects to worry about, and the early warning signs are already here. We react to reports that automakers and dealerships are rationing synthetic oil as Group III base oil supply tightens, and we talk through what that means for real owners who just want a normal oil change without breaking the bank. If your vehicle calls for specific viscosities like 5W-30 or 0W-20 or brand specs like Dexos, this is where planning and good records start to matter.

From the...

Woodie wagons are usually filed away as beach-cruiser nostalgia, but once you hear the details, they turn into rolling history lessons. We’re back with Mary Argruza from the Savoy Auto Museum in Cartersville, Georgia, for a lively tour through a woodie display that connects craftsmanship, wartime problem-solving, and the moment the American station wagon became the default family road trip machine. If you love classic cars, automotive museums, and the stories behind the sheetmetal, this one is a must. 

We start with a tiny American Bantam woody and a surprisingly important thread in the Jeep origin sto...

Houston can feel nonstop, so we went looking for the kind of drives that make the city fade in the rearview mirror fast. We lay out five scenic cruises around Houston you can actually do without sacrificing the whole weekend, starting with the Bluewater Highway Coastal Drive between Galveston and Surfside Beach for beach, marsh, and fishing-town views that hit especially hard at sunrise or sunset. If you’ve been searching for Houston day trips, scenic drives near Houston, or an easy coastal escape, this route belongs at the top of the list. 

From there we head inl...

You can feel it when a business is built on momentum instead of luck and Jesse Jackson brings that energy in a big way. We talk with the founder of Mango Automotive about how she jumps from software and automotive industry data into the brick-and-mortar world, buying her first auto repair shop while still learning what it truly takes to run a service bay, lead a team, and win customer trust. The result is a fast growth story that’s equal parts mindset, operations, and gritty daily execution. 

We dig into what actually moves the needle in an...

A great car museum visit is part history lesson, part design tour, and part road trip excuse and the Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville, Georgia checks all three boxes. We sit down with Mary Agrusa to talk about how the Savoy has grown into one of the most interesting automotive museum destinations near Atlanta, with modern galleries, educational exhibits, and a rotating collection that keeps bringing people back. If you love classic cars, race cars, concept cars, and the stories behind them, this conversation is packed with details you can actually use to plan a visit. 

We a...

Recalls, auction shockers, racing, and a little automotive history whiplash all land in one fast-moving hour, and it starts with a simple reality: most of us are driving computers on wheels now. We dig into the latest vehicle recalls, from Mercedes-Benz instrument display issues and seat belt concerns to Tesla rear view camera problems and a Ram tire speed-rating warning. The most useful tip is also the easiest one: we walk through how to use SaferCar.gov with your VIN so you can confirm open recalls and get them handled before they become expensive or dangerous.

Then...

A college class gets interrupted by one of the best calls a young driver can receive: “Can you race this weekend?” We sit down with Andrew Chapman, a newly 21-year-old ARCA driver, and trace the line from a bare-bones go-kart setup to real stock car results. He shares how he got connected with a team owner, what it takes to earn trust quickly, and why being ready matters as much as raw speed when opportunities show up with almost no notice.

We also dig into Chapman’s other lane: electrical engineering. Cars are turning into rolling computer networ...

Run-flat tires sound like a simple promise: keep driving after a puncture and skip the spare. The reality is more nuanced, and we dig into the details that actually matter when you’re stuck on the side of the road asking the big question: can a run-flat tire be plugged? We talk through why run-flats cost more, how the reinforced sidewall carries the load after pressure drops, and why the puncture location (tread vs sidewall) changes everything. We also get into the practical stuff most drivers never hear, like how long the tire was driven deflated, what a certified te...

A $4,000 budget. Five months to build. And a crowd ready to judge what you created. We kick things off with the Hot Rod Build-Off connected to the Hot Rod Riot in Victoria, Texas, and it instantly turns into the question every builder wrestles with: what do you do when time and money are the constraints, not your imagination? We talk through what that kind of challenge demands, from smart planning to stretching every dollar with salvage-yard parts and help from friends who know where the good stuff is buried.

Then we shift into automotive news that swings...

128 cars entered a factory stock dirt race and the winner took home $30,000. That single stat says a lot about where American racing energy is flowing right now, so we sit down with award-winning track announcer Rodney Rodriguez to unpack why dirt track racing in Texas and Louisiana keeps growing while asphalt fights for attention.

We get into what “affordable” racing really means, how teams spend money, and why the crowds and car counts keep showing up for dirt. Then we zoom out to the driver pipeline: quarter midgets, teenagers winning before they have a street license, and the...

A car club is only as fun as the miles you actually drive, and Richard Jones proves it. We talk with the president of the Mustang Club of Houston about how an 80-member group keeps the calendar full, from casual Saturday cruises to bigger road trips and national Mustang gatherings. He shares what it’s like leading a club when “nobody else wants the job,” plus the simple systems that keep things moving without bogging everyone down.

Richard also gets specific about his own ride: a 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost 2.3L that’s been lightly modified for extra punch. W...

A wheel stud that “may separate,” airbags that are “misassembled,” and fuel tanks that can leak after a crash. That’s not clickbait, that’s our recall list. We kick things off with straight talk on the latest automotive recalls, including 2026 Hyundai models, the Tesla Cybertruck, Volkswagen Taos, Land Rover Defender, Audi Q5 seat belt concerns, and even instrument panel display failures tied to the Dodge Charger EV and Jeep Wagoneer S. If you like your car news useful, fast, and a little skeptical, you’re in the right place. 

Then we switch gears into one of our favorite ga...

The fastest way to time-travel through car culture is to flip through old ads and we do exactly that, one glossy page at a time. We react to vintage magazine car advertisements packed with chrome, bold taglines, and illustrated renderings that feel closer to concept art than photography. Along the way, we ask a simple question with a complicated answer: why did car marketing used to feel so direct, and why does it feel so scattered now? 

From there, we chase the nostalgia into newsprint. We talk about the era of full-page dealership newspaper ads, the ones t...

Ford supplying boat propellers sounds like a punchline, until you hear what happened next. We break down a Detroit manufacturing story where Ford becomes the supplier for a startup propeller company and uses 3D sand casting to collapse lead times from months to days. It’s not just a cool headline, it’s a clear signal of how advanced manufacturing, additive manufacturing, and deep supplier networks can reshape a small business overnight. 

From there, we zoom out on the bigger question: are automakers turning into diversified manufacturing platforms? We talk about the old “everything under one roof” era versu...

A racetrack doesn’t survive on horsepower alone, it survives on trust, safety, and giving people a reason to spend their Saturday together. We sit down with Steve Quien, General Manager of Pine Valley Raceway in Lufkin, Texas, to hear how a refurbished NHRA-sanctioned quarter-mile drag strip gets rebuilt the right way: smarter scheduling, clear communication when weather threatens, and a welcoming setup for racers traveling from Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Louisiana.

We also dig into what makes drag racing feel like a true community event. Steve talks about blending car shows with on-track action, why ju...

Tariffs aren’t just a headline, they’re a lever that can change where cars are built, what parts cost, and how fast automakers can commit to new investments. We walk through the big trade questions hanging over the auto industry, including the looming legal fight over tariffs and the upcoming USMCA review that could reshape North American manufacturing across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. If you’ve ever wondered why “policy uncertainty” shows up in car prices, this is the practical version.

From there, we switch gears into the things that hit your driveway today: vehicle re...

Jeep clubs don’t survive on mud alone. They survive when people feel welcomed, protected, and genuinely helped when something breaks on the trail. We sit down with Tim Mahaffey, President of the Lone Star Jeep Club, to talk about what happened to membership after COVID, why so many automotive communities quietly fade, and how a 30-year-old Texas Jeep club rebuilt momentum by getting serious about culture and member value. 

Tim shares how LSJC reframed the “why pay dues” question with practical perks like sponsor partnerships and a dealership service discount, plus a social media approach built on resp...

Detroit’s skyline hides a different kind of museum: abandoned car factories where America’s automotive identity was forged, expanded, and then left behind. We take you through the stories that still cling to these buildings, from the legendary Packard Automotive Plant and its wartime manufacturing legacy to the massive Fisher Body Plant 21 and the hope of redevelopment through new loft plans. Along the way, we connect the dots between industrial design, urban exploration, and the uncomfortable question of what happens when a city’s most important workplaces become unsafe ruins.

Then we flip the mood and head t...

Your car doesn’t stay “reliable” by luck, it stays reliable because a technician knows how to diagnose, repair, and verify the fix. We sit down with Jennifer Maher, CEO of TechForce Foundation, and Christian Fuhr, a Ford Auto Tech Scholar in the Dallas Fort Worth area, to talk about what it really takes to enter the auto technician trade and why the country’s technician shortage is becoming everyone’s problem.

We get specific about the funding and the path. Ford Philanthropy and Ford dealers have collectively donated more than $11 million to support technical education, helping students c...

Car ads can feel like a game you’re meant to lose, and we’re not letting that slide. We dig into the FTC’s warning letters sent to dozens of dealerships and major dealer groups over suspected illegal advertising practices and break down what the agency is targeting, including price ads that don’t reflect the true out-the-door cost. If you’ve ever shown up for a “deal” that magically required financing, a huge down payment, or a rebate you could never qualify for, you’ll recognize exactly why this matters.

Then we take a turn into the kind of...