
Advertise on podcast: HOT ROD Pod: Where It All Began
Rating
5from
Categories
This podcast has
20 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
Hearst Autos LLC / Hot RodExplicit
No
Date created
2023/12/13
Latest episode
2026/04/11
Average duration
59 min.
Release period
59 days
Description
The HOT ROD Pod: Where It All Began brings 75 years of journalism and storytelling to the audio waves as hosts Brian Lohnes and John McGann sit down with the automotive aftermarket's latest trendsetters, motorsport mavens, and mechanical wizards on where they've been and where the hobby and sport are headed.
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Podcast episodes
Check latest episodes from HOT ROD Pod: Where It All Began podcast
From a $350 Toolbox to a 7-Year Waitlist: How Tim Palazzolo Built GAP Industries
2026/04/11
What started as a leap of faith in a home garage grew into one of the most sought-after muscle car shops, built on craftsmanship, persistence, and the right team. Tim Palazzolo joins the HOT ROD Pod to tell the story of how GAP Industries became a destination for some of the most incredible muscle car builds in the country. Read the full article here ➡️: https://www.hotrod.com/features/tim-palazzolo-gap-industries-custom-car-shop-origin
What Are Car Condos? Inside the Rise of Garage Ultimate’s Car Community
2026/04/02
A lawyer-turned-developer creates a thriving car condo community where enthusiasts store cars, connect, and expand a fast-growing trend.
An Oil Engineer Tells All! The HOT ROD Podcast visits the Shell and Pennzoil Tech Center
2026/03/26
Go inside the Shell & Pennzoil Technology Center as Pennzoil Technical Scientist Sean Nguyen breaks down the real science behind modern motor oil. From advanced chemistry and thermodynamics to cutting‑edge manufacturing techniques, Sean reveals how today’s oils help engines run cleaner, cooler, and longer than ever before.
Drag Week racer Alex Taylor joins as guest host, bringing her 200‑mph perspective on pushing lubricants to the limit. If you’ve ever wondered how engine oil is developed—or what makes top‑tier oil essential for high‑performance builds—this episode is a must‑watch.
Troy Trepanier on Building Award-Winning Customs and a 30-Year Career in Hot Rodding
2026/03/19
Custom car legend Troy Trepanier discusses his journey, award-winning builds, and lasting passion for hot rodding on the HOT ROD Pod.
Whipple Superchargers: From Farm Truck Roots to Ford Racing Dominance | HOT ROD Pod
2026/03/17
Dustin Whipple shares how Whipple Superchargers evolved from boosting 1988 Chevy farm trucks to becoming the go-to upgrade for 2003-2004 Terminator Cobras and Ford Cobra Jet drag racers. For the full story: https://www.hotrod.com/features/whipple-superchargers-history-2003-cobra-origins
Scott Sullivan on Pro Street Style, Street-Driven Customs, and a Lifetime of Hot Rod Building
2026/03/17
Legendary custom car builder Scott Sullivan discusses his roots at the drag strip, his signature wide-tire street machines, and decades of craftsmanship in this episode of the HOT ROD Pod.
Read more: https://www.hotrod.com/features/scott-sullivan-pro-street-style-hot-rod-pod-interview
Danny Thompson & the Challenger II, the Fastest Piston-Powered Car in the World
2024/09/21
Brian Lohnes & John McGann chat with American race car driver Danny Thompson! Danny talks about the Challenger II, the evolution of the streamliner, the impact of his father Mickey Thompson, bringing the Challenger II back to life, his 450mph Speed Week Record Run, the Ferguson car, and his goal of hitting 500 mph! NEXT, the guys chat with OpenRoad Auto Insurance Chief Revenue Officer Bryan Ballatore all about collector car, specialty vehicle & enthusiast vehicle insurance!
0:09 - About today's guest - Danny Thompson.
1:47 - Challenger II - Where It All Began!
4:06 - Evolution of the car, Streamliners.
6:22 - The impact of his father, Mickey Thompson.
7:47 - Challenger II, designed off of 1-to-1 scale drawing.
9:00 - Bonneville, 1968.
11:09 - Father & son.
12:42 - Bringing the Challenger II back to life.
15:00 - Wagon Wheel steering.
20:03 - Managing the crew.
23:10 - Father's leadership style.
27:30 - Bonneville, 2014.
31:18 - Preparation for a race.
34:04 - 450mph Speed Week Record Run.
38:43 - Cost & pressure.
41:54 - The Ferguson car.
45:03 - Bonneville Hat Club.
46:05 - How to go 500mph.
47:55 - Challenger sold & reclaimed.
53:15 - The last uncorrupted form of motorsports.
56:03 - 500mph piston driven car.
58:03 - Tenacity.
59:35 - OpenRoad Auto Insurance!
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Lucky Costa on Hot Rod Garage, his ’66 Chevelle, Roadkill, & ’67 Chevy C10
2024/03/01
NHRA's Brian Lohnes & HOT ROD Magazine's John McGann are back at Pomona Speedway for the final day of HOT ROD Power Tour West! Today, the guys sat down with Hot Rod Garage Host, Lucky Costa, to talk about Where It All Began, Overhaulin', his '66 Chevelle, the genesis of Hot Rod Garage, Roadkill, driving himself to jail, steering column failure, the best cars he's ever owned, his HRG Co-Host Alex Taylor, and more!
1:56 - Where It All Began!
5:42 - Self-taught.
8:08 - Early years of the business.
12:48 - Overhaulin'.
20:32 - Evolution of Lucky's '66 Chevelle.
30:51 - Hot Rod inspirations over the years.
32:17 - Genesis of Hot Rod Garage.
36:00 - Working with Tony Angelo.
37:10 - Roadkill / MSD Van.
40:36 - Being a passenger with Tony Angelo.
45:25 - "Did I just drive myself to jail!?"
47:41 - Steering column is out!
49:33 - On return from Del Mar...
51:25 - It's about the journey, not the destination.
53:05 - Lucky's '67 Chevy C10.
58:13 - What's next?
01:00:05 - On his HRG Co-Host Alex Taylor.
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Hollywood Hot Rods Owner Troy Ladd on the One-Day Hot Rod, his creative process, & HOT ROD Power Tour West!
2024/02/23
NHRA's Brian Lohnes & HOT ROD Magazine's John McGann take the podcast to Pomona, California for Day 3 of HOT ROD Power Tour West 2023! The guys chat with Hollywood Hot Rods Owner, Troy Ladd, about where it all began, the "One-Day Hot Rod", how he built Hollywood Hot Rods, Road Thrash in 2008, his creative process, behind-the-scenes stories from the Gauntt Coupe & Mulholland Speedster builds, firing customers, working with other shops, working with clients, and HOT ROD Power Tour West!
0:07 - About today's guest - Troy Ladd.
0:53 - Welcome to Moviefone!
2:44 - Where it all began - the business plan.
7:39 - The One-Day Hot Rod!
11:50 - Rivets!?
16:04 - Genesis of Hollywood Hot Rods.
20:28 - Road Thrash, 2008.
22:49 - Scope of HHR's style.
27:09 - Troy's creative process.
29:14 - The Gauntt Coupe, '32 Roadster.
30:15 - The Mulholland Speedster.
35:22 - Behind the business.
36:41 - Firing customers.
38:15 - Friends & Frenemies.
42:18 - Timelessness of Model A's & Coupes.
45:44 - 3D Printing?
48:33 - Working with Clients.
55:23 - HOT ROD Power Tour West!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Steve Pazmany on Fully Torqued, the Aftermarket World, & HOT ROD Power Tour West!
2024/02/16
NHRA's Brian Lohnes & HOT ROD Magazine's John McGann take the podcast to Irwindale Speedway for HOT ROD Power Tour West to chat with Steve Pazmany of Fully Torqued! Steve tells us where it all began for him, building up his Fully Torqued brand, the world of aftermarket, working with clients, Thermal Club, and what's next!
1:09 - Day One of HOT ROD Power Tour West @ Irwindale Speedway!
3:11 - Steve's mission with Fully Torqued.
6:06 - Where It All Began!
10:37 - Owning his own content & partnership with History Channel.
13:04 - Early mistakes.
15:08 - Bulletproof Truck!
17:23 - Custom builds.
19:00 - Building out the Fully Torqued brand.
21:12 - Restomods.
24:07 - Concerns for the HOT RODDING industry.
27:42 - Steve's collection.
30:28 - Pontiac GTO vs Ferrari.
32:18 - The next big project.
40:05 - Drawing inspiration from HRPTW.
42:55 - Working with clients.
47:31 - Thermal Club.
51:55 - Hot Lap(s).
55:09 - F1 Drive to Survive.
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Ida Zetterstrom on joining NHRA, JCM Racing, & Her European Top Fuel History
2024/02/09
David Frieburger, Brian Lohnes & John McGann are back from the PRI Show to chat with 2023 FIA Top Fuel World Champion - Ida Zetterstrom! Ida talks about her decision to join the NHRA, her racing history - starting at 8 years old, her history in motorcycle drag racing, how she made the transition from Motorcycles to Top Fuel, process of getting her Top Fuel license, joining JCM Racing, plans for 2024 season, major adjustments, stories from Hockenheim, FIA tracks, Santa Pod, and what race she's most looking forward to!
1:09 - On Joining the NHRA.
2:49 - Where It All Began!
4:34 - Her motorcycle history.
15:58 - Transition from Motorcycles to Top Fuel.
22:02 - Process of getting her top fuel license.
26:22 - Management experience.
30:03 - Joining JCM Racing & the 2024 season.
32:00 - Why is this the right opportunity?
36:09 - Don Garlits stories.
37:24 - Her dad's reaction to the move.
39:03 - Major adjustments.
42:55 - Perceptions of her as a driver.
46:17 - Stories from Hockenheim.
49:52 - On FIA tracks.
50:44 - Santa Pod Raceway.
51:41 - What race does she look forward to most?
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jeff Smith on his time as Editor of HOT ROD & Car Craft, Fastest Street Car in America, & the CadZZilla
2024/02/02
NHRA's Brian Lohnes & HOT ROD Magazine's John McGann chat with former editor of HOT ROD Magazine & Car Craft - Jeff Smith! Known for his decades long tenure as the Editor of both HOT ROD Magazine & Car Craft, Jeff brings us back to where it all began! Jeff tells stories about being hired by Rick Voegelin at Car Craft Magazine in 1979, Pro Street, the impact of Real Street Eliminator, Autocrossing, the genesis of the first ever Fastest Street Car in America, Dare To Be Different, Rick Dobbertin's J2000, the CadZZilla, and more!
0:12 - Today's guest - Jeff Smith!
1:53 - Where it All Began - Car Craft Magazine, 1979.
7:12 - Stories from the Car Craft days.
13:20 - Pro Street.
15:55 - Real Street Eliminator.
19:58 - Jeff Schwartz' '82 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham.
25:20 - His tenure with HOT ROD Magazine.
27:05 - Marlon Davis stories.
33:43 - The genesis of the Fastest Street Car in America.
36:00 - Dare To Be Different.
37:24 - Rick Dobbertin & the Pontiac J2000.
40:30 - HOT ROD's largest month of circulation - the CadZZilla.
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Roadster Shop CEO Laurent Potdevin on his vision, working with Randy Meyer, & pushing back on the EV wave
2024/01/26
From Snowboarding to HOT RODS! NHRA's Brian Lohnes & HOT ROD Magazine's John McGann chat with Roadster Shop CEO Laurent Potdevin! Laurent's path has taken him from Louis Vuitton, Burton Snowboards, Lululemon, Toms... and now the Roadster Shop! The guys talk to Laurent about Where It All Began, working with Jake Burton, his path to the Roadster Shop, working on a Nitro Dragster with Randy Meyer, thoughts on the EV wave, Cleetus McFarland & the power of social media, Waterman, Drag and Drive, and what's next!
0:07 - Laurent Potdevin!
1:58 - Where It All Began.
8:24 - First meeting with Jake Burton.
16:26 - What attracted you to the Roadster Shop?
20:40 - Working with Randy Meyer.
24:40 - Daily driver.
27:03 - Thoughts on the EV wave.
30:49 - Cleetus McFarland and younger audiences.
38:13 - Cars are a lifelong passion.
43:53 - Influencers.
45:44 - Waterman Racing Components.
52:29 - Drag and Drive.
54:06 - Creating experiences.
57:13 - What's next?
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Tom Nelson on the Genesis of NRE, Crashing in Iceland, the F-Bomb, and the Artistry of Engine Building
2024/01/19
NHRA's Brian Lohnes and HOT ROD Magazine's John McGann chat with Nelson Racing Engines Founder, Tom Nelson! Tom takes us through the highs and lows of his career, telling never-before-heard stories like putting Twin Turbos in an airboats, and plummeting off 50-foot cliffs in Iceland! The guys talk to Tom about the genesis of Nelson Racing Engines, StreetFire.net, how the show "Driven" got started, the formula off-roading crash in Iceland, reevaluation after the crash, the artistry of engine building, the F-Bomb '73 Camaro, Tuatara, 2019 Ridler Award, and why we're in the wild west era of HOT RODDING!
2:03 - 40,000 hp HOT ROD shoot!
3:14 - Where It All Began.
6:48 - The Go Kart that started it all.
10:16 - Street Racing.
12:52 - The start of Nelson Racing Engines.
18:34 - First NRE projects and learning the business.
21:57 - First PRI Show.
22:59 - From StreetFire.net to YouTube.
28:35 - How "Driven" got started.
33:25 - Formula Off-Roading in Iceland.
35:02 - "We're going off a 50-foot cliff!?"
39:25 - Immediate aftermath of the crash & recovery process.
47:09 - Reevaluating the business.
55:40 - The artistry of engine building.
58:16 - The F-Bomb '73 Camaro.
01:03:34 - The Wild West of Hot Rodding.
01:06:15 - Metal printing with AI.
01:07:35 - NRE x Tuatara.
01:11:46 - The 2019 Ridler Award.
01:16:32 - What's next?
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Racing Legend Tony Stewart on joining the NHRA, taking over for wife Leah in 2024, and mastering yet another challenge
2024/01/12
The legendary Tony Stewart joins hosts Brian Lohnes & David Freiburger on the HOT ROD Pod - LIVE from the 2023 PRI Show in Indianapolis! Tony discusses starting a family with wife Leah Pruett, the decision to take over driving duties for Leah in 2024, making the move to the NHRA, racing in the Indy 500 AND Coca-Cola 600 on the same day (TWICE), why he never returned to the Indy 500, getting a taste of F1, Sprint Car racing, building and leading a successful race team, thoughts on Ben Rhodes' drunken championship presser, how Don Prudhomme set up he & Leah, and the prospect of becoming Rookie of the Year at 53 years old!
0:22 - Today's guest - Tony Stewart!
1:17 - On the decision to start a family and to drive for wife Leah in 2024.
5:33 - Making the jump to Drag Racing.
7:39 - On his shoulder injury.
10:12 - Driving Indy & Busch Series simultaneously.
11:27 - Competing in the Indy 500 & Coca-Cola 600 on the same day... TWICE!
16:36 - Why he never returned to the Indy 500.
17:40 - Seat swap with Lewis Hamilton.
18:29 - Sprint Car racing world.
20:34 - Racer/Track Operator/Team Owner.
21:59 - Relationship with Crew Chief, pit crew, and the car itself.
27:48 - Building a turnkey Top Fuel team.
30:02 - Changing the culture in drag racing.
34:25 - Etiquette vs Gamesmanship.
36:50 - Truck Series finale & the younger generation of drivers.
39:54 - How Don Prudhomme set up he and his wife Leah.
43:14 - Rookie of the Year at 53!?
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Podcast reviews
Read HOT ROD Pod: Where It All Began podcast reviews
The Lance Cook 2024/04/29
Binge worthy
I was a subscriber to Hot Rod magazine in my teens. Resubscribed a couple years ago. I absolutely love this podcast! I hope they keep this podcast and...
Elvis OC 2024/03/06
Great podcast
Excellent interview and content.
bknhra 2024/01/22
Great Podcast
This is an awesome podcast! I was hooked right from listening to the first episode. The newest episode with Tom Nelson - NRE was great! Keep up the go...
Mick_289 2024/01/19
Stars every one of them
I’ve learned a lot listening to the podcasts. Can’t wait for the next to drop
whyme4ever 2024/01/11
Best listen ever
My 1st drag race experience was in 1976, and standing next to a alcohol funny car when it started and wow my eyes . Then seeing evil Knievel. All this...
dirtracer11j 2024/01/08
New top to my favorite pod list.
From a lifelong fan of Hot Rod Mag this instantly slots in the top of my list for pods. Love hearing the insider stories and backgrounds that you don’...
Onequick26 2023/12/17
Great First episode
You guys set the bar pretty dang high with the first episode. Keep it up ! Excellent.
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