Live from the Craftsman Garage at the 2017 SEMA Show Pt. 2

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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #310

We are back with interviews from the 2017 SEMA Show that we will be rolling out over the next few weeks. First up, live from the Craftsman Garage, we chat with the CEO of Barrett-Jackson, Craig Jackson, about the charity cars they had at the last auction in Las Vegas. Next, Troy Trepanier of Rad Rides by Troy shares his history with SEMA, Bonneville racing, and his friendship with Chip Foose. Then, Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, jumps on the mic with legendary builder Steve Saleen. Steve talks with us about the Saleen rides at SEMA, and some exciting business news from China. Russell Holmes of Garage Rehab discusses his role on the show and sounds off about some of the craziest garages that the crew has been to. Switching lanes, Stacey David of GearZ shares all about his past as a musician, his recent children’s book, and touches on his show. Rutledge Wood, NASCAR personality, explains a charity build he is doing with eBay Motors and a new show on the horizon for him. Ray Evernham, host of AmeriCarna, tells us about his role in the making of the movie Cars 3 and about the friendly, family rivalry between him and his wife, who is also a professional driver. Last up, we hit the backroads of our imagination with the crew from Dirt Every Day, who tell us about the wild 4x4s they have hit the mud with. Fill up on our stars’ personal Craftsman tool stories that helped them build their dreams.

[00:00:00] Charity Cars From Barrett-Jackson
[00:04:59] Star-Studded Rides Adorn Auction Block
[00:12:30] Rad Rides by Troy and Bonneville Racing
[00:19:53] Marvelous Memories of Meeting Steve Saleen
[00:24:41] Prediction for the Future of the Automobile
[00:35:52] The Garage Rehab Project Manager
[00:42:13] From Musician to Wrenching on GearZ
[00:47:28] WWII and the Dodge Power Wagon
[00:54:44] Building for Kids with eBay Motors
[01:02:07] Ray Evernham: Not Just a Voice in Cars 3
[01:12:49] Induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame
[01:18:09] Off-Road Action on Dirt Every Day

Discover more about segments and guests below…

[00:00:00] Charity Cars from Barrett-Jackson

Every year, Barrett-Jackson auctions off a ton of charity cars, and this year in Las Vegas, one car in particular struck the hearts of the locals. After the recent tragedy in Las Vegas, Craig Jackson felt it was important for them to do something for those victims. President of Barrett-Jackson, Steve Davis, donated his Super Snake that sold for $1-million with proceeds going directly to the Las Vegas Injured Police Fund. NASCAR charities even auctioned off a Jeep Wrangler that sent $100,000 to the UNLV School of Medicine Dept. of Emergency Medicine Residency Program Fund. Craig tells us that with a platform like they have, it only makes sense to use it for good. Learn more about Barrett-Jackson’s charities.

[00:04:59] Star-Studded Rides Adorn the Auction Block

Burt Reynolds, Steven Tyler, and Justin Bieber are just some of the celebrity attendees that walked the floors of Barrett-Jackson, Scottsdale last year. Craig Jackson, CEO of Barrett-Jackson, tells us that they are working hard to make this year even more epic than the last. While many of next year’s headlining guests remain top secret, we have heard that Ron Pratt will be donating his brand new Ford GT for auction. Barrett-Jackson is thankful for the great number of people that come out to help with their philanthropic projects. Also, thanks to the Velocity Network you will be able to watch live from gavel to gavel, and also learn more about the sold cars from Alan on the Shell Pennzoil Pioneering Second-Screen Experience. Discover your reason for attending this amazing car auction.

[00:12:30] Rad Rides by Troy and Bonneville Racing

Troy Trepanier of Rad Rides by Troy has been attending SEMA since 1990, in fact, this year he won SEMA’s Battle of the Builders with a 1929 Ford Model-A Tudor. When he was 18, he was taken under the wing of Hot Rod Magazine’s Grey Baskerville, and he fell in love with Bonneville racing. He’s also worked with longtime friend, Chip Foose, on a car called the Sniper. Troy’s company spends half the year building and the other half racing land speed, drag, standing mile, and streetcar. He dishes about his favorite car that he’s built, called the Blowfish which flew across the salt flats at 233-mph. Find out more about this amazing builder now.

[00:19:53] Marvelous Memories of Meeting Steve Saleen

Alan and Josh Hancock of JoshCAR chat about the legendary builder, Steve Saleen. Tim Allen used to have a team called “RRR Speedlab” with Steve, and this was Alan’s first introduction to these great drivers. Josh tells us that he first met Steve at the Saleen facility in Detroit while filming a movie that was never released. One thing is for sure, the Saleen team really knows how to get things into production and execute projects with great precision. Shifting gears a bit, Alan and Josh talk about Craftsman tools, and what it’s like to be in the Craftsman Garage at SEMA.

[00:24:41] Prediction for the Future of the Automobiles

The automotive world is changing every moment, and OEMs are beginning to see things in a different light. Steve Saleen of Saleen discusses the ever-evolving industry and what the future holds for automotive designers. Steve makes a prediction; he tells us that we are assuming that cars will have tires, but he hints to the idea that this assumption is wrong. Steve also talks with us about some business deals they are working on in China, including a new television show involving drifting. Saleen vehicles will evolve with the future, and the company will be embracing it. Learn more now.

[00:35:52] The Garage Rehab Project Manager

Sometimes a garage needs saving, that is where Garage Rehab comes in. The idea for this project comes from Richard Rawlings himself, who is the host of the show. He wanted to take his skills to those who were trying to make it but weren’t quite cutting it. Russell Holmes, star of the show, explains his role on the crew as ‘project manager’. It’s his responsibility to make sure that all the jobs are done in an efficient and timely manner. This gear head’s career started when he was 16 years old and decided to buy and rebuild a $75 Camaro. Hear about the worst shop the Garage Rehab crew has worked on.

[00:42:13] From Musician to Wrenching on GearZ

When you watch a car show, you expect to see some serious hands-on, greasy engine tuning. Stacey David’s show GearZ fits that description and has worked hard to make their content relatable (or relevant) for years to come. Stacey knows that viewers are searching for answers to their automotive problems with a minimum of fluff. That’s why GearZ was crafted as a ‘how to’ guide for rebuilding cars, unlike your standard reality car TV show. Not just a skilled wrench, Stacy is also a professional musician of 26 years and recently wrote a children’s book titled “The Purple Bicycle”. Learn how to get your hands dirty wrenching on your car with Stacey’s GearZ today!

[00:47:28] WWII and the Dodge Power Wagon

Stacey David of GearZ tells us that he has always been a WWII history buff. After a quick call to his dad, Stacey was able to channel his passion into a rare 1941 Dodge Power Wagon. He retrofitted it into a street-legal monster truck with parts from the original Memphis Bell aircraft. While the government didn’t let him keep the sealed .50 caliber guns, he was allowed to keep the original handles on his remodel. As the wagon was built, he was able to do some amazing interviews with actual Memphis Bell veterans. Learn why this project was close to Stacey David’s heart.

[00:54:44] Building for Kids with eBay Motors

Recently, Rutledge Wood, NASCAR personality, was approached by eBay Motors with an excellent proposition. They wanted him to build a vehicle for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund with the car and all the parts coming from eBay. Rutledge jumped on board with the big-hearted company and designed a Hot Wheels like ’67 Mustang Fastback. Seeing the finished car at SEMA amazed and delighted bidders and onlookers alike. Alan and Rutledge also swap stories of stealing cars, and how they learned their lesson at a young age. Then, Rutledge divulges he will be co-starring on a new show with Adam Ferrara and Tanner Foust which has not yet been announced. Tune in now.

[01:02:07] Ray Evernham: Not Just a Voice in Cars 3

Pixar goes above and beyond when it comes to making movies, and Cars 3 showcases that dedication. Ray Evernham of Evernham Enterprises explains the great lengths that these movie makers went to, and the excitement he felt to play Ray Reverham. The dirt, the tire tracks, the sounds – they are all incredibly lifelike and Ray feels like the luckiest guy in the world after being a part of that production. Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, tells us that cars are often overlooked and it’s upsetting when you watch a movie with a car that does not fit. The two pay homage to Pixar’s attention to detail, and are grateful that this movie is also relatable to adults. Who’s your favorite Cars character?

[01:12:49] Induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame

Ray Evernham was recently inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and he tells us that it has been an incredibly humbling experience. While looking at the list of people that were waiting to get in, he was hit by a surge of emotions, remembering all those who helped him on his way. Ray also speaks of his family racing rivalry with his wife, who just so happens to be a professional driver as well. While there may be some friendly post-race tension, the two make quite the pair. Find out how Ray Evernham has made his mark on race culture.

[01:18:09] Off-Road Action on Dirt Every Day

Deciding that the 4×4 community needed a show all its own, Fred Williams tells us that he went to the Hot Rod Network, pitched his idea and Dirt Every Day was born. Fred and co-host, David Chappelle, have bought a set of Baja buggy, driven a Jeep under water, and even turned a motorhome into a man-sized go-kart. Make no mistake, this team knows how to have some fun in the mud. New episodes are coming soon, as well as a ton of ‘extras’ or tech tips that air five days a week. Are you ready to see some crazy off-road action?

Explore More with Helpful Links:

Guest: Craig Jackson | CEO, Barrett-Jackson
Guest: Fred Williams | Host, Dirt Every Day
Guest: David Chappelle | Star, Dirt Every Day
Guest: Josh Hancock | Hollywood Car Consultant, JoshCAR
Guest: Ray Evernham | Host, AmeriCarna
Guest: Russell Holmes | Star, Garage Rehab
Guest: Rutledge Wood | NASCAR Personality, therutledgewood.com
Guest: Stacey David | Host, GearZ
Guest: Steve Saleen | President, Saleen
Guest: Troy Trepanier | Builder, Rad Rides by Troy
Guest: John Waraniak | Vice President Vehicle Technology, SEMA
Article: 2017 SEMA Battle of the Builders
Vehicle: Sniper
Vehicle: Blowfish
Vehicle: Ghost
Movie: Cars 3

Episode Credits:

Program Host: Alan Taylor
Producer: Jason Masters
Production Assistant: Joanne Bolden
Audio Engineer: Dave Milligan
Copy Editor: Jess Baumgardner

Our Sponsors & Supported Charities:

David Chappelle, Fred Williams – Dirt Every Day

Josh Hancock – JoshCAR | Ray Evenham – AmeriCarna

Josh Hanock – JoshCAR, Steve Saleen – Saleen

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About THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor

THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor puts you in the driver’s seat for a unique, fast paced look at today’s automotive industry. This is your pedal-to-the-metal, two-hour thrill ride devoted to the latest car news and test-drive results, how-to tips, car maintenance tips, auto show coverage, expert insights and behind-the-scenes race day action. Don’t miss exclusive interviews with top auto executives, athletes, celebrities and prominent newsmakers from around the world.