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Kicking off the show, JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, tells us about the apocalyptic imagery he’s seeing in Los Angeles, like a city turned ghost town; it’s not just happening in LA either. Josh also fills us in on the rapidly dropping gas prices and complications people will face in this time of crisis trying to buy a new car. Next up, Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason, BJ Killeen, gives us more details on the Ford Mustang Mach-E and shares how Ford has been using F-150 parts to make ventilators to chip in on the Coronavirus effort. Changing gears, we chat with Automotive Journalist for Automobile Magazine and Grassroots Motorsports, Steven Cole Smith, about the uncertain future of motorsports in these dire economic times. Closing out the show, Justice Brothers, Inc. President and CEO, Ed Justice, Jr., questions what we can learn from the COVID-19 outbreak and details how unexpectedly and quickly everything changed. Tune in for more.

·[00:00:00] Big Cities Turning into Ghost Towns
·[00:05:23] How can You Still Buy a Car?
·[00:12:30] Gas Prices are Dropping!
·[00:19:51] Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV
·[00:27:46] Ford Making Ventilators w/ F-150 Parts
·[00:35:53] VW Bus EV Restomod From VW
·[00:42:14] How Will Motorsports be Affected?
·[00:49:00] When Will Motorsports Be Back?
·[00:54:44] Stay Home and Relax
·[01:02:05] Canceled Races, Dire Economic Warnings
·[01:09:42] What Can We Learn from COVID-19?
·[01:18:07] Roger Penske’s Reaction to Coronavirus

[00:00:00] Big Cities Turning into Ghost Towns

If you live in the LA area you’re probably experiencing one of the eeriest times in your life. JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, tells us the 405 freeway, Sunset Boulevard, and LAX Century Boulevard are almost devoid of traffic. This is almost never the case. As New York city and Chicago experience similar situations, we reflect on how the COVID-19 outbreak has turned many cities and towns into ghost towns. Tune in to learn more about the situation on the ground.

[00:05:23] How can You Still Buy a Car?

Coronavirus has shut most car dealerships down, aside from their parts and services departments. So how do we go about getting our hands on new vehicles? JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, explains how Galpin Ford of California tackled this problem – they opened up their inventory to online purchase, and they will deliver it to people in the area same-day. it is interesting to see how businesses are adapting to this changing world. Most people never thought we’d see the day where dealerships gave-up their anti-online sale stance. 

[00:12:30] Gas Prices are Dropping!

The stock market is jumping all over and the price of gas and oil is dropping like a rock. Will this affect consumer car-buying choices. Will people be less ostentatious about their car purchases? Hyundai and Kia are great brands for a situation like that. JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, says companies like Lexus and Infinity might be affected by this.

[00:19:51] Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV

By now, anyone who pays attention to the car world has seen the result of Ford turning their Mustang property into an electric SUV. The Ford Mustang Mach-E has been met with mixed criticism, but Voice of Reason and Automotive Journalist, BJ Killeen, is here to shed light on what the Mach-E has to offer. One key point is pricing; the Mustang Mach-E was announced with a price tag of between $43,800-$65,000. There are a few trim levels, like Premium, California, and GT, and these trim levels will affect the overall battery range. As an electric crossover, the Mach-E sounds like a great vehicle, but is it worthy of the Mustang name?

[00:27:46] Ford Making Ventilators w/ F-150 Parts

All-in-all the new Ford Mustang Mach-E sounds like a good electric vehicle. Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason, BJ Killeen, details the inclusion of Brembo brakes on the Mach-E as well as some other key features. We also learn about how Ford is using F-150 parts to make ventilators and help out with the COVID-19 pandemic. How do you think other auto manufacturers can help out during the Coronavirus? 

[00:35:53] VW Bus EV Restomod From VW

The Volkswagen Bus is an icon and everybody knows it. Volkswagen is taking their old, classic bus that we all know and putting electric motors in it, giving it a modern touch. Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason, BJ Killeen, explains the details Volkswagen included to keep the aesthetics of the bus intact, like hiding the charging port under the license plate. Tune in to hear more. 

[00:42:14] How Will Motorsports be Affected?

Automotive Journalist for Automobile Magazine and Grassroots Motorsports, Steven Cole Smith, tells us how he has been affected by the virus and how it will affect Motorsports. Steven says it’s hard to say what will happen when we don’t know when it will end, but it might be similar to after 9/11 when nobody knew how to go about doing business again. Tune in to speculate with us. 

[00:49:00] When Will Motorsports Be Back?

All of the motorsports races are being cancelled in every series. What are the organizers of the series going to have to do to work around the Coronavirus pandemic, and what will they do when it’s over to jumpstart motorsports? Automotive Journalist for Automobile Magazine and Grassroots Motorsports, Steven Cole Smith, gives us his predictions for the rest of motorsports this year, hinting at a Talladega race later in the year, and the underlying will of the motorsports community to get back at it. Listen in for more.

[00:54:44] Stay Home and Relax

The world is in crisis, but what’s being asked of us through these trying times really isn’t that bad, is it? Automotive Journalist for Automobile Magazine and Grassroots Motorsports, Steven Cole Smith, says compared to what our forefathers had to go through during WW1 and WW2, this is easy street. Take a break, kick your feet up, and stay at home to flatten the curve. 

[01:02:05] Canceled Races, Dire Economic Warnings

As the Coronavirus pandemic increased in severity, more and more racing series started changing how they would move forward. Automotive Journalist for Automobile Magazine and Grassroots Motorsports, Steven Cole Smith, discusses the happenings in IMSA and NHRA racing series and the progression they went through from delays to cancelations. Some fans are also feeling the bite of the financial instability, such as with the case of people who bought the St. Petersburg Grand Prix tickets. Find out more about that here.

[01:09:42] What Lessons Can We Learn from COVID-19?

Being away from your residence when a global pandemic is declared can be a disorienting event. Justice Brothers, Inc. President and CEO, Ed Justice, Jr., recalls the 10 day period where everything just started getting canceled left and right and he was uncertain whether he’d even be able to book a flight home. Ed takes this time to ponder on what kinds of things we can learn from something like the COVID-19 outbreak. Perhaps a focus on less crowded cities is in our future. Tune in for more. 

[01:18:07] Roger Penske’s Reaction to Coronavirus

Justice Brothers, Inc. President and CEO, Ed Justice, Jr., is one of the oldtimers at the Indy500, having participated at some level for 44 years in a row. He was at the Amelia Island Concours recently when Roger Penske was honored, but little did they know he’d have to cancel the 104th running of the Indy500 soon after. Ed recalls the lackadaisical reaction to spreading coronavirus news at first and joking tone used in reference to having to shut IndyCar down until the virus blows over. Well, that actually came to pass. Were you expecting coronavirus to get where it is today?

Explore More with Helpful Links:

·Contributor: Josh Hancock | Hollywood Car Consultant, JoshCAR

·Contributor: BJ Killeen | Automotive Journalist/ Voice of Reason

·Contributor: Steven Cole Smith | Automotive Journalist, Autoweek/ Automobile Magazine/ Grassroots Motorsports

·Contributor: Ed Justice, Jr. | President/ CEO, Justice Brothers, Inc.

Credits

Host: Alan Taylor
Producer: Dave Milligan
Audio Engineer: Dave Milligan
Copy Editor: Cody Castleberry 
Copy Editor: Caleb Hayward
Contributor: Josh Hancock
Contributor: BJ Killeen
Contributor: Steven Cole Smith
Contributor: Ed Justice, Jr.

Our Sponsors & Supported Charities:

·Austin Hatcher Foundation

·Brembo

·Dodge

·Foundation of Human Understanding

·Shell

·Subaru

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This episode was produced by Entertainment Right Now (ERN). If you found value in this episode, and you’d like to hear more, please consider leaving us a review on iTunes and be sure to subscribe to our podcast so you don’t miss a beat. Your feedback helps us to reach more enthusiasts around the world! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, please leave a comment below or e-mail us at info@ernlive.com.