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The Genesis G90 has won many accolades, including North American Car of the Year, so what other awards could it win? How about the absolute praise of Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason, BJ Killeen? BJ gives us her review of the Genesis G90 after getting to hop behind the wheel recently and says there is almost nothing you could say negative about this car. It even comes with a concierge service. We also learn about the recently revealed 2021 Toyota Sienna and Venza, which come packed with great features, including some that are rare features to find in vehicles. Up next, JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, fills us in on the insurance troubles in Hollywood that are causing serious production hangups, and the unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on your perspective) state of Hertz. Then, Justice Brothers, Inc. President and CEO, Ed Justice, Jr., about the anticlimactic (but well deserved) victory of Kevin Harvick at NASCAR’s return race. It just isn’t the same when you win, spin some donuts at the finish line, and there’s nobody there to cheer you on. Closing out the show, Automotive Journalist for Autoweek, Automobile Magazine, and Grassroots Motorsports, Steven Cole Smith, discusses the state of the motorsports industry and updates us on the schedules of NASCAR and IndyCar as we ponder what the ultimate effect of the COVID-19 pandemic will be on the motorsports industry. Tune in to get the latest test drives, reviews, and automotive news.

·[00:00:00] Genesis G90 Embodies Fun and Joy

·[00:06:22] Genesis Understands Luxury Clients

·[00:12:31] Toyota Reveals 2021 Sienna and Venza

·[00:19:51] 2021 Toyota Sienna and Venza Features

·[00:29:00] Hollywood Production in Limbo

·[00:35:53] Hertz Dumps Rental Fleet into Market

·[00:42:14] NASCAR Returns…

·[00:48:53] Is the Cure Worse than the Disease?

·[00:54:45] NASCAR Owns Memorial Day

·[01:02:06] Caution for the Greater Good

·[01:11:09] Will Motorsports Survive COVID-19?

·[01:18:07] Steven Cole Smith Angers GM President

[00:00:00] Genesis G90 Embodies Fun and Joy

When you’re driving a car down the road and you get this overwhelming feeling of happiness and have to let out a laugh, you know you’ve got a great car on your hands. Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason, BJ Killeen, hasn’t been able to review that many new cars in recent months, but one that she did get behind the wheel of was the new 2020 Genesis G90. A luxury car at heart, this golden chariot comes with all the accoutrements you could ask for, even 22 way seats! Clocking in at $75,700, you pay for what you get, with a 5L 420 HP engine with 318 lb-ft of torque, an 8 speed automatic transmission, and a driving experience that is to die for. Tune in to learn more about this awesome vehicle.

[00:06:22] Genesis Understands Luxury Clients

As the luxury brand of Hyundai, Genesis really gets it when it comes to keeping their customers happy. Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason, BJ Killeen, discusses some of the programs Genesis is running, like the Complementary Service Valet, which will pick up your Genesis that needs serviced, take it to the dealership, and drop off a loaner until your car is ready. That, combined with their 100,000 mile/10 year powertrain warranty, and high quality cars, make Genesis a customer experience worth every penny. 

[00:12:31] Toyota Reveals 2021 Sienna and Venza

In case you missed the news, Toyota revealed their 2021 Sienna minivan and Venza crossover. Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason, Bj Kileen, says Toyota is aiming to have 25% of their sales be hybrid vehicles by 2025. The new Sienna will be coming with only a hybrid option, and it really is a great vehicle for the drivetrain. Minivans can be big gas hogs, but thanks to its hybrid engine, the 2021 Toyota Sienna gets 33mpg combined. We can probably expect Toyota to start pushing out more hybrids in the upcoming years.

[00:19:51] 2021 Toyota Sienna and Venza Features

Toyota is packing some interesting features in their newest additions and refreshes. Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason, BJ Killeen, gives us the details on some of the features Toyota has unveiled for the 2021 Sienna and Venza. The Sienna will come with a built in vacuum cleaner and rear fridge; perfect for long trips with the kids, or just a day out at the park. The Venza has one of the coolest features BJ has seen in a while – the Star Gaze fixed panoramic roof. This cutting edge tech allows for the sunroof to instantly switch between a clear view or an opaque, UV protected roof. Tune in to get more information on the latest from Toyota.

[00:29:00] Hollywood Production in Limbo

There are many things that go into television and movie production. One of the things holding everyone up right now is insurance. JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, explains that without insurance TV shows and movies can’t be shot due to the risky nature of filming. Due to these insurance issues, we may see a production blackout until September.

[00:35:53] Hertz Dumps Rental Fleet into Market

As the latest victim of the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hertz has found themselves in financial rough waters. JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, cues us in on the massive fleet of rental cars that Hertz may be attempting to offload by selling them off. These vehicles are well maintained, if over washed, and will be a steal deal for anyone who is looking to get their hands on a good used car. Take their special order of 100 2019 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 for instance. These 650 HP V8 beasts were billed to Hertz for over $100,000, and they’re now selling them off for around $60,000 (or less, in some cases). There’s never been a better time to buy used cars. Check hertzcarsales.com for deals. 

[00:42:14] NASCAR Returns…

NASCAR is back but it’s a little different this time. Justice Brothers, Inc. President and CEO, Ed Justice, Jr., says it was definitely interesting having no fans in the grandstands cheering the racers on. This year also brought another strange change – the absence of practice and qualifying laps, which meant the starting positions were picked, not decided by qualifying laps. The track was also just a filthy, dust-ridden mess. Listen in for more about Ed’s experience at NASCAR’s return race.

[00:48:53] Is the Cure Worse than the Disease?

This week, Justice Brothers, Inc. President and CEO, Ed Justice, Jr., was supposed to be at the Indianapolis 500 race, but it has regretfully been canceled. This makes us wonder if perhaps the cure (or response) to COVID-19 has become worse than the disease. The financial hardship many Americans are facing is tough, but Ed doesn’t doubt for a moment that we will recover when this is all over. We also chat about the recent NASCAR race, and how anticlimactic it must have felt for Kevin Harvick as he won, with no crowd to cheer him on.

[00:54:45] NASCAR Owns Memorial Day

The racing scene has been pretty anticlimactic as of late. Automotive Journalist for Autoweek, Automobile Magazine, and Grassroots Motorsports, Steven Cole Smith, fills us in on the motorsports events (or lack thereof) that have taken place recently. NASCAR jumped back into the game with the Darlington race, which Kevin Harvick won to zero fanfare. Any races that are running aren’t allowing spectators, and it’s pretty much just NASCAR putting on televised events for the time being. This gives NASCAR a unique opportunity to gain some mindshare with viewers. What are you doing to quench your motorsports thirst during the COVID-19 lockdown?

[01:02:06] Caution for the Greater Good

So we know crowds aren’t allowed at NASCAR races, but surely journalists like our lovely friend and Automotive Journalist for Autoweek, Automobile Magazine, and Grassroots Motorsports, Steven Cole Smith, can get in to their events, right? Well, apparently no. NASCAR is only allowing four reporters into each of their racing events! We wonder if some responses to the COVID-19 pandemic are a little out of whack. Steve and Alan discuss the responses to the virus in different areas of the country and come to the conclusion that just being respectful and responsible to your neighbors is the right thing to do. How are you handling the pandemic?

[01:11:09] Will Motorsports Survive COVID-19?

With all of the race cancelations and financial hardship many racing series and race tracks are seeing, will the motorsports industry make it through this pandemic, or will it be significantly changed coming out on the other side? Automotive Journalist for Autoweek, Automobile Magazine, and Grassroots Motorsports, Steven Cole Smith, gives us the rundown of what the next few months look like for the IndyCar series, with race starting on June 6th in Texas and being scheduled out until the end of August. Steven doesn’t think it’s likely that the motorsports industry will come out of this crisis unscathed.

[01:18:07] Steven Cole Smith Angers GM President

Autoweek Motorsports Journalist, Steven Cole Smith, recently wrote an article detailing Corvette’s decision to stay out of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. In this article he tried to make a guess as to why Corvette would make such a move, and this REALLY got under General Motors President, Mark Royce’s skin! Steven tells us why he doesn’t think his article was worthy of such an angry rebuke, but acknowledges he could have approached the topic more tenderly.

Explore More with Helpful Links:

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

·Contributor: Josh Hancock | Hollywood Car Consultant, JoshCAR

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

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

Credits

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

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.