With an illustrious career on track behind the wheel and in recent years as a judge of Formula Drift , http://bit.ly/33817no , we sit down with Ryan Lanteigne at the 2020 Future Collector Car Show, http://bit.ly/2SWw5vQ , in Scottsdale, Arizona to discuss over 200 travel dates throughout the world judging some of the most intense drift racing of the Formula Drift series .

Wrench Nation - Car Talk Radio Show

#192 Formula Drift Racing : Judge Ryan Lanteigne

At-Risk Youth Issue Continues Youth involvement in gangs is a serious problem across the country, whether you’re in a big city or the land of suburbia. Many of us see gang graffiti yet glance over it as we have become numb to the blight and crime. The National Gang Center reports that over the past decade, annual estimates of the number of gang members have averaged around 770,000 nationally. Shift Gang Graffiti to Automotive Repair and Car Customization Police departments are stretched thin for resources, yet officers all across our country create or volunteer to help their community. Dragg Racing Against Gangs & Graffiti (DRAGG) http://bit.ly/DRAGGTeam is an innovative afterschool program in the City of Oxnard California where police officers and people from the automotive industry mentor local high school students. A new spin on an old idea; keep the youth focused on the future with positive influences and they will stay out of trouble. This positive learning opportunity teaches youth responsibility and respect for others in the unique environment of the automotive industry, while gaining hands on exposure to knowledge of automotive careers. These programs are also active in Phoenix, AZ, and this month launched in Los Angeles! We are excited to talk with DRAGG Executive Director Sargeant Woodruff, with the Oxnard Police Department, and DRAGG Phoenix Director Officer Teerink, with the Phoenix Police Department, to talk about the successes and impact the DRAGG program is having on young people. Follow them on Instagram or Twitter.

#192 Police & Automotive Pros Team Up for Youth Outreach!

The Overwhelm of Tool Box Purchases How are automotive technicians preparing for their career? Are we overwhelmed with technology? What is the requirement of a modern day toolbox? Auto mechanics are consistently buying specialized tools that they don’t use often and not giving them a good return on investment. As a business owner, what is the immediate priority over the next few years for an investment in softwarehardware that will enable repairing vehicles properly and bring a good return on investment? So many questions and a serious conversation about how we can arm our service operations for success. Industry Leaders Share Expertise Diagnostic Network is an online community of industry professionals and leading industry stakeholders coming together to create the resource to support technicians of today and tomorrow. Founder, Scott Brown, is an ASE Master Certified L1 Technician with over 35 years of professional service industry experience. As an independent shop owner in Southern California, he understands the challenges that exist in the automotive service segment and is here to help move our industry forward. Buckley's Auto Care is one of the oldest, family-owned and operated automotive repair service centers in the state of Delaware serving the communities of Wilmington, Hockessin, Newport, Elsmere, Newark, and New Castle, for over 50 years. Buckley's is AAA approved and owner, Greg Buckley, is a champion for the industry, a voice of reason, and has helped many garage owners navigate through the business challenges of today's modern day garage. We are honored to bring in Scott Brown of Diagnostic Network, http://bit.ly/DiagnosticNetwork and Greg Buckley of Buckley's Auto Care, http://bit.ly/BuckleysAutoCare as this weeks guests to help navigate through technology and give us clarity.

#191 Tool Box Economy of the Modern Day Mechanic

Ford v Ferrari Ranking as one of the most vicious rivalries, Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari battled it out with grit and brawn representing their perspective race teams on the track at the legendary 1966 LeMans. Carroll Shelby was a maverick and driver Ken Miles was a force to be reckoned with and the storied Ford GT40 Mark II raced to battle Ferrari straight for the win! A HUGE 1 - 2 - 3 finish upset! Stunt Drivers As some of the best movies stem from the thrills of all things automotive. The award winning movie Ford v Ferrari lives up to that tradition and lays out the heroic efforts and racing duels of history. The movie stars Academy Award winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale, and we are excited to interview the racing talents who play their stuntman behind the scenes and behind the race wheel. Tony Hunt is a third generation of a famous racing family. He began his USAC career in rear-engine formula cars and since then has amassed 75 USAC sanctioned career victories and 65 pole positions in USAC Sprints, Midgets and rear-engine open wheel cars. Hunt currently ranks as the driver with the most wins in the USAC Western Sprint Series. This 10-Time USAC Champion found his way into the Hollywood film business in the late 90's. His stunt driving career has afforded him several high-profile feature films including Talladega Nights, Herbie, Venom and the Fast and Furious Series. Highlighting his career is his most recent work doubling Christian Bale as Ken Miles in feature film Ford v Ferrari. Darren Law has been involved in the automotive industry for over 25 years. He established himself with his success as a racing driver having spent more than a decade driving for several top tier teams. Achieving many successes including two driver championships, three trips to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and clinching the overall win at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2009 driving the Brumos Porsche Daytona Prototype. In 2014 pursued an opportunity in team ownership of Flying Lizard Motorsports. Darren currently manages all racing programs as well as runs the business operations for the team including working with manufacturers, sponsors, and media. Ford v Ferrari now on DVD and Blu-ray http://bit.ly/FordvFerrariDVD and available on Digital HD from Amazon Video and iTunes!

#190 Ford v Ferrari: Stunt Drivers Share Behind the Scenes

Modern Day Engine With millions of direct injection turbocharged engines on the road today, we examine some of the critical and costly failures that may arise due to service neglect. We also will investigate why this combination of power has been widely successful for both MPG and the environment by way of lower emissions, while providing case examples of repairs directly from the service bays that many automotive technicians are experiencing. Industry Ambassador Diagnostic Network http://bit.ly/DiagnosticNetwork is a modern network for technicians and professionals in the automotive, collision, and heavy-duty service markets. A community where auto service industry professionals can learn to use scan tools, scopes, and other diagnostic instruments to their full potential. A place to engage with your peers and industry partners, move your career to the next level, and stay on top of industry trends and technology advancements, by continuously improving your situational awareness and diagnostic proficiency. We are thrilled to have back to the show our special guest Scott Brown, the industry ambassador of Diagnostic Network as well as a master technician and owner of Connie and Dicks Auto Service Center in Claremont, CA. He joins Frank to investigate the dynamic duo of direct injection turbocharged engines.

#189 Turbocharged Direct Injection Engines

Hybrid Vehicle Hybrid vehicle technology has been a mainstay for years with consumers support of a cleaner environment. Some of you technicians may have serviced these vehicles in your garage cautiously, yet generally speaking, with relative ease. With advancements in technology, the difficulty has increased and thus comes the need for additional training and tools. Maintenance & DiagnosticsMore hybrid and electric vehicles will be turning up for service at your repair shop. The sophistication of the diagnostics, special maintenance requirements, dangerous voltage situations, proper safety knowledge, and the future of hybrid vehicles. We take a closer look at these issues with the help of our guest today, Dave Hobbs, Senior Field Technical Trainer and ASE Master Technician, L1, L3 specialist with Delphi Technologies http://bit.ly/DelphiTechnologies Dave’s 40-years’ experience in the industry started as a technician and service manager in his family’s auto electric business in Kokomo, Indiana. He is an instructor in over 50 training videos and a contributor to Motor Age Magazine.

#188 Hybrid Vehicle Service & Diagnostics

Excited to bring to you an announcement of an episode with an incredible interview of Formula Drift judge Ryan Lanteigne coming soon ! We spent time discussing all things drift racing and his amazing connection to the sport and fans alike at recent Future Collector Car Show in Scottsdale, Arizona .

Formula Drift Judge Ryan Lanteigne PREVIEW

Electric Vehicle Sales Boom With an economy that is booming and electric vehicle sales on the rise, the one major shortcoming is the inadequate availability of electric vehicle charging stations across cities and suburbia alike. Los Angeles has one of the largest populations of electric vehicles and the growing concern of charging inconvenience could hinder future growth and practicality of these vehicles.  Welcome Solar Charging Stations Envision Solar International, Inc., (Nasdaq: EVSI, EVSIW) http://bit.ly/EnvisionSolar is a leading producer of unique and sustainable infrastructure products for electric vehicle charging, energy security and outdoor media. Based in San Diego, the company is experiencing incredible growth with their EV Solar recharging stations. We talk with our special guest, Desmond Wheaton, CEO and Chairman of Envision Solar, about their solar EV charging products like the the patented EV ARC™ (Electric Vehicle Autonomous Renewable Charger), the world's only transportable but permanent EV charging infrastructure solution.

#187 Solar Electric Vehicle Chargers Are Here!

Industry Veteran with Heart & Soul  Mitch Schneider is a 52-year veteran of the automotive service industry. A fourth-generation auto repair professional, certified master technician, and for more than 37 years, operated Schneider’s Automotive, a successful six-bay, family-owned and operated service facility in Simi Valley, CA, PLUS accomplished trade journalist. As a result of his knowledge and experience, he presents his first acclaimed novel, Misfire: What To Do When Things Aren’t Running On All Cylinders. http://bit.ly/MitchSchneiderMisfire What Makes Mitch Smile Through it All We discuss the early years of Mitch's career, his insightful and lighthearted approach of stories written in many industry publications over the years, and what kept him going through it all. Mitch has an incredible talent for making us smile and causing us to pause and reflect. With stories of life lessons learned from his career, martial arts practice and health crisis, he sought deeper ways to center his spirit while balancing a small automotive business environment. We are privileged to have industry legend and author Mitch Schneider join us on the show!

#186 Mitch Schneider: Industry Icon & Author!

Racing Career Lays the Foundation We are excited about our first guest of the new year whose racing career at race circuits across the globe during the 80's and 90's are legendary. We are honored to have Formula 1 and Indianapolis 500 driver Derek Daly http://bit.ly/DerekDaly share his incredible experiences, including surviving one of the most dangerous Formula 1 crashes in 1984. Derek shares his passion for racing and takes us back to that harrowing time of the crash and his incredible road to recovery. After retiring from racing, Derek became a long-time respected racing commentator for ESPN, NBC, CBS and Fox Motorsports. Now as an author and public speaker, Derek shares the tactics and strategic cultures adopted by world-class racing teams and delivers a roadmap for businesses seeking to shift their teams from great to extraordinary. Largest Car Show on Grass We also welcome Peter Volny of Scuderia Southwest to share the upcoming 7th Annual Concours in the Hills http://bit.ly/ConcoursintheHills2020 and the how and why he created one of the most renowned car shows in the country with over 900 classic cars, muscle cars, exotics and hot rods raising $540,000 for local Phoenix Children Hospital in the past six years. This year he welcomes race talents Derek Daly, Arie Luyendyk, Didier Theys, Lyn St. James, Harley Cluxton and Paul Tracy in attendance to declare the show open on February 8, 2020 in beautiful Fountain Hills, Arizona.

#185 Life After Racing with Derek Daly!

It's a Wrap! It has been an incredible year for us spending time with you while bringing an awesome array of talented automotive topics and guests. For our final LIVE show of 2019, we review some of YOUR favorite episodes based on podcast download popularity. All of these shows and our complete catalog, are on our website to hear in full at http://bit.ly/WrenchNationListen #148 Discovery​ Channel Street Outlaws​ with talent, BoostedGT​ #154 Robert Redding, The Redding Group, Lobbyist for Automotive Service Association, talks cybersecurity #155 Palestinian Drift Racing Star, Noor Daoud #158 Nick Sutton, Author of The DeLorean Story #160 The Spectacular Automotive Art of Princess Vidita Singh #161 The Soaring Growth of Electric Vehicles in China with Hong Kong journalist, Echo Huang #167 Steve Saleen, Bringing Race-Proven Performance to the Street Happy New Year and Thank You! With 2020 approaching, we also discuss plans for next year, beginning with an exciting show on January 8 featuring guests Derek Daly, former Formula 1 Racer and ESPN broadcaster, and Peter Volny, founder of Concours in the Hills, the largest car show on grass! We extend sincere gratitude to all of you that have made the show super fun for us this past year. Wishing you a Happy Holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

#184 2019 Year in Review – Your Top Shows!

Reflection Propels the Journey We sometimes reflect about how we arrived as automotive technicians, service advisors or owners of our operations. It is the sort of reflection that we lean on regarding those difficult days or hardcore challenges. We all have our stories and life experiences that make us who we are today. Many of you race on the weekend or are carving out the ability to someday hit the race circuit professionally, of which we can all agree, is no easy task. Hard days and long nights while we continually reflect on how far we have come so we can continue the courage to keep moving forward. The Racing Roller Coaster Mechanic, shop owner, race car driver, journalist and novelist, Burt Levy http://bit.ly/TheLastOpenRoad is no stranger to the highs and lows of racing, or wrenching on his vehicles, while always keeping his spirit tucked tight to the automotive industry. Whether humble race beginnings behind a somewhat ragtag Triumph TR-3, to ultimately competitively hitting it hard on the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) circuit or slinging used vehicles at a dealership, Burt has always maintained a light spirited approach to the industry. This journey would become an incredible account illustrated through one of the top motorsports book series, The Last Open Road. From renowned automotive enthusiasts like Jay Leno to celebrities of race car racing, Burt has carved out a fan base that can truly relate to his unique ability to tell that story.

#183 The Last Open Road Motorsports Experience

City of Chandler, Arizona Leads in Electric Vehicles On this special edition, we discuss the key details of how the City of Chandler is leading the country with autonomous vehicle platforms by way of shaping legislation for safety, and formulating ethics centered around the companies that are currently blazing away with autonomous technology such as WAYMO and Local Motors. With innovative collaborations and partnerships throughout the AV technology community, these panel discussions highlighted the future and current initiatives that are underway. The Critical Need to Maintain Roadways & Infrastructure Former City of Chandler Councilman and current Maricopa County supervisor for District 1, Arizona Transportation Board Member, Jack Sellers discusses the importance of maintaining roadways and infrastructure for the future as autonomous platforms that are slowly coming in to play , while laying out the need to go beyond the current fuel tax. Join Frank Leutz of Wrench Nation Car Talk for unique insight of AV strategies and implementation with special guest Jack Sellers.

2019 City of Chandler Arizona Autonomous Vehicle Symposium

My Car Crashed. Now What? How many of us actually think about the details of a repair after a collision? Do we realize the intense process of skilled craftsmanship and technology challenges that technicians overcome while quietly nursing back to health your ride after a fender bender? You notice the airbags where horrific, the body damage was pretty nasty and it seems that every instrument cluster light is on. For the most part we don't and quite frankly that is understandable, after all, you have better things to worry about. We tow the vehicle into our chosen collision repair shop, receive a rental and wait patiently until our prized vehicular possession is all doctored up and ready to hit the road again. A Behind the Scenes Look at Collision Repairs We offer an exclusive look at the incredibly sophisticated world of collision repair, welding, paint and all things fender bender service that you may be taking for granted. The amazing amount of training involved to get this perfect, and the amount of advanced toolssoftwarehardware technology combined with world class technicians to get that crashed up accordion like disaster whole and new again. You may be surprised with the amount of skill set it takes to make it all happen. Join us as John Van Alstyne, CEO & President for I-CAR http://bit.ly/ICARCollisionEducation and Brandon Eckenrode, Director of Development for Collision Repair Education Foundation http://bit.ly/CollisionEdFoundation join us to take us inside the industry. They shed light on the action in the collision service bays, revealing the training and technology at hand to make your vehicle pretty again after a wreck.

#182 Education & Training for Collision Repair Technicians

The Journey of Automotive Parts The trade wars that are currently going on are historic, especially as it relates to the automotive industry and manufacturing. GM’s Romulus Powertrain plant makes about 400,000 V-6 engines a year for high-margin Cadillac SUVs, light pickup trucks and other GM vehicles, while the process of manufacturing the critical pistons can lead to a cross border journey that most are not aware of. The Romulus built V-6 uses 235 parts from 100 primary suppliers. Sixty-seven ship from factories in the United States, 13 from Mexico, eight from Canada and 12 from elsewhere in the world. Most of the electronics come from Asia, which is a big deal. Trade Wars & Tariff Battles As the fight continues to position the United States in a leading role for manufacturing, we will discuss how the current tariff climate truly affects the end retail user from automotive consumers to the automotive technician, reliant on auto parts and tooling required to produce in a timely and cost effective manner. Our guest, CEO Laurie Harbour of Harbour Results Inc. http://bit.ly/HarbourResultsInc a manufacturing expert and automotive industry consultant, provides us with an inside track to the current state of affairs within the tariff and trade concerns between China and the United States.

#181 Tariff Wars & Trade Battles: Auto Industry Expert Shares the Future.

Entertaining, empowering and educating the automotive community with host Frank Leutz.

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Wrench Nation - Car Talk Radio Show

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