Past Gas

Latest Episodes:

S1 Ep201: Kei Cars: How a WWII Loophole Created Japan's Tiny Cars Sep 18, 2023

Show notes

After the end of WWII, the world was eager to get back to work, and more specifically, back to makin’ cars. Japan was particularly ready to rebuild their economy, but were missing some crucial materials: steel, gasoline, and money. And as it turns out, the lack of those resources crafted the perfect storm for the creation of the Kei car. Often misunderstood, underappreciated, and forgotten, these minimobiles are some of the most fascinating examples of problem-solving in automotive history. How did they come about? Why did they stick around for so long? And perhaps most importantly, what are they?? Today on Past Gas, we’re talking about that quirkiest of automotive curiosites - the Kei car.

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S1 Ep197: Burt Munro: How a 70 Year-Old Built a Landspeed Record Bike in His Shed Sep 11, 2023

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Anyone who’s ever been to Speed Week at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah knows the incomparable feeling of standing on this hallowed ground. Some dream, work, scrimp, and save their entire lives to get a chance to make a pass at breaking a land speed record here. The story is as old as time, but perhaps none have embodied it better than Kiwi motorcycle legend Burt Munro and his 1920 Indian Scout. But how does an almost 70 year old man from New Zealand, with no sponsorships, travel nearly half way across the globe to achieve a land speed record on a 50 year old bike that still stands today? Today on Past Gas - we relive the unbelievably true story behind the World’s Fastest Indian and it’s mythical builder, Burt Munro.

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S1 Ep199: Why We Think Lotus’s Founder Faked His Own Death Sep 04, 2023

Show notes

Colin Chapman’s Formula 1 trophy case is an impressive one, with seven Constructors’ Championships and six Drivers’ Championships since 1963. Beyond his championship seasons, Chapman’s imprint on the sport is hard to comprehend – some suggest that Chapman might have more to do with the basic design of today’s mid-engine, open-wheeled racing cars than any other single builder. Would Formula 1 be recognizable without Colin Chapman? Did his habit of playing fast and loose with F1 rules foreshadow the way he played fast and loose with corporate finance laws? And did he FAKE HIS OWN DEATH? Today on Past Gas: the man behind Lotus, Colin Chapman.

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More about Show:

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Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
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S1 Ep198: Spoon & Mugen: The Kings of Honda Tuning Aug 28, 2023

Show notes

In the world of engine tuning, two names (strange as they may be) are often at the top of the list. These companies upended the racing world with their attention to detail and refusal to accept anything but the best in terms of power, precision, and yes, speed. Today on Past Gas, we take a look at Spoon and Mugen. How did these companies start? How have they evolved over the years to stay on top? What are their plans for the future? And where did they get the name ‘Spoon’ from, anyway?

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More about Show:

Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.
Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

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S1 Ep200: 200th EPISODE!: Fun Stories, 20lb Dogs, & Fan-Fiction Aug 21, 2023

Show notes

IT’S THE 200TH EPISODE OF PAST GAS!! To celebrate, Nolan, Joe, and James learn a little bit about three different listener-submitted suggestions, then look at (and judge) pictures of your 20 pound dogs. Y’all have a lot of 20 pound dogs, btw. Then the gang brings Donut host Jeremiah on for a very special reading. Thank you SO MUCH for listening to the pod - we could have never made it to 200 without you.

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More about Show:

Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.
Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

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S1 Ep196: Travis Pastrana: The Human Action Figure Aug 14, 2023

Show notes

It’s the 2006 X Games in Los Angeles, California. The Staples Center is abuzz, ready to watch competitors face off in a festival favorite event: the Moto X Best Trick. X-Games favorite 23 year-old Travis Pastrana gets himself ready to run his first trick… the “superflip” – a backflip with a Superman (for good measure). How did Travis Pastrana become the modern day Evel Knievel? What did he do to revolutionize freestyle motocross? How did this motorcycle prodigy become an action sports legend? Today, on Past Gas’s 199th episode, the story of #199 – Travis Pastrana.

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Get Valvoline for you car!

More about Show:

Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.
Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

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S1 Ep195: Miracle at the Nurburgring: The Story of the 1969 Argentinian Torinos Aug 07, 2023

Show notes

In 1969, Argentina was a different place than it is today. Only three years after a violent military coup, it was a time of deep political unrest. And yet, amidst widespread protests and government crackdowns, the attention of the nation was stolen by an unlikely event at the Nürburgring. For three straight days, radios across the country buzzed with live coverage of a scrappy team of racers as they attempted the impossible at one of the longest endurance circuit races ever held. Why is a souped-up coupe the pride of Argentinanian racing? What was the Marathon de la Route? And who was the F1 superstar who showed those European car manufacturers who’s boss? This is the story of the 84 Hours at Nurburgring with the IKA Torinos.

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This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/PASTGAS today to get 10% off your first month.
Get Valvoline for you car!

More about Show:

Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.
Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

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S1 Ep194: The Ascaris: Parallel Deaths of Ferrari’s Father-Son Superstars Jul 31, 2023

Show notes

By the time he had reached the starting line at the inaugural Belgian Grand Prix in 1925, Antonio Ascari was a living legend. He was to “slow down” by race officials at Monza, and even won the first Belgium Grand Prix by a whopping 22 minutes. But how did Antonio Ascari come to be one of the most respected drivers of his era? How did his son Alberto not only live up to his father’s legacy, but become a legend in his own right? And how would their nearly symmetrical lives, both in glory and in tragedy, leave a lasting impact on motorsport? Today on Past Gas, the story of the Ascari racing family.

You asked for it -- and we listened. We're filming Past Gas again! Head to our Youtube channel and check us out in the stu!

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Find your drive. Forget boring rental cars at https://Turo.com

More about Show:

Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.
Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

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S1 Ep193: Paris-Dakar Rally: The History of the Race Across the Sahara Desert Jul 24, 2023

Show notes

After rally racer Thierry Sabine got stuck in the Sahara Desert for three days, his rescue team airlifted out a changed man. On Thierry’s return trip to France, an idea began to crystalize in his mind: one rally to rule them all. How did Thierry Sabine’s near-death experience lead to the most infamous off-road race in the world? What about the endurance rally’s extreme risk attracted drivers, adventurers, and European celebrities eager to cheat death? And why, after many years, many deaths, and a couple continents later does the race continue to be “A challenge for those who go, [and] a dream for those who stay behind?” Today on Past Gas: the story of the Paris-Dakar Rally.

You asked for it -- and we listened. We're filming Past Gas again! Head to our Youtube channel and check us out in the stu!

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Thanks to our sponsors:

Find your drive. Forget boring rental cars at https://Turo.com
Need to hire? You need Indeed. Go to https://Indeed.com/pastgas
This podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit https://BetterHelp.com/PASTGAS today to get 10% off your first month.
Get Valvoline for you car!

More about Show:

Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.
Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

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S1 Ep192: Jochen Rindt: The Driver Who Won an F1 Championship Posthumously Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

August 2nd, 1970, Hockenheim, Germany. 28-year-old Jochen Rindt stands atop the winner’s podium, holding the German Grand Prix championship trophy. His wife and young daughter stand proudly at his side. He looks across the crowd of cheering Germans and thinks back to the 1961 German Grand Prix - when he was one of them. A schoolboy watching his first ever F1 race, realizing for the first time that he wanted to become a driver. Nine years later, he was on top of the racing world, poised to become world champion. Little did he know that this would be his last time standing atop the podium. Today on Past Gas, the story of Jochen Rindt.

You asked for it -- and we listened. We're filming Past Gas again! Head to our Youtube channel and check us out in the stu!

https://www.youtube.com/c/donutpodcasts

Thanks to our sponsors:

Find your drive. Forget boring rental cars at https://Turo.com
Get Valvoline for you car!
Start building your credit up. Open a Chime Checking account with at least a $200 qualifying direct deposit to get started. Get started at https://chime.com/gas.

More about Show:

Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes.
Follow Joe on IG and Twitter @joegweber.
Follow Donut @donutmedia, and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or using this link: http://bit.ly/PastGas.
If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/PastGas.

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