The Driving Show: Recent Episodes
John Hammer
The Driving Show is a nationally syndicated radio show turned podcast. I'm John Hammer; a car guy born and raised in Detroit, a long time TV and radio personality and racecar driver with a couple wins (and several wrecks!) under my belt. You get to listen in as I talk with automotive celebrities, racers and enthusiasts about the industry & vehicles we're so passionate about!
They say "pro" drinkers drink all the time, but "amateurs" come out on New Years...so how to stay safe? We'll talk about it.
Updates from Indycar's Hinchcliffe and Wickens, plus a look at Daniel Hemric, then and now
Original Air Date: 12/30/17
The head cheese from the Pirelli World Challenge series, Jim Jordan, stops by to talk road racing and what the future holds.
Last minute gift ideas for the car enthusiast on your holiday shopping list.
Original air date: 12/23/17
The majority of the country has legitimate winter months that forces car enthusiasts to store their pride & joy. On this episode, Hammer looks at the right and wrong ways of storing a car for several months.
Update from the Performance Racing Industry show (PRI)
Original air date: 12/16/17
David Lau has one of the very cool Toyota Tacoma XRunner trucks: lowered, body kit, manual trans, all from the factory. What he didn't expect was to need a complete frame replacement done after it was recalled! He tells us about all the work it took to refresh his sport truck, and Toyota paid for it all.
Original air date: 12/9/17
Hot Rod Historian Steve Magnante has become a great friend over the years and he's on to talk about his show on Motortrend "Junkyard Gold"
Original air date: 12/02/17
Do people really get sick in Uber cars? You betcha...
Henrik Fisker is up to new tricks.
SOTW "Winning" by Santana
Legendary automotive executive Bob Lutz weighs in on where the automotive industry is headed.
Are cheap tools "good enough" for most of us?
Original air date: 11/18/17
While at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Hammer caught up with Brian Bossone, one of the original competitors on Pinks. He's now working with a group building some incredible cars!
Kidde recalls some fire extinguishers...see if yours is safe!
Original air date: 11/11/17
Former NASCAR star Mike Bliss stops by to talk about his "retirement" job: he's got a Dustless Blasting business!
The latest news from SEMA, including John Hammer hosting from the Shell Pioneering Performance Stage
Original air date 10/28/17
Indycar returns to Portland!
Dale Jr has an Alias.
And we tie together a topless dead woman...and the car hobby.
Original air date: 10/21/17
What cars are the best to get you...ummm...some attention...from the opposite sex?
LeBron James is pitching autonomous cars.
NASCAR craziness at Talladega.
Original air date: 10/14/17
Journalist Jim Gorzelany joins us to talk about the Worst Drivers In America.
Racer Tom O'Gorman reports in from the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Original Air Date, 9/30/17
Indycar Champion Josef Newgarden talks one on one with Hammer about his season...and life.
Pro golfer Jason Day makes a hole in one, and BMW pays up!
Original air date: 9/23/17
Just because you're rich enough to own a fancy sportscar, doesn't mean you're smart enough to deserve one. We have proof of a guy with a Porsche, some gasoline and a cigarette. Yeah.
Plus, a Top 10 list of must have automotive technology
Original air date: 9/16/17
Car Clubs are the core of the enthusiast hobby. Since the car was invented, folks who love them gather together...and in Houston, Texas, Rob David and the gang at Space City Modern Mopar are doing it right. He shares ideas that can help ANY car club thrive.
Original air date: 9/9/17
Original Air Date: 7/1/17
Cara Adams is brilliant! She's part of Firestone's Indycar group responsible for making those cars so amazing things on track, with reliability and safety. You definitely want to check her out.
NASCAR tracks are in trouble, but perhaps they can take a hint from NFL stadiums and re-purpose themselves when they're not racing.
The Driving Show's Song of the Week is a roll down the window's tune from Love And Theft called "Runaway."
Original Air Date: 8/12/17
We've all had "the one that got away"...what vehicle was yours?
Car Throttle is a fun site, sometimes their quizzes are great...we take one on the air.
Jackson Browne, Runnin' On Empty is the Song of the Week!
Original Air Date: 8/5/17
Getting on track is a fantasy for many car enthusiasts, but you can do it with the car you drive today. Honest! Find out how when we talk with Jim Pantas of NASA Southeast.
Ford has a couple different cop cars, but one of them is causing some trouble for officers.
And what cars have the best resale value?
Original Air Date: 7/29/17
What are the best used car bargains out there? We'll take a peek at some real deals...and others to avoid.
And Indycar tries out a new Aerokit. What's the story behind it and why?
Junior Brown is a killer blues/country/rebel/hybrid type of guy and he's singing "Semi Crazy", The Driving Show Song of the Week.
Original Air Date: 7/22/17
Joey Todd is one of the guys behind the World Racing League, an amateur endurance racing series. He comes by to tell us about how YOU can get into racing with all your friends.
Orphan Cars, a name I use to talk about cars that have been cancelled (or for that matter, entire brands). We'll talk about some favorite orphan cars and why.
TDS Song of the Week is fittingly, "Cars" by Gary Numan
Original Air Date, 7/15/17
Hammer checked out the 4 Wheel Jamboree and saw a WEDDING there!
Guy buys a Lamborghini from a dealer online, sight unseen... It didn't work out so well for him.
Original Air Date: 6/1/17
If it's Black & Round, it's good enough...right? Wrong! The Tire Rack's Woody Rogers stops by to talk tires!
Fathers' Day gifts can be a tough nut to crack, but we'll look at some suggestions on what car themed things you can get for pops.
The Driving Show's "Song of the Week" is from Prince, the iconic "Little Red Corvette"
Original Air Date: 5/27/17
The World's Fastest is a film documentary about the Bonneville Salt Flats and Hammer talks with the folks behind the scenes and how you can get involved.
NASCAR's class of 2018 is announced and we'll go over that list.
The Driving Show's "Song of the Week" is Brooks & Dunn's "Hillbilly Deluxe"
Original Air Date: 5/13/17
You've dreamed of the perfect garagemahal. A man cave. Race shop. That starts from the ground up and floor coverings are pretty amazing. Jorgen Moller owns Racedeck, a garage flooring company. He's also a HUGE car guy and was even featured on TV's "Bitchin' Rides"!!
Plus, One Lap of America is one of those bucket list events for any car enthusiast. We learn more about it in segment 5.
This episode also debuted The Driving Show's "Song of the Week," a tune that links to the car world in some way. This week cranks up Sheryl Crow's "Steve McQueen."
Original Air Date: 5/6/2017
From car enthusiast to the US Naval Reserve to NASCAR racer, Jesse Iwuji has a great story to tell!!
Plus, distracted driving causes thousands of wrecks and costs a fortune in lives and damages. What can we do about it?
Original air date: 4/29/17
NASCAR can't run in the rain, so they rely on some incredible machinery to dry the track after a shower. Jeff Miles is one of the men behind the Air Titan system and tells us how it works.
Traveling to a dream motorsports destination can be overwhelming, but car enthusiast Troy Macias began Championship Touring to make it easy for you.
Original air date: 4/22/17
Chris Fix has become an internet legend, hosting DIY videos from his driveway while never showing his face! He's on with John to talk about what makes for a great video.
Pro racer Tom O'Gorman visits for an update in his race season and the new track record he set at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course!
Original air date: 4/15/17
Dodge dropped a bomb on the car world with the debut of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, the world's fastest production car. Hammer got to talk with Jim Wilder, the man behind this wild ride!
Original air date: 4/1/17
This week, Hammer talks with Chris Martin from Honda about the latest in driver aids and safety technology.
And Ferrari doesn't actually make a sedan, but if they did it would be the amazing Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. Hammer spent quality time with one recently.
Plus, we look at the mess on the TV show Wheeler Dealers when they ousted long running mechanic Edd China.
Original air date: 3/18/17
Hammer talks about the resurgence of the Trans Am series with president John Clagget.
Then, he recaps his trip to the Amelia Island Concours and talks about the most memorable fistfights in racing!
Original air date: 3/8/17
Hammer broadcasts this episode from the Amelia Island Concours and talks about Las Vegas Motor Speedway with Jeff Motley, talks about epic car fails after a guy jumps his motorcycle over a California expressway and is joined by Indycar Champion Sebastien Bourdais to highlight the season.
Original air date: 3/3/17
In this episode, Hammer is joined by Sean Yoder, a Sim Racing engineer, to discuss Denny Hamlin's use of simulation to practice racing. He recaps some of the greatest engine sounds in history. And, he discusses NASCAR's debut of Stage Racing.
Original air date: 2/24/17
Hammer is joined by custom car builder Murray Pfaff, the creator of the Imperial Speedster and numerous other top level custom cars. He's been invited to share is work at the prestigious Detroit Autorama.
John then recaps his epic 2500 mile, cross country trip in a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. 4 days straight in a 700+ horsepower car on the open road. What could possibly go wrong?
Greg Aumick of the Richard Petty Driving Experience breaks down the Daytona 500 with his first hand experience around that track.
Original Air Date: 2/16/17
Hammer talks about Valentines Day and the impact of love on our vehicles! Discusses the RPM Act that SEMA is pushing through congress to save classic cars. Plus, Jim Pantas of the National Auto Sport Association comes to talk about getting started in track days.
The Driving Show started as a nationally syndicated radio show turned podcast. John Hammer is an award winning morning radio personality, TV host and winning racecar driver. You get to listen in as he talks with automotive celebrities, racers and enthusiasts about the industry we're so passionate about!