(08-03-2018) – Sometimes podcast guests happen when you least expect it. That said, talking with Indycar driver Josef Newgarden was fun. He’s a well spoken guy who has a knack for finishing big at Indycar races, and in 2017 won the Driver’s Championshp! This guy knows how to drive! He was even nominated this year for an ESPY! Just look at the leaderboard now, where, as of this writing, is currently 3rd in the standings, falling from second only because Alexander Rossi (a previous TAC guest) won in Ohio and Josef finished 4th. Rossi moved past him into second. Josef has some great car stories and tells us about his big break…and why the only way you get a big name racing team (like Penske) to notice you, is beat their drivers on the track!
Then, there’s Victoria Vetri aka Angela Dorian. She was an actress at a young age in Hollywood when she opted for the Playboy route. In 1968 she was named “Playmate of the Year!” As the winner, she received (like several PMOYs before and after), a pink car. Her’s was the first year AMX by American Motors. She kept the car for OVER 40 years (no playmate has ever done that!). Victoria was a bit of a hot rodder, and spent the last 9 years of her life in prison. (But not for speeding, you’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out why). Before I interviewed current co-owner of the AMX, Mark Melvin for TAC 117 back in March at Chrysler Performance West’s annual “Spring Fling” in Van Nuys, Victoria was let out of Prison. I had always wanted to talk to her to get her side of the AMX equation, and didn’t think I’d find her, until….I saw she was set to appear at David Ekouby’s “Hollywood autograph Show” in LA. She agreed to a sit down (we talked in a closet next to her perch autographing plenty of 8×10’s (I’ve never been in a closet with a PMOY before). Victoria was fun, frank, and grateful she is in a good place in her life after years of not being somewhere else.
After the interview, I made a quick call to Mark, and he brought the AMX to the autograph show the next day. As you can tell, Victoria loved being behind the wheel of her former PMOY car! Listen to the podcast by clicking below, don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT and SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH YOUR CAR and PLAYMATE minded friends!
Todd Wertman and Nick Smith know their cars (and motorcycles) and know this show has been very educational. On “TAC 112” with Randy Kerdoon and guest co-host Bob Beck (Great American Auto Scene/GAAS), they talk about their own car history, car stories, and some of the wheels they saw during taping of the reality show that was taped in an LA warehouse that was torn down soon after shooting ended. (Makes you wonder if there is a season two, what they’ll do for a new set.). Todd talks about working for actor Nic Cage and why Cage LOVES him as a provider of classic cars, and Nick talks about the bike he’ll never sell.
