The John Clay Wolfe Show – Episode #526 (October 18, 2025)

Live from Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction, Scottsdale, Arizona

Main Theme

This episode broadcasts from the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, capturing the car culture buzz, auction deals, and classic car personalities. John Clay Wolfe and his crew discuss everything from car values and buying strategies to rock & roll legends and oddball sports news, all peppered with the show’s signature humor and irreverence. They also welcome car YouTuber Tyler Hoover (“Hoovie’s Garage”) for some lively car talk and live bidding banter.

Key Discussion Points and Segments

1. Live at Barrett-Jackson: The Shelby Booth and Carroll Shelby Tribute

• Setting the Scene: The crew sets up in the Shelby booth at Barrett-Jackson, surrounded by classic and modern Shelby Mustangs and Cobras.
• Carroll Shelby Impersonation (00:46–04:18): Regular character Mike Turley channels Carroll Shelby, joking about signing everything for $50 (“I’ll sign anything you got for 50 bucks”), false rumors of his death, and the mythical “Shelby Tirement” homes.
• Shelbys Today: Discussion of classic Shelby models and the enduring appeal of new ones.

“You know what I get for a signed coconut? $50. That’s a Shelby deal.” – “Carroll Shelby” (Mike Turley) [02:18]

2. Music Legends Remembered: Ace Frehley’s Passing

• Tribute Segment (04:39–09:49): The team pays tribute to Kiss lead guitarist Ace Frehley, who recently passed at 74 after a fall.
• Reminiscing about Kiss, band turmoil with Gene Simmons, Ace’s solo career, and Kiss lore in American culture.
• Quote:

  “He left a hell of a body of work … gone but not forgotten.” – Mike Turley [07:55]

3. Car Auction Deals, Buying, and the Authenticity Game

• Inside Barrett-Jackson (10:20–13:48):
  • John recounts cars he’s bought: Camaros, Mopar 340s, Barracudas, rare K5 Blazers.
  • Discussing skepticism over the authenticity of low-mile cars, auction pricing, and selling strategies.
  • Insights on recognizing value vs. hype at collector auctions.
  • Classic advice: “You will spend more money on the car that needs work and you will never get to drive it.” – John Clay Wolfe [24:17]

4. Fan Call-Ins, Car Appraisals, and Dealership Banter

• Lightning Round & Car Bids (13:48, 26:12, 48:52, 83:33):
  • Listeners from across America call in to get quick bids on their vehicles.
  • John dissects the realities of dealer incentives, lowballing, car “flipper” contracts, and the psychology behind attractive sellers.
• Memorable Moment:
  • Listener ‘Macy’ (a self-rated “8” working at a dealership) gets John’s unfiltered take on why her coworkers offer above-market prices:

    “You have an advantage over me that has nothing to do with the value of the car.” – John Clay Wolfe [16:50]

5. Sports & NFL/College Football Picks

• JD Ryan’s “Sports Wiener” Hype (39:19):
  • Hype over football, big upsets, and making college/NFL picks for the weekend.
  • Banter over betting strategies, regional rivalries, and upsets.

6. “Florida News”: Sunshine State Weirdness

• Oddball Headlines (27:51–31:51):
  • Naked man terrorizes Pinellas Park with bizarre antics and property damage.
  • Cheeseburger assault at a strip club leads to police puns and wordplay.
  • Strip club insider “Hannah” regales with food-fight stories.

  “No assault is considered a small fry occurrence, even if it’s plain and dry.” – Tampa PD Chief “Pat E. Melt” [30:13]

7. Industry Deep-Dive: The Modern Shelby Lineup (90:22)

• Special Interview – Cash from Shelby America:
  • History of Carroll Shelby and the brand’s evolution from Le Mans to modern Mustangs.
  • Shelby’s model range in 2025: GT350, Super Snake, SSR (“Super Snake R”). Trucks now 85% of Shelby sales.
  • Tech behind emissions certifications, aftermarket superchargers, and the challenges of selling in “green” states.

8. YouTube and Car Dork Culture: Tyler Hoover (“Hoovie”) Guest Segment

• Crossover Collision (111:33–137:38):
  • Tyler Hoover joins live, letting listeners into the behind-the-scenes of car YouTubing, production costs, and the rise of automotive content creation.
  • The two share auction war stories, the risks and rewards of buying “project cars,” and the infamous “fuel bladder” saga on an XJ220 Jag.
  • Hoovie banters with callers, bids on “hoopties” and oddball classics (“AMC Concorde DL!” at [123:36]).
  • They discuss their similarly remote YouTube-car-shop setups.

“I just make a fool out of myself—that’s my job!” – Tyler Hoover [137:24]

Notable Quotes & Conversations

• On radio vs. YouTube car content:
  “The Mr. Beastification of YouTube … it kind of forces you to put yourself in the foreground of a photo, making the dumbest face with something exploding in the background. It reminds me of going to Blockbuster Video and walking the wall and looking at the VHS cover—that’s what it is.” – Tyler Hoover & John Clay Wolfe [112:40]

• On “pretty girls at car dealerships” criticism:
  “If you want your daughter to be a young mother, send her to be a receptionist at a car dealership. It’s not yuck, it’s not disgusting, it’s procreation.” – John Clay Wolfe [19:28]

• Car Buyer Advice (Project Cars):
  “You will spend more money on the car that needs work and you will never get to drive it… You can buy these cars finished way cheaper than you can build them.” – John Clay Wolfe [24:13]

• On the “honky tonk special”:
  “You don’t meet a legitimate honky tonk special until after 1:15am, because the girls all get prettier at closing time.” – Mike Turley [65:27]

• On the XJ220 “fuel bladder” project:
  “I’m going to have one of the premier supercars in the world sitting in the middle of a deer lease in a shop in Texas with rednecks turning wrenches on it.” – John Clay Wolfe [134:48]

Segment Timestamps & Highlights

• Carroll Shelby Character & Shelby Lore: 00:46 – 04:18
• Ace Frehley Tribute & Kiss Memories: 04:39 – 09:49
• Car Auctions/Authenticity Rant: 10:20 – 13:48
• Lightning Round (Car Bidding):
  • 13:48, 26:12, 48:52, 83:33
• Female Dealer Call (Macy): 13:48 – 17:05
• Receptionist “statistics” debate: 19:15 – 20:48
• Florida News: 27:51 – 31:51
• Sports Hype & NFL/College Picks: 39:19 – 47:59, 140:00–144:05
• Shelby America Interview: 90:22 – 99:16
• Hoovie’s Garage Guest Spot: 111:33 – 137:38
• AMC Concorde “Hooptie Lightning Round”: 123:20
• XJ220 & Supercar Talk: 130:29 – 135:16
• Event Promos (Rattle & Roll, Good Guys, Adam Carolla): Multiple mentions – e.g. 26:12, 74:22, 135:33

Memorable Moments

• A listener email slams John’s “un-PC” call-in banter; the crew laughs it off and doubles down.
• The team explores auction caution, warning against “zero mile” myths and why gut instincts trump paperwork.
• JD’s “Sports Wiener” is “going crazy” over a weekend of wild games ([39:19]).
• Lightning Rounds are filled with colorful rapid-fire car value debates and reluctant sellers.
• Florida news segment features a “cheeseburger assault” at a Tampa strip club ([29:49]), producing a hilarious faux police news conference.
• Hoovie’s YouTube vs. Radio insight: Thumbnails, clickbait, and why losing money makes “great content”—and calling out John (jokingly) for blogging three grand off one of Hoovie’s cars.
• The “fuel bladder” on the XJ220: A running gag about exotic car maintenance nightmares and price escalation.
• Personal moments: Marriages, “honky tonk specials,” and the ever-elusive “Fire Chicken” TransAm project that’s claimed multiple staffers.

Upcoming & Ongoing

• John’s “Rattle and Roll” car event Nov. 15 in Walnut Springs, Texas, featuring Chip Foose, Dennis Collins, and more.
• The Good Guys Car Show schedule for 2026 announced (starts March 6 at Texas Motor Speedway).
• Podcast, livestream, and YouTube: Listeners encouraged to visit jcwshow.com for replays and visual content.

Summary Tone

Unfiltered, high-energy, and loaded with inside jokes, real industry expertise, and listener engagement. The show is a freeform, comedic take on classic cars, auction adventures, football, and America’s weird news—delivered in a style where “nothing is off-limits…unless the FCC calls.”

For car culture devotees, this episode is a lively ride through the collector world, full of auction confessions, wild personalities, and the chaos that makes John Clay Wolfe’s show the “largest weekend morning show in America.”