The Smoking Tire Podcast: "Stories from F.A.T. ICE 2026!"

Hosts: Matt Farah & Zack Klapman
Date: March 3, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Matt and Zack share their lively, in-depth recap of the inaugural F.A.T. ICE Race held in Big Sky, Montana. They dive into the unique social energy, the wild diversity of cars, challenges of racing on ice, notable personalities in attendance, and the post-race vibe. The conversation is loaded with enthusiast insight, plenty of laughs, and a generous serving of stories from a motorsport event more akin to an alpine party than a conventional race.

Main Themes & Discussion Points

1. The F.A.T. Ice Race Experience

• Event Atmosphere: Dubbed “a party with cars as entertainment,” the F.A.T. ICE Race is described as more social spectacle than pure motorsport—think après-ski melded with drifting exotics and rally beasts.
• Spectators & Setting: The Montana event prioritized the viewing experience, hospitality, and scenery, with the permanent track set against the dramatic backdrop of snow-capped mountains.
• Quote:

  “Chris Harris described very…he was there for five minutes and he was like, ‘This isn’t a race, this is a party. And there happens to be some motorsport-adjacent thing happening in the background.’”
  —Matt Farah (05:00)

2. Travel, Logistics & Life on the Road

• Busy Schedules: Matt’s whirlwind travel between Montana and Spain for car testing reveals the hosts’ frantic, car-centric lifestyle, sprinkled with humor about taxes, caffeine, and bad mountain town coffee.
• Airbnb Woes: Amusing tales of missing essentials (“fake beams,” unopened packages, and frat-house style group lodging) illuminate the scrappy, real side of motorsport travel.
• Quote:

  “You never want to be the first renter of an Airbnb, ever. And I'm pretty sure we were..."
  —Zack Klapman (03:39)

3. Diversity of Cars & High-Dollar Mayhem

• Car Lineup: From rally-prepped legends (Nissan Pulsar, Celica GT4, Lancia Stratos) to ultra-exotics (Pagani, Enzo, Singer Targa), the field included everything from $25k specials to multi-millionaires’ garage queens—some driven with abandon, others with kid gloves.
• Instagrammable Moments: Many attendees seemed more interested in capturing the perfect photo than setting fast times, while others (like Ryan Tuerck and Supercar Ron’s team) genuinely sent it on the ice.
• Memorable Entry:

  “That was just a crazy thing to see…from the back it peeked out. It’s a very distinctive rear end on the Pagani...Is that a fucking Pagani out here?”
  —Zack (08:34)

• Vehicle Notables:
  • Absence of Mercedes: "Not a one. Not a one Mercedes." (09:52)
  • Porsche Dominance
  • Homebuilt specials and affordable rally hardware

4. Driving Challenges: Racing on Ice

• Surface Conditions: Montana's ice proved treacherous—solid ice on day one = low grip and cautious approaches; by day two, warmer weather led to slush and more dynamic driving.
• Physical Barriers: The icy walls were likened to hitting "the cliffs on Angeles Crest," contrasting with the forgiving snowbanks of European ice racing. Even light taps resulted in real damage.
• On-Track Action:
  • Matt’s experience in his Meyers Manx: Found it understeered heavily on ice, but was more playful in slush.
  • Rear-drive vs. 4WD: Four-wheel-drive monsters could attack corners, while rear-drivers (even drift champs) struggled for traction.
• Driving Technique:

  “With rally driving, it’s lift, turn, brake. That’s how you set a loose surface car.”
  —Matt (27:24)

5. Notable Incidents & Memorable Moments

• Wheel & Tire Adventures:
  • Tire prep and spike confusion, including hand-siping Enzo tires and in-paddock modifications.
  • Manx running narrower rears for more balance.
• Spins & Mishaps: Multiple drivers (including Matt) spun on course, learning limits in front of big crowds.
  • “Everyone spun, and then they waved the yellow flag. But you, who have raced and know what yellow means...you passed all the cars that had spun and proceeded around the track.” —Zack (43:54)
• Fashion & Vibe: Attendees rocked everything from fur coats to ‘80s ski outfits, adding playful contrast to the luxury car parade.
  • "People's outfits were superb...arctic pimp with a fur coat." (54:22)

6. Social & Cultural Dynamics of the Event

• Party Culture: Networking, live music, and camaraderie made the event a party—less “stuffy” than classic concours like Quail or St. Moritz.
  • Creators, pro drivers, and fans mingled; having fun was as important as going fast.
• Hospitality: Both ticket tiers (GA and VIP) offered outstanding food/service and event logistics; permanent infrastructure hints at future growth.
• Community & Accessibility: Pit areas were open, up-close access was encouraged, and overall organization was “Goodwood-like.”
• Quote:

  “They cultivated the vibe perfectly. It was not an old stuffy thing...There was just a lot of playfulness to it, which I really thought was great.”
  —Zack (53:49)

7. Aftermath, Reflections & Future Hopes

• Looking Forward: Hosts are already plotting next year, hoping to enter race classes (not just exhibition), and dreaming of more wheel-to-wheel fun or skijoring if insurance allows.
• Lessons in Car Setup: Takeaways around tire choice, setup, and mental approach for next time.
• Visiting Montana: Both hosts fell for Big Sky, noting ease of access, stunning scenery, and mountain town quirks (everyone drives dirty Suburbans, dealer scarcity for European cars).
• On Climate & Weather: Noted the irony of struggling to keep the track cold enough in Montana while Miami’s Moto show was swamped by a monsoon.
• Quote:

  “The climate change is coming. But the top sponsor of this event is Mobil 1, owned by Exxon. And I'm just looking at this going, the irony of this is just incredible.”
  —Zack (37:12)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|-------------| | 05:00 | Chris Harris on ice racing as a party | | 08:34 | Seeing a Pagani sent on the ice | | 10:31 | Ryan Tuerck’s Celica GT-4 action | | 17:24 | Matt’s first run: ice wall nerves and technique | | 22:35 | Praise for drivers risking valuable cars | | 25:41 | Car setup: spikes, tire width, and learning to drift | | 27:24 | Rally technique and how to unsettle the car on ice | | 31:03 | Track as a permanent installation in Montana | | 35:13 | Montana car culture: Suburbans and local auto dealers | | 36:53 | Moto Miami show washed out: weather & climate irony | | 43:54 | Matt threading through spin-outs during Manx runs | | 46:15 | Four-wheel-drive vs rear-drive car performance | | 48:03 | How the tight course and ice affected incidents | | 51:01 | The social scene: Porsche dealer group and new friends | | 53:49 | Not old and stuffy—party atmosphere, younger crowd | | 54:22 | Standout attendee outfits: fur coats and ski suits | | 56:06 | Logistics: smooth transport and event management |

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “It's such an Instagrammable thing. In freeze frame with the right shot, you catch the right opposite lock…it looks super heroic...but other people are extremely sendy.” —Matt (07:41)
• “When I went to Finland, the snowbanks were soft...Here, people tapped the wall at five miles an hour in this thing and it was crunching shit.” —Matt (17:24)
• “Learning to drift in front of a crowd...that’s very difficult.” —Matt (26:12)
• “If you have a diff that on decel tightens up, it’ll send your car straight. It was the clearest example of how a differential setup can do that.” —Zack (28:36)
• “My wife forgot my [driving shoes]. So I ended up having to drive barefoot...which, like, you know, it was for five minutes...It was pretty fucking funny.” —Matt (41:28)
• “Montana's awesome...it's a fucking gorgeous place to hang out for a few days.” —Matt (33:51)
• “Everyone spun, and they waved the yellow flag. But you...passed all the cars that had spun and proceeded around.” —Zack (43:54)
• “Manx, I have stumbled into fucking gold with this company...They shipped the car, they studded the tires...All I had to do is show up with my helmet and my jacket and drive.” —Matt (41:57 & 43:18)

Fun & Quick Hits

• Montana travel quirks: Suburban traffic jams at ski club valet, necessity for new Euro-service center, absence of Range Rover dealers, the struggle for car enthusiasts outside major cities.
• Afterparty stories: Bus rides with Chris Harris and Richard Tuthill roasting each other ("giving each other so much shit at full volume") to the confusion/amusement of Yellowstone Club passengers.
• Car fashion: From arctic furs to 1980s ski wear—intentionally cheeky, fun atmosphere.
• Technical Nerddom: Spike sizes, differential behaviors, strategy in tire choices for ice versus slush, and Manx setup experiments.

Conclusion

The episode captures the playful but passionate spirit of the F.A.T. ICE 2026 event. Matt and Zack recount not just the motorsport action but also the friendships, mishaps, unique car builds, and vibrant social scene that define a new breed of car culture—one as much about memories and moments as about lap times.

Listeners leave with insight into both the technical challenges of ice driving and the rewarding, communal nature of automotive enthusiasm at its most welcoming and adventurous.

(For further information, event photos, and car reviews, check out www.youtube.com/thesmokingtire and follow the hosts on social.)