The Smoking Tire Podcast – “The ZR1 is INSANE; Wooden Manx; M3 Wrenching; Q&A”

Hosts: Matt Farah, Zack Klapman
Date: October 7, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Matt and Zack reunite after a couple of busy weeks to dig deep into recent automotive adventures. The show kicks off with Matt’s recap of the Performance Car of the Year test, including high-octane impressions of the new Corvette ZR1 and heated comparisons with some of the world’s quickest street cars. Zack shares tales from wrenching on his M3, while Matt details a uniquely “wooden” solution for storage in his VW Manx. The guys also preview their upcoming live show at Willow Springs and respond to a batch of engaging listener questions—ranging from classic car recommendations to the realities of EV ownership in harsh winters.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Catchup: Bills, Wrenching, and Decaf

• Matt recounts being back in LA after two weeks away, tackling a mountain of bills and chores before the show.
  “I crossed 13 things off the list and there’s only 19 things on the list, so that’s pretty good for the first four hours back from a two-week trip.” (04:12)
• Zack dives into DIY mode, tackling the intake manifold swap on his E90 M3 to install an Eventuri airbox.
  “I’m on the disassembly part, so we’ll see what happens with reassembly…” (03:52) “I was shocked because this [stock airbox] is a piece of plastic…probably weighs 12 pounds.” (05:16)
• Both reflect on the relentless realities of project car maintenance and how “just push, jiggle, tilt”—is often omitted from the official guides.

2. Willow Springs Event Preview (06:11)

• Matt and Zack are hyped for the Willow Springs Reimagined event, set for October 11.
  • “We’re gonna be out there, doing a live show… You pay $20, all goes to charity, and you get the new track plans, some vintage cars, and demos.” (06:11)
• Matt’s bringing the infamous “pink car” (the Manx), and Zack’s M3 will be there for fans to see.

3. Performance Car of the Year Test Recap

a. Driving the Wildest Supercars

• Matt describes the exhilarating “back to back comparison” of four of the world’s fastest production cars: Corvette ZR1, Lambo Temerario, Mustang GTD, and Porsche GT3.
  • “The ZR1, the Temerario, the GTD, and the GT3… some of the other guys took turns on a very good road for like an hour. Very, very nice.” (08:03)
• Debates ensue over the value of options versus base spec on the 911 GT3 and the unique vibe of each car.

b. ZR1: The Insane Supercar ‘Anyone’ Can Buy

• The ZR1’s absurd performance, price, and level of daily usability take center stage.
  • “I can’t believe they’re just selling that to people. It’s like a 765 [McLaren] with way more power… You could daily one. If you get a less track-focused one, it’s just like any other car.” (11:13–12:13)
  • “For so little money—respect to $200k being ‘little’—that’s wild. Thousand horsepower, GM durability.” (12:14)
• Notable contrasts with McLaren 765LT: more power, less tire-shredding, better traction management.

c. Insanity: Where Z06 and ZR1 Truly Differ

• Quote: “The difference between Z06 and ZR1 happens at the last 25% of throttle… Only if you have the circumstances to use that a lot does it become important.” (17:58)
• The hosts reflect on how few people ever use even half the power in modern supercars on the street, especially above 500hp.

d. Track Tales: Near-Whoopsies and Spinning

• Matt shares honest track fails:
  • “I spun the ZR1, I spun the Lambo, I spun the M5 probably twice… The only time I had a near whoopsie not trying to slide for the camera was the ZR1 on the front straight… that was a lot of feet at that speed.” (19:29–20:55)
• Describes the pressure of being watched by the whole editorial crew:
  • “I made the corner but was 20 feet offline and had to do a full ABS… Everybody was watching. Don’t cook it right there.” (21:04)

e. OEM Track Support: Fresh Tires Galore

• Outlines the level of factory support at these tests compared to his old TV days:
  • “They sent five sets of carbon wheels and tires for the ZR1. Someone told me Ferrari sent seven. When we used to make the TV shows, it was rare an OEM would send a set of tires!” (23:00)

f. Multimatic Engineers Get Schooled

• Multimatic GTD engineers get spirited passenger rides in rivals, broadening their perspective:
  • “We took them for rides in a bunch of the cars. They really got a good, like, spread of knowledge about what everyone else is doing.” (26:09)

g. Audi RS3 as the Unsung Hero

• Endurance grinds, brake fade, and tire resilience:
  • “The brake fluid was really boiled after the second track day… But the car was good on tires, good on the track, no real issues.” (27:29–28:28)

h. AWD Torque Tricks: Golf R vs. RS3

• On “drifty” all-wheel-drive hatches, Matt and Zack discuss the Golf R’s surprisingly excellent seats (“like a bucket seat made of memory foam”) and the frustratingly inconsistent torque-vectoring party tricks.

4. Manx Wooden Crate Mod (35:16)

• Matt’s creatively “rustic” storage solution for his VW Manx: a polished, belted melon crate strapped behind the seats.

  • “Now I can put groceries back there… with real rubber feet so the crate doesn’t scrape around…” (36:54)

• Zack jokes about the idea of having a side-impact airbag in the Manx but nothing up front.

• Detailed update on the Manx’s cooling woes and upcoming front mount radiator solution.

  • “If I drive over 60 mph, it’ll overheat in 10 or 15 minutes. They did the undertray cut, improved it 5.5 degrees, but they need 25…” (38:05)
  • “The problem is at speed, the entire back half is in a vacuum.” (39:45)

Memorable Quote:

“Push. Jiggle. Tilt. The definitive glossary of wrenching terms.” – Matt (05:01)

5. Aviation Oddities: Spinning Radial Engines (41:05)

• Matt recounts a visit to the National Automobile Museum and the insane design of a horizontally spinning radial engine.
  • “The whole engine spins—imagine the block and heads spinning like a top. It idles at 500 rpm, redlines at 1,800. Imagine 1,800 rpm when it’s your entire engine spinning.” (41:31)
• Rabbit hole on WWII Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engines.
  • “71.5 liters, 4,300 horsepower, 28 cylinders, four rows…” (43:10)
• Chuckling about the “blimp-faced” Stratofreighter and the iconic greenhouse cockpits.

6. Gear Talk: Race Shoes and Endurance Comfort (46:39)

• Matt recommends the OMP Pit Crew shoe after the New Balance model was discontinued:
  • “OMP makes a pit crew shoe that feels like a real sneaker. SFI rated, true to size… This is the move, especially for endurance racing.” (47:21)
• Both share gripes about having to re-learn footwork for narrow race shoes, and Matt’s resistance to “retraining footwork” for a competitive setting.

7. Sim Racing Team Lemons Drama (50:44)

• Comic misfortune befalls a sim-racing team at a Lemons race:
  • “Their engine had exploded in practice. They replaced it. Within 20 minutes, I start seeing white smoke from the new engine… They popped a second Miata engine. Seems impossible!” (51:24)
• Chuckles about sim teams not having the “restart” button in real wrenching.

Listener Q&A Highlights (57:50–99:04)

Notable Questions & Answers

• Who is the new Prelude for?

  • Zack: “I think it’s a big hit with mature men in Japan. It’s the new Solara.” (58:57)

• Scariest moments in a car: Riding with a terrifyingly poor driver at a press launch, and realizing sometimes you just need to “approve” who you share with. (60:13–61:26)

• Surprisingly fun pedestrian cars:

  • Honda Fit, Mazda2, Lexis ES350 F Sport get praise as overlooked gems. (61:54)
  • Zack: “Those are pretty decent, actually. They drift well, too.” (62:18)

• Modern convertible safety: BMW’s modern convertibles with pop-up roll bars are reasonably safe for daily use.

  • “I wouldn’t worry about it in this car in particular… More likely to get broken into than for the roof to be a problem.” (65:41–66:21)

• Remaking Car Talk for podcasts: Matt: “We’re kind of doing that now—just without phones.” (63:31)

• Best '80s/'90s drivers’ cars under $100k: (74:03)

  • Air-cooled 911s, Corvette ZR-1 (95/96), Ferrari 328/348, E30 M3, NSX, Supra, R32 Skyline, 996 Turbo, E46 M3, E39 M5.

• Replacing an Alfa Giulia Quad with something comfortable yet fun: Suggests Genesis G70, E-Class AMG, or CT4V Blackwing. (76:03–77:13)

• Manual driving technique—foot roll vs. leg lift: (78:08)

  • Both adapt to the car; depends on pedal height and ergonomics.

• Buying out a leased Mach-E after credits gone: Your buyout price is locked in, so just watch the market and decide near lease-end.

  • “You can wait until that day… If your miles are way under, it probably makes sense to buy…” (92:13–92:44)

• Best SoCal canyon for a pay-to-play “Nürburgring” style hillclimb?

  • Matt: Spunky Canyon for its fast and technical mix. (90:14)

• Buying back a car you sold:

  • “If I sell a car, I’m mentally done with that car.” (84:45)
  • Zack: “Having had the experience is enough… I’ll never replicate the fun I had in my old STI.” (85:25)

• Concerns for EVs in cold winters without a charger: Without the benefit of pre-heating while plugged in, expect range loss of up to 50%.

  • “If you have outdoor parking for an EV and no charging… your range is, like, halved.” (88:17–89:04)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Push. Jiggle. Tilt. The definitive glossary of wrenching terms.” – Matt (05:01)
• “I spun the ZR1… and the only near-whoopsie not for the camera was the ZR1 on the front straight. A lot of feet at that speed!” – Matt (19:29)
• “When a ZR1 gets to $100k, that’s crazy. You better be ready, ‘cause it’s worth the money new.” (94:09)
• “If you have an M2 as a streetcar, the BRZ would feel slow…get a 2014 Mustang GT, maximum motorsports kit, and just run actual good times.” (98:17)
• Matt’s advice for watches at airport security: “I refuse to take my watches off at airport security in any country. Keep it on your wrist!” (99:04)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |------------|-------------------------------------------------| | 01:25 | Show opens; catching up post-trip | | 03:35 | Zack’s M3 intake manifold project | | 06:11 | Willow Springs Reimagined event preview | | 07:44 | Performance Car of the Year intro | | 08:54 | 911 GT3 options vs. base discussion | | 11:13 | ZR1 vs. McLaren 765LT; “so little money” | | 17:58 | Z06 vs. ZR1 – where it matters | | 19:29 | Track-day spins & whoopsie stories | | 23:00 | OEM support: extra tires and wheels | | 25:36 | Multimatic engineers go for rides in rivals | | 27:29 | Audi RS3 endures a torture test | | 33:16 | Golf R seats and “slidy” AWD | | 35:16 | Manx wooden crate storage project | | 38:05 | Manx high-speed cooling issues explained | | 41:05 | National Auto Museum: spinning radial engine | | 46:39 | Pit crew shoes for endurance racing | | 50:44 | Lemons story: sim racing team blows two engines | | 57:50 | Patron Q&A opens | | 61:54 | Most fun basic cars driven | | 74:03 | 80s–90s era driver’s cars under $100k | | 76:03 | Replacing the Giulia Quad (luxury sedan Q) | | 79:36 | Purple-dial watch recommendations | | 88:17 | EVs, cold climates, and parking/charging woes | | 90:14 | SoCal road as pay-to-play “Ring” | | 98:03 | BRZ vs. Mustang/Ford for dedicated track car | | 99:04 | Watches at airport security |

Noteworthy Episode Tone & Language

Conversation is quick, friendly, and irreverent, typical of Matt and Zack’s candid podcasting style. They freely share hard-earned opinions, anecdotes from both industry and personal experience, and digress into the occasional aviation or watch enthusiast tangent. Technical details abound, but all wrapped in enthusiastic, layperson-friendly chat.

Final Notes

• Lots of laughs at sim-racing teams’ misfortune, self-deprecating stories about “code brown” moments on track, and plenty of technical meat for gearheads.
• Episode is a quintessential Smoking Tire blend: performance car insight, wrenching wisdom, homemade hacks, and relatable Q&A.
• Special treats: in-depth ZR1 coverage, seat and shoe talk, and a stray lesson on the dangers of old airplane engines.

Hosts sign off with reminders for upcoming events at Willow Springs and Road & Track’s Blue Ridge 500.

For more, watch their car reviews at www.youtube.com/thesmokingtire or join the next Patreon Q&A.