The Smoking Tire Podcast — “Waymo Danger; Our Award; Spyder Milestone”

Hosts: Matt Farah & Zack Klapman
Date: November 28, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lighthearted, post-Thanksgiving episode, Matt and Zack catch up in the studio, diving into family holiday logistics and travel hacks before moving into the show’s trademark blend of industry insights, car culture, and comedy. They dissect the awkward realities of autonomous Waymo taxis, celebrate an unexpected (and slightly dubious) podcast award, share personal milestones—including Matt’s 7,000-mile mark on his Porsche Spyder—and field listeners’ questions on everything from restomods to “big dick energy” vehicles. As always, the rapport between the hosts brings both humor and heartfelt moments, punctuated by memorable quotes and opinions on current happenings in the automotive world.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Thanksgiving Holiday Stories

• 00:46 — Matt and Zack talk travel plans, including family dynamics, kids, and how they navigate multiple Thanksgivings with different sides.
• Matt humorously details how his wife, Hannah, has a “non-negotiable” commitment to her family’s Thanksgiving, resulting in him planning a cross-state double holiday marathon:
  • [09:13] Matt: "This is among the more hardcore things I have ever done."
  • Discusses logistics, car rentals, and airport strategies with typical Farah flair, including flying into Westchester instead of JFK to avoid travel hell.

Winning the Racer Creator Award

• 19:03 — They recap hosting the Racer Creator Awards, an event by Racer magazine.
  • The Smoking Tire wins Best Podcast, but the real story is how makeshift and noisy the event was.
  • [21:02] Matt: “There was no way in which you were gonna crush [the comedy set]. I think you did amazing.”
  • Zack describes the challenges: performing in a tent during an atmospheric river, only two walls, rain pounding, and crowd noise.
  • Discussion on why all awards start off “made up,” and why L.A. is the perfect city for automotive creator celebrations.

Amelia Hartford’s Trophy Hustle

• [23:08] — Amelia Hartford won three categories but only received one trophy, so she hilariously borrows others' for her Instagram posts:
  • Matt: “Here’s why she’s Creator of the Year—her photo set makes the thing look like it was a bigger, much more legit, established thing than it really was.”

Waymo Robotaxi Mayhem

• 30:59 — Matt recounts a mildly disastrous Waymo taxi experience at a mall parking lot.
  • Waymos are “cautious, fucking passive," excessively slow and easily flummoxed by human assertiveness.
  • [32:33] Matt: “It doubled the time I was gonna take to get here.”
  • Zack shares stories of Waymos blocking driveways, and the sheer communication breakdown when there’s no driver to interact with, describing it as an “AI version of ‘I’d like to speak to your manager.’”
  • Both agree AVs (autonomous vehicles) are clever but not ready to mix smoothly with unpredictable human drivers in dense, messy environments like parking lots.
  • Matt’s workaround: hitting the “pull over” button at the right moment to avoid being dropped off “by the raccoons” next to the building trash.

Peterson Museum Visit & Art Instalations

• 39:03 — Zack describes new exhibits at the Peterson, notably Mr. Brainwash’s art blending classic painting with car culture.
• Matt gives film recs: “Exit Through the Gift Shop” for Mr. Brainwash context.
• Segue to Revology Mustangs: both hosts praise updates and driving experience, commenting on how proper input devices (shift levers, analog keys) matter in car enjoyment.

Porsche Spyder Milestone

• 44:00 — Matt celebrates 7,000 miles on his Porsche Spyder.
  • Matt: “That car’s been ace, you know … no regrets on that one. That thing is—I should do a road trip somewhere in that car.”
  • Notes the heavy clutch as the only real drawback.

Listener Q&A Highlights

New Car High School Impressions

• 51:00 — Zack and Matt reminisce about high school “wow” cars; S4s, Supras, and VW’s influence on car culture.

Restomod Hits and Misses (61:13)

• Too much horsepower in modern restomods (called out by Zack), with Gunther’s builds cited as “too much for most people.” Both hosts want more attention to touch points, not just performance stats.

Watching Racing — Marry, Fuck, Kill (55:19)

• Pikes Peak: Marry (accessible, fun)
• Dakar: F—once (great adventure, but hard to do more than once)
• Le Mans: Kill (too exhausting, tough to follow in-person)
  • Matt: “Watching racing in person stinks for most forms of racing.”

Automotive Stereotypes (58:17)

• Car stereotypes have some basis but are usually overemphasized by confirmation bias.

Best Money Ever Spent (64:12)

• Matt: His Vespa (“best consumer product I’ve ever purchased”) and hiring lawyers/accountants.
• Zack: Professional movers, accountants, and a quality chef’s knife (“worth every penny”).

Watch & Kit Car Clones: Fake or Not? (81:10)

• Matt’s strong stance: “Don’t buy fake shit. There are so many cool watches out there for the money … you just don’t need to do it.”

ADA (ADAS) Preferences (84:46)

• Both turn off most driver aids (especially lane keep). Rivian’s driver assist earns rare praise.

Big Dick Energy Cars (89:45)

• Vans (esp. custom or luxury ones), Manxes, and cars that “exude a relaxed, confident person” named as most “BD energy”—not overcompensating muscle cars.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [07:00] Matt: “You hear about that with car people who buy Bugattis … The service is $25,000.”
• [13:04] Matt: “I hate helicopters. But if they did a chopper—”
• [21:17] Matt: “In typical Zach fashion, subtle jokes that were really, really funny … Hannah was like, ‘Oh my god, he’s killing.’”
• [23:08] Matt: explaining Amelia Hartford’s Instagram strategy: “Here’s why she’s creator of the year … makes it look much more legit than it really was.”
• [32:33] Matt: “It doubled the time I was gonna take to get here. AVs ain’t it for solving traffic.”
• [36:57] Zack: “Otherwise [the Waymo] drops you where the raccoons live.”
• [44:09] Matt: “I hit 7,000 miles in the Spyder … No regrets on that one.”
• [58:38] Matt: “I don’t think that many [car stereotypes] are actually true.”
• [61:13] Zack: “What a lot of [restomod companies] are getting wrong is too much horsepower … there’s plenty of fun at lower levels.”
• [81:10] Matt: “Buying fake stuff is lame.”
• [85:06] Zack: “I think my wife turns off the lane keep assist stuff.”

Fun Timestamps & Segment Map

• 00:46—13:00: Thanksgiving logistics, holiday travel hacks, family anecdotes.
• 19:03—26:40: Racer Awards recap, hosting struggles, Amelia Hartford’s trophy saga.
• 30:59—38:54: Waymo robotaxi fails, real-world AV awkwardness, pedestrian anecdotes.
• 39:03—44:42: Peterson Museum, automotive art, Revology Mustang praise.
• 44:00—45:17: Porsche Spyder hits 7,000 miles—Matt’s road trip aspirations.
• 47:41—100:39: Listener Q&A (restomods, events, car culture, watch clones, biggest “BD Energy” vehicles, and more), closing with Matt’s birthday dinner story and gratitude.

Tone & Atmosphere

• The episode moves effortlessly between light ribbing and honest advice, with the duo’s chemistry pulling listeners through diverse topics without losing thread. Listeners get insight and laughter in equal measure, whether hosts are nerding out or poking fun at the quirks of family, car culture, and new tech.

This episode is a perfect encapsulation of The Smoking Tire’s unique blend: personal car journeys, strong opinions, industry context, relatable banter, and—above all—a passion for automotive adventures in all their forms.