Backseat Driver

In this episode of the Backseat Driver podcast, I interview James Tucker, a racing driver, event organiser, and commentator. James's racing career began in 1982 when he gave someone a lift and ended up winning the amateur championship. Since then, he has had a successful career as a driver and organiser, and he shares some of his experiences and memories with us. We also discuss the excitement and...

This year's Race Retro 2023 was smaller than previous years, but in my opinion, it was all the better for it. I had the opportunity to walk around and see everything and even had some great conversations with fascinating guests. One of my guests was Christianne Ireland, a former Formula One driver now racing a mini, following in her father's footsteps. We had a great chat about her racing career a...

It's me, Mark Stone, and here I am at Rétromobile hosted in Port de Versailles, on the outskirts of Central Paris, and marks the start of the new classic car season. It features cars that can only be seen in magazines or books, but here, they are displayed in front of you in the metal. The world's most fabulous auction houses are also at the event, showcasing cars available for sale, though some r...

It's me, Mark Stone and welcome to the Back Seat Driver Podcast. In this episode, I'll describe my experience visiting Retromobile in Paris. This 47th edition of the show opened the ball of festivities linked to the 24 Hours of Le Mans centenary and confirmed its status as the referenced show for classic car enthusiasts. It was my first time attending the show, and I realised what I had been missi...

In this episode of the Back Seat Driver podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Carol Quiniou, an American racing driver based in France. Carol competed in the French Formula V de V series for historic sportscars, often behind the wheel of a Lotus. Carol has been racing in historic sportscar events in France and Europe since 2000 and has had a lot of success, including winning the French FFSA...

In this episode of the Back Seat Driver podcast, we hear from Mike Smith, an automotive expert and electric car skeptic. Mike shares his thoughts on the limitations of electric cars and the technology and infrastructure surrounding them in the UK. He explains why electric cars may not be the best choice for everyone and discusses why they may not be suitable as a sole vehicle or a necessary part o...

It's me, Mark Stone, the host of the Back Seat Driver Podcast. I'm sitting in the National Center for Motorsport Engineering at Bolton University in this episode with Director Mark Busfield. Mark has had a spectacular career, with over 30 years of experience in professional, manufacturer-supported motorsport across various disciplines. He has been a consultant team manager, managing director of cl...

On this episode of the Back Seat Driver radio show, we have special guests, Max and Giam Huber, two young and talented racing drivers from Spain. They come from a family of racers, with their father Ralph paving the way for them in the industry. Join us as we hear about their journey as racers, their challenges, and how they're following in their father's footsteps. ___ https://pod.link/1656058575...

I interview John Joe Vollans, a true expert in classic cars. He's a former editor of Modern Classics and currently contributes to some top car mags like Practical Classics, Classic Cars Magazine, The SL Shop, and Classic & Sports Car. He will share his knowledge of modern classic cars, what sets them apart from traditional classics and why they're becoming so sought after. He'll also be giving...

It's me, Mark Stone, and in this episode, I chatted with Ray Grimes, brand ambassador for the BMW 116 trophy. He shared his 20 years of experience in the motorsports industry working with companies like Ferrari, Maserati, and Lotus, as well as at racing schools like Nigel Mansell Racing School and Motorsport Vision. We discussed his career journey and his thoughts on the industry. ___ https://pod....

In this episode, I interview Gabriel Lindström, who shares his journey of restoring a classic Citroen 2CV van with his dad. He talks about the challenges and how rebuilding the 2CV helped him reconnect with his dad and create new memories. We also discuss the history and enduring appeal of the 2CV. ___ https://pod.link/1656058575 Visit our sponsors GAZ Shocks 116 Trophy Hodder Tyres Tarox Br akes...

On this episode of the Backseat Driver Podcast, I interview Peter Baker, an experienced car enthusiast who competes in classic rallies and events worldwide. Peter also contributes to Team-Retro Speed, an online magazine that covers historic motorsport. He shares his passion for cars, both old and new, and his experiences from all the different events he's been a part of. Peter also shares pictures...

I had the pleasure of interviewing Mike Evans, the Chairman of Clubman's Racing Register. He shared his passion for Clubmans Sports Prototypes, unique front-engined cars that are fast and exhilarating for motor racing. He explained the history of the Clubman's cars and that they are a popular racing class. He also discussed the community and organization that supports Clubman Racing and how Motor...

It's me, Mark Stone, the host of the Back Seat Driver Podcast. I interviewed Brad Hoy, Castle Three Motor Company's owner, who specialises in three-wheeled motors. Brad shared his lifelong passion for cars and how it led him to start his own company. He also mentioned that Castle Three is building custom three-wheeled sports cars using crowdfunding and crowdsourcing, a unique way of approaching th...

It's me, Mark Stone of Back Seat Driver Podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tony Hayes from Saturn EV. He shared with me his background in aviation and how it influenced his current work in electric transportation. He discussed the industry's current state and where he sees the future of electric transportation heading. It was an insightful conversation, and it was interesting to hear how...

I interviewed YouTuber Lewis Buchan of Lewi Buch Productions, a channel focused on restoration and vehicle-related content with a specific interest in Reliant Motors. Lewis shared his passion for three-wheelers, which began with the British comedy series Mr Bean. We also talked about the unique benefits and challenges of owning a three-wheeled vehicle and the community he's connected with through...

Welcome to the Back Seat Driver; it's me, Mark Stone, and in this episode, I am joined by Harry Pearl, the CEO of Road Mender. Harry and his company have an innovative solution for road repair - recycling roads! Roadmender Asphalt makes it easy and affordable for contractors to create hot-mix asphalt, resulting in significant cost savings, improved performance, and increased efficiency compared to...

I head to the NEC for The National Classic Car Show. In this podcast episode we have three fantastic interviews with Andrew Bradbury of Historic Marathon Rally Group, Angela Hook, curator of Bugatti Trust, and Fiona Elliott who is going to give us some ideas for last minute Christmas gifts. ___ https://pod.link/1656058575 Visit our sponsors GAZ Shocks 116 Trophy Hodder Tyres Tarox Br akes SAS Auto...

Welcome to the Back Seat Driver; it's me, Mark Stone, and I'm here in Blackpool with some of the best drivers in Britain. We're discussing their strategies for honing their skills and winning championships. I'm joined by Laurens van de Velde and Jenny van de Boel from Holland, Malcolm Dunderdale driving a Mercedes 190 16V, Jonathan Hancox with his Triumph TR4, Elise Whyte and last year's winners P...

It's me, Mark Stone and I have a special guest, John Forrest, a Yorkshireman, rally driver, and co-driver; he's here to share his journey in motorsports starting from the 1960s with stock cars. John will be sharing his experiences, challenges and the advancements in the sport that he's witnessed over the years. ___ https://pod.link/1656058575 Visit our sponsors GAZ Shocks 116 Trophy Hodder Tyres T...

I visit Duncombe Park, the venue for the Lombard Rally Festival. I had the pleasure of interviewing three distinguished guests, the first being Tim Nash, the man behind the festival. Tim will be sharing with us the history of the festival, the challenges he faced in organizing it, and his vision for the future. I will also chat with Yvonne and Vijay, the wife and son of Safari Rally legend Shekha...

It's me, Mark Stone, and today's episode is about car restoration. I have the pleasure of interviewing Mark Issac, the owner of Automotive Wall Art in Padiham, Lancashire. Mark is passionate about rebuilding classic cars, and I couldn't wait to hear more about his work. He will share his process of restoring classic cars, his challenges, and why he loves it. He will also discuss the time and effor...

I had the pleasure of interviewing Tim Longfield, Ben Longfield, and Ben Davies, the founders of Retro Defenders. These three custom Land Rover Defender builders have combined their over 70 years of experience in the motor industry to create truly unique and head-turning vehicles. From the UK to Europe and the Americas, these builders have been selling their custom Land Rovers to customers worldwi...

This is an interview from 2020 with the late Brian Culcheth, which I did with the Online Rallying Programme Food For Thought. Brian had an incredible career that spanned over twenty years, seeing him compete in more than 125 National and International rally events during the sport’s golden era. ___ https://pod.link/1656058575 Visit our sponsors GAZ Shocks 116 Trophy Hodder Tyres Tarox Br akes SAS...

Tanya Brown is the club secretary at the Vintage Sports Car Club. Vintage and historic cars evoke enthusiasm and spark passion. Since 1934 the Vintage Sports-Car Club has provided an arena for people to enjoy pre-war cars competitively and socially. Active in every aspect of motoring and motorsport for pre-war cars, the VSCC is one of the world's largest and best-regarded motoring clubs.&nbsp...