Past Gas

In our series finale on Ayrton Senna, James, Joe, and Nolan relive that fateful moment on May 1, 1994, when Ayrton Senna crashed while driving in the San Marino Grand Prix. Senna’s’ untimely death at Imola was foreshadowed by multiple devastating crashes, and the death of fellow F1 driver, Roland Ratzenberger, who died on the same track just days before Senna. It was, maybe, the worst weekend in F...

In this episode of Past Gas, James, Joe, and Nolan dive into what is potentially the greatest rivalry of all time; Senna Vs. Prost. The rivalry began when Senna joined Mclaren in 1988 and continued until Senna's untimely death. Find out if the FIA played favorites with Prost and much more on this episode of PAST GAS!   Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphrey   Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter...

In part two of our four part series on Ayrton Senna, James, Joe, and Nolan dive into Senna’s early years in F1. After his dominance in Formula 3 Senna had a clunky start to his career in the big leagues, largely due to the lackluster cars of small teams like Toleman. However, as we’ll see, Senna’s perseverance would push him on to better teams and better cars. We’ll cover all of Senna’s pivotal ra...

Today on Past Gas we’re tackling one of our most requested topics- the one and only AYRTON SENNA. Over our 4 part series, we’re gonna look into every aspect of the legendary racer’s career: Today’s ep focuses on Ayrton’s start in karting and jump to British Formula 3. Next week in Part 2, we’ll look at Senna’s early and difficult years in Formula 1, driving for teams like Toleman and Lotus. Part 3...

In the finale of our series on the Hells Angels, Joe, Nolan, and James see what the infamous motorcycle club has been up to in the 21st century. That's right, we're talking Modern Biker Warfare! We'll cover the Hell's Angels contention for turf in California with rival "MC", The Mongols, and talk about the clubs efforts to protect their legacy through litigation. We also dive into the Angles littl...

As we continue our journey through the history of the now infamous Hells Angels, James, Joe, and Nolan take a thorough look at the event that forever tarnished their name, The Altamont Free Concert. Initially booked as a sister concert to the biggest festival at the time, Woodstock, The Altamont Free Concert almost didn’t happen when security dropped out last minute.  The Hells Angels stepped in a...

In part 3 of our deep dive into the hells angels we’re taking a strange and terrible, trip back to the 60’s to see what famed writer/journalist Hunter S. Thompson thought of his time with the Hells Angels. We’ll get an inside look into the motorcycle club that has, perhaps the worst media imagine in history and we’ll find out why Hunter Thompson got beat up by the hells angels. We’ll also discuss...

In this episode of Past Gas James, Nolan, and Joe continue their discussion on the most notorious motorcycle gang out there, The Hells Angels. They talk about how the Hells Angels came to be, covering everything from the famous Hollister Riot to how a staged photo may have been responsible for giving MC’s a reputation they didn’t deserve. This story is about to kick into high gear so stayed tuned!...

Join Nolan, James, and Joe as they try to separate fact from fiction on the most notorious motorcycle club ever, The Hells Angels. To get an accurate picture of the Angels you need to understand how and why motorcycle clubs were founded in the first place. So in this episode we’re going back, way back, all the way to the invention of the first bicycle. From there we’ll follow companies like Indian...

In our finale of our Georges Besse 2 parter, we look into the slow downfall of the American Motors Corporation, and Renault’s attempt to save the failing brand. We also explore the motivations driving Jean-Marc Rouillan, the French anarchist behind Georges Besse’s assassination. Why did he target Georges, and how did his death put an end to AMC? We’re about to find out. Follow James on IG and Twit...

On a cold Parisian night in November 1987, Renault President Georges Besse was gunned down in cold blood. Who pulled the trigger, and why? To find out, we explore the history of the American Motors Corporation, and the parallel history of war-torn France. Prepare for a wild ride guys, because you just found one! Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphrey   Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanj...

In the conclusion of our Cannonball Run series, we explore how the race devolved from a protest against regulation to…less of one. We also examine some of the wackier competitors of the race: a van disguised to look like an ambulance, a group of racers dressed like priests- this one’s kooky folks! We also discuss later attempts at the sea to seas' record, and how people accomplish it today.  Follo...

In this episode, we dive into the history of the “Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash”, a cross-country race from New York City to Los Angeles. This real life event inspired a film of the same name, but as we’ll see, the real thing was a lot more than Burt Reynolds’ mustache. We explore the history of American cross-country racing, including early records, and why the 1971 run...

The Bruce McLaren Motor Racing team is now without their founder and leader- what will they do next? In this episode we cover the aftermath of Bruce’s accident, the people that kept the company running, and the entrance of a new leader: Ron Dennis. We also reveal how McLaren teamed up with Marlboro cigarettes, and how that gave us one of the most iconic racing liveries of all time. We also dive in...

The story of Bruce Mclaren continues with his first foray in Le Mans endurance racing, his entrance into Formula 1 and all the crashes and bashes along the way! We dive into the formation of Bruce McLaren Motor Cars, their failures and successes, as well as the loss of one of their drivers. This episode also includes a brief history of Can Am racing, possibly the most dangerous and exciting form o...

We all know the McLaren supercars like the Senna, P1, and 720s. But where did the company that built their beauties get their start? We begin our series on Bruce McLaren, one of Motorsport’s most influential figures, with his early life on the small island nation of New Zealand. Bruce had a rough start, as a kid he was confined to a hospital bed for two years. His time in the hospital taught him g...

We all know John Delorean stood out in the automotive industry, in part because of his flamboyant lifestyle (but mostly because of his sizable chin). So maybe it wasn’t a good idea for Delorean to get into the Cocaine Trafficking Business. Delorean was nabbed carrying a briefcase worth over 6.5 million dollars worth of cocaine, but did the FBI set him up? Or would the British backed DMC finally fi...

In the first episode of our two part series on John Delorean James, Joe, and Nolan talk about John’s propensity for going against the grain in the automotive industry. As his ego, and his chin, grew Delorean took more and more risks - but would this lead to his downfall, or make him the most infamous automotive celebrity of all time? Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphrey   Follow Nolan on...

In the finale of our three part series on the VW Beetle James, Nolan, and Joe explore the Beetle’s unlikely transition from Hitlers love child to lovechild hit.  You’ll find out how a car that was meant to mobilize a war hungry Germany became a symbol of freedom. Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphrey Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes Follow Donut @donutmedia , and subscribe to ou...

 Join James, Nolan, and Joe for part two of our series on the VW Beetle. They detail Ferdinand Porsche’s attempt to get production of “the peoples car” off the ground . Only one thing stands in his way-war. Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphrey Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes Follow Donut @donutmedia , and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channels! Learn more about your ad...

The Volkswagen Beetle is one of the most iconic cars in history. Known today as a symbol of peace from an era of love, the Beetle’s origin is much darker. Born from the needs of a brutal dictatorship; the Beetle was both a car for the people, and an excuse for acts of evil. Join Nolan, James and Joe as they begin the story of the VW Beetle. Part 1 of 3. Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphre...

In this one-parter, Nolan, Joe, and James lay out the story of the Volkswagen emissions scandal so far. There were billions of dollars in fines and hundreds of thousands of cars were bought back from customers. From VW’s realization that their cars couldn’t pass US emissions standards and their decision to cheat, to the downfall of the whole charade and the legal consequences, the story is absolut...

In part two of the series, James, Nolan and Joe follow Knievel's slow descent into madness and paranoia. How did a revered American Icon go from selling out stadiums to gambling on golf just to make ends meet? Join us as we find out. Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphrey Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes Follow Donut @donutmedia , and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook channel...

In part one of the series, James, Nolan and Joe explore Knievel's unlikely rise to fame. From cracking safes to winning ski jump competitions, Knievel excelled at everything he did. Join us as we look at the events that made him legendary. Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphrey Follow Nolan on IG and Twitter @nolanjsykes Follow Donut @donutmedia , and subscribe to our Youtube and Facebook c...

On our Antarctic finale, Nolan, Joe and Jeremiah discuss one of the most infamous engineering feats you’ve never heard of: The Snow Cruiser. This behemoth was meant to conquer the southern cold with tires that were ten feet high, and could house four researchers. But first, it had to drive from Chicago to Boston, which would prove much easier said than done... Follow James on IG and Twitter @james...