Past Gas

The Sainz family is indisputably racing royalty-- in rally AND F1. How does a father’s legendary WRC career translate to a son’s success in the most elite motorsport on earth? What do Carlos Sainz Sr. and Jr. have in common? How are they different? Can driving be in your DNA? Today on Past Gas, we discuss the legendary career of Carlos Sainz Sr. and what it could mean for one of Formula One’s risi...

James Hunt is known as the out of control rockstar of F1. At his peak, he was one of the most colorful figures in the history of Grand Prix racing. How did he hit his peak for a legendary season of racing? How did his rivalry with Niki Lauda shape him? And how did his partying and self-destructive behavior eventually cost him… everything? You may think you know James Hunt, but there’s much more to...

Some call it the most dangerous event in Mexican history… and with a mortality rate of five people killed every year, it certainly proved deadly to participants and spectators alike… Today on PAST GAS, we’re taking a trip to the Sierra Madres and looking back on the original Carrera Panamericana, also known to friends, acquaintances and loved ones as carrera de la muerte … the race of death. More...

Giant vehicles crushing rows upon rows of junker cars in a massive, dirt-filled arena packed to the gills with screaming fans of all ages. Today on Past Gas… MONSTER TRUCKS! From USA-1 to Gravedigger, what are the craziest monster trucks ever? What were the big rivalries in the sport? Who were the monstrous innovators who brought these Frankensteinian creations to life? Buckle up, slap on that hel...

Jeff Gordon’s career thus far was as close to a fairytale as one can get. Before the age of 30 he had won three championships, barely missing out on a fourth, while becoming the face of NASCAR. With the joy of his early success came also the burden of high expectations. Today on Past Gas: Could Jeff Gordon continue to meet sky high expectations and become the greatest driver of all time? More abou...

Today on Past Gas… Jeff Gordon! How did a kid who grew up 20 miles from San Francisco take over a rugged sport which sprung from the illicit moonshine running business in the south? What made Gordon so good at such a young age? How would Jeff navigate the fever of fame? Did his popularity in the media ultimately overshadow his abilities as a race car driver? More about Show:  Follow James on IG a...

As a mechanic and engineer, Jack Brabham brought ideas to the forefront of automotive construction that would have a lasting effect on the game. And as a race car driver, he brought a wild and unruly Australian flavor to the track - putting Oz on the racing map for decades to come. How did one Aussie from humble beginnings turn into an innovative racer, engineer, a three time Formula One World Cha...

1973 was undeniably the worst year in nearly a century of American cars. Why were Americans so scared of running out of gas they were brawling at the pumps? How and why did American manufacturers make undeniably inferior cars for over a decade– and how did they dig themselves out of a mess that was largely of their own creation? Today on Past Gas we’re diving into the dark history of the Malaise E...

Even if you don’t know the name Adrian Newey, you know his accomplishments. Considered to be one of the best engineers, designers and technical directors in history, Adrian Newey cars– and the copycats he inspired– dominated racing for over two decades, winning a stunning number of Grands Prix and Championship titles in the process. Six different drivers have won the Drivers’ Championship behind t...

Smokey Nagata is most famous-- or infamous-- for driving his gold-painted Toyota Supra 200 miles per hour on a UK public highway. It made him perhaps the most famous outlaw in Japanese automotive history. How did Smokey Nagata become one of the world’s top tuners? What’s so secret about his legendary custom cars? And is the nickname ‘Smokey’ as obvious as it seems? Today on Past Gas : the story of...

From “The Ultimate Driving Machine” to “Like A Rock”, iconic auto slogans and images have embedded themselves into our collective psyche, and some have even redefined advertising as a whole. What makes a great car ad? What cultural moments have influenced the best commercials, and what companies have taken the biggest advertising risks? Today on Past Gas: some of the most game-changing, culture-de...

The Tucker 48 may be the most innovative, ahead-of-its-time car you’ve never heard of. How did the Tucker Corporation of the 1940s develop one of the most radical designs cars of all time, then fail to get it in the hands of customers? Just what innovations did Tucker pack into his futuristic 48? And how did it all end in an all-out battle with the American government? Today on Past Gas we’re taki...

The Le Mans 24-Hour Race is not just one of the most famous auto races in the world, it’s one of the most famous sporting events-- period. What makes Le Mans so special? Why is it often referred to as the “most thrilling 24 hours in motorsports?” Today on Past Gas , how Le Mans became an icon in Europe, Hollywood, and beyond. More about Show:  Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphrey .   Fol...

John Force is the king of Funny Cars… but what ARE funny cars? Why are they called “funny cars,” when the sport itself is deadly serious? How did John Force become the winningest driver in Funny Cars by an insanely huge margin? These deafeningly loud, near-7000 horsepower cars are part of drag racing history, and we sprint through their story… TODAY on Past Gas! More about Show:  Follow James on...

A big ol’ slab of granite… A convenient keychain murder alarm… A steering wheel shaped like a Pop Tart… These are among the many innovations that at one point or another automakers have decided should come with their cars. Why? Only God and Henry Ford know the answer. Buckle your automatic seat belt, because today on Past Gas we’ve collected some of the most unusual, unnecessary, and downright unh...

Today on Past Gas, it’s a sprint AND a marathon– inside the decades-long quest to build a production car that could hit two hundred miles per hour. Was it even possible for a land-based vehicle to reach 200mph? And if it was, could it be mass-produced? What companies joined in on the cut-throat race to shatter the 200mph barrier? Who were the madmen that actually made it happen? And did yet anothe...

Remote-control or radio-control racing – RC, as it’s known to fans – isn’t a new phenomenon. Since its invention in 1966, there’s arguably no greater thrill for a young car nut than receiving a kickass remote control car as a gift. You may have loved crashing them together as a kid, but how much do you know about remote control cars? Where’d they come from? How fast can they go? Our subject matter...

Why don’t you see many old cars driving around Japan? Why does it take a massive disaster to stockpile some of the most desirable JDM cars? What is “Shaken,” and why is it stirring up the auto industry in Japan so much that people just don’t want to drive old cars? Today on Past Gas, it’s a very JDM edition of BARN FINDS! More about Show:  Follow James on IG and Twitter @jamespumphrey .   Follow...

The Fittipaldis are arguably the most dominant family dynasty in Formula One history. How did Emerson Fittipaldi open the door for a whole slew of Fittipaldis to join the F1 paddock? How did his older brother, Wilson, fare as an F1 driver? And which one of Emerson’s offspring could be the first to follow in his footsteps to become an F1 champion? All that and more on today’s  Past Gas  - Emerson F...

Hi everybody I’m Nolan from Past Gas by Donut Media, we’re an automotive history show. Its kind of like hanging out in the garage with your friends, listening to them tell a story from automotive history!  Fast cars and big movies are as American as Abraham Lincoln. From the Delorean to the Batmobile, superstar cars and the badasses who drive them have been woven into the fabric of American cultur...

Driving is dangerous! You may think that safety measures would be a popular and easy win for the automobile industry, but it wasn’t always that way. Why would the auto industry collude to prevent important environmental pollution-control devices? Why were Americans so anti-seatbelt that, as one Michigan legislator called it, they fought for their right to fly through a windshield? Today, on Past G...

Today on Past Gas… Jeep! How did the Jeep teach Europe what Freedom was really about? What does their decades-long progression say about the brand that is synonymous with the 4x4? Jeeps started their history as the automotive equivalent of a decorated war hero, but have they lost their way? All that and more, on a hella yella (that’s the official name of Jeep yellow) episode of the podcast! More a...

When you hear “Honda Motor Company”, what comes to mind? Reliability? Safety and simplicity? A company that sells its products to more than 140 countries around the world? How about revolutionary innovation? Today on Past Gas, Honda’s breakthroughs, and how their continued success can be traced back to their singular, eccentric founder: a four-foot eleven-inch visionary named Soichiro Honda. More...

Today on Past Gas, CONCEPT CARS. They’ve always reflected our visions for the automotive future, inspiring and provoking car fans with often impractical designs and features. How do they reflect our greatest hopes, dreams, and failures? What madness fuels the creativity behind these amalgamations of fiberglass, clay, and sheet metal? What company took the idea of the concept car too far? All that...

Carlos Ghosn. You’ve seen his name in the headlines-- the Nissan CEO who feld Japan in a cargo crate. What events led to that infamous run from the law? Who was Ghosn before his fall from grace? Was he framed by Japanese law enforcement, or is he guilty… or both?! It’s one of the weirdest, most compelling crime stories in car history-- today on Past Gas. More about Show:  Follow James on IG and T...