Dinner with Racers

One of the most prolific television commentators in the sport, Matt Yocum has made an art of being a pit reporter in an endless series of motorsport categories. Known for a three-decade run in NASCAR, Matt has been everything from pit reporter to show host, eventually transition to a career today in IMSA as one of the stapes of both the NBC broadcast as well IMSA’s “Endurance Hour” podcast. Lunch was served at the famed Brickhouse Tavern in Davison, NC, with Eldar Kedem’s “For the One” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

One of racing’s most colorful journeymen, Anthony Lazzaro defines character and perseverence. Growing up with little means, Anthony become a phenom of the 1970’s-1990’s karting scene, doing everything he could to break into the car racing scene, and eventually doing so by taking opportunities all over the landscape. His efforts would culminate in not only winning the 1999 Formula Atlantic championship, but also runs in INDYCAR, NASCAR, and eventually become the house driver for the legendary Risi Ferrari dinner. Dinner was served at Culinary Dropout in Atlanta, GA, with La Nata’s “Kutchie” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

A modern day “gentleman driver” and not offended by the word, Ted’s noteworthiness in motorsport doesn’t just come from his achievements on the track, but also his incredible story off of it. With a lifelong career in different facets of hospital operations and medical billing, Ted’s rise to notoriety most notably came in the field of “billing neutrality,” where Ted discovered a massive error in the government policy, and successfully sued to make it right. Turning his fortune to not only motorsport, Ted has also invested heavily in medical research and philanthrophy, notably through the Jayne Koskinas Foundation, named after his late wife. Dinner was served at Folk Art in Atlanta, GA, with Jessie Ried’s “Time Goes By” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

INDYCAR’s most recent first-time winner, Christian Rasmussen is coming off an incredible sophomore season as a driver that saw him not only in victory lane, but consistently in the headlines for his bold and aggressive driving. Originally from Denmark and with only modest means to pull himself through the junior ranks, Christian’s story is one of high risk and incredible tenacity, eventually landing him with an incredible opportunity at Ed Carpenter Racing as the team continues to ascend. Dinner was served at Tegry Bistron in Indianapolis, IN, with Loya’s “Happy Like You” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

“Ziggy” Harcus is one of the most well-known and respected behind-the-scenes figures in modern INDYCAR racing. Originally from New Zealand, a chance opportunity would see him entering the world of racing mechanics during the 1980’s, sending him on a journeyman career that would see him work as a mechanic to some of the biggest names in the sport like Al Unser Jr. and Danny Sullivan, to a team manager to names like Scott Dixon and Tony Renna, and even as a series official in the former ChampCar World Series. Now listed as the Team Manager at Andretti Autosport, it’s hard to find a more well-rounded and experienced figure in the sport. Lunch was served at Dawson’s on Main in Speedway, IN, with Ryan Prewett’s “Affection” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Known today as the “the third L” in RLL Racing, Mike Lanigan’s enthusiasm and contribution to the sport has amassed nearly four decades. A businessman-first, his family-owned MiJack Products completely revolutionized the transportation and shipping industry over the last seven decades, eventually expanding out to a family of businesses that are all now held under the Lanco Corporation. Capitalizing on his success in business, Mike has been involved with teams from Newman-Haas-Lanigan to Conquest to now Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan, and befriending names like Paul Newman and Walter Payton along the way. Dinner was served at St. Elmo’s Steakhouse in Indianapolis, IN, with Foxxi’s “How About That” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Another drag racing addition to the roster, Tony Pedregon is a one-of-a-kind figure to the NHRA. The son of “Flamin’ Frank” Pedregon and the product of the Southern California drag scene, Tony went from working-class roots to becoming a two-time NHRA champion and working for the legendary John Force before starting his own team with his brother Cruze. Beyond his on-track success, Tony is most known today for his on-air exploits, as a commentator for Fox Sports and their coverage of the NHRA. Lunch was served at Charlie Brown’s Pancake and Steak House, with SOURWAH’s “Mandalas” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Mark Dismore, Jr. has one of the most unique and notable careers in the sport. A true racer’s racer, Mark emerged as a karting phenom to navigate his way all the way into IndyCar…. and we managed to get NONE of that story. Instead, here’s Zach Veach. Dinner was served at Dawson’s on Main in Indianapolis, IN, with Sun Way Street’s “Who Said I Cared” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Ross Chastain has become one of the most revered names in modern NASCAR, and after listening to this episode you’ll see why. Heavily engrained in his family’s business of water melon farming, Ross’s career has had an endless number of stops and restarts before landing at Trackhouse Racing, where he’s enjoyed a career renaissance and has become a threat at nearly any track he goes to. Dinner was served at China Grove Family House in China Grove, NC, with Ben Bostick’s “No Good Fool” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Adding another NASCAR Hall of Fame member to our roster, Ron Hornaday Jr. is one of the most beloved members of the community. A start of the western stock car scene through the 1980’s and 1990’s, Ron’s primary fame came from his success in the NASCAR Truck Series, amassing countless wins en route to three titles, as well as enjoying success in the Cup and Xfinity series. Outside of the car, Ron is also beloved for his support of young drivers coming up through the sport, including the famed “Camp Hornaday,” a spare bedroom and couch in his house made available to promising young talents with limited means. Lunch was served at Scratch Kitchen in Mooresville, NC, with Ben Bostick’s “The Other Side of Wrong” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

SVG!!! Do we need to write an introduction? It’s Shane van Gisbergen… we’re guessing you’ve heard of him, unless you’ve never heard of NASCAR, Australian V8 Supercars, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, or FIA GT racing. Shane has a number of distinctions to his career, such as winning like 100 V8 Supercar championships, winning his first-ever NASCAR race, NASCAR Rookie-of-the-Year, and beyond. SOUP was served at Jeffrey’s in Mooresville, NC, with Rodellos Machine’s “Red Dust” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Put simply, Brian Beierwaltes is the boss! His technical title is Head of Marketing at Continental Tire, but as far as DwR is concerned, he’s the guy. Don’t be fooled though, Brian is also a racer. A club racer way before he ever joined Continental, Brian eventually went to IMSA and their marketing department, ultimately serving as a driving force in the re-launched IMSA following the merge of Grand-Am and ALMS, before heading to Continental Tire where he continues to let us get away with stuff. Lunch was served at Farmhaus in Fort Mill, SC, with Rex Banner’s “Down to Business” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Chances are you already know who Kyle Larson is, this is truly a pointless description… unless you’ve never heard of NASCAR, USAC, World of Outlaws, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, or the Indianapolis 500. It’s Kyle Larson. Seriously, what do you want from us? Lunch was served at 44 Mills Kitchen & Tap in Mooresville, NC, with Katrina Stone’s “I Don’t Care” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Cory Kruseman is another dirt racing legend. Part of the 1990’s/2000’s pack racing against names like Tony Stewart and JJ Yeley, Corey has won the Chili Bowl twice, multiple sprint championships, ultimately claiming his place in the Sprint Car Hall of Fame. Today, Corey is most known for having the lone dirt oval racing school on the West Coast, “Cory Kruseman’s Sprint Car and Midget Driving School.” Lunch was served at Cronies Sports Grill in Ventura, CA, with Danny Minus’s “Hello Sunshine” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Matt Farah is a diverse and well-know automotive journalist, but most notably he really made his name with his hit YouTube and podcast series, “The Smoking Tire.” A show that has really fostered a variety of segments within the car culture, Matt has spent the last three decades earning a reputation as one of the most influential people in the space, and also with an appreciation for motorsport as well. Lunch was served at his studio via Home State in Playa, CA, with TJ Hickey’s “Late Night Slide” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Steve Hallam is one of the great unsung heroes of the sport. Raised in Liverpool, what began as a career in automotive engineering turned into one of the most prolific careers in motorsport, engineer for teams such as Lotus, McLaren, TRD, Tekno and with drivers that include Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, Mika Hakkinen, Shane van Gisbergen and of course… Ben Barnicoat. He’s had a dream career but don’t tell him that, he’s English. Dinner was served at Sapori Ristorante in Newport Beach, CA, with Paper Planes “Arrow Flies” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

The Snake! Along with previous guests like Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme is one of the pioneers of the modern drag racing scene, coming from modest means in California’s San Fernando valley to one of the staple characters of the NHRA as the series grew. Critical to drag racing history, Don is best known as part of the infamous “Snake and Mongoose” rivalry against Tom McEwen, where the duo partnered with Mattel to introduce a whole new generation of fans to the sport. Lunch was served at the Rancho Sante Fe Bistro in Rancho Sante Fe, CA, with Rex Banner’s “Merry Go Round” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Kamui Kobayashi is one of the most exciting guests that we had this year. Widely considered one of Japan’s greatest drivers, his career has spanned from Toyota’s Junior program to becoming one of F1’s most insane drivers, to eventually becoming a staple of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s prototype where he’s won Le Mans like 100 times, and juggles his role as both driver and Team Principal. Dinner was served at Stonewood Grill in Daytona Beach, FL, with Captain Quibz’ “I Can’t Help Myself” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Kamui Kobayashi is one of the most exciting guests that we had this year. Widely considered one of Japan’s greatest drivers, his career has spanned from Toyota’s Junior program to becoming one of F1’s most insane drivers, to eventually becoming a staple of Toyota Gazoo Racing’s prototype where he’s won Le Mans like 100 times, and juggles his role as both driver and Team Principal. Dinner was served at Stonewood Grill in Daytona Beach, FL, with Milano’s “Hot Hot Fire” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Daniel Morad can best be described as a classic example of when talent meets tenacity. A go-kart phenom from Canada, Danie’s career, started on limited funding, has had a multitude of hills and valleys that have seen him go from being a Red Bull junior driver, to street car instructor, then back again to the top step of the podium at Daytona. Realizing his career counts as much on out-of-the-car relationships as it does performance, the real emphasis in this episode is how Daniel worked on himself to become one of America’s sought after GT drivers. Lunch was served at Bonefish Grill in Daytona Beach, FL, with Ofer Koren’s “A Man Aman” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

There is, simply put, no character in the sport quite like Alex Sims. Currently a driver for Corvette Racing and the recently crowned IMSA GTD Pro Champion, Alex’s resume between formula cars, prototypes, GT and even Formula E for multiple manufacturers only scratches the surface…. as it’s his existence as one of the quirkiest human beings in our paddock that makes him standout. Hope you’re ready for this episode, there’s nothing like it. Dinner was served at PF Chang’s in Daytona Beach, FL, with Greg Sales “Adeline” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

If you’ve ever watched Formula One on TV, then you’ve probably seen Paul di Resta… first as a driver, then as a commentator, but his career history stems so much further than that. Raised as part of the extended Franchitti family, helping at his father’s nightclub as he tries to earn a living, Paul’s success extends with DTM championships with Mercedes, to driving for Force India in Formula One, to now an extended endurance racing career with both Peugot and United Autosport. Lunch was served at the Dahlia Mexican Kitchen in Daytona Beach, FL, with Louis Island “Found Ya” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

If you listen to Episode 162 you’ve already heard Ben’s story, if you watch “Dinner(s) with Ben Keating” on MotorTrend you get an even further tale…. which is why in this episode we go the other way and just play some fun clips from our most recent recording. With the majority of the recording being a story already told, we cut in the part of the episode that “didn’t make it,” featuring updated stories and some of Ben’s famous social media meltdowns.Dinner was served at the Victoria Country Club in Victoria, TX, with Ben Fox’s “Sensational” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Re-visiting our MotorTrend episode titled “Dinner(s) with Ben Keating,” the partnership of long-time friends Don Whitaker and Stephen Livesay are a big part of Ben’s success. With Don, now CFO, knowing Ben since Elementary school and Stephen, now COO, holding family church connections that stem to Ben’s childhood, the two present a history and perspective not found anywhere else in Ben’s business and personal life. Dinner was provided by Domino’s Pizza, served at the Keating household, with Alex Mastronardi’s “Scrapyard Blues” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

Re-visiting our MotorTrend episode titled “Dinner(s) with Ben Keating,” this next episode features the less-edited dinner with Ben and his wife, Kathleen. Long-time college sweethearts, Kathleen tells all on the commitment and sacrifices required throughout the last 30 years, and the toll it took. Dinner was provided by the Victoria Country Club, served at the Keating household, with Richard Farrell’s “Aint Looking Back” taking us out. Thanks to Continental Tire for making this all happen!

The latest in AE Victory Racing’s roster of empowering women in motorsport, Alana Carter is taking every opportunity she can. Born in rural Canada to a racing family, Alana’s career started at a young age on the local short track scene, where she eventually conned her way into a road racing career by lying about her age. Now thriving as a true working driver, Alana is making waves in the SRO TC America scene, and who knows what will be next in her growing career.

To kick off the “Rising Stars” series of Dinner Bites episodes, we take time with someone long familiar with the DwR and Continental family, Henry Drury. A recipient of the PT Autosport Young Driver scholarship, Henry was able to transform himself from a gamer with aspirations to one day drive, to a frequent contender in the Toyota GR Cup series… of course running on Continental Tires. It doesn’t just start their, however, as racing has become the SECOND sporting career in Henry’s young years, having previously been an Olympic hopeful in pairs skating.

Who would have thought this pair of High School sweethearts from small-town Texas would become YouTube sensations? Well, actually they did… sorta. Meeting at a young age, Aaron Reeves comes from a long line of mechanics, while his wife, Emily, spent her formative years working as a model, living overseas for an extended time as her career blossomed. Eventually, the two would combine their skills into Flying Sparks Garage, now on YouTube for over a decade and continually growing. Combining their strengths, the two work on a number of mechanical builds, breaking niche by working on everything from boats, to cars, planes, and everything in between.

One of the most authentic YouTube channels dedicated to streetcar mods, Speed Academy hosts Dave Pratte and Peter Tarach bring a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to add true authenticity to the medium. Long-time writer and journalists in the automotive, and specifically sport compact / tuner world, the Canadian duo decided to start their own YouTube channel over a decade ago, and have never looked back. With their series focusing on an assortment of project cars and builds, their combination of expertise, humor, honesty, and willingness to make mistakes makes them one-of-a-kind.

Kristen Lee is a lifelong car nerd who has been solely focused on car journalism ever since her Dad introducer her to model cars. A leader in the modern landscape of automotive writing, Kristen has worked for just about every major car publication out there, now working as both an on-camera host and the Senior Features Editor for MotorTrend. If that’s enough, check out the children’s book she wrote! The 50 States: Things That Go. It’s a one-of-a-kind look at the different forms of transportation that have innovated across the U.S.

Drew Perlmutter defines authenticity and someone who is true to himself. Learning about motorcycles later in life, Drew quickly jumped all-in to the lifestyle, becoming a vintage bike enthusiast who has gone on rides that range from travelling to the arctic circle, Baja 1000, and beyond. Finding a way to make a living out of his hobby, Drew works as a combination of photographer and journalist, specializing in motorcycles and beyond.

One of the original “Dinner with Racers” guests back in 2015, television personality Rutledge Wood has only grown to new heights, not only continuing in NASCAR and other forms of motorsport, but hosting such shows as Floor is Lava, Hot Wheels Ultimate Challenge and more. BUT NOW he’s a RACER, and that’s why we wanted to talk to him. Partnering with Toyota and Precision Racing LA, the very team Ryan drives for, Rutledge has recently begun a new venture in the Toyota GR Cup series.

Do you have a funny story about your first car, or your first tire? Do you like the fact that DINNER WITH RACERS REMAINS FREE!!?? Then click on our “My First Car, My First Tire” promo on our website and Instagram page, and take part in Continental’s latest fan engagement. You might even win a free set of tires! Even if not, clicking on the link tells Continental that our fans are looking, and uploading your own video tells our fans that we have an engaged audience, and that sort of thing is more important than ever!

In our latest “Dinner Bites,” we put out another brief episode with more tales from Patrick Long, who was very involved in the filming of select scenes in the new F1 Movie. Debuting this weekend, F1 The Movie will feature a small storyline with IMSA, and our boy Pat was a big part of it.

Elana Scherr is a long-standing member of the automotive journalism world. She was the first female full-time staff editor at HOT ROD Magazine, and moved from there to editor-in-chief of Roadkill Magazine and Roadkill.com working with David Freiburger, ultimately ending up where she is now as the Senior Editor, Features, at Car and Driver. She’s also an alumni of UCLA, just like Sean, so she’s pretty dang cool.

The “Cure NF with Jack” charity is a favorite of Dinner with Racers, notably something Ryan has carried for nearly 15 years. Named after Jack Burke, who was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis (NF) at the age of five, Jack’s father Jake has been an instrumental figure in raising funds and awarenesss for NF ever since. Working in partnership with similar groups such as The Children’s Tumor Foundation, Jake joins us in honor of NF Awareness Month to educate us more about the foundations of the organization, as well as how we all can contribute.

In the latest installment of “Dinner Bites,” we talk with the legendary Cole Pearn, one of NASCAR’s greatest Crew Chief’s in the modern era. A NASCAR Cup Series champion in 2017, Cole walked away from the sport at the end of 2019, opting to focus on home and family life in his native home of Canada. Here in the month of May, however, Cole received a random opportunity to try his hand at INDYCAR racing and the Indianapolis 500, taking over the one-off entry of Conor Daly and Ed Carpenter Racing in 2020. In this episode of “Bites,” we learn just what differences exist between NASCAR and INDY, as well as what it’s like to move barrels of frozen poop.

There’s no classy way to put it… but please go to dinnerwithracers.com and click on Continental’s special May promo link! As part of our 2025 program, there’s a big emphasis on showcasing just how much interest our fans take in our sponsors, and clicking on the links at dinnerwithracers.com, or on Instagram, give Continental a trackable metric on just how loyal our fans are. PLUS, they’ve got a heck of a promotion going on from now through the end of the month… so click now! Click twice! Click three times!

Following our video series “Dinner(s) with the Rileys,” currently available on MotorTrend, we offer a series of long-form, less-edited editions of each of our sit downs. Our second is with Bob Riley, along with wife Bea, son Bill, and Bill’s wife Mary…in what would turn out to be Bob Riley’s last recorded interview. A true legend of the sport, Bob’s career has spanned from helping to build Saturn V rockets, to working on the historic Ford GT MK IV, to designing Indy 500 winning cars for AJ Foyt, all the way becoming the most successful car designed in the history of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Bob’s story is one-of-a-kind. Dinner was served at Bob and Bea Riley’s home in Mooresville, NC, with the song “The Dreamer” by John VIncent taking us out. Thank you to Continental Tire for making it happen!

Following our video series “Dinner(s) with the Rileys,” currently available on MotorTrend, we offer a series of long-form, less-edited editions of each of our sit downs. Our second is with Bob Riley, along with wife Bea, son Bill, and Bill’s wife Mary…in what would turn out to be Bob Riley’s last recorded interview. A true legend of the sport, Bob’s career has spanned from helping to build Saturn V rockets, to working on the historic Ford GT MK IV, to designing Indy 500 winning cars for AJ Foyt, all the way becoming the most successful car designed in the history of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Bob’s story is one-of-a-kind. Dinner was served at Bob and Bea Riley’s home in Mooresville, NC, with the song “Man on a Ledge” by the Talbot Brothers taking us out. Thank you to Continental Tire for making it happen!

Following our video series “Dinner(s) with the Rileys,” currently available on MotorTrend, we offer a series of long-form, less-edited editions of each of our sit downs. Our first is with Bill Riley, the son of Bob and Bea Riley, now in his third appearance on DwR. Effectively operating as the main caretaker of the business today, Bill gives us the backstory on his father and his modest upbringings as a depression era kid, all the way to modern day, including a ruthless look at some of the current business challenges facing the family and independent race-car designers/builders. Dinner was served at now-staple of DwR, “On the Nines” in Mooresville, NC, with the song “Everything Changes” by AM Beef taking us out. Thank you to Continental Tire for making it happen!

In the second of our new series “Dinner Bites,” we talk with the legendary Patrick Long, who since sitting down with us 10 years ago has gone through some massive career changes, choosing to retire from full-time racing and focusing on an assortment of endeavors, including the growth of Luftgekühlt and Air Water, a series of Porsche-themed car shows that he was just getting started in our first sit down together 10 years ago.

In the first of our new series “Dinner Bites,” we take our first crack at shorter form episodes by talking to none other than Andy Lally, who was our first episode when DwR premiered 10 years ago. Retiring from full-time driving in January, Andy has jumped straight into his new career, being named president of the heralded Trans-Am series, a new role which Andy delved into during our latest recording.

Celebrating an unbelievable 10 YEARS of “Dinner with Racers” and Continental Tire, Ryan and Sean present a special series of announcements in celebration: from a new series, to a new members-only club, and lots, and lots of more podcasts to come.

Ricardo Juncos defines the concept of the American Dream. Growing up in Argentina, Ricardo grew up in a family that suffered the economic highs and lows of Argentina’s turbulent times, eventually starting his own shop before moving to America with just the clothes on his back. Overcoming adversity most of us couldn’t fathom, Ricardo has somehow managed to work his way to a championship-winning team owner in Junior Formula to now running his own IndyCar team, helming Juncos Holinger Racing which ended the 2024 season with their first podium. Dinner was served at Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya in Carmel, IN, with the song “Destino” by Ehekatl Arizmendi taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.

Ricardo Juncos defines the concept of the American Dream. Growing up in Argentina, Ricardo grew up in a family that suffered the economic highs and lows of Argentina’s turbulent times, eventually starting his own shop before moving to America with just the clothes on his back. Overcoming adversity most of us couldn’t fathom, Ricardo has somehow managed to work his way to a championship-winning team owner in Junior Formula to now running his own IndyCar team, helming Juncos Holinger Racing which ended the 2024 season with their first podium. Dinner was served at Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya in Carmel, IN, with the song “Me Llamaste Loca” by Curtis Cole taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.

The Godfather of modern motorsport broadcasting, Terry Lingner was one of the first hires at ESPN during inception, transforming world of live racing to what we know today. Eventually forming his own production company, Lingner Group Productions, the group covered IndyCar, NASCAR, IMSA, USAC and beyond. Near-and-dear to our hearts is one of Terry’s staple shows, “Thursday Night Thunder,” home of the now-infamous Fast Masters Series. Breakfast was served at Charlie Brown’s Pancake & Steakhouse in Speedway, IN, with the song “Down to Get Up Again” by Michael Synes taking us out. Thanks again to Continental Tire for making it all happen.