Minnoxide

Justin Starkey of VMP Performance joins the show to talk about building one of the most respected performance brands from the ground up over 25 years — from eBay side hustle to full supercharger development.We talk about the business, performance, and more. Take your build up a whole new level with 6XD Gearbox: https://6xdgearbox.com Code "Minnoxide5" for 5% off High Performance Academy: https://hpcdmy.co/Minnoxide Use code "MINNOX" for 55% off ANY course Use Code "MINVIP" for $300 of the MINVIP Package Tuned By Shawn: https://www.tunedbyshawn.com Code "Minnoxide" for 5% off! Ship With Sure Thing Logistics: https://www.surethinglogistics.net MORE BIGGER Turbo T-Shirts: https://www.minnoxide.com/products/more-bigger-t-shirt 00:00 – Intro - Justin Starkey of VMP Performance 01:10 – The Origin Story: Selling parts to building the VMP brand 04:53 – From eBay to Engineering: Developing intercooler kits and early V6 mods 06:41 – Learning to Tune and the early SC days 11:54 – The First Dyno: Building a mobile tuning rig 23:50 – Entering the Supercharger World 30:50 – Building the Business: Mobile Dyno Days, Family Life & Growing the Team 37:30 – The Coyote Era & Launching VMP's Supercharger Line 40:50 – The Story Behind Teaming Up with Whipple 55:55 – R&D Philosophy: Intercooler Development, Testing Rigs & the LED Lid 01:04:47 – SEMA & Advocacy: Lobbying in DC to protect the automotive industry 01:15:29 – Government Scrutiny: Navigating EPA and emissions regulations 01:39:20 – Managing Expectations: The reality of owning a 1,000HP daily driver

Nick Plocienik returns to break down his rapid rise from grassroots racing into Porsche Cup cars, GT4/GT3 machinery, and his first IMSA experience at Daytona. He dives into the pressure of real race environments, the chaos of a last-minute car swap, and what it takes to compete at a higher level. We also get into his 1000HP Camaro build for Pikes Peak, sim vs real-world driving, and the mindset behind chasing a full-time racing career. Take your build up a whole new level with 6XD Gearbox: https://6xdgearbox.com Code "Minnoxide5" for 5% off High Performance Academy: https://hpcdmy.co/Minnoxide Use code "MINNOX" for 55% off ANY course Use Code "MINVIP" for $300 of the MINVIP Package Tuned By Shawn: https://www.tunedbyshawn.com Code "Minnoxide" for 5% off! Ship With Sure Thing Logistics: https://www.surethinglogistics.net MORE BIGGER Turbo T-Shirts: https://www.minnoxide.com/products/more-bigger-t-shirt 00:00 Intro and Racing Progress Since Last Appearance 01:10 From NASA to Porsche Cup Cars 04:00 Camaro vs Porsche: Learning Different Platforms 06:00 GT4 / GT3 Experience & Pro-Level Testing 10:30 Preparing for Pikes Peak and Getting Accepted 15:00 Sim Racing vs Real Life Racing 18:20 Learning New Tracks and Finding Speed 21:00 Pressure, Confidence & Race Mindset 24:00 Camaro Evolution + Race Build Progression 27:00 MoTeC, 6XD Sequential Gearbox & Build Complexity 30:00 Engineers, Data & Life Inside a Race Team 41:20 Daytona Experience and Race Day Chaos 50:30 Camaro Setup, Testing Plans & Truck Build 1:08:00 Future Goals, Sponsors & What’s Next

Jay Meagher of RS Garage joins us to break down engine building, fastener science, and what it really takes to build high-horsepower cars. From 2JZ setups and transmission choices to the reality of running a performance shop, this episode dives deep into both the technical and business sides of the industry. Take your build up a whole new level with 6XD Gearbox: https://6xdgearbox.com Code "Minnoxide5" for 5% off High Performance Academy: https://hpcdmy.co/Minnoxide Use code "MINNOX" for 55% off ANY course Use Code "MINVIP" for $300 of the MINVIP Package Tuned By Shawn: https://www.tunedbyshawn.com Code "Minnoxide" for 5% off! Ship With Sure Thing Logistics: https://www.surethinglogistics.net MORE BIGGER Turbo T-Shirts: https://www.minnoxide.com/products/more-bigger-t-shirt 00:00 Intro 00:55 The Future of the Car Scene 03:27 Modding Cheap Cars, Rust & Barrier to Entry 07:46 Best Platforms for Young Builders and Picking The First Build 13:43 Learning Cars Today (YouTube, ChrisFix, Info Access) 17:35 What Jay Is Still Learning (Business, Ethics & Hardware) 20:58 Engine Building vs Tuning 24:05 Fastener Science (Torque, Clamp Load & Failures) 32:13 Advanced Hardware, Materials & Engine Mistakes 34:49 The Supra Build: Starting Over 37:09 Transmission Talk, Liberty, Dog Boxes & Reliability 41:22 The “Fun Zone” for Power 44:02 Shop Growth: Hiring, Teaching & Paying Talent 01:07:40 Engine Break-In, Startup Process & First Run Philosophy 01:15:30 Data, Tuning Approach & Real-World Testing Mindset 01:24:26 Cooling Strategy, Power Delivery & Traction Reality 01:33:00 Compression Ratio, Fuel Choice & Engine Durability 01:58:00 ECU Control, Throttle Limiting & Managing Big Power 02:08:30 Business, Money & Long-Term Thinking in the Industry 02:17:11 Life Perspective & Closing Thoughts

Tom Taschner of Lucky 8 Performance joins the show to talk about moving from Austria to the United States to pursue drag racing and to build a performance shop . We dive into the differences between European and American car culture, drag & drive racing, and Tom’s twin-turbo Caprice build. Take your build up a whole new level with 6XD Gearbox: https://6xdgearbox.com Code "Minnoxide5" for 5% off High Performance Academy: https://hpcdmy.co/Minnoxide Use code "MINNOX" for 55% off ANY course Use Code "MINVIP" for $300 of the MINVIP Package Tuned By Shawn: https://www.tunedbyshawn.com Code "Minnoxide" for 5% off! Ship With Sure Thing Logistics: https://www.surethinglogistics.net MORE BIGGER Turbo T-Shirts: https://www.minnoxide.com/products/more-bigger-t-shirt 00:00 Intro 01:48 Moving from Austria to the U.S. + early shop life 06:06 Discovering Drag Week + Europe’s drag racing scene 10:06 Why Tom moved to America and building a performance shop 12:24 Tom’s first wild race car projects + dragster history 19:37 The Caprice build: LS combo, twin turbos, and drag-and-drive goals 31:49 Customer builds, wiring, trucks, and shop work 37:04 Lifted truck culture in Europe vs America 43:12 Favorite platforms, tuning, shop future, and long-term risk 49:33 Audi / VW talk and fast European builds

Kelly Aiken of Kelltrac joins us to break down suspension setup, traction, and why chassis tuning often matters more than horsepower. We dive deep into Mustang's, drag racing suspension theory, and the growing single-cab F-150 drag truck scene. If you want to understand how shock valving, spring rates, and geometry actually make cars faster, this episode is a masterclass. T ake your build up a whole new level with 6XD Gearbox: https://6xdgearbox.com Code "Minnoxide5" for 5% off High Performance Academy: https://hpcdmy.co/Minnoxide Use code "MINNOX" for 55% off ANY course Use Code "MINVIP" for $300 of the MINVIP Package Tuned By Shawn: https://www.tunedbyshawn.com Code "Minnoxide" for 5% off! Ship With Sure Thing Logistics: https://www.surethinglogistics.net MORE BIGGER Turbo T-Shirts: https://www.minnoxide.com/products/more-bigger-t-shirt 00:00 Intro 08:12 How Kelly Got Into Cars, Drag Racing & the Mustang Scene 16:34 From Side Hustle to BMR Suspension Development 24:41 The S550 Mustang IRS Revolution & Suspension Design 33:07 Building Performance Suspension Parts That Actually Work 41:56 Why Most Suspension Parts Are Copies (Industry Reality) 50:18 The Truth About Mustang IRS Lockout Kits 58:47 Suspension Setup vs Just Adding Power 1:07:30 Why Traction Beats Horsepower in Drag Racing 1:27:44 Single Cab F-150's and Making Suspension Setups Work 1:45:10 Shock Travel, Spring Rates & Compression Explained 1:54:18 Coilovers vs Traditional Spring/Perch Suspension 2:04:35 Road Course vs Drag Suspension Theory 2:15:12 Anti-Dive Geometry, Weight Transfer & Braking Physics 2:26:48 Controlling Wheelies With Suspension Valving 2:38:57 The Future of Performance Suspension Design 2:52:40 Final Technical Insights + Suspension Advice

Raif Fejzo from RRT Motorsports joins the show to talk about building the fastest Mitsubishi Evos in the world. We dive into how DSMs got him hooked on turbo cars, the journey from working out of a home garage to running a full shop, and what it really takes to build a 7-second Evo. Raif also breaks down Evo engine programs, MoTeC tuning, and the constant race to push the platform even faster. Take your build up a whole new level with 6XD Gearbox: https://6xdgearbox.com Code "Minnoxide5" for 5% off High Performance Academy: https://hpcdmy.co/Minnoxide Use code "MINNOX" for 55% off ANY course Use Code "MINVIP" for $300 of the MINVIP Package Tuned By Shawn: https://www.tunedbyshawn.com Code "Minnoxide" for 5% off! Ship With Sure Thing Logistics: https://www.surethinglogistics.net MORE BIGGER Turbo T-Shirts: https://www.minnoxide.com/products/more-bigger-t-shirt 00:00 – Intro 01:07 – How DSMs Hooked Him on Turbo Cars 06:46 – Early Racing Days & Evo vs Subaru Culture 10:09 – Turning a Garage Hobby Into a Real Shop 14:07 – Evo World Records & Chasing a 6-Second Pass 18:59 – First 8-Second Evo & The Push Toward Sevens 24:57 – Switching to MoTeC & Fixing Reliability 28:02 – Evo 8 vs Evo 10: Which Platform Is Better? 40:44 – Real Costs of Building a 500–700HP Evo 47:00 – Building a 7-Second 4G63: Pistons, Rods & Billet Blocks 54:30 – Why Competition Pushes the Evo Platform Forward

The Full Circle Garage guys join us to talk about how they built a massive community focused on fast cars, family, and truly living like the fast and the furious. Take your build up a whole new level with 6XD Gearbox: https://6xdgearbox.com Code "Minnoxide5" for 5% off High Performance Academy: https://hpcdmy.co/Minnoxide Use code "MINNOX" for 55% off ANY course Use Code "MINVIP" for $300 of the MINVIP Package Tuned By Shawn: https://www.tunedbyshawn.com Code "Minnoxide" for 5% off! Ship With Sure Thing Logistics: https://www.surethinglogistics.net MORE BIGGER Turbo T-Shirts: https://www.minnoxide.com/products/more-bigger-t-shirt 00:00:00 Intro 00:07:48 How Full Circle Garage Started (The Viral Porsche Story) 00:15:37 Fast & Furious, DSMs, and the Early Car Meet Era 00:23:26 Meeting Wives Through Car Culture 00:39:03 Buying the Dream Evo After 14 Years 00:46:52 The First Cars in the Collection 00:54:41 Turning a Car Page Into a Real Business 01:10:18 Growing The Car Collection (GTR, Supra, Viper,) 01:25:56 Involving Family in the Car World 01:33:45 The Vision for Full Circle Garage 01:41:33 Building a Brand Around Cars and Community 01:49:22 Racing Plans and Future Projects 01:57:11 Lessons From Business, Cars, and Life

Cooper Bogetti joins us to talk about his 2JZ Camaro origins, drag racing’s spectator problem both on and off air, and using classes as crutches. He also unpacks the economics of racing and the realities of surviving as an automotive creator. Take your build up a whole new level with 6XD Gearbox: https://6xdgearbox.com Code "Minnoxide5" for 5% off High Performance Academy: https://hpcdmy.co/Minnoxide Use code "MINNOX" for 55% off ANY course Use Code "MINVIP" for $300 of the MINVIP Package Tuned By Shawn: https://www.tunedbyshawn.com Code "Minnoxide" for 5% off! Ship With Sure Thing Logistics: https://www.surethinglogistics.net MORE BIGGER Turbo T-Shirts: https://www.minnoxide.com/products/more-bigger-t-shirt 0:00 Intro – Meeting Cooper Bogetti 2:20 Early Days with Cleetus McFarland 6:10 Burnout, 14-Hour Days & Going Solo in 2019 10:30 The 21-Day Monetization Cycle & Creator Reality 19:35 Drag Racing and Drag & Drives 31:30 Building a 2JZ Camaro Instead of a Heavier Platform 37:30 The “Perpetual Project Car” Trap 44:30 CTS-V Ownership, ECU Design Flaws & GM Simplicity 53:30 Social Media Algorithms, Rage Bait & Online Culture 1:08:00 Why High-HP Street Cars Stop Being Fun 1:25:00 Why Heavy Cars Always Lose 1:35:00 The Real Cost of Building a Drag Car 1:45:00 Modern Platforms, C8 Issues & Why New Cars Are a Headache 1:55:00 What Would He Build Next? 2:20:00 The Future: Racing Again, Kids, and Long-Term Perspective