It's Not the Car

Have you ever been in the zone, or in flow, behind the wheel? Want to get back there again and again? This podcast is all about what’s driving the car, and in this episode, we dig deep into the minds of high-performing drivers. We talk with Dr. Sue Jackson, a psychologist who has specialized in sport and exercise psychology. She co-wrote the book "Flow in Sports" with the “father" of flow research, Mihaly "Mike" Csikszentmihalyi. In her latest book, "Experiencing Flow," Sue looks into how we can all spend more time experiencing peak performance, whether that means on the race track or at any other time in life. Sue also talks about her recent interest in racing, and specifically about Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. (Since they knew a thing or two about getting into the zone!) ** More information about Dr. Sue Jackson and her books: https://www.bodyandmindflow.com.au   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suejackson_flow/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bodyandmindflow   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsuejackson This episode was produced by Mike Perlman. ** Who We Are + Spicy Merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.itsnotthecar.com/] ** Support It’s Not the Car: Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/notthecar] ** Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ [INTCPod@gmail.com]⁠⁠ ** Check out Sam's new book! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/Smithology-Thoughts-Travels-Semi-Plausible-Writings/dp/B0D2Q3P93Z/] ** Where to find us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/intcpod] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://rossbentley.substack.com/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://speedsecrets.com/] ** ABOUT THE SHOW: It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts. Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine. We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel. New episodes every Tuesday.

This episode has everything: Punches. Pepsi. Snow! Plus, a guy named Cale crashes a 190-mph race car in sneakers and kicks somebody on national TV.  Naturally, save the snow, this all happens in Florida. This show’s format rotates weekly, because squirrel. This episode is our monthly deep dive into an epic moment from racing history. In this case, that means the 1979 Daytona 500 and the childish, joyous three-driver fistfight that changed NASCAR forever. RELATED TRIVIA: To hell with trivia this week—we’re just gonna use this space to rattle off every badass old NASCAR first name that’ll fit. Here goes: Dale and Cale and Fireball and LeeRoy and Bobby and Davey and Donnie and Joe and Curtis and Marshall and Lee and Richard and Buddy and Pearson and Benny and Cotton and Junior and Buck and Hershel and AJ and the other Bobby and Harry and Dan and Red and Dick and Weatherly and Rex and the other other Bobby and Ned and the other Lee and you know what? Each and every single one of those dudes knew how to slide a big ol’ Detroit sled like ***nobody’s business***. And we like that. This episode was produced by Mike Perlman. ** Who We Are + Spicy Merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.itsnotthecar.com/] ** Support It’s Not the Car: Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/notthecar] ** Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ [INTCPod@gmail.com]⁠⁠ ** Check out Sam's new book! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/Smithology-Thoughts-Travels-Semi-Plausible-Writings/dp/B0D2Q3P93Z/] ** Where to find us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/intcpod] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://rossbentley.substack.com/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://speedsecrets.com/] ** ABOUT THE SHOW: It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts. Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine. We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel. New episodes every Tuesday.

Strap in, kids—it’s time for another story from Jeff’s past, and this one’s a doozy. In 1967, future pro racer and INTC host Jeff Braun won a contest to visit the United States F1 Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.  Jeff was nine years old. The trip blew his mind. Guaranteed in this ep: Our very own J.B. as a wee man! Quality hangs with Dan Gurney and Jack Brabham! Sam explaining why Sixties F1 was bonkers-deadly but great! Jeff swimming at the Glen Motor Inn with Gurney and Jim Clark and Graham "Mustache" Hill! A private garage tour! And more! This show’s format rotates weekly, because squirrel. We call this format “Jeff Tells a Story.” RELATED TRIVIA: So at one point, our boy hits the Watkins concession stands. He wants a burger. Being nine, he is not tall, can’t see over the counter. Then, suddenly, someone lifts him up. He turns around—it’s future F1 World Champion Jochen Rindt! Suited and booted, driving that weekend, three years before his death at Monza. RIP, you legend: Trackside meatwich brings everybody together. This episode was produced by Mike Perlman. ** Who We Are + Spicy Merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.itsnotthecar.com/] ** Support It’s Not the Car: Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/notthecar] ** Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [INTCPod@gmail.com]⁠⁠ ** Check out Sam's new book! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/Smithology-Thoughts-Travels-Semi-Plausible-Writings/dp/B0D2Q3P93Z/] ** Where to find us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/intcpod] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://rossbentley.substack.com/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://speedsecrets.com/] ** ABOUT THE SHOW: It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts. Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine. We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel. New episodes every Tuesday.

Tony Quiroga is the editor-in-chief of Car and Driver. For the last 18 years, his magazine has rented Virginia International Raceway once a year. And each time, they’ve spent three days—normal people, not pro drivers—flogging the best new fast cars, lapping nonstop and chasing time. Sound like a dream day? A pile of stress? Tony is an old friend of INTC, and he says C/D’s annual “Lightning Lap” test is… both! This show’s format rotates weekly, because squirrel. Are we doing a run of guest episodes this fall because it sounded like fun? We are!  Related Trivia: Sam and Tony once worked together Car and Driver. Later, they worked together at Road & Track. Then it was C/D again. If time is a flat circle, then car magazines are a… flat skidpad, I guess? This episode was produced by Mike Perlman. ** Who We Are + Spicy Merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.itsnotthecar.com/] ** Support It’s Not the Car: Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/notthecar] ** Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [INTCPod@gmail.com]⁠⁠ ** Check out Sam's new book! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/Smithology-Thoughts-Travels-Semi-Plausible-Writings/dp/B0D2Q3P93Z/] ** Where to find us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/intcpod] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://rossbentley.substack.com/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://speedsecrets.com/] ** ABOUT THE SHOW: It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts. Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine. We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel. New episodes every Tuesday.

Once, humans set foot on the moon. Some steely eyed engineer types did some math and took some gambles, and then some steely eyed pilot types sat on a big firework and flew off. Huge achievement, neat space candle. And that plan—the *strategy*—made it possible. Related: A host of this show is a pro race engineer. Jeff Braun has won the 12 Hours of Sebring eight times and the 24 Hours of Daytona twice. His résumé includes a whopping ten IMSA / Grand-Am championships. Race strategy makes Jeff’s job go ’round. So we had him explain it! This show’s format rotates weekly, because squirrel. We call this format “Instant Expert.” RELATED TRIVIA: Once, Sam found himself at the end of a grueling enduro. It was the last corner of the last lap; the win was make-or-break. In the heat of battle, he made a strategic choice—he took out two drivers at once. And hey, those little girls were really unhappy about that, but they were also Sam's nine- and eleven-year-old daughters, and that’s how the MarioKart cookie crumbles, rugrats! Boom goes the red-shell dynamite! Dad-strat champion forever!  This episode was produced by Mike Perlman. ** Who We Are + Spicy Merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.itsnotthecar.com/] ** Support It’s Not the Car: Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/notthecar] ** Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ [INTCPod@gmail.com]⁠⁠ ** Check out Sam's new book! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/Smithology-Thoughts-Travels-Semi-Plausible-Writings/dp/B0D2Q3P93Z/] ** Where to find us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/intcpod⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/intcpod] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatsamsmith/]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/j.v.braun/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/rossbentley/]⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://rossbentley.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://rossbentley.substack.com/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://speedsecrets.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://speedsecrets.com/] ** ABOUT THE SHOW: It’s Not the Car is a podcast about people and speed. We tell racing stories and leave out the boring parts. Ross Bentley is a former IndyCar driver, a bestselling author, and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer. Sam Smith is an award-winning writer and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine. We don’t love racing for the nuts and bolts—we love it for what it asks of the meatbag at the wheel. New episodes every Tuesday.