Rephonic
Artwork for It's Not the Car
Indy 500
Le Mans
Porsche
Gilles Villeneuve
Formula One
Indycar
Road America
1979 United States Grand Prix
Ferrari 333 SP
NASCAR
Mille Miglia
Can-Am Series
Engineering Approach In Racing
Mark Donohue
Roger Penske
Wind Tunnels
Watkins Glen
IMSA
Mclaren F1
Racing Technology

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 and a world-renowned performance coach. Jeff Braun is a champion race engineer with time in NASCAR and IMSA. Sam Smith is an award-winning journalist and a former executive editor of Road & Track magazine. We don’t love motorsport for the nuts and bol... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes87Founded2 years ago
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Artwork for It's Not the Car

Latest Episodes

Little ditty... 'bout a race and a Speedway! Two Indy names, growin’ up in the heartland. Race gonna make the front page of the Indy Star? Speedway gonna something something… uh... museum... race... car!

Yeah, sure, that makes sense! Don't tell me i... more

Remember the time you almost died because your hotted-up old Camarobird got all loose and stabby up at Dead Man’s Cul de Sac? Or maybe it was Turn 45 at Laguna Merrica. Either way, there you were, boppin’ along like a lap-wreckered Versteppy, when yo... more

INTC is on a short break, so we're dishing up an encore presentation of some of our favorite stories! This show originally aired in June of 2024.

***

Once, a long time ago, a brave man went to a beach and tried to drive faster than anyone ever had.... more

While the INTC gang is on a short break, we're dishing up an encore presentation of some of our favorite stories! This episode originally aired in April of 2024.

***

Once, in the 1990s, an Italian carmaker hadn’t gone sports-car racing in 20 years.... more

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Recent Guests

Chris Andrews
Lead engineer for the Vassar Sullivan IMSA team, former NASCAR engineer and crew chief
Vassar Sullivan IMSA team
Episode: How NASCAR Cheats – Part 2! — w/Chris Andrews
Kyle Kinard
Freelance automotive journalist
Episode: INTC Movie Club – “Days of Thunder” (1990)
Baptiste Viala
A systems engineer and data specialist working with AWA Racing at Le Mans.
AWA Racing
Episode: The Drama of Your First Le Mans — w/Baptiste Viala
Jeff Braun
Co-host and competition director at AWA Racing
AWA Racing
Episode: The Secret Life of an IMSA Team
Nick Ienatsch
Winning motorcycle road racer and instructor
Yamaha Champions Riding School
Episode: Two-Wheel Science 101 — w/Nick Ienatsch
Vaughn Gittin, Jr.
Two-time Formula Drift champion, champion off-road racer, and factory Ford driver
RTR Vehicles
Episode: Drifting is Harder Than You Think — w/Vaughn Gittin, Jr.
Dr. Sue Jackson
World-renowned researcher and psychologist specializing in flow state
Queensland University of Technology
Episode: Flowing Into the Zone — w/Dr. Sue Jackson
Tony Quiroga
Editor in Chief of Car and Driver
Car and Driver
Episode: Inside Car and Driver's "Lightning Lap" — w/Tony Quiroga
Colin Braun
Professional racing driver known for versatility and speed, winner of multiple prestigious races
Meijer Schenk Racing
Episode: You Can Be Fast in Anything — w/Colin Braun

Hosts

Sam Smith
Writer and club racer, award-winning journalist and former executive editor of Road & Track magazine, who shares racing stories and insights.
Ross Bentley
Former IndyCar driver and performance coach, known for helping drivers improve their skills.
Jeff Braun
Strategist for the AWA IMSA GT team and long-time race engineer, providing insights based on technical experiences in the sport.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 332 ratings
  • Like Peter Egan in audio

    Great stories with topic and format changes that keep me interested. Thanks for the content!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Brewster Baker's no.1 fan
    United States3 months ago
  • The Story of Narcissus

    Sam the host is a bit pompous like he often listens to his own voice

    I'd wager every other sentence said is for him and not the audience

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    NiMiDesign
    United States4 months ago
  • Think like a racer

    Road raced competitively for 10 years. Everything the best coaches and mentors told me comes up here, and then some. Ego vs mastery orientation in golfers is discussed by a famous sports psychologist. This is mastery race car engineering and driving. And they take polite shots at the ego folks, which is simply fun.

    I’m faster in a PC sim racecar employing a handful of nuggets from this pod as well.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    late_apex
    United States5 months ago
  • An explorative and thorough podcast about everything surrounding “The Car“

    So I’m going to try to not go onto 16 different tangents because there’s no way I’ll ever hold a candle to Sam Smith in that talent to do so. Trying to encapsulate the greatness of this podcast in a review is confounding. The chemistry in that the three hosts have with one another is enviable. Their ability to deep dive the automotive engineering principles, the human mind, and the way they intertwine is something you just have to listen to and behold. This is not a podcast where you give it a s... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hatepylons
    United States5 months ago
  • Love the show

    As an auto racing fan, this show is a must for anyone who is interested in the people that make racing so fun.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    OldF150
    Canada5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the conversational chemistry among the hosts and their personal anecdotes that make racing relatable.
Some listeners mention a desire for more balanced dialogue, as there are comments on one host's tendency to dominate the conversation.
Feedback points out that the stories are well-researched and captivate audiences interested in both historical and current racing narratives.
There’s admiration for the deep knowledge and expertise shared by the hosts regarding both technical aspects and human experiences in motorsport.
Overall, the podcast is described as a must-listen for racing enthusiasts who enjoy engaging discussion and insightful storytelling.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Listener Q&A: Track-Day Focus for Beginners
Q: How can drivers maintain the human element in the mix with new automotive technologies?
Drivers need to adapt to changes in feedback and focus on isolating their senses to better understand the car's dynamics.
Listener Q&A: Track-Day Focus for Beginners
Q: What would you say are the three most important things to focus on as you progress through HPDEs?
Listen to your instructor, focus on vision, balance, and controls depending on what needs improvement.
The Drama of Your First Le Mans — w/Baptiste Viala
Q: What did you learn from the experience at Le Mans?
Baptiste reflects that it was a stress test for their team and highlighted areas for improvement in communication and organization, which he hopes will benefit their future work in IMSA.
The Drama of Your First Le Mans — w/Baptiste Viala
Q: What was your path into the sport? How did you go from being a kid who wanted to work there to school to here?
Baptiste shares that he grew up karting, was given the opportunity to go to Le Mans as a child, and pursued a motorsports engineering program in Indianapolis, which led him to work in the industry.
How to Get a Racing Sponsor
Q: What are the key components of a successful sponsorship pitch?
Understanding who to talk to, why they care, and how to sell yourself and your program effectively are crucial for a successful sponsorship pitch.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About It's Not the Car

What is It's Not the Car about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The podcast centers around the human aspects of motorsport, sharing engaging narratives and insights related to racing and the individuals who participate in it. It features conversations between knowledgeable hosts, including a former IndyCar driver, a champion race engineer, and an award-winning journalist, who discuss various racing topics from emotional experiences at iconic tracks to the preparations needed for high-stakes events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This unique perspective, which emphasizes emotion over technical details, likely appeals to both avid racing fans and those who appreciate storytelling within the automotive domain, making it a compelling listen for anyone interested in the intersection of sport and personal journ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for It's Not the Car?

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How many listeners does It's Not the Car get?

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To see how many followers or subscribers It's Not the Car has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to It's Not the Car?

These podcasts share a similar audience with It's Not the Car:

1. Dinner with Racers
2. The Smoking Tire
3. The Carmudgeon Show
4. Spike's Car Radio
5. The Marshall Pruett Podcast

How many episodes of It's Not the Car are there?

It's Not the Car launched 2 years ago and published 87 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact It's Not the Car?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for It's Not the Car?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for It's Not the Car from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on It's Not the Car?

Recent guests on It's Not the Car include:

1. Chris Andrews
2. Kyle Kinard
3. Baptiste Viala
4. Jeff Braun
5. Nick Ienatsch
6. Vaughn Gittin, Jr.
7. Dr. Sue Jackson
8. Tony Quiroga

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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