WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.195 --> 00:00:01.445
This is, is off track.
2
00:00:03.025 --> 00:00:05.565
Man, that countdown is really dramatic on, on this
3
00:00:05.565 --> 00:00:06.565
Program.
4
00:00:06.565 --> 00:00:06.965
I know. I was just thinking
5
00:00:06.965 --> 00:00:09.405
That it's like, why is five se it starts at five,
6
00:00:09.665 --> 00:00:10.685
who needs five seconds?
7
00:00:10.855 --> 00:00:12.045
Three is, is like, what's the TV
8
00:00:12.245 --> 00:00:13.245
Industry standard?
9
00:00:13.245 --> 00:00:14.005
What's the, you know, the five four?
10
00:00:15.875 --> 00:00:18.855
No. Wow. Wow. No, no. Tim, you screwed that up.
11
00:00:18.875 --> 00:00:20.615
You're not a good, that's a Wayne Waynes world reference.
12
00:00:21.195 --> 00:00:22.655
Yes. Except they go down to three
13
00:00:22.715 --> 00:00:24.055
and then two and one are silent.
14
00:00:24.155 --> 00:00:25.455
He stopped a second Too early. .
15
00:00:26.015 --> 00:00:28.655
Oh, well I was waiting for you guys to mouth along
16
00:00:29.035 --> 00:00:31.975
and do the nod No from Waynes World.
17
00:00:32.235 --> 00:00:34.015
No, we're not gonna, we're not gonna help you
18
00:00:34.045 --> 00:00:35.335
when you're failing in a joke.
19
00:00:35.395 --> 00:00:38.095
Hi everybody, uh, welcome to Offtrack with Hinch
20
00:00:38.235 --> 00:00:40.495
or Rossi today Tuesday episode.
21
00:00:40.515 --> 00:00:42.375
And I'm so excited for our guest today.
22
00:00:42.665 --> 00:00:44.735
James Coker joins us on the show
23
00:00:45.395 --> 00:00:47.375
and well, hello. Welcome to the show.
24
00:00:47.825 --> 00:00:49.255
Howdy. Thanks so much for having me.
25
00:00:49.395 --> 00:00:51.335
Uh, super excited to be coming
26
00:00:51.395 --> 00:00:53.255
to you live from a basement in Aurora,
27
00:00:53.615 --> 00:00:54.615
Illinois.
,
28
00:00:57.305 --> 00:00:58.535
Where is your counterpart?
29
00:00:58.675 --> 00:01:00.375
We were wondering if he was gonna make the show .
30
00:01:01.235 --> 00:01:05.735
Um, so, so James, I don't know how many people that listen
31
00:01:05.735 --> 00:01:08.415
to the show know your work.
32
00:01:09.195 --> 00:01:10.815
Um, I hope that probably very few.
33
00:01:11.515 --> 00:01:12.855
No, I think you'd be surprised.
34
00:01:13.075 --> 00:01:15.535
Our fan base is very hardcore in Decar fans
35
00:01:15.755 --> 00:01:19.535
and you have become like kind of a staple for the, uh,
36
00:01:19.535 --> 00:01:20.695
the online community
37
00:01:20.995 --> 00:01:22.855
and the in-person community now of,
38
00:01:22.875 --> 00:01:24.015
uh, of the IndyCar world.
39
00:01:24.435 --> 00:01:27.615
So I guess let's open with, explain a little bit about
40
00:01:28.005 --> 00:01:31.695
what it is you do in terms of the ecosystem of, of IndyCar
41
00:01:31.715 --> 00:01:33.575
and, and why we have all heard of you.
42
00:01:34.405 --> 00:01:36.415
Sure. So in the last two years,
43
00:01:36.935 --> 00:01:40.415
I accidentally became a me work content creator.
44
00:01:40.765 --> 00:01:43.895
This was not, not a part of the plan at all. I
45
00:01:43.895 --> 00:01:44.895
Know the feeling.
46
00:01:44.895 --> 00:01:48.935
Yeah.
, Tim's like I was supposed
47
00:01:48.935 --> 00:01:53.135
to be a screenwriter set up producing this podcast.
48
00:01:54.235 --> 00:01:57.455
Um, you are a screenwriter, I will say that. Sure. Um, .
49
00:01:57.995 --> 00:02:01.655
But, um, in the last two years, uh, I
50
00:02:02.365 --> 00:02:04.295
have built a following making
51
00:02:04.925 --> 00:02:06.855
Formula One and IndyCar content.
52
00:02:07.495 --> 00:02:09.975
I sometimes cover other series like World Endurance
53
00:02:10.215 --> 00:02:13.255
Championship, ams, a, this, that, or the third.
54
00:02:13.755 --> 00:02:16.855
But I am originally an actor and a comedian.
55
00:02:17.795 --> 00:02:19.855
And about two years ago, my wife
56
00:02:19.855 --> 00:02:23.135
and I made one video that I put on my Instagram as a joke
57
00:02:23.345 --> 00:02:25.095
where we were doing Team Talk
58
00:02:25.715 --> 00:02:27.575
and she was pretending to be my race engineer
59
00:02:27.595 --> 00:02:28.855
and I was pretending to be the driver.
60
00:02:29.715 --> 00:02:33.895
And, uh, it went super viral and ESPN
61
00:02:33.895 --> 00:02:36.535
and Sports Illustrated and motorsport.com picked it up.
62
00:02:37.595 --> 00:02:40.775
And that sort of started everything.
63
00:02:40.835 --> 00:02:45.175
And I started posting more Motorsport videos,
64
00:02:45.175 --> 00:02:47.055
whether it be IndyCar and Formula One.
65
00:02:47.075 --> 00:02:51.135
So now a lot of people follow me for funny takes on things
66
00:02:51.135 --> 00:02:52.775
that are happening in IndyCar. And F1
67
00:02:52.955 --> 00:02:54.975
Is the, is the wife into racing at all
68
00:02:55.115 --> 00:02:57.055
or has the She started to with this.
69
00:02:57.355 --> 00:02:58.455
She watches it.
Yeah.
70
00:02:58.455 --> 00:03:02.325
Okay.
, that's a, that's a like that's a soft Yeah.
71
00:03:02.675 --> 00:03:03.965
Soft maybe like
72
00:03:04.145 --> 00:03:05.145
No, she follows it.
73
00:03:05.225 --> 00:03:06.925
She follows a lot of, she follows a lot of the counts.
74
00:03:06.945 --> 00:03:10.165
She, she'll watch if a race is not at, like,
75
00:03:10.585 --> 00:03:13.405
she was not gonna wake up at 4:00 AM to watch back who
76
00:03:13.405 --> 00:03:14.645
with me, but Right.
77
00:03:14.905 --> 00:03:18.645
She, she, I, I'd say she watches about half
78
00:03:18.945 --> 00:03:20.405
of the F1 races
79
00:03:20.405 --> 00:03:21.445
and a handful of the IndyCar
80
00:03:21.455 --> 00:03:22.605
races over the course of the season.
81
00:03:22.785 --> 00:03:24.525
But she knows that Lando winning in
82
00:03:24.525 --> 00:03:25.925
Silverstone is a big deal.
83
00:03:26.435 --> 00:03:28.965
Sure. Yeah. She was more excited for Nico Holgenburg
84
00:03:28.985 --> 00:03:31.085
to get us first podium who was podium, but yeah. Who
85
00:03:31.085 --> 00:03:33.845
Wasn't
Everybody else on that podium? No. Even they,
86
00:03:33.885 --> 00:03:35.285
I don't know if you watched this, Tim
87
00:03:35.865 --> 00:03:37.965
All pry talked about was Holberg's
88
00:03:37.965 --> 00:03:39.045
Podium and he completely, I was
89
00:03:39.045 --> 00:03:40.845
Just talking about they're spraying.
90
00:03:40.955 --> 00:03:42.565
Yeah. They, they didn't really spray
91
00:03:42.725 --> 00:03:43.845
'em. I don't know. There was something on
92
00:03:43.845 --> 00:03:44.845
Twitter.
93
00:03:44.845 --> 00:03:45.285
Right. So you're not a comedic writer,
94
00:03:45.285 --> 00:03:47.125
you're just like a more of a dramatic writer.
95
00:03:47.345 --> 00:03:48.645
Uh, when you do your screenplays
96
00:03:49.785 --> 00:03:52.325
go,
I'm saying you're o for two on the funny stuff.
97
00:03:52.375 --> 00:03:54.605
Let's just step it up a notch. We're in presence. I
98
00:03:55.125 --> 00:03:56.125
Creative wasn't be funny.
99
00:03:56.125 --> 00:03:58.245
There, there is stuff going on online about that.
100
00:03:59.265 --> 00:04:01.365
Anyway,
Do you wake up on Alex's
101
00:04:01.365 --> 00:04:02.525
side of the bed today? What the hell
102
00:04:02.725 --> 00:04:03.725
Happened?
103
00:04:03.725 --> 00:04:04.805
I'm trying to bring, I'm trying to bring a little bit
104
00:04:04.805 --> 00:04:06.845
of Alex Energy into this episode since he couldn't do it.
105
00:04:06.845 --> 00:04:08.685
You can leave it. It's fine. We don't need it.
106
00:04:09.685 --> 00:04:11.525
I will say you guys have a very funny dynamic,
107
00:04:11.625 --> 00:04:13.245
and I've already told Tim this before,
108
00:04:13.385 --> 00:04:16.085
but you guys have like a motor sports smart list thing going
109
00:04:16.105 --> 00:04:20.445
on where you are like, hence you were like the,
110
00:04:20.745 --> 00:04:24.365
the like happy go lucky, like very friendly personality.
111
00:04:25.415 --> 00:04:27.685
Rossi is the grump, very much like the Will Anette
112
00:04:27.855 --> 00:04:28.925
coded guy.
113
00:04:29.345 --> 00:04:31.125
And Tim, I'm here.
114
00:04:31.125 --> 00:04:33.565
Tim is clearly Sean Hayes who gets on by both of you guys. ,
115
00:04:34.055 --> 00:04:38.565
Right, because, because I'm gayman in this. I'll take it.
116
00:04:38.635 --> 00:04:40.805
Even though t's Canadian, I see you.
117
00:04:40.845 --> 00:04:42.165
I see how you got there with Alex.
118
00:04:42.555 --> 00:04:44.365
It's more of a personality thing, not
119
00:04:44.365 --> 00:04:46.165
so much nationality thing. Yeah, true. I usually
120
00:04:46.165 --> 00:04:48.925
Just get, uh, Peggy from the Skyler sisters from
121
00:04:49.085 --> 00:04:50.165
Hamilton just there.
122
00:04:50.345 --> 00:04:52.125
Yes. Right. I bring a real
123
00:04:52.465 --> 00:04:54.405
and Peggy energy to this whole thing.
124
00:04:54.405 --> 00:04:56.125
Peggy, you got a real and Peggy vibe to you.
125
00:04:56.195 --> 00:04:57.205
That is a hundred percent
126
00:04:57.525 --> 00:04:58.525
Accurate. ,
127
00:04:58.525 --> 00:04:59.845
Man, that's such an inside joke.
128
00:05:00.125 --> 00:05:01.605
I, James, I love that you laughed at that
129
00:05:01.625 --> 00:05:03.245
and that you clearly also, uh,
130
00:05:03.445 --> 00:05:04.765
I love Hamilton, Mike Hamilton as much as we do.
131
00:05:05.245 --> 00:05:06.925
I saw it with the original cast. Yeah.
132
00:05:07.165 --> 00:05:09.605
I cried seven times watching that musical. Jealous.
133
00:05:09.835 --> 00:05:11.365
Jealous. Yeah. Okay. That was amazing.
134
00:05:11.545 --> 00:05:13.765
So I wanna, I wanna backtrack a half cup.
135
00:05:14.025 --> 00:05:17.365
Um, James, you said you've been in LA for five years,
136
00:05:17.795 --> 00:05:18.965
Burbank for the last two.
137
00:05:19.135 --> 00:05:20.605
Where are you from originally?
138
00:05:21.205 --> 00:05:24.485
I grew up in Texas, uh, was there till I was 17.
139
00:05:24.515 --> 00:05:26.245
Went to a boarding school in New Jersey
140
00:05:26.385 --> 00:05:29.365
for my last two years of high school, college in Florida.
141
00:05:29.395 --> 00:05:31.565
Then I moved to New York after college
142
00:05:32.105 --> 00:05:35.005
and I worked in production for 10 years
143
00:05:35.065 --> 00:05:38.205
as a production assistant on TV shows and movies.
144
00:05:39.105 --> 00:05:42.605
And during that time I was also studying
145
00:05:42.665 --> 00:05:45.965
and performing improv and sketch comedy at UCB in New York.
146
00:05:46.545 --> 00:05:49.125
So Oh, nice. I was, I was, it's huge.
147
00:05:49.325 --> 00:05:53.325
I, yeah, I sort of had, uh, you know, one foot in
148
00:05:54.435 --> 00:05:56.205
sort of the production route for a long time.
149
00:05:56.245 --> 00:05:58.445
I thought I wanted to be be an assistant director in TV
150
00:05:58.505 --> 00:06:01.565
and film, and I was also taking improv classes
151
00:06:01.865 --> 00:06:04.205
and sketch comedy classes on the weekends.
152
00:06:04.225 --> 00:06:07.685
And then I, I fell more in love with performing
153
00:06:07.685 --> 00:06:10.365
and writing than working on the production side.
154
00:06:10.425 --> 00:06:14.805
So I started slowly pivoting away from that career track
155
00:06:14.825 --> 00:06:18.685
and trying to pursue, uh, writing and performing more.
156
00:06:19.065 --> 00:06:23.165
And, uh, started like booking like small bits on commercials
157
00:06:23.165 --> 00:06:26.085
and whatnot and few small parts on TV shows.
158
00:06:26.625 --> 00:06:31.445
And then in like 2018, I was cast as a spokesperson
159
00:06:31.465 --> 00:06:33.285
for Spectrum and Spectrum Mobile.
160
00:06:33.285 --> 00:06:34.365
It's like a cable company
161
00:06:34.505 --> 00:06:37.525
or you know, wireless provider depending on where you're
162
00:06:37.525 --> 00:06:38.525
In the country.
163
00:06:38.525 --> 00:06:38.725
They were sponsors were on my team at one
164
00:06:38.725 --> 00:06:39.725
point,
.
165
00:06:39.725 --> 00:06:40.525
Oh yeah, exactly. Yeah.
166
00:06:40.985 --> 00:06:43.765
Uh, so I, for three years, that's all I did.
167
00:06:43.925 --> 00:06:47.805
I, I shot 20 commercials a year for three years
168
00:06:47.905 --> 00:06:48.925
and made like six figures
169
00:06:48.925 --> 00:06:50.845
and I got to quick job and it was, was best.
170
00:06:51.195 --> 00:06:52.485
It's bad. It's like hitting the lottery
171
00:06:53.065 --> 00:06:54.065
And Yeah.
172
00:06:54.065 --> 00:06:56.685
Like a national TV commercial campaign is like one
173
00:06:56.685 --> 00:06:57.805
of the greatest gigs in acting.
174
00:06:58.325 --> 00:06:59.805
A hundred percent. And as you would know,
175
00:06:59.805 --> 00:07:01.605
because your wife is an actor making
176
00:07:01.605 --> 00:07:03.245
that sweet Hallmark money, but .
177
00:07:03.825 --> 00:07:06.205
Uh,
But it was, it was amazing.
178
00:07:06.245 --> 00:07:09.165
I worked eight days a year and made six figures.
179
00:07:09.345 --> 00:07:12.565
It was like, it was, it was incredible. And then
180
00:07:12.755 --> 00:07:16.285
I've got half of that down working eight days a year,
181
00:07:16.285 --> 00:07:18.125
working eight days a year thing down.
182
00:07:18.395 --> 00:07:20.885
Yeah. Yeah. Your paycheck's got six figures in it.
183
00:07:20.885 --> 00:07:22.365
The decimal was just in a different place.
184
00:07:22.665 --> 00:07:25.405
And so then, then that, that went from like 18 to 21
185
00:07:26.265 --> 00:07:30.005
and my wife was working at Meta at the time,
186
00:07:30.465 --> 00:07:33.405
and so we, we both had like two pretty good incomes.
187
00:07:33.405 --> 00:07:34.725
And then she got laid off my,
188
00:07:34.825 --> 00:07:36.485
my campaign ended around the same time.
189
00:07:37.305 --> 00:07:39.205
During that time we had also just bought a house,
190
00:07:39.305 --> 00:07:41.565
so we were like, oh God, I gotta,
191
00:07:41.785 --> 00:07:43.045
we gotta figure something out.
192
00:07:43.305 --> 00:07:46.605
So I started really making an effort
193
00:07:46.625 --> 00:07:51.045
to make videos online thinking like, oh, it wasn't so much
194
00:07:51.045 --> 00:07:54.205
that I wanted to be like an influencer or a content creator.
195
00:07:54.605 --> 00:07:56.805
I was trying to go viral to get hired
196
00:07:56.905 --> 00:07:58.565
by like a company Right.
197
00:07:58.745 --> 00:08:01.445
To work for their social team. And that did work.
198
00:08:01.505 --> 00:08:03.005
So I was able
199
00:08:03.105 --> 00:08:05.765
to find a job at SoFi, which is where I work right now.
200
00:08:05.885 --> 00:08:08.485
I work for SoFi the Bank as a content creator
201
00:08:08.505 --> 00:08:13.245
and copywriter on their, uh, social team. But Okay.
202
00:08:13.465 --> 00:08:16.365
It,
In, during that journey, I also sort
203
00:08:16.365 --> 00:08:20.085
of fell ass backwards into making Motorsport con content.
204
00:08:21.635 --> 00:08:24.255
So what did you study in Florida?
205
00:08:24.955 --> 00:08:26.255
Almost like a business major.
206
00:08:26.955 --> 00:08:28.935
It was like, I, it had nothing to do with what
207
00:08:28.935 --> 00:08:29.935
I did.
208
00:08:29.935 --> 00:08:30.775
Those generic, like, yeah, I don't know
209
00:08:30.775 --> 00:08:32.335
what I wanna do in school, so I'll go into
210
00:08:32.335 --> 00:08:33.455
the generic business course
211
00:08:34.095 --> 00:08:35.255
A hundred percent. And
212
00:08:35.325 --> 00:08:36.455
Yeah, I I did the same thing
.
213
00:08:36.885 --> 00:08:40.085
Yeah. And it wasn't until two months
214
00:08:40.085 --> 00:08:42.605
before I graduated that I realized I wanted to work in TV
215
00:08:42.625 --> 00:08:43.965
and film in some capacity.
216
00:08:44.405 --> 00:08:46.285
I think I always knew I wanted to do something creative,
217
00:08:46.345 --> 00:08:49.445
but my parents were very bad with money, so I didn't want
218
00:08:49.465 --> 00:08:52.485
to pursue a career that was like risky.
219
00:08:52.695 --> 00:08:55.445
Right. So I thought taking the production
220
00:08:55.445 --> 00:08:56.685
track was like a safer bet.
221
00:08:56.765 --> 00:08:58.725
I was still like involved in something that I loved,
222
00:08:58.825 --> 00:09:00.765
but I, it was more stable.
223
00:09:01.425 --> 00:09:05.805
So it, it all happened because two months
224
00:09:05.805 --> 00:09:09.245
before I graduated, there was a film festival that came to
225
00:09:10.105 --> 00:09:12.045
our campus called Campus Movie Fest.
226
00:09:12.225 --> 00:09:14.125
And this is before anybody had smartphones.
227
00:09:14.125 --> 00:09:16.605
So this was 2006, 2007.
228
00:09:16.955 --> 00:09:20.125
They gave everybody a camcorder and a laptop for a week,
229
00:09:20.265 --> 00:09:22.245
and you got to go off and like, make a short film.
230
00:09:23.025 --> 00:09:24.845
And I made a short film about a guy
231
00:09:24.845 --> 00:09:26.085
who like gets in an accident
232
00:09:26.085 --> 00:09:27.085
and he wakes up thinking
233
00:09:27.085 --> 00:09:30.885
that he's a hockey player from the 1970s named Tom Young
234
00:09:30.885 --> 00:09:32.925
Hands, who was a real, real guy of,
235
00:09:33.105 --> 00:09:34.485
Tom was a one of that, those cliche things.
236
00:09:34.485 --> 00:09:37.085
Yeah. Yeah. Tom, Tom Young Hands was a real guy
237
00:09:37.225 --> 00:09:40.405
who spent like six seasons in the NHL mainly
238
00:09:40.405 --> 00:09:41.725
with the Minnesota North Stars.
239
00:09:42.265 --> 00:09:43.645
So this guy like wakes up
240
00:09:43.645 --> 00:09:45.445
and thinks he's this guy named Tom Young Hands.
241
00:09:45.905 --> 00:09:48.165
And he is like, I was like rollerblading around my campus,
242
00:09:48.235 --> 00:09:50.165
like cross checking people in the bushes
243
00:09:50.905 --> 00:09:53.765
had like a fake mustache and like a Joah helmet and,
244
00:09:55.145 --> 00:09:58.405
and like, I loved like making like stupid this stupid video
245
00:09:58.505 --> 00:09:59.525
and making people laugh.
246
00:09:59.865 --> 00:10:03.445
And I, it aired at the, at the campus movie Fest
247
00:10:03.745 --> 00:10:05.725
and out of like 50 entries at one best comedy
248
00:10:05.745 --> 00:10:09.045
and like for the rest of the year, I was walking
249
00:10:09.045 --> 00:10:12.005
around campus and people would be quoting the movie at
250
00:10:12.005 --> 00:10:13.365
me or short film at me.
251
00:10:13.795 --> 00:10:15.885
Like people would be like yelling at me from their car.
252
00:10:16.845 --> 00:10:18.485
'cause the, this guy would be like, that's amazing.
253
00:10:18.755 --> 00:10:21.445
This guy would, he would yell, slap Shot, you'd go,
254
00:10:21.865 --> 00:10:23.005
Hey, my, I'm young.
255
00:10:23.105 --> 00:10:24.925
He said, play Minnesota North Stars
256
00:10:25.705 --> 00:10:27.125
and like his,
257
00:10:27.685 --> 00:10:29.445
I don't know if you could say this on this podcast,
258
00:10:29.705 --> 00:10:32.685
but his, one of his catchphrases was Suck My
259
00:10:32.845 --> 00:10:33.845
<inaudible>
.
260
00:10:37.145 --> 00:10:39.445
And then he would yell, slap you,
261
00:10:39.945 --> 00:10:41.285
or he'd yell, cross check.
262
00:10:41.425 --> 00:10:42.685
And so there's all these videos of me,
263
00:10:42.685 --> 00:10:44.605
like cross checking kids into pools
264
00:10:44.605 --> 00:10:48.285
or cross checking kids in the bushes and people Can
265
00:10:48.285 --> 00:10:50.085
We, can we get a copy of this just not
266
00:10:50.085 --> 00:10:51.245
for publishing? Man, I just wanna
267
00:10:51.265 --> 00:10:52.265
See it.
268
00:10:52.265 --> 00:10:53.485
It's on online. I'll find it and I'll send it to you.
269
00:10:53.845 --> 00:10:55.405
I, I think I put it on private please.
270
00:10:55.505 --> 00:10:58.005
So I'll I'll put that unlisted so you can watch it.
271
00:10:58.265 --> 00:11:00.085
But it's very stupid. But like,
272
00:11:00.085 --> 00:11:02.125
people were quoting it at me, I'm like, oh, this is fun.
273
00:11:02.125 --> 00:11:03.365
Like, maybe I wanna do something with this.
274
00:11:03.385 --> 00:11:06.485
And I, I had friends that had, were working in TV
275
00:11:06.505 --> 00:11:10.605
and film in New York, and so they hooked me up
276
00:11:10.605 --> 00:11:12.725
with like my first few jobs doing like, uh,
277
00:11:12.785 --> 00:11:14.285
day playing stuff, working like a day
278
00:11:14.285 --> 00:11:15.405
here, day there on TV shows.
279
00:11:16.065 --> 00:11:19.525
But while I was in New York, I went to UCB one night
280
00:11:19.545 --> 00:11:20.605
and saw an improv show
281
00:11:20.605 --> 00:11:22.405
and immediately fell in love with, uh,
282
00:11:22.415 --> 00:11:23.685
performing live comedy.
283
00:11:23.785 --> 00:11:24.965
And that's sort of
284
00:11:25.145 --> 00:11:26.965
how I got hooked there and started taking classes.
285
00:11:27.865 --> 00:11:29.685
That's so cool, man. That's so cool. Yeah.
286
00:11:29.685 --> 00:11:32.365
I know UCB is huge. I mean, that's a, that's a huge thing
287
00:11:32.385 --> 00:11:34.085
for a lot of, a lot of actors and,
288
00:11:34.085 --> 00:11:35.285
and comics and things like that.
289
00:11:35.945 --> 00:11:40.005
Um, so you, you post this video
290
00:11:40.355 --> 00:11:42.005
that goes viral mm-hmm .
291
00:11:42.185 --> 00:11:45.165
Uh, were you, were you a big racing fan up to this point?
292
00:11:45.945 --> 00:11:48.405
No, I, and I get a lot of hate still online for this,
293
00:11:48.425 --> 00:11:49.725
but I'm a very new fan.
294
00:11:49.795 --> 00:11:52.845
Like, I'm, I'm part of that new generation of Drive
295
00:11:52.845 --> 00:11:54.440
to Survive fans that are Yeah.
296
00:11:54.455 --> 00:11:56.045
Super, super new to the series.
297
00:11:56.785 --> 00:11:58.165
You know, during the pandemic, my wife
298
00:11:58.165 --> 00:12:02.285
and I binged drive to survive in the matter of a few weeks,
299
00:12:02.785 --> 00:12:04.005
got really hooked, like,
300
00:12:04.265 --> 00:12:06.525
and started watching races immediately after that.
301
00:12:07.505 --> 00:12:11.005
And so I, I'm, I was, when, when I posted that,
302
00:12:11.365 --> 00:12:13.405
I still knew very little about Formula One.
303
00:12:13.485 --> 00:12:15.805
I was like very into it. And I had seen a few races at
304
00:12:15.805 --> 00:12:19.925
that time, but my knowledge really was,
305
00:12:21.425 --> 00:12:23.645
was just what I'd seen on the Netflix show.
306
00:12:24.055 --> 00:12:27.285
Right. And so I I, I posted that video thinking like,
307
00:12:27.305 --> 00:12:29.285
all right, it's gonna get like 200, 300 likes,
308
00:12:29.285 --> 00:12:30.965
like not thinking much of it.
309
00:12:31.025 --> 00:12:32.765
And then I woke up the next morning, it was viral,
310
00:12:33.625 --> 00:12:35.045
and I told myself,
311
00:12:35.285 --> 00:12:36.805
I still have footage from when
312
00:12:36.805 --> 00:12:37.845
I was in the car with my wife.
313
00:12:38.315 --> 00:12:40.125
I'll cut three more versions of this video.
314
00:12:40.625 --> 00:12:42.125
And all three of those videos went viral
315
00:12:42.545 --> 00:12:45.165
and all, you know, all these different outlets wanted
316
00:12:45.165 --> 00:12:46.645
to repost it and share it.
317
00:12:47.065 --> 00:12:50.765
And so I was like, okay, like let me make one more video
318
00:12:50.765 --> 00:12:51.845
that's F1 related.
319
00:12:52.185 --> 00:12:55.085
And so I made like a Buzzfeed listicle type video
320
00:12:55.215 --> 00:12:58.205
where I was comparing drivers on the F1 grid
321
00:12:58.205 --> 00:12:59.405
to Mario Kart characters .
322
00:13:00.305 --> 00:13:02.285
And, and that went super viral.
323
00:13:02.545 --> 00:13:04.125
And so I was like, okay, I'll keep,
324
00:13:04.505 --> 00:13:06.165
and so I started getting all these followers
325
00:13:06.225 --> 00:13:08.605
who were following me for these, these F1 videos I made.
326
00:13:08.605 --> 00:13:09.885
So I told myself, okay,
327
00:13:09.955 --> 00:13:12.325
I'll keep making like Motorsport content
328
00:13:12.415 --> 00:13:13.805
until it stops getting engagement.
329
00:13:13.805 --> 00:13:15.325
And then it just never did. Right.
330
00:13:15.325 --> 00:13:16.565
Never stopped getting engagement. So
331
00:13:16.675 --> 00:13:17.885
That, that's, I mean, so I was gonna,
332
00:13:17.885 --> 00:13:19.325
that was gonna be my next question is like,
333
00:13:19.385 --> 00:13:21.525
was the pressure then immediately on like, oh, <inaudible>,
334
00:13:21.525 --> 00:13:24.285
this is working, I now need to dive into
335
00:13:24.505 --> 00:13:26.885
and lean into the Motorsport side of things?
336
00:13:27.365 --> 00:13:28.885
I think it's one of those things where I, I,
337
00:13:29.315 --> 00:13:31.725
when I get into something, I get really obsessive about it
338
00:13:31.785 --> 00:13:33.205
and I start going down the rabbit hole
339
00:13:33.205 --> 00:13:34.525
and trying to learn as much as I can.
340
00:13:34.945 --> 00:13:36.245
We have one of those on the show. Yeah. .
341
00:13:36.565 --> 00:13:39.845
Yeah, exactly. . Um, I, I was the same way with, uh,
342
00:13:39.915 --> 00:13:41.205
with soccer, uh,
343
00:13:41.425 --> 00:13:44.125
10 years ago when the Premier League first came
344
00:13:44.185 --> 00:13:48.205
to America via NBC sports, I was very,
345
00:13:48.275 --> 00:13:50.365
very into European football,
346
00:13:50.365 --> 00:13:53.245
but also MLS, like, I was a season ticket holder
347
00:13:53.265 --> 00:13:55.445
for New York City FC for five Seasons.
348
00:13:56.125 --> 00:13:59.525
I was watching, you know, premier League Champions League.
349
00:13:59.885 --> 00:14:03.525
I was also watching like all of the World Cup qualifyings.
350
00:14:03.525 --> 00:14:05.085
My wife and I went to France
351
00:14:05.145 --> 00:14:08.045
and we went to the Euro tournament in 2016 mm-hmm .
352
00:14:08.125 --> 00:14:10.525
Um, so I get really obsessed about things
353
00:14:10.525 --> 00:14:11.805
once I get really into 'em.
354
00:14:11.865 --> 00:14:16.485
And so it, it wasn't so much a pressure, uh, I was already,
355
00:14:17.025 --> 00:14:19.485
you know, getting pretty deep into it.
356
00:14:19.585 --> 00:14:22.325
And I also was already making these jokes with my wife
357
00:14:22.325 --> 00:14:23.845
and my friends, so I was like, I might
358
00:14:23.845 --> 00:14:25.165
as well just put it out into the world.
359
00:14:25.785 --> 00:14:27.605
And for me, even though, even now,
360
00:14:27.835 --> 00:14:30.485
this is still like a side thing that I do for fun, right?
361
00:14:30.485 --> 00:14:34.485
This is not, this is not something I am actively trying
362
00:14:34.485 --> 00:14:37.565
to pursue as a career or a full-time thing.
363
00:14:37.865 --> 00:14:41.525
And I think that sort of helps, uh,
364
00:14:42.475 --> 00:14:44.285
keep things a little lighter
365
00:14:44.505 --> 00:14:47.845
and takes the pressure off for me to like constantly like be
366
00:14:48.405 --> 00:14:49.885
obsessed with the concept of like, going viral.
367
00:14:50.345 --> 00:14:51.925
You have these, these F1 videos
368
00:14:51.925 --> 00:14:54.005
that are hitting F1 obviously is through the roof
369
00:14:54.025 --> 00:14:55.605
and everybody's, you know, popular
370
00:14:55.905 --> 00:14:57.165
or, you know, everybody loves it.
371
00:14:57.165 --> 00:14:58.285
It's very popular. Yeah.
372
00:14:59.385 --> 00:15:03.245
You start sort of, um, branching off into other forms
373
00:15:03.265 --> 00:15:05.325
of motorsports, indie cars, sports cars, whatever.
374
00:15:05.455 --> 00:15:06.525
Where does that come from?
375
00:15:06.545 --> 00:15:09.565
Was this you thinking, well, hey, if, if racing is working,
376
00:15:09.615 --> 00:15:12.005
let's try to hit some of the IndyCar audiences,
377
00:15:12.005 --> 00:15:13.805
the sports car audiences and NASCAR audiences,
378
00:15:13.825 --> 00:15:16.485
or were you getting requests from people they're like, Hey,
379
00:15:16.585 --> 00:15:17.965
do that, but for IndyCar
380
00:15:18.345 --> 00:15:19.885
People definitely request it.
381
00:15:19.945 --> 00:15:22.005
But it's more so my general curiosity.
382
00:15:22.205 --> 00:15:24.365
I think it was the same thing that, you know,
383
00:15:24.365 --> 00:15:26.525
when I started watching Premier League English,
384
00:15:26.525 --> 00:15:28.445
premier League soccer made me want
385
00:15:28.445 --> 00:15:30.365
to start watching other leagues, right?
386
00:15:30.395 --> 00:15:33.485
Formula One was like the gateway drug for the rest
387
00:15:33.585 --> 00:15:35.045
of the world of Motorsport for me.
388
00:15:35.145 --> 00:15:36.885
So for me it was like F1.
389
00:15:37.345 --> 00:15:40.485
And you know, there's only, I say only,
390
00:15:40.585 --> 00:15:42.805
but there's 23 races on the calendar. Then two, it's too 20
391
00:15:42.855 --> 00:15:43.855
James, it's too many.
392
00:15:44.245 --> 00:15:47.445
I think it should be 18.
I just love the idea of,
393
00:15:47.665 --> 00:15:49.525
of Motorsport like gateway drug.
394
00:15:49.685 --> 00:15:51.645
'cause it's just figure, like you go down a bad path
395
00:15:51.645 --> 00:15:53.405
and you're just watching NHRA at three
396
00:15:53.405 --> 00:15:54.445
in the morning on the side of the road.
397
00:15:54.685 --> 00:15:58.085
100, 100%. Yeah, . Exactly. .
398
00:15:59.345 --> 00:16:02.255
But, but, you know, but,
399
00:16:02.315 --> 00:16:05.295
but on weekends where there is enough one to watch,
400
00:16:05.655 --> 00:16:07.495
I was like, how else can I get my fix?
401
00:16:07.495 --> 00:16:09.695
What else can I watch? So for me,
402
00:16:09.695 --> 00:16:11.415
the actual progression was IndyCar
403
00:16:12.085 --> 00:16:14.975
open wheel racing in the us And then, you know, I was like,
404
00:16:14.975 --> 00:16:17.775
okay, let me watch the 24 hours of Daytona,
405
00:16:17.875 --> 00:16:19.895
let me watch World Endurance Championship.
406
00:16:19.915 --> 00:16:20.935
Let me see what else there is.
407
00:16:21.715 --> 00:16:25.415
And so it was, it was less requests from people
408
00:16:25.435 --> 00:16:27.295
and more so just me wanting
409
00:16:27.315 --> 00:16:29.495
to learn more about the different aspects of Motorsport
410
00:16:29.495 --> 00:16:33.575
because I, I say this like, in, in my opinion, I,
411
00:16:33.695 --> 00:16:35.935
I think there are, there is racing in other series
412
00:16:35.935 --> 00:16:37.215
that's more exciting than Formula One.
413
00:16:37.215 --> 00:16:39.655
Formula One, like the packaging is incredible,
414
00:16:39.795 --> 00:16:40.895
the marketing is incredible,
415
00:16:41.475 --> 00:16:44.215
but often I don't, this is not a definitive thing,
416
00:16:44.215 --> 00:16:47.415
but often the on track action isn't there, the way Right.
417
00:16:47.435 --> 00:16:49.375
You see it in a series like IndyCar.
418
00:16:49.645 --> 00:16:51.175
Yeah, a hundred percent. Um,
419
00:16:51.635 --> 00:16:53.175
and that's something that we've leaned into
420
00:16:53.175 --> 00:16:54.375
heavily for the last Sure, yeah.
421
00:16:54.375 --> 00:16:58.855
20 years. Uh,
422
00:16:59.085 --> 00:17:00.895
it's funny, your, your progression, just so you know,
423
00:17:01.115 --> 00:17:04.415
I'm not sure if you saw Brad Pitt's interview on armchair
424
00:17:04.435 --> 00:17:05.655
expert with Dak Shepherd,
425
00:17:05.995 --> 00:17:08.535
but your progression is exactly the same as Brad Pitt.
426
00:17:08.535 --> 00:17:09.615
So you're basically Brad Pitt
427
00:17:10.295 --> 00:17:11.295
I thought of you.
428
00:17:11.295 --> 00:17:13.495
Yeah. Which I thought of you in that context. , I thought we
429
00:17:13.495 --> 00:17:14.495
Had Brad today.
430
00:17:14.495 --> 00:17:16.055
I do see some similarities. Yeah, I think he's next week.
431
00:17:16.435 --> 00:17:18.335
Um, he got robbed recently. I heard.
432
00:17:18.355 --> 00:17:19.855
So he is a little occupied with,
433
00:17:19.855 --> 00:17:21.135
with some, some of that stuff.
434
00:17:21.565 --> 00:17:24.095
Okay. So you, you start doing more videos just
435
00:17:24.095 --> 00:17:25.535
because of your idol curiosity.
436
00:17:26.035 --> 00:17:29.145
At what point does it go from, Hey,
437
00:17:29.145 --> 00:17:31.185
I'm doing these cool videos, people are liking them,
438
00:17:31.215 --> 00:17:34.105
they're, they're blowing up online to, Hey James,
439
00:17:34.175 --> 00:17:35.545
we'd like you to come out to a race.
440
00:17:35.805 --> 00:17:38.505
Hey, here's some money to post a video about X.
441
00:17:38.505 --> 00:17:41.705
Like, what was the first Motorsport related sort of like,
442
00:17:42.465 --> 00:17:44.395
like good job you got in that
443
00:17:44.395 --> 00:17:45.395
Sense?
444
00:17:45.395 --> 00:17:46.595
That's a great question. I'd have to go back
445
00:17:46.595 --> 00:17:48.555
and look at my post. I'm not exactly
446
00:17:49.025 --> 00:17:50.025
Dms.
447
00:17:50.025 --> 00:17:50.765
Yeah, I'm not exactly sure.
448
00:17:51.005 --> 00:17:53.525
I, I, I think the first big job
449
00:17:53.525 --> 00:17:57.525
that I was given was from Formula E and Okay.
450
00:17:57.555 --> 00:17:59.445
They, hi, they hired me last season
451
00:17:59.825 --> 00:18:01.325
to be a content creator over the
452
00:18:01.325 --> 00:18:02.365
course of the entire season.
453
00:18:02.905 --> 00:18:06.245
And so I went to round one of Season 10
454
00:18:06.865 --> 00:18:10.645
in Mexico City at the Auto Drer Mar or Monte Rodriguez.
455
00:18:11.385 --> 00:18:13.085
And I was,
456
00:18:13.945 --> 00:18:17.645
before then, I had, was not very familiar with Formula E,
457
00:18:17.645 --> 00:18:20.045
but I made a point to like watch Formula E Unplugged,
458
00:18:20.045 --> 00:18:21.325
which is like their version of Dry
459
00:18:21.325 --> 00:18:22.525
to Survive, which is on YouTube.
460
00:18:23.045 --> 00:18:25.965
I watched a lot of old races, I read up as much as I could
461
00:18:26.025 --> 00:18:30.205
to be as, uh, well versed in the series as I could, given
462
00:18:30.205 --> 00:18:31.845
that I had never watched a race before.
463
00:18:32.345 --> 00:18:34.205
Uh, and you know, they,
464
00:18:34.505 --> 00:18:36.885
and you know, they paid me like 10 grand over the course
465
00:18:36.885 --> 00:18:39.125
of the season to make, uh, videos for them.
466
00:18:39.985 --> 00:18:43.325
But I, I ended up delivering like 50 pieces of content
467
00:18:43.425 --> 00:18:45.525
for them over the course of the season
468
00:18:45.865 --> 00:18:47.325
and one of them that, um, it's a good deal.
469
00:18:48.045 --> 00:18:50.855
Yeah. And, um, o one of the videos that I made for them,
470
00:18:50.855 --> 00:18:52.615
which is just one I made in my garage,
471
00:18:52.615 --> 00:18:54.855
which was me explaining Formula E
472
00:18:54.855 --> 00:18:57.455
to myself was the most viral piece of content
473
00:18:57.485 --> 00:18:59.895
that they've ever had an outside creator make.
474
00:19:00.595 --> 00:19:03.935
Uh, and so they got their money back in my, in my opinion.
475
00:19:04.195 --> 00:19:07.655
And so I think that was, that was the first real sort
476
00:19:07.655 --> 00:19:09.095
of job I got out of this
477
00:19:09.095 --> 00:19:13.015
because I, not only did I get to attend Mexico City,
478
00:19:13.135 --> 00:19:16.135
I also got to attend rounds 13 and 14 in Portland.
479
00:19:17.035 --> 00:19:21.535
And it was so interesting to see, see the dynamic shift
480
00:19:21.535 --> 00:19:23.575
because I showed up at the beginning
481
00:19:23.575 --> 00:19:24.895
of the season in Mexico City.
482
00:19:25.315 --> 00:19:26.495
Nobody knows who I am.
483
00:19:26.495 --> 00:19:29.095
They think I'm just like this idiot, which I am,
484
00:19:29.315 --> 00:19:31.815
but , uh, making stupid content.
485
00:19:32.515 --> 00:19:35.215
And some of the drivers were on board, some maybe weren't
486
00:19:35.215 --> 00:19:36.855
because they weren't sure exactly what I was doing.
487
00:19:36.855 --> 00:19:39.415
And like, I also know, as you probably are familiar
488
00:19:39.415 --> 00:19:43.495
with this, uh, hinge, sometimes you have like a creator
489
00:19:44.055 --> 00:19:45.615
approach you to make a piece of content with you
490
00:19:46.035 --> 00:19:48.095
and you're not exactly sure what their intentions are.
491
00:19:48.095 --> 00:19:50.735
Like, are they gonna be, are they gonna be having fun
492
00:19:50.735 --> 00:19:51.815
with me or are they gonna
493
00:19:51.815 --> 00:19:52.935
try to make me the butt of the joke?
494
00:19:52.945 --> 00:19:54.575
Right? So there, there was like a lack
495
00:19:54.575 --> 00:19:56.895
of trust there the first round when I showed up.
496
00:19:57.355 --> 00:20:00.615
But by the time I got to Portland, this one video
497
00:20:01.235 --> 00:20:02.975
had just gone viral like the week before.
498
00:20:03.915 --> 00:20:07.135
And I had drivers coming up to me saying
499
00:20:07.135 --> 00:20:08.175
how much they liked my video
500
00:20:08.195 --> 00:20:10.495
and how they had like watched it in the debriefs.
501
00:20:10.535 --> 00:20:12.815
I had like James Barclay, who was the team principal
502
00:20:12.815 --> 00:20:15.535
of TCS Jaguar racing, like coming up to me saying
503
00:20:15.535 --> 00:20:16.575
how much he liked my stuff.
504
00:20:16.915 --> 00:20:19.095
And it was very weird that all of a sudden I showed up
505
00:20:19.095 --> 00:20:20.335
and like everybody knew who I was.
506
00:20:20.925 --> 00:20:24.255
Yeah, that is, that is an interesting, it,
507
00:20:24.255 --> 00:20:25.575
it's an interesting shift, right?
508
00:20:25.575 --> 00:20:27.455
But it's, it's true. You're, you're a hundred percent right
509
00:20:27.455 --> 00:20:29.775
when you say that when you know your PR person comes to you
510
00:20:29.775 --> 00:20:31.135
and they're like, Hey, you're doing this video
511
00:20:31.135 --> 00:20:33.255
with this person, and you're like, okay, what?
512
00:20:33.475 --> 00:20:36.735
And it's, it's got that sort of jokey tone to it. Yeah.
513
00:20:36.995 --> 00:20:38.575
You never know, you know,
514
00:20:38.675 --> 00:20:40.375
you are kinda opening yourself up a little bit.
515
00:20:40.795 --> 00:20:44.375
Um, I, I remember the first one of yours that I saw,
516
00:20:44.775 --> 00:20:48.485
I think was you explaining IndyCar to yourself.
517
00:20:48.565 --> 00:20:52.245
I think that was the first one that made it to my feed Yeah.
518
00:20:52.245 --> 00:20:53.765
And died laughing
519
00:20:53.765 --> 00:20:54.765
and then obviously had to binge
520
00:20:54.765 --> 00:20:56.125
everything else that you'd done up to that point.
521
00:20:56.145 --> 00:20:57.525
Oh, thanks.
So that's,
522
00:20:57.525 --> 00:20:59.925
but yeah, I mean, it's, it's gotta be cool kind
523
00:20:59.925 --> 00:21:01.165
of breaking into these worlds, right?
524
00:21:01.165 --> 00:21:03.725
Because I imagine you've seen the same sort of thing from F1
525
00:21:03.905 --> 00:21:05.005
and from IndyCar as well.
526
00:21:06.005 --> 00:21:08.605
I would say I get a lot more love from the world
527
00:21:08.605 --> 00:21:10.325
of IndyCar than I do from Formula One,
528
00:21:10.325 --> 00:21:14.165
because I think Formula One still has like this old guard
529
00:21:14.465 --> 00:21:15.965
of fandom there.
530
00:21:15.965 --> 00:21:18.645
There's, there's still a lot of gatekeepers. Yeah. Fan.
531
00:21:18.645 --> 00:21:21.525
The last appropriate time, the last appropriate time
532
00:21:21.525 --> 00:21:24.485
to get into F1 is whenever you personally got into it,
533
00:21:24.485 --> 00:21:26.485
anybody who got in after you correct?
534
00:21:26.485 --> 00:21:28.325
Yes. Doesn't, isn't isn't a real fan.
535
00:21:28.505 --> 00:21:30.725
You're not, like, you're not allowed to love, uh,
536
00:21:30.785 --> 00:21:32.085
if you're involved in Formula One.
537
00:21:32.085 --> 00:21:33.765
So that's probably why you're not feeling as much.
538
00:21:33.875 --> 00:21:35.565
It's not really, it's not a personal thing.
539
00:21:35.565 --> 00:21:37.325
They're, they're physically incapable in that world.
540
00:21:37.325 --> 00:21:39.565
Yeah. So I, I get a lot of, uh,
541
00:21:40.245 --> 00:21:42.565
negative feedback from my Formula One content a bit
542
00:21:42.565 --> 00:21:44.405
because people, a lot
543
00:21:44.405 --> 00:21:47.445
of the older fans just don't like the way the sport is
544
00:21:47.685 --> 00:21:48.685
consumed today.
545
00:21:49.025 --> 00:21:51.165
And that that's not just with content creators,
546
00:21:51.275 --> 00:21:54.285
it's also like how we consume sports in general
547
00:21:54.385 --> 00:21:56.325
and social media and and whatnot.
548
00:21:56.985 --> 00:22:00.005
But I get a lot more love from IndyCar people than
549
00:22:00.245 --> 00:22:01.325
I do from F1.
550
00:22:01.515 --> 00:22:06.165
Like going to the Indy 500 was very surreal
551
00:22:06.165 --> 00:22:07.165
because, and,
552
00:22:07.165 --> 00:22:09.125
and I'm not, I'm not exaggerating when I say like,
553
00:22:09.125 --> 00:22:10.565
over the course of those three, and I'm sure you get this
554
00:22:10.565 --> 00:22:12.165
all the time at Hitch, but like, I have like a hundred
555
00:22:12.165 --> 00:22:13.485
people ask for photos with me
556
00:22:13.485 --> 00:22:14.845
and like, stop me and talk, talk to me.
557
00:22:14.845 --> 00:22:16.045
Which like was very weird.
558
00:22:16.185 --> 00:22:17.685
I'm like, I'm just sitting in my garage
559
00:22:17.705 --> 00:22:18.805
making these dumb videos.
560
00:22:19.475 --> 00:22:21.765
Like I don't think I realized, uh,
561
00:22:21.985 --> 00:22:25.045
how many people were into it, you know?
562
00:22:25.075 --> 00:22:26.685
Yeah. I, I, I,
563
00:22:26.905 --> 00:22:29.165
I'm like secretly hoping one of them stopped you.
564
00:22:29.165 --> 00:22:30.645
Like, Hey, are you the spectrum guy? I .
565
00:22:33.705 --> 00:22:36.005
The funniest moment that happened is the first day I
566
00:22:36.005 --> 00:22:38.885
showed up, it was like Thursday, so it was like media day,
567
00:22:38.885 --> 00:22:41.445
the day before Carb Day, I'm walking into the media center
568
00:22:41.465 --> 00:22:43.205
and I had like five people stop me
569
00:22:43.205 --> 00:22:44.685
and asked for photos, which I
570
00:22:44.685 --> 00:22:45.965
thought, I was like, oh, this is cool.
571
00:22:45.995 --> 00:22:47.685
Like, people know who I am here.
572
00:22:48.225 --> 00:22:50.085
And then another guy came up to me, he goes,
573
00:22:50.085 --> 00:22:51.365
Hey, I love your IndyCar videos.
574
00:22:51.365 --> 00:22:53.045
Thanks so much for everything you're doing for the sport.
575
00:22:53.045 --> 00:22:54.845
Really love him. I'm like, great, you want a picture?
576
00:22:55.065 --> 00:22:56.485
He goes, nah man, I'm
577
00:22:56.645 --> 00:22:57.645
good.
.
578
00:23:00.365 --> 00:23:01.485
I was like, thank you. I needed that.
579
00:23:01.645 --> 00:23:03.085
I needed someone to humble me
580
00:23:03.385 --> 00:23:04.485
and bring me back down there you
581
00:23:04.875 --> 00:23:05.875
Just for a little bit.
582
00:23:06.345 --> 00:23:07.525
Oh, that's fantastic. .
583
00:23:08.985 --> 00:23:11.485
So let's talk a bit about your, you're coming to the 500
584
00:23:11.645 --> 00:23:13.205
'cause you were a guest of McLaren, right?
585
00:23:14.265 --> 00:23:15.565
Yes. Yeah, yeah,
586
00:23:15.915 --> 00:23:16.915
Yeah.
587
00:23:16.915 --> 00:23:18.045
I mean, you did the Super eight content
588
00:23:18.135 --> 00:23:19.565
where you were filming that stuff.
589
00:23:19.585 --> 00:23:22.045
And I mean, was did it,
590
00:23:22.045 --> 00:23:23.765
was the Canons that reached out to you right?
591
00:23:23.785 --> 00:23:25.045
And like, did they have a,
592
00:23:25.285 --> 00:23:26.685
a specific thing they wanted to do?
593
00:23:26.705 --> 00:23:28.085
Or was it just like, Hey, come on out.
594
00:23:28.225 --> 00:23:30.085
So essentially what happened is I was at Long Beach
595
00:23:30.545 --> 00:23:33.925
and I was, I,
596
00:23:34.045 --> 00:23:35.605
I brought a video videographer there
597
00:23:35.605 --> 00:23:37.125
and I, I was there with Indy Carr
598
00:23:37.745 --> 00:23:40.205
and I was just getting some driver interviews.
599
00:23:40.285 --> 00:23:43.005
I interviewed, you know, Scott McLaughlin, Felix Rosenquist,
600
00:23:43.005 --> 00:23:45.725
Marcus Armstrong, uh, David Lucas.
601
00:23:45.865 --> 00:23:49.285
And I was doing, um, a my videographer was following me
602
00:23:49.285 --> 00:23:51.365
around during practice one when I was just walking up
603
00:23:51.365 --> 00:23:54.205
and down the pits and I was just sort of, you know,
604
00:23:54.205 --> 00:23:57.125
getting B roll and also just sort of doing some commentary.
605
00:23:57.705 --> 00:23:59.965
And as we were leaving the pits
606
00:23:59.965 --> 00:24:03.005
after the first practice session, uh,
607
00:24:03.005 --> 00:24:05.765
someone from Aaron McLaren came up to me who I'd never met
608
00:24:05.765 --> 00:24:07.325
before, and it's like, Hey, when are you gonna come
609
00:24:07.325 --> 00:24:08.605
take a garage tour?
610
00:24:08.745 --> 00:24:10.085
And I had no idea who this person was.
611
00:24:10.205 --> 00:24:12.205
I was like, uh, I don't know, do you want
612
00:24:12.205 --> 00:24:13.525
to, how about after this session?
613
00:24:13.585 --> 00:24:16.365
He is like, sure. Turns out it was, uh, Benito Santos
614
00:24:16.385 --> 00:24:18.965
or Bonni Dos Santos, who is the head
615
00:24:18.965 --> 00:24:20.645
of brand marketing from Aaron McLaren.
616
00:24:20.645 --> 00:24:24.485
Yeah. And he ended up giving me a
617
00:24:24.485 --> 00:24:26.085
tour of, of the garage.
618
00:24:26.145 --> 00:24:27.725
And we filmed it and it was great.
619
00:24:27.785 --> 00:24:31.685
And I, I, I got to meet, uh, Lauren got in.
620
00:24:31.945 --> 00:24:36.405
And then also when I left Benito then texted me that Tony
621
00:24:37.345 --> 00:24:38.965
had watched my videos before
622
00:24:39.105 --> 00:24:42.445
and was pissed that he didn't bring him out to meet me.
623
00:24:43.125 --> 00:24:45.765
'cause at First Benita, 'cause at first Bonita was like,
624
00:24:45.905 --> 00:24:46.965
oh, Tony's really busy.
625
00:24:47.075 --> 00:24:48.925
Like, sorry, you're not gonna get a chance to meet him.
626
00:24:49.065 --> 00:24:50.925
But then he texted me later saying Tony was pissed
627
00:24:50.925 --> 00:24:52.725
that he didn't get to get to meet me .
628
00:24:53.505 --> 00:24:57.805
So, so Tony, uh, decided he wanted to bring me out, uh, to,
629
00:24:58.305 --> 00:25:00.365
for the 500 and make some content.
630
00:25:01.265 --> 00:25:04.485
And I made like four videos with Tony, uh, made,
631
00:25:04.685 --> 00:25:06.845
I interviewed Nolan and and Christian
632
00:25:07.505 --> 00:25:10.205
and then the super eight thing was just like an
633
00:25:10.205 --> 00:25:11.325
extra thing that I had.
634
00:25:11.465 --> 00:25:13.245
I'd like, I got really drunk one night
635
00:25:13.245 --> 00:25:14.445
and bought a Super eight film camera.
636
00:25:15.105 --> 00:25:18.485
And, uh, as one does, We've all been there
637
00:25:18.785 --> 00:25:20.285
and I never like used it before.
638
00:25:20.545 --> 00:25:22.805
And it, it, some of it was pretty out of focus,
639
00:25:22.945 --> 00:25:24.605
but some of it also came out pretty well.
640
00:25:24.705 --> 00:25:26.685
And that was fun. So, yeah. So
641
00:25:27.075 --> 00:25:29.845
What was, what for you, you know, that was your first time
642
00:25:29.845 --> 00:25:30.925
with the 500, I'm assuming?
643
00:25:30.925 --> 00:25:35.125
Yeah. So what was the highlight of the weekend for you
644
00:25:35.225 --> 00:25:38.805
and why was it the weenie 500 ? The
645
00:25:38.805 --> 00:25:40.125
Weenie 500 was amazing.
646
00:25:40.385 --> 00:25:43.325
Oh my God. I think also on top of the, the,
647
00:25:43.625 --> 00:25:45.485
the weenie 500 y'all's commentary
648
00:25:46.105 --> 00:25:48.365
on the weenie 500 was so good.
649
00:25:48.565 --> 00:25:50.365
I was just thinking you guys must have spent like a week
650
00:25:50.505 --> 00:25:54.565
coming up with as many hot dog puns as you could. No less
651
00:25:54.565 --> 00:25:55.565
Was like an hour.
652
00:25:55.585 --> 00:25:58.525
We, we got told very late that this was even happening
653
00:25:58.625 --> 00:26:01.045
and like, what we were supposed to be doing during it,
654
00:26:01.145 --> 00:26:03.685
and we were making most of this up on the fly.
655
00:26:04.105 --> 00:26:07.205
We had had like a short list of some like, oh, this one,
656
00:26:07.205 --> 00:26:08.925
you know, we gotta catch up to the car in front,
657
00:26:08.925 --> 00:26:10.205
like the really corny ones.
658
00:26:10.425 --> 00:26:11.685
And then it just snowballed
659
00:26:11.685 --> 00:26:14.765
until like increasingly in inappropriate innuendo esque,
660
00:26:14.765 --> 00:26:17.285
but like got totally into jokes straight real quick.
661
00:26:17.715 --> 00:26:20.685
Yeah, yeah. And the best, as Buxton tells a story,
662
00:26:20.715 --> 00:26:22.805
he's like, I didn't realize till like halfway
663
00:26:22.805 --> 00:26:25.005
through Lap two that you guys were doing jokes.
664
00:26:25.165 --> 00:26:26.685
I thought we were still doing hotdog jokes. .
665
00:26:29.265 --> 00:26:30.285
And I was like, I was like,
666
00:26:30.385 --> 00:26:32.605
you dropped Slippery Wiener in there. .
667
00:26:32.925 --> 00:26:34.805
That's a legit hotdog joke for you.
668
00:26:34.875 --> 00:26:35.925
Like, what kind of world,
669
00:26:36.195 --> 00:26:38.725
what are they eating over there in England? Jesus,
670
00:26:38.825 --> 00:26:40.485
Man, it was, it was so good.
671
00:26:40.885 --> 00:26:42.765
I was, because I was listening to the, uh,
672
00:26:43.295 --> 00:26:45.685
commentary on my radio when I was at the track
673
00:26:46.065 --> 00:26:48.045
and I was just cracking up at all
674
00:26:48.045 --> 00:26:49.685
the jokes you guys were making. It was so fun.
675
00:26:49.865 --> 00:26:52.845
We knew, I'm still mad that I had to interview Creed
676
00:26:52.845 --> 00:26:55.645
during that and like interviewing Creed is
677
00:26:55.645 --> 00:26:56.685
pretty cool, right?
678
00:26:56.685 --> 00:26:58.845
Yeah. Like, that's not something to be mad about,
679
00:26:58.865 --> 00:27:01.125
but I was like, but I wanted to watch the Weenie 500.
680
00:27:01.475 --> 00:27:03.365
Yeah. It, it is, it is unfortunate
681
00:27:03.365 --> 00:27:05.725
that you were in a situation where interviewing,
682
00:27:05.915 --> 00:27:08.525
like an interview with Creed was the second coolest thing
683
00:27:08.525 --> 00:27:10.605
happening in that space at that time.
684
00:27:10.745 --> 00:27:11.925
My daughter left, yes.
685
00:27:11.925 --> 00:27:14.645
My daughter left watching me interview Creed
686
00:27:14.945 --> 00:27:17.285
to go watch the weenie 500.
687
00:27:18.345 --> 00:27:19.925
Her defense. Yeah, I heard of,
688
00:27:19.965 --> 00:27:21.965
but it heard of it's like a, like a 10 ish year
689
00:27:21.985 --> 00:27:23.205
old, you know, girl
690
00:27:23.405 --> 00:27:24.405
Probably.
691
00:27:24.405 --> 00:27:24.925
Oh, I would've done the, the exact same thing though.
692
00:27:25.265 --> 00:27:26.845
Not a huge Creed fan
693
00:27:27.345 --> 00:27:29.125
and the, you know, novelty
694
00:27:29.125 --> 00:27:31.165
of six giant hotdog racing each other.
695
00:27:31.185 --> 00:27:33.165
The Speedway probably was a little more captivating.
696
00:27:33.705 --> 00:27:36.445
Uh, James, what do you have on the
697
00:27:37.365 --> 00:27:39.445
calendar coming up any more IndyCar races this year?
698
00:27:39.545 --> 00:27:42.285
Any more F1 races this year? What's the, what's the plan?
699
00:27:43.245 --> 00:27:47.765
I think I might be going to Coda, uh,
700
00:27:47.785 --> 00:27:51.605
for the USGP with a brand that has not solidified yet.
701
00:27:51.665 --> 00:27:53.605
But other than that, no other plans.
702
00:27:53.885 --> 00:27:57.005
I have exhausted all of my PTO this year
703
00:27:57.315 --> 00:27:58.315
From .
704
00:27:58.565 --> 00:28:01.885
So like I can't really travel to that many other races at
705
00:28:01.885 --> 00:28:02.885
This point.
706
00:28:02.885 --> 00:28:03.965
That's a fair point. That's a fair point.
707
00:28:04.385 --> 00:28:08.165
Is there, like, is there a point at which you cross
708
00:28:08.195 --> 00:28:11.045
that threshold where you're like, day jobs are cool,
709
00:28:11.045 --> 00:28:14.525
but like this is something that could be more beneficial
710
00:28:14.545 --> 00:28:15.685
for me and my family?
711
00:28:16.365 --> 00:28:17.525
Possibly. I, you know,
712
00:28:17.545 --> 00:28:19.965
at this point it's still very much like a,
713
00:28:20.245 --> 00:28:21.645
a a lucrative side hustle,
714
00:28:21.785 --> 00:28:24.885
but not enough for me to make enough money to,
715
00:28:24.985 --> 00:28:26.685
to support, to support my family.
716
00:28:27.065 --> 00:28:29.405
And I really do enjoy my day job
717
00:28:29.465 --> 00:28:32.165
and I like the people that I work with, so I'm going to try
718
00:28:32.265 --> 00:28:36.445
to balance both as long as I possibly can. So we'll see.
719
00:28:36.985 --> 00:28:39.085
Do, do people at work get super jealous
720
00:28:39.155 --> 00:28:42.605
that your weekends are like at the Indy 500 and F1 races
721
00:28:42.665 --> 00:28:43.925
and you're meeting all these people
722
00:28:43.925 --> 00:28:45.045
and doing all this cool shit?
723
00:28:45.785 --> 00:28:48.605
It some, some are Motorsport fans, but then, then also
724
00:28:48.605 --> 00:28:51.525
because especially in the United States, motorsport is,
725
00:28:51.705 --> 00:28:53.645
is still relatively niche.
726
00:28:53.835 --> 00:28:56.205
Some people have no idea what I'm doing and they don't
727
00:28:56.205 --> 00:28:57.205
care.
.
728
00:28:59.825 --> 00:29:00.925
And that's probably for the
729
00:29:00.925 --> 00:29:01.965
best. That's probably for best. Like,
730
00:29:01.985 --> 00:29:04.165
Oh, that's nice you make little car content, good for
731
00:29:04.165 --> 00:29:08.125
you.
, something like that
732
00:29:08.505 --> 00:29:09.885
Can also relate living in La .
733
00:29:11.545 --> 00:29:14.125
That's a great point. Yeah, that's a great point, Tim.
734
00:29:14.265 --> 00:29:16.245
Uh, I never thought about it in the context of you
735
00:29:16.405 --> 00:29:18.045
'cause I don't think about you that
736
00:29:18.045 --> 00:29:19.045
Often.
737
00:29:19.045 --> 00:29:19.725
Yeah, you don't really think about me. Um, yeah,
738
00:29:20.065 --> 00:29:21.065
No, no, no.
739
00:29:21.065 --> 00:29:23.085
You make that very clear, caring context.
740
00:29:23.585 --> 00:29:26.485
Uh, well James, look, I, I gotta just tell you from, I,
741
00:29:26.485 --> 00:29:29.005
I was a huge fan from the very first piece
742
00:29:29.005 --> 00:29:30.405
of content I ever saw of yours.
743
00:29:30.505 --> 00:29:32.605
Oh, thank you. I continue to be,
744
00:29:33.185 --> 00:29:35.285
and you know, for me, I just love the fact
745
00:29:35.285 --> 00:29:38.485
that you are appealing to this new generation
746
00:29:38.825 --> 00:29:40.485
of Motorsports fan.
747
00:29:40.865 --> 00:29:44.485
You are educating them on not just one series, but all
748
00:29:44.825 --> 00:29:47.125
and kind of helping bring more people, you know,
749
00:29:47.145 --> 00:29:48.725
to the sport, to the track,
750
00:29:49.025 --> 00:29:50.765
to the TV broadcast, whatever it is.
751
00:29:50.785 --> 00:29:53.285
You, you are truly doing our sport a huge service.
752
00:29:53.385 --> 00:29:55.405
And we all really appreciate you for that. Oh,
753
00:29:55.405 --> 00:29:56.845
Thank you. Yeah, it's,
754
00:29:56.845 --> 00:29:59.125
it's
, Tim
755
00:29:59.125 --> 00:30:00.125
Frank.
756
00:30:00.125 --> 00:30:03.485
You're fine. Listen, it's, it's, it's been a lot of fun
757
00:30:03.705 --> 00:30:05.525
and I think when I first came along, I think
758
00:30:05.525 --> 00:30:07.685
what the appeal was, the fact was the fact
759
00:30:07.685 --> 00:30:10.045
that there wasn't a ton of like comedic content in this
760
00:30:10.045 --> 00:30:12.165
space before I started doing this.
761
00:30:12.225 --> 00:30:15.285
The only people I really saw doing it were, uh, Connor Moore
762
00:30:15.305 --> 00:30:16.405
who does the impressions.
763
00:30:16.665 --> 00:30:18.845
He is like, he's, he's amazing and super talented
764
00:30:19.585 --> 00:30:21.885
and, uh, the, the red flags guys,
765
00:30:21.905 --> 00:30:24.285
but their stuff is like in podcast form, right?
766
00:30:24.285 --> 00:30:25.685
They don't really do like sketches
767
00:30:25.685 --> 00:30:27.045
Or, and nobody likes podcasts, hand
768
00:30:27.045 --> 00:30:28.045
Loads,
.
769
00:30:29.665 --> 00:30:32.965
And, uh, yeah, it, I'm, it's, it's been fun
770
00:30:32.965 --> 00:30:34.445
to like take this skillset
771
00:30:34.475 --> 00:30:36.725
that I've developed over like a decade
772
00:30:37.185 --> 00:30:39.725
and apply it to something like niche
773
00:30:39.745 --> 00:30:41.645
and specific like, like Motorsport.
774
00:30:41.705 --> 00:30:43.805
And I love it. I want to continue to learn as much
775
00:30:43.805 --> 00:30:47.005
as I can about it and, um, yeah,
776
00:30:47.395 --> 00:30:49.335
just keep it going.
777
00:30:50.045 --> 00:30:51.095
Love it. Love it. Yeah.
778
00:30:51.095 --> 00:30:53.015
Well again, thanks for what you do. Thanks for coming out,
779
00:30:53.235 --> 00:30:55.015
uh, coming on the show and coming out.
780
00:30:55.015 --> 00:30:56.295
You went in your basement. Thanks for coming
781
00:30:56.295 --> 00:30:58.015
to your basement to be on the show. Thanks for the time.
782
00:30:58.165 --> 00:30:59.375
He's in his garage. He's in his
783
00:30:59.375 --> 00:31:00.375
Garage.
784
00:31:00.375 --> 00:31:01.095
Oh, garage. Sorry, gr yeah. Yeah.
785
00:31:01.095 --> 00:31:02.815
The basement was the, the Wayne's world. I
786
00:31:03.395 --> 00:31:05.135
See, I see some fire suits. Come on. You've
787
00:31:05.135 --> 00:31:06.135
Never seen Zodiac.
788
00:31:06.135 --> 00:31:07.735
There are no basements in California.
789
00:31:07.875 --> 00:31:10.295
That's true.
Great point. That's a great point.
790
00:31:10.635 --> 00:31:13.095
Nor should there be, um, I'm bummed
791
00:31:13.095 --> 00:31:15.575
that you have no car races on the schedule coming up,
792
00:31:15.575 --> 00:31:17.095
but I totally understand why I hope
793
00:31:17.095 --> 00:31:18.575
that we get you out to one soon.
794
00:31:19.015 --> 00:31:21.655
'cause I like what you do and it'd be fun to go grab a beer,
795
00:31:21.955 --> 00:31:22.975
but in the meantime,
796
00:31:23.415 --> 00:31:25.695
I see a road trip to Monterey coming up for us.
797
00:31:25.695 --> 00:31:27.455
Vince
. It's not, that's, I mean,
798
00:31:27.455 --> 00:31:28.695
you could just come for the weekend, right?
799
00:31:28.775 --> 00:31:31.175
I mean, it's, you're right. You don't have, it's, you know,
800
00:31:31.365 --> 00:31:32.735
it's just saying, I've done
801
00:31:32.735 --> 00:31:35.055
that drive Friday, it's not a big deal.
802
00:31:35.855 --> 00:31:37.455
Portland's a short flight, you know?
803
00:31:38.035 --> 00:31:40.415
Are y'all bringing the N 64 to every race now?
804
00:31:40.835 --> 00:31:42.775
It is in the booth. It's part of the booth package.
805
00:31:42.885 --> 00:31:44.455
Like, it travels to all races.
806
00:31:44.515 --> 00:31:47.095
It is set up every week and it is hilarious.
807
00:31:47.395 --> 00:31:49.255
Is it? I'm the only guy Mario Kart?
808
00:31:49.995 --> 00:31:52.335
No. So we, we started with goldeneye, we opened
809
00:31:52.335 --> 00:31:53.455
with goldeneye Classic.
810
00:31:53.635 --> 00:31:56.375
We have, we've gotten, uh, we've got about six
811
00:31:56.375 --> 00:31:57.375
or seven games now,
812
00:31:57.375 --> 00:31:58.615
but I think we've only managed
813
00:31:58.615 --> 00:32:00.655
to play Mario Carton Goldeneye, which
814
00:32:00.755 --> 00:32:01.755
That's all you need.
815
00:32:01.875 --> 00:32:03.095
The only two that really matter.
816
00:32:03.275 --> 00:32:05.375
So like, it would have to be an extended rain delay for us
817
00:32:05.375 --> 00:32:07.535
to branch outside of that. Sure. Um,
818
00:32:07.645 --> 00:32:09.135
Yeah, I mean, could play a
819
00:32:09.315 --> 00:32:10.695
of time, but that's a single player
820
00:32:10.695 --> 00:32:11.695
game.
.
821
00:32:11.695 --> 00:32:12.655
Yeah, we're not, that's, I'm just
822
00:32:12.655 --> 00:32:14.735
About you guys sitting in the booth watching Townsend Bell
823
00:32:14.735 --> 00:32:16.935
trying to learn how to play Merola's mask I
824
00:32:17.165 --> 00:32:18.175
With the water temple .
825
00:32:19.605 --> 00:32:22.935
Whoa. That spike ball came outta nowhere.
826
00:32:23.805 --> 00:32:26.855
This is the BTS content the world did know they needed.
827
00:32:27.115 --> 00:32:28.495
And, uh, and the water. I can't wait
828
00:32:28.495 --> 00:32:29.495
For it.
829
00:32:29.495 --> 00:32:30.215
The water temple comes back with
830
00:32:30.215 --> 00:32:31.215
anger.
,
831
00:32:32.215 --> 00:32:34.015
I think we can all agree the water temple can get,
832
00:32:34.805 --> 00:32:35.805
It's the worst.
833
00:32:35.955 --> 00:32:37.615
Always has been, always will be.
834
00:32:38.035 --> 00:32:42.045
Uh, , thanks again for coming out pal
835
00:32:42.225 --> 00:32:44.765
and uh, we will chat to you soon
836
00:32:44.825 --> 00:32:47.325
and eagerly look forward to whatever you, uh,
837
00:32:47.325 --> 00:32:48.605
produce next. Awesome.
838
00:32:48.605 --> 00:32:51.485
Thanks y'all.
This has been off
839
00:32:51.485 --> 00:32:52.605
track with Hinch and Rossi.
840
00:32:52.745 --> 00:32:55.925
Off Track is part of the Sirius XM Sports Podcast Network.
841
00:32:56.385 --> 00:32:57.525
If you enjoyed this episode
842
00:32:57.605 --> 00:32:59.845
and want to hear more, please give a five star
843
00:32:59.845 --> 00:33:00.885
rating and leave a review.
844
00:33:01.485 --> 00:33:03.685
Subscribe today, wherever you stream your podcasts.
845
00:33:03.865 --> 00:33:06.645
We are at Ask Offtrack on Twitter and Instagram.
846
00:33:06.825 --> 00:33:09.525
And if you wanna follow us on Twitter, we're at Hinch Town
847
00:33:09.525 --> 00:33:10.845
and at Alexander Rossi.
848
00:33:11.065 --> 00:33:12.445
If you wanna follow them though,
849
00:33:12.445 --> 00:33:13.925
we have no idea why you would.
850
00:33:14.315 --> 00:33:17.005
He's at the Tim Durham on Twitter.
851
00:33:17.555 --> 00:33:19.525
Find us on YouTube and subscribe to our channel
852
00:33:19.545 --> 00:33:20.765
for exclusive video content.
853
00:33:21.265 --> 00:33:24.285
Off Track is produced by Tim Durham, and by that we mean f.