Episode 18 - Joe Fister: CIR SCCA President |Throwin' Wrenches Automotive Podcast

Thanks for tuning into the only Peoria Automotive Podcast that is racing and showing cars in Peoria… Yeah, all of our recent automotive activities make us feel like we have some swagger! Daryl has been showing and organizing events with the Illinois Valley Antique Automobile Club. Meanwhile, Eric was on the autocross course 2 weeks ago with the daughter’s Celica.

We have heard your feedback… And we have been getting more and more requests for interviews! Your in luck vocal fan… We have secured a good one for this episode.

On this episode, we are very pleased to bring on Joe Fister (Pronounced “Feester”). Joe is currently the President of the Central Illinois Region Sports Car Club of America chapter. CIR SCCA for short. Joe and the rest of the CIR board are working hard to bring sport racing to Central Illinois. We dig into the origins of the CIR SCCA and what brought Joe to the sport.

Project talk

Eric has more Kubota tractor talk, and that lead into service and parts staff that need a VIN number to talk to customers. Does this drive you nuts as well? Daryl is still working on the Super-Tahoe and its driveshaft leak. This week’s guest, Joe, is working on the big stuff! He’s swapping motors in his mothballed race-car 2005 Ford Focus ZX4 ST (more on this rare bird in the episode!) We then bait him into talking about how he met his wife. Sounds like they are a match made in heaven… if heaven were a racetrack. Lots of love for the Mother-In-Law as well! (Great job grabbing those brownie points, Joe. You other married guys take note!)

International News

European small cars are an endangered species?

A peak into the dystopian future of small cars is illustrated in this article about tech and emissions legislation taking over the reins of European small car sales. Medium and large cars have the markup capacity. Small cars do not.

It’s gonna be a bloodbath as they start phasing out models.

This also begs the question… If those medium and large cars have the capacity to absorb the cost, why don’t we understand those cars are overpriced? Small cars are a great value based on this logic?

Read all about it here: https://www.autonews.com/automakers-suppliers/europes-small-cars-endangered-species

Local News

Illinois Gas Prices

Gas went up .19 cents per gallon starting July 1st. Also, annual vehicle registrations are going up. Did you also hear that you will be capped on the trade in value for your trade a max of $10,000. Electric Car taxes are way up as well! $1,000 for your annual registration? Cue the eye rolls.

Who’s claiming the actual value of their vehicle at the DMV even they register a purchased car? Does anyone know how it works at the DMV? Get your “bills of sale” ready!

Rivian Parkway is the new hip route in Normal IL

Rivian Parkway? A local website, not to be named, because Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc, says that we can’t mention the article reporting this traffic route name change without fear of litigation… but, we did. Sorry CI Proud… It’s a city council vote and that’s public record. (Casey Law Office, are we protected?)

We later wax poetic about the legacy of the former Mitsubishi factory that has sat idle for years. Notice a lot of cars in the parking lot? Well, it’s still filled up with buy-back diesel Volkswagen’s and Audi’s with parts waiting to be replaced. Whats a bar of boost? Is that like a “stone”?

Joe Fister: The interview

Interview time! We pick Joe’s brain and find out about his experience as a founding member of the CIR SCCA. The current club is not that old. Joe walks us through the past couple of years and how the group was reformed.

We then get into the family aspect of CIR SCCA. Joe, his wife and daughter live SCCA! They all race, and they get out every weekend and support their daughter’s cart racing.

We also ask Joe about banning those unruly types on race day. We seem fixated on banning people for stupidity or poor driving. Joe lets us down and tells us that its not really that common.

Joe also explains what the future of the SCCA looks like in our area?

Moment of Musk

Tesla sold a bunch of cars in the first three months of the year, and the stock price was celebrating this. We don’t really care… We want to know what the heck “Thud.com” is! Elon decided to throw a cool 2 mill into this Onion-style parody site that was supposed to be the next big thing. It wasn’t.

Hey Elon: If you’ve got some spare change, we know two guys in central Illinois who are rocking an automotive podcast that spoofs you every two weeks!

Riff Zone

Eric watched Idiocracy with his son, a movie that Daryl has never seen? The Mike Judge film has been hailed as an accurate vision of the near future of the United States. There are sites dedicated to the 20 year old movie and how Judge got it right. There was a new item foretold that Eric noticed while watching this week, the car being shut down as soon a fugitive was determined to be in the vehicle. Coming soon? (Also… we’ll say this movie has won when slot machines make it into the hospital)

Here is a link to one of those clickbait sites that tells you all the things Idiocracy got right. Except cell phones… Cell phones are weirdly missing in the movie Link: https://www.ranker.com/list/ways-idiocracy-has-come-true/mike-rothschild

In other news, Daryl is sick of getting passed up by aggressive drivers whenever he’s in an older car. There seems to be a disease called “Pass the old car” even if that car is going the speed limit or better. There must be a preconcieved notion that because it’s old, it will be slow. In the case of a Model T, sure. In the case of a 50-year-old Volvo or 72-year-old Chevy? Not so much. Modern drivers also commonly pull out in front of old cars to avoid being “stuck behind the slow poke”. Perhaps a stealthy LS swap is in order to really show some of these commuters who’s slow.

Cars of the Week

Daryl: 1978 Dodge Power Wagon Pickup

With a 383 and manual trans, this shortbed is a solid example of a truck we seldom see. They usually rotted out here in the Midwest (like most trucks) but this one is featured for sale on eBay in Atlanta for a modest price of $7,800. In a time where nice trucks cost about $800 a month and have as much style as the Maytag that washes your underwear, this is a welcome throwback to the days when roll bars, fat white-lettered tires and a set of dual exhaust meant you were ready for adventure… or a nearby watering hole and a pack of Marlboro’s. Also, this sorta looks like the Dodge Power Wagon from the TV show Simon and Simon, which was BAD ASS! Long live real trucks!

Eric: Euro 1964 Mercedes-Benz 230SL

Mercedes 230 SL — *Photo: Bring a Trailer*

So, we all know the post-1971 Mercedes SL, or long body coupe convertible of the elite set for eons. Growing up in Central Illinois, every small town had one couple with one in the garage to broadcast their wealth and worldliness.

But, very seldom seen in these parts are the pre-1971 SL’s. It’s is a timeless and gorgeous machine that I have admired for decades.

The Wife and I saw one years ago in Seattle on our honeymoon in a soft yellow or cream color. Damn it was pretty and has left an impression on me that has stayed for 25 years. Dream car someday? Maybe. Car sold on Bring a Trailer for $45,500.

Joe: Formula Mazda race car

Joe is going all out on his pick for a car of the week. He would comb the classifieds for a Formula Mazda that’s prepped and ready for the track. These cars are built with a carbon-fiber chassis, a 250 horsepower Renesis rotary motor, and a 6-speed transmission. They’re a great way to build up to an Indy Car career, or just got race like the big dogs but with a slightly more manageable budget. We say slightly more manageable but a race car is always going to cost some coin. Good thing we’re just using play money here. Regardless, these cars are a blast to drive and Joe wants one. There’s a few that can be had for $15-28K on sites like Racing Junk. WARNING: This one is another rabbit hole that you’re going to wish you had never heard of! Visit it anyway.

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Episode 18 – Joe Fister – CIR SCCA President

Project talk

International News

European small cars are an endangered species?