Giovanni’s Superfan Sidebar 10/24/2014 – A.J. Baime

Giovanni’s Superfan Sidebar 10/24/2014 – A.J. Baime

A real time blog where Superfan Giovanni does recap and commentary on the show as it happens and opines on all things ACS

Guest A.J. Baime

Recorded 10-21-2014 – Release Date 10-24-2014

Production Number #1439

Show Page
A.J. is joining Adam for a rare one on one podcast, he expresses his desire to do the show and Adam explains how he uses the livery of Pedro Rodriquez’s livery from his GT40 at Le Mans.

Adam is citing the battles between Ferrari and Ford, he cites Ferrari’s dick status for inspiring Ford to create the GT40 and how when you piss off super rich and industrial guys you end up making a powerful foe.

Adam plugs A.J.’s latest book and mentions his favorite the Doolittle Raid.

 

Adam is now going in depth with A.J about the American intervention in WWII and the role the U.S. Car manufactures played in our victory.

They lap back to Edsel Ford and his tragic existence despite his father’s legacy or possibly because of it.

Adam is back to the car manufacturers and factories that were so quickly retooled into manufacturing facilities for various vehicles and equipment of war.

 

A.J. goes in depth on the work of Cadillac building gyroscopes for the war effort, Adam is trying to recall the Nordon bomb site and how such complex components could be outsourced to civilian companies and workforces.

Adam brings up the unrealistic idea of trying to create and build the Golden Gate Bridge today, A.J. says you couldn’t build it today.

A.J. brings up the medical records for the Ford employees and how dangerous it was to being doing this work and how priorities shift in wartime.

 

Adam brings up the Ferrari legacy of deceased drivers and explains how speed was the prime focus over safety.

Adam is now connecting it to the airplanes brought up by A.J. and cites the B29’s and B24’s and the advanced technology in ball turret gunning equipment.

Adam mocks the same era of automotive racing that didn’t have roll bars and cages, Gary updates Adam on the aircraft info and A.J. now shares how the ball turret could be a death sentence if the plane experienced a power loss midflight.

 

“Southwest should have a ball turret gunner” – Adam joking about strafing Jet-Blue working his height into a positive in a historical flying context and a negative for the modern experience.

Adam is going in depth on the Cobra and Carroll Shelby and his legacy.

Adam mentions how little meaning life seemed to have for race car manufactures and the sport itself, A.J. has a great anecdote from a man who died in a Porsche accident.

 

Adam is bringing up a Ferrari Driver who was intensely cruel to his son as he knew he was going to die in a car and didn’t want his son to miss him and be sad, A.J. name checks the man Alberto Ascari.

Adam is bringing up the early presence of Mercedes and Jaguar in racing, how they were the odds on favorite to win Le Mans.

Adam has a solid 9/11 analogy for how people still had a bad taste in their mouth about Mercedes after the war and why they chose a French driver.

 

Adam mentions and open track day he took part in with one of those Mercedes, A.J. is now picking up the story of Pierre Levegh and 86 spectators killed during Le Mans in 1955.

A.J. is doing a great job setting this in proper historical context and helping Adam make a point about how times have changed, you can see the video of the accident via the show page link above.

Adam has a grim story from the 1964 Le Mans where some children were killed who snuck into the track to spectate on the race.

 

Adam explains his connection to Pete Brock and John Morton, he’s giving a quick history of these guys and their legacy careers that started with them sweeping floors and cleaning oil pans.

A.J. shares his admiration for Ken Miles and how he was a hidden genius and champion race car driver beneath his humble exterior that was more of a smokescreen.

A.J. is going in depth on the last race of Ken Miles and his untimely death.

 

Adam is sharing the details of Paul Newman and how he was supposed to win at Le Mans, he explains the details of how Newman’s driving partner also died at Riverside 10yrs after Kin Miles.

 

A.J. asks if he can mention he’s seen some of the footage of the documentary and comments on how beautiful Paul Newman was at 61yrs old, how unfair that is to women and to ugly men.

A.J. brings up the movie ‘The Absence of Malice’ and how Paul can command attention without words.

Adam is asking about A.J.’s book being optioned and how it must be exciting with names like Tom Cruise being attached to the picture.

 

Adam is addressing the “no duh/no brainer” idea for this to be a film, Adam is asking how the deal works when someone options your book.

A.J. tells them how it’s been at Fox since 2008 and he explains he’s not the expert with the movie making part, he’s the research guy not the screenwriter.

Adam is now trying to figure out how they could arrange the elements of this movie and how big it will have to be.

 

A.J. thinks of the movie ‘Gladiator’ when it gets too daunting, if they faked/recreated that era they can do this.

Adam comments on Carroll Shelby and his multiple replacement organs.

Adam shares an anecdote from Bob Bondurant about selling a car for 10k that recently went for millions of dollars to make a point about the lack of vintage racing and foresight among racecar drivers and manufacturers of the 50’s-70’s.

Adam has an anecdote about Dean Martin’s son and his chopped and screwed car that had to be restored and sold for a huge chunk of change.

 

Adam is doing a Draft Kings live read

 

1st Caller Tanner, he wants to know if Adam could have any guest on his podcast tomorrow who it would be, Adam says Enzo Ferrari.

Adam is now making some points about love and the disposition of Enzo and how he could watch this never ending string of 28yr old men die before him, Adam is speculating on a possible emotional void created in the absence of his son that led to so many other men losing their sons too.

A.J. is sharing the implication that Enzo’s racecars became his replacement children, he named them ‘Dino’ after his son and cared more about them than the drivers.

 

2nd Caller Keith, he’s calling about his 110lb dog who he can’t seem to find a new place that will allow him, Adam is sharing his insane and controversial view of life about other people being responsible for their own family and pets, don’t buy them unless you can afford them, Gio’s made a huge mistake.

Adam is now riffing about the pussy assholes of today being around during WWII and tapping these men of history on the shoulder and asking them about the notion of paying for your own kids and pets.

 

3rd Caller Chris, he wants to know about the California legislature exploring a “road usage tax” in lieu of a gas tax, Adam is fine with the concept but he’s worries about them taking this money and still not improving anything.

Adam is mocking their constant claims of poverty despite the level of tax income going their way.

A.J. explains how his property tax would be 4x what is where he lives and cites the quality public schools his kids go to, he lives hours from Los Angeles and addresses the north vs. south one way feud in California.

 

Adam is plugging his latest book and sharing how much he loved ‘Go like Hell’ and traded in the physical book for the audiobook.

Adam is really praising this thing and the latest one too.

Adam mentions the Mangria Re-launch and wraps the show, A.J. thanks him for letting him guest and wishes he could visit more often, he was good, have him back soon!

He need to for sure do a Carcast!