Business conversations for shop owners, operators, and brand builders who take the automotive aftermarket seriously.
Justin
Driveline Studios
Dr. Jamie
6757 Consulting
Tom Zielinski, Founder, Z Performance Group
Tom Zielinski has spent decades on both sides of the automotive event business — as the vendor getting squeezed and as the operator building Detroit 4Fest and OEM launches for Jeep, Toyota and Stellantis brands. He breaks down why most events quietly fail, how to build a real OEM relationship, and where the money actually is in experiential marketing.
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In the one-year anniversary episode of Automotive Advantage, Justin and Jamie break down five practical ways to use AI in your automotive business — from reading contracts to running Shopify catalogs — and share fresh first-half 2026 data showing the aftermarket up 12.3%. Plus the marketing lessons the World Cup can teach every shop, brand, and builder.
Justin Cesler and Dr. Jamie Meyer unpack a doubling in vehicle recalls — 21.7 million in the first half of 2026 — and what it signals about the industry's quality problem. Then they pull business lessons from watches, firearms, and grocery deli counters, and map out how to activate a brand at Woodward Dream Cruise.
Justin and Jamie break down three very different events from car summer 2026 — the High Performance Expo (HPX), Streetcar Takeover, and Hot Rod Power Tour — and answer the question most brands never ask: how do you actually measure whether an automotive event was worth it? A business-first look at B2B vs. B2C strategy, brand activation, event ROI, and why the performance aftermarket is booming.
Chase Lautenbach, Co-Founder, Street Car Takeover | 1320 Video Alumni
Chase Lautenbach built one of the most influential organizations in grassroots motorsports — and most people never saw it coming. In this episode, he breaks down the real business behind 1320 Video, Street Car Takeover, and how an 18-race season, a high-horsepower dealership, and a billion-dollar media footprint all trace back to a phone call and a Sonic parking lot.
No guest this week — just Jamie and Justin working through what's actually going to happen in the automotive industry in 2026. They debut a live prediction market segment, recap recent guest episodes, dig into automotive photography as a brand strategy tool, and close out with an AI Watch that includes a conversation about shop robots that every operator needs to hear.
"This is not a hype show. It is not bench racing. It is not another highlight reel of who just made the most horsepower."
Driveline Studios
Founder of Driveline Studios. 20+ years in automotive media, marketing, and agency strategy — from GM High Tech Performance to enterprise campaigns for Chevrolet, Ford, and McLaren.
Full profile → 6757 Consulting
20+ years at the center of the performance automotive industry — OEM engineering, aftermarket innovation, national event leadership. Founder of High Performance Expo and principal of 6757 Consulting.
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