Every conversation. Browse 40 episodes of business-first discussions for automotive operators.
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.
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.
Johnny Dmytryszyn, Keynote Speaker & Team Chevy Brand Ambassador (Johnny D)
Johnny D — a Detroit kid told in fourth grade he would never amount to anything — turned a $5 stack of business cards from a truck stop into a 25-year career as a keynote speaker, four-time author, and Team Chevy Brand Ambassador. He breaks down what it actually takes to build a personal brand that lasts.
Les Rudd, SEMA Hall of Famer, Bob Cook Sales
SEMA Hall of Famer Les Rudd of Bob Cook Sales delivers a masterclass on the manufacturer's rep model — nearly 50 years of relationships and deal-making that most shops and manufacturers never fully leverage. He explains how new manufacturers should find and work with rep agencies, and what shops are missing by not using them strategically.
Donnie Walsh Jr., Founder, D&D Performance
Donnie Walsh Jr. of D&D Performance built a 36-year shop that started with his father building T5 transmissions in their basement. He walks through the full journey — from Fox body drag racing and Pro Mod competition to building one of the most respected Tremec and BorgWarner transmission specialists in the country.
Mike Kidd, Aftermarket Business Unit Manager, Tremec
Mike Kidd of Tremec sets the record straight on the manual transaxle that stopped SEMA cold — what it actually is, who it is built for, when you can get one, and why manual transmissions are dying in production vehicles while aftermarket demand has never been stronger.
Justin and Jamie put the biggest sacred cows of automotive marketing, product strategy, and business on the chopping block and test whether they still hold up in 2026. Most of them do not. Plus a real talk on rising fuel prices, consumer confidence, and how AI is closing deals at 2AM.
Is the auto industry pulling an Apple? Justin and Jamie break down the biggest news shaking automotive right now — from a $175,000 Ford Mustang to a major private equity acquisition of motorsports media, the High Performance Expo and Street Car Takeover partnership, and what consolidation means for brands and shops.
Ty Damon, Fourth-Generation Detroit Ad Man, Retired — Jack Morton
Ty Damon — fourth-generation Detroit ad man and veteran of Jack Morton — sits down with Jamie for a raw conversation about the golden age of automotive advertising, what killed it, and what the industry desperately needs to reclaim. He breaks down the architecture of how Detroit's agency world worked at its peak.
GM writes off $7.2 billion in EV losses and the stock goes up. Justin and Jamie break down what is actually happening in the automotive industry right now — from GM's Q4 earnings surprise to MidwayPlus data showing demand up 37% with conversions down, record auction results, and what it all means for aftermarket brands.
Heath Norton, President, Callies Performance Products
Heath Norton of Callies Performance Products walks through what it takes to build a world-class American manufacturing operation over five decades — building crankshafts, engine blocks, and rotating assemblies without taking shortcuts, and navigating the real challenges of private equity, offshore competition, and modern horsepower expectations.
Alan Johnson, Corvette Sales Specialist
Buying a performance car should not feel like a trap. Alan Johnson — widely known as the best Corvette salesman in the country — sits down with Justin and Jamie to break down how the dealership world actually works, what allocation really means, why MSRP is not the whole story, and what separates a great Corvette buying experience from a nightmare. These lessons apply well beyond Corvettes.
Brad Brown, Cybersecurity Expert
Cybersecurity expert Brad Brown joins Justin and Jamie to break down why cyberattacks are no longer a big-company problem. He covers the biggest mistakes shop owners make, how phishing and AI deepfakes are stealing millions, and the simple steps any automotive business can take right now to reduce risk.
Robin Lawrence, Aftermarket Sales Veteran (Uncle Robin)
Robin Lawrence — known as Uncle Robin — breaks down the real sales techniques that drive 100x growth, including lessons from Holley and GM Performance Parts. This is not about quick wins or influencer hype. It is about patience, credibility, and relationship-driven selling that scales.
Bold predictions for 2026 across the full automotive industry — from EV missteps and OEM course corrections to the rise of AI in launch photography and marketing. Justin and Jamie break down real Midway Index data and what it means for performance parts, diesel, restomod culture, and the events business.
Justin and Jamie reveal the 2025 Automotive Awards that absolutely no one asked for — breaking down the best, worst, and most unhinged moments from across the automotive world, crowning winners in Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, Top Upfitter, Best Event, and more.
Isaac Baker, Founder, Finishing Touch Auto Spa
At 27, Isaac Baker built one of the most respected paint protection and detailing operations in the country. He breaks down the real economics of PPF and coatings, how he trains staff, why embracing mistakes is essential, and the critical difference between growing and scaling.
Keith Wilson, Performance Specialist, Scoggin Dickey Performance Center
Keith Wilson from Scoggin Dickey Performance Center shares the real strategy behind growing a performance business and staying relevant in a changing market — including the truth about supplier relationships, trade show ROI, and what separates shops that win from those that stagnate.
Justin and Jamie are back from Las Vegas breaking down the biggest trends, surprises, and takeaways shaping the automotive aftermarket — from brand presence and booth quality to the rise of content creators at major events and what the hot segments by hall tell us about 2026.
Sales are soft, brands are pulling back, and AI is rewriting how business gets done. Justin and Jamie dive into the latest MidwayPlus Market Index, SEMA launch strategy, how much brands should actually spend on marketing, and how AI tools are giving businesses a genuine competitive advantage.
Nicky Fowler, Performance Parts Specialist, Scoggin Dickey Parts Center
Nicky Fowler spent 48 years at Scoggin Dickey Parts Center building an $80M+ operation. He opens up about the evolution of LS and LT engines, the truth about private equity in the aftermarket, and what it actually takes to survive nearly five decades in this industry.
Brian Lounsberry, CEO, MidwayPlus | Former CEO, Motovicity
Brian Lounsberry, former CEO of Motovicity and now CEO of MidwayPlus, breaks down what is really happening in the automotive aftermarket using a live market index — plus the channel margins, operational fixes, and Q4 strategy that actually move revenue.
It is Q4 — and that means pressure, opportunity, and the perfect time to rethink your 2026 strategy. Justin and Jamie break down Q4 trends, smart budgeting, social strategy, trade show playbooks for SEMA and PRI, and the role of AI in what is coming next.
Ida Zetterström, NHRA Top Fuel Driver & European Champion
Ida Zetterström, NHRA Top Fuel driver and European champion, breaks down the true cost of racing at 330+ mph — including the economics of sponsorship, what companies of any size can get out of motorsport investment, and how she is bringing new brands into drag racing.
Garrett Reed, Founder, AmericanMuscleHD
Garrett Reed of AmericanMuscleHD has over 2.4 million Instagram followers. He unpacks how he actually built that following, how he converts it into real business revenue, and what the next evolution of automotive content creation looks like.
Justin and Jamie just returned from YouTube and Google's first-ever Automotive Content Creator Summit in Detroit — and break down everything they learned inside Google HQ about the future of automotive content, creator strategy, and why 80% of car buyers use YouTube before making a purchase.
David Freiburger, Co-creator, Roadkill | Former Editor, Hot Rod Magazine
David Freiburger has shaped how millions of car enthusiasts experience automotive media — from 12 years as Editor of Hot Rod Magazine, to co-creating Roadkill, to building one of the biggest automotive shows on YouTube. In this conversation with Justin Cesler and Dr. Jamie Meyer, David unpacks the real economics of automotive media, what brands consistently get wrong about influencers, and why authenticity is still the only strategy that survives platform shifts.
Brian Lohnes, NHRA Lead Announcer & Founder, BangShift
Brian Lohnes — BangShift founder and the Voice of Drag Racing — walks through his real climb from quitting a trucking management job to becoming the most recognizable voice in motorsport, and what it actually took to build a media operation that pays.
Kurt Johnson, Owner, Total Venue Concepts
Kurt Johnson, owner of Total Venue Concepts, joins Justin and Jamie for a deep dive into the art and science of track prep, drag strip operations, and the business realities of running a world-class motorsport facility — plus where he sees drag racing headed next.
Justin Keith, Founder, RPM Revival & Killer Performance
Justin Keith went from street racing in Kansas City to building a multi-million dollar brand spanning performance shops, massive racing events, and viral YouTube content. He breaks down how 80% of his shop revenue came from YouTube alone and what he is building next with RPM Revival.
The automotive aftermarket has changed radically. Print ads, racing credentials, and phone calls are not enough anymore. Justin and Jamie break down where customers have moved, what the new sales funnel looks like for speed shops, and how brands like Badass Broncos are closing $300K deals in DMs.
Mike Galimi, Network Director, Hot Rod Magazine
Mike Galimi, Network Director of Hot Rod Magazine, joins Justin and Jamie to talk the state of automotive media, the revival of project builds, why 80s and 90s cars are surging in value and interest, and how AI is changing content creation at scale.
Justin Cesler and Dr. Jamie Meyer drop real-world strategies to help shops, brands, and creators turn content into customers — from decoding the latest social media algorithms to sharing hard-earned marketing wisdom from inside the automotive industry.
Sky-high car payments, EV growth hitting a wall, and the aftermarket down 25 percent. Justin and Jamie unpack what it all really means for builders, brands, and enthusiasts — and show you where the hidden opportunities are.
Justin Cesler and Dr. Jamie Meyer break down ten revenue-generating opportunities available right now — from AI-driven marketing services to niche events, car storage, and leveraging expertise into coaching and consulting income.
Justin Cesler and Dr. Jamie Meyer kick off The Automotive Advantage fresh from the inaugural High Performance Expo, breaking down what's really moving the needle for aftermarket brands, race shops, and OEMs — from trade show strategy to AI tools to where to park your marketing budget.