Episode 14: Don't Look Too Close At P.J. O'Rourke's Other Bylines [With Guest Matt Farah]
Hello! On this episode we are joined by Matt Farah of The Smoking Tire and Westside Collector Car Storage! First we discuss what it's like to write with a leftist bent for Road & Track (hint: difficult). Then we discuss Matt's latest piece on the ridiculous high-end market and scraps for the rest of us (it's a great piece, we talked about it before on here!) Then, Rivian has a Dril Candles Tweet Moment with its CEO compensation. Finally, we ask Matt what his favorite sub-$10,000 beater car is.
Thanks so much to Matt for joining us, definitely check out The Smoking Tire if you somehow haven't already (but if you're here, you probably have).
As always our theme song is from Horse Tranquilizer Simulator by Stella Spazzatura!
Referenced Stories:
Matt's interview with immigration attorney Sergio Siderman @TheSmokingTirePodcast
O'Rourke obit @National Review
Affordability crisis piece by Matt Farah @Road & Track
Boom Aerospace Pivoting To AI @Boom Aerospace
The AI-Generated Spoof Instagram Channel Jordan & Matt Discuss @Instagram
Rivian Sales Numbers + RJ Scaringe Pay Package $403M @Carscoops
Chad Kirchener's post @Bluesky
Rivian R2 Overlook @MotorTrend
Rivian's lack of sale bump right before tax credits ended @Yahoo
Please Help Me Budget My Family Is Dying @X
Jim Cramer Says Buy Rivian @247WallSt
Stop Asking Me What Car I Would Buy by Matt Farah @Road & Track
Victoria on Matt's Show @TheSmokingTirePodcast
The No Fucks Given RX-7 @TheSmokingTirePodcast
Comments (12)
Cool-sounding new house mentioned. Gonna need to see house pics, Matt. Also, yes! Do Lemons! Come hang with us weirdos! It's the good series!
The only notable thing PJ O'Rourke ever said is when he called the 911 an "ass-engined Nazi slot car".
Trans podcast checklist: 1. Cat appearance 2. Mountain Goats reference
Just wanted to thank you both (and Matt!) so much for slowly introducing more and more non-chud car media creators and writers to me, as someone who has always had a passing interest in cars but has slowly been ramping up more and more in the last few years with simracing and looking to buy a hot hatch soon (mk8 fiesta ST, we pray) and looking to get more involved with car culture as a queer person. Look forward to each episode every week!
Jumps scared by the mention of Posse East, had my first legal beer there.
Posse East was my grandfather’s bar, my mother’s bar, and by god it’s my bar too. Pure old austin, both positive and not entirely positive. But it’s the perfect place to watch UT sports.
2025: Lo doesn't drive or care about cars. 2026: Lo keeps staring at her parked manual transmission Camry wondering where to start learning how to wrench and how to face the anxiety of getting a driver's license again. Also for your demographics, middle aged, cis het female, AuDHD, child free but everyone's Aunt
Re: the middle class joke at 1:06:37: "I was so caught up in the joy of talking about racing series, I forgot we live in a world where the K-shaped economy exists." :) Also, would it be gauche if I said I kinda wanted a John Hinckley Jr. art print without knowing anything else about it, just because, yaknow.
Honestly, I'm a trans woman, don't know shit about cars, listened to every episode.
I am HERE for the Austin toy store industry gossip. 💕
I am SURPRISED Further North Nemesis Store did not tell him off lol
It is shameful that people are getting priced out of enthusiast cars. Buying and fixing up an old car is how people became car mechanics, and now if some kid wants to fix up a ratty old beater there's going to be a second mortgage involved. On the bright side old motorcycles are still pretty cheap if you want to go that way.