February 3, 2022
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a really interesting podcast about cars and racing emanates from the Motor City. We’re talking about the Car Radio with Henry Payne podcast hosted by Detroit News automotive journalist Henry Payne. And once again this year, Payne sought out a few 2021 SCCA National Championship Runoffs winners from Michigan to chat with on his show.
Payne, a longtime writer and Pulitzer Prize-nominated editorial cartoonist, is connected pretty well to the automotive industry and motorsports. He has raced with SCCA and SVRA, and has access to some top-end industry folks who share great information and stories on his podcast, which can also be heard live on WFDF-AM in Detroit during weekends.
Below are links to recent Car Radio with Henry Payne podcasts featuring interviews with Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) SCCA Runoffs winners who call Michigan home.
Spec Racer Ford Gen3 driver Bobby Sak claimed his second consecutive SRF3 National Championship at IMS last October. Check out what Sak had to say about the latest victory during his interview segment, which starts at the 49-minute mark if you click the audio link below. But you may also want to hear the conversation Payne has at the show’s start with Penske Entertainment VP Michael Montri about the future of the Detroit Grand Prix.
John Heinricy earned his 16th SCCA National Championship at IMS during the Touring 4 race at the 58th Runoffs last October. That makes Heinricy the second winningest driver of all time at the Runoffs. And while Jerry Hansen holds the title for most Runoffs wins with 27, Heinricy has certainly proven himself an SCCA “great” over the course of 35+ years racing with the Club. Check out what Heinricy had to say in the opening segment of the Car Radio with Henry Payne podcast linked below.
In contrast to Heinricy, Formula 500 driver Sven de Vries earned his very first Runoffs win last year at IMS. During his chat with Payne, de Vries shared some insight on the F5 field, the high level of competition, and how he went from sim racing in Amsterdam, Netherlands, to getting out on track in a real racecar thanks to SCCA.
The conversation with de Vries begins around the 40-minute mark in the “Pt. 1” link below and continues into the opening portion of “Pt. 2.” Payne’s chat with former Corvette racer Oliver Gavin, which opens Pt. 1, is interesting, too.
Want to hear more about SCCA goings-on while commuting to work or wrenching in the shop? Then don’t forget to check out the new Inside the SCCA podcast series hosted by Brian Bielanski. The show features interviews with leading personalities involved with Sports Car Club of America. Past guests include SCCA VP Eric Prill, SCCA Senior Director of Rally/Solo/Experiential Heyward Wagner, and legendary pro driver Dorsey Schroeder. Inside the SCCA can be found on numerous podcast platforms via The Racing Wire Network.
Photos by Jeff Loewe and Jay Bonvouloir