Getting Used to Big Power

Getting Used to Big Power

From It's Not the Car by Sam Smith, Ross Bentley, Jeff Braun

May 27, 2026 · 46 min · Season 3 · Episode 107

About this episode

The episode explores the differences in driver performance across various car types and the mental aspects of handling increased speed and power.

Why are some drivers fast in everything? What makes a person quick in Miatas but not Mustangs—or vice versa? How do the pros wrap their heads around big jumps in speed, power, and risk? This is show about many things. Precision. Restraint. A Corvette Z06 walloping into the climbing esses at VIR. That feeling you get when everything is right and nothing is wrong, at least not anything important, and you are up on the tire and the sky is awash in blue. “Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube.” This show changes format every episode, because squirrel. This format is a new one—we call it ROSS AND SAM DISSECT THE OBVIOUS. *** This episode was produced by Sam Smith. As always, thanks to our friends at BFGoodrich for supporting the show! ** Who We Are + Spicy Merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ItsNotTheCar.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ** Support It’s Not the Car: Contribute on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/notthecar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ** Topic suggestions, feedback, questions? Let us know what you think! ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INTCPod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ** Check out Sam's book! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and…

People in this episode

Hosts: Sam Smith, Ross Bentley, Jeff Braun

Topics covered

  • driving speed
  • performance cars
  • racing techniques
  • driver psychology
  • car handling

Keywords

  • driving
  • performance
  • speed
  • power
  • racing
  • cars
  • driver skills

Sponsors

BFGoodrich

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Smithology: Thoughts, Travels, and Semi-Plausible Car Writing, 2003–2023

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