Michael’s Motor Alley Podcast
Planes, trains and automobiles? Well, maybe not the first two, all the time. Join award-winning, nationally-recognized automobile and motor oil expert, Michael Thomas, to discuss and learn a variety of topics in the automotive and motor oil industries. Awarded ‘Best Podcast’ in 2022 by the Public Relations Society of America – Houston Chapter, Michael’s Motor Alley features special guests talking anything from social media auto Influencers to the science behind motor oil, and everything in between. By a passionate car enthusiast, for passionate car enthusiasts.
Michael is a nationally-recognized expert with experience in the passenger car motor oil sector, for over 45 years, and has a passion for automobiles and business-to-consumer lubricants. He has spoken at many national conferences for several national automotive parts retailers, in addition to speaking at SEMA and consulting with national retailers and several grassroots organizations around the country. Interestingly, he was the very first technical lubricant advisor with Jiffy Lube International in the late ‘80’s. Michael also works with several national automotive parts retailers to advise on specific products and how they affect all their customers within multiple car manufacturer's vehicles. Michael’s experience and expansive knowledge of the industry makes him a very credible host of Michael’s Motor Alley Podcast! Special guests will be featured talking anything from social media auto Influencers to the science behind motor oil, and everything in between. By a passionate car enthusiast, for passionate car enthusiasts.
Episode #30: Equipping the Next Generation of Technicians featuring UTI Professor Justin Doerris and Alumnus David Choe
On today’s episode, Michael sits down with Justin Doerris, an educational manager at Universal Technical Institute, and his former student, David Choe of @choe_fdm. Together, they discuss the automotive programs at UTI, the transition from being a student to becoming an influencer, and more. Plus, learn about how Pennzoil products power the next mile at UTI in and out of the classroom.
Episode #29: Get Behind the Wheel with Radford Racing School!
Get ready to kick your racing skills into high gear! On today’s episode, Radford Racing School’s expert instructor, Dominic Starkweather, brings Michael behind the scenes of the world-class racing school. Tune in for a deep dive into the benefits of attending a professional racing school, his journey as a professional racer, and how his passion for racing motivated him to teach others. Brace yourself for a high-octane episode that you won’t want to miss!
Episode #28: Long May We Drive…Offroad! With Jeep Enthusiast Nikki Moorehead
Today’s guest, Nikki Moorehead, is an experienced Jeep off-roader with a passion for adventure. She sits down with Michael to dive into how her off-roading hobby led her to be featured in the Long May We Drive commercial. You won’t want to miss conversations about diversity and relationships in the off-roading community, and Nikki’s modifications and maintenance for her Jeep Wrangler.
Episode #27: What Long May We Drive Means to Torsten Gross, Founder of the Just Hands Foundation
Today’s guest is Torsten Gross, one of the stars of Pennzoil’s new campaign, Long May We Drive. After getting his first taste of track driving in 2021 with hand-controls, he quickly developed a need for speed! As a C6 quadriplegic, he has made it his mission to get more people who need hand-controls behind wheel of performance vehicles. In 2022, he founded the Just Hands Foundation to do just that. Listen to his interview to hear more about his story, his foundation, and the Long May We Drive campaign.
Episode #26: From Passion to Profession: Aamir Dassat’s Road to Automotive Content Creation
Michael sits down with Aamir Dassat, an automotive content creator, who’s passionate about educating and entertaining his audience of over one million social media followers. In this episode, Aamir discusses how he combines his background in mechanical engineering with his passion for pursuing automotive content creation. You won’t want to miss hearing Aamir’s take on trends in the industry, how he first became interested in cars, and all about his current car collection lineup, including a hint at a surprise new addition!