The Dork-O-Motive Podcast | Podcast on Podbay

The Dork-O-Motive Podcast

Brian Lohnes

The Dork-O-Motive Podcast hosted by Brian Lohnes is a research driven, story fueled, mechanically stoked look at the machines, people, and history that make up the modern mechanical world. Whether it's the stories of the men and women who have done amazing things in racing, the machines that roar around tracks and shape the Earth, or some bizarre mechanized history, Dork-O-Motive is here to bring you the story in a fun, well-researched, and informative way!

The Studebaker XH-9350: The Largest Piston Airplane Engine That Never Flew

The most monstrous WWII aircraft engine that you have never heard of is called the Studebaker XH-9350. A truly mind boggling project that Studebaker was the last option for when it began in 1942, it’s an engine that would have been unmatched in aviation history had it been completed.

Jun 30

40 min

Oil Burners: The Improbably Awesome History of Cummins At The Indy 500

The incredible history of the Cummins diesel engine company at the Indianapolis 500. Fielding five cars over the years, it is a largely unknown history of innovation.

Jun 24

59 min

AMC vs The World: How Two 1979 AMC Spirits Won Class At The 24 hours of The 'Ring

In 1979 two AMC AMXs won their class at the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring on street tires with the help of a one armed former German racer.

Jun 23

26 min

The Decade That Tried To Kill Nitro Drag Racing: The 1970s

The 1970s almost saw the end of top fuel drag racing and all nitro powered competition. This is a story about how close the world came to abandoning nitro as a racing fuel at that time.

May 27

35 min

Sunken Hemi: The Chrysler Concept Car At The Bottom of the Atlantic Ocean

The story of the Chrysler Norseman, a concept car that sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic as a result of the most incredible oceanic disaster of the 1950s.

May 27

33 min

Slicks: The Sticky History of the World's Fastest Racing Tires

The history of drag racing slicks, the fastest racing tires in the world.

May 27

1 hr 46 min

Glorious Failure: Mickey Thompson's Wild 1967 Wynn's Spitfire Indy 500 Car

The history of Mickey Thompson’s Wynn’’s Spitfire Indy 500 entry. One of the weirdest and wildest cars to ever take on the race.

Dec 17, 2025

34 min

War Boost: An Introductory Lesson In WWII Aircraft Engine Supercharging

This is an opening story on the methods of supercharging large engines in aircraft during WWII. This story handles the basics and is an opening chapter in what will be deeper dives in the future.

Dec 8, 2025

21 min

Powerama 1955: When GM Ruled The Earth They Put On The Greatest Horsepower Show of All Time

In 1955 General Motors put on a show called Powerama which was dubbed as the World’s Fair of Power and it was incredible. Bulldozers, tractors, dump trucks as swimming pools, show cars, and more. 2.2 million people attended the show over the course of a month...and it never happened again. This is the story of that show.

Dec 1, 2025

38 min

The Birth of American Muscle: The Story of The Liberty V-12 Engine

The history of the famed Liberty V-12 airplane engine, a 450hp beast from WWI that gave rise to the idea of American Muscle. A patriotic effort and an engineering marvel, it was the best engine in the world when it was developed.

Nov 26, 2025

43 min