Cooling, Camaraderie, and the Cayman GT4: Jon Miller's Motorsports Mastery

Late to Grid - Grassroots Racing

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In this episode of the Late to Grid podcast, we sit down with Jon Miller—autocrosser, rally racer, and performance cooling expert from Mishimoto. Jon shares his deep-rooted motorsports journey, which began with his grandparents racing SCCA rallies in the '50s and '60s, and an early secret lesson in driving a manual transmission Ford SHO.

Jon dives into his experience across multiple disciplines, from a chaotic, unsupervised first track day at Nelson Ledges to his favorite form of racing: stage rally. He shares candid advice on why investing in a high-quality driving school is the best way to save time and money, and how making time to wrench is his form of therapy. Finally, we get an insider's look at Mishimoto, discussing why bigger isn't always better when it comes to cooling, and when a driver needs to upgrade from an OEM radiator.

The season might be over, but the work is just beginning. Don't let your track, autocross or racecar sit idle this off season. Now is the perfect time to tackle those projects that get you one step closer to the podium. For upgrades, maintenance, or that big performance project, there's only one name. Atomic Autosports. Get ready to dominate next season. Find us at AtomicAutoSports.com and book a call with Bill to review your project and goals.

It's getting to be the cool time of year and you're ready for hot deals to update your car for next season. Now through December 31st, 2025, if you go Mishimoto.com and put in "grid15" you'll get 15% off the entire catalog. The only exception we do have a blackout date during Black Friday through Cyber Monday, but through the remainder of the year, 15% off!
Searching for the perfect gift for the motorsports fanatic in your life this year? Skip the socks and head to Atomic Auto Sports! From Cool track decals and Premium Malco detailing products to Essential Trackside accessories. We've got everything for the track addict in your house. Make your holiday shopping easy. Visit Atomicautosports.com right now or swing by the shop to see the selection.

Atomic Autosports has some pretty big news! Track first now has a physical presence right inside Atomic Autosports. That means you can get your car Atomic prepped and grab essential safety gear, helmets, shoes, gloves, and more all in one spot. We can also have your purchases shipped right to our shop in Wickliffe, saving you on shipping. Stop by and check out the expanded selection.

Thanks for listening and taking an interest in growing grassroots racing. The Late To Grid podcast shares the stories and inspiration that help listeners along their motorsports journey.
Find all episodes on the Atomic Autosports website.

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1. Intro (00:00:00)

2. Early Motorsports Influences (00:01:22)

3. Secret Driving Lesson (00:02:36)

4. Entry into Motorsports: Autocross (00:04:13)

5. Unsupervised First Track Day (00:06:24)

6. Biggest Surprise: Braking (00:08:04)

7. Moving to Wheel-to-Wheel (00:08:52)

8. The Volvo Amazon Vintage Racer (00:10:03)

9. Challenge of Period-Correct Parts (00:12:19)

10. The Hillclimb Community (00:13:36)

11. Sacrificing Time to Wrench (00:14:54)

12. Why the Motorsports Community is Great (00:16:29)

13. Advice for Aspiring Racers (00:18:55)

14. Favorite Discipline: Stage Rally (00:20:39)

15. How Racing Fueled His Career (00:22:11)

16. Networking Advice (00:24:01)

17. Biggest Career Regret (00:26:03)

18. Mishimoto High-Level Overview (00:27:23)

19. Is a Bigger Radiator Always Better? (00:29:18)

20. When to Upgrade Your Radiator (00:30:10)

21. Diesel Performance Line (00:32:18)

22. Off-Road Recovery Products (00:33:12)

23. Biggest Upgrade Mistake (00:36:19)

24. New Product Lines & R&D (00:37:41)

25. Miata to Boxster Story (00:39:49)

26. Next Race Car Wish List (00:41:40)

27. Vehicle Hoarding Confession (00:42:51)

28. Online Research Resources (00:45:13)

29. Late to Grid Story (Early is Late) (00:46:12)