The Creative Drive Audio Podcast

In this special episode of Creative Drive, we sit down with Tatsuru Ichishima, the founder of Spoon Sports — one of the most iconic names in the world of Honda tuning and JDM car culture.

Ichishima-san started SPOON in 1988 with a simple philosophy: make Honda cars faster without sacrificing reliability. What began as grassroots racing and homemade parts eventually became a globally respected tuning brand known for its distinctive ...

In this episode of the Creative Drive, we talk with Mickey Andrade about finally entering the Skyline world after years of admiration, starting not with an R34, but with an R32 — and how a business acquisition helped kickstart a serious JDM collection.

We dive into:

• The surreal feeling of seeing R34s legally in the U.S. • Starting a Skyline journey with the R32 • Why every car in the collection is white • The influence of Japanes...

Zack Klapman, co-host of The Smoking Tire and host of the RACER Creator Awards, joins The Creative Drive podcast to talk all things cars, moving to LA from Colorado to be on TV and the evolution of automotive content.

In this episode, Zack shares:

How his writing and podcasting career prepared him to host shows and tackle press cars How Tom Segura helped triple their revenue Interviewing Steve Dinan, Gale Banks and Jerry Seinfeld W...

Director Luke Huxham joins Creative Drive for a wide-ranging conversation shaped by nearly two decades living and working in Japan. From street drifting and underground scenes to large-scale cultural events, Luke shares an insider’s view of how Japanese car culture has evolved—and why it’s far from fading.

The episode digs into Luke’s path through automotive filmmaking, documenting builders and drivers, and eventually creating his...

Fresh off her monumental win of the 2025 Women in Motorsports MX-5 Cup Scholarship, 19-year-old Charlotte Traynor joins The Creative Drive podcast from the PRI Show!

Charlotte opens up about her unconventional journey into racing—from a family of pilots to a competitive gymnast—and the moment she knew a race car was her calling. She details how a chance encounter led her to the Mazda MX-5 Cup, a highly competitive and strategic ser...

Join us on Creative Drive as we sit down with Shea Holbrook, owner of BSI Racing and star of the Amazon series First to the Finish. Shea opens up about the raw, behind-the-scenes reality of professional motorsports, the challenges and rewards of being a female team owner, and the journey of creating a team that develops the next generation of talent.

From her surprise call to Daytona to candid moments in the MX-5 Cup paddock, Shea ...

Stuntwoman. Drifter. Formula DRIFT Prospe competitor. Content creator. Zandara Zee Kennedy has done it all—and she’s just getting started.

From jumping off buildings in blockbuster movies like Deadpool and X-Men to mastering precision drifting on tracks across North America, Zee shares her journey of taking risks, chasing her passion, and building a career in stunts and motorsports. In this episode of Creative Drive, we dive into: ...

Host Taro Koki from the Creative Drive sits down with creative polymath Rod Chong — filmmaker, agency leader, ex-Need for Speed creative director, and partner at Race Service — for a deep, inspiring conversation on creativity, AI, motorsports, and building world-class teams. Rod shares the story of his winding creative journey: from art school to music videos, into video-game culture, to launching the globally influential Speedhunt...

Learn more: awards.racer.com  https://offers.racer.com/subscribe for RACER+ and magazine offer! The Creative Drive Podcast: Inside the F1 Movie with Erich Joiner — Racing, Filmmaking & Coffee Culture**

On this episode of *The Creative Drive*, we sit down with **Erich Joiner** — acclaimed commercial director, race car driver, car collector, and founder of Goodboybob Coffee — for an incredible conversation that bridges **motorspo...

Auto shows are evolving — and the LA Auto Show might be leading the charge. In this episode, we sit down with David Fortin, VP of Marketing for the LA Auto Show and Automobility LA, to talk about why the RACER Creator Awards is a perfect fit for the LA Auto Show and how car culture is shifting from static displays to full-blown cultural experiences.

From influencer collaborations and immersive experiences to live content and creato...

Rock crawling champion, Monster Jam driver, and YouTube host Nicole Johnson has done it all — literally. She’s flipped, caught fire, and driven off 12-foot cliffs, all in pursuit of mastering every machine she can get her hands on.

In this episode of Creative Drive, Nicole joins host Taro Koki to talk about her fearless off-road career, the transition from competition to content creation, and her hit YouTube series https://www.yout...

Dustin Williams is one of the most recognized creators in the JDM and automotive scene, but his story starts far from Tokyo’s mountains and Fuji Speedway. From growing up in Mississippi and considering a career in law enforcement, to taking the leap into content creation and eventually building his dream R34 GT-R in Japan, Dustin’s journey is all about passion, persistence, and chasing what feels impossible.

In this episode of The ...

From the underground streets of SoCal to the global stage, RJ de Vera has been at the heart of tuner culture’s biggest moments. In this episode of The Creative Drive, we dive into his journey from shaping Super Street magazine, to consulting on the original Fast & Furious, to influencing the industry at SEMA and Meguiar’s. RJ shares untold stories, behind-the-scenes insights, and how tuner culture went mainstream. This conversa...

From the underground streets of SoCal to the global stage, RJ de Vera has been at the heart of tuner culture’s biggest moments. In this episode of The Creative Drive, we dive into his journey from shaping Super Street magazine, to consulting on the original Fast & Furious, to influencing the industry at SEMA and Meguiar’s. RJ shares untold stories, behind-the-scenes insights, and how tuner culture went mainstream. This conversa...

Le Mans class winner and TV host Justin Bell joins Creative Drive to share stories from racing at a high level and making the transition to media. From winning on the track to co-hosting with Tommy Kendall, Justin reveals what it takes to bring personality, humor, and insider knowledge to motorsports coverage.

0:00 Justin Bell Intro 02:00 Formula 1 podcast, Drive to Wynn is on it's 3rd year and going strong.  07:30 Justin Bell push...

Visit brettkingdesign.com for limited exclusive Brett King Design Canvas Project 01 MERCH

In this episode of The Creative Drive with Taro Koki, renowed helmet designer Brett King from Brett King Design reveals the inspiration, process, and philosophy behind the Canvas Project — a groundbreaking approach to helmet art where, for the first time, there's no input from a client. Just pure artistic vision.

The Canvas Project 001 is not ...

Note: We experienced some technical difficulties with the audio in this episode. While it may not meet our usual quality standards, we didn’t want to let that stop us from sharing this great conversation. Thanks for your patience—and we appreciate you sticking with us!

Amber Bernstein aka Kill.Bambi: The Car Girl DJ Taking Over Twitch & the Streets On this episode of Creative Drive, we sit down with the multi-talented Amber Ber...

In this episode, The Creative Drive dives into the world of Christopher Bowes, the visionary behind Subaru's Launch Control, the long lasting YouTube series that reshaped how fans experience factory-backed motorsports. From his early inspiration to founding Bowes Media Inc., Chris shares how he blends storytelling craft with emotional authenticity — creating work that goes beyond cars and competition.

We explore the evolution of La...

In this episode of The Creative Drive, we’re joined by Ryan Millen — off road racer and member of one of America and New Zealand's most iconic racing families. Son of Rod Millen and brother to Rhys Millen, Ryan has forged his own path from formula cars to rally stages, winning in the American Rally Association, working with brands like Toyota along the way and now desert racing in trophy trucks. 

We get into Ryan’s unique journey, ...