Crossover Episode: Pete Lyons' Life Story

Jon Summers co-hosts with Crew Chief Eric from Gran Touring Motorsports on Break/Fix podcast welcoming one of motorsports journalism’s most respected voices: Pete Lyons. With a career spanning over five decades, Pete has covered everything from the raw thunder of Can-Am and Formula 1 to the gritty drama of endurance racing at Le Mans. His vivid storytelling, deep technical insight, and front-row access to some of racing’s most iconic moments have made him a staple in publications like Autosport, Road & Track, Autoweek and Vintage Motorsport. Whether he’s recalling battles between legendary drivers or peeling back the curtain on motorsport innovation, Pete brings history to life with unmatched passion and precision. And we’re going to dive into his latest publication My Travels On Racer Road: Can-Am and Formula 1 in their Golden Age with the man who’s not only chronicled motorsport history – but lived it.

Highlights

Jon Summers is the Motoring Historian. He was a company car thrashing technology sales rep that turned into a fairly inept sports bike rider. On his show he gets together with various co-hosts to talk about new and old cars, driving, motorbikes, motor racing, motoring travel. Skip ahead if you must… Here’s the highlights from this episode you might be most interested in and their corresponding time stamps.

00:00 Welcoming Motorsport Journalist Pete Lyons
01:32 Pete Lyons’ Early Life and Passion for Cars
03:05 Backpacking and European Adventures
08:26 Transition to Motorsport Journalism
12:02 The Dangerous Era of Motorsport
15:31 Exploring the Can-Am Racing Series
31:12 Exploring Iconic Race Tracks
36:59 The Decline of Can-Am Racing
38:29 Covering Formula One in the ’70s
38:57 The Mystique of Lotus, the Reliability of McLaren and the Unique Story of Tyrell
49:49 Writing My Life Story and Advice for Aspiring Writers
59:13 Final Thoughts and Promotions