Check out SpeedFreaks Sunday nights from 7PM to 9PM on-air at Fox Sports 610 AM or listen live online-->Click Here ABOUT SPEEDFREAKS
If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain.
-Maya Angelou
For president and founder Kenny Sargent, SpeedFreaks came out of an all night vigil at the computer. Frustrated by what he continued to see in motorsports coverage, The Sarge decided to embark on a journey that would take a year and a half to complete. After tireless meetings, "maybes" and "let's wait and sees," his bitchin' dream came alive. Speed Freaks began it's assault on the airwaves of Los Angeles and the Internet June 25th, 2000. And let’s just say, the rest is his story.
You're right, it is now my story. So, as the Christmas tree lands on green, allow me to ram my Puma through the floor and tell it like it is. SpeedFreaks is a lethal combination of motorsports commentary and entertainment. To say this combo is lacking in today's motorsports media coverage would be a colossal understatement.
The way we as fans look at motorsports has changed as much as the sport's technology, speeds and technique. Therefore, with this evolution, one would think the entities covering motorsports would do the same. No, and I won't even expound.
So, with this refusal to come of age, I, like a lot of you, became bored to Texas Tears with what I was witnessing. I wanted motorsports coverage like the "F'n Outlaw" it is! From NASCAR's Junior "Moonshine" Johnson outrunning The Law to Andretti giving the finger to the F-1 elitists to Sport Compact Drags Brad Personett's world record quarter-mile run to the fountain jump from Mike "The GodFather" Metzger at Caesers. Now those boys exude 'tude in the sport!
And I do mean sport! Don't let any half-wit tell you it is not. As Webster's puts it, a sport is competition which "requires bodily exertion." Tell me that Ricky Carmichael doesn't "exert" his finely tuned human frame 30 feet in the air clearing triples or John Force doesn't ooze the substance as he man-handles his Hot Rod at 320 MPH! Motorsports is the original extreme sport!
So I, along with Statt Mann Caruthers, Lugg Nuttz, and Crash Gladys are on a journey and we ask you to hop in the Freakin’ back seat. As an honorary SpeedFreak, you’ll help the Mod Squad of Motorsports sit atop the Motorsports empire for a long, long time. And then, and only then will we realize, when all is said and done, it comes down to the B's... babes, beers, and a bitchin' buggy...ya dig?
"Get in the pit and try to love someone!"
-Kid Rock
Kenny Sargent
Yea, I'm a two-time Emmy nominated TV sheik and some say, like my manager, a widely respected and versatile host in the realm of motorsports.
My resume spans 20 years of covering a big-ass-butt-load of rock & roll and racing on major market radio station's KTXQ(Dallas), KLOS and Pirate Radio(Los Angeles) to television's UPN News 13, Animal Planet, Speedvision, TNN and ESPN2. I'm always on-point and in your face with interviews with the tops in their class.
Enough of the happy boy talk, I'll tell you what is up Elvis. I rocked the free world of Dallas-Ft. Worth for 20 some-odd years, leaving a stable of crying but resplendent "Texas Honeys" in the grand 'ol state. Do I have regrets? Are you kidding, look at what I've trailered up to here in Los Angeles...street walking she-males, corner stalking perverts and ground zero for the term BITCH. Give me my "Scrumptious Texas Rigs" any day!
At 9, I got my first taste of the motorized sleds when my "bro" slapped on a 3 and a half B & S on the back of a purple painted go-kart. A 21.01 Quarter Mile! Two years later Uncle Santa downloaded a 4HP Tecumseh mini-bike....Bitchin'! I was now officially "WFO"!!!
I graduated to my first two cycle at 13...YZ80 with a "tits up" package! A TM100 was my next saddle. My first car was a 1974 Gremlin, white with two big Longhorn Orange stripes down the side. The hood was packin' a 304-double-pumping love machine with 60's on the front, 50's on the back, Jack Rabbit shocks on the rear and a couple of house speakers in the back seat. My brother's Alice Cooper never sounded so full.
So what has all this Dr. Seuss ferry tale life come too? F!@K if I know, I'm just proud to say I love my mom & pop and that all my time interviewing and twistin' off cold cans of Blatz Light with rock stars, race car drivers and motocross demigods has manifested itself into SpeedFreaks.
Huh? It's large, loud, loose and full of punch drunk attitude to piss off your tight wad neighbor. If not, then light up your street legal slicks and turn them on to the 'Freaks! "Shoot the juice to the moose and Statt Mann, cut it loose..."
Crash Gladys
The Indianapolis, IN born and raised Hoosier, Crash Gladys, is an open-wheel elitist diva! Don't try to argue her with her babies, BOTH (yes, BOTH) the Indy Racing League and the Champ Car World Series (formerly known as CART). It's OK to like them both as they each offer some tight and unbelievably exciting racing!
Crash grew up around the Indy 500. Her father was a Medical Director at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and at the ripe age of 4 years, she was decked out in her black and white checkered dress while serving cocktails (actually just the napkins) to the Andrettis and Unsers to name a few.
In the meantime, she was also a 500 Festival Princess and worked in the marketing departments for Dick Simon Racing and Team Scandia in the CART and IRL series and PacWest Racing Group in the CART series. Along the way, she befriended several dudes in the NHRA paddock as many of the drag folks make their summer home in Indy.
Crash Gladys has methanol running through her blood, however she can mix it up with the best in the NHRA, NASCAR, ALMS, WoO, Nopi and AMA series.
Crash acquired her nickname after a go-kart accident with members of the PacWest Racing Group and Player's Forsythe Racing teams. She knew she could run with the boys, however the rainy conditions dampened her efforts as one of the crew members sent her to the outside of a wide turn. Here she spun in the wet grass, confused her left foot from her right, and rather than slamming on the brake she jammed on the throttle and . . . BAM! into a tree stump at 30 mph! But the 105 lb. (minus the cheese nachos) diva had not a scratch!
Crash Gladys is most definitely a dare devil and will accept any challenge. . . that makes her a unique SpeedFreak. . . bitch!!
Statt Mann Carruthers
Statt Mann Carruthers was born in Columbus, Ohio the morning after a dinner of fried chicken and greens in celebration of the primordial ooze hardening. He’s been a racing fan ever since. Along the way he found time to win awards as a television producer, an international motorsports journalist, a rally car driver, and an all-around goodfella and Dad.
He graduated from Proletariat Technical College and Drive-Thru in Los Angeles before many of you were born. Can you say Kent State Shooting? He even remembers where he was when he heard that Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, Martin King and John and Bobby Kennedy were shot. Do you?
He’s probably the only man in history who has: raced his Suzuki motorcycle at 135 MPH outside the Michael Jackson Neverland Ranch in Santa Ynez, California; raced his Triumph motorcycle at 110 MPH on the Angeles Crest Highway, covered the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland, The RAC Rally in England, and a CART race in Phoenix for ESPN, raced in a One Lap of America Rally as part of a factory supported team, interviewed Roger Penske, been a part of The Los Angeles County Street Racers led by Big Willie Robinson, and responded to a television studio camera tally light – up to now. That makes him unique, and a SpeedFreak.
From Statt: "I often ask people: "What's in your iPod?" It tells me a lot about who they are by learning what they find enjoyable. These are in my iPod. My musical joy can come from many places. It's largely dependent on my mood. I'm a writer who likes lyrics. And I find myself drawn to rhythm whether it's from R&B, Afro Caribbean or Euro Electronica. I have about 2500 songs in my iPod. The ones listed here, in no particular order, are a sample of what I like to listen to and find myself playing again and again when I hear them. This, by the way, is an evolving list. Ask me again in a month and it might have grown, changed or been mashed into someting even more dynamic!"
1. I Like Me (feat. Da' T.R.U.T.H.), Kirk Franklin, The Fight of My Life: This is "da piece!" Check your speakers...
2. Well Done, Andrea Crouch & The Disciples: This might be my favorite contemporary gospel sound ever and it's maybe 30 years old.
3. Ray Of Light, Madonna: Didn't know I liked electronica until this.
4. Summertime, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince: Anyone who's ever experienced summer in the park can relate to this. It's immortal.
5. His Spirit Is Here, Danniebelle Hall: This is something little known by Danniebelle. It's from a live album. It's priceless.
6. Love Song, Ramsey Lewis: The first time I heard this, I heard my personality put to music. It's what I think of myself.
7. Boogie - Street Edit, The Brand New Heavies: Even more of the beat. You can't sit still listening to this. SOME of the lyrics aren't bad either.
8. Lenny, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble: The first time I heard this I played it for nearly an hour. I'm told it's Stevie's tribute to his ex-wife. I must have loved her deeply.
9. Funkin for Jamaica, Tom Browne: Another one you can't listen to and sit still.
10. Every Ghetto, Every City, Lauryn Hill: Great lyrics... A head bobber!
11. My Head's In Mississippi, ZZ Top: Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top once told me this was his tribute to Delta blues done while his head was in Mississippi.
12. Simply Beautiful, Queen Latifah: Al Green did this originally but it was brought to life by Queen Latifah. He almost says so during a guest spot in the music.
13. Try A Little Tenderness, Otis Redding: When I was in high school I heard a guy try to do this. Some songs should be left to the people who can perform them best!
14. Still (In Control) [feat. Doug Williams & Melvin Williams], Kirk Franklin, The Fight of My Life: Everytime I hear this I think of high school and The Temptations.
15. September, Kirk Franklin: A tribute piece to Earth, Wind & Fire. Franklin did it so well, he didn't wait to put it out in a CD. It's a single and it's worth hearing by itself.
16. Late In The Evening, Paul Simon (Concert In The Park):The live music in Simon's concert in Central Park is launched by the African supporting cast he was touring with. The rhythms, especially the fretless bass, can get inside you when you're traveling in the car.
17. What Is Hip?, Tower Of Power: I once met Steven "The Doctor" Krupka, the "wrangler" of the Tower of Power horns, in a men's room at a polo match. You never know! This is classic R&B!
18. African Womaan, Baaba Mal, Senegal: I heard this many times but I got hooked during a trip to a drift event in Northern California. I nearly melted down my car stereo system! Again, it's the beat, stupid!!
19. River Of Tears, Eric Clapton: Even the run up to this song is captivating. A Clapton guitar can bring lyrics to life. That's why he's just Clapton.
20. Damn Right, I've Got The Blues, Buddy Guy: I can imagine this was a vamp that got out of control. Budddy Guy could live forever if he just did this!
21. Angel from Montgomery, Bonnie Raitt: The lyrics here are painful. They sneak up on you and demand you hear them until you understand.
22. ¡Fiesta Fatal! (Mega Mix), B-Tribe: I once was listening to this in my car with the windows and convertible top sealed tight. Someone pulled up beside me and demanded that I let them listen too! Even my rap-loving daughter got hooked on a road trip and kept hitting the replay button!!
23. I Need You To Survive, Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Choir: Sometimes you need special people to do well and survive for them and for you...
24. That's The Way Of The World, Earth Wind & Fire: "A child is born with a heart of gold/the way of the world makes its heart stone cold." What a lyric... maybe cynical... but an incredible lyric.
