Tommy Wheeler, NASCAR Legend

I'm back in beautiful Pamlico County, North Carolina, joined this time by NASCAR legend, and now, rice farmer, Tommy Wheeler. According to Tommy, making cars go faster is all about manufacturing unfair advantages, whether through innovation or hard work. And that's exactly what he did as an engineer for NASCAR. Tommy worked as a team engineer, engineering manager and technical director for teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Evernham Motorsports. In 2021, he ended his career as operations director and general manager of Roush Fenway Racing. After leaving racing, Tommy co-founded Tidewater Grain Co., where he produces heirloom Carolina Gold Rice unlike any rice you've ever had. My conversation with Tommy takes us all over the map, as we discuss insane feats of physics in racing, the history of rice in the Americas, and the ins and outs of a low country boil. 

Learn more and try some heirloom from Tidewater Grain Co.
 
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Chapters

• 4:26 Making Cars Faster
• 7:55 Chief Engineer
• 11:23 Finding Good Team Members
• 17:14 Proudest Accomplishments
• 19:45 Playing with Physics
• 27:12 How to Ask Questions
• 28:55 Fear of Failure
• 33:50 Tidewater Grain Co.
• 35:58 Ancient Heirloom Grain
• 44:28 Rice that Tastes Different
• 46:37 Rice and Waterfowl
• 49:19 Diverse Habitat
• 54:11 Meeting Wildlife's Needs
• 56:47 Low Country Boil
• 1:04:08 Oyster Farming
• 1:08:10 Learn More About Tidewater