#186, CEO Tim McGrane embraces M1 Concourse challenge

Tim McGrane has a long, varied career in the automotive industry. It's steered him to his current role as the CEO of M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan. The 87-acre playground for auto enthusiasts includes the world’s largest community of Private Garages and a 1.5-mile Performance Track with its own private Motorsports Club. A native of England whose previous experience tenures at Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California, and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, McGrane is my guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on assignment. The M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan is back with a full calendar of events for the 2021 season. McGrane assumed his latest position in March and like the management of other automotive facilities, M1 Concourse has had to adapt its business during the Covid-19 pandemic. M1 Concourse, will proper protocols, is now ready for its full season of activities, and we discuss it during Episode No. 186. In the current issue of his regular online newsletter, McGrane describes M1 as "a place where enthusiasts can keep, show and exercise their vehicles in the company of other enthusiasts and enjoy unforgettable experiences in a social setting unavailable to people who keep their cars at home or in a traditional storage facility." M1 Concourse: A Family Affair "In short, M1 Concourse is the epicenter of all things automotive in metro Detroit and provides the largest concentration of auto enthusiasts in the world a venue to enjoy their passion with friends and family." A new featured event this season is the Woodward Dream Show, August 19-21. The gathering was initiated to complement the famed Woodard Dream Cruise with historic and legendary hot rods and muscle cars on display. This year's schedule also includes Motor Bella (September 21-26) and the American Speed Festival (Sept. 30-Oct. 3). The remaining M1 Cars & Coffee are scheduled July 24, Sept. 4. and Oct. 16. The M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan, is the hub for regional and international motorsports activities. McGrane details all of M1 Concourse events and his experience in his new role at the five-year-old facility. Event specifics are available here: m1concourse.com. The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us. Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site. If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews. The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions. Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below. Amazon.com Google Play iheartradio iTunes Spotify;