From the shoes we wear on our feet to the high definition televisions in our living room, wearable devices, the sports universe is a breeding ground for technology. Writer and Photographer Rick Limpert will examine this each week on The Tech of Sports – With guests which include athletes, inventors and journalists that cover the intersection of sports and technology.
Rick talks with NHRA drag racer, Steve Torrence at the massive SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Steve and his dad race for the same team and he’s still in contention for the NHRA title with one race remaining.
The most dominant Top Fuel Driver of this decade
Steve Torrence’s rise to the pinnacle of drag racing success is one of the great Horatio Alger moments in American motorsports.
Diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma as a teenager, he underwent months of radiation and chemotherapy treatment before emerging cancer free and ready to make the most of his second chance. The experience, which he considers “the biggest race I’ve ever won,” completely changed his perspective, spawning the laser focus that fueled his later success both on and off the track.
After losing the 2017 NHRA Top Fuel championship on the final day of the season, an outcome likely sealed weeks earlier when his primary race car was destroyed in a 300-mph crash at the Texas Motorplex outside Dallas, he left nothing to chance the following season when he became the first and only driver in any racing discipline to sweep all the events comprising NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship.
Nevertheless, that proved to be only the beginning for the talented Texan, who remains the only driver ever to have won NHRA series championships in both the Fuel and Alcohol categories. Thirteen years before he hoisted that first Top Fuel Champion’s trophy, he won the Lucas Oil Top Alcohol dragster title by reaching the final round in 11 of 13 starts while posting a 37-4 elimination record.
He repeated as Top Fuel Champion in 2019, won yet again in a 2020 season abbreviated by the COVID-19 pandemic and made it four straight in 2021.
In winning 11 of 20 races during that 2021 campaign, the one-time black belt in taekwondo became just the fourth driver in NHRA pro racing history to secure as many as four consecutive championships, joining Don Prudhomme, Kenny Bernstein, John Force, Lee Shepherd, Bob Glidden and fellow Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher.
Rick talks to Steve about all that, new technology and more!
FGI is Myrtle Beach’s largest ownership group with 21 golf courses and Mays has led the company’s push to renovate its courses to ensure a great vacation experience.
Pine Lakes, Grande Dunes, Pawleys Plantation and King’s North at Myrtle Beach National are among the 11 FGI courses that have enjoyed significant capital improvement
Steve has made reinvesting in golf courses a major FGI priority. King’s North follows Pawleys Plantation, Grande Dunes, Pine Lakes and River Hills in being the beneficiary of renovations in the last three years, and there will be more to come. In all, 11 of FGI’s 21 courses have undergone significant capital improvement projects in the last five years, ensuring they will be able to continue delivering unforgettable golf vacation experiences long into the future.
Rick talks to Steve about all of that and more and golf courses and resort stay relevant.
More than just sports this week… art and culture in Atlanta.
Great to talk with Dr. Pecou!
Since 2002, Nando’s teamed up with the Spier Arts Trust in South Africa to catalyze and empower over 350 artists from our homeland. Together, we run a ton of exciting artist initiatives that honor our Southern African roots and make a lasting investment in their creative communities.
All our artist initiatives are made to fire up the creative lives of the Southern African artists we partner with and give our customers something one-of-a-kind to feast their eyes on! We’re trying hard to play a part in helping emerging creatives forge a lasting, stable career in the arts whilst giving their brilliant creations a global platform. So come to Nando’s, take in the view!
Atlantans won’t want to miss the chance to visit an exhibition curated from the Nando’s art collection, one of the largest, and most in-depth of Southern African contemporary masterworks. Curated by Laurie Ann Farrell, and in partnership with the African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta (ADAMA), “If You Look Hard Enough, You Can See Our Future” has received strong critical acclaim.
Located in the Pittsburgh community, a historically Black Atlanta neighborhood, ADAMA is an innovative museum that amplifies the art and culture of the diaspora through immersive experiences, cultivating shared learning, and facilitating meaningful points of connection.
Opening ahead of the third iteration of Atlanta Art Week on Friday, September 20th, the exhibition is open to the public at no cost and runs through Saturday, November 2nd.
“Securing a world-class collection from Nando’s is another testament to the mission of ADAMA of making art accessible and Atlanta’s position as a cultural capital,” said Dr. Fahamu Pecou, founder of ADAMA. “With this exhibition, the influence of the African diaspora will be felt through the quality and variety of artmaking from the best contemporary artists in the world.”
The selection of work is drawn from the collection’s strengths in portraiture, landscape, cityscapes and abstraction.
Several of the featured artists have received recent accolades.
Zanele Muholi is a ground-breaking Black queer photographer with a current survey on display at the Tate Modern in London.
Represented by the Stevenson Gallery in South Africa and David Zwirner in New York City and London, Portia Zvahera is a rising star that was recently featured at the 59th Venice Biennale.
Known for transforming drawings into sculpture, film and operas, William Kentridge has two works in the exhibition.
Profiled by CNN, Mbongeni Buthelizi known for his innovative work created from melted plastic is an artist activist who collects and repurposes litter into breathtaking portraits.
Artists Sam Nhlengethwa, Diane Victor, and Buthelizi, will be traveling to Atlanta from South Africa to participate in open-to-the-public conversations.
Curating an exhibition from a collection built over two decades was an idea that came to life from the late philanthropist and businessman, Dick Enthoven, who tapped his longtime friend Farrell to be the curator. One of the most important curators working to offer visibility to artists from Africa and the African Diaspora to the United States for more than 20 years; Farrell served as a curator of contemporary art at The Africa Center (formerly known as The Museum of African Art) in New York City, an executive director at Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD), and curator and head of modern and contemporary art at the Detroit Institute of Art. Farrell was also the lead curator on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium art collection while at SCAD.
Farrell was named curator of the year by D Magazine (2023) for the quality and scope of the exhibition at the African American Museum, Dallas.
“It’s quite meaningful to be able to curate an exhibit from such an exemplary collection and bring an impressive range of talent from the African continent to Atlanta,” said Farrell, “Our hope is that all who visit will experience the universal themes of humanity, love, loss and hope for a better future as illustrated by the artworks.”
Home to the legendary South-African flamed-grilled PERi-PERi chicken and PERi-PERi sauces, the first Nando’s location in Greater Atlanta recently opened in the Perimeter area within the High Street entertainment district. Later in the year, a 3,500-square-foot location will open at the Forum at Peachtree Corners.
“As a proudly African brand establishing itself in Atlanta, we consider the African Diaspora Museum of Atlanta to be the perfect canvas for world-class expressions of the modern Southern African lived experience,” said Sepanta Bagherpour, Chief Brand Officer of Nando’s North America.
If You Look Hard Enough, You Can See Our Future
Runs through November 2
African Diaspora Art Museum of
Thursday – Saturday: Noon – 5 p.m.
About the Nando’s Art Collection
Through the vision of the late South African businessman Dick Enthoven, Nando’s started collecting art in partnership with arts consultancy Spier Arts Trust in 2004 and has since become owner of one of the world’s largest collections of Southern African contemporary art and design. The collection is uniquely displayed in Nando’s restaurants globally, creating bespoke settings, providing access to millions of people, many of whom will never visit an art gallery, or museum. Visitors to Nando’s custom-designed restaurants also have the opportunity to see firsthand permanent artwork from the 27,000+ piece collection that is featured prominently at each location.
About African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta (ADAMA)
The African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta (ADAMA) showcases the diversity, creativity and innovation of the African diaspora. Through immersive experiences, cultivating shared learning and facilitating meaningful points of contact, we amplify the diverse voices of our global community. We recognize the boundlessness of African diaspora cultural expression and invite audiences to discover why ‘Every Where We Go, There We Are’.
Background on Dr. Pecou and connection to Nando’s/exhibition: Dr. Fahamu Pecou, an acclaimed artist and scholar, is doing something transformative for Atlanta’s Black community through the African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta (ADAMA). Located in the heart of the historically Black Pittsburgh neighborhood inside Pittsburgh Yards. ADAMA is more than a museum—it’s a beacon of culture, connection, and revitalization for the area.
Dr. Pecou has had a storied art career that spans the globe, but his passion is right here at home, encouraging the community to embrace the rich culture and history of the diaspora.
Dr. Pecou was instrumental in bringing Nando’s art collection to ADAMA, which is now open and free to the public. The exhibition, *If You Look Hard Enough, You Can See Our Future*, demonstrates the power of blending arts, culture, history, and business.
Rick is joined by noted Pitmaster and TV and online sensation, Erica Roby.
As fall temperatures creep in and families get back into a routine, it’s no surprise that Americans are gravitating to what’s comfortable – and that means turning to some of their favorite home-cooked meals like pot roast and beef stew. In fact, meatloaf is currently rated the number one recipe on beefitswhatsfordinner.com.
While many home chefs are looking to recreate their childhood favorites, they’re also adding different flavors, like chilis, or even putting an international spin on nostalgic recipes with ingredients like chili powder, gochujang (a red chili paste) and black sesame oil. As more and more cook at home, trend experts say they’re seeing more interest in experimenting with unfamiliar flavors, which will have a huge influence this year.
And beef dishes are perfect for your next tailgate or football party.
Topics:
How are Americans changing their dining habits?
What types of dishes will be most popular this year?
How are you incorporating international ingredients into your favorite dishes?
What’s next for you as a pitmaster?
Where can we go to learn more?
Erica Roby is one of the country’s leading female pitmasters, an award-winning artist in the field of barbecue. However, being an acclaimed pitmaster is only one of her many accomplishments: Erica is also an attorney, a level-2 Certified Sommelier, United States Navy wife, and a mother. In 2020, Erica became a contestant on Food Network’s “BBQ Brawl,” becoming the Season 2 winner and earning the mantle “Master of ‘Cue.” After “BBQ Brawl,” Erica decided to document the world of barbecue in her award-winning digital series, “The Pit Stop with Blue Smoke Blaire.” In May 2022, Erica also competed at the world-famous Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest. Though it was only her second time as a competitor at this prestigious event, remarkably, she tied for 1st place in brisket and 4th in the rib division, a journey that was filmed for Food Network’s “BBQ USA”. Erica’s commitment to spreading love through barbecue has seen her travel with Operation BBQ Relief to provide meals to those in need. She is also a guest lecturer inspiring young people to pick up tongs and find joy through food and culinary passion. In October 2023, Blue Smoke Blaire’s Barbecue Academy will open its doors to support at risk youth in Houston, Texas.
Rick is joined by: Bizzy CEO Alex French — an ‘under 40′ executive just named regional EY ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ — He’s here to discuss how his cold brew brand (sold in more than 7,500 grocery stores across America + online) is energizing sector growth.
We all love bold coffee drinks that fuel the daily grind. Enter the 6 Bizzy Cold Brew coffee options!
So strong and flavorful, these ‘grab and go’ cold brew beverages practically high-five you out the door! Made with organic certified beans, unsweetened, and gluten free with 0g sugar, this meticulously crafted cold brew coffee is in a class all its own.
We make the best-tasting cold brew coffee in the world. A bold statement? You bet. We’ve put our noses to the coffee grindstone to make it a reality. Since Alex and Andrew founded the company in 2015, we’ve spent years perfecting our signature organic blends, and can proudly report thousands of 5-star reviews to back up our claim.
Bizzy Cold Brew Bottles are made with 100% post consumer recycled plastic. (Please note, the caps are not made with 100% post consumer recycled plastic, but we are working on a solution for that!)
And will Bizzy Cold Brew soon be available at sports events?
Mike Shogren is the CEO of Prevent Biometrics, the most independently validated head impact monitoring system in the world. Mike joined Prevent in 2016 and the company has since partnered with over 200 organizations, 10 governing bodies and deployed 20,000+ smart mouthguards.
He joins Rick this week.
Shogren is a longtime Minnesota resident, who logged many years of his life as a youth sports advocate. At a young age, Mike’s son suffered a devastating concussion leading to years of symptoms that could’ve been easily diagnosed/treated with a better protocol in place.
Because of this, Shogren conducted his own research only to find that many head impact tools were either inaccurate or had little to no validation in the market. That’s when he was introduced to Prevent Biometrics, who at the time was developing a smart mouthguard that measured the g-force of head impacts in real time.
He joined Prevent as CEO and set out with one goal: bring this technology to athletes and parents at every level of sports. They’ve since become an industry leader for head injury protocol.
Mike’s work has led to the largest head impact study to date and the research is now prompting sports organizations around the world to adopt the tech.
