FridayFeb052021
L-R Shepard, Bovington, Corddry – Courtesy Motor Trend(NEW YORK) — Actors Dax Shepard and Rob Corddry and veteran automotive journalist and driver Jethro Bovington didn't know each other before they signed on to host Motor Trend's new streaming series, Top Gear America, but they tell ABC Audio some wheel time off-camera changed that.
"Per Jethro's recommendation, he said, let's borrow three cars and do a Angeles Crest run, which is the most legendary road in L.A. County," Shepard says. "So we got an [Audi] R8, we got a McLaren and we got — Jethro had that [Mustang] Shelby 500 [and] We did a crazy canyon day."
"Something about it was the most fast forwarding to a friendship. Just by the end of that day, we were like, yup, we're team," Shepard declares.
Corddry says he knew he was picked to give an "everyman" perspective on the show, as he had no racing experience compared to his co-hosts. He's quickly coming up to speed, however.
"[Somebody] asked me, "What's the craziest thing you you want to do in a car?…I can no longer answer that question because on Top Gear, we are allowed to do stupid, stupid things," says Corddry. "And so all my dreams are fulfilled in that realm."
Bovington laughed, "The producers are great because they they come up with stupid things, but I don't think there's been an episode where we haven't said, 'We should do this thing,' which is like what their thought times two and they let us do it."
Shepard adds with a laugh, "That Ford Explorer comes to mind…It was just sitting there and we said, you know, it would be an absolute crime if we didn't jump that pile of logs with that thing."
Top Gear America is now streaming on the Motor Trend app.
By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
