Podcast Episode with Jay Ward
Creative Director of Franchise at Pixar knows his cars and bikes.
Five years ago I reached out to a fellow Bay Area motorcycle enthusiast about doing an interview for Cycle World magazine, a Senior Editor hoping to bring some culture and lifestyle content to the mix. While I can’t remember if the communication exchange took place virtually via LinkedIn or Instagram, the in-person interview happened at the 2018 Quail Motorcycle Gathering, where this congenial gent would make time for me while taking a break from judging duties.
Jay Ward is the Creative Director of Franchise at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California, with several Formula One, MotoGP and NASCAR legends on speed dial. He's a car and motorcycle buff whose expertise takes him worldwide to judge at concours competitions. No stranger to a wrench himself, Jay managed the parts department of a Bay Area Harley-Davidson dealership after art school before his jump into show business almost 25 years ago.
We’ve met for lunch and coffee with our Sunday Moto Club, and he enjoyed an Interpol concert with a gaggle of us at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley last year. It was only natural that the loquacious and energetic father of two would be one of our early podcast guests this season.
In this episode, Jay describes his introduction to motorcycles and cars, making his way into Pixar, and how his deep knowledge of four wheels caught the attention of the top brass, catapulting Jay into the Pixar stratosphere and up the creative ladder.
Jay explains his past and current stable of motorcycles, scooters, and cars; how he resurrected and acquired a 1976 Porsche 911S from a kind neighbor; brings us behind the scenes with last year’s record-setting Sally Special Porsche Carrera auction; and his recent acquisition of a rare aluminum-bodied 1953 Austin-Healey 100 with a Chevy V8 wedged under the bonnet.
One of his memorable motorsports highlights was watching Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaró wear a special one-off helmet to promote the Disney Pixar movie Luca during the 2021 Misano MotoGP race in Italy, designed by Jay.
“My only other claim to Luca is they recorded my ’58 Vespa GS150’s exhaust for the movie,” he added with a chuckle. “I have pictures of them in the studio putting microphones up to it to record the notes.”
All this, including some encouraging digs on me from Jay and Henri for my never having been to Disneyland.
NOTE: Our podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, Apple, Stitcher and RSS.
Listen, enjoy, and share with friends. As always, thanks for your support!