From Roller Dogs To Road Tests With The Lexus NX And Mustang GT

Gas station hot dogs and performance cars sound like an odd pairing until you’ve done enough road trips to know they belong together. We start with a no-nonsense ranking of seven of the best gas station hot dogs in America, breaking down which convenience store chains actually deliver the kind of quick, low-cost bite that keeps a long drive on track. From topping bars to value combos, we talk about what makes a roller-grill classic worth your money and which stops are easiest to find when you’re crossing state lines. 

Next, we shift gears into a practical luxury SUV review of the 2026 Lexus NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid. We get into trim overload, exterior styling, cabin comfort, cargo space, and the tech that stands out, especially the big 14-inch center screen. We also call out what annoys us in daily use, like steering wheel controls that hide the info you need right when you’re trying to use them. And we keep it real about plug-in hybrid ownership: the efficiency numbers look great if you charge, but not everyone will. Pricing and competitors come up too, because value matters even in the premium segment. 

To round it out, we spotlight seven underrated U.S. racetracks worth visiting, then bring the fun home with a review of the 2025 Ford Mustang GT Convertible. We talk V8 power, real fuel economy, ride and handling, noise, and how fast options can push the sticker into eye-watering territory. If you like road trip food, car reviews, and racing culture, hit play, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review with your pick for the best road trip stop.

The Lupe' Tortilla Restaurants
Lupe Tortilla in Katy, Texas

Gulf Coast Auto Shield
Paint protection, tint, and more!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

----  ----- 
Want more In Wheel Time car talk any time?
     
In Wheel Time is now available on Audacy!  

Just go to Audacy.com/InWheelTime where ever you are.
-----   -----
Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast provider for the next episode of In Wheel Time Podcast and check out our live multiplatform broadcast every Saturday, 10a - 12nCT simulcasting on Audacy, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and InWheelTime.com.

In Wheel Time Podcast can be heard on you mobile device from providers such as:

Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music Podcast, Spotify, SiriusXM Podcast, iHeartRadio podcast, TuneIn + Alexa, Podcast Addict, Castro, Castbox, YouTube Podcast and more on your mobile device.

Follow InWheelTime.com for the latest updates!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/InWheelTime

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inwheeltime/

https://www.youtube.com/inwheeltime

https://www.Facebook.com/InWheelTime

For more information about In Wheel Time Podcast, email us at 

info@inwheeltime.com

Transcript

Don Armstrong 0:04

It's 10 to noon, usually, every Saturday, for our live show about all things automotive, and we thank you for being with us today. I'm gonna have to change things around a little bit.

Jeff Dziekan 0:13

It's up to you.

Don Armstrong 0:14

No, I know I want to do it because I teased it and I want to talk about it.

Jeff Dziekan 0:17

Okay.

Ranking Gas Station Hot Dogs

Don Armstrong 0:18

The seven best gas station hot dogs in America. Have you got that?

Jeff Dziekan 0:21

I got it. Hot dog. Yeah, here we go.

Don Armstrong 0:24

Oh, don't make fun. You know you like them.

Jeff Dziekan 0:26

Yeah. All right. So what we got the shiny, juicy skin, warm buns on the counter, and all the. Wait a minute.

Don Armstrong 0:36

We're not talking about the beach now.

Jeff Dziekan 0:38

No, all and all the toppings to choose from at a low price. We don't like toppings. Of course, some gas convenience chains. Dog stands ahead and shoulders above the rest. So here we go. Number one, Michael. Pilot flying J. You've probably seen this gas station and truck stops while making summer road trips across the country. They make that look that's a little bit. Is based in Knoxville and operates truck stops across the country, making this dog about as accessible as it gets. When you'll find a pilot flying J, you got big juicy dogs on a roller grill along with fresh, cold toppings ranging from what? Sauerkraut, slice, jalapeno, banana peppers. We'll move on. The next one is Come and Go. Founded in 1963, the Midwestern chain's name is a play on a phrase Come and Go, using the initials of the founders, Cross and Gentile. With 400 stores in 11 states, it's not difficult to find that there's a tasty dog wrapped in a soft bun. What's outstanding about the dogs is that they're often on special. With two dogs, chips, and a drink running less than six dollars. I am in. Next one, Michael. Is a Circle K. Almost as ubiquitous as a 7 Eleven Circle K. All Angus beef dogs are dependable choice for a road trip. You know, I hate to say that's what we used to call that commie K.

Don Armstrong 2:04

There you go. Never mind, that's another story for the other thing. There you go.

Jeff Dziekan 2:06

Uh trip meal and a late night snack. Prices vary, but you can usually find a dog and a drink for around two bucks with no extra change in toppings. Next one we got is AMPM. The Tapatilla hot dogs and AMPM are spicier versions of our traditional roller dogs made with a tapeilla hot sauce. AMPM. AMPMIS. I want to go there. I don't I never heard of them. They're around. A West Coast I think there's one in Sugarland. A West Coast convenience store chain with locations in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, offers a spicy store. You didn't say Texas. Well, I think there's one over there though. They offer the dogs for$1.99. The chain also offers cheddarwurst dogs packed with cheese at the same price. If you buy one dog, get the second dog for only a dollar fifty. I am in. Michael? We got the holiday station. For only a dollar, you can get authentic Nathan Jr. all beef dog at the Midwest chain. Dang, a dollar. Locations in where? Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Our full serve Nathan's hot dog with classic Johnsonville brats. If a long day in the car has you feeling hangry, go for a hot dog. Hangry. 7 Eleven is the next one. For its price, the 711 Big Bite may be just the best dog. You can get almost anywhere in the country. Seriously, with over 13,000 locations, it gets harder to avoid a ubiquitous brand. Its locations offer gas, and that's before you eat the hot dog. But you can also find there's a convenience store in many cities. The straightforward all beef dog starts at around two bucks. It's a quarter pound beef wrapped in a pillowy bun. Several different toppings are available with a very uh and they vary by location, of course. Speedway, which is also owned by 7-Eleven, also offers the big bite. And the last one on the list, Michael, is Sheets. This chain is around 700 stores located in central and western Pennsylvania. Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, southern the East Coast. They made to order dogs, starting at 99 cents. But they also offer more upgrades with the most convenience stores, including pretzel bun. Six kinds of cheese, including nacho. Uh 14 different spreads like Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce, 19 different toppings from caramelized onions to guacamole. Talk about a dog a Palooza. So there you go. What a deal. How about that?

Don Armstrong 4:37

I'm sorry, I was waving at the drone.

Jeff Dziekan 4:40

Oh, the drone climbing.

Don Armstrong 4:41

I was waving at you.

Jeff Dziekan 4:42

Paige thought you were.

Waving At The Drone Break

2026 Lexus NX Plug In Review

Don Armstrong 4:44

Yeah, I know. Paige, uh, I love you, but I w I was waving at the drone, but what in the Here's what I do. A review of the 2026 Lexus NX. It comes in so many different trim levels. Let me start. 350H, 350, 350H premium, 350 premium, 358 luxury, and the list goes on and on. I'm not going to bar you with all that. I had the 450H plus luxury all-wheel drive. This is considered a small SUV. I would consider it a small SUV. Uh, five seats. I'm sorry? No, the Lexus. Um, all new in uh 2022. Exterior features, attractively curvy body lines. I'm talking about the car now, so you get your mind out of the gutter, with signature spindle grille, different wheels and grills for different trims. The tail has brake cooling ducts back there. Does it need it? No, but it looks really cool. They're fake anyway, but it looks good. Um the C pillar adds a fast back, attractive touch to the design. What I liked about it, the overall design gets high marks, in my opinion, but could use improvement. I don't think anything. It really is a good-looking vehicle. Interior highlights, a uh center screen designed into the dash layout. It's nice and uh it looks really good. Comfortable seating with lots of adjustments. Uh leg room for the second row passengers is adequate, which is different for a small SUV. Overall, fit finish design, excellent. Uh trunk room, cargo room, adequate for this small SUV, especially with the second row down. What I liked about it, that 14-inch center screen. What could use improvement? The steering wheel multi-function buttons disappear when you're trying to use them. It's frustrating. So if you don't, if you're not using it, the display that tells you what it is that you're moving your cursor to disappears too quick. Going, dang it, where was I? So it comes with a 2.5 liter plug-in. This is a plug-in hybrid electric. Now, I did not plug it in. Okay, I'm guilty, I'll I'll admit that. But that's a pain. If it's got a gasoline motor in it, I'm not plugging it in. Because it's a pain. I don't have the setup at the house for net horsepower, 304 combined plug-in and the engine as well. So if you use both, 304 horsepower. Torque, plenty. Has a CVT transmission. Till rating, one ton. Would you subject your car to towing something? I I wouldn't. Uh apparently that other car show let out because it is nothing but cars all coming in here. It's crazy. There's some uh WRX STIs. Yep, do. Yeah, 10 bucks to pass by the in-wheel time booth. Wish you could see it. Sorry you can't. Miles per gallon, 34 with the gas. 84 with the gas plus electric plug-in aspect of it. 84. I got 33.4 because I didn't plug it in. Uh over 103.6 miles. Don, you only drove the thing 103 miles? Yeah. I only drove it 103 miles because that particular week I had two cars and uh I kind of split the difference between the two cars. What are you doing with two cars? Don't ask me. Don't get me started. What I liked, the mileage. Wish I'd taken the time to plug it in, though. I made a note of that. You know, they do they get out of the way when Mars shows up with the in-wheel time truck? Uh what could use improvement? Uh a non-plug-in would be great, but it would be more expensive. Uh what I liked about it, riding handling, top-of-the-line luxury. And what could use improvement? An F Sport is available. So that would give you a little bit more zip, some more vinegar, as they like to say.

Jeff Dziekan 9:13

Oh, Vim and vinegar.

Don Armstrong 9:15

Vim and vinegar. Vim? Is that a word? Vim, yeah. My mother used to lose that all the time. Um, okay, so let's talk about pricing. Base trim price,$61,740. Price is tested,$67,289. That counts me out. It's a little bit too expensive for me. Now you can get in an NX starting at$44,775. I think I'd look down at the lower level. That's just me. Competitors, Mercedes-Benz X3, the Acura RDX, and the Genesis G V70. I got another car review, going to do that in the last hour of the show this morning. And um, next week I'll review the Ram 1500. Oh, yeah. Oh my god, was that thing nice? Jeez. Expensive, but nice.

SPEAKER_00 10:07

I mean, so Mr.

Don Armstrong 10:16

Morris, we're gonna have you continue on your trek here of being on the air, because you have done nothing to contribute to the show, but to this point.

Jeff Dziekan 10:25

That gummet's running errands, he's making lunches. I know.

Don Armstrong 10:29

Yeah, you got the pannies and bologna sandwiches, or what?

Mike Marrs 10:33

Well, I I looked for some of the cheese mixed with the baloney, the cheese and bologna slices, but I couldn't find it.

Jeff Dziekan 10:38

Well, on your way home, stop at a come and go and get a hot dog.

Don Armstrong 10:41

All right. Oh, time now for seven racetracks worth visiting.

Mike Marrs 10:47

So we looked at seven, I mean, we started looking at racetracks. There's racetracks all over the state, all over the country, different kinds, everything.

Don Armstrong 10:54

But are they still open?

Mike Marrs 10:55

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, so this is more of uh seven underrated U.S. racetracks that are worth visiting if you really decide you just want to go. Some people go to baseball parks and football stadiums, eh, go to racetracks. So, one of them we want to talk about is Road America. Now, this is the classic natural terrain you're gonna be. Wisconsin. Yes. It's four miles, goes through the hills and forests of Wisconsin. You got a lot of long straights, so you get a lot of speed up, technical corners to make them slow down and try to maneuver around through the laps. But the thing about this track is there's a lot of fan freedom. There's a lot of places the spectators can run home big areas of the track to see it. And because of the elevation in the hills and stuff, you can get up and you can kind of see it. Uh and then uh it's special, it's considered one of the purest road courses in North America. Now, the another one I wanted to mention is the Virginia International Raceway. And so this one has a lot of elevation changes, which is what makes it kind of work really different from everybody else. You got uh a lot of places you can get the speed, but they've got flowing corners. It doesn't have the really long, straight speed uh straightaways to where you're gonna get up the maximum speed that you're gonna get in a lot of.

Don Armstrong 12:07

And what's the name of that place?

Mike Marrs 12:08

Virginia International Raceway. Now it's called VIR. That's kind of the abbreviation for it. I've heard of that one. But it's Virginia International Raceway.

Jeff Dziekan 12:18

I've heard of VIR.

Mike Marrs 12:19

And uh it's considered one of the better driving tracks that's in the country. And it because people go out there, they think feel like it's like a more like a country club track where everybody's just it's not like real media heavy whenever people go out there. Then the other thing is going up to uh the WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca.

Don Armstrong 12:41

Now this is that's Laguna Seca. WeatherTech is sponsoring it. Exactly. They're paying them a lot of money to have their name at the top of it.

Mike Marrs 12:50

And if you go look at any sign it says WeatherTech.

Don Armstrong 12:55

Anyway, they're not spending any money with us.

Mike Marrs 12:57

No, I know. But it's one of the things that it's famous for is because of it's got a corkscrew turn with a sudden downhill left-right sequence that drops several stories in elevation. So you really kind of drop down on it. I've never driven that track. I've seen the signs as I drove by. But uh, it's uh in the hills near Monterey, California. Got a lot of scenic views, so you get a lot of exciting racing. Fans can sit on the grassy hillsides and watch them, which is one of the things that makes these tracks a little different. You're not parked your butt in the sand, stands all day. You can actually get out and enjoy some of the outside of it. Uh another racetrack is going to be the Seabring International Raceway. It's one of the oldest and toughest circuits in North America, originally built on an old World War II airfield. So it's all got concrete surfaces that can get kind of rough and uh makes things really challenging for the cars and the drivers because it's going to eat on tires pretty hard as well as the car. Now, this is where you're going to find the 12 hours of seabreen sometimes. Yeah, I mean, that's a race that you can go there to see. And it's more like old school racing. So a lot of people like there going to that gritty atmosphere, uh racing tradition, and you can actually camp there. So if you're really interested in that, it's a really great place to go. It's bumpy, it's brutal, and one of the toughest tracks for the drivers. The other one, uh the Barber Motorsports Park. Oh, yeah, that's a good one. Wait, skip the mid-Ohio. Uh-oh. Where did Mid-Ohio go? Here it is. It's in Ohio. Yeah, it's in Ohio. Mid-Ohio is a technical layout track, and it uh flows through the wooded hills and elevation changes. And it's whole major series like IndyCar series there. It's kind of a small track, but it's considered to be very technical. Then we'll go to Barber. Barber. Barber. Barber Motorsports Park is kidding, one of the most beautiful racing facilities. Why did it do that? In the world. It's got a lot of grass, a lot of sculpted places around the circuit to kind of make it look really nice. Kind of a botanical garden area. It's got smooth pavement, flowing corners, so you get a lot of racing for motorcycles there and the cars alike. Got a uh actually also has the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum on the site. So you get a combination of the two, including the Indy Car Grand Prix of Alabama. Road Atlanta is the last one that we're going to talk about right quick. It's known for its fast flowing layout, dramatic elevation changes, and uh got a lot of high speed, steep downhill run. The uh IMSA Sports Car Championship season runs through there. And they have again fans like the classic feel of it, being able to sit on the grassy hillsides, being able to get to the areas where you can see the cars really well. And that is seven racetracks that uh are much underrated and uh offer opportunities to go and see some different kinds of racing and different feels to the track.

SPEAKER_00 16:00

You know, you know, I was just let's move on with things.

2025 Mustang GT Convertible Review

Don Armstrong 16:10

Uh so it's Jeff's daughter. She's up here. Um let's do Mr. Mars and the Mustang GT, Mr. Mars.

Mike Marrs 16:18

Got me here. All right. Yeah. Ready to go. We are ready to go. So this is the 2025 Ford Mustang GT Convertible Drop Top Premier. Now, this vehicle was final assembly in Flat Rock of all places. It is the seventh generation of the Mustang, and it was reintroduced in 2024. So 25 is kind of a carryover. You can get the Mustang in an EcoBoost and EcoBoost Premium GT, GT Premium, or you can get the dark horse they just came out with.

Don Armstrong 16:50

Well, was that C. You think the Dark Horse? I think I'll have that.

Mike Marrs 16:55

So the GT Premium is where we were at with the convertible. And uh it's considered a sports car, and it's a four-passenger. Now, I'm sure anybody trying to get in the backseat might argue that with you, but it is considered a four-passenger vehicle. Got uh one thing I really liked about it, that I was a little concerned, the roof, the convertible roof on it, is fully lined, cloth top. And um, so it's really good at keeping out some of the sound. It seals up really good whenever you've got the top up. Up front, you're gonna find automatic LED headlights. It's got a hood vent that actually not a hood scoop, but a hood vent up front that looks like an inverted. I think Subaru once upon a time was doing inverted hood scoops on it. Garrain sensing wipers and all those good things, but it also has Rimbo brakes with a premium lining on it. So you got the red calipers with the white lettering on it, and it's got some 19-inch black aluminum wheels. So you put all that with the bright red paint that's on it, the black hood scoop or hood vent and the black top on it. It's really nice looking. Going down the road, getting ticket red. So uh inside we had a 12.4-inch LCD instrument cluster, so we got lots of room up there to see things. Got a 13.2-inch LED center stack. That's where you're gonna find all your convenience controls, your rear view camera, which works really well in that big of a screen. Now, the front seats are very comfortable, front bucket seats, sports car. And uh even had the red matching seat belts on it. And but there is an optional Ricaro seats available in this car. It would have been nice to see how they worked in this convertible, make it a little bit cooler. Uh, the back seat, like I said, enough said on that. Has the BO audio system with 12 speakers. Now we didn't have the opportunity because of the weather to drop the top and GG, just how much ire we could raise with the neighbors, but uh it sounds pretty good with the top down. Under the hood, this is where it gets good. 5.0 liter B8, 480 horsepower.

Don Armstrong 18:49

Do your neighbors have ire?

Mike Marrs 18:51

Well, uh, the lady next door, I think she does. She when I can get up at 4 o'clock in the morning and leave, she gets a little irritated.

Don Armstrong 18:57

Irritated? Irritated. So you raise her ire. Yes. She's ired all the time, but you raise the ire.

Mike Marrs 19:03

Yeah, at her age, it's kind of hard to tell.

Don Armstrong 19:05

Okay.

Mike Marrs 19:07

So again, we got this is true.

Don Armstrong 19:09

VS true. Do you know the next door neighbor?

Jeff Dziekan 19:15

She doesn't want to she can neither confirm nor deny.

Mike Marrs 19:19

Yeah, she can't, because she still needs a ride home. It's also got a 10-speed automatic. We didn't have the six-speed in it, but it does have the 10-speed automatic. The engine combination that you can get with the car in the Mustang kind of dictates which transmission options you have available. Now, the EPA says you should be looking for about 16 miles to the gallon in the city, 24 out on the highway, 19 combined. I drove this car 325.3 miles, including the the trip over here to kind of check things out to know how we were going to set up over here to pre-survey everything. And I got 20 miles to the gallon on that car, and I was really proud of that. Also, uh, as far as ride handling goes, of course, it's it's almost like driving a go-kart. It has the performance vehicle, so it's got a little bit stiffer uh suspension on it, more for road handling and stuff, but it does make it ride a little bit rougher. Um, the bigger and the wider tires that are on this car, on this GT, has uh a little bit more road noise on it. It also has 355 gears on it, so it is uh got plenty of get up and go juice. Now the base trim price on this vehicle that we were driving is$56,580. The base model price on a Mustang is$33,915. Our MSRP as tested,$72,245. Really, wow. So almost$20,000 of options between the performance package and some of the paint and some of the other things that were on here, the audio system, all of it that kind of adds up. If you're looking for something to compare it to, you know, maybe the Toyota GR Supra starts at$56,250. Okay. The uh Nissan Z Nismo, unfortunately, it starts at 62. Okay. You could get into a Z cheaper than that, but the Nismo seem to be more like a fair comparison. And really and truly, I uh again, Mustang's been around for years. It's got staying power. It's got staying power. It's a very fun, daily driver capable car to have.

Jeff Dziekan 21:21

They seem to be getting bigger and bigger every year. There's one right there. Well, they're all getting bigger.

Mike Marrs 21:25

Everything's getting bigger. It's it's it's a maneuver.

Jeff Dziekan 21:27

Well, they don't make any competitors to it. That's true. The Camaro's gone. Well, exactly. The Camaro, the Challenger, and the ones you mentioned are are you know things you don't think of. Listen, that car is cool.