When Quentin likens his magic to a sensible, mid-sized car and Penny asks if it's the one that would always explode, he's referring to a Ford Pinto.
Jewel Staite (Phyllis) has worked with West Duchovny's (Whitley) real-life father, David Duchovny in an episode of The X-Files (1993). They played Amy Jacobs and Fox Mulder respectively. The episode in question is, Oubliette (1995).