The inner calm of Bubba Wallace and the new No. 45 team ahead of Kansas (1:00); why a looser Bubba Wallace might have resulted from earlier disappointments at Nashville and Michigan (3:00); how Kurt Busch still is playing a role in the No. 45 team (5:00); the concept of a split championship becoming a reality in Cup (7:00); and why that could be impactful in multiple ways (8:30); digesting Kyle Busch’s move to Richard Childress Racing (10:30); the Ty Gibbs factor (12:00); whither Kyle Busch Moto...
Sep 15, 2022•35 min•Ep. 271
How Austin Dillon navigated the massive wreck into the lead in a split-second decision (1:30); is it better to take the bottom in wreck-avoidance? (3:30); accelerating through the wreck (4:30); how Austin Dillon took the lead on Austin Cindric (6:30); how Cindric took things (8:30) and the wait by Dillon and the Chevys to make the move (9:30); Tyler Reddick playing the role of good solider for Richard Childress Racing (12:00); being the grandson of the team owner in NASCAR (14:30); why the win w...
Aug 29, 2022•45 min•Ep. 270
On the postrace scene with Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson (1:30); and what it means for these Hendrick Motorsports teammates (3:00); why Parker sees merit to Larson’s view of the incident (4:30); Larson’s explanation (7:00); should Chase have taken the inside lane? (8:30); the Chase Elliott side of the story (10:00); why did Chase think he was racing Bristol next week? (11:15); is Larson’s move fair because Elliott doesn’t wreck? (14:00); where are things now between Elliott and Larson (16:00); T...
Aug 22, 2022•47 min•Ep. 269
On Kevin Harvick’s surge into championship contender … and how deep the No. 4 might go in the playoffs (1:30); why Michigan was a surprise but Richmond wasn’t (3:00); how Harvick has seemed different (in a good way) this season (5:15); and what that says about his faith and trust in Stewart-Haas Racing (7:30); the lack of execution for Denny Hamlin’s pit crew (9:00); and Stevie’s aggressive solution for fixing it (11:00); how the NASCAR pit stop is now like a slant route (13:15); remembering a t...
Aug 15, 2022•46 min•Ep. 268
Did 15 winners ever seem possible to KP? (1:00); “the most dangerous man in motorsports” (3:00); what it meant that Harvick “controlled” the race to snap a long winless streak (4:30); how KP saw the former high school wrestler from Bakersfield, California, seize the race (7:00); how experience might have hindered Rodney Childers’ adaptation to the Next Gen car (9:30); Bubba’s big heartbreak (12:00); is Bubba being too hard on himself? (13:30); how he will move on from it as a smarter, better dri...
Aug 08, 2022•54 min•Ep. 267
Thanking the co-host of the popular “Off-Track” podcast for moonlighting (0:30); general thoughts on IndyCar-NASCAR crossover both on track and in the booth (1:30); what it was like calling a NASCAR race vs. an IndyCar race from the same location and with many of the same staff (3:00): how Hinch prepared for calling the Xfinity race (4:30); on his future NASCAR broadcast work (5:30); how the IndyCar schedule might have impacted some crossover dynamics (7:00); the response to NASCAR from IndyCar ...
Aug 01, 2022•34 min•Ep. 266
General thoughts on Kurt Busch missing Pocono with concussion-like symptoms and acknowledging racing’s inherent dangers (1:30); the variables (and accompanying risks) that make racing different from other pro sports (3:30); why safety is a community issue (5:30); tracing the origins of the last safety revolution in NASCAR (7:15); reflecting on an era when conversations in NASCAR were contentious about safety (11:00); what’s happening with drivers in Next Gen crashes (15:00); a focus on the headr...
Jul 28, 2022•30 min•Ep. 265
Setting up the Denny Hamlin-Kyle Busch disqualifications (1:00); DJ’s thoughts after the details came to light (3:30); providing some context on the new DQ era of the 21st century (6:30); should NASCAR be inspecting more cars with greater scrutiny after races? (8:00); NASCAR’s new message to the garage (12:00); the penalty of perception with a disqualification (15:00); the strain and stress of a turbulent season on Joe Gibbs (17:30); Latest round of Denny Hamlin vs. Ross Chastain (21:00): why DJ...
Jul 25, 2022•40 min•Ep. 264
The backstory on Christopher Bell being the best of the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers (1:00); why CBell might get overlooked at Gibbs (3:00); is Bell the latest example of the strength of coming up through the dirt ranks? (5:00); on Bell asking for more silence from his team on the radio (7:30); how the driver-crew chief-spotter dynamic works (9:30); Burton’s experience with being distracted by the radio (11:00); the impact of NASCAR declining to penalize the No. 20 team after Atlanta (13:00); and ho...
Jul 18, 2022•41 min•Ep. 263
The story of Chase Elliott’s mustache (1:00); Kyle’s recent sitdown with “The King” and Jeff Gordon about the 1992 season finale at Atlanta Motor Speedway (2:00); the “new” Atlanta Motor Speedway superspeedway racing (5:00); how it differs from Daytona and Talladega (7:30); hearing siren for Chase Elliott (10:00); and what the hometown win means for a Cup driver (13:00); a sublime superspeedway performance (15:30); Elliott’s quiet growth and the No. 9’s positioning as championship favorite … (18...
Jul 11, 2022•42 min•Ep. 262
How Chase Elliott won the race starting with the restart in which he took the lead from Kyle Busch (1:00); a new way of approaching restart choice with Next Gen (2:30); Chase seals the deal (4:00); the difference between the critical restarts for Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott (5:30); Chase’s video game maneuver to gain eight spots in a lap (7:30); was Chase being modest about how good he was in making the move? (9:00); how the Next Gen is forcing some uncharacteristic driving (10:30): the pit sto...
Jun 27, 2022•38 min•Ep. 261
Trackhouse Racing, the story of the 2022 Cup Series season so far (1:30); is it the culture or the car that is helping Trackhouse? (3:45); the impact of the Next Gen on hiring as it relates to education vs. experience (6:15): how the Next Gen is similar to assembling IKEA furniture but also (literally) much different (7:30); revisiting the Suarez victory aftermath (9:30); and why Stevie still believes Suarez needed the victory to cement his spot in the No. 99 (11:30); why it’s tough to remain wi...
Jun 20, 2022•38 min•Ep. 260
Daniel Suarez’s memorable first Cup win for Trackhouse Racing: Did seeing teammate Ross Chastain’s two wins wear on Suarez and crew chief Travis Mack? (2:30); Suarez’s bumpy road and long journey to Trackhouse (5:00); the importance of a driver’s confidence and how hard it is to maintain after being fired (6:30); the sacrifices and perseverance of Daniel Suarez that go unseen (9:00); Parker’s first meeting with Daniel (11:30); wrestling with so many of the typical self-doubts for any driver … wh...
Jun 13, 2022•33 min•Ep. 259
What KP has been up to lately! Audiobook memoir (1:00); Dinner Drive, Season 2 (2:00); Kyle Petty Charity Ride with new NASCAR Hall of Famer Hershel McGriff (3:30); Ross Chastain’s surprising apology and what to make of it (5:30); why KP thinks Chastain could have been even less contrite (7:45); Justin Marks’ unapologetic defense of Ross Chastain (9:30); why Ross Chastain actually should keep racing the same as he did at Gateway (11:30); should Ross Chastain make a full heel turn? (13:00); how R...
Jun 06, 2022•45 min•Ep. 258
The 20-year transformation of Kurt Busch from being one of the most disliked drivers to one of the most respected (1:30); “Kurt Busch has made every race team a better team” (3:30); why DJ believes the Kansas win is bigger than Kurt Busch’s 2017 Daytona 500 victory (5:30); is Kurt Busch the most adaptable and versatile driver in NASCAR history? (7:30); how Kyle Busch might factor into his older brother getting overlooked (9:30); why this was such an emotional victory for Kurt Busch and Denny Ham...
May 16, 2022•41 min•Ep. 257
Dissecting both sides of the controversial final lap at Darlington (2:00); Parker’s take on whether Logano’s decision to move Byron was fair (4:00); how did this compare to other famous Darlington battles like Busch v. Craven in 2003? (6:15); the selling point for NASCAR and its fans (7:30); tracing when the racing mentality gets ingrained (8:45); how this maybe was or wasn’t a traditional bump and run (10:30); an impressive turnaround by Logano and Team Penske from a miserable Dover (13:30); ho...
May 09, 2022•52 min•Ep. 256
On what happened during the final lap from the perspective of Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain (2:00); A.J. on whether Chastain faked out Larson (4:45); the development of Ross Chastain into a more patient driver at Talladega (6:30); on the edge that Chastain still has to his driving – and that A.J. witnessed at COTA (8:30); “I thought about it at COTA: I might be trying to chase down the (Cup) champion here.” (10:30); the case for a deep playoff run by Ross Chastain (11:30); the massive heartbreak...
Apr 25, 2022•36 min•Ep. 255
On if it matters when drivers “back into” wins (1:30); is it fair to criticize Busch for embracing this win while grumbling about Alex Bowman at Las Vegas? (4:00); aside from being No. 60 and continuing an 18-year streak, why this win meant something more to Kyle Busch (5:50); dissecting Chase Briscoe’s move on Tyler Reddick and why he made it (8:00); all the reasons that DJ believes Briscoe’s attempt at a pass was “terribly wrong and mistimed" (10:30); analyzing how Reddick interpreted the situ...
Apr 18, 2022•34 min•Ep. 254
William Byron’s great start continues with solving Martinsville (2:30); how William Byron is doing Kyle Larson things (4:30); do we need to talk more about Byron’s versatile greatness? (7:15); how does the success impact Byron being in a contract year? (9:15); and how might it affect his leverage and what he seeks in negotiations? (10:30); what happened to Chase Elliott at Martinsville (12:30); the key to the Chase Elliott-Alan Gustafson relationship staying strong (14:30); how do a driver and c...
Apr 11, 2022•45 min•Ep. 253
Welcome back, DJ! How’s the new place in Phoenix and what do you think of NASCAR in 2022? (1:00); unpacking Richmond’s tire strategies and how difficult it was for William Byron and Martin Truex Jr. (3:00); on Byron feeling like a sitting duck in the lead on old tires (4:30); a 1-2 finish for Hamlin and Kevin Harvick that earned their first top five finishes of the season (6:45); the challenges of adapting to a new car for Hamlin and Harvick (9:15); how does a driver go against everything they’v...
Apr 04, 2022•40 min•Ep. 252
Was Ross Chastain’s winning move over the line or totally in bounds? (2:00); dissecting how Jeff Burton saw the final lap and why “I’m OK with that” (4:00); why late-race restarts can be more “embarrassing” on road courses (6:00); did AJA have reason to be miffed? (7:30); has the “win at all costs to make the playoffs” mentality evolved recently in NASCAR? (10:00); whether today’s drivers are less artful with moving someone for a victory (12:00); any repercussions (beyond Allmendinger) for Chast...
Mar 28, 2022•47 min•Ep. 251
KP’s overall impressions on the “new” Atlanta (1:00); do drivers’ voices need to be heard or will they be heard? (3:00); where he thinks drivers’ focus should be with new tracks and layouts (safety) 5:00; what’s tricky about the new turns (6:00); the “shut up and drive” philosophy (8:00); the “tax” that drivers have to pay in superspeedway racing (10:00); will team owners push back if this tried elsewhere? (12:00); why this overhaul might be ill-suited for other 1.5-mile tracks (13:30); the layo...
Mar 21, 2022•43 min•Ep. 250
Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson on how he’s been getting up to speed on Road Atlanta (3:00); how running IMSA still is helping Jimmie stay sharp for IndyCar (5:15); playing video games with 80 cars on track to prepare for darkness (7:30); on increasing his pace and drive time at Petit Le Mans after a disappointing Watkins Glen (9:30); why Road Atlanta could be personal redemption in trying to return to his Rolex 24 form (11:30); whether Jimmie believes more NASCAR drivers mi...
Nov 11, 2021•31 min•Ep. 249
NASCAR on NBC analyst Jeff Burton on a true team effort for Kyle Larson (1:00); did teams err in downplaying the importance of qualifying? (3:30); why the race didn’t necessarily fall Larson’s way (5:45); the overwhelming superiority of the No. 5 (8:00): ranking Larson among greats such as Mario Andretti (10:30); how Burton came around on Larson … and how Larson came around on NASCAR (13:00); is Kyle Larson the best race car driver in the world? (16:30); dreaming about a Kyle Larson-Lewis Hamilt...
Nov 09, 2021•42 min•Ep. 248
NASCAR on NBC analyst Steve Letarte on why the racing seems even more intense this year as the Round of 8 finale (1:00); why Steve didn’t like Denny Hamlin interrupting Alex Bowman’s burnout (3:30); an interesting analogy to the keyboard warriors (6:00); did Denny have a point? (8:00); should Bowman have gotten more credit for pulling over after knocking Hamlin from the lead earlier? (11:00); an appreciation for Hamlin’s mastery of Martinsville (14:00); the trials of Martin Truex Jr. and the No....
Nov 01, 2021•36 min•Ep. 247
Xfinity Series championship contender AJ Allmendinger on assessing his dream 2021 season and whether it’s his best ever (2:00); reflecting back on the NASCAR transition 15 years later (4:00); the “blur” of his early seasons between Red Bull, RPM and Penske (6:00); his biggest regret from the early years of his NASCAR career (7:30); the impact of Roger Penske with the Indy 500 and Xfinity (9:30); how close AJ has come to leaving racing and how he stays in a good place mentally (11:45); fear being...
Oct 29, 2021•25 min•Ep. 246
NASCAR on NBC analyst Dale Jarrett on his initial impressions of Kevin Harvick’s intentional wreck of Chase Elliott (1:30); why DJ is OK with Harvick’s move and how it’s different from Matt Kenseth wrecking Joey Logano intentionally at Martinsville in 2015 (3:00); was the timing of Harvick’s payback surprising? (4:30); would Elliott have been surprised by the payback? (5:45); how much of a factor did Elliott’s closing rate play in Harvick’s crash (7:15); would Chase have returned the favor if he...
Oct 11, 2021•38 min•Ep. 245
Exploring the brief but very memorable history of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval through the voices of those who helped create and raced on the dynamic road course. --Joe Gibbs Racing winner Christopher Bell and Adam Stevens tour the layout and detail its appeal and challenges (3:30) --Inaugural winner Ryan Blaney and Aric Almirola recall their initial fears of the course (7:00); --Marcus Smith recounts his burst of inspiration for creating the layout (9:00); --Charlotte Motor Speedway execu...
Oct 07, 2021•41 min•Ep. 244
NASCAR on NBC analyst Jeff Burton on analyzing the initial contact between Chase Elliott-Kevin Harvick (2:00); why Harvick has plausible deniability in what Jeff says was a racing incident (4:30); why the rash of cut tires at Bristol? (6:30); the most interesting and compelling part of Chase’s interview for Burton (8:30); does Chase really need to prove himself in Year 6 of being in Cup? (10:30): is there a generational aspect to their differing viewpoints of what happened? (12:00); how drivers ...
Sep 20, 2021•42 min
In a sitdown about Sept. 11's impact on NASCAR, vice chairman Mike Helton recalls a difficult 2001 season already for NASCAR (2:00); the scene in Daytona as Sept. 11 began (4:00); the impromptu command center in Bill France Jr.’s office (6:30); taking care of NASCAR industry members scattered around the country (8:30); processing the emotions while determining the path forward (11:00); “Hey, this is way too big. I don’t have it in me to do it.” (12:30); unplugging New Hampshire (14:30); how the ...
Sep 09, 2021•30 min
