Holly Jones is a former race car driver and now the wife of a NASCAR Cup Series driver, and also a fur mom to a dog and bunny. Soon, she and Erik Jones will be parents to a tiny human. We’re covering those topics plus what it’s like being a driver’s significant other; the benefit of being a former driver and relating to what is going on; still having a competitive side; taking in the race from the pit box and superstitions; balancing home and road life, and the importance of routine; the highlights from being at the track over the years; the racing background of Jones; why doing it for a living was never in the cards; the initial plans for getting a job in the real world; finding enjoyment being at the track and as a support system; information on the foundation and the work it does across various issues; the Read with Erik program; upcoming events for the Foundation to know about; the impact the Foundation has had over the years.  

Original music created by Tony Monge. 

Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Myatt Snider is still selling himself to drive race cars in NASCAR but things look a little different these days. Snider returns to the podcast to discuss what it’s like trying to land deals; how a presidential election plays into things; the lack of races on his schedule this season; being at the track and not driving; re-evaluating things during the time outside the race car; the job of being a pit spotter for NBC Sports; being comfortable enough to talk to teams for necessary pre-race information; what he’s learning being on the television side; if there is anything that can be useful as a driver; the information he is plugged into during the race; stories he’s been able to get onto television during the race; the opportunity to listen to other drivers on the radio because of this position; working with dad on pit road; the reaction from peers on being in this role; the benefit of still being at the racetrack; if there is anything on the schedule for the rest of this year.  

Original music created by Tony Monge. 

Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Doug Duchardt, the president of Spire Motorsports, has been busy since joining the organization at the end of 2023. Duchardt takes us inside the walls of the race shop and how things are going for everyone; the expectations versus reality moments for him with a new organization; going from established, successful companies to one trying to get to that level; having incentives in place for team members through the season; bringing experience from other companies to Spire; the importance of mindset for employees; the special feeling around the Truck Series program; the comfort of having younger talent in the pipeline; how big it was to sign Michael McDowell; focusing on the tangibles and intangibles McDowell brings; making the 71 a full-fledged Spire Motorsports effort; changing expectations for 2025; managing the number of cars in an organization; a look at the three drivers under the Spire Motorsports banner this season; grading the organization halfway through the regular season and forecasting the rest of the season.  

Original music created by Tony Monge.

Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Doug Yates will see the most Ford Mustangs take the green flag in this year’s Daytona 500 than ever before and he’s excited about doing so with a new car. Yates talks about all things engines this week such as how they are distributed to teams; going through the process of NASCAR deciding to increase horsepower this year; but why it’s not so easy as just saying make a change; the workload of having to build different engine packages; what Yates would want versus what’s good for the sport; what it means for teams to no longer be allowed to put tape on the front grille; why Yates still likes getting his hands dirty and it being an escape for him; the lasting influence of dad Robert; how Yates has worked to build his own brand; working with other engine builders and NASCAR; what he thinks the next engine package could look like; how engine builders work to get an advantage; why last year was the most frustrated he’s been; sharing old memories on Twitter; what Yates considers his biggest win; where he gets an adrenaline rush.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Chase Purdy’s newest opportunity in the Camping World Truck Series is with Hattori Racing, but we’re going to learn all about his journey to the team and more. Purdy reveals when he knew he wanted to be a race car driver; racing all over the southeast; what go-kart racing is really like; series Purdy’s run along the way to NASCAR; what makes late models so fun; going through a rough two-year gap without racing; landing a full ride with GMS Racing to moving to Hattori Racing; wanting to get a chance in the HRE trucks; being teammates to Tyler Ankrum; no more excuses; being a young driver getting to know a new team; how Purdy feels about the ‘respect’ topic in the Truck Series; learning from veterans, including recently with Kurt Busch; an update on getting his degree from Ole Miss.

Music created by Tony Monge.

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Brian Murphy of Stewart-Haas Racing is here to help with any conversation around the Next Gen race car. Murphy explains the different offseason teams had this year; eventually getting over being uncomfortable with the car and supply chain issues; long days at the race shop; his history at Stewart-Haas Racing; going from fixing the cars to preparing them; thoughts on what this car will do for the sport; if there will be any creativity and innovation with Next Gen; needing to better understand inspection and having more transparency in the sport; his approach to social media; being forced to attend his first NASCAR race; not having any formal job training; what a misconception of working in racing is; being all in on all racing; the big change that is Next Gen; having a fresh start; being an avid photographer and climber.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Jerry Baxter and driver Tanner Gray were among those who got to see the new Atlanta Motor Speedway recently, and Baxter is here to share insight on that much more. First impressions of the facility; throwing out the notebook on the track; first impressions of working with Gray and getting more out of him; how Baxter feels about going back to the Truck Series after spending the last two years in Cup; what he expects to be different or have changed in the Truck Series since last there; some of Baxter’s early racing days; a quick turnaround moving to North Carolina; memories of the first drivers he worked with in Cup; what it was like working for Kyle Busch’s truck team; what he saw in Bubba Wallace in trucks and then Cup; working with multiple drivers versus just one; Baxter’s go-to stories; working with a lot of younger drivers; on his career longevity but also having to adapt; insight on David Gilliland Racing; goals and expectations for his team this year.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Tyler Ankrum says it’s been a “pretty easy” transition to Hattori Racing as he gets set to take the wheel of the No. 16 Toyota. Ankrum joins the show to talk about how well things are going with already building team chemistry; being with a smaller group in HRE; why and how the move from GMS Racing happened; first impressions of new crew chief Scott Zipadelli; if this is a year Ankrum feels he has to step up; how much he was affected by the lack of practice and qualifying; how Ankrum got into racing and the influence of David Gilliland; choosing ranch life over the lake in NC; things fans might be surprised to know about him; who Ankrum is close to in racing; thoughts on working with Chase Purdy this season; getting his chance in the 16 truck.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Andrea Brimmer is the chief marketing and public relations officer at Ally and joins the podcast to take us inside NASCAR sponsorship. Brimmer looks back on the ’21 season for the No. 48 team; branding around the driver and not having the driver adjust to the sponsor’s brand; a bit on Brimmer’s history in the automobile world; where Brimmer’s passion comes from and understanding athletes; how sports has helped her today; what it was like for Ally to first come into NASCAR; how Ally looks at return on investment; fan loyalty; what Ally looks for in a partner; what’s been learned in Ally’s first few years in the sport; their role in diversity and inclusion; Do It Right; being disruptive; being an active partner; utilizing more space on the Next Gen car for sponsor placement.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Jade Gurss is back with another must-read auto racing book, this time having worked with Al Unser Jr. Gurss, who had known Unser back during Unser’s driving career, takes us inside the work to tell Unser’s story in the best way; the reason for starting the book with Unser’s suicide attempt; the willingness of Unser to be vulnerable; the honesty and openness of Unser’s intense personal life and decisions; drug use and the Penske days; vivid memories on winning the Indianapolis 500 but feeling adrift afterward; how complex Unser is; not wanting to tell just a racing story; the fact-checking process; what Gurss was looking forward to hearing from Unser about; how it felt after such an intense project was done; what the takeaway for readers should be of Unser’s story.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Live Fast Motorsports made it through its first year as a NASCAR Cup Series team and co-owners BJ McLeod and Matt Tifft are calling it a success. Both McLeod and Tifft join the podcast this week to offer their perspectives. First up, McLeod dissects the season and how it was different from putting a car on track in 2020; what being an owner was like on the weekend’s he wasn’t driving; the biggest takeaway of fielding a full-time Cup Series car; what the measuring stick of success was and how that sets up for 2022; the high of the season; what it’s like being a Cup Series driver; being in meetings with NASCAR as an owner; having the car fully sponsored and a presence on social media; putting other drivers in the car; working with Tifft.

Tifft reflects on being a team owner in NASCAR; the budget of Live Fast versus other teams; how good it is for Tifft to be involved in racing again; the difference in driver mindset and watching the car; focusing on variables off the racetrack; how Tifft saw success for the team; being in meetings with NASCAR; going from friend to team co-owner with McLeod; if Tifft had fun in 2021.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

By now you know there is so much that goes into building a race car and not just for the race teams, which makes Tommy Joseph a great guest. As an aerodynamics supervisor for Ford Performance, he’s taking us inside what that means and everything going on at the Ford Tech Center; scale model testing; the limit of wind tunnel testing; what Ford has been able to work on during the parts freeze; the thrill of being involved in designing Next Gen; when racing aerodynamics became an interest; getting his foot in the door in Formula 1; engineering in F1 versus NASCAR; coming back to the U.S. and working for Ford; the F1 world versus the NASCAR world; the difference in a car enthusiast and someone who likes competition; what makes a good engineer or aerodynamic supervisor.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Chris Miko is one of the hauler drivers at Joe Gibbs Racing, and it’s his job to make sure that Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Toyota makes it to the racetrack. But that’s not all Miko does. This week, Miko takes us for a ride through his 21 years in the sport; being a show car driver; finding a love of NASCAR at a young age and getting his foot in the door professionally; additional responsibilities for the race team other than driving the hauler; how having a co-driver works; how Miko spends so much time on the road; adventures with fans, fellow truck drivers, and cops; the importance of meeting NASCAR’s unloading schedule; easiest and hardest tracks to park the hauler; the nerve-racking experience of entering onto the Bristol dirt; the pride and possessiveness a hauler driver has for their equipment; everything that can be stored in a team hauler; the processing of packing up after race weekend and miles spent on the road; bringing Jurassic Park to his driveway.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Chris Gabehart is offering more insight into what race day is like for a Cup Series team after allowing full access at Darlington Raceway. Gabehart explains digging into the data to form and execution during the race; the hours of work that take place after leaving the garage on Saturdays; taking the information from Saturday’s on-track activities and finding the medium with expectations for Sunday; being pretty sure of the approach going into the race; knowing early how the race is going to unfold; the facetime with Denny Hamlin on race day; painting a picture of the information available on the pit box and the radio channels; Gabehart tracking his car and monitoring the competition; managing information from the data versus Hamlin’s feedback; the television broadcast being a part of the information Gabehart wants; starting the screen war on the pit box; dealing with the internet going down on the pit box; the differences between resources on a pit box in the Xfinity Series and the Cup Series; conversations on the private radio channels; the difficulty of being aware of how the race is playing out outside the 11 team; the takeaway of being embedded with a race team. 

https://racer.com/2024/05/14/race-day-with-chris-gabehart-and-the-joe-gibbs-racing-no-11-team/  

Original music created by Tony Monge.

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Kip Childress is back! There is so much more to cover about being the Cup Series pace car driver, but before we get into that, he's going to share a job he has covering sports away from the racetrack. After a nice discussion on high school sports, we dig into the importance of knowing the NASCAR rule book from inside the pace car and being aware of your surroundings; New Hampshire rain and Kyle Busch’s anger; time spent during rain delays; being in the pace vehicle at new venues like Bristol dirt and finding sightlines; how track compounds affect driving the pace car; procedure for the choose rule; post-race duties; if Childress can hear the fans react to big moments; getting to drive new manufacturer cars; getting the field out of the garage in the correct order; a season in review.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Brian Wilson and Harrison Burton are paired together at Wood Brothers Racing and they stop by the podcast to talk about it. Wilson describes getting his shot as a Cup Series crew chief; being familiar with the series; what he’ll expect from Burton; working with another young driver; making a name for himself in the Xfinity Series; the open notebook between Wood Brothers and Penske; working on Next Gen; going from developing Austin Cindric to racing against him.

Burton dishes on having a proven veteran as his leader; how he’ll lean on Wilson; building chemistry with each other; time already spent in the simulator; putting his time in the Xfinity Series behind him; what Burton learned about himself in those years; any plans to document a rookie Cup season; learning Next Gen; any unusual advice given about the Cup Series; and facing the hype of the Wood Brothers 100th win.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Bob Tasca III lives a fascinating life as an NHRA Funny Car driver on the weekend but the vice president of Tasca Automotive Group during the week. In our conversation we dig into a busy portion of the NHRA schedule; the great Funny Car points battle; the mental battle of Sunday eliminations and not getting another run; what it was like when NHRA went to a playoff format; what Tasca is processing in the three seconds he’s down the track; learning to respect the power of a nitro car; joining the 300mph club; electrification in NHRA; working with Tony Stewart on the Cobra Jet program; what it’s physically like to drive a nitro Funny Car and the sensation of speed and if you can lose that; following in the family footsteps; dealership Tasca versus driver Tasca; needing an adrenaline rush; splitting time between the dealership and racing; how his family coined the ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ phrase; being surrounded by great men like his father and grandfather; having the dealership work serve as a distraction from racing; the most exciting thing about drag racing.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Before Todd Gordon walks out the door at Team Penske for the last time, he joins us to do some reflecting. Gordon starts by sharing if it’s sinking in that he’s done and what Sunday at Phoenix Raceway was like leading into the race; if Gordon plans to do any reflecting on the accomplishments he didn’t focus on while they were happening; the significant race wins along the way; the change he saw in Ryan Blaney through two years; building a race car for a college class; designing zero-turn lawnmowers and the influence Gordon’s wife Amy had on making the move to North Carolina; teams Gordon worked with before getting to Team Penske; remembering his first race as a crew chief and driver names that are a blast from the past; navigating AJ Allmendinger’s suspension in 2012; reaction to the hiring of Joey Logano; the Cup championship being the biggest accomplishment; how the sport ages you over time and looking at how it’s a seven day a week job; what Gordon’s kids reactions were over the years and now that he’s retiring; competition amongst crew chiefs; needing a break and having the time to figure out what’s next.


Music created by Tony Monge.


Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Josh Williams is an Xfinity Series driver and now he’s getting back to his roots by offering development opportunities for those who need some assistance. We start our conversation talking about his driver development program and his approach to such a program; Williams also explains how many different hats he wears during a week; getting started with a go-kart at two years old; what Williams remembers from his dad’s racing career; the support from mom and dad, and dad’s heavy investment in what happens; his welcome to North Carolina moment; when Williams thought it’d be possible to make a living in NASCAR; what should be expected of the DGM team; if it’s tough to be a driver who also works on cars and knows what it takes to get to the track; being content in the Xfinity Series and what it means to overachieve; understanding everyone is racing for something; respecting the race leaders; his relationship with Dale Jr.; what Williams wants people to know; getting confused for the other Josh Williams in NASCAR; doing hospital visits.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Ryan Vargas works his tail off for seat time and to be recognized in NASCAR and it’s paid off in some big ways over the last year. Vargas joins the show to discuss the growing amount of seat time he’s had this year and what it means to have a driver’s notebook; racing with emotion; insight into the home office and his daily task to get in a car; the business of cold calls; if Vargas has any formal training for selling himself and speaking well; the scariness of moving to NC as a teenager; why he thought he was washed up at 18; thoughts on young drivers getting recognized; some on-track highlights that stand out and a keepsake from leading laps at Talladega; what it is like to be a race car driver; why Vargas thinks fans relate to him and he’s developed a good following; embracing social media and its many different platforms; looking ahead to 2022.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Max Papis is a busy man. Papis is an IndyCar race steward, performance advisor, and businessman, just to name a few things, and somehow, he found time to join the show to share how it’s all been going. What does it mean to be a race steward? What drew Papis to taking the job years ago? He also explains his role with William Byron and why he doesn’t like the term coach; finding satisfaction in seeing someone else succeed; what Papis looks for when he’s at the racetrack with Byron; explaining how go-karting helps NASCAR racing; an update on how MPI (Max Papis Innovations) is going and being able to expand into other racing series; getting feedback and data on the products after being in a crash; developing other products through MPI, including for sim racing; hopes to get back behind the wheel in NASCAR.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Sam Hunt Racing has gone from a very small K&N operation to competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and what a journey it’s been. Hunt shares his first conversation with Toyota and earning their support; his connection to the late J.D. Gibbs and how influential their meeting was in more ways than one; how surreal it’s been for the team to come so far in a short amount of time; time spent in the Netherlands and why he chose a career in racing; finding NASCAR racing when back in the States; the business of going from K&N to Xfinity; why Hunt is not driving his own car and if that’s helped in the transition of being an owner; relating to the drivers in his car; measuring where the performance should be when it’s multiple drivers in the seat; if expectations change throughout the year and if Hunt feels like they are defying the odds; if he’d like to see practice next year and any inventory coming from the Cup Series; the team outlook for 2022.


Music created by Tony Monge.


Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Tony Stewart is taking his team ownership to the NHRA beginning in 2022 and he made time to talk about it on the podcast. Stewart discusses the challenges he expects entering drag racing; experiencing drag racing up close and personal; how Stewart’s view of things changed the more time spent on the starting line; what the conversation is like between two racers in a relationship (Stewart and fiancée Leah Pruett); trying to describe the sensation of speed driving a Top Fuel dragster; why Stewart says it’d be suicidal for him to try to compete in NHRA; why Matt Hagan was a good fit for TSR; if there’s anything left Stewart hasn’t driven; where Stewart sees NHRA in the motorsports landscape. Music created by Tony Monge.


Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Blake Harris is the car chief for Martin Truex Jr. at Joe Gibbs Racing, and if you want to know what that entails, he’s here to explain. Harris breaks down his role; how he got into NASCAR and the journey to Furniture Row (before JGR); being a former driver himself but also enjoying working on cars as well; being a brief test driver for Furniture Row; choosing racing over music; what it’s like going through NASCAR inspection and the relationship with the officials; why the car chief is the one ejected; where Harris goes when he’s ejected and what he can do for the team; if it would be beneficial for people to understand inspection failures versus cheating; being a girl dad; Chili Bowl connections; what it’s like to fight through the Cup Series playoffs. Music created by Tony Monge.


Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Jade Avedisian is a name that you’re going to keep hearing about if you haven’t already. Avedisian is a dirt star who is beginning to transition into pavement racing, too. And with the attention comes interview requests, which she’s enjoying after one day hoping it would happen. Avedisian explains what that means; having NASCAR stars like Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell believe in her talent; having a calm and focused personality; understanding the balance of life with racing and being a teenager; what’s to come this year; expectations for going back and forth between dirt and pavement; working with a spotter for the first time; getting into racing at a young age but taking time to stick; the craziness of dirt racing; dirt racing helping pavement racing; what a lap is like behind the wheel of a dirt midget; the sensation of a flip or wild ride in a midget; the opportunity to run GR Cup this season; what the most thrilling thing about racing is for her and the accomplishment most proud of so far; how important it is to have a championship on her resume; the experience of doing ice racing; the desire to go Cup Series racing one day; where to watch her race and follow her online. 

Original music created by Tony Monge.

Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Steve Lauletta has been there from the beginning but he’s now officially team president of 23XI Racing as the interim title was erased. Lauletta joins the podcast this week to discuss his role and the main things the organization has going on both on and off the racetrack. From explaining how he never wanted to work for another race team after leaving the sport for a few years but being drawn to 23XI; what it looks like in the early days of starting a race team; what experience Lauletta thinks he brought that helped get things going; where the team is now almost a full year into operation and already looking ahead; what stands out from 11 years with Chip Ganassi Racing; why he wanted to start his own marketing company; how teaching tennis when Lauletta was younger carried over into his business sense; going from wanting to be a judge to working in sports; how he got to NASCAR; what a team president does on a given day or week; if anything keeps Lauletta up at night and his mindset about mistakes; what he looks for when hiring people; being a brand that goes racing; how 23XI will be different in NASCAR. Music created by Tony Monge.


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Chris Gayle didn’t expect to be an Xfinity Series crew chief this year for Joe Gibbs Racing, but once the decision was made, Gayle decided he was going to show it was a mistake. Gayle admits there is ego involved going from the Cup Series to Xfinity Series; the thought of going for an owner’s championship versus a driver’s championship; getting his racing start in Arkansas; transferring to UNC Charlotte; if he ever had thoughts that he’d make it in NASCAR; landing at Joe Gibbs Racing; winning races with Kyle Busch as an engineer; engineer versus crew chief; insight on what isn’t seen about Ty Gibbs; his Poindexter Twitter handle. Music created by Tony Monge.


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From feeling like the world was crashing down on Jordan Anderson Racing in February to making some noise in the Xfinity Series, it’s been quite a year for the team. Jordan Anderson is going to try and explain it all and sum it up for us this week. Anderson digs into how long it took to decide to shift his plans for the season; how he drew in big-name Cup drivers for the Xfinity car; the feeling when not racing the car; the internal battle of car owner and driver; the selling point to bringing in and keeping partners; being able to take a step back in certain areas; having a support system in place; if thinks about what could have been; how much the year has aged him; Truck versus Xfinity Series car; the philosophy running each program; embracing the journey mentality. Music created by Tony Monge.


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You’ve probably heard Doug Rice’s voice calling a NASCAR race for Performance Racing Network (PRN), but if you don’t know much about him, you will after this episode. Rice explains how long he’s been with the company and his role as president of PRN and the responsibilities; first hearing about NASCAR; memories from broadcasting in college and working at the campus radio station; the impact of participating in speech and debate club; getting his foot in the door with PRN; early lessons and snafus; the importance of painting a picture; the most important thing about broadcasting; regrets about not saving things through the years; working alongside Humpy Wheeler; his top broadcasting moment; what PRN races remain this season. Music created by Tony Monge.

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Corey LaJoie knows his flowing hair is starting to become noticeable and there is a reason behind that. LaJoie kicks off our conversation today explaining the look he’s going for before we jump into how the season has gone for Spire Motorsports; what goes into learning a new car/manufacturer; what LaJoie gets out of doing his own podcast and SiriusXM work; what he’s learning about the NASCAR universe through his time on the radio; how he became a fill-in for Larry Mac; why the tone of the podcast changed; having to review races for the radio and podcast; doing an audit on himself; the importance of having an opinion; if LaJoie wants to do television work; promotion for his Oct. 6 kickball tournament. Music created by Tony Monge.


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Josh Sims has covered NASCAR and other local sports for Fox46 in Charlotte for the past few years, but now he’s entered the stock car world full-time. Sims is already in deep with projects, and this weekend at Darlington, he takes another step with his first pit reporting gig, which we discuss first. Then we go into how different it’ll be to only have to cover NASCAR outside of the Charlotte arena; his previous enjoyment and knowledge of NASCAR; how he landed in Charlotte, to begin with; print journalism versus television; the goal always being sports; being a former athlete covering athletes; the time spent preparing for interviews; why Sims took the Fox job; wanting to tell stories and those he’s looking forward to working on. Music created by Tony Monge.

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Things are going well and life is good for Kyle Petty and the projects he’s working on, which he’s here to talk all about. Petty explains how COVID-19 changed his job and way of doing things; what it means to now be back in the garage area; the approach to ‘Coffee with Kyle’ conversations; learning the concept of shutting up and listening; how ‘Coffee with Kyle’ came to be; how much makes the finished show or gets left unseen; the difference with the ‘Dinner Drive’ show; if these projects serve as a way for Petty to talk to his heroes; reinventing himself and staying in the sport; details on the Charity Ride Revival. Music created by Tony Monge.

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The last time we spoke to Anthony Alfredo he was grasping the fact that he had a ride with Richard Childress Racing, so we’re checking back in with him to see what it’s like to be a Cup Series rookie at Front Row Motorsports. And it’s a challenging time to be a rookie, too. Alfredo explains why; if there have been any seconds thoughts or frustrations; how big the Olympic break was for his team; adjusting to longer races and a longer schedule; how the people at Front Row have helped with his development; finding there are more critics at the Cup level; how life changes when you become a Cup driver; ways Alfredo’s training has changed; looking at another driver’s visor camera and using SMT data; the advice that has stuck with him; working hard for little gains; new interest in his nickname; why he was operating heavy machinery lately; a new sponsor for Michigan and Richmond. Music created by Tony Monge.


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Alan Reinhart is the voice you hear when it comes to the NHRA, either over the PA system at the racetrack or if you’ve watched NHRA.TV. Reinhart takes us through the journey of being in the right place at the right time to start announcing; the knowledge and one-liners he brings to the job; views from the booth, material, and knowing when information is relevant; Shirley Muldowney stopping by the broadcast booth; working with Joe Castillo; his travel schedule between races; NHRA still being a niche sport; selling the NHRA to race fans; working for Brian France back in the day and Reinhart’s NASCAR connections; NHRA headlines this season; Reinhart’s offer to you the race fan. Music created by Tony Monge.


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Michael Waltrip has seemingly done it all – racer, team owner, television, author, and now beer. We start our conversation by talking about what led him to start a brewing company; then we move into his experience running with SRX this summer; the opportunity to race against some motorsports greats; if SRX scratched any itch of getting into a race car; how it feels to be in his 25th year of broadcast work and the opportunities he’s on the media side; memories of Waltrip’s early days in TV; rehearsal or no rehearsal; thoughts on the critics and if anyone from the garage has ever questioned his opinions; what Waltrip enjoys about the broadcast side of the sport; going from friend and competitor to interview; what Waltrip identifies as these days; if he would have done anything differently; if there is anything left that hasn’t been told; looking ahead to the last portion of the Truck Series season. Music created by Tony Monge.


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It’s the second part of our conversation with Angie Skinner, and it’s chock-full of laughs. Skinner discusses the dynamic of ‘Skinner Roundup’ for SiriusXM NASCAR Radio as husband and wife; wanting to be involved more on the radio; thoughts on staying visible in the sport and asking for what you want; the misperceptions about the personalities of the Skinners; recalling the start of the Craftsman Truck Series; the story of how Mike got back into the Truck Series years later and the others who followed; tales of shady team owners, aligning with Toyota and racing with Bill Davis; rivalries and memories of Truck Series competition; what people should know about Angie Skinner.  

Original music created by Tony Monge.

Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Mike Dillon has had many different roles over the years in racing, but today he is the senior vice president of business operations at Richard Childress Racing. Dillon explains his responsibilities and how there is much more taking place on the RCR campus than building race cars; how the company is already looking to shift resources to other jobs when Next Gen comes around; if RCR might have an advantage with Next Gen because they’ve been working with NASCAR from the beginning; how Childress became the team to work with NASCAR on the prototype; how the atmosphere of the campus is different this year with two competitive teams; what the best thing is leadership can do during lean years; if it’s easier so many years in to separate family and business; what hat Dillon wears when watching races; a quick story from being a spotter. Music created by Tony Monge.


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Krista Baldwin is a businesswoman, team owner, and Top Fuel driver following in the footsteps of her grandfather Chris 'The Greek' Karamesines and late father Bobby Baldwin. She breaks down the many hats that she wears and balancing it all; the family tree of race car drivers; reliving and sharing the details of her big run at zMAX Dragway; what it’s like for Baldwin's mom to watch her daughter race; why Baldwin got a late start to her racing career; trying to explain the diversity of NHRA when it comes to women; if she felt she had to follow the family career or wanted to do it; when it became the plan for her to succeed her grandfather; learning from him over the years; the nervousness being on the starting line; what gives Baldwin a different understanding of what goes into racing; getting a Top Fuel license; getting used to the different physical wear on the body during a run; fire suits at the laundry mat; her love of eating; what Baldwin’s schedule looks like. Music created by Tony Monge.


Please support my work through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=57288151&fan_landing=true


Visit www.carpys.com for all your screen-printing needs and get it shipped nationwide. Also, visit www.carpys.com/racing-writers-podcast-merch/ to buy merchandise for the podcast!

Erik Jones is enjoying his first season with Richard Petty Motorsports and grades himself on the job he’s done as the driver. Jones joins the show this week to also discuss getting used to being a one-car team; simulator time and how that’s changed for him from the past; having a more personal relationship with the Petty team; working with a new manufacturer; the normalcy of not having practice and qualifying; being able to do more at home with more free days; but what a week looks like for Jones; the different perspective he has this year; getting back to basics and out of the spotlight; how Jones has grown in the last year; bonding with a team of ‘true racers’; if the 43 team would be further along with more practice and qualifying; if RPM fans should be pleased by how the season is going; the dedication of Petty fans; experiences that come with being a Petty driver; how ‘Read with Erik’ came about. Music created by Tony Monge.


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Holly's Hope of North Port, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to increasing mental health resources in our community, empowering others through education, and providing hope for those struggling with mental health conditions. Holly's Hope is currently providing support groups for families of first responders. Additionally, we are working to increase resources for first responders facing mental health conditions. Visit www.hollyshope.info.

Larry McReynolds is a bonus guest on behalf of Quaker State, the entitlement sponsor of this weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. But there is no one better to help preview the weekend, so McReynolds shares what to watch for aside from tire wear; what notes will transfer from the March race; drivers who might succeed during a hot slick weekend; what makes Atlanta fun to watch; what McReynolds prepared for as a crew chief for Atlanta versus crew chiefs today; thoughts on Atlanta having two dates again; recalling his dominating win with Ernie Irvan from 1994; memories and stories of his first three wins as a crew chief with Quaker State; working for the legendary Kenny Bernstein; being the crew chief Brett Bodine won his only race with; where you can catch his coverage with Fox Sports for Atlanta. Music created by Tony Monge.


Please support my work through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=57288151&fan_landing=true


Quaker State has a complete line of top-quality motor oils, oil filters, transmission fluids and other lubricants to keep your vehicle and its systems running longer. Visit www.quakerstate.com for more.

It’s been an admittedly frustrating season for Matt DiBenedetto and Wood Brothers Racing and he’s here to break it down among other things. DiBenedetto explains how drivers understand it could worse; if there is an explanation for the struggles; utilizing simulator time; how the fan reaction has changed over the years; how his career has shaped him as a person and how he doesn’t let it affect his love of racing; the influence of the Wood Brothers family; how hot the race cars are and the work that DiBenedetto puts in to be mentally tough; getting TV broadcast experience during an ARCA Series race, and understanding how to talk about racing on TV; why he and Ryan Ellis started a podcast and if DiBenedetto is getting out of it what he hoped. Music created by tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=57288151&fan_landing=true


Quaker State has a complete line of top-quality motor oils, oil filters, transmission fluids and other lubricants to keep your vehicle and its systems running longer. Visit www.quakerstate.com for more.

Gene Monahan retired from the New York Yankees after 40+ years and now works with Hendrick Motorsports. This week we meet Monahan and go into what his role is with the championship-winning NASCAR organization; how Jay Frye played a part in Monahan’s transition; his early memories of becoming a racing fan in Florida; what transferred from the job in MLB to NASCAR, and still working with athletes; what resources Hendrick athletes have at their disposal; what Monahan is monitoring with the athletes; what makes a great athlete to work with; why the transition was hard at first; the Yankee comparison with Hendrick Motorsports; what Monahan had to learn about his new sport; the difference between MLB game day and NASCAR race day; if he’s able to watch the Yankees again; what it was like working for George Steinbrenner; what it has been like to be around talent in both MLB and NASCAR; things Monahan is enjoying in NC that he didn’t have in NY; what he does away from work; what he gets joy and fulfillment from these days. Music created by Tony Monge.


Please support my work through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=57288151&fan_landing=true


Quaker State has a complete line of top-quality motor oils, oil filters, transmission fluids and other lubricants to keep your vehicle and its systems running longer. Visit www.quakerstate.com for more.

Tommy Joe Martins has been putting in the years in the NASCAR garage, and he feels it gives him a right to voice his opinion, and he’s got a few of them around the future of the sport. Martins discusses what’s changing and his concerns; how things are going for Martins Motorsports in their second year; the workload and stress level after a rough few weeks on track; if not having practice and qualifying does save money; the brotherhood or bond that forms amongst teams like his; if Martins gets jealous or compares himself to others; why he’s aiming for his team to be like the Wood Brothers; coming to the realization he won’t always be the driver of his car; drivers being the best talent scouts, and how much racing Martins watches and the reasons why. Music created by Tony Monge.

No one is looking forward to Pocono Raceway more than Sam Mayer, who turns 18 on June 26 and then takes over the No. 8 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports beginning at Pocono on June 27. Mayer joins the podcast to share what he’s been doing to get ready for the ride; how he feels about Pocono; the oddity of not doing a lot of racing through the first half of the season; if he feels he adapts well to new variables; if Mayer has sat in the car and spent any time talking to his teammates; if the headlines around Josh Berry has made Mayer possessive of the car; how Berry’s performance has changed Mayer’s expectations; not letting success go to his head; with dad being a former open-wheel driver, what drew Sam to stock cars; how he got connected with Lorin Ranier and the influence Ranier has been; discovering his independence now being on his own; lessons learned from grassroots racing; being competitive against drivers he’s already competed against; what Mayer has noted while watching Xfinity races from afar. Music created by Tony Monge.

Greg Stumpff is the owner and one of the artists of Off Axis Paint, which is an airbrush company that works with some of NASCAR’s biggest names for their helmets. Stumpff joins the podcast to describe how the process works and how long it takes from start to finish; working through the approval process with teams and sponsors, and how involved a driver is; keeping in mind safety regulations; how a brief stint racing on dirt helped him understand the business or motorsports; what goes into the workload being busy during the year and then slowing down, and driver’s needing multiple helmets a year; the influence his high school art teacher had; when the lightbulb went off to combine a passion for art and racing; having other artists to look up to; the challenges of the job and unique paint colors; other projects he’s taken on over the years; what he accomplishes going to the racetrack. Music created by Tony Monge.

If you’re a motorsports fans who watches Fox Sports quite a bit, then you’ve seen Jamie Howe as she covers multiple racing disciplines for the network. Howe breaks down everywhere she’ll be in 2021; if she easily remembers things or spends a lot of time studying; the materials Howe carries with her during race weekend; where a love of storytelling came from; when and where she was exposed to racing for the first time and going to college for broadcasting; the challenges of reporting from one series to another; why Howe doesn’t mind being someone who jumps across different series; looking at her first opportunity to cover the Xfinity Series; what Howe does to get away from racing; if there is a series she hasn’t covered that she’d like to one day. Music created by Tony Monge.

The view is different but the fun is still the same for Angie Skinner at the NASCAR racetrack. Skinner explains how she gets to mix business and pleasure on the road these days; goes in-depth on how the sport has evolved, including its merchandise; not being a typical driver’s wife and working hard to have her own identity; the jobs along the way and wanting to focus more on herself; striving to be creatively challenged but not pigeonholed; aiming to imitate Barbara Walters when looking at some upcoming projects. 

Original music created by Tony Monge.

Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is bouncing around the playoff bubble and he’s here to assess where JTG Daugherty is going into the summer. We also go into whether being a part of the playoff conversation is good enough; the thought process of building something with a race team; what he’s seen from year one to year two with the team; how much crew chief Brian Pattie takes the reins versus Stenhouse’s input, and how it’s changed this year; adapting to a Chevrolet body and chassis after so many years running with Ford; how two different aero packages change a driving style; why there is a disconnect between what racing drivers like and the fans like; what people don’t understand about his “aggressive” driving style; the uniqueness of switching mentalities of showing up and racing versus weekends where this is practice. Music created by Tony Monge.

Nigel Kinrade has been on the NASCAR circuit for 30 years now and he’s one of the best to carry a camera. In this episode Kinrade explains what he does and the big name clients he works for; how the job has changed through the years with technology advancement and the digital era; if he knows in the moment he got the shot or something cool; what brought him to the U.S. in 1991 and how he got into NASCAR; the culture shock of stock car racing; keeping things from getting boring every week and every year; when photography became a passion; things people might be surprised to hear Kinrade does or the job requires; building relationships with drivers and teams when invading their space; some of the memorable events he’s photographed; favorite places to shoot and the creative challenges of others; what he’s looking forward to (in his position) as the year goes on. Music created by Tony Monge.

NASCAR newcomer Jade Buford is off to a solid start to the 2021 season with a brand-new race team, Big Machine Racing. Buford discusses how things have gone; the expectations coming into the season; how long it takes him to get comfortable each weekend without practice and qualifying; the toughest thing about competing in the Xfinity Series; the depth of competition and aggressive from sports cars to NASCAR; some insight into the Big Machine Racing team; what Buford’s first experience was like on a NASCAR oval; what his preparation is any given week to prepare for tracks he’s never competed on; leaving sports cars for stock cars; the skills needed to be a successful road course driver; growing up in Nashville, TN and how he got into racing; starting a driving career at 18 and going straight to sports cars; Buford shares some of his hobbies and things he enjoys away from the racetrack – like hanging off rocks; participating in American Ninja Warrior three times and how the show works; what will be a successful season for his team; if he wants to stay in NASCAR long term. Music created by Tony Monge.