Podcast Summary: Herm & Schrader

Episode: How Jeff Gluck Changed NASCAR Reporting

Date: April 9, 2026

Hosts: Kenny Wallace (“Herm”) & Ken Schrader

Guest: Jeff Gluck (The Athletic)

Overview

This episode welcomes acclaimed motorsports journalist Jeff Gluck for a revealing, often hilarious conversation about reporting, the transformation of NASCAR media, and the changing landscape of motorsports fandom. Kenny Wallace leads a spirited, freewheeling dialogue that covers Formula 1's American invasion, fan experience shifts, the economics and culture of NASCAR, and how Gluck’s signature reporting innovations shook up the sport. The episode balances nostalgia, industry critique, and irreverent humor, channeling the unfiltered camaraderie and candor for which Herm & Schrader is known.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Formula 1 vs. NASCAR Culture Clash

Segment: [04:07 – 12:20]

• Kenny asks Jeff for his impressions of Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix and its impact on American motorsports.
• Gluck’s take: “F1 is not even that they’re not going for the NASCAR type of fan. They don’t even seem interested in… normal people. They’re looking for the sort of elite, wealthy, famous people—huge spenders.” (Jeff Gluck, [06:02])
  • F1 event was tailored more for exclusivity and the wealthy, starkly contrasting NASCAR’s grassroots, working-class approach.
  • Fans were locked out of Thursday practice (after only 8 mins of track activity) with no refunds offered, only a token voucher, underscoring the difference in fan treatment.
• Comparison to NASCAR:
  • NASCAR prioritizes fan value: affordable experiences, free autograph sessions, accessible drivers.
  • F1’s extravagant spending: “F1 spent over half a billion dollars to put on this Las Vegas race… There’s so much money that they don’t even know what to do with it.” (Gluck, [09:31])

2. NASCAR’s Identity Crisis: Chasing New Fans vs. Core Values

Segment: [12:20 – 19:01]

• Kenny and Jeff debate whether NASCAR should emulate F1’s glitz or double down on its own traditions.
• Gluck warns of the perils of abandoning NASCAR’s essence in pursuit of “mythical new fans”:
  • “The more you try to be something you’re not… that can actually weaken you.” ([10:45])
  • Calls for NASCAR to focus on product quality—oval racing, tradition, fan passion.

3. The New Live Sports “Experience”

Segment: [12:20 – 17:54]

• Discussion on how sporting events now focus less on watching the action and more on peripheral activities (bars, socializing, entertainment zones)—even at races.
• Gluck: “There are times I go to sporting events where I’m super into it and looking at the people around me, like, how are you not into this? … For NASCAR… the tricky part is how do you accommodate that [casual fan] without hurting too much of… the core experience?” ([13:56–16:56])
  • Example: Indie 500’s “Snake Pit” is a party zone where attendees often ignore the race entirely.
  • Importance of balancing hardcore fan needs with luring new fans via diversified experiences.

4. Attendance Numbers — Fact or Marketing?

Segment: [17:54 – 22:42]

• Kenny raises the issue of F1-style “weekend totals” (not day-of guests) inflating headcounts.
• Gluck:
  • Most attendance numbers are for promotion, not accuracy.
  • F1 and NASCAR both fudge numbers to control perception.
  • Applauds F1 for their driver engagement: “They are doing the work with the fans and sponsors… [NASCAR used to have] all this huge list of where all you guys were going to be.” ([21:24])

5. NASCAR’s Diminished Fan Access & Time Commitment

Segment: [22:42 – 27:05]

• Kenny bemoans the cutting of fan experiences (ex: Winston Preview) and the shortening of Speedweeks.
• Gluck:
  • Sponsor-driven appearances are rarer; drivers demanded better work-life balance.
  • NASCAR team spending and commitment have dipped from their peak.
  • “It is definitely good there’s more life balance now… but it’s almost gone so extreme.” ([25:53])
  • F1, ironically, now requires every driver to do regular fan forums and public Q&As.

6. Jeff Gluck’s Backstory & Career

Segment: [28:12 – 33:58]

• Gluck shares a personal narrative:
  • Grew up in Bay Area, moved to Denver after the 1989 earthquake, attended University of Delaware.
  • Discovered sportswriting after failing to get into a sports announcer track.
  • “I just started being a sports writer… and that was how it happened.” ([31:58])

7. The Survival Story: Crowdfunding, Independence & Authentic Coverage

Segment: [33:58 – 39:11]

• Gluck recounts leaving USA Today when his wife needed to relocate for work.
• “I’m gonna try to start my own website… If you’ve enjoyed my work… here’s a way you can support me… If not… I’ll go work at Starbucks or drive Uber or whatever.” ([37:45])
• Fans rallied, sustained his reporting via small monthly pledges.
  • “The only people I had to answer to were the readers.” ([38:46])
• Kenny credits Gluck’s courage: “Your life will not change until you change your life. And I admire you for being a badass.” ([39:11])

8. Innovations: Quiet Track, 12 Questions, “Was It a Good Race?”

Detailed Segment: [41:45 – End]

“Quiet Track” ([42:22], [44:16])

• Gluck started posting serene, post-race photos from empty racetracks—capturing the transformation from chaos to peace.
• Became an instantly iconic feature, now imitated throughout the racing world.
  • “I just started taking a picture… like, quiet track instead of the loud track that we had just seen… 14 years now.” (Gluck, [43:23])

“12 Questions” ([44:55], [47:45])

• Originated as a series to spotlight drivers outside the top 12 in points.
• Grew into annual interviews asking drivers fresh, unusual questions—revealing personality not caught in standard media sessions.
  • “My goal is, like, you hear the drivers get asked the same questions all the time… What if I could come up with 12 questions… that they either don’t get asked very often or have never been asked before at all?” ([46:27])
• Kenny praises: “Must read… because it’s quick and you get a lot of information.” ([44:55])

“Was It a Good Race?” ([49:47], [53:29])

• Weekly Twitter poll started as a one-off query (“Did the rules package work?”), now a huge audience touchstone—30,000+ votes.
• “This is a sport where… NASCAR is always about the fans… So that is my question: did it work? Did you like this?” ([51:05])
• Some in the industry push back, but Gluck finds affirmation in comparable dirt racing fan conversations.
  • “If Brad Sweet is coming up after the race saying, ‘Yeah we just kind of missed it tonight track prep-wise’… why can’t you ask that?” ([52:36])
• NASCAR itself pays attention: “I have heard from NASCAR… we do look at the poll and use it along with other things.” ([52:57])

Final Reflections: NASCAR Today, Next Gen Car, and Integrity

Segment: [54:33 – End]

• Opinion on modern NASCAR:
  • “NASCAR today is in the best place it’s been in the last decade… I have a lot more confidence in the current group than… five, six years ago, even.” ([54:33])
  • Praises scheduling improvements and recent leadership.
• Next Gen Car:
  • Unexpectedly revived mile-and-a-half tracks but hurt short tracks:
    • “Nobody… would have said… I bet this is going to make the mile and a half tracks the best they’ve ever been… and pretty much ruin the short tracks and the road courses.” ([56:46])
  • Concern that short tracks—NASCAR’s traditional core—have lost their luster for new fans.
• Tech Inspection & Penalties:
  • Gluck likes the openness and education NASCAR provides now, explaining cheater parts to the media and fans ([60:31]).
  • But worries loss of innovation could create “spec racing”—"Are you going to lose that too much? Are all the cars going to be around the same speed and then it's… about clean air?" ([61:16]-[62:33])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On F1 elitism:
  “If you want to try to come, we’ll make some $1,500 per ticket seats available… If not, you know what, screw you.” (Jeff Gluck, [06:48])

• On the dangers of chasing new fans:
  “Every time NASCAR tries to go after some sort of mythical new fan, it always seems like it’s at the expense of the current fan.” (Jeff Gluck, [11:24])

• On standing out as a reporter:
  “You take your knife and you get right to their flesh but you never really puncture.” (Kenny, to Gluck, [32:56])

• On the quiet post-race stadium:
  “A few hours ago, all these stands were filled with people… now it’s completely quiet at the same spot… it was like, so peaceful.” (Jeff Gluck, [43:23])

• On the power of fan support during his independent phase:
  "I had enough people that were like… donating $2… $10 a month. It was enough to keep me going… The only people I had to answer to were the readers." (Jeff Gluck, [38:46])

• On “Was it a Good Race?” relevance:
  “I do want to remind people though, it’s not a scientific poll, it’s still a Twitter poll… Take what you want out of it.” (Jeff Gluck, [52:57])

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|-----------------------------------------------| | 04:07–12:20 | F1 Las Vegas & NASCAR comparison | | 12:20–19:01 | NASCAR’s pursuit of new fans versus tradition | | 19:01–22:42 | Attendance: truth vs. marketing | | 22:42–27:05 | Fan access & sport “dumbing down” | | 28:12–33:58 | Jeff Gluck’s personal journey | | 33:58–39:11 | Crowdfunding and independence | | 41:45–47:45 | Quiet Track & 12 Questions | | 49:47–53:29 | Was It a Good Race? | | 54:33–62:33 | State of NASCAR, Next Gen car, penalties |

Episode Tone & Style

The conversation is unpolished, candid, and occasionally irreverent—reflecting Wallace and Schrader’s signature style. Humor, self-deprecation, and storytelling drive the rapport, while Jeff Gluck provides thoughtful, measured industry insight. The tone shifts smoothly between nostalgia, honest critique, and celebration of racing’s passionate community.

Conclusion

This episode serves as a masterclass on the evolution of motorsports journalism, the shifting economics and culture of NASCAR, and the power of innovation—even accidental. Jeff Gluck’s authenticity, creativity, and connection to the fanbase have changed the way the sport is covered—and how it relates to its audience.

If you want to understand modern racing—on the track and in the press box—this conversation is essential listening.