Herm & Schrader — "Bristol Reminded Us Of The Good Old Days!"

Episode Date: September 17, 2025
Hosts: Kenny Wallace ("Herm") & Kenny Schrader, with regular guest Charlie

Overview

This episode dives deep into the wild weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, reflecting on how recent events embody the "good old days" of NASCAR—rough, unpredictable, full of personality, and more than a little chaos. Herm, Schrader, and Charlie break down tire fiascoes, reflect on what "leaning into our roots" really means for NASCAR in 2026, tell old-school racing tales (including a legendary Earnhardt story), and laugh their way through the latest racing news, jokes, and life updates.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Remembering Friends & Recent Losses

[02:40–06:21]

• Schrader discusses attending Roger Hamilton’s visitation and other gatherings of racing veterans.
• Bill Davis, former owner of Kenny Schrader Racing, has passed away.
  • Schrader reflects on how racing’s old guard is aging:
    “As we get a little older...everybody’s dying. Well, hell, a lot more people you know now.” — Schrader [04:22]
• Brief discussion of Charlie Kirk’s assassination and the broader impact on sports and society.
  • "You cannot ignore it. It is not politics. It’s a person." — Herm [04:51]
  • Marcus Smith made sure Kirk’s name was honored at Bristol; Christopher Bell dedicated his win to him.

Weekend Recap: Racing Results & Rowdy Schedules

[06:56–10:49]

• Shrader ran third and ninth at Jacksonville, IL—“We weren’t a good third... we gotta get better.”
• Herm’s whirlwind: flies in from Bristol, hustles to make it to local races; wins in Quincy, finally beats the “local hero” Jeremy Reed by fixing his car’s handling.
• Insights into how tight the grassroots racing community remains, sharing cars and hustling from track to track.

NASCAR’s "Back to Roots" Announcement

[15:45–21:57]

• NASCAR's new marketing campaign—partnering with 72 and Sunny—pushes for authenticity and returning to cultural/“redneck” roots.
  • “They’re gonna lean into their roots, and I think that's the thing to do.” — Herm [17:51]
• Debate: is clinging to Earnhardt and nostalgia enough, or does NASCAR need to create new legends?
  • “The day’s coming when those kids... aren’t going to know who Earnhardt is.” — Schrader [18:54]
• Charlie provides an outsider's take: roots aren’t just about legendary drivers but allowing more fun and personality.
  • “People want that stuff back.” — Charlie [21:41]

Story Time: Dale Earnhardt and the Amphicar

[22:02–26:25]

• Hilarious story about Schrader and Earnhardt impulsively buying an Amphicar (car/boat hybrid) together. Schrader drives it into his pond (against Earnhardt’s instructions), can’t get it out (“you need a boat ramp”), and the car eventually becomes part of a NASCAR infield prank.
  • “He said: Do not put it in the pond until I’m there. I said yes, sir. We’re four beers up…I drive that thing in the pond…” — Schrader [24:09]
  • “I think you all remember something a little different. I don’t remember the good old days being that damn good.” — Herm [27:23]

Bristol Breakdown: Tire Chaos & Old School Racing

[28:34–39:58]

• Tire Fiasco: Brad Keselowski said a mere five degrees in temperature made or broke tires—“can you believe it’s that technical now?” [30:53]
  • “No...The tires are friggin’ 300 degrees in the middle of the turn.” — Schrader [31:10]
  • Immediate cautions once the green fell; teams “courting” (destroying) tires after just 22 laps.
• Playoff ‘Fairness’: Should unpredictable races like Bristol impact playoff contenders?
  • “What’s fair? Everybody had the same tire, same damn racetrack…That’s fair.” — Schrader [33:47]
  • Brad Keselowski: “The playoffs were never meant to be fair.” [33:02–33:44]
  • Herm: “Just give me the rules, let’s go racing.” [37:19]
• The Race: Christopher Bell wins with a late 4-lap charge on fresh tires.
  • “I’m gonna tell you what, the pass for the win was just insane…literally three wide.” — Herm [38:07]
• Old School Feel:
  • “That’s old school Bristol. That’s going back to our roots.” — Schrader, on the high number of cautions [39:58]
  • Brad Keselowski: “I like this race tonight. It felt old school. One lane, had to hit people, move them out of the way.” [40:17]

Stats and Notable Moments

[41:01–44:48]

• 14 cautions, 137 caution laps marked the most caution laps in a Cup race in the “modern era” (since 1971).
• The record for cautions at Bristol is 20 (in three races: ’89, ’97, ’03).
  • Schrader: “If there was 20 damn yellows and you were in the race, damn good chance you were in something.” [43:47]
• On surviving Bristol:
  • “I’d apologize to everybody ahead of time. It was simpler than trying to find them afterwards.” — Schrader [44:26]

Standings & Odd News

[48:29–49:52]

• Top 10 finishers: C. Bell, Keselowski, Zane Smith, Blaney, Logano, Corey Heim, Josevar, Bowman, Briscoe, Ty Gibbs.
• Ty Gibbs led 200+ laps but missed strategy late; Carson Hocevar showed off a replica “Gray Ghost” car at the track.

Xfinity & Dirt Track Updates

[50:09–56:21]

• Xfinity: Eric Almirola wins, holding off Sheldon Creed (chalks up his 20-something 2nd-place finish).
• High Limit Sprint Cars: 17 different winners so far in 2025, including big weeks for Tanner Thorson, Damon Purseley, and more.
• Bristol hosted four major races and even recently hosted an MLB game on its infield (they knocked down and rebuilt the Goodyear building to fit the field).
• Discussion of legendary tracks: Lernerville, Williams Grove, and various local heroes.

Jokes, Life Updates & Closings

[57:03–61:54]

• Charlie dishes out corny one-liners (e.g., “Why did the coffee file a police report? Because it got mugged.” [58:22])
• Herm and Schrader share their weekend plans and favorite post-race dining traditions (lobster in New Hampshire, Bentley’s Saloon in Maine).
• Herm will be at Tri City Speedway for his father’s memorial; Schrader will be somewhere racing (as always).

Notable Quotes

• “As we get a little older...everybody’s dying. Well, hell, a lot more people you know now.”
  — Kenny Schrader [04:22]
• “That’s old school Bristol. That’s going back to our roots.”
  — Schrader [39:58]
• “What’s fair? Everybody had the same tire, same damn racetrack. That’s fair.”
  — Schrader [33:47]
• “The playoffs were never meant to be fair.”
  — Brad Keselowski, via Charlie [33:02]
• “I don’t remember the good old days being that damn good.”
  — Herm [27:23]
• “I’d apologize to everybody ahead of time. It was a lot simpler than trying to find them afterwards.”
  — Schrader [44:26]
• “You know why you got trash? No, you’re buying too much stuff.”
  — Mike Wallace, as relayed by Herm [12:44]
• “People want that stuff back…just have a little more fun, don’t always be walking on eggshells where you can’t say anything right.”
  — Charlie [21:41]
• “I like this race tonight. It felt old school. One lane, had to hit people, move them out of the way.”
  — Brad Keselowski [40:17]

Important Timestamps for Reference

• [02:40] — Schrader on attending visitations and remembering friends
• [04:02] — Discussing Bill Davis’ passing
• [06:56] — Weekend racing recap
• [15:45] — NASCAR’s new branding strategy discussion
• [22:02] — Earnhardt/Amphicar story
• [28:34] — Bristol tire chaos breakdown
• [33:02] — Brad Keselowski on playoff fairness
• [38:07] — Christopher Bell’s winning pass described
• [39:58] — “Old school Bristol” and caution stats
• [48:29] — Top 10 Cup finishers
• [50:09] — Xfinity/dirt results
• [57:03] — Joke round

Tone & Language

Irreverent, story-driven, and 100% racing-obsessed—Herm and Schrader keep it candid, nostalgic, and comical, weaving personal tales with expert racing analysis (and plenty of ribbing between old friends).

For those who missed it, this episode was a wild blend of racing nostalgia, sharp analysis, and the kind of behind-the-scenes storytelling you’ll only get from two legendary Kennys and their racing family. Whether you’re in it for stats, chaos, or just the laughs, Bristol—and this podcast—reminded us why we keep coming back.