Podcast Summary: “The Godfather” Dave Moody: Grassroots Racing & STRONG Opinions

Podcast: Herm & Schrader
Hosts: Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader
Guest: Dave Moody (MRN, SiriusXM)
Release Date: December 30, 2025
Provider: SiriusXM, Dirty Mo Media

Episode Overview

This episode features a lively, in-depth conversation between racing personalities Kenny Wallace and Dave Moody, known as "The Godfather" and the “voice of NASCAR.” The discussion blends hilarious storytelling, sharp opinions on racing culture, and heartfelt tributes to the grassroots roots of stock car racing. Moody shares his path from Vermont’s Thunder Road to national radio, his relationship with legendary figures like Ken Squire and Barney Hall, candid thoughts on racing safety, and his philosophies around sportscasting and spirited debate. The tone oscillates between nostalgic, irreverent, and unflinchingly honest—pure racing passion with no filters.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Rainouts, Racing Commitment, & NASCAR’s Effort

• Moody’s take on race cancellations:
  • Discussing NHRA canceling Pomona and speculating the NASCAR fan reaction if a championship race were called for rain.
    • “If we went to Homestead, Miami...ended up just canceling it because of rain...Can you imagine what the NASCAR fan base would have to say about that?” (Moody, 02:03)
  • Praise for NASCAR’s investments (Air Titans, rescheduling) to never give up on holding races.
  • Brian France’s vision for track drying and innovations in the sport.

2. Dave Moody’s Vermont Roots & Broadcasting Beginnings

• Confusion about hometown, and the ‘Barry’ moniker:
  • Montpelier (“Mount Pilot,” “Mount Peculiar”) vs. Barre; how radio legend Barney Hall just couldn't get the town's name right.
    • “He knew he was butchering it, but there wasn’t a darn thing he could do about it.” (Moody, 04:46)
• Early days announcing sports:
  • Moody got his start covering high school sports and writing for ‘New England Speedway Scene’—a gig he took for a pit pass, not money.
• Ken Squire’s Influence:
  • Ken found Moody, saw potential in his writing and fandom, and invited him onto Thunder Road’s public address.
    • “I went to Ken Squire High School and Barney Hall University.” (Moody, 06:12)

3. The Spirit & Culture of Northeast Racing

• The myth that racing is a Southern-only sport:
  • “The premise that stock car racing is a Southern sport is just patently untrue...there are race fans there [Northeast/Midwest] that are the equal to anything found south of the Mason Dixon line.” (Moody, 09:42)
  • The intensity of short racing seasons—“We don’t get a whole lot of summer...so when the sun’s out...we have to make the most of that time.”
  • Reference to great Northeast racers: Bodines, Ricky Craven.

4. Thunder Road’s “Widowmaker” & Changing Safety Attitudes

• Showmanship and danger as part of the sport’s lore:
  • Ken Squire promoted the “Widowmaker” while emphasizing the draw of danger.
    • “People don’t want to watch something that's safe. They want to watch people do things that they don’t dare to do.” (Moody, 13:34)
• Evolution of safety:
  • Stories about drivers like Chester T. Woods—using literal tractor seats.
  • Massive advances: soft walls, HANS devices, full containment seats.
  • The Northeast’s motorsports museum and halls of fame; importance of honoring pioneers.

5. The Lasting Impact of Autographs and Racing Heroes

• Personal connection with drivers:
  • Moody’s childhood memory: lingering for autographs not for signatures, but to be seen by the drivers—“Once you got to the head of the line...would look you in the eye and pat you on the head and say, how you doing, kid?” (Moody, 19:18)
  • Ken Squire’s lesson: “That guy right there might pick up your garbage tomorrow morning, but tonight he’s a hero. Every driver on that racetrack is a hero...it’s your responsibility to make sure people realize that.” (Moody, 20:12)
• The importance of salesmanship in regional racing rivalry, especially with Canadians like Jean Paul Cabana:
  • “Some people like Jean Paul, some people hate Jean Paul, but everybody knows Jean Paul.” (Moody as JP Cabana, 22:31)

6. MRN, Career Breaks, and Radio’s “Sounds of Summer”

• Landing the MRN job:
  • Ken Squire recommends Moody, leads to a Daytona audition in 1983.
  • Accidental breaks (Dave Despain wanted to ride his motorcycle).
  • First assignment as ‘Garage Reporter’—no one crashed during the 500, so he had nothing to report.
  • “I sat there leaning up against a garbage can saying, I’m done. I’m never going to be heard from again. I’m the only reporter in the history of MRN…” (Moody, 31:17)
• Old MRN traditions:
  • Tuesday night MRN trivia, live shows from Hawaiian Inn during Speedweeks, and the power of radio before TV coverage.
  • Moody’s place in calling the end of the Daytona 500 for Darrell Waltrip.
    • “I’m going to get to call Darrell Waltrip off turn four to win the Daytona 500...I think he’s going to make it. And that was, that was my entire call, but that was enough.” (Moody, 39:38)
• “Trouble in turn two”:
  • A phrase passed through generations of MRN announcers to alert the team of priority race coverage.

7. Transition to SiriusXM and Modern Racing Media

• How SiriusXM NASCAR Radio began:
  • Multi-layered negotiations—show debuted right after 2003 finale.
  • “Can you think of a worse time to start a show than the day after the season just ended?” (Moody, 45:24)
• What makes SiriusXM unique and compelling:
  • “It’s real people being real.”
  • Importance of strong opinions:
    • “Half of them are going to hate you, half of them are going to love you, and there’s not a damn thing you’re going to do to change anybody’s mind.” (Moody, 46:53)
  • Sometimes takes up points just to spark debate, not necessarily out of full personal conviction.
  • The value of debate, not agreement, in sports radio.
  • On meeting fans: “You don’t have to agree with someone to like someone. I can’t imagine going through life without ever hearing anything you disagree with.” (Moody, 49:05)

8. Embracing Not Being Universally Liked

• Both Wallace and Moody reflect on learning to be comfortable with being disliked:
  • Moody: “My job is opinions and commentary...If you think I’m a jerk, that’s okay. As long as we did three hours of really interesting...radio...I don’t need to be universally beloved.” (Moody, 51:06)
  • “Given the choice between loved and hated, everybody’s going to take loved. But...no one that’s successful in that business...just said, ‘yeah, I don’t really know how I feel about that, but if that’s how you feel, okay.’” (Moody, 52:58)

9. Social Media, Civility, and Cooling the Environment

• Moody notes the effect of anonymity:
  • Quotes Mike Tyson: “People on the Internet have gotten used to saying terrible things to each other without ever having to worry about getting punched in the mouth.” (Moody, 57:05)
  • Echoes longing for when, “if you’re going to tell Kenny Wallace or Dave Moody to go to hell, you had to stand in front of them and look them in the eye while you did it.”

10. Grassroots Racing Renaissance – Ricky Craven & Tracks

• Wallace and Moody’s pride in drivers buying and improving local tracks:
  • Ricky Craven’s story from Unity, Maine, to NASCAR, and now purchasing Speedway 95.
    • “He loves the sport. And he’s going to put about a decade into that place up there in Herman, Maine. And...then he’s going to do what you did. He’s going to hand it off to whoever comes next...” (Moody, 58:50)
• Promoting ongoing renewal in grassroots racing ecosystems.
• Recognition of unsung heroes and possibilities for the next generation in New England and beyond.

Memorable Quotes

• “People don’t want to watch something that’s safe. They want to watch people do things that they don’t dare to do.”
  (Dave Moody on Ken Squire’s marketing genius, 13:34)

• “I went to Ken Squire High School and Barney Hall University.”
  (Dave Moody, reflecting on his mentors, 06:12)

• “Half of them are going to hate you, half of them are going to love you, and there’s not a damn thing you’re going to do to change anybody’s mind.”
  (Ken Squire’s media philosophy, as quoted by Dave Moody, 46:53)

• “Some people like Jean Paul, some people hate Jean Paul, but everybody knows Jean Paul.”
  (Moody, recounting the legendary French-Canadian driver, 22:31)

• “You don’t have to agree with someone to like someone. I can’t imagine going through life without ever hearing anything you disagree with.”
  (Moody, 49:05)

• “People on the Internet have gotten used to saying terrible things to each other without ever having to worry about getting punched in the mouth.”
  (Quoting Mike Tyson, 57:05)

• “If that’s what we accomplished today, I’m fine with that. I don’t need to be universally beloved.” (Moody on opinions in radio, 51:06)

Timeline of Major Segments

• 00:41–04:55: Opening, Moody’s Vermont/Montpelier story, Barney Hall, and radio legacy.
• 05:45–09:42: Early influences; Ken Squire and learning the craft; the Northeast’s racing heritage.
• 12:30–14:47: Thunder Road’s “Widowmaker” and the balance of danger/safety in racing.
• 15:56–20:12: Racing safety then and now; honoring both old-timers and modern advancements.
• 27:05–33:02: Breaking into MRN; first big break, garage reporting, and early career challenges.
• 33:27–39:38: Sounds of summer, MRN nostalgia, and Moody’s signature “Trouble in turn two.”
• 42:24–43:56: Ken Squire’s iconic lines; Moody’s favorites (“grandma, put your teeth in your pocketbook…”).
• 44:57–48:43: SiriusXM, the value of authentic, opinion-driven radio.
• 49:54–52:06: Embracing not being universally liked; lessons from the greats on radio candor.
• 57:05–57:49: Discussion on social media vitriol and the changing nature of fan interaction.
• 58:50–61:58: Ricky Craven’s purchase and revival of Speedway 95; importance of grassroots racing.

Final Notes & Takeaways

• The episode is a loving, brutally honest ode to racing’s roots—its dangers, characters, and the red-hot passion of its communities at every level.
• Moody’s story is a testament to the power of mentorship, perseverance, and authenticity in sportscasting.
• The conversation underscores the continued value of local racing, the importance of strong opinions in sports media, and the irrepressible energy of race fans—north, south, and everywhere in between.

For those who love racing’s culture, history, and hard-edged debate, this episode encapsulates the spirit of the sport as seen and shaped by some of its most colorful personalities.