Herm & Schrader Podcast
Episode: Two-Timin’ Tyler Reddick
Release date: February 25, 2026
Hosts: Kenny Wallace & Ken Schrader
Presented by SiriusXM, Dirty Mo Media
Episode Overview
This week’s “Herm & Schrader” brings an energetic, story-filled recap of the NASCAR race weekend with a heavy dose of humor, no-BS opinions, and vintage bench racing. Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader, joined by “Deets,” dive into Tyler Reddick’s improbable back-to-back wins, the growing Michael Jordan/NASCAR connection, wild on-track moments, the rising star (and controversy magnet) Carson Hocevar, and old-school-meets-new-school tales about technology, team strategy, and life behind the scenes. Plus, they bring fans up to speed on dirt track happenings, the latest paddock gossip, and signature Midwest-style jokes.
Main Themes
- The wild Atlanta Cup race and Tyler Reddick’s comeback win
- Michael Jordan’s increasing NASCAR visibility and team impact
- Carson Hocevar’s aggressive style: asset or liability?
- How technology and the “sim era” are transforming racing
- Reflection on crew chief lawsuits and passing of knowledge in NASCAR
- Dirt racing highlights
- Classic racing stories, jokes, and insights
Key Discussion Points & Segments
1. Atlanta Race Recap: Side-by-Side Mayhem and Reddick’s Resurgence
[03:01-14:00]
- Phenomenal Atlanta racing: All three hosts agree the racing was wild, thanks to a combination of slower cars (~150mph instead of 200mph) and an aging, slick track.
- “It was so exciting. It was like, damn, them guys talked their butts off!” – Kenny Schrader [03:01]
- Handling is king again at Atlanta: Kenny and Herm reflect on how the track’s age and visible tar strips have changed the game, as drivers now genuinely struggle for grip.
- Improbable finish: Tyler Reddick, running 18th with no right front fender, pulls off a win after late-race wrecks.
- “The fact is, he was able to win without a fender. That’s pretty neat. That’s back old days.” – Ken Schrader [11:40]
- Bubba Wallace’s missed opportunity: Bubba leads late for 23XI, but moves up and opens the door for Reddick.
- Transition to Michael Jordan’s increasing presence as a winning team owner.
2. Michael Jordan & 23XI Racing’s Spotlight
[12:00-15:45]
- MJ’s interviews and the sport’s visibility: Herm hypes up how the recent wins and interviews are finally making MJ’s ownership public knowledge.
- “All of a sudden … there’s this larger amount of people in America that [know] Michael Jordan owns a NASCAR team, and it’s because they’re winning and they’re interviewing him.” – Herm [13:10]
- Schrader: “Big plus for the sport” – Jordan’s presence draws in new fans and demographics. [12:45]
- Deets: the importance of Jordan staying visible after “the trial” revealed his majority ownership.
- “There’s no negatives to it at all as far as the sport goes.” – Deets [15:40]
3. Back-to-Back Wins: Is There Still a Daytona Jinx?
[15:45-18:49]
- Reddick’s consecutive wins recall Matt Kenseth’s feat and prompt a discussion of NASCAR “jinxes.”
- Schrader: “Take whatever comes with winning Daytona.” Odds of repeating are far tougher compared to other sports.
- Deets: Reddick’s good fortune of being in the right place at the right time – “run time” means he couldn’t have held the lead 5-10 more laps with that fender.
- Herm: “If Reddick’s car had a right front fender, maybe he wouldn’t have made the moves he did.”
4. Technology, Sims, and “Back in My Day”
[19:19-27:41]
- Simulators change the game: Even after days of media tours, modern drivers are doing massive sim work pre-race.
- Herm describes the remote “mission control” rooms at race shops, with teams supporting from afar.
- “Back at the shop, they got this massive … looks like Star Wars … and those are all engineers communicating with the crew chief at the racetrack.” [22:11]
- Schrader is skeptical: If everyone has it, what’s the point? “It just makes everybody faster and spends more money.” [25:14]
- No on-track practice: Reddick’s zero real laps at new Atlanta; sim prep fills the void.
- Herm and Schrader reminisce about “sim” meaning carnival dodgem cars, go-kart tracks—and how talent used to adapt via seat time, not technology.
5. Fan Engagement: “Hell Yeah!” Rally Cry
[29:57-32:11]
- Herm talks about how NASCAR’s “Hell Yeah!” marketing chant, once mocked, is genuinely catching on with fans at Atlanta.
- Schrader tempers the hype: A loud minority doesn’t mean all is fixed – “Two words can’t bring a sport back.” Need more data on TV/ticket trends.
6. Carson Hocevar: Love Him or Loathe Him?
[34:31-39:05]
- Wrecks, memes, and merch: Hocevar is the talk of NASCAR for his all-in racing style, despite ruffling feathers.
- Schrader: “If I had a race team, I’d want to hire him. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t want to race with him.” [34:45]
- Deets & Schrader: He’ll have to “smooth out the rough edges”—and his rivals will help do that!
- Herm draws Earnhardt parallels: “Everyone hated Dale Senior at first, now he’s a legend.” Will Hocevar follow that arc?
- Mark Martin’s advice: “You people have to have the ability to have a civil conversation without being so vicious.” [37:22]
7. Truck Race & Teamwork: The Two-Timin’ Title
[39:45-43:01]
- Kyle Busch wins the Truck race for Spire, sponsored by Rick Hendrick (his Cup boss is Richard Childress). Herm dubs it “Chevrolet’s ultimate collaboration.”
- Hocevar helps Busch win by pushing him, sparking debate if he was being a smartass or simply following orders.
- Schrader: “He ran first and second. That’s all I know.” [42:58]
8. Points Rundown & Underdog Watch
[43:14-47:44]
- Top Drivers: Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace, and Zane Smith are the only three with top-10s in both races.
- Surprising stats: Kyle Larson sits 21st in points – Herm predicts that will change.
- Herm jokes: “The teams that sued NASCAR are doing the best!” [44:54]
- Schrader: It’s early. Points don’t matter much right now.
9. Crew Chief Lawsuits & Old-School Confidentiality
[55:28-59:25]
- Joe Gibbs sues ex-crew chief Chris Gabehart over alleged data theft—another sign of the times compared to notebook-era racing.
- Deets: NDAs are everywhere now; back in the day, crews just brought notebooks.
- Schrader: “Crew chiefs used to have the setups in their heads. You can’t erase it from your head. So I don’t know, don’t care, not involved; we’ll just see what happens.” [56:53]
- Herm: “They’re about to steal the thoughts out of our heads!”
10. Dirt Track Roundup
[59:29-64:39]
- Quick recap of sprint/midget/late model events at All-Tech, Hendry County, and Milton, FL with standout wins by Overton, Hudson, Bobby Pierce and Nick Hoffman.
- Schrader: “Just gotta go down and turn, go where they’re not.” [63:42]
- Comparative tales: Bloomquist taking lines no locals would dare; Herm & Schrader’s mag moment.
11. Classic Stories & Jokes
[65:28-66:10]
- Deets shares puns: “Where do basketball players go when they need a uniform? New Jersey.” [65:57]
- Schrader recounts flipping a car and the infield care center asking how many times he rolled. “One and three quarter! Started on my tires, ended on my roof…” [68:27]
12. Plans for Next Week
- Herm is off to Austin for a benefit event at COTA and more NASCAR festivities.
- Schrader is running in Hattiesburg, MS, with USCS sprint cars.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Kenny Schrader:
- “He should be interviewed because [Michael Jordan’s] team is winning. So, I mean, it’s just ... gotta be a big plus for the sport.” [12:45]
- “It just makes everybody faster and spends more money.” (On race shop engineering support) [25:14]
- “If I had a race team, I’d want to hire [Hocevar]. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t want to race with him.” [34:45]
- “I never had to sign an NDA because they knew that nobody wanted to know what I knew.” [59:18]
-
Herm (Kenny Wallace):
- “I don’t know what made Bubba move up, because he left his ... he left Tyler Reddick, and all Tyler Reddick did was just hold the lane and win the race.” [13:10]
- “You can travel all around America. But, buddy, when we get in that race car ... your race face, your brain clicks.” (On shaking off the Daytona 500 hangover) [21:01]
- “The ones that didn’t like it (Atlanta), there’s only one way you didn’t like it—because you watched it.” [29:11]
- “He’s literally wrecking and running into everybody. But he’s the greatest driver we’ve seen. And when he gets cleaned up, he’s going to be the next Dale Earnhardt.” (On Hocevar) [37:53]
-
Deets:
- “You gotta be honest that Tyler Reddick has just been in the right place in these last two races.” [17:44]
- “There is no negatives to [Michael Jordan being front & center] at all as far as the sport goes.” [15:45]
- “He makes Chastain look like David Pearson right now.” [50:56]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Atlanta race/Track/Sim discussion: 03:01–14:00, 19:19–29:57
- Michael Jordan & 23XI: 12:45–15:45
- Carson Hocevar: 34:31–39:05
- Truck Race/Kyle Busch/Hocevar: 39:45–43:01
- Points rundown: 43:14–47:44
- Crew Chief/Lawsuit segment: 55:28–59:25
- Dirt track round-up: 59:29–64:39
- Jokes and personal stories: 65:28–68:27
- Upcoming plans: 66:12–69:44
Tone & Style
- Candid, irreverent, and storytelling-heavy
- Frequent ribbing, nostalgia, and no-filter opinions; Midwest-folksy and occasionally sentimental
For Listeners New & Old
Expect deep racing insights without sugarcoating, laughs, real talk about what’s changing (and what’s not) in the sport, and the ever-present sense that—for Herm, Schrader, and friends—it’s all about racing, stories, and good company.
For more, check out Dirty Mo Media on all social platforms!