Herm & Schrader – “Wait, That's Not Herm?!”

Date: February 11, 2026
Host: SiriusXM, Dirty Mo Media
Guests: Kenny Wallace, Rick Schrader, Alan (producer/co-host)
Episode Focus: Storytelling and insights from the world of grassroots and NASCAR racing, with Herm (Kenny Wallace) absent and Rick Schrader filling in. The crew reminisces about Daytona and Speedweeks, legendary race moments, generational changes in racing, respect (and chaos) in the sport, and the enduring legacy of Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Episode Overview

This episode of Herm & Schrader pivots on a classic twist: Herm (Kenny Wallace) is absent, leaving Kenny Schrader, Rick Schrader, and Alan to keep the shop talk rolling. The trio dive into historic and hilarious racing tales, reflect on changes in NASCAR, joke about their own misadventures, and discuss the sport’s biggest legends. They bring candid observations, unforgettable stories, and plenty of Midwestern charm—true to the show’s promise of “never giving a single solitary damn” about anything but racing, beer, and honest conversation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Herm Missing: The Setup

• [02:09] Kenny Wallace introduces the twist, joking:

  “I’m not Kenny Wallace... Herm’s not here... It’s not live... I don’t know why I said any of that, but here we are.”

Notable Moment

• Herm is “off on a boat somewhere in Alaska”—the tone is light, with the crew ribbing each other about vacations and work ethic.
  • [03:11] Rick Schrader:

    “I guess I’m here because Herm is off on a boat somewhere in Alaska... Doesn’t he spend a lot of time vacationing anyhow?”

2. Current Dirt Racing and Daytona Speedweeks

• [03:41] The group compares their current racing schedules—Kenny is in Florida, Rick and Alan reflect on “Speedweeks” nostalgia.
• Highlights how the format of Speedweeks and the lead-up to the Daytona 500 have changed.
• Kenny notes:

  “We’ve only run 12 so far this year, and we’ll probably run another 60, so we got a lot more chances to fix it.” ([03:41])

Timestamps

• [04:00] Rick’s fond memories:

  “Going to the Daytona 500 was always the most exciting part of the year. We called it Speed Weeks... but by the time they dropped the checkered flag on the 500, I was ready to leave.”

• [04:38] Kenny describes today’s busy Florida racing scene, mentioning Stuart Friesen straightening frames in the parking lot with a log chain—“like the good ol’ days.”

3. Rising Young Stars & Racing Families

• [06:14] Alan brings up Keelan Harvick’s first late model stock win and the generational aspect of racing, sparking a conversation on talent, equipment, and family traditions.

Notable Quotes

• Alan:

  “People can say, ‘he’s in the best equipment’...But I’ve seen a lot of drivers in the best equipment who didn’t do anything with it. So you got to do something with it, and he’s doing it.” ([07:20])

• [07:55] Rick reminisces about John Paul Linville (Harvick’s maternal grandfather), and generational racing legacies.

4. Origins: Buying Your First Racecar

• [09:41] Rick tells the legendary tale of selling his 4H steer, Bessie, to buy his first racecar:

  “I sold the cow when I was 15, got 575 bucks, and used that money to buy my first race car... About six races with that car, I won a race, think it paid 45 bucks...Used that money to pay my first speeding ticket.” ([09:41])

• The crew laughs about “taking your cow on overnight trips just in case.” ([09:29])

5. The Path from Local Tracks to NASCAR

• Alan, Kenny, and Rick discuss how young drivers now start early and travel widely—contrasting their own more localized, blue-collar beginnings.
• Alan:

  “Dale Jr. didn’t have the best stuff...he had to work on it, and he learned how to work on it, and he came out better for it.” ([11:02])

6. NASCAR’s Evolving Race Formats and Venues

• [16:31] Alan critiques the “Clash” at Bowman Gray:

  “The average speed of that race was 21 miles per hour.” ([17:13])

• Debates about whether big events like the Clash should only be held at Daytona.
• Nostalgia for Speedweek’s “buildup,” now lost with the condensed qualifying and event schedule.

Notable Exchange

• Kenny Wallace:

  “To have a race, first thing you gotta do is have a racetrack... and I think those cars need to be on a little bit different racetrack. You know, something real.” ([18:44])

• Rick:

  “Are we trying to relive the past or bring back what worked, or are we trying new things that work? We’re kind of at a crossroads here.” ([19:45])

7. Historic Races: Daytona 500 Stories

• [23:53] Alan prompts Rick and Kenny about the 1989 Daytona 500 where both had breakthrough performances.
• [24:29] Rick recalls running an unsponsored car to the front, battling with Schrader and Earnhardt.

Notable Moments & Quotes

• Kenny:

  “We sat on a pole, won Bud Shootout, won the 125, we led 105 laps of 500, not that anybody’s keeping track, and we got beat by our teammate.” ([25:45])

• Rick:

  “I thought, ‘This is easy.’...Wasn’t as easy as I thought.” ([26:24])

• Rick’s memory of Schrader’s in-race hand signals on restarts:

  “I’d never had a driver do me that way...when Schrader gets the gas wide open, he’d do this [hand motion], and I knew I had to be wide open.” ([26:31])

8. Controversial Talladega Finish (1991)

• [28:45] Discussion of plate racing and “helping” Harry Gant win at Talladega by pushing him—despite the rules nuance.

• [30:17] Rick:

  “Every time he came back to my front bumper...black smoke would roll out—that was jarring the car, picking up fuel again.”

• Darrell Waltrip’s classic response on being caught with a too-low spoiler:

  “Ah, Harry Gant, he’s a hell of a driver. See y’all next week.” ([31:49])

9. The Evolution and Economics of NASCAR

• Debate on whether technological restrictions (with the Next Gen car) are good for competition, and whether anything really changes from driver to driver—just the closeness of finishes.

• [34:54] Kenny:

  “First Daytona 500 I ran, finished 11th, five laps back. Now, if you’re 11 seconds back, you’re in trouble.”

• [35:47] Alan notes 43+ cars vying for 40 Daytona 500 spots, reminiscing about the pressure on teams to qualify ("used to be 75 cars and 35 wouldn’t make it”).

10. Bump Drafting and Driver Respect

• Alan asks about the origins of bump drafting; Kenny:

  “If somebody continually bump-drafted, half a dozen guys would corner him by his truck before long. That’s not gonna fly.” ([38:41])

• [40:56] Rick suggests today’s drivers don’t have the same fear due to the increased safety in the sport and fewer fatal accidents:

  “Race car drivers think they’re invincible... but this generation hasn’t had to endure a tragedy in the garage area—with a guy they were just talking to two hours ago.”

11. Earnhardt Sr., NASCAR Leadership, and Legacy

• [45:04] Alan asks how Dale Earnhardt’s death affected NASCAR.

• [45:58] Kenny Wallace’s father’s wisdom:

  “We’re all clowns out there, and one clown doesn’t stop any circus... But [Earnhardt] was the wake up call that really moved the safety forward.”

• Rick and Kenny recount Earnhardt’s unique pull in the sport—a direct line to Bill France Jr., with Rick noting:

  “If Earnhardt left [the garage], we knew the day was cancelled.” ([47:46])

12. The “Man in Black” – The Human Side of Dale

• [53:14] Alan presses on the difference between Earnhardt the intimidating legend and the caring friend.

  • Rick:

    “He had that shield around him... to keep people from really knowing he had such a big heart, he could be a gentle person.” ([55:04])

• Kenny:

  “[Dale] said, ‘Go down in that gully, have ‘em build a pond, I’ll get you 200 bluegill and 100 bass.’ ... Well, they showed up the next week.” ([53:38])

13. Outtakes: Jokes, Family Stories, and Goodbyes

• [56:46] Alan delivers intentionally cringe-worthy dad jokes, to the group’s groans and laughter.

• [60:31] Rick tells stories about his now-grown twin daughters, motorhome park antics at races, and the camaraderie of the old days.

  • Rick (on the twins running around naked at the track):

    “We’d be at the racetrack, and they would run around all the time without clothes on. Ten years ago, at Richmond, Jeff Gordon said, ‘Last time I saw you, you were up in that motorhome buck naked.’” ([61:05])

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “I’m not Kenny Wallace... Herm’s not here... I don’t know why I said any of that, but here we are.” (Kenny Wallace, 02:09)
• “I sold the cow when I was 15... used that money to buy my first race car.” (Rick Schrader, 09:41)
• “We’re all clowns out there, and one clown doesn’t stop any circus.” (Kenny Wallace, 45:04)
• “He had that shield around him...to keep people from really knowing he had such a big heart.” (Rick Schrader, 55:04)
• “If Earnhardt left [the garage], we knew the day was cancelled.” (Rick Schrader, 47:46)
• “First Daytona 500 I ran, finished 11th, five laps back. Now, if you’re 11 seconds back, you’re in trouble.” (Kenny Wallace, 34:54)
• “To have a race, first thing you gotta do is have a racetrack... and I think those cars need to be on a little bit different racetrack. You know, something real.” (Kenny Wallace, 18:44)

Memorable Moments

• Rick buying his first stock car with cow-sale money at age 15 ([09:41])
• Schrader sharing Daytona 500 war stories and hand-signal strategy ([26:31])
• Talladega black-smoke-push to victory, the “red truck” inquisition, and Darrell Waltrip’s exit line ([31:49])
• Dad jokes (“Why don’t fish play basketball? They’re scared of the net.”) ([57:30])
• Tales of the naked twins at the racetrack and Jeff Gordon’s callback ([61:05])

Final Thoughts

This episode blends racing analysis and nostalgia with quick wit and unfiltered storytelling. With Herm out, Schrader and crew riff on what makes old-school racing great, how the sport has changed (maybe not always for the better), and why some legends loom larger off the track than on it. The show is as much about the oddball family that is grassroots racing as it is about speed, competition, or even victory. A must-listen for those who care about the soul as well as the spectacle of racing.

For full, wild, unvarnished racing reminiscence, tune in to the next installment of Herm & Schrader.