The Dale Jr. Download
Episode: Can a New Crew Chief Save Kyle Busch’s Season?
Date: April 28, 2026
Host: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (with co-host TJ Majors, Travis, and guests)
Guest: Carson Hocevar (NASCAR Cup winner)
Episode Overview
In this lively and candid episode, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his crew dissect the biggest story in NASCAR: the mid-season crew chief change for Kyle Busch at Richard Childress Racing (RCR). Throughout the show, Dale and TJ weigh whether a new leader atop the pit box can rescue Busch’s flagging season, drawing parallels to Dale’s own career challenges and giving listeners an inside look at the pressures, relationships, and decision-making in NASCAR’s top teams.
The show also features guest Carson Hocevar, fresh off a big win, and dives into recent Cars Tour highlights, penalties, team dynamics, collecting (cards and diecasts), and leadership changes at NASCAR’s executive level. Lively debate and storytelling abound, with Dale's trademark mix of humor, honesty, and racing insight.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Warm-Up & Weekend Recap
[01:36 - 04:02]
- Dale Jr. mentions recent personal activities, including signing 1,500 bags of beef jerky for a promo and a Texas Roadhouse/Nashville trip to celebrate his namesake vodka drink (“The Dale Yeah”).
- Quick recap of the Cars Tour weekend at Caraway, new financial support for teams (tire giveaways, $10,000 “Flodium” bonuses), and reflections on the high operational costs for late model racing.
2. Collecting: Cards & Diecast
[08:27 - 15:11]
- Friendly banter about card collecting, with Dale pulling a “Griffey Downtown” and a few notable auto cards.
- Dale introduces the Ultimate Racing Collector feature by Lionel Racing, spotlighting Everett Applegate’s impressive Ricky Rudd and AJ Allmendinger memorabilia.
Notable Quote
“You know, I'm not much in collecting NASCAR, but I'm getting converted. The cards look good.” — Dale Jr. [09:02]
3. NASCAR Short Track and Community News
[19:37 - 21:03]
- Shout-out to Wall Stadium in NJ—saved from closure by local racers, with Dale encouraging fans to support short tracks.
4. Main Topic: Kyle Busch Crew Chief Change at RCR
[21:09 - 34:10]
The Situation:
- Andy Street replaces Jim Pohlman as Kyle Busch’s crew chief on the #8 car after a string of disappointing results and tense radio chatter.
- Discussion centers on whether a crew chief change can alter the trajectory of a struggling Cup team, and what it feels like for all involved.
Panel Insights:
- Pressure on All Sides: Culture of mid-season changes in NASCAR when expectations aren't met—"I've been in this situation, man. When you make a change mid-season, it's really hard to find positivity…” —Dale Jr. [22:33]
- Team and Driver Compatibility: The importance of chemistry between driver and crew chief, and the difficulty of rebuilding momentum.
- RCR’s Broader Challenges: Organization appears to have lost a step; Dale points out the unique difficulties of attracting top talent to RCR’s rural location.
- Timing of Change: Travis and TJ question if it’s early, but all agree internal team dynamics sometimes force action.
- Kyle Busch’s Priorities: With his career window closing, urgency is high. “Kyle’s sitting there thinking, five more years, maybe, of kick-ass talent left. I need to be winning now… not in a program that’s not ready to win.” —Dale Jr. [27:35]
- Alternate Futures: What if RCR replaces Busch with a prospect like Jesse Love for a lower salary, but less proven upside? Dale and crew agree: Kyle’s elite, but team improvement is needed across the board.
Notable Quotes:
“Everybody believes that Kyle can do the job. Everybody believes that Kyle is one of the most talented guys behind the wheel. All his fans absolutely believe he should be running up front. …If I’m RCR and I’m Richard Childress, I’m going to do whatever I can to make that happen – to keep Kyle from leaving.” — Dale Jr. [26:40]
“They are on an island up there in Welcome (NC)… That might as well be on Pluto.” — Dale Jr. on RCR’s recruiting challenges [31:00]
Timestamps:
- RCR crew chief change: [21:09 – 34:10]
- Kyle’s urgency: [27:35]
5. Debate: O’Reilly Race Penalty – Blocking on Pit Blend
[34:33 – 44:33]
- Panel debates recent penalties handed out for drivers impeding fast-moving packs while merging from pit road.
- Dale argues for a return to in-person drivers’ meetings to truly communicate safety points, calling email-based briefings ineffective.
- Guest Carson Hocevar (who “usually” does the blocking) adds his perspective, reflecting on how the rule is interpreted on track.
Notable Quotes:
“...to blatantly go into the third lane and pull up in front of a car pack, that was against code. Now it’s become normalized. Which it shouldn’t be.” — Dale Jr. [41:31]
“That’s how I found out that was even a rule—because I saw Carson at the concert at the Boulevard and he’s like, 'Hey man, don’t do what I did.'” — Carson Hocevar [47:41]
6. Talladega Highlights & Cup Race Discussion
[50:16 – 54:16]
- Carson Hocevar details surviving the “big one” at Talladega, using skill and luck to escape damage. He also describes the overwhelming emotional release of winning at the Cup level.
Notable Moment:
“Every time I watch the video, I just ball up—like, I literally cry my ass off… I can get back to that spot because that was the number one thing I was scared of if I ever won—was it wouldn’t feel like I dreamt about. And it matched up perfectly.” — Carson Hocevar [53:16]
7. Ask Jr. – Listener Questions
[55:36 – 67:55]
Key Topics:
- Rookie of the Year Debate — Discussed NBA Rookie of the Year snub for Hornets’ “Khan” vs. Cooper Flagg; Dale rails against small-market bias and trading card industry incentives [55:43 – 59:43].
- NASCAR Leadership Moves — Jim France steps down; Ben Kennedy is “the guy,” with Julie Giese rising too. Dale places full confidence in NASCAR’s next generation of leaders [62:31 – 65:23].
- NFL Draft Reactions — Panel shares thoughts and optimism about their favorite teams' picks [66:01 – 67:55].
Notable Quote:
“Ben Kennedy is the guy… Whatever this sport is in 25 years will be through the vision and eyes of Ben Kennedy.” — Dale Jr. [63:23]
8. Betting & Texas Preview
[69:10 – End]
- Lively roundtable dissecting betting odds for the upcoming Texas race.
- Discussion of favorites (Hamlin, Reddick, Larson, etc.), surprise picks, and whether current trends matter at one of NASCAR's most unpredictable tracks.
- Value bets and driver performance breakdowns: Who’s underrated? Who's slumping? Who’s got momentum?
- Teams struggling: Penske falling behind RFK; Cindric’s moderate step up.
Notable Quotes:
“This is a track where you could see something unique happen. I think Texas is a lot of fun.” — Dale Jr. [69:44]
“Penske, as a whole, has struggled to outperform RFK over the past several weeks.” — Dale Jr. [76:50]
“Blaney’s just better speed. That’s a wild take, Russ!” — Dale Jr. reacting to betting debate [78:13]
Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)
- On Kyle Busch’s window: “Kyle’s sitting there thinking, five more years, maybe, of kick-ass talent left. I need to be winning now…” — Dale Jr. [27:35]
- On team changes: “You don’t make this change unless somebody raised their hand…” — Dale Jr. [33:14]
- Crew Chief realities: “You’re not firing Kyle Busch. You’re just not.” — Dale Jr. [26:40]
- On RCR’s struggles: “They are on an island… might as well be on Pluto.” — Dale Jr. [31:00]
- Card collector wisdom: “Buying it is not the same as pulling it out of a pack yourself.” — TJ [08:50]
- Winning emotions: “Every time I watch the video, I just…cry my ass off.” — Carson Hocevar [53:16]
- NASCAR’s future: “Ben Kennedy is the guy. They’re positioning him to be the guy.” — Dale Jr. [63:18]
- Old-school vs. new-school: “It’s time to bring back the driver’s meetings.” — Dale Jr. [36:05]
- On betting picks: “This is a track where you could see something unique happen. I think Texas is a lot of fun.” — Dale Jr. [69:44]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Crew Chief Change for Kyle Busch/RCR: [21:09 – 34:10]
- Penalty Debate (Pit Blend Blocking): [34:33 – 44:33]
- Carson Hocevar Talladega Recap: [50:16 – 54:16]
- Leadership Changes at NASCAR: [62:31 – 65:23]
- Texas Preview & Betting Analysis: [69:10 – End]
Final Thoughts
This episode masterfully captures the pulse of NASCAR’s competitive tension—both on the high banks and behind pit wall—while showcasing Dale Jr.’s honest, deeply knowledgeable voice. The conversation about Kyle Busch’s struggles and team dynamics offers rare, behind-the-scenes candor, while spirited debates on rules, leadership, and betting round out a must-listen (and must-read!) episode for any racing fan wanting to know how NASCAR truly ticks.
