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The Dale Jr. Download
Dale Jr. Is Fired Up After Daytona — And You Should Be Too!
01:47:13
Dale Jr. Is Fired Up After Daytona — And You Should Be Too!
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- [00:00]
Dale Jr.
All right, everybody. Stell Jr. Back again for another episode of Dale Jr. Download with my co host TJ Majors. And this episode is brought to you by Safety Culture. We're going to talk about Daytona, Richmond, old tires, playoffs, Rex. Who's to blame for Rex? Yeah, we're going to do some dirty mo do. We're going to do Ask Junior. It's going to be a great show. Let's get going.
- [00:21]
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- [00:36]
Dale Jr.
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- [00:39]
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- [00:45]
Dale Jr.
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- [00:47]
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- [01:20]
Dale Jr.
The following is a production of Dirty Mo Media. This is the most fun I've had in this chair in the last hour and a half. Yes.
- [01:31]
TJ Majors
I don't know if we've ever argued, piss you off over the weekend or.
- [01:34]
Dale Jr.
I'm still sour that I was the best man at your wedding.
- [01:37]
Russell
Who was your best man, Dale?
- [01:38]
Dale Jr.
Tj, you don't need a cool vest for that race. What are you thinking? Get him. Dj. Hello. Starting to show.
- [01:50]
TJ Majors
All right then.
- [01:52]
Dale Jr.
Hey Everybody. It's Dale Jr. Back again for another episode of the Dale Jr. Download. My co host TJ Majors. And it's an episode of Dirty Air on Tuesday. We are back in the studio. Tell what we going to talk about this week.
- [02:03]
TJ Majors
Playoffs.
- [02:04]
Dale Jr.
Playoffs. Yeah, playoffs. Yeah, we'll talk about playoffs. Talk about a little bit of everything else. Let's get started. The presenting sponsor for this episode of the Dale Jr. Download is safety Culture. The workplace operations tool. Giving teams from the racetrack to the factory floor what they need to get the job done quicker and improve every day. Safety Culture. You've seen them on the side of some race cars. I think they're a little got a little partnership with track house.
- [02:30]
Russell
SVG crushing it for him.
- [02:32]
Dale Jr.
There you go, svg. Thanks for chiming in and joining me in this conversation.
- [02:38]
TJ Majors
Safety call.
- [02:39]
Dale Jr.
You know, I count on you every now and then.
- [02:42]
TJ Majors
I don't know about that.
- [02:43]
Dale Jr.
So let's get right into it, man. Xfinity race for Zillich and Kligerman. Oh, yeah.
- [02:48]
TJ Majors
Big race.
- [02:49]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. Pretty cool. So had I called Parker, I was like, hey, man, you know, talk to every. Everybody here at Junior Force. They thought, man, that's a great idea. They. You know, we were just trying to figure out, like, how to be ready for. For. This was an unprecedented situation.
- [03:09]
TJ Majors
When did you call Parker?
- [03:10]
Dale Jr.
I don't even remember. A couple days.
- [03:14]
TJ Majors
Pretty early.
- [03:15]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, pretty early. Yeah. A couple of days after the. Glenn.
- [03:18]
TJ Majors
Oh, gotcha.
- [03:19]
Dale Jr.
Um, we. We knew. You know, I think I called maybe right before the surgery because I remember telling Parker, I was like, well, you know, we're going to see how this surgery goes, but I think our. Everything's pointing towards this. Right. This process of, you know, hopefully. I knew that Connor wasn't going to race the whole race at Tal. At Daytona. And I told Connor, I said, even if the doctor you know, said, you know, whatever, you're. You know, you're good to go, I think you should avoid it because of the. The. The potential to crash is like 80%.
- [03:52]
TJ Majors
It's not worth it.
- [03:53]
Dale Jr.
No, he's got not. So he's got this. This sounds. I don't know how this will sound, but he's got this cup career, this big thing. I didn't know the announcement was the other day. We don't know all the details, but I knew it was coming. But he's got this cup career, and, I mean, it's as cool as it is for him to have an opportunity to run for the Xfinity series championship. You know, that's not. That's not as important as, like, making sure that he's healthy and we don't make this situation worse, Right? So you could get greedy, go out there and double down and make this thing worse if he's getting a wreck. So we decided, you know, no matter what, you know, 99% chance that somebody else got to drive the car. We were just hoping he would be able to get in to start it. There was a world where, you know, he don't even get in the car. I would be embarrassed if we handed him over to the track house and he had a physical issue because we were like, we had to race him, you know, got to go get that championship. And so it was in. He doesn't. He might understand it. I don't Want to say he doesn't understand it, but his. He's eager to go show. He's tough. He's. He can race. I can handle this. Right. I'm. If you'd have let him, he'd probably ran the whole damn race at Daytona. But anyways, we called Parker and Parker's like, oh, man, let me see if I can talk to cw because he's got a job. And so I told him, I said, we kind of might need you to be ready at Portland just to be there. And he's like, well, I wasn't going to travel to Portland. They do the CW broadcast from the studio. And he's like, I probably can't do that. So we knew that Portland wasn't an opportunity and so Parker couldn't be available for that. But we still went with him for Daytona because he shows he's got ability to run well there in the truck race almost. You know, he won that race with. Got thrown out.
- [05:49]
TJ Majors
He's very competitive there.
- [05:51]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. And same size, easy to work with. I know him as a person. He wasn't going to be a problem. He would be fun and enjoy it. And when I got to the racetrack and got in the. Got in the holler and was just kind of checking the vibe, I could tell right away it was comfortable. Everybody was good. Parker knew his role and none of us knew that day that, you know, what, you know, he's going to go out there and win a damn race. But we thought, you know, we would have some fun and just want it to be good, you know, at the end of the day, let's just. Hopefully we're all happy with, with how this went and Parker. I wanted Parker just to see our culture and our team and what we're about and experience that a little more uniquely than he has. Right. He's been a competitor for years. He's covered us as a, as a. As a broadcaster. And so forth. So, yeah, it all, I mean, it worked out as good as it could. Right. I mean, a couple things as far as, you know, I think about it from an owner standpoint, there's a couple things with the one and the eight, you know, getting spun out, but the eight and the one, they kind of come back, get reasonable results. Sammy worked really hard all night to get a good result, and Justin had a really solid car and was in position to try to get the win. And, you know, Parker was also up front in position to get the win and was the one to get across the finish line first. So, yeah, pretty Good night for junior murder sports. Really awesome to see Parker sort of be able to celebrate be. You know, everybody kind of felt like after the truck race, like, God dang, man. You know, this kid's worked his ass off to sort of try to patch and put things together and give himself opportunity. He's also in this sort of flux of man, maybe I'm not going to be a race car driver anymore. I'm going to go over here and do this media thing, which he's very good at. And that's a very, I think, a very hard process to go through. I've seen a couple drivers that turn crew chief or turn engineer or turn something right that have a hard time sort of saying goodbye or closing the door on the driving part because, gosh, you know, that's your dream. And I think when he goes to. When Parker Klingerman goes and wins that truck race and then they take it away from him in the tech line, everybody was like, God, that sucks. You know, God, let the guy have something, right? And this is so Parker to like have this happen to him. And so it was cool to have him go out there, win the race, get celebrated, get, get, get. Be able to be able, you know, be able to be happy. And even though it was unique circumstances. So anyways, yeah, I mean, I don't. I thought was awesome and glad it happened. This has been a year of just weird, you know, crew chief in the car at Pocono, Parker winning this race. There's a couple things this year that have just been strange but wild and fun and good, but we've ended well. Yeah.
- [09:01]
Russell
Did your demeanor, how you were on the radio change when Parker got in the car versus your other drivers?
- [09:08]
Dale Jr.
I don't think so. I didn't really talk that much. I just asked Parker. There was one time. There was one time I think Parker was clear and I think the 21 was leading. And I think Parker was clear to the bottom to jump in front of the inside line and maybe get pushed to the lead. And he didn't. And I'm thinking, you know, listen, I know I saw Austin Hill's comments. I guess he was thinking, man, why didn't they help us? They don't, you know, Junior motorsports. I just didn't feel like I had a lot of help from a lot of people name coming from that guy, namely junior motorsports. I don't. I didn't read the comments, so I don't want to take it out of context, but you know, with all due respect to Austin Hill, he is he's got the best track record in the Xfinity series at Daytona Talladega in the last handful of years. And so, yeah, and so we, I tell my guys, I'm like, listen, if you want to run second, help Austin Hill if you want to. You know, if you push Austin Hill out into the lead with a couple laps to go, he's hard to get around here. It is a quote right here. We never have the JRM cars help us. Hill said after being released from the Oak Field Care Center. Doesn't matter if they're a Chevy alliance or not. They don't help us at all. They'd rather work with a Toyota or Ford than us. We really know that our backs are against the wall with the JR course. Yeah, I would agree with that. I tell, I tell our team, you know, if you, if you want to run second, you know, help that 21 all you want. Yeah, you'll go to the front, but you won't, you won't, you know, your likelihood of, of beating him and winning the race, it kind of, you know, goes down. Your chances of winning the race go up when you, when you don't help him. Right.
- [11:01]
TJ Majors
And so, I mean, the one year we wrecked all four cars making sure he won the race, I mean.
- [11:05]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, yeah. I just, you know, it isn't, it isn't so much personal as it is, look, you know, that guy's the, that guy's the one guy that's going to be the toughest to be at that racetrack. And so you kind of have to learn over time that you do need to limit how much you help him.
- [11:25]
TJ Majors
Yeah. Because everybody's in front of you. You're not getting him.
- [11:27]
Russell
It's a sign of respect.
- [11:28]
Dale Jr.
Well, if you're helping him, you're, you're, you're increasing his chance of winning the race. So, you know, we, I tell him openly, I'm like, look, you know, I wouldn't, I wouldn't help the 21. I would try to do everything I could to make his day as difficult as possible and at that particular racetrack. So, yeah, that's, that's, that's just kind of. Yeah. Ended up working out good.
- [11:57]
TJ Majors
And that was probably the, the best solid finish for, like, all the JRM cars, like, as a group together and stuff, like working with each other and.
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Dale Jr.
That's Right.
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TJ Majors
So that was good to see.
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Dale Jr.
Yeah. I, I, I know that Connor announced his cup deal to drive for Track House next year. Everybody kind of knew that was coming.
- [12:16]
TJ Majors
Shocker. I didn't See it coming.
- [12:18]
Dale Jr.
There were a couple announcements over the weekend, I think all on the same day. There was the COVID for the NASCAR 25 game with Byron and a couple other people on there. Who else is on there?
- [12:30]
Russell
Blaney and Bell.
- [12:31]
Dale Jr.
And then there was another announcement. The Ram.
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TJ Majors
Yeah.
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Dale Jr.
So colleague. Colleague has five trucks. Right. And so listen. What?
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TJ Majors
It's a lot.
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Dale Jr.
Yeah, it is. I think it's awesome.
- [12:44]
TJ Majors
No, it's got. Yeah, me too.
- [12:46]
Dale Jr.
So I'm, you know, I'm a little, I think it's, I think it's awesome. I, I'm not going to sit here and say, well, I'd have done it this way, I've done it that way. I think that, I believe that they'll be some, you know, I think there'll be a process of trying to like get that thing up to speed, but apparently, I mean the, the motor is spec. So you know, can the Dodge, you know, can the Dodge power plant do X, Y and Z? That. It's another question for the cup series down the road when Dodge gets there. But so the, the motors covered, basically they're just going to take a bunch of trucks, you know, buy some, you know, they'll build some new trucks, maybe buy some trucks from Spire or whatever and cut the nose and tail off of them and go racing and they'll be fine. I bet that nose is a little different. But is it worse, better? It's probably not a big deal. At some tracks, particularly the truck could be better. Yeah, it could be. So people are like, you know, what do you expect in terms of performance? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised. They come right out the gate, they could win Daytona, they could have a great, you know, they could come right. I gate very competitive.
- [13:57]
TJ Majors
What do you think they do for drivers?
- [13:58]
Dale Jr.
That's the question. So I'm. The truck announcement is great. Colleague, great. Five trucks, all those things. Yes. Go on, motor down the road. My mind goes right to who do they put behind the wheel of those trucks? And so I would be looking at the Xfinity series for a couple of drivers that are young, that look like they have real potential, that are also looking for opportunity. I would also, I would be calling every one of those young drivers in the Xfinity series. I would also be looking at the cars tour. I would be looking at local regional champions. We have Connor hall in our late model stock car. I'd be calling Connor to see if he wanted to come drive a truck. He's a two time national champion, drives our late model stock car. The cars tour, I think is where a lot of guys. I know it's my tour, I know I'm biased, but I think, you know, there's some racecraft that develops there that Butterbean has been able to take into the ARCA series and go dominate Josh Berry, I mean the list goes on and on of drivers that have come out of there and are, are well tuned and ready, ready for the next step. Right. And so I believe it would serve Ram colleague and everyone well to have a bit of a mix like you. You get yourself a sure fire, can't miss veteran that can help you build the team, tell you where your, where your trucks are and what you need and what you're feeling. You bring in some grassroots young guy that needs that opportunity that everybody would be excited about and you kind of have a mix in between. Maybe a, maybe a young, young kid that's currently in the truck series. Maybe a, someone who's a project or a prospect out of the Xfinity series. You know that, that doesn't have a full time deal for the next year. He would probably take a full time truck ride with a, with a Ram colleague partnership. The thing about it is, is I would look at this if I was the driver, especially some of these young guys. I would look at this like, look this, this is absolutely. Got a direct path to the cup series for sure.
- [16:28]
TJ Majors
If you perform and you're. Yep, yeah, absolutely.
- [16:31]
Dale Jr.
You can go, you can go to a lot of these other programs with it, whether it be Xfinity series at Gibbs junior Motorsports where you know all these other programs. There's a route to cup, but it ain't direct. Like Josh Berry, right. Came drove here. He ended up going over to Stewart horse racing. You know his route. He got there, he got to the next level. But did you think it would be from Chevy branded to Ford branded to, you know, to Wood brother? No. Nobody knew that was going to be his route and it wasn't an easy one. And so there's, there's not a more pure direct pipeline right now than this new Dodge pipeline. Dodge is going to be a cup team in the next year or two. If you jump in one of their five trucks and you go out there and win races, you have firmly supplanted yourself as their future. Future. They can't deny it. No one could.
- [17:34]
TJ Majors
Why wouldn't they too? If you're winning for here, they're going to want you there.
- [17:37]
Dale Jr.
Going to go. Well, the logical next step is that this guy's going to go up and.
- [17:40]
TJ Majors
Enter our new carry the brand.
- [17:41]
Dale Jr.
I would be knocking the door down over at colleague trying to get to Chris Rice and Ty Norris to. To. To see what opportunity would be there for me if I was a young driver looking for. Looking for. For a chance.
- [17:57]
TJ Majors
And this is. I'm guessing the trucks are probably pretty well funded.
- [18:01]
Dale Jr.
Oh, well funded. You kidding me?
- [18:03]
TJ Majors
I mean for, you know, you don't have to. This shouldn't have to be a bring money to race type thing.
- [18:08]
Dale Jr.
This won't be a bring money to race. Yeah, it'd be. You know, everybody if I don't they an owner in the series that ain't going to turn down a couple million bucks when you walk in the door. But this deal right here, you won't have to have it.
- [18:18]
TJ Majors
It's got to win.
- [18:19]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [18:20]
TJ Majors
Yeah. This is a cool deal. I mean it's. It's big for the sport too.
- [18:23]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. I mean rams going to pour money into it. They're going to make sure it works. I'd say I would look at. I would to look. Go back and look at Toyota's entry into the truck series and kind of look at how they evolved in terms of performance and success. I think they came into the trucks and actually did pretty well. I think it was Xfinity or maybe even the cup series that it took them a while to really find success, start winning. Not that NASCAR really kind of has control over your performance, but I think Dodge's ability to win in the trucks is. Is there now unload got a chance to win. Right.
- [19:05]
TJ Majors
And they were successful before in all the series too. So they. They have a good blueprint.
- [19:10]
Dale Jr.
I think as they go further, I don't think they're going to mess with the Xfinity series. I'd be surprised if they enter the Xfinity series, but I think once they get the cup now, that program will have a hard time getting going. It'll get there, but it's going to be a long hard work.
- [19:26]
TJ Majors
Is it easier now with this car though, than it would have been before with an. Or not. Or.
- [19:31]
Dale Jr.
I think the one thing that's probably going to be the toughest part for the Dodge guys will be the engine. You know, if. And maybe that's come. Maybe that comes together and that that works better than I think or I don't. I have no knowledge of information, but I just know that to bring their power plan and into the. Into the cup series and it do everything it needs to do and perform the way it needs to perform and NASCAR Is going to keep a very tight leash on all of that so that they don't. They can't come in and like, overpower everybody or just, you know, oh, damn. You know, this thing actually runs awesome. You know, NASCAR is going to make sure that. Because the other OEMs are going to go, all right, man, you know, you better hold them accountable. Hold them within the confines of the power and torque that we have. So that's a little stickier, but do.
- [20:35]
TJ Majors
You not think if they unload, like, unload good right off the gate, it brings other manufacturers could be like, oh, you know, we. We might be able to join this and be competitive, pretty cup series?
- [20:45]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, I don't know that it's too hard. I don't know that I'll be. I mean, I don't know that anybody can come in brand new oem and unloading the cup series and be good.
- [20:53]
TJ Majors
Wouldn't the motor. Wouldn't it be easier now, though, than it would have been 15 years ago to, you know, to.
- [21:00]
Dale Jr.
I wonder. I wonder, I suppose, is how. How does their power plant and their. Their motor, their V8 from years ago? Where's the technology? How does it measure up to where we are today with what we're building? Because what. The motor you raced when Dodge was here years ago isn't the same motor we raced.
- [21:25]
TJ Majors
Not even close.
- [21:26]
Dale Jr.
And so, yeah, what. How quickly can they kind of scale up? But they got a couple of years to figure that part out. But the truck series is turnkey with the spec motor and all that stuff, so they should be able to hit the ground running and be able to roll out of the. Roll onto the track. And with the right setup and the right crew chief and all that stuff.
- [21:45]
TJ Majors
They have some good opportunity to get some wins.
- [21:47]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. Be interesting to see who fills those five seats. I'm curious. The last couple of weeks, we've had some really good races on the. On the. On the cup side of things. The. I don't want to put it on exactly, just one singular thing at Richmond, but the old. The softer tires seem to make a difference at Richmond, and everybody seemed somewhat, for the most part, entertained. There were still some critical detractors that just want to be critical.
- [22:16]
TJ Majors
I do have a question about that. Richmond was a good race, and I agree it was good because there was strategies and stuff. But if we go back with the same tire and they figure it out. Well, I'm saying do more teams go back and look at everything? Okay, the fastest strategy is this. We all start doing the same Strategy again, Does it turn back?
- [22:34]
Dale Jr.
I don't know. I do think all that. I think at Richmond, all that I want is the tire to be soft, the tire to wear out, the tire to fall off, and the cars to move around and be able to, like, move up, second, third groove and be fast.
- [22:50]
TJ Majors
And you could see that.
- [22:51]
Russell
Yeah, Yeah, I agree, T.J. to your point that maybe. But you can't predict the caution. So you can have your strategy and everyone can be on the same page. But once that caution comes, that's.
- [23:00]
Dale Jr.
That was. That's kind of been the case even back, Even back in the, you know, the 90s, the 80s, the 70s, whatever. Whatever era it is that you say you love. You would have a badass race at Bristol one week. One week, and then you go back six months later and maybe you didn't get the yellows. And the race was, you know, we had a, you know, we had a race in 73 at Bristol that Kel Yarborough led every single lap. No cautions, 500 laps, zero cautions. Hey, Bristol. And then you might go back there the next race and have 13 yellows and just all kinds of carnage. And if you love that kind of. You had fun, you had a blast. Which I probably did if I was a kid, especially. But I love going to Bristol and watch them tear all that up. It's the best thing. But I, I think that what, what we learned. Listen here on this show, we. We got really kind of. We got real critical of the sport over the last three or four weeks. And I still. I still feel a certain type of way about specific parts and pieces with the next gen car in terms of short tracks, road courses and so forth. And I, again, like I said several weeks ago, I wouldn't. I would never rest on how things are going. I would always be trying to like, all right, how can we make this better? How can we make this better? And I would still feel that. I would. I still feel that same way today. But we did have an, you know, we did have a. We. We had. What I would. What I would say is, is the expectation in terms of entertaining and what we should see every single week. We had that at Richmond and we had it again at Daytona. Speaking about Richmond, the soft tire, they're taking that same tire to New Hampshire. Good possibility that we'll have some good results from that. We'll see how that kind of works at New Hampshire. I'm excited about it. New Hampshire in the next gen car, actually, I've really liked in the car that we had before this at New Hampshire, they ran one specific line for the most part, and if you got off that line and jumped the seams or tried to run low or whatever it was, it was pretty much, for the most part, a one and a half groove track in the next gen. Dude, they're running that son of a. All the way up into the third groove where the modifieds were.
- [25:26]
TJ Majors
Yeah, we're getting higher.
- [25:27]
Dale Jr.
It's wild.
- [25:28]
TJ Majors
Yeah, I like it.
- [25:30]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, I do, too. And, man, I remember being there and seeing that for the first time in the broadcast booth. I'm like, holy. They're in the third groove way up there where there's some really old sealer. And I'm like, man, if they kick that sealer off and get that hot and grippy, it's going to be awesome. And, yeah, it was wild. You had guys way up the racetrack long, late in the run. I think with this tire, you could probably see more of that. So I'm. I'm kind of bullish on. On New Hampshire just because I think the next gen car has kind of been fun to watch there no matter what. Now with this tire, I'm even more. More looking forward to that race. And then let's move on to Daytona. Daytona, tj. Daytona. The racing and the. The energy of the pack, the eagerness for everybody to, like, want to go up front, lead the. Everybody kind of being on the offense. Holy. It was. It was completely different from what we've seen at Daytona and Talladega, which has been maddening over the last couple of years, where everybody's, like, riding around two seconds off to pay saving fuel as much as I can.
- [26:43]
TJ Majors
It's better in that regard, for sure.
- [26:44]
Dale Jr.
What happened? How.
- [26:47]
TJ Majors
Well, the first stage, we didn't stop.
- [26:49]
Dale Jr.
Yep.
- [26:50]
TJ Majors
So you just go hard?
- [26:52]
Dale Jr.
I just went hard.
- [26:53]
TJ Majors
Yeah, but you're still. I don't know. They're still saving because you're just trying to shorten your stop.
- [26:58]
Dale Jr.
The last one.
- [26:59]
TJ Majors
The last one.
- [26:59]
Dale Jr.
Third stage. Yep.
- [27:01]
TJ Majors
But I see, I didn't. I still saw it as it's kind of gridlocked a little bit. Yeah. I mean, to me, that was still gridlocked. And I know Blaney's. Everyone's like, well, Blaney won from 13th. Blaney didn't do anything but be in the right line. And it moved forward at the. Because guys were making moves that they probably wouldn't have made a little bit earlier in the race because they're just going to get to the front and kind of hang out in that lane and stay there. They're not going to dive all the way to the bott bottom and make moves like that.
- [27:25]
Dale Jr.
But I felt like. And you can tell me if I'm right. I felt like that the surface of the racetrack is finally starting to turn loose a little bit. I saw handling is really.
- [27:38]
TJ Majors
I saw way more handling issues. They were coming up off the bottom out of four and that's. That's where my judges. I watch the car is exit four and if they don't stay right on the line and they're like all sliding up as a group, I'm like, yeah, okay, some of these. And we saw some issues in the beginning.
- [27:51]
Dale Jr.
That's how saw it in Xfinity race. Jeb Burton got tied off of four into the eight car, you know, and that. I, I think we need that. That surface of that racetrack, man, when it starts to age and starts to get, you know, get. Lose some grip and the balance goes away over the course of the run, racing goes up. It's fun.
- [28:13]
TJ Majors
Yeah, the racing gets better. You could see it like even redick and like the, the wreck with Joey and them. Like the reason that Kyle got inside Joey is cuz Joey came up off the bottom and they got. I think they got what, three, four wide right there. That, that's. Those don't happen. Those moves don't happen when everybody's gripped up and they can turn the wheel whenever they want. So.
- [28:33]
Dale Jr.
Well, there's a combination of the track aging a bit, the, you know, and just the cautions falling at, you know, the right time and keeping the teams where they weren't really needing to. To. To starve the cars and, and save all that fuel.
- [28:50]
TJ Majors
You know, we haven't had a green flag stop at Daytona in three races now.
- [28:54]
Dale Jr.
Really.
- [28:54]
TJ Majors
At least, I think. At least.
- [28:56]
Dale Jr.
Well, I really. And you know, the other thing too is they, you know, the. I think the Hendrick cars were out there on old tires and Chase Elliott came over the radio and said, tires matter. Like we need to make. I need to let you know we haven't had to worry about it for years here, but I got to tell you, tonight I'm going to have to have. You think he's telling his crew chief, like, I'm going to have to have you thinking tires matter. We need to change our sort of. That was really good to hear that. That a driver was like, yeah, man. You know, because for. For a long time the damn surface was so new and the tires were so hard. You just like, yeah, it don't put tires on it. It ain't going to help. It's going to drive any different.
- [29:41]
TJ Majors
You only took tires when you needed fuel.
- [29:42]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. And so, you know, now, now they're like, look, you know, I can manage on these old tires, but they kind of matter. And when you can put some new tires on it, put them on there.
- [29:55]
TJ Majors
Yeah, I think it needs another step, but it's going there, it's going that direction.
- [30:00]
Russell
How much did the car. The big wreck and the cars not open it up?
- [30:06]
Dale Jr.
And I don't think that has to do with it. I don't. A lot of people are saying that, like, oh, well, there are fewer cars in the pack.
- [30:13]
TJ Majors
Well, you make it sound like there was 20 cars that were out of the wreck. I mean, I think there was only six cars out.
- [30:18]
Russell
Hold on, I'm.
- [30:19]
Dale Jr.
He's asking a question because it was, it was.
- [30:21]
Russell
I mean, Denny brought it up like other people. It's not me. I'm just asking you guys.
- [30:24]
Dale Jr.
I, I've always felt like that the smaller the pack, the less likely there will be passing. Now, you know, when we would, when you would in that. Look, I'm. I'm not driven. I'm not driven the current car out on there and don't know exactly how the car creates runs and so forth. I think I can look at it and watch it and kind of have an understanding of what I'm seeing. But if you, you know, if you, for, for decades there, you know, you put, if you had, if you have two cars out on the racetrack running by themselves, the guy, the second car can't pass the first car by himself, he kind of have some energy from behind. You put the third car out there, the gap between all those guys gets smaller. You put the fourth car out there, the gap gets even smaller. But they're still probably not able to really make passes happen. If the lead guy wants to just stay in the lead, he probably can control it and keep it. And then as you keep adding cars, you keep creating runs and accordion effect and things start to change for the guy in second or third or fourth, and the more cars, the more that sort of increases. All right, So I think 20 car. I mean, I don't. If you ran all of them for a thousand laps straight, if you just put them out there and they ran a thousand laps. If you had 40 cars on the track during those thousands of, you know, 1,000 laps, you'd have probably more passing than if you had a 20 car pack run a thousand laps. You know, What I'm saying. Yeah. So as far as, like the kind of shuffling amongst the pack in the middle, in the back, even at the front 40 cars, over a thousand laps are going to probably do more passing, more positions will exchange hands than if there's a 20 car pack, which does.
- [32:23]
TJ Majors
Change the air in there. And this makes things more pop. Makes things pop. Makes moves possible.
- [32:27]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. So I don't. I don't. Now, Denny, I could see where, when you said a minute ago, gridlock with this, with the next gen car. The one thing I do see, and I saw it too, in the. In the Xfinity race. And it's not just the next gen thing, but I saw it in the Xfinity race, too. The green flag come out and they ran side by side for like 10, 15 laps, like nobody changed any positions. And I'm like, oh, what the hell? You know, this is interesting. But nobody can. The guy in eighth can't do. He's got to stay in line. If he jumps out of line, they're just going to send him to the back. So he's kind of screwed. He can't move, even though he's got, you know, he's sitting there running half throttle. If he pulls out of line, he's just going to the rear. So we kind of saw that in Xfinity race for a little bit at times. And that gridlock is kind of what you're talking about when. When everybody is. When nobody wants to make any moves up front. It basically forces the entire field to run side by side for 10, 20, 10, 15 rows.
- [33:36]
Russell
I think it happened for RFK, right? One of the RFK drivers.
- [33:41]
Dale Jr.
I don't know.
- [33:41]
TJ Majors
What do you mean?
- [33:42]
Russell
I feel like one of them got the radio, is like, I want to go, but we can't.
- [33:44]
TJ Majors
I can't. No. They're the whole. When they were too wide and you got guys that were just going to stay too wide, you couldn't make the move because guys kept. They tried to make a third lane and it just wasn't happening. But with the. The stage, nobody having, you know, we didn't have to save as much fuel. You did when you could. Now. Now it went from save hard, you gotta save. Gotta save two. Well, save when you can, but go hard if you can't, go hard if you need to.
- [34:07]
Dale Jr.
I think. I think what Denny maybe mean when he says, you know, passing become easier or more likely when the field thinned out is because that gridlock of 2 by 2 by 2 by 2 for 10, 15 rows no longer was there with all those cars, right. And when, when, when half, when, when, when 10 or 12 cars get knocked out of the lead pack. Now there's, there's some opportunity, I guess I think from a driver standpoint to be more creative and, and, and to take more risk. Because now when you pull out of line, you only drop eight spots instead of 20 spots. Right. So now guys are like, I'll go for it, I'll pull out. Come on, let's see what we can do. Because the risk of what you'll lose is not as great. I mean it was 20, 25 car.
- [34:57]
TJ Majors
Yeah, there's that too. But it was still pretty bad because Eric, when, when they shuffled Erik Jones, he went to like 25th place. Yeah, that's pretty far back.
- [35:05]
Dale Jr.
Sucks. Yeah.
- [35:06]
TJ Majors
Like one thing that I liked is whenever they did get some age on the tires, the, the guys would like, it would open up when like lanes open up that weren't normally there. But if guys handle good, like Kyle able to drive down to the inside like that lane normally wouldn't be there. Obviously Joey got tight or whatever. I mean you can see flames coming out of the pipes and stuff lifting. When they're lifting on exit.
- [35:28]
Dale Jr.
Oh yeah.
- [35:28]
TJ Majors
That creates opportunities.
- [35:30]
Dale Jr.
Oh yeah. That's what you want.
- [35:31]
TJ Majors
That's what I want. So. But to me it was a little bit better because of the handling, but I still saw a lot of gridlock and if you wanted to go, like if you were, if you were 16th in line, like you couldn't go.
- [35:43]
Dale Jr.
I liked that the first stage didn't need fuel savings. And maybe that's part of the answer going forward for NASCAR at Talladega, some of these other tracks. Right. Is to say, hey, that first stage you're not going to have to pit for fuel. Right. We're just going to make it short enough to where you don't have to worry about it. Then you know, let the rest, the rest of the race may not have those parameters or those, you know, that opportunity. The only way you could probably do that for the rest of the race was to be able to add a fourth stage, which some people have talked about, like at Charlotte to 600. We have four stages.
- [36:16]
TJ Majors
We do. Yeah.
- [36:17]
Dale Jr.
So at, you know, if, if we were to struggle going forward and continue to have like boring ass, fuel savings style racing at Daytona, Talladega, the idea would be, one of the ideas on the table, I assume would be to add the fourth stage so that every stage is not a fuel mileage situation. I like that for Stage one that guarantees me as a fan that I shouldn't see my driver and all the drivers riding around half throttle because they can get to the end of the stage without running out of fuel. Running a business without visibility, that's like racing without a spotter. You might think everything's fine until it's not. That's why safety culture exists to help teams see what's really going on in real time. Safety culture gives team members on the ground an easy way to call attention to things, fix issues fast, and make sure nothing is missed. It doesn't matter if you're on a job site, in a warehouse or running deliveries. If you're on a fast paced team, you need tools that help everybody see clearly. Just look at our friends over at Trackhouse Racing. They are competing at the highest level of NASCAR and using safety culture to track every detail from car checklists to how each chassis runs at different racetracks. I always loved when I knew I was getting in a car that had been fast for me in the past and I was able to take it to victory Lane. That's how much drivers pay attention to the details, and those details are more important than ever. When your whole crew can see what's happening, they make better calls, waste less time and avoid costly surprises. That's how you stay ahead, not just in racing, but in every business. You want to run your business like a NASCAR team? Head to safetyculture.com SVG and check it out. Hey everybody, you want the latest Dell Jr. Download apparel? Visit shop.dirtymomedia.com we're always adding new stuff all the time, especially like when we say something silly on this show. We'll put it on a T shirt again. Check it out at shop.dirtymomedia.com hey guys.
- [38:15]
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- [39:35]
Russell
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- [40:06]
TJ Majors
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- [40:17]
Dale Jr.
The big one who's to blame for the wreck that. Why is everybody so wanting to blame somebody for this?
- [40:22]
TJ Majors
It's just a. It's plate racing.
- [40:23]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, it happens. That's fine.
- [40:26]
Russell
That's your opinion. But that's when there's a wreck, there's always who's to blame for it. Like people.
- [40:30]
Dale Jr.
I mean, just a nope, nope. This feels different. I've been around this a long time and when the big one happens, it just happens. It just happens. Well, I think there's also a little.
- [40:39]
Russell
Debate because you had Denny blaming Bubba and then.
- [40:42]
Dale Jr.
Well, that didn't happen till he got home. But like, as soon as this wreck happened, like, there's been this, this sort of conversation that started immediately, like, whose fault was it? We gotta find somebody. Gotta. We gotta settle this.
- [40:55]
TJ Majors
Yeah, well, I don't. I mean, if you want to go back even to exit A turn 4, the wreck starts when Joey gets up off the bottom and leaves the lane for Kyle. That gets. They get four wide. When you get four wide, the room for air is way less. And when a car moves a little bit, like Bubba gets a. I mean, not even a big bump from the five, he moves What? A foot and a half to the left and he's hooked.
- [41:14]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [41:15]
TJ Majors
So. But the wreck really starts.
- [41:18]
Dale Jr.
I just don't know.
- [41:19]
TJ Majors
It's just racing.
- [41:20]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. I don't know that we need to be so blaming. Yeah. It's like, like this insistent. You not see, see that?
- [41:30]
TJ Majors
Yeah. It's like cutthroat, man. It's like somebody has to blame.
- [41:32]
Dale Jr.
You know, it's like as we're going through time, right. As, as we're evolving, like we're having to be more. There's this insistence to like, that's, yeah, that's, you know, this was his fault or this was this person's fault on everything. And like this kind of right here is just what might happen today.
- [41:55]
TJ Majors
It could. Yeah.
- [41:56]
Dale Jr.
When you go to Daytona or Talladega and in the past when there's been big wrecks like this. Yes. There'll be a quick, you know. Well, I could see what happened there. That guy, you know, that guy hit this guy and that guy wrecked that guy. He moved this way and it's his, you know, there's a person at fault for sure. But it's like this, this has been like, this was like a two day conversation that Denny had to finally settle. Kind of similar to like when Ernie Irving was catching hell back in the day. And I mean, it was, that was like a 8, 10 month, maybe a year long, simmering sort of debate or, you know, and eventually he had to stand up in the driver's meeting and tell all the drivers, guys, I'm sorry and I'm. I'll be safe, you know.
- [42:45]
TJ Majors
Really?
- [42:45]
Dale Jr.
Yes. Wow.
- [42:47]
TJ Majors
He did like willingly or they asked him to do it.
- [42:50]
Dale Jr.
I think it was like, hey, this, it's in your best interest to probably address the crowd here next opportunity because all these guys don't trust you. And he was.
- [43:01]
TJ Majors
Did he wreck anyone that.
- [43:02]
Dale Jr.
No, but we, There was a, you know, they had a wreck at Daytona going down the back straightaway. He clipped Bill Elliot or somebody and destroyed the front of the field. It happened again at Talladega. And, and so every, you know, Rusty, Dad, I don't know. You know, there's a bunch of guys that kind of were like, look, man, you got to clean this up. What's the deal? Like, every time we go to one of these tracks, we're worried about your ass wrecking the field. And so he kind of had to say, yep, you're right. Let me get up here in front of everybody. Drivers meeting. This was back when the driver's meeting was literally just the drivers. And he gets up and he goes, hey, I up. Guys, I know y' all are worried. I know it looks terrible. I'm. I want to fix this. I want y' all to feel comfortable racing me. I'm going to work hard to not, not create more problems. I want y' all to know that I'm, you know, understanding what's going on. I had, you know, and that was. I don't remember too many instances where it was like, so electric, you know, in terms of, like, who did that. Let's, let's, you know, we gotta get to the bottom of this, you know.
- [44:06]
Russell
Yeah. Social media is bigger than now that it's ever been.
- [44:08]
Dale Jr.
I know, but this is. I guess I'm just saying it's a good thing. You think it's a good thing? Yes.
- [44:13]
Russell
Wait, so you'd rather fans not freak out on social.
- [44:16]
Dale Jr.
I think that there is a good hour long window. But their race is going to continue, right? The race is going to continue. Let's get back. Let's go and watch the rest of the race.
- [44:26]
Russell
Yeah, but then you have shows that, like, that's how this works.
- [44:28]
Dale Jr.
I suppose.
- [44:29]
TJ Majors
Yeah, we'll just blame Freddy and be done with it.
- [44:31]
Dale Jr.
I've watched the wreck over and over and I still don't know who's at fault. Freddie.
- [44:34]
TJ Majors
Freddie. Yeah, Freddie probably cleared.
- [44:36]
Dale Jr.
What did everybody determine? Because everybody. There's some people saying that Kyle Larson hit the 23. Do we need a poll? And then. Yeah, but it looks like, you know, the 23 and who. The eight, you know, are sandwiched between the 22. Like, should, should have Joey backed out? Like, what, who's, who's. I know Denny said Bubble was at fault. How does he discern? I mean, what was his, what was his reasoning behind Bubba? The Bubba. Because Bubba didn't know he was three wide. He comes down.
- [45:04]
TJ Majors
Well, Bubba's one that changed the lanes. Move lanes a little bit. So. Yeah, I think we need a Jeff Glock rec pole. Yeah, that'll solve it. That'll be the answer that we all need to sleep.
- [45:17]
Russell
Kyle does love pushing people, though.
- [45:19]
Dale Jr.
Which one?
- [45:20]
Russell
Larson.
- [45:22]
Dale Jr.
Look, Kyle Larson is just trying to change his fate at the. He's just changing his. He's. I think I feel like Kyle Larson is in this sort of state of like, I'm, I'm going to just keep changing my approach to this until it figured, until I finally start getting results because he's.
- [45:38]
TJ Majors
He had a good race.
- [45:39]
Dale Jr.
I mean, he hates, he's hated racing at Daytona. Talladega doesn't like doing it, but he's like, you know what? I'm. I'm. I'm gonna figure this out. Right? So I've been a guy that's kind of tried to stay out of trouble. I've been a guy that's kind of. I tried this, I tried this. I tried this, I tried the. Nothing's working. Nothing's working. So, yeah, I'm gonna be aggressive.
- [46:01]
TJ Majors
I don't think he's a very good pusher, especially not Talladega.
- [46:04]
Russell
So is that on him or do drivers need to adjust if they're in front of Kyle?
- [46:09]
TJ Majors
What do you mean?
- [46:10]
Dale Jr.
Like us.
- [46:10]
Russell
You said he's not a good pusher, and so he.
- [46:13]
TJ Majors
I was making a joke because he backed off us at Talladega for the.
- [46:15]
Russell
Win last year, but I'm saying with his style, it seems to be kind of. Some people are getting a little. Their feathers ruffled. Like, is that on them to just listen? That's Kyle's racing.
- [46:25]
TJ Majors
No, I. I don't.
- [46:27]
Russell
Do you have any issues with how he's pushing or anything?
- [46:30]
TJ Majors
Yeah, I mean, I don't have to do with it, but.
- [46:32]
Dale Jr.
You do.
- [46:33]
TJ Majors
I do.
- [46:34]
Dale Jr.
You don't.
- [46:35]
TJ Majors
I mean, what. He's just trying to make moves that he thinks he needs to make.
- [46:37]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, I mean, I feel like he's gotten more aggressive. Whoa.
- [46:40]
TJ Majors
He was getting aggressive in this race because there was others. You know, he was. Cars that were up there, he didn't need up there. So he's going to be a little bit more aggressive there. Like the 43. They didn't need the 43 in front of Kyle.
- [46:53]
Dale Jr.
Why?
- [46:54]
TJ Majors
Because it's 43 wins the race. If 48's out, 60 wins the race.
- [46:59]
Russell
He's saying that he was aggressive to the cars that weren't going to help out Hendrick.
- [47:03]
TJ Majors
Yeah. I mean, I think he drove the 43 down into the corner deeper than what he should have to try to shuffle him up a little bit. I do, but, I mean, why. I mean, that's a pass. Why?
- [47:11]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, yeah. I mean, I. Look, I. If he was. It's kind of one of them situations. If he's driving my car, I like it.
- [47:17]
TJ Majors
Yeah, for sure.
- [47:18]
Dale Jr.
But, you know, I've been on the wrong. I've been on the wrong in a couple of them things.
- [47:22]
TJ Majors
I agree.
- [47:23]
Dale Jr.
This year he ran through. He ran over the seven getting into turn one at Bristol to pass him for the lead. Didn't have to do that. Just could have. He was going to pass him and then. Yeah. Reckless. It Indy Indy just running hard.
- [47:37]
TJ Majors
Indy was the big one.
- [47:38]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. Just. Just bust his ass there.
- [47:40]
TJ Majors
Yeah.
- [47:41]
Dale Jr.
But I feel like that he's just kind of like, you know, I'm racing, I'm going for it.
- [47:46]
TJ Majors
I don't have a problem going for it.
- [47:48]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. And I think he's like Daytona, that he's kind of like, you know what?
- [47:51]
TJ Majors
Nothing's working.
- [47:52]
Dale Jr.
What I've been trying hadn't been getting me results. I'm gonna try this route.
- [47:57]
TJ Majors
Yeah. Yeah, why not? Right.
- [47:59]
Dale Jr.
I suppose the playoff standings is all sorted out going into the round of 16.
- [48:08]
TJ Majors
Real quick, I got a question about the end of the race. So, you know, I don't. I always like the end of the races when they finish like they did and we don't have. We don't have to have the big wreck at the end.
- [48:16]
Dale Jr.
Perfect. Yeah, that's like.
- [48:17]
TJ Majors
To me, that's a great. I do agree that that was a great ending to a super speedway race with. With these guys putting on the show that they did. And we had a couple solo spins. No contacts or anything, but like, we didn't have to have that, which I thought was really cool. That's credit to all these drivers doing that too.
- [48:32]
Russell
So I'm shocked considering that the amount of drivers that needed a win.
- [48:35]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, it was.
- [48:36]
TJ Majors
It was good right at the end. It was a good race to end.
- [48:38]
Russell
Yeah, it was a great race.
- [48:39]
TJ Majors
Yeah, it was awesome.
- [48:39]
Dale Jr.
Some breaking news just came across the wire.
- [48:41]
TJ Majors
What happened?
- [48:42]
Dale Jr.
Breaking news. Iracing is announcing today and we'll have announced today that their new IndyCar games is in development. Oh yeah. So IndyCar this is very drama field sort of process over the last couple years.
- [49:00]
TJ Majors
Oh, that's right.
- [49:01]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. IndyCar was. Had an. IndyCar had a. An agreement with Iracing. There was the Indy 500, all these great events, the car itself on the service. And then they went and signed with another programmer and we exclusively. That deal never. They never made a game. That deal ended up going away. Not happening. IndyCar and iRacing come back together back in. Back in.
- [49:28]
Russell
The more video games that we have, I think the better for racing as.
- [49:31]
Dale Jr.
A. IndyCar is back on iRacing.
- [49:34]
TJ Majors
That.
- [49:35]
Dale Jr.
But IndyCar and iRacing have announced that they will make a console game. Oh, like a standalone IndyCar console. That's cool game.
- [49:44]
TJ Majors
You know what that reminds me of like the mid-90s, that IndyCar game that was out. Remember that? IndyCar to IndyCar and IndyCar 2.
- [49:51]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, they were good.
- [49:52]
TJ Majors
Yeah, they were fun.
- [49:53]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. Anyways, back to the round of 16, basically let's look at the back half. So you know you got Larson, Byron, Hamlin, Blaney Bell up front. Then the svg Chase, Elliott, Briscoe, Bubba and Cedric. Bubba's at plus two. Centric also at plus two. Chastain Logano plus one. Barry Reddick minus one. Dylan minus two. Bowman minus five. Who's going to. Who's going to get out of the. The round of 16 it's Darlington, Gateway and Bristol. I do not believe that SVG, man, it's gonna be tight. He's got 16 points. Yeah, right. To sort of cushion the blow he's got has been running better at the ovals but man, if I just place this will be tough. I like the guy. SVG is awesome. I just have a hard time seeing him escape the round of 16. TJ, who you pick one driver that you think does not advance.
- [51:11]
TJ Majors
I do not think, man.
- [51:18]
Dale Jr.
Pick one. Come on, we got to go pick A4 drivers here.
- [51:20]
TJ Majors
So I will take.
- [51:23]
Dale Jr.
You gotta hurt their feelings. Come on.
- [51:25]
TJ Majors
I gotta take today before the.
- [51:27]
Dale Jr.
They're big boys, they can take it.
- [51:28]
TJ Majors
Tj, I'll take Austin Dillon.
- [51:30]
Dale Jr.
Dylan. All right.
- [51:34]
Ryan Blaney
Just.
- [51:34]
TJ Majors
No, not enough consistency yet to keep racking the points up.
- [51:38]
Dale Jr.
I. Yeah, all right, I'll go Dylan as well.
- [51:42]
Russell
I have a question about SVG. He finished 20th at Darlington last.
- [51:46]
Dale Jr.
I know.
- [51:47]
Russell
Is that good? Is that good enough for the first race?
- [51:49]
Dale Jr.
Yes, yes. He can make the round of 12 with a 20th place finish at Darlington. Of course, you know it's going to depend on what he does at Bristol and Gateway. I think he's actually decent at short tracks.
- [52:06]
TJ Majors
I think he's going to run okay at Bristol. That's not a scare for me.
- [52:09]
Dale Jr.
There's a poss. There's a. There is. There is a legitimate opportunity for him to run. Okay. Top, you know, top 20. Top 15 at Bristol. Honestly, man, I feel like if you can top 20, it's in this round. Somebody's going to up, somebody's going to break.
- [52:27]
TJ Majors
Yeah. One of these guys is going to be.
- [52:29]
Dale Jr.
You got a chance if you can top 20 it. He's going to be right SVGs. I don't think SVG will make it because they're just looking. It's looking. I'm looking at the other competition. It's not a knock on svg but when he doesn't make it, it'll be by the slimmest of margins. Right.
- [52:45]
Russell
You think Logano is plus one like a three time champion, that he's got it like some really talented drivers.
- [52:50]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. So I mean, it's not a knock on svg, but I think he barely misses it. I just feel like he's just going to just barely miss it, but it'll be dramatic to watch. Tj, who's your second driver?
- [53:02]
TJ Majors
My second driver is probably going to. Probably going to be Bubba.
- [53:07]
Dale Jr.
Okay. Bubba. Man, I don't know. I think it's so hard because it is, man. Dude. I mean, there's 10 drivers here that are all over the top of each other. So right now I've got svg, Dylan. You've got Dylan, Bubba. All right, I'm going to pick my third man. As much as I love the guy, I feel like that.
- [53:28]
TJ Majors
Josh.
- [53:28]
Dale Jr.
Josh.
- [53:30]
TJ Majors
He was on my list, too.
- [53:31]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [53:31]
TJ Majors
Just not there yet.
- [53:33]
Dale Jr.
What? I want him to prove me wrong. What do you think? I'm gonna. The people.
- [53:38]
Russell
I'm just.
- [53:39]
Dale Jr.
What? All right. If Josh makes.
- [53:42]
Russell
I mean, I would pick him, too. I'm not saying.
- [53:44]
Dale Jr.
But I'm just.
- [53:44]
Russell
Your boy.
- [53:45]
Dale Jr.
He is my. My buddy. I want him to prove me wrong. Go prove me wrong. Josh Berry. But I'm putting him on my list.
- [53:53]
TJ Majors
Yeah, he was on mine, too.
- [53:54]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. It's just. The field's just too tight. They're all over the top of each other.
- [53:58]
TJ Majors
To me, it's Bubba or Cindric. Whoever has the worst luck of them to, you know, they're. I feel like they're going to be all right.
- [54:08]
Dale Jr.
I've got my four, so go ahead. You got Dylan, Bubba, who else?
- [54:13]
TJ Majors
SVG is on my list, and I also have Josh.
- [54:20]
Dale Jr.
All right, so I've got it down here. TJ has Dylan, Bubba, scg, Barry. So you think Cedric makes it?
- [54:28]
TJ Majors
It's just between him and. Between him and Bubba.
- [54:31]
Dale Jr.
To me, I honestly feel like Cedric and Josh are the same. Very similar.
- [54:36]
TJ Majors
Very similar.
- [54:37]
Russell
One of them is not making it.
- [54:38]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. Yeah, you're probably right. Frick.
- [54:42]
Russell
And it's interesting is they're both same cars to me.
- [54:48]
TJ Majors
Yeah. I still think Cindric is a little more seasoned.
- [54:53]
Dale Jr.
I know you gotta. You got the experience and stuff, but maybe Josh. Josh run third at Darlington once.
- [54:59]
TJ Majors
He did. That was the fall Ash.
- [55:01]
Dale Jr.
I think he can top. I think he was 12th or something at Bristol earlier this year. Gateway is a little bit of a short track. It could be a place where he shines. I'm taking Barry out of my list. I'm going to be. I'm going to keep Cedric in. I'm going to. I can make a case for Barry, so I'll. I'll pull him out. He's going into the round of 12.
- [55:22]
Russell
We think about Ross in this first.
- [55:24]
Dale Jr.
Round or the round of struggling with Ross.
- [55:26]
Russell
Man, they have had a 15, 19, 10, 11, 39, 33, 24. Like, he's his.
- [55:31]
Dale Jr.
All right, I'm Chastain. Chastain. All right, so mine are SVG Dylan, Cindrick. Chastain.
- [55:37]
TJ Majors
I'm switching my list. You ready?
- [55:38]
Dale Jr.
Yep.
- [55:40]
TJ Majors
I'm going. Dylan, Barry. SVG Chastain.
- [55:44]
Russell
Oh, look at me.
- [55:46]
Dale Jr.
You just convinced him. All right, so you want me to go through it again?
- [55:54]
TJ Majors
I mean, I could probably come up with another variation.
- [55:57]
Russell
This your final answer.
- [55:58]
Dale Jr.
TJ's final answer. Dylan. SVG Barry. Chastain. I have SVG Dylan, cedric Chastain.
- [56:04]
Russell
So 2 above will not make it.
- [56:07]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. All right, we'll see. Everybody. Everybody should respond to Dirty Mo Media. Tag us on. Tag us on Twitter with your 4.
- [56:19]
Russell
Do you want to make a championship pick, or are we just gonna wait till the next and then do elimination?
- [56:23]
TJ Majors
I mean, there's so much racing left. I don't.
- [56:25]
Dale Jr.
I'm. I'm gonna go with my guy.
- [56:27]
TJ Majors
Byron feel like it's his year.
- [56:29]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, I don't know. I probably changed my mind after the first round.
- [56:35]
Russell
The thing with him is it just. You don't see them, like, stepping on their own foot and doing something wrong.
- [56:40]
Dale Jr.
Like, they're very consistent.
- [56:42]
Russell
Yeah.
- [56:43]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. I think Byron might pull it off. Blaney's.
- [56:49]
TJ Majors
That's my pick.
- [56:50]
Dale Jr.
He's pretty solid.
- [56:50]
Russell
I was going to say, does Penske win again?
- [56:52]
TJ Majors
Yeah, I mean, we end the year with arguably Blaine, all Blaney's best tracks.
- [56:57]
Dale Jr.
You're right.
- [56:58]
TJ Majors
So how do you go against that?
- [57:00]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [57:01]
Russell
Yo, tjc, been walking around with a new phone. Where'd you get that? New phone?
- [57:05]
TJ Majors
Yeah, man, I love this phone. I recently joined a consumer cellular family, and they hooked me up, man, I got a great new phone, and the service is awesome.
- [57:14]
Russell
That's great. But, like, how's it. Iowa, Richmond, some of these other tracks. Because it's great when you're at home, but, like, when I'm on the road, my phone is crap.
- [57:21]
TJ Majors
You know, I travel a lot with the RFK16, and I have had nothing but success with this phone. I've actually, it is. Bailed me out numerous times now. I was able to flip the hotspot on and use some Internet on it. Text calls, everything. Man, I'm. I'm. I could not be happier with this phone.
- [57:38]
Russell
All right, so. But how do I go about getting this? Because I don't have time. I'm not trying to go sit, stand in line at a store, wait, grab a number, wait 30 minutes. Like I just don't have time for that.
- [57:46]
TJ Majors
That's the easiest part, man. Just call their 100% US based customer service representatives and in about 20 minutes you'll be good to go. I chose the for $60 plan. It's not a prepaid option. They help me decide which one was best for me and I know exactly what I'm paying each month. Everything is easy to understand with no long term contract. Switch to consumers hellier now and get 25 off with the code DJD25. That's DJD25 for 25 off. When you switch to Consumer Cellular, go to Consumer Cellular.com DJD and use promo code DJD25.
- [58:20]
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- [58:49]
Dale Jr.
All right, it's time for this month's selection of our ultimate racing collector, presented by Lionel Racing, the official diecast of nascar. Lionel is your go to source for all your racing diecast needs. Check out their latest pre orders@lionel racing.com. this month's winner is Jeff Mendenhall. We're gonna play a video. Let's check out what Jeff's room looks like. Boy, look at there, man.
- [59:13]
TJ Majors
Yeah, that's pretty.
- [59:14]
Dale Jr.
Dude, that's an old garage. Look at the roof. Great, great. So look at the skull bandit uniform. I think I saw that on ebay. There's another old uniform. I can't. I think it might be.
- [59:23]
TJ Majors
Look at how nice the floor is.
- [59:24]
Dale Jr.
A Buddy Baker possibly. I can't remember. It looks like a Publix.
- [59:28]
TJ Majors
This is a great room.
- [59:29]
Dale Jr.
It's a little short for buddy. That's a Richard Petty uniform.
- [59:33]
TJ Majors
It is.
- [59:34]
Dale Jr.
That's a Richard Petty Pontiac hood. This dude has some cool.
- [59:37]
TJ Majors
Yeah.
- [59:37]
Dale Jr.
Look at that Daytona flag.
- [59:39]
TJ Majors
Yeah.
- [59:40]
Dale Jr.
Original.
- [59:40]
TJ Majors
I was gonna say. I wonder what that's from.
- [59:42]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [59:43]
TJ Majors
I love the building, man. Look at the floor in the ceiling. The floor is nice new and sealed.
- [59:47]
Dale Jr.
Look at the ceiling. Man cave.
- [59:49]
TJ Majors
Yeah, it's awesome.
- [59:50]
Dale Jr.
Hell yeah.
- [59:52]
TJ Majors
What a great room.
- [59:53]
Dale Jr.
Diamond Rio hood, some helmets got A helmet. Little Caesar's hood. Jackaroo. I love the sheet metal.
- [60:00]
TJ Majors
Yeah.
- [60:00]
Dale Jr.
There's a Winston pit board. There's a number 78.
- [60:03]
TJ Majors
Yep.
- [60:04]
Dale Jr.
Door. That might be Jackaroo Parker. Hank Parker Jr. Maybe. I think he drove for them at one point. A lot of helmets he's got going on in there. Well, Jeff Mendenhall, awesome video. Hell the job, brother, sending all this stuff in. Thanks for showing us all the cool things you have. What a great collection. Some real vintage stuff inside this little. This little garage you got there. And I know it took a lot of time to get all that stuff, and you got to be very proud of it, so thank you there, man. And as you see also on the table here, we have all 16 of the playoff drivers. As they get eliminated, we're going to throw their car off into the floor. Chuck it big. Thanks to Lionel. As long as the driver is still alive, they won't get thrown into the floor, and one of them will win the championship. Who's it going to be? All right, so we got Ryan Blaney here calling in the winner from this past weekend at Daytona. Ryan, I am usually seeing you in the beautiful confines of the Penske operation, but this does not look like that. Where are you?
- [61:17]
Ryan Blaney
I'm at. Show you my setup. Here we are in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, at Menards Share Builders today. It's a great event that Menards does every year we come up to it. It's where they, you know, meet a lot of the partners that are on the hood of our car, partners that want to get in their stores. It's a. It's a big expo event, and it's always fun. You meet a lot of people.
- [61:43]
Dale Jr.
I had the opportunity for a short period of time to work with Menards. Obviously, they were with DEI forever, but recently with Brandon Jones and got to kind of know a little bit about that businessman. Pretty cool partner to be working with and great looking race car week to win. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Right?
- [62:01]
Ryan Blaney
Worked out. Worked out. Well, I know it wasn't in the Menards car, but still, it was good. But, no, I mean, like you said, I mean, they're unbelievable people. It's been a lot of fun to work with them since 2018. And, you know, John is an amazing human being, and, you know, to get to know Paul and race against him a little bit, and they're just overall good people and just racers. They just love racing, and it's definitely a dream partner to be with. And I couldn't, couldn't thank them More for what they've always done, you know, through my career.
- [62:30]
Dale Jr.
Man. Pretty incredible drive the last couple of laps at Daytona, watched a clip on social media of your spotter and you working together to get that car to where you could put yourself in position to win. When you try to go back and. And kind of relive it for the media or what have you, how easy or difficult is it for you to recount every specific thing that happened in the final two laps?
- [62:54]
Ryan Blaney
I can recount everything in those final two laps, I'd say, like, for sure, I think it's. You know, But I like seeing it right. We have our view of it. Right. You're sitting in there, and you can just kind of see what's around you right from your mirror out front, all that stuff. But it's always fun. Even though I remember everything that happened, I always enjoy watching it from the broadcast view, like the bird's eye, and then you get a whole new perspective of it. But, yeah, I can remember everything of kind of how the whole last two laps came to be. And, you know, the moves that. That myself and Cole made that were able to kind of shoot us up through there. So I feel like I always can recall those big moments fairly well.
- [63:39]
Dale Jr.
What were the two or maybe one or two things that, like, absolutely were key to creating the run and energy that your car needed?
- [63:47]
Ryan Blaney
Yeah. So. So before the last restart, I was behind Cole, and we chose the top, and I think we were like, he was 12th and I was 14th or something, and. Or maybe 10th and 12th. But I told Timmy, my spotter, to go talk to Cole's guy and, like, hey, you know, if Cole wants to jump top three here, like, I'm. I'll commit to him. Because I felt like if we had two of us go, we were going to drag more guys up there, and the top lane would be able to go. And you want to be leading the top lane, charge, right. You don't want to be third or fourth in line. So I was really just kind of waiting on him to go. There was a couple opportunities. I thought we could have gone earlier than what we did, but I'd say the big moment was when they split priests on the front stretch. It kind of right in the tri over there. We all moved to the top, and then they kind of snaked back down to the bottom. And as the cars in front of us snaked back down to the middle, Cole and I got connected and we went to the top into one and had a big run there. And then I Kind of laid back pretty good and wanted to. To be able to get to them right as we exited to and connect, and we were hauling butt down the back straightaway, coming to the white and got him, you know, even with the lead. So I'd say the big moment is when they split priest. It really allowed us to just carry a big run to the top into one that was really what set us up to make a run at it and have a chance.
- [65:14]
Dale Jr.
I remember when the next gen car went to Daytona for the first test, and I got the chance to drive chase Elliott's car, and we did a little bit of drafting and pushing, and they were so uncomfortable a couple years ago. You guys look like y' all can now be super aggressive. I'm sure there's still some moments where it doesn't feel great, but what does it feel like? Tell me, I guess, what it's like to be pushed. Is it comfortable? Are you driving a forklift at that point? Are you at the mercy to the car behind you and how he's steering you? What's. What's going on?
- [65:47]
Ryan Blaney
Yeah, I definitely say I don't really think the cars have gotten a lot more comfortable. I think the drivers have just gotten used to it, and they've understood how to kind of just be prepared. You know, it's way more uncomfortable than what this previous generation of car was. Like, just the rear bumpers, number one, are kind of round, so it's really important to line up square, and you have to be at the. The rear car has so much responsibility now. Like, the pusher has so much responsibility for the guy in front of him that he's pushing than ever before. And I've always tried to account for that. Like, you know, I've always tried to time my times. I get to people's bumper correctly, like, and kind of drag break before I get there to kind of get that connection easy and make sure I'm square and we can go forward. A lot of times I see guys just kind of run up there and just, you know, pound guys in the bumper and are kind of moving all around. And that guy in front's got his hands full.
- [66:48]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [66:48]
Ryan Blaney
You know, so they're definitely uncomfortable. And it's really put a huge emphasis on how you get there. And then, you know, you got to trust that guy behind you, you know, to. To push you. And. And if I'm getting pushed, like, I have to be. You know, you're always looking in your mirror and your camera when those situations, and, like, if I'm going to get pushed. I really am. I'm looking at the closing rate and Timmy's telling me, you know, hey, halfback, two feet off, one foot off. And when they get to like, two feet off, like, I have to look straight, knowing the push is coming and like, make sure my hands are where they need to be and like, kind of be prepared for it. So it's, it's definitely delicate.
- [67:28]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, I was, I was amazed at how uncomfortable it was when I was driving the cars years ago, but I assume there had been some gains. But I know it doesn't look, look all that comfortable sometimes. And you can tell when you're trying to be smart about how you do connect and how you do want to create that energy and get that push down the back straightaway as opposed to ramming the guy. Sometimes you don't go anywhere. But you have thrown yourself into the conversation as one of the best, if not the best, at the type of racing we do at Daytona and Talladega. I still call it restricted plate racing, but the, the style of racing there is unique and it takes a certain approach and a certain mentality. Over the course of the last several decades, we always saw the same people run up front, you know, and, and typically the same people have chances at winning those races. And we see you there in this, you know, in the old car, in this car. We see you up front at Talladega, at Daytona, often, you know, is it, do you feel like that, you know, you've developed a, an appreciation and enjoyment for this style of racing. You're obviously very good at it and you're willing to do the things necessary and take the risks necessary at the end of these races because it's extremely dangerous racing. You know, when things go wrong, the hits are horrendous, as you've experienced, you know, so how do you, how do you, how do you compartmentalize, I guess, that danger and the risk that, you know, is there with the reward if you go and do everything right at these races. A lot of guys, even back in the 90s 80s, they hated new Mark Martin. I don't like those races. I don't like going there. I have to do it, but I don't love it. Yeah. What's your approach?
- [69:20]
Ryan Blaney
Yeah, I, I think what's kind of set me at ease at those places is, you know, years ago I just finally put my mind of, hey, these speedway races at Daytona, Talladega, like, it is what it is and you're going to have days that go terribly wrong. You Know you're going to get caught up in a mess that you had nothing to do with, and that's just part of it. And like, just don't think about that. Don't let it bother you. If it happens, it happens. And that's just, you know, a crappy day and you move on and try to go again the next time. But I do enjoy it. Like, I try to go there, enjoying it and enjoying the. The different style of racing that it is. Like, it's a completely different style of racing than any other track, mile and a half or short track, road course, whatever. Like, it's a whole different mentality going in there. So I've just kind of become at peace with it. Like, I've had massive hits at these places and that never worries me, you know, in that regard. It just, you know, happens sometimes and it's just luck of the draw. But I've just gone into enjoying them as much as I can. Like you said, you got guys that go in there and they, they'll openly talk about, I hate it. You know, I hate it. And it's like, well, you're kind of beating yourself before you get there. Like, that's not a great mentality to have at any place. So even though maybe it's not my favorite type, I'm going to go and try my best and enjoy it the most I can. And I've tried to learn to just be, like, super patient at those places and try not to get. It's easy to get caught into the trap of, like, taking every run. Go now. Go now. Like, I try to just let things develop in a natural way and take advantage of, like, always being on the lookout for an opportunity. Like, is there gonna. What's the opportunity for me to do this? And just like, sitting back and being patient. I was able to learn from a lot of great guys when I first started. Like, like Brad, you know, Joey, Denny Hamlin, you. Like, I watched how you guys kind of approached those speedways and I tried to soak all that in when I was younger. And this new car is. Is different. So you kind of had to relearn some stuff. But yeah, it's just. I try to have a decent time going into these things and enjoy the challenge and the fight and not let it bother me if you get, you know, if it was, it wasn't your day. But I just always have tried to not be like, hating the place going there, because I think you're already down before you even get out there. If you have that mentality yeah, it.
- [71:46]
Dale Jr.
Sounded like me in sonoma for about 15 years.
- [71:50]
Ryan Blaney
Yeah.
- [71:51]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [71:51]
TJ Majors
I got a question for you, Ryan. Like, thinking about that you said being patient, waiting for the runs. Were you surprised when you saw Cole dive to the bottom in front of you? Because, I mean, I felt like his path to victory was you squared up with him.
- [72:04]
Ryan Blaney
Yeah, you know, I, I, I saw what was going to happen down the back stretch in the middle of one and two.
- [72:09]
TJ Majors
You could see it coming for sure.
- [72:11]
Ryan Blaney
Yeah. Like, you know, this. I can, I can see the 7 is clear of both of us. Like, through the center of one and two. He's pushed out, you know, by a few car lengths.
- [72:20]
TJ Majors
Not good.
- [72:21]
Ryan Blaney
Cole and I, like, I did the same. Like, I kind of laid back to Daniel to get to Cole as soon as we got off a 2, and I know the 7's going to probably go up there and block it, and I, you know, he had to do that. Like, what if he didn't? Cole and I were going to blow by him at a massive rate of speed. And, you know, if you're Cole, what are you going to do? Jam on the brakes and. Or run through the seven? Like, he kind of had to, I think, make a move because the closing rate was massive and the seven protected it. And so I don't, I don't blame either of them for doing what they did. You know, like I said, both of them had to win the race. I knew, I knew what both of them were racing for. So, yeah, I don't, I don't really think Cole made the wrong move. I think he just was forced to have to take the run where he did, and it just didn't quite, you know, accumulate for him like he thought. And it opened the door for me to just kind of chill on that top lane and get help. So. But yeah, I could see a big block was going to come, and I think, you know, Cole had to, had to. I don't think he wanted to leave my bumper, but he kind of had to in that situation to try to.
- [73:26]
TJ Majors
When somebody gets pushed out, it turns into a bad spot for them most of the time late in the race.
- [73:31]
Ryan Blaney
It does. It does.
- [73:33]
Dale Jr.
Well, man, we appreciate your time. Know you got a busy day, and thanks for carving a little bit of time out for us. Talk to us today. Congratulations on your win. You got to play offs right out there in front of you. Hopefully you're back on the show a couple more times before the end of the season and giving it a good run, man.
- [73:47]
Ryan Blaney
All right, thanks, guys. Appreciate you having me?
- [73:49]
Dale Jr.
The NASCAR playoffs are here and so is your chance to bring the intensity home. Celebrate every pass, pit stop and photo finish with a collectible car from Lionel Racing, the official diecast of nascar. Built for fans who live for the chase, Lionel Racing Diecast is the ultimate trophy. Each car is precision crafted featuring authentic paint schemes and hand applied decals. Plus, each 1:24 scale die cast is part of a limited edition run, making every piece a must have for true collectors. Whether you're riding with Team Larson, backing Team Hamlin, or cheering for an underdog to take it all, Lionel Racing has the die cast that reps your favorite playoff driver. Follow along with us throughout the playoffs to see which drivers advance and which ones don't. We'll feature these diecasts on the set here at the Dale Jr. Download now through the end of September. Get free US shipping when you purchase the Cup Series die cast of a NASCAR playoff driver, just go to lionel racing.com and use promo code playoffs. That's promo code playoffsional racing.com at our.
- [74:48]
TJ Majors
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- [75:20]
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- [75:55]
Dale Jr.
Well, NASCAR fans, you know booming speeds when you see it. The Xfinity WI Fi, well, it's booming like the roar of a NASCAR engine on race day. Xfinity WI Fi gives you the proper power and speed. It's like NASCAR in your home. You can choose the right plan for you and you're off to the races. They don't just raise the bar, they stream in overdrive. Xfinity is a proud premier partner of.
- [76:19]
Russell
NASCAR I have a question for Andrew. Goes with the official ones. How are you with Terry McLaren news? You feeling better?
- [76:26]
Dale Jr.
Oh, my gosh. Made my day. So I was at the late model shop getting my car set up for Florence this weekend and saw that text come across and I mean, it was a massive weight lifted off my chest. I was just like, all right, time to get to work. Getting emotional thinking about it. Yeah. Terry McLaren, who is our best receiver in Washington, wanted a new deal. He's got one year left on his contract. They come. They finally come to some agreement and he's locked in for the next four years. It's three year deal, but he's got one left on the final seat, Final, final year of his contract currently. You know how it is. You know, you got a player that you really like. He's a great locker room guy. Good, good, good attitude, good character. Just solid kind of guy. You need around a team.
- [77:16]
Russell
When your best player is the leader, that's good.
- [77:18]
Dale Jr.
He's productive. And so we need him. We need him to have an opportunity to, to run it back this, this year, to get back to the.
- [77:27]
TJ Majors
Jaden Daniels needs him bad.
- [77:28]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, so we'll see, man. Can't wait to see him on the field, make him play well.
- [77:35]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
That's good. Some good news to start. Ash Jr and the YouTube chat is populating to some of our, you know, biggest fans. Martha, Miami, Bev are commenting. Good morning. So it's good to see them. But this first question is from Joe on Twitter. Actually, he sent this in last week. How much influence does the team slash sponsor have when it comes to paint scheme design? Like, who gets.
- [77:59]
Dale Jr.
Like, that's different. I think that we. There's a, There is a, There is a story that Rick Hendrick was telling the other day. We were on a call with him and when we were doing the negotiating for our partners, Pepsi and Mountain Dew, PepsiCo and Mountain Dew, they were like, Kelly's in the room with them. And they were like, all right, man, you know, we'll get on some car designs. And da, da, da. And Kelly's like, well, Dale wants to be involved. Dale really wants to do the whole car. And they were like, oh, no, no, we're gonna, we, we're gonna do this, that and other. And she's like, no, nope, Dale's gonna do the car. And they were like. And Rick always. Rick says in the boardroom, when Kelly is, is done negotiating, like, she'll. She takes her. She'll have her book open her notes, you know, and when she's like, the final answer is this. She takes the book and shuts it like that. And so, like, middle of that meeting those, they're like, yeah, you know, we're going to design a car. We already have some ideas. And she's like, nope, Dale Jr. Is going to design the car. And they were like, done deal. And Rick said, Rick. Rick's at the other side of the table, and he's like, y', all, I think we need to take a break. And he goes out into the hallway with Kelly, and he's like, kelly, this. This is a big deal. It's a lot of parameters and money on the table and stuff like that. And Kelly's like, this is. This is what's going to happen. And so, yeah, I love telling that story more. It's more about really, like, the negotiator that Kelly is and just how, you know, she's not. She's fearless and. And so pretty fun to be in a room with her when she's trying to work something out with a. With a. With a partner or something like that. But if you're, you know, I've always kind of been interested in this. I love designing cars. I get. I get involved a little bit these days. I'm fortunate. We have a really, really good design team up upstairs led by Ryan Williams, and we have, you know, we. He just. I don't ever have to really get involved in his work because he's just got such great ideas. And every time I feel like I ever do anything to some of the things that he creates, I feel like I'm pulling him back, you know, or undoing some of the coolness. But it. So I've really gotten out of the design aspect of some of the stuff we're doing and left it more to him. Some drivers that I. I know, like, I've talked to them over the years. In the 20, 25 years I've raced, I've talked to drivers, and they're like, oh, I don't care what the car looks like. And so I'm like, how could you not care what it looks like? Right? You know, and they're just like, I don't care what it looks like. I don't. I don't care. And I'm like, I want to care. Like, I want it. I want to drive the car harder. And I'm more excited to drive the car when I think it looks cool. But there's some drivers that don't really give care about that part, and. Which is interesting. But most of the time. Most of the time it's the design team with the race. The race team has the design guys. They're going to put some things together. They're going to send them to the sponsors, sponsors going to throw some ideas. The sponsors usually have bad ideas.
- [81:31]
TJ Majors
Especially if they're new.
- [81:32]
Dale Jr.
They do. They just don't know, you know, what it's going. They don't know what makes a. They see on paper. Oh, that's cool. But it. Right. Paper to racetrack, you lose a lot. Things get harder to see. A lot of times they'll put their decal or their name on the race car on the paper, you know, on the art design. And you're. You're like, dude, that's going to disappear on the track. Like it, like right now looking at it. Yeah, that's cool. But when I put that car 75ft away or from a. From a broad camera shot, you know, that's 150ft away, you can't see, disappears. And so you got to kind of guide them, hold their hand a little bit, be like, man, you know, we gotta. You gotta allow us to have this and that and the other to let the car jump off the page. So it's easy to. Easy to spot in a pack. And it's kind of sometimes, you know, and it's fun to. I love. One of my. One of the things I enjoy about social media is seeing all the creative from either real. Real cars that teams are making or there's some creators out there that are just doing like, you know, prototypes. Yeah. You know, and it's like, man, there's some really cool ideas out there that'll never, never actually get to see the racetrack. And so it's kind of a lot.
- [82:53]
Commercial Announcer
Of them run I.
- [82:53]
TJ Majors
Racing with that. Trading paints. You can see a lot of cool stuff on there.
- [82:56]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [82:57]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
This next question is coming from Christian. Do you still wish drivers could talk to each other via radio on the track?
- [83:04]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Oh, yeah. I mean, we wouldn't be able to keep up with. With the amount of entertaining that we could put on the broadcast if talking back and forth. Right.
- [83:16]
TJ Majors
I can't even imagine what that would be like.
- [83:18]
Dale Jr.
It would just be chaos. But like, it would be like, where do you. Where do you. Where do you turn? There'll be so many conversations happening, especially when something bad goes down, like the big wreck at Daytona on the front stretch, you'd be like, well, we got it. We're going to take 30 minutes sifting through all of the conversation here to Give it to the fans and say, oh man, listen to what this guy said. Oh, well, what this guy said this and this guy said that.
- [83:40]
TJ Majors
Can you imagine like when, when Erik Jones got shuffled out, he'd flip over to oh, hell yeah.
- [83:45]
Dale Jr.
Right? Yeah.
- [83:47]
Russell
Would that mess the driver up though? Because now they can't hear their crew chief.
- [83:51]
Dale Jr.
It'd be great. Oh man. Well, they can make the. They would be able to make the. And they, they've done this in the past. They would make the crew chief be the overriding dom. So anytime the crew chief keyed up and talked or the spotter, it would override anything. Yeah, and I know they can do that, but I used to have a harness in my car. When we went to Daytona and test, I had a harness in my car that would hook up to, to music and so I could listen to music sitting on pit road. Because we'd sit on pit road in line, look forever waiting to go out. Single file runs you'd pull out there, there'd be 20 damn cars. And I mean it's about five minutes per car because they're waiting on a completely clear racetrack to get no obstruction. Right.
- [84:35]
TJ Majors
Nobody jumped the line either. It was like that's where you were line. That's where you just waited for your turn. It was.
- [84:41]
Dale Jr.
And you'd be in that line on pit Road for 45 minutes. So I'd sit there and listen to music. But if Tony Jr. Had to say something or when I pull out on the track, they'd start talking. It override the music.
- [84:50]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
I'm team chaos, so let's bring it back.
- [84:52]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, I think it'd be cool if you could jump over on somebody else radio and talk. Exactly. There'd be so much high five them, right. They win the race. Everybody's jumping on the radio. It'd be like just everybody talking over top of each other, you know, you know, congratulating that driver. If they had, they were very popular.
- [85:10]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Could you imagine host of ours, radio.
- [85:14]
TJ Majors
Oh my gosh.
- [85:15]
Dale Jr.
He would be.
- [85:15]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
He wouldn't hear a single word from anybody else.
- [85:18]
Russell
It make restarts more exciting.
- [85:21]
TJ Majors
Like, I mean, what if you're racing somebody and the second place is catching first place flips over to his radio. He's like, I'm inside like diving, you know, like, oh my God.
- [85:30]
Dale Jr.
Or you could switch over to the guy behind you on restarts and be like, get in the gas now. You know. Oh man.
- [85:37]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Restart.
- [85:38]
Dale Jr.
You're right. Call your own restarts.
- [85:40]
TJ Majors
There's so there's good and bad to this. It'd be entertaining, though.
- [85:43]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Let's go to the next question. This is actually from our good friend nascar Chasm on. Did you see what he bought at Daytona?
- [85:50]
Dale Jr.
No.
- [85:51]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
So he bought. He said, I found this picture at the Daytona 2000 store from this past weekend.
- [85:57]
Dale Jr.
Flipping the bird.
- [85:57]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Yes. So can I show the. This on camera? I actually don't know if I can show that.
- [86:01]
Dale Jr.
You could blur out there.
- [86:02]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
I'm cutting off. I'm cutting off the actual bird, but that's the.
- [86:05]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [86:05]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
So what, what, what happened there? Yeah, he wants to know what it is.
- [86:09]
Dale Jr.
So I remember exactly where this was. We were at dei. If you ever been to, to, to the shop. Dylan Hart Incorporated. We were in that middle space where all the cars are parked. If you go there now and kind of look through the glass, you'll see my Xfinity car, mine and dad's Japan race cars that we raced each other. You'll see all these cars sitting there. We were in that space shooting for Racer magazine.
- [86:39]
TJ Majors
Okay.
- [86:39]
Dale Jr.
And that picture is in the magazine. They used that picture inside that episode or that edition of Racer magazine. And we were behind the camera is Jade Gerst and a couple other people. And I was sitting there between shots talking to them. We're bull. And they said something and I was like, you know, f you. And I flipped the bird. Well, the guy grabbed, you know, grabbed the shot. The guy got a picture of it. And I was. And I was. I never thought that they were going to use it. And I was like, oh, no. You know, you got me got being red handed, flipping the bird. Ha. And sure enough, they put it out in the magazine. And I was like, damn. I was like, that might be a problem. But, yeah, it never, never got Bud. Didn't care about stuff like that. If Budweiser, they were like, man, you know, just live. Live your life. Have fun. And you know, other, like if I was Eminem's or, you know, I say Eminem's because I was friends with Elliot Sadler and me and him would talk about the, the. The contrast between, like, how I just kind of got to raise hell, drink beer and, you know, it's the best. Be a goofball. And. And he had to kind of like, be careful, right? And be smart. But I, Yeah, I, I don't know how that would have been handled if it were a different. If I had a different partner.
- [88:15]
TJ Majors
But it was a good mix.
- [88:17]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [88:18]
Russell
So you're racing this weekend, right? Qualifying 22nd. 22nd.
- [88:23]
Dale Jr.
22Nd. We will not be surprised. Pencil it in.
- [88:28]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
This next question is coming from Chase. He wants to know how much time are you actually going to spend playing the new Hell at Loose game?
- [88:35]
Dale Jr.
Oh, yeah.
- [88:36]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Are you going to see Amy and the kids?
- [88:37]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. That's funny. I. Vietnam. Yeah. Hell at Loose is the first person shooter that we've been messing around with for the last five years or so, and they got a Vietnam version coming out soon. I don't know when it comes out, but yeah, it looks fun. I'm a gamer, man. I love playing video games, but it's just harder and harder to find the time to like, fit it into the day.
- [89:01]
Russell
Well, TJ will give you two weeks to get ncaa and so you're good.
- [89:03]
TJ Majors
Yeah. You'll be. You have time. Yeah, I'm looking forward to this game.
- [89:07]
Dale Jr.
Between iracing the new console game coming out, college football Hell it Loose Vietnam me, I have about probably four nights a week where I've got it about an hour after the kids go to bed from like 9:30 to 10:30. And so, yeah, trying to. You get in, you walk into the room. Like, all of it's in one room. Like, I play all the games in one room and you walk in there and you're like, if you play one, you're not playing the others. Right. You're like, can't decide. Wish I could do it all.
- [89:41]
Russell
Simrake's like, play with me.
- [89:42]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [89:45]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
How did Amy see that tweet that you put out?
- [89:47]
Dale Jr.
No, she's not on Twitter.
- [89:49]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Oh, so that's, that's probably good.
- [89:51]
Dale Jr.
She gets on Twitter like once every five years for like 10 minutes, then leaves and leaves. It's kind of nice because I can say whatever I want.
- [90:03]
Russell
What if she has a burner?
- [90:04]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, she's not. She would tell me.
- [90:07]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Yeah, you would know.
- [90:08]
Dale Jr.
I would know about it. On in, in the kitchen in the morning as we're getting breakfast, I would.
- [90:13]
TJ Majors
Hear about, I can see it now, tomorrow. Why'd you change your avatar to this?
- [90:17]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, right. I told her, I told her a little bit about some of the stuff I was posting, but do you ever.
- [90:24]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Have her check your tweets? Be like, hey, yeah, I think this is good?
- [90:27]
Dale Jr.
Oh yeah, I, I, mainly for proofreading because some I'll look at it and I'll be like, I'm sure there's something wrong here. I just can't see it. Yeah. I'm like, can you read this? Will you ever ask, that's understandable.
- [90:39]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Will you say like, is this funny? Like, do you think this.
- [90:41]
Dale Jr.
Oh, yeah.
- [90:41]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Will she shoot you down?
- [90:42]
Dale Jr.
Is she pretty straight shooter when it comes to that?
- [90:45]
TJ Majors
Yeah.
- [90:45]
Dale Jr.
100 more often than not. She said it's not funny. She's like, Amy is. Amy's like, you know all the you say you think is funny. Like other people aren't gonna read this and go, oh, hilarious.
- [90:58]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Yeah.
- [90:58]
Dale Jr.
You love it. I'm like, well, that's kind of good enough, right? Yes. I just trying to put. I'm just trying to entertain myself when it's all said. I'm not on Twitter to make everyone else have a good time. Same way. It's for me. Right.
- [91:12]
TJ Majors
I feel like that happens in. In person a lot too. Like, there's ins.
- [91:16]
Dale Jr.
If you happen to like my tweet, great. But I mean, really for my pure enjoyment.
- [91:20]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
Yes.
- [91:20]
TJ Majors
I definitely think it happens in lot in like general too. Hanging out.
- [91:24]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [91:24]
TJ Majors
She does not find some humor in some things.
- [91:27]
Dale Jr.
Boy, you better watch out. Yeah, you might know Thin water. Yeah, that is hilarious.
- [91:34]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
All right, Travis, give me the one to go. Let's see. This one's from Dom. Speaking of video games, the NASCAR 25.
- [91:41]
Dale Jr.
Is it Dominic Corelli?
- [91:42]
TJ Majors
No.
- [91:44]
Dale Jr.
Where this is going, it's not. When are we going to get this league started?
- [91:47]
TJ Majors
TJ, he literally just joined two days ago. So, you know.
- [91:51]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
No, this is about NASCAR 25. The COVID came out. What's your reaction to great William Byron, Blaney and Bell, the Killer Bees? Love the COVID I think it's awesome.
- [92:02]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. Yeah, I love it. I like having more than one driver. I mean, I always. I thought the EA Sports ones were really cool from back in the day. It's cool to still see some of those pop up on social media from time to time. It was always cool to be the guy that was selected. That was really cool. So, you know, it was, we. It was our. It was our sort of Madden cover moment as a. As a driver back in the day. We certainly did think that was neat. But I think after all these years coming back and making and creating this console game and iracing and this console game, this is a. This is going to be a journey. Right. Of annual releases and developments. And so to start out of the gate, I think it's good to have a group on there and I would kind of be cool. It'd be cool to kind of get back, though, to having like one singular racer. Right?
- [92:53]
Russell
The champion.
- [92:54]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, the champion. Oh, that'd be cool. Yeah.
- [92:56]
TJ Majors
It's a perk.
- [92:56]
Dale Jr.
That's a great idea. I do. I agree. Yeah. Can you make that cover? Right. And I don't know. I will see how it goes, but I'm real happy with it. I'm excited for everybody to get this product in their hands in October and can't wait to get running.
- [93:12]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
I like that champion idea. It could be something cool where, like, you already have the COVID made for, like, next year and you show the champion when they win. It's like. Like the Goodyear car or something like that. I think that'd be kind of a cool extra perk.
- [93:24]
Dale Jr.
That's right.
- [93:25]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
It'd be Joey Logano every other year. That's right.
- [93:26]
TJ Majors
But.
- [93:28]
Podcast Host/Interviewer
All right, well, that's a good place to wrap up this Ash Jr thanks to Xfinity for. For always being a proud partner of this segment.
- [93:35]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. And racing. And in life, speed is an optional. It's expected. As a driver and Xfinity series team owner, I rely on things that perform under pressure. That's why I go with Xfinity WI Fi. Fast, dependable, Internet and one price locked in for five years. No contracts, no slowdowns, no nonsense. Xfinity WI Fi. Proud premier partner of NASCAR and great supporter here at Dirty Mo Media. Thank y' all for tuning in. Been a lot of fun. Been a great show. Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen.
- [94:04]
Ryan Blaney
Place your bets.
- [94:09]
Dale Jr.
All right, it's time for dirty mode Dough with Tampa Tim's. There's more we should add with Tampa Tim's and Russell. Yeah. The Professor.
- [94:17]
Ryan Blaney
Come on, Trav.
- [94:19]
Dale Jr.
I think. Yeah. Trap added if Tim's is okay with giving up a little real estate.
- [94:23]
Russell
It's not even on here.
- [94:24]
Dale Jr.
You.
- [94:25]
Russell
You just chose to read. Just say Tim's name.
- [94:27]
TJ Majors
Says it right here.
- [94:27]
Dale Jr.
No, it says, with Tampa Tim.
- [94:29]
Russell
Oh, he made this.
- [94:30]
Dale Jr.
I didn't make this.
- [94:30]
Russell
He made this banner. Tim's made this banner.
- [94:33]
TJ Majors
I would not choose that photo if I made.
- [94:36]
Dale Jr.
That. Is. Is a. Interesting photo. Yeah, it's not. Doesn't even look like it.
- [94:41]
TJ Majors
It's actually terrible.
- [94:42]
Dale Jr.
I was, like, 19. Well, it is time for Dirty Mo do. Man. Where do we start? We've got college football. We got the NFL, everything right around the corner. Russell, you know what? You can take the day off. We're not even going to talk nascar.
- [95:00]
Guest Analyst
That's unfortunate. I was gonna say something nice about TJ, too, this week.
- [95:07]
Dale Jr.
Sure.
- [95:08]
TJ Majors
I didn't crash. Brad. That's a good thing. Well, crash avoidance. Is that what you're gonna bring?
- [95:13]
Guest Analyst
Did he talk about that yet?
- [95:15]
Dale Jr.
No. Let's just get the bad news out of the way. Our parlay did not.
- [95:20]
TJ Majors
Did not hit.
- [95:21]
Dale Jr.
Our manufacturing parlay didn't hit didn't come close.
- [95:25]
Russell
The Triple B's have got to stop.
- [95:26]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. All right, well, we're heading into Darlington this weekend. We'll make some picks for our parlay, but first, what driver should we be keeping an eye on there?
- [95:37]
Guest Analyst
Russell, I think Denny's the first one five time winner there. One earlier this year. He's the clear cut favorite to me. And then, then you go to William. Byron is another one. Then Redick I like as well, and then sometimes Kyle Larson, but he's, he's, you know.
- [95:56]
TJ Majors
No, Blaney, I don't.
- [95:58]
Guest Analyst
I don't trust him.
- [95:59]
Dale Jr.
We have not named a Ford.
- [96:01]
Guest Analyst
Blaney struggles for me. He had his first top five there this year, so with an average finish.
- [96:07]
TJ Majors
He'S had really good speed, though.
- [96:09]
Dale Jr.
I want to say something nice about tj.
- [96:11]
Guest Analyst
I would recommend that he's my first. Like, he could be my playoff spoiler like that. That would be what I would say is our best chance to have a playoff spoiler this week would be if TJ can keep Brad out of trouble.
- [96:25]
TJ Majors
Well, I just, I looked at your, your. The data. You said the wreck avoidance positions, and I was like, Brad, we got to say in this spot to miss the wreck. So, yeah, we made it through. I thought that was going to be it, but I'll take the spoiler, too, because that's a good approach. Well, what about Joey Logano, Russ, do you like him? It's playoff time.
- [96:43]
Dale Jr.
You got to start thinking about it. I know. It's.
- [96:47]
Guest Analyst
I, He. He's another one that's. That's all over the place. Like, he really hasn't. Hasn't done well here. Like, his last top five here was 20, 22.
- [96:58]
Dale Jr.
A whole three years ago.
- [97:00]
Guest Analyst
Well, I know, but it's. What have you done for me?
- [97:03]
TJ Majors
Was that when he won?
- [97:04]
Guest Analyst
No, he. Well, he won in 22, but that was the spring race.
- [97:07]
Dale Jr.
That was when he ran into Byron.
- [97:09]
TJ Majors
Yeah.
- [97:09]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [97:10]
TJ Majors
And then he wrecked by and run. Yeah.
- [97:13]
Dale Jr.
Well, all right. We just won't pick a Ford in the manufacturer parlay. They are just terrible.
- [97:17]
TJ Majors
Well, then that wouldn't be a manufacturer parlay.
- [97:19]
Russell
Yes, it could. You could do, too.
- [97:21]
TJ Majors
Okay, sure.
- [97:24]
Dale Jr.
Tim's and tj, Anybody that you guys think.
- [97:28]
TJ Majors
I mean, this weekend, I think Josh Barry could be secretly good or quietly good, I guess. I mean, he's had success there.
- [97:38]
Dale Jr.
Svg.
- [97:40]
TJ Majors
He's not on my surprise list.
- [97:42]
Dale Jr.
Eric Jones is always good here.
- [97:43]
TJ Majors
He is good here. You can't mention Darlington without him.
- [97:46]
Dale Jr.
And they've actually kind of had an Uptick in performance as a company.
- [97:51]
TJ Majors
They have legacy.
- [97:53]
Dale Jr.
What do you think, Russell?
- [97:54]
Russell
Would he be more of a top 10?
- [97:55]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [97:56]
TJ Majors
Yeah.
- [97:56]
Dale Jr.
Top 10 for sure. I like.
- [97:59]
Guest Analyst
I'm okay with Erik Jones as a top 10. Barry's the one where I struggle with. He's got one good race here.
- [98:04]
TJ Majors
The rest are 21.
- [98:05]
Dale Jr.
They're worse.
- [98:06]
Russell
And his last name starts with a B. We can't do that.
- [98:08]
TJ Majors
We're avoiding that.
- [98:09]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [98:10]
TJ Majors
What about Butcher? Can't pick him because it's a B. Nope.
- [98:14]
Guest Analyst
I like Butcher, though.
- [98:15]
TJ Majors
I like Brusher for a top 10. I like top 10.
- [98:18]
Guest Analyst
He's been top 10 for the last.
- [98:20]
Dale Jr.
Five and at Darlington.
- [98:22]
TJ Majors
Yeah, he's been pretty solid there.
- [98:24]
Russell
Tim's. But will you get busher right now is plus 2200 to win. Do you think you'll get positive money for top 10?
- [98:30]
TJ Majors
I don't think so.
- [98:31]
Dale Jr.
He might be like a minus 135, which is a little pricey for a.
- [98:34]
TJ Majors
Top 10 in my book. What do you think about Priest? Does Priest surprise a lot of people this year at tracks where you wouldn't expect him? Does he show up here?
- [98:43]
Dale Jr.
He.
- [98:43]
Guest Analyst
He was strong. He had a strong start in the spring, but finished 26. Started on the front row, was third in the first stage, then fell late.
- [98:55]
TJ Majors
Yeah, I missed the first Darlington race.
- [99:00]
Dale Jr.
Oh, you were not there?
- [99:02]
TJ Majors
Well, yeah, because I was in Florence emergency room, so.
- [99:05]
Russell
Oh, the emergency nose job.
- [99:07]
TJ Majors
Yeah, that's what it was.
- [99:08]
Guest Analyst
Are you saying that's why you finished 33rd? Like, that's why Brad?
- [99:11]
TJ Majors
Didn't I forget somebody spun out or somebody did something in front of Brad and three and four and he. There was nowhere to go or whatever. Something. But he was. His speeds were good. So I'm looking forward to getting back there and getting the race.
- [99:22]
Guest Analyst
But did you just say that he would have avoided that if you were the there? That's what I'm wondering.
- [99:27]
TJ Majors
No, probably not. Because it's starting the year the way our years went.
- [99:30]
Dale Jr.
We.
- [99:30]
TJ Majors
I mean, what we hit everything, so. Except, yeah, probably not. So it's probably just some. I mean, we need something else. I did buy a. You know, the little thing from Major League. The guys. The one guy used to buy the batter. Yeah, I bought one. I'm gonna put it in the truck, see if we can get a. Get a win in his last 10.
- [99:51]
Dale Jr.
So when we talk about Darlington, Denny Reddick, Byron. Those are three good names. I think Byron's going to have a great run in the playoffs. So I feel like, you know, I'd love for that to start at Darlington. I think I'm going to pick him to win the championship, at least out of the gate. But who? Give me somebody you think might surprise us. Russell that we may not consider. I mean Chastain. I mean, who? No, I don't like Chastain at all. Like you don't like anybody.
- [100:25]
Guest Analyst
What about Chase Briscoe? What about Chase Briscoe? Won this race last year with SHR.
- [100:31]
Dale Jr.
There we go.
- [100:32]
Guest Analyst
The 19 team's always been pretty good here.
- [100:35]
Dale Jr.
I love it. Thank you, Briscoe.
- [100:38]
Guest Analyst
Now you're excited.
- [100:39]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, I mean, that's. I. You Gay. I mean Byron. I mean, Denny, Byron Reddick are just so predictable.
- [100:46]
Guest Analyst
But this, this is a predictable track. Like, this is.
- [100:48]
Dale Jr.
I know, called the Predictor. So I'm fighting uphill here trying to make this compelling. What about Austin Dillon? Nah, nothing.
- [101:02]
Guest Analyst
It's good for him, but it's not good, like against the field.
- [101:07]
TJ Majors
Well, he probably averages like a 30th place finish everywhere else. What about Kyle? Kyle Bush?
- [101:12]
Guest Analyst
Like, I think this is, this is awesome. Dylan's like fourth best track. That's the best I can give you for Dylan.
- [101:17]
Dale Jr.
Okay. I mean, Bowman's minus five in the playoffs right now. Does he have no.
- [101:22]
Guest Analyst
This is, this is like one of his worst tracks.
- [101:24]
Dale Jr.
Chase Elliott at plus seven in the playoffs. Is he going to be able to come out of here with some, some gains or.
- [101:31]
Guest Analyst
He's going to finish.
- [101:32]
Dale Jr.
I mean, Darlington just sounds like it's meat grinder for everybody but three or four guys.
- [101:36]
TJ Majors
We're all done. We might even race.
- [101:39]
Dale Jr.
I mean, really?
- [101:40]
TJ Majors
Yeah. Where's host of our. Does host of our show back up?
- [101:45]
Guest Analyst
Not on the Predictor, but he, he.
- [101:47]
Dale Jr.
Could tell me the predict. What is the. Does the Predictor have like a 10, top 10 or top 5? Give me some.
- [101:53]
TJ Majors
What does this thing look like?
- [101:55]
Dale Jr.
What does it even look like?
- [101:56]
TJ Majors
Yeah, what's a Zoltar Machine or what's that thing? Does it look like that, like her.
- [102:00]
Guest Analyst
It predicts the whole finish of the field.
- [102:03]
TJ Majors
Okay, let's hear it.
- [102:05]
Guest Analyst
Denny Williams. Elliot, Redick Larson's your top.
- [102:10]
Dale Jr.
Elliot is third.
- [102:12]
Guest Analyst
Yeah, because he's.
- [102:13]
Dale Jr.
I just asked you about him and you literally said nothing.
- [102:18]
Guest Analyst
I said he was going. He's on the podium, but he's boring. He's not going to win. He's going to finish in the top 10.
- [102:24]
Dale Jr.
You can't. I'm not asking you to give me a character analysis. Tell me if he's going to run into top three.
- [102:33]
Guest Analyst
Six is Briscoe there's your Briscoe, then Bell, then Keselowski, the best non playoff guy. Busher. And then this one will surprise you. Ty Gibbs.
- [102:44]
TJ Majors
That doesn't surprise me. He was good there last year. He's been faster.
- [102:47]
Dale Jr.
I'm surprised. All right, thank you. Elliot stands out to me as a guy where maybe you can, you know, you can make a little money.
- [102:56]
TJ Majors
What about Reddick? No one's mentioned Reddick.
- [102:58]
Russell
No, he hasn't done anything this year.
- [103:00]
TJ Majors
Odds wise, he's plus 700, and I don't like that for the speed he's not shown.
- [103:04]
Russell
I feel like he's gonna avoid.
- [103:08]
Dale Jr.
Like, you know.
- [103:10]
TJ Majors
Grip track so many times.
- [103:12]
Russell
This year and he's.
- [103:13]
Dale Jr.
But not showing up.
- [103:14]
Russell
Something's off this year.
- [103:15]
TJ Majors
Yeah.
- [103:15]
Dale Jr.
All right. Yeah, I don't need it. I don't know. All right, look, I. I like. I think I. You don't have to tell me on this because you probably won't, but I'm going to go Briscoe as my Toyota. I'm going to go Elliot as my Chevy. I'm going to put Buescher as my Ford.
- [103:40]
Guest Analyst
Can I be the book this week? Can I take your money?
- [103:43]
Dale Jr.
Look, man, if you got a better three, let me hear it.
- [103:46]
Guest Analyst
I don't know how you can go against Denny.
- [103:48]
Dale Jr.
All right, who else?
- [103:49]
Guest Analyst
Well, it's got to be William Byron. You just said he's going to have a great playoff run.
- [103:55]
Dale Jr.
I'm trying to make some money. I can't make money off Denny and Byron. Okay. All right, give me the Ford in your three. Who.
- [104:03]
Guest Analyst
I think this is where it's Bush or Keselowski or Joey.
- [104:07]
Russell
You have to pick one.
- [104:08]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, you got to pick one.
- [104:09]
Guest Analyst
Unfortunately, I'm going to let you pick one.
- [104:11]
Dale Jr.
I gave you some now, like, you get to have some fun here. You're not really going to bet this.
- [104:15]
Guest Analyst
Anyways, so, like, let's go. Blaney.
- [104:20]
Dale Jr.
It wasn't even three.
- [104:23]
TJ Majors
I said Blaine in the beginning, and he was like, nah, it's one of it doesn't run good here. Isn't. He's the second favorite, too.
- [104:28]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, he was like, number four on his list.
- [104:30]
TJ Majors
Yeah.
- [104:31]
Dale Jr.
Listed earlier. You said, let's have fun here. We gotta make about my three. Yeah, I'm gonna do this.
- [104:37]
TJ Majors
You're not even going by the predictor.
- [104:40]
Guest Analyst
I just said he doesn't run great here until the spring. Like, the spring. He turned it around.
- [104:46]
Dale Jr.
All right.
- [104:46]
TJ Majors
So now he's just gonna. All right, Got some momentum.
- [104:50]
Guest Analyst
Like, I think he's gonna turn it on.
- [104:52]
Dale Jr.
Here we go. Anybody else want to do a parlay that's different?
- [104:56]
TJ Majors
I. I like the Briscoe Byron Logano combo.
- [104:59]
Russell
That's what I'm going with.
- [105:00]
TJ Majors
I'll do that, but I'm gonna put. I'm gonna take the six instead of there because I feel like we're gonna run good there. Yeah, I don't mind that.
- [105:05]
Dale Jr.
All right, Travis is.
- [105:06]
TJ Majors
Travis, Can Denny finish first, second, and third?
- [105:12]
Dale Jr.
Can you? Yeah.
- [105:13]
Russell
Denny.
- [105:14]
TJ Majors
What's Travis Predictor say? Denny.
- [105:20]
Russell
Larson. Priest.
- [105:25]
TJ Majors
Oh, wow.
- [105:26]
Dale Jr.
Okay.
- [105:27]
TJ Majors
Nice.
- [105:27]
Dale Jr.
We've got five different parlays for people to choose from. Surely one of those is going to hit.
- [105:34]
TJ Majors
Has to.
- [105:35]
Dale Jr.
So we don't look like complete idiots. All right, we've got football around the corner, and we can take a look at some bets to make. But I'll let Travis take the lead. Where you want to go with this, Travis?
- [105:50]
TJ Majors
Hook them horns.
- [105:51]
Ryan Blaney
Yep.
- [105:53]
Dale Jr.
Where you want to go with this?
- [105:55]
Russell
Nice. So one future bet that I put Russ is going to like. This is for Penn State to have a rushing touchdown in every game this year, man. Plus 200. I think they're going to run the ball a lot, plus your quarterback runs. But for this week, the bet that I'm going to go with is in the Notre Dame Miami game. Jeremiah Love, over 79 and a half rushing yards. Minus 114. He's fine. I think he's going to finally be healthy. Wasn't healthy at the end of last year.
- [106:21]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [106:22]
Russell
I think they're going to lean on the run with the new quarterback.
- [106:26]
Dale Jr.
All right.
- [106:28]
Russell
Anybody else Tim's got?
- [106:30]
Ryan Blaney
Yeah.
- [106:30]
TJ Majors
Texas is going to smash Ohio State. That was going to be mine. Dang. Right. Maybe Manny's coming out, throwing all over. Oh, yeah.
- [106:40]
Dale Jr.
What's. What's the odds on that?
- [106:43]
Russell
Plus 100. They're an underdog.
- [106:45]
Dale Jr.
Actually, it's not much of an underdog. Not much. But they're going to Ohio State, though.
- [106:52]
Russell
So I'll do the talking now. Do talking next week. What you hear about on Twitter going into.
- [106:58]
TJ Majors
Oh, we'll read about it on Twitter. If they lose or. Or win.
- [107:01]
Russell
We'll know, though, because I'll be at the game. So I don't tweet when I'm at the games.
- [107:04]
TJ Majors
You just get on national TV with a sad face.
- [107:07]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [107:07]
Russell
And then they score, and I'm happy.
- [107:10]
Dale Jr.
All right. I'll probably just do a bunch of Moneyline bets. I'll look for, like, this Bowling Green over Lafayette. I like that one. Mine is 000 Rutgers over Ohio. So I'll pack about five or six of those like East Carolina is going.
- [107:32]
TJ Majors
To lose the state UNC Charlotte app state. What you got?
- [107:41]
Russell
UNC's real players aren't 99 true freshmen.
- [107:44]
Dale Jr.
Yeah, right.
- [107:45]
TJ Majors
And they're their wide receivers don't block like left tackles either.
- [107:49]
Dale Jr.
You know honestly the. The. The odds are only minus 230 to to app so I would expect that had been bigger. So I'm actually kind of proud of that. But Charlotte could upset about I don't see happening at State's pretty good.
- [108:03]
TJ Majors
Maybe you can go call some plays.
- [108:05]
Dale Jr.
You know that's not happening.
- [108:07]
TJ Majors
Be fun though.
- [108:08]
Dale Jr.
But I'm a pile of bunch of home runs into one parlay and have a little fun. Let it rip. I have not touched my balance since the NCAA men's tournament ended. I've really literally hardly bet. I bet once or twice on something I can't even remember.
- [108:28]
Russell
I'm gonna find off a bunch of player props.
- [108:30]
Dale Jr.
It's time to jump right back in there. It's back. It's back.
- [108:33]
Russell
Player props. My favorite.
- [108:35]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. All right. Thank you, Russell. Thank you. Thank you, fanduel.
- [108:39]
TJ Majors
All right. The dirty Mode dough segment was brought to you by FanDuel, the premier gaming destination in the United States.
- [108:48]
Ryan Blaney
White flag.
- [108:51]
Dale Jr.
All right, it's time for the white flag. Thank you to safety Culture for bringing us this episode of the Delgener Download. Remember, from the racetrack to the factory floor, Safety Culture is the workplace operations tool that gives companies what they need to get the job done quicker and improve every day. The teardown was live on YouTube and Twitter following the race. You'll get more from the guys later this week. They're actually at the playoff media day tomorrow. Jeff and Jordan interviewing playoff drivers. Tune in the tear down. Will they be live?
- [109:21]
Russell
Won't be live. We will be.
- [109:23]
Dale Jr.
Won't be live.
- [109:24]
Russell
We'll be posting part one of the podcast Wednesday afternoon and then it's gonna.
- [109:29]
Dale Jr.
Be like a midweek tear down. Awesome.
- [109:32]
Russell
And we'll have social clips out during the day too.
- [109:34]
Dale Jr.
All right. They'll be posting it on their YouTube page and also wherever you get your podcasts. Actions detrimental. Dropped on Sunday. Denny had some bad luck on Saturday.
- [109:44]
Russell
More bad luck.
- [109:45]
Dale Jr.
Was Denny sad?
- [109:48]
TJ Majors
Probably just went fishing.
- [109:49]
Dale Jr.
Was Dilly. Was Denny melancholy?
- [109:51]
Russell
He was okay.
- [109:52]
Dale Jr.
Yeah.
- [109:52]
Russell
He did not go fishing after the race.
- [109:54]
Dale Jr.
Didn't go fishing.
- [109:54]
TJ Majors
Were you mad?
- [109:55]
Dale Jr.
Is he over his fishing bug?
- [109:57]
Russell
No, he's. He's got the edge.
- [109:58]
Dale Jr.
Yeah. Got his back. I was out on the lake Sunday morning. Thought I saw him speeding by on his bass. Pro shops tracker boat.
- [110:08]
Russell
There's a good chance that man's addicted to fishing.
- [110:11]
TJ Majors
Brown, I think Travis, 7 o' clock.
- [110:13]
Dale Jr.
In the morning going out to the Honey Hole.
- [110:15]
TJ Majors
He was more upset than Denny was. No, I saw you tweeting about it.
- [110:19]
Russell
Tweeting does not mean I'm upset.
- [110:21]
TJ Majors
What'd you tweet? What did you tweet after the race?
- [110:24]
Russell
Well, the race sucked.
- [110:25]
Dale Jr.
I wonder if Denny has ever tried a top water lure, Jitterbug spinner, something like that. He would really enjoy it. Door bumper clear dropped. On Monday, they were joined by Jeff Gluck. On Wednesday, my guest interview with Chase Briscoe will be out. I'm looking forward to talking to Chase. Also on Wednesday, Herman Schrader and Speed Street. Another episode of the glorious speech street with Connor Daly. On Friday, Dirty 30 comes out. How would. Hey, so Dirty 30. We just released our first episode of Dirty 30 this past week.
- [111:00]
Russell
Second.
- [111:01]
Dale Jr.
Second episode. I'm sorry. It's a new recap show and we know we have a lot of shows, right? You don't have time to listen to every single show. Maybe. But we're putting all of the highlights from those shows into a 30 minute clip every Friday. How has that been received?
- [111:18]
Russell
I think people are liking it and you know, the first couple weeks it's just been, you know, dirty your guests and bless your heart, but you know, we'll start sprinkling, rolling in the other detrimental if they have something good, which they always do, DBC if they have something.
- [111:32]
Dale Jr.
So. Well, the Dirty 30 is just kind of the quick 30 minute recap of all the highlights from the week. Check it out every Friday and then. Yeah, that's the show Cracker Barrel's all about.
- [111:49]
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- [112:03]
Dale Jr.
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- [112:12]
Dale Jr.
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- [112:18]
TJ Majors
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