The Dale Jr. Download
Episode: He Has To Go For It
Date: September 30, 2025
Host: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (with TJ Majors and Russell)
Podcast Theme: NASCAR analysis and unfiltered conversation from Dale Earnhardt Jr.—racer, broadcaster, and champion—featuring unique insights on the sport, race strategy, current events, team dynamics, and industry changes.
Episode Overview
This action-packed episode dives deep into the recent dramatic NASCAR finish at Kansas, dissecting Denny Hamlin’s controversial race-winning move and its implications, while providing candid commentary on racing etiquette, team dynamics, playoff changes, and industry news. The team debates NASCAR's possible playoff format overhaul, speculates on manufacturer changes, talks driver development, and gives the inside scoop on practice, qualifying, car design, and upcoming races. As always, lighthearted banter and passionate hot takes abound.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Kansas Race Recap: The Denny-Bubba Incident
- Dramatic Final Restart: Denny Hamlin aggressively dives below Bubba Wallace, resulting in Bubba hitting the wall and Chase Elliott inheriting the win.
- Aero Phenomenon Analysis: Dale and TJ explain how the next-gen car’s aerodynamic wake plays a bigger role than ever—compressing air on corner entry tightens the outside car, forcing mistakes without physical contact.
- Dale: “I’m kind of amazed… the 23 still could not keep it out of the wall because of the way the air works with these two cars.” (12:44)
- Was Denny Wrong?
- The crew debates driver intent and etiquette.
- Both Denny and Bubba had legitimate shots to win, but Denny’s "all-in" approach cost both the race.
- “He has to go for it. He owes it to his team for sure… but Bubba did everything all day… and his own team owner [wrecked him].” – Dale (21:00)
- Ethics of Racing Your Own Driver: Is it ever OK for an owner/driver to race their teammate this hard?
- “If I was out there and drove down the corner and put one of my guys in the wall—how many fires would I be putting out today?” – Dale (19:12)
- “Not with a guy you have to sit in meetings with.” – TJ (19:10)
- Bubba’s Response: Dale commends Bubba’s professionalism, noting he had “every right” to be frustrated but “did a great job of his interview.” (21:50)
2. NASCAR Playoffs: Should the Format Change?
- Inside the Playoff Committee: Dale shares inside info from NASCAR’s committee meetings about potential playoff overhauls, including a return to a 36-race, full-season points system.
- Initially a fringe idea, “by the end of that meeting, I thought it’d got about a 30% chance.” – Dale (61:29)
- Massive online and internal momentum is building for a full-season format: “There is a giant large majority of people that really would prefer it.” (65:31)
- Potential pros and cons—would fans prefer a champion clinched early over a surprise playoff winner?
- “Would you rather… a guy builds a big enough lead and locks the title early, or a mid-pack car backs into a championship they didn’t earn?” – TJ (65:31)
- Industry Mood:
- Change is coming—“They're changing it, the change is coming.” (67:53)
- If the full-season format isn’t chosen, many will be “relieved that it’s changed, but… disappointed it’s not 36 races.” (68:40)
3. Kansas Crowd & Track Product
-
Mixed perceptions about the crowd size—a good product on track, but TV made attendance look thinner.
- “They showed on TV it looked empty… I'm not really worried, could have been better, probably better than most.” (32:20)
-
The next-gen car’s wake still frustrates: “What I do not love about this car is how bad the air is when a car gets behind another.” (33:27)
4. Car Design Rants & Manufacturer Branding
- Dale goes off on changes he sees as unnecessary, from number placements to spoiler colors and manufacturer-mandated graphic locations.
- “It was wild to me they're gonna tell me what color to paint my spoiler… car design is my damn choice.” (38:47, 40:04)
- The infamous number placement: “I still don’t like the number placement. But it’s alright. They ain’t gonna move it back for me.” (40:12)
5. Insider NASCAR News & Silly Season
- Pit Crew Crossover: Discussion of teams (and manufacturers) now lending pit crew talent across brand lines—“there was a time when… nobody crossed manufacturers.” (08:49)
- Colleg Racing’s RAM Truck: Number placement controversy on the newly branded RAM truck surfaces—bringing old-school vs. new-school design arguments.
- “Don’t wish that evil on us!” – Dale on forward-slide truck numbers (41:09)
6. Horsepower & Practice Policy Changes
- HP Increase Coming: NASCAR will move from 670 to 750 horsepower—“Is it as much as some people wanted? Probably not, but it’s progress.” (45:01)
- Practice Making a Comeback: Especially in Xfinity, more practice time being considered—vital for rookie development and overseas drivers like SVG.
- “I think drivers need it… we’ve got a lot of guys going into these cars that haven’t driven them before.” (47:04)
- Anti-Group Practice Stance: “I wish they would stop the group practices… the track changes, it’s hard to know who’s good.” (48:59)
7. Xfinity, Junior Motorsports, and Driver Development
- Rodney Childers Hired: Joining Junior Motorsports as crew chief for Carson Kvapil.
- “He’s a racer… he’s gonna come in here and want to do an amazing job.” (77:12)
- Funding Realities: Carson will run part-time due to sponsorship shifts, with efforts underway to secure him the races needed for playoff eligibility.
- “We're making all the effort we can to give him the best opportunity to go out there and succeed.” (81:58)
- Driver Progress Reports: Praise for Ty Dillon (“finished better than where the car should finish”) and Butterbean (“adapting very quickly”).
8. Grassroots Matters & Driver Ethics
- Martinsville Hooking Incident:
- Discussion of young Tristan McKee’s move that took out Sam Yarborough, and mentoring young drivers on sportsmanship and reputation.
- “You gotta let your competitor live for the next race, especially at that level of racing.” (93:02)
- The Age Question: Is 15 too young for full-bodied cars? Dale reminisces about age rules when he started and stresses the value of learning patience and racecraft.
9. Fan Q&A and Listener Engagement
- Hilarious Would You Rather: Hangovers vs. Traffic? The team concludes hangovers are far worse—“If you were hungover in traffic, which would you get rid of? Oh, the hangover.” (102:16)
- Listener Milestones: Dale congratulates young Wyatt for a huge racing weekend and championship (103:11).
10. Roval & Playoff Bubble Preview / Gambling Segment
- SVG the Favorite at the Roval: Team agrees he’s the top Chevrolet pick due to his recent dominance.
- “There's just no stopping this guy, in my opinion.” – FanDuel rep (109:20)
- Toyota and Ford Picks: Debate between Bell and Reddick (must-win pressure could give Reddick an edge on strategy).
- Dark Horses & Top-10 Bets: AJ Allmendinger (+1800), Bubba as a possible top-10 value, Buescher and Blaney as Fords with upside.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
Going For It vs. Playing It Safe
- Dale: “He has to go for it. He owes it to his team for sure… I just hate it because Bubba was in a good spot… and his own team owner [wrecked him].” (21:00)
- TJ: “Would you rather race Bubba Wallace or Joey Logano?...who do you want to race?” (15:27)
Playoff System—Old Guard Rising:
- Dale: “I can say at the end of this deal, [full-season points] is still the best way to do it… I never thought I’d feel this way, but honestly, it’s the best.” (58:53–61:29)
- Russell on change: “They can’t stick with—oh no, they’re changing it, the change is coming.” (67:53)
Design Gripes & NASCAR Tradition:
- Dale: “It's wild to me they're gonna tell me what color to paint my spoiler. The car design is my damn choice…” (40:01-40:04)
- Dale: “Don’t wish that evil on us!”—his panic at forward slide numbers on the new colleague RAM truck (41:09)
Podcast Personality:
- TJ, perplexed: “Who’s Golden Earring?” (03:31)
- Dale: “If the Daytona 500 started at noon, and Super Bowl was at night… would you skip the 500 or… what an awesome sports day.” (73:13)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Kansas Race and Denny/Bubba breakdown: 06:21 – 21:56
- Playoff format change discussion: 53:33 – 71:44
- Car design and number placement rant: 36:24 – 44:25
- Horsepower & practice changes: 45:00 – 49:43
- Driver development & Junior Motorsports updates: 50:04 – 85:45
- Grassroots driver incident analysis: 88:44 – 97:24
- Listener Q&A / Rapid Fire: 98:12 – 104:39
- Roval preview & betting segment: 106:08 – 118:18
Tone and Style
This episode is classic Dale Jr. Download—honest, direct, lighthearted, and filled with nostalgia, playful teasing, and deep passion for the sport. Dale and TJ balance deep-dive analysis with personal stories, rants about old-school NASCAR traditions, and good-natured arguments about the sport’s future, all with the unique behind-the-scenes perspective fans come for.
For New Listeners
Tune in for never-heard insights on current controversies, how owners and drivers REALLY think about racing etiquette, why playoff reform is gaining traction, and what changes fans might see next. The guys’ back-and-forth keeps things fun—even as they tackle high-stakes topics.
Memorable Final Thought:
“I like his attitude of going for it... you have to go for it, you owe it to your team. I just hate it because Bubba was in a good spot… if I’m Bubba, I’m sitting there going, man, I'm not okay with this.” – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (21:00–21:56)