The Dale Jr. Download

"Jay Hedgecock on Racing Dale Earnhardt in the 70s"

Date: February 11, 2026 | Host: Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Guest: Jay Hedgecock

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This episode dives into the life and career of Jay Hedgecock, legendary chassis builder and racer with roots deep in the grassroots racing community. Through candid conversation, Dale Jr. explores Jay’s firsthand accounts of short-track battles in the 1970s and ‘80s—including Jay’s perspective on racing Dale Earnhardt Sr., building cars for NASCAR legends, the evolution of racing technology, and the current state of short track racing. The episode delivers vivid, behind-the-scenes stories that bridge NASCAR’s past and present, highlighting how passion and innovation continue to drive the sport.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Jay Hedgecock’s Early Days & Passion for Racing

• Building From Tradition: Jay shares memories of growing up in a racing family. His father raced and was part of Bill Blair Sr.'s team, helping drive a car to Daytona, win, and drive it home in the early 1950s.
  Memorable detail: “They took the headlights out, put different wheels and tires on it, won the race, then put it all back together and drove it back to High Point.” (05:25)

• Building His First Car: Jay’s first race car was fished from his uncle’s junkyard and rebuilt as a micro-midget at age 15 (06:59-08:00).
  They would haul cars to the track in the back of a '64 Chevy pickup—no trailers (08:28-08:36).

• Education and Career Fork: Jay aimed to learn all he could about cars, originally planning to attend the General Motors Institute. His ambitions always pointed toward racing (09:10).

From Wrenching to Racing: Key Milestones

• Mentorship Under Tex Powell: Jay's break came from impressing renowned Tex Powell with his machine shop skills, eventually working full-time on cars for Benny Parsons among others (09:33-11:12).

• Racing & Building for Cliff Stewart: Jay’s first major driving opportunity was with Cliff Stewart’s team, racing both in the late model sportsman and Grand National series (13:09-16:00).
  He candidly admits: “My cars were way better than my driving was at the time.” (17:35)

• The Economics of Short-Track Racing: He explains how tire deals and tire costs ($300 a set back then) shaped the sport and how connections with tire reps influenced choices (18:29-19:20).

Racing With and Against Dale Earnhardt Sr.

• Earnhardt’s Reputation Pre-Cup:
  Jay describes Earnhardt as relentless and fearless, racing for the thrill, not the money:

  “He was the one you didn’t want to your back bumper on the last lap because he was going to do whatever... he was not content to run second or third. I mean he was going to win... he raced because he liked to race.” —Jay Hedgecock (22:36)

• Notorious Short Track Battles:

  • At Caraway Speedway, Earnhardt drove Jay’s car in a brawl with Sam Ard, resulting in both spinning out after a heated last-lap duel, and a mid-pack driver winning—the classic underdog outcome (25:20-27:16).

  • Post-race, Earnhardt’s pragmatic attitude:

    “Hey, I’m sorry I tore your race car. But he started it. If I couldn’t win, he wasn’t going to win.” —Dale Sr. (27:23)

  • Butch Lindley Showdown: Hedgecock recalls a finish where Lindley and Earnhardt tangled across the line, resulting in Lindley's car on top of Earnhardt's. Both just shrugged it off as part of racing (29:56-31:09).

• Racing Culture:
  Jay reflects on how conflicts were handled by drivers, not fans, and mostly without drama, contrasting with today’s heightened confrontations (28:14-28:44).

Building a Legacy in Chassis Construction

• From Driver to Sought-After Builder:
  Jay’s knack for innovation and firsthand experience made him a trusted chassis builder for top teams—including cup cars for Earnhardt, Richard Petty, and others (32:58-43:12).

• Chassis Building Philosophy:

  “Try to make things light as you can, but still make it structurally sound... always try to make a car safe.” (43:43)

• Testing for Petty Enterprises:
  Jay notes how being a driver helped him improve his builds—test driving Petty’s cars himself, especially during critical changes like the introduction of Goodyear radials at Richmond (44:09-44:19).

• Notable Car:
  Jay built the car Richard Petty flipped at Daytona:

  “When he spun it so fast... the blood vessels and all the blood went out of his eyes.” —Jay, explaining Petty’s temporary blindness after his crash (50:01)

Life, Innovation, and the State of the Sport

• Transitioning to Short Track Focus:
  Despite success at higher levels, Jay preferred the camaraderie and hands-on involvement of short track racing:

  “I just like dealing with people, you know, short track racing stuff... grew up with it and that’s where I still go every week.” (59:15-59:52)

• Current Work:
  Jay continues building winning late model and modified chassis, working with drivers like Mason Diaz and partnering with Junior Motorsports (60:06-65:07).

• On Staying Competitive:
  Jay stresses the never-ending process of small improvements and how critical it is to experiment and adapt with new setups, tires, and components (73:22-75:03).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Racing Earnhardt Sr.:

  “He did whatever he had to do to get to the front... he was not content to run second or third.”
  Jay Hedgecock, 22:36

• On Short-Track Conflict:

  “If I couldn’t win, he wasn’t going to win.”
  Dale Earnhardt Sr., relayed by Jay, 27:23

• On Surviving a Terrible Crash:
  Jay recounts a serious concussion at IRP where he lost the ability to process numbers for weeks:

  “I looked at the numbers and they were... like Chinese. I’m like, this is not good.”
  Jay Hedgecock, 37:52

• On Chassis Building Fundamentals:

  “You’re not going to build a car and find a half a second. No days of that are over and done with. You got to little by little, creep up on it.”
  Jay Hedgecock, 75:03

• On Modern Short Track Racing Economics:

  “You got to have good people driving it and working on it. But... you got to win races. For me to stay in business, I tell somebody’s gotta win, somebody’s gotta wreck. That’s just bottom line.”
  Jay Hedgecock, 73:22

• On Cars Tour Growth:

  “The interest in Cars Tour... is probably 10 times what it was five years ago. Everybody’s watching.”
  Jay Hedgecock, 81:37

Important Timelines & Timestamps

• Jay’s first car and midget racing: 06:59–08:00
• Start in professional racing/cliff Stewart hire: 13:09–16:00
• Reflecting on Earnhardt Sr.’s attitude: 22:36
• Jay’s wild Caraway short track story: 25:20–27:16
• Butch Lindley/Earnhardt finish: 29:56–31:09
• Shift to chassis building; philosophy: 32:58–43:43
• Building for Petty’s team & technological evolutions: 44:09–46:09
• Petty’s Daytona flip account: 49:23–50:09
• Current operations and future of Cars Tour: 60:06–69:00
• Discussion on sponsorship and series growth: 81:37–83:34
• Closing reflections on Jay's impact and advice: 85:13–end

Episode Highlights & Takeaways

• A Living Piece of Racing History: Jay Hedgecock’s journey mirrors the rise of grassroots racing—one where raw talent, ingenuity, and pure determination could earn respect and opportunity.
• Dale Sr. Unfiltered: The episode shines a light on Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s early years, his racing ethic, and why he became such a formidable figure.
• Behind the Chassis Shop Doors: Insight into how the car-building process, relationships, and competition shaped modern stock car engineering.
• Current Challenges, Timeless Solutions: Jay and Dale Jr. discuss the cycle of rising costs, tire technology, team economics, and the importance of local sponsors—offering advice for sustaining and growing short-track racing.
• The Heartbeat of Local Racing: Jay’s enduring commitment to short tracks, mentorship, and innovation embodies the passion that keeps grassroots racing alive.

Closing Statement

Jay Hedgecock’s story, told in his own words, is a testament to racing's relentless spirit—where hands get dirty, deals are made over handshake, and every Saturday night under the lights is another chapter in the sport’s living history. His humor, humility, and candor, paired with Dale Jr.’s passionate curiosity, make this a must-listen episode for anyone who loves racing’s roots as much as its future.