The Dale Jr. Download – "That Was Old School Bristol"

Podcast: The Dale Jr. Download (Dirty Mo Media, SiriusXM)
Host: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Guests/Co-hosts: TJ Majors, Russell, Christopher Bell
Date: September 16, 2025
Main Theme: Reflections on the “old school” Bristol race weekend, including detailed discussion of the evolving Bristol Motor Speedway experience, tire strategy, Goodyear’s role, playoff implications, and an insider interview with Bristol winner Christopher Bell.

Episode Overview

This episode recaps a wild, physical, and nostalgic Bristol race weekend, diving deep into what made it feel “old school.” The crew explores Bristol’s racing history, track changes, and how recent tire strategies from Goodyear affected on-track action. Dale and TJ dissect the playoff picture, share pit crew stories from Dale’s career, and feature an interview with race winner Christopher Bell. The tone is candid and reflective, with doses of humor and deep-dive racing analysis.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bristol Nostalgia & Track Evolution

• Dale and TJ’s Take: The Bristol Night Race delivered the most “old school” short-track racing fans have seen in years, including physical contact, strategy, and energy reminiscent of the venue’s glory days.
• Track History Recap:
  • Originally flatter, later reconfigured with more banking.
  • Shifted from asphalt to concrete due to durability issues.
  • Multiple attempts to optimize the racing groove (asphalt, concrete, sealer, PJ1).
  • Vario banking introduced to stimulate multi-groove racing, leading initially to exciting racing, but eventually “everyone just runs the top.”
    Dale (14:55): “Like, everybody’s... he’s on the bottom, he’s in the middle, I’m on the top—we’re all racing the out of each other. I mean, I don’t know what more you could want. This is pretty cool.”
• PJ1 and Track Prep: How targeted application of traction compound can bring “old Bristol” style racing—emphasis now on selectively narrow PJ1 for increased risk and reward.
• Event Weekend Structure: Praise for the variety (Trucks, ARCA, Xfinity, Cup) and persistent on-track activity which mimics historic Bristol atmosphere and delivers real value to fans.
  • Dale (21:00): “It felt like the typical... kind of weekend that people need to justify going, pulling their camper out there, getting a camping spot, spending three or four days...”

2. Goodyear’s Aggressive Tire Strategy

• Changing Conditions: Practice and race tire wear divergent due to small temp drop – sudden, dramatic tire wear during the race led to blown right fronts and major strategy challenges.
  • Dale (30:02, re: Blaney’s practice numbers): “The tire was completely durable. 10 degrees cooler in the race... the tire can go 30 laps and it goes to the cords and blows right front.”
• Goodyear’s Dilemma: Making a tire that wears but doesn't harm the brand, with difficulty anticipating real race conditions.
  • Quote from Dale (32:01): “Making these tires wear out and fail... it’s a risk to their brand. Unless a race, you know... Someone that’s not as educated is gonna look at it and be like, ‘man, these Goodyear tires... they’re terrible.’ But we all know that...”
• Driver/Team Adaptation: More driver skill now involved in tire management—rewards patience and tactical intelligence.
  • TJ (34:48): “Factors. With this tire, you have more factors...driver comes into play a lot more... It’s more fun for a race fan. It’s gotta be, right?”
  • Emphasis on unpredictability, despite driver frustrations with luck vs. skill ratio.

3. 2025 NASCAR Playoff Picture & Predictions

• Cut Line Analysis: The crew analyzes who’s vulnerable and who’s likely to advance, with lots of debate about the bubble drivers (Elliott, Bubba, Chastain, Logano, Reddick, etc).
  • Dale (42:23): “This is so tough. They’re all so good. This is really hard.”
  • Statistical breakdown of tracks and driver histories for Loudon, Kansas, Roval.
• Strategy in New Hampshire: Dale and TJ discuss how pit strategy and tire calls at Loudon can ruin a good run or shake up the standings.
  • Dale (46:55): “If it don’t turn in the middle, you’re screwed... The corners are really flat and it, it, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
• Road Courses and the Roval: Skepticism about the Roval’s role as a cutoff event and speculation about potential schedule tweaks.

4. Stage Racing Changes & Super Speedway Debate

• Adding a Fourth Stage: Discussion on a possible fourth stage for Daytona/Talladega to increase points value and on-track urgency, using the Coke 600 as precedent.
  • Dale (61:38): “So now... there’s been this... Is the Daytona 500 still the most important race of the year?... adding this four stage and making those races mean more from a point standpoint would also make the races again mean more from a competitor standpoint.”
• Fuel Saving vs. Hard Racing: Removing stage cautions alone won’t end fuel mileage games—crew chiefs will always try to minimize pit time.
• Super Speedway in Final Playoff Round? Dale advocates for it, embracing unpredictability as part of NASCAR’s DNA.
  • Dale (86:28): “What are we doing if we’re insulating ourselves from tough moments and tough things... it’s a bit soft, I think, to say ‘let’s not put the plate race in the final round because of the unpredictability’... I’m all about it.”

5. Dale’s Stories from the Driver’s Seat

• Pit Crew & Leadership: Approaching pit crew performance with camaraderie and support vs. top-down critique.
  • Dale (98:41): “Here’s why you wouldn’t do that: the guy on the right front of your car is one of the best guys in the garage... Are you going to go up to him after the race and critique the job?... because he can just as easily say, I don’t gotta put up with this, I’ll go over here and make a little bit more money...”
• Memorable Radio Quotes:
  • Dale (100:00): “You’ll say [stuff] like that over the radio. You know instantly that you didn’t need to say it.”
  • Story of threatening to take a hammer to his crew—regretting saying it but underscoring the intensity of pit stop pressure.

6. Interview: Christopher Bell – Bristol Race Winner

• Post-race Chaos:
  • Bell (72:12): “That night was wild. You didn’t know if you were leading the race, if you’re running last, if you’re on the lead lap, if you’re two laps down... It was wild and chaotic and fortunately, the race played out for me.”
• Luck vs. Skill:
  • Bell frames this Bristol as a heavy luck race due to tire management and timing of cautions, preferring skill and team strength to be more decisive.
  • Bell (74:42): “With the way that the races play out... it is so much luck, Dale. It is so much luck. If you had more tires, it might make it a little bit less lucky... I just, I don’t like the aspect of so much luck as indicative of the outcome.”
• On Track Prep and Tire Wear: Recognizes unpredictability as a new variable, but enjoys “normal Bristol” for its physical demands and broad options (top/bottom lanes).
• Looking Forward: Feels good about next-round tracks (Loudon, Kansas, Roval), emphasizing preparation and execution over fear of unpredictability.

7. Fan Q&A & Lighthearted Moments

• Chase Elliott’s Switch to Number 9: Dale played an active, almost “parental” role in the transition and lobbied Rick Hendrick for the change.
  • Dale (80:00ish): “An Elliott in the number 9 is a big win for everybody... it just makes sense, right?”
• Best Pace Car Celebrity Ride: All around fun but leans toward fellow athletes (“for them to not not know your world and go see it…”).
• Pit crew focus: Dale prefers being the “friend” and ally rather than hard-nosed critic, believing camaraderie delivers best results.

8. Gambling, Stats, & Playoff Picks

• Betting Reflections: The crew discusses the unpredictability of racing bets, the challenge of making picks in NASCAR, and how the playoffs add another layer of complexity.
  • Standout driver picks for Loudon: Bell, Briscoe, Logano, Blaney, Priest, Larson.
    Russell: "Don't parlay those, bet them individually."
• Stat Sheet Deep Dives: Average finish stats, matchups, and historical performances drive the conversation around fantasy/prediction picks.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Dale (14:55): “This is badass... everybody’s on a different part of the racetrack... What more could you want?”
• Dale (32:01): "Making these tires wear out and fail... is a risk to their brand."
• TJ (34:48): "With this tire, you have more factors... the driver comes into play a lot more."
• Bell (72:12): “[Bristol] was wild and chaotic... there’s no way anybody was going to win without luck being on their side."
• Bell (74:42): "I don't like the aspect of so much luck being indicative of the outcome."
• Dale (86:28): "...it's a bit soft...to say, 'let's not put the plate race in the final round because of the unpredictability.'"
• Dale (98:41): "The guy on the right front... is one of the best guys in the garage... Are you going to go up to him after the race and critique the job he did?"

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Bristol Vacation & Memories: 02:00–06:30
• Track History & Evolution: 06:42–16:30
• Tire Strategy Discussion: 26:30–36:00
• Playoff Picture Deep Dive: 39:03–47:00
• Pit Crew Stories & Critique: 92:54–100:45
• Christopher Bell Interview: 71:50–78:44
• Super Speedway/Stage Debates: 61:38–65:30
• Fan Questions & Number 9 Story: 78:53–84:00
• Betting & Matchups: 104:22–117:18

Conclusion

This episode is a must-listen for fans wanting to understand what made this Bristol race so special and different. Dale and his crew blend expert technical analysis with personal stories and wry humor, delivering rare, behind-the-scenes context and a wealth of first-person insight on what’s working in NASCAR, what’s not, and what the future holds for short track racing. The interview with Christopher Bell further illustrates the razor-edge chaos of modern Bristol, and the ongoing push-and-pull between luck, skill, and innovation in the sport.