What's Daniel Suarez's Plan If His Baby Is Born On A Sunday?

Summary

The Dale Jr. Download – "What's Daniel Suarez's Plan If His Baby Is Born On A Sunday?"
Podcast: The Dale Jr. Download (Dirty Mo Media, SiriusXM)
Date: July 31, 2026
Host: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Guest Highlight: Daniel Suarez, Kendall McReynolds, pit crew members, and racing industry colleagues

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Episode Overview

This week, Dale Earnhardt Jr. brings together racers and friends for an episode packed with stories from the NASCAR garage, lighthearted takes on parenting, and candid insights on racing, rivalries, and the personal lives of drivers. The standout question: what would Daniel Suárez do if his baby is born during race day? Listeners are treated to nostalgia, pranks, playful banter, and a rare look at the sacrifices and humor that shape both racing careers and home life.

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Sterling Marlin Stories & NASCAR Pranks

(02:17 – 08:00)

Key Highlights:

• Dale Jr. shares legendary Sterling Marlin pranks:
  • The Dynamite Prank: Sterling placed a "quarter stick of dynamite" under a team van after a long day of testing. The explosion shook the van and left everyone shocked, realizing only after that it was one of Sterling’s trademark jokes.
    • "When it went off, I knew it was a prank, but I also saw fire shoot up the sides of the van and the van kind of rocked." — Dale Earnhardt Jr. [03:25]
  • The Belt Trick: During icy engine tests, Sterling planted a fake oil pump belt under the car, sending the engine crew into panic.
    • "Sterling grabbed an extra belt and threw it under the car... the engine guy looked down and saw the belt and was like running and... the guy's just melting down because he thinks the belt's off." — Dale Earnhardt Jr. [05:27]
  • Sterling’s Explosive Legacy: Pit crew member reminisces about Sterling’s connections to "Johnny Firecracker," telling about a mysterious handoff of explosives kept in the fridge.
    • "He takes his flip phone out, calls this guy—'Johnny Firecracker,' that's what he's... Hey, I need some firecrackers. All right? And it was like a week later, I got a brown bag. He said, keep it in the fridge." — Pit Crew Member [06:19]
• Sterling's racing persona: Known for a laid-back "what's the hurry" attitude and for being fun—never the guy to ride the fence or chase the wall on track.
  • "'What's the hurry? We got 500 miles to get there.'" — Dale Earnhardt Jr. [07:22]

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Party Stories, Alter Egos & Dale Jr’s Wild Days

(08:03 – 11:27)

Key Highlights:

• Alter Egos/Party Names: The jokey tone shifts to wild racing weekends and alter egos ("Jimmy Jam," "Johnny Firecracker").
• Dale Jr.’s Party Past: A now-infamous Cabo trip where he twirled clothes to the tune of Petey Pablo’s "Raise Up."
  • "I might have unleashed some clothing on a balcony, twirled it above my head to Petey Pablo." — Dale Earnhardt Jr. [08:43]
• Spring Break & The Enquirer: A vivid memory: After a race, drivers took a spontaneous spring break to Panama City, fueled by Red Bull and vodka, leading to a tabloid appearance.
  • "I remember the National Enquirer being there. And Elliot had M&M's as a sponsor. I had Texaco Haviland and Dale had Budweiser. Two of the three sponsors were not very excited about what might come out." — Dale Earnhardt Jr. [10:46]

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Hendrick Motorsports: Tough Season & Race Analysis

(13:47 – 16:44)

Key Insights:

• Recent Struggles: Hendrick Motorsports' challenges in maintaining top-tier performance—once dominant, now lingering mid-field.
  • "Are we just a teens team? They're not folks." — Race Engineer/Analyst [13:49]
  • "William Byron in 12th, that's just, that's mind boggling to me." — Race Engineer/Analyst [16:44]
• Technical Breakdown: Discussion of Larson’s tire blowout, air pressure, and how race teams balance setup versus risk.
  • "Usually you blow a left rear, that's not luck, folks. We can't call things luck... that was likely too low of air pressure." — Race Engineer/Analyst [15:00]

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Rivalries & On-Track Antics: Carson Hosavar vs. Corey Heim

(16:51 – 20:28)

Key Points:

• Spot On, Spot Off: Banter over Carson Hosavar’s ‘predictive’ trash talk and rivalry with Corey Heim.
  • "'If you can keep him behind you, that's what you have to do.'" — Race Analyst/Commentator [18:31]
• Techniques and Pit Lane Drama: Why keeping position through pit cycles matters so much in NASCAR's current strategy-heavy landscape.
• Entertainment Value: Panel enjoys how personality differences fuel on-track drama.
  • "You're the perfect adversary for him, because it's like, I don't give a—like, where'd he finish?" — Race Commentator/Analyst [20:12]

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Daniel Suarez: Diaper Duty, Baby Names & Race Day Dilemmas

(20:34 – 24:35)

Key Q&A Segments:

• Diaper Changing Confessions
  • Neither Daniel Suarez nor Kendall McReynolds have changed a diaper, and both are candid about their intentions.
    • "I'm not a diaper person, man." — Daniel Suarez [20:53]
    • "When I have to, I think I'm going to grab the kid, change the diaper, go to the top, and do, like, a little car wash." — Daniel Suarez [21:12]
• Baby Names: Ready in Advance
  • Daniel and Kendall reveal they've had both boy and girl names picked out for "years," but prefer to keep them private.
    • "We’ve had a name picked for each for years already..." — Kendall McReynolds [21:55]
• What If the Baby Comes on Race Day?
  • Daniel Suárez is torn. With playoffs looming, missing a race is not in his plan—unless timing makes it unavoidable.
    • "Honestly, I don't have a plan...I know that Julia don't want me to miss a race and obviously we're going to be on the playoffs, so I can't miss a race." — Daniel Suarez [22:42]
    • "But not Sunday, like Sunday. I'm not missing a race." — Daniel Suarez [22:57]
  • Kendall shares confidence in her timing: "Your body knows when you feel safe... I trust my body; it's going to come when he's around." — Kendall McReynolds [24:19]

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Perseverance in Racing: Kenny McReynolds's Journey

(24:54 – 32:52)

Key Storyline:

• Career Setbacks and Tough Choices: Kenny McReynolds narrates how bounced checks and financial setbacks almost cost him his driving career in 2014. His father’s advice: do the right thing, pay debts, even if it ends your career.
  • "You need to make everybody whole, even if it costs you your driving career." — Kenny's dad (via Kenny) [26:02]
• Grit & Persistence: Kenny sells everything, pays debts, runs a couple NASCAR truck races, and leverages that into an ongoing racing career.
  • "I look back at that moment, I'm like, man, I figured that was in the world, I was going to go get a job at a bank or somewhere... something that was so bad in the moment was a blessing in disguise." — Kenny McReynolds [28:54]
• Family Foundations: A support system—wife Kendall (daughter of Larry McReynolds), mentors, and family—keeps him steady through late nights and career uncertainty.
  • "If it wasn't for that, I don't know that we would have made it through the stuff that we are today." — Kenny McReynolds [30:33]
  • "He's not an ear massager. He said, 'I'm not going to massage your ear. I'm going to tell you the truth.'" — Kenny McReynolds on Larry [31:52]

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Notable Quotes

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Sterling Marlin:
  "Sterling, he was just one of a kind." [06:42]
• Daniel Suarez on baby duties:
  "When I have to, I think I'm going to grab the kid, change the diaper, go to the top, and do, like, a little car wash." [21:12]
• Kenny McReynolds’ dad, via Kenny:
  "It's not the power of the water, it's the persistence of it..." [30:33]

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Overall Tone & Flow

• Candid and Playful: Stories are told with humor, self-deprecation, and real warmth between friends. The panel pokes fun at themselves and each other throughout.
• Relatable: From diaper phobia to balancing family demands with professional racing, the drivers reveal the universal juggling act behind the high-profile world of NASCAR.
• Reflective: The latter third gets more personal, examining what it takes to persist in racing when the money and luck run out—anchored by faith, family, and hard work.

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Timestamps – Key Segments

• Sterling Marlin Prank Stories ................... [02:17 – 08:00]
• Party Memories & Alter Egos ..................... [08:03 – 11:27]
• Hendrick Motorsports Season Recap .............. [13:47 – 16:44]
• Carson/Corey Heated Rivalry Breakdown .......... [16:51 – 20:28]
• Daniel Suarez Parenting Plans .................. [20:34 – 24:35]
• Kenny McReynolds: Racing Against the Odds ...... [24:54 – 32:52]

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Conclusion

This episode blends behind-the-scenes humor, real-life challenges, and the unique culture of NASCAR. With mischievous tales, vulnerable admissions, and competitive fire, Dale Jr. and guests cut through racing’s image to reveal the people—and the parents—behind the helmets. Daniel Suárez’s possible race-day delivery drama might remain unsolved, but listeners get a strong sense of duty, perspective, and optimism that defines both the sport and its stars.

Transcript

[Dale Jr.]

All right you guys, something big is going on at Arby's and if you're ready to seriously upgrade how you do meat and cheese, you'll want to hear this. It's bold, it's craveable. It's meat and cheese done right. This is the new Arby's Cheesesteaks and they're here and they're on the menu for good. Which means you just found your new favorite. Arby's brought lunch to the shop last week. Carson was one of the first ones to dive into the new 100% Angus cheesesteak and he said it might be his new favorite. The cheesesteak is a total upgrade compared to other boring meat and cheese out there. It's got this rich and melty Cooper cheese that it's the real deal. Straight from Philadelphia. That's how you know it's good. The new Amoroso's sesame seed bun gives you the perfect balance of crispy yet soft that really makes this cheesesteak elite for real. This will change how you think about getting lunch in the drive thru. Why settle for a run of the mill burger when there's Arby's Cheesesteak right around the corner? This is an authentic higher quality sandwich. Burgers wish they could be this good when you're craving something that's just better. Or Arby's has your new Go to the new 100% Angus cheesesteak. Prices may vary. Third party marks of the property of their respective owners. Get your Arby's Angus Cheesesteaks delivered or at an Arby's near you.

[Host/Interviewer]

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[Dale Jr.]

Hey everybody, I'm Dylan Hart Jr. And this is the Dirty 30. The best highlights from all of our podcasts this week. 30 minutes every single Friday. The Dirty 30 coming at you. Lets get right to it. This episode of the Dirty 30 is presented by Arby's new Meat in 3 Box. Get more meal for your money at Arby's. We have the meats.

[Host/Interviewer]

Next question here is they want to know do you have any good Sterling Marlin prank stories?

[Daniel Suarez]

Oh my God.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

Appropriate for this show?

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

There's not much. Sterling.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

The only. So I will tell a quick one.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

I.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

This, I tell this one a lot. So my rookie year, Casey Mears, my teammate, and I looked up to Sterling. I can remember, obviously I had filled in for him those seven races in 2002. But I, I kind of, I mean, I really looked up to him. I'd seen him on TV all those years and great dude. And you know what it's like when you people don't look the same in person as they do on tv. And so like when I got to be around him and I don't think starstruck is the right word, but, you know, I was a fan and so it was kind of cool to get to be around him. And we used to go. Every team would go to Talladega in like December and do those just horrific three days speedway test where you just run two laps at a time, come in, get another car. They were terrible. But we went down there as a team and Ganassi had expanded to three cars this year. And so it was Sterling, Casey Mears and I. And at the end of the first day, you know, we get done at five o' clock and it's getting dark at Talladega, five, you know, in December, at five o' clock, the sun's going down, it's starting to get dark. And Andy Graves was a team manager at the time, and he came in the garage and he's like, hey, Chip would like to. And I didn't know Chip very well either. None of us did. Right, Because Chip was somewhat new to NASCAR at the time and I had not been around him except for like the signing of my contract. He's like, hey, Chip would like to get everybody on the phone and just talk about the day. So what we're going to do is we're all going to go get in the pit crew van, one of those big 15 passenger vans. Get in the van and we'll just put it on speakerphone. Everybody can talk, okay? So the crew chiefs, the drivers, the engineers, we all kind of cram into this 15 passenger van. And I did notice that Sterling wasn't in the van. And so anyway, they act like they're calling Chip and they put it on speakerphone. And what had happened was Sterling had put one of those little quarter sticks of dynamite underneath the van that we were in. And I'll tell you something, when it went off, I knew it was a prank, but I also saw fire shoot up the sides of the van and the van kind of rocked. And I was like, what if this goes wrong and the van blows up? And so then there's Sterling laughing. So it's pretty funny. Another one real quick. You can use whatever you want here. But we also used to go to Kentucky and test a lot.

[Race Engineer / Analyst]

A lot.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

Engine test. Do a lot of engine tests, just durability tests. And we were there in December, January. It had been snowing, like, the track. There was snow on the infield, but the track was dry and it was so cold. You would come in the garage and they would shut the garage door behind you have little space heaters on. Right. And so we were doing an engine test and I think they had changed engines and Sterling was. Was driving the car and the engine guy had primed the pump. So, you know, you take the dry sump belt pump off, they would prime it and then you put it back on.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

Yeah.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

Well, Sterling grabbed an extra belt and threw it under the car. And so they shut the. They shut the door and. And you back up. When he got in, he started. He's revving it up and. And he went to back out and the engine guy looked down and saw the belt and was like running and they're like trying to shut the door. And he hit his head on the door trying to get out. And he. The guy's just melting down because he,

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

you know, he thinks the belt's off.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

Yeah.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

And of course the belt was on.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

Yeah.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

Sterling was funny. Dude.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

Dude. I got to work with him. He was the first full time job that I had his last couple years there. And man, what a. I've actually asked him. And that dynamite you were talking about,

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

we're not talking like, it wasn't a firecracker.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

No, we're not talking firecrackers. Because I asked him like, hey, I asked him one time, like, sterling, can I get, you know, some dynamite? We want to, you know, blow some stuff up on the land. He.

[Host/Interviewer]

Hold on.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

Takes his flip phone out, he calls this guy. Hey. He goes, johnny Firecracker. That's what he's. Hey, I need some firecrackers. All right? And it was like a week later, I got a brown bag. He said, keep in the fridge. So me and we. Me and Topher and. And Dell Jun, we. We spent. We blew so much up. So fun.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

Sterling, he was just one of a kind.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

He was.

[Host/Commentator]

He.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

He was. He was an awesome guy. He was a really fun teammate to have.

[Race Strategist / Analyst]

Yeah.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

And he had plenty of Stories.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

He. Yes. Like, I really enjoyed. I got to work when I first started racing. My first year was doing pit practice stuff at MB2 Motorsports, and I got to be around Kenny Schrader, which was. I went from Schrader to had a little bit of Boris. Said I got to work with some really good guys, like, personalities, like. And Sterling was. I mean, just a fun dude to be around, like, really good guy. And, yeah, I really enjoyed my years with him.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

Yeah, he was one. Like, we were talking earlier in the show about how aggressive it is now. I remember Sterling being one of the guys, being like, what's the hurry? We got 500 miles to get there.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

Yeah.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

Like, at the start of the race.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

Yeah.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

Yeah.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

In practice, I'd. I'd tell, you know, guy, this is when you. You and. And Del Jr would get up and run the fence at places. And I'd be like. I'd be like, hey, they're running the top, finding some speed. I'm looking at, you know, stop time and stuff. And I'm like, they're getting faster and faster up there. And he'd go up there and try it. He'd be like a lane and a half off the wall and be like,

[Daniel Suarez]

oh, can't run up there.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

It's too loose. And I'm like, you what?

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

But you have eight feet to go.

[Race Commentator / Analyst]

More than that.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

Yeah, but, yeah, he wasn't running that fence. But, no, he was. He was a lot of fun to work with.

[Host/Interviewer]

So you mentioned Jimmy Jam and now Johnny Firecracker. Sounds like a good alter ego. Do you have an alter ego when you've celebrated any of your wins or have had a good time?

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

Yeah, I was curious because, I mean,

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

I think you'd be disappointed.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

I don't know, man. I mean, I've been on some trips with you, and I've. You ran. You've ran hard.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

I had. I had my moments. I definitely had my moments in, like, 2002, three, four. But, like, like, most of us. What?

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

Define a moment. Yeah. Like, what's one of them moments what flashes into your head?

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

I know what you're think. I know what's he thinking? I know what you're thinking. It's a Cabo trip.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

I might have unleashed some clothing on

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

a balcony, twirled it above my head to Petey Pablo.

[Race Commentator / Analyst]

To who?

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

The Petey Pablo song. That's why you was. You know. You know the helicopter song, Right? You were up there. I got a picture of it somewhere.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

I'd say a good story. Dale will be involved in this. So it'll be fitting in. I don't remember. What year is 2000?

[Kenny McReynolds]

3.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

4. I did not know. I didn't know Dale at all. And we were parked next to each other in points, and I was driving Finch's bushcar. O'reilly parts time. And Finch told me. He's like, hey, you know, if you and any of those boys want to come down, I have a condo in Panama City. And I'm like, okay. So I went over to Dale, like, the next week, and I had never talked to him. And I'm like, hey. I said, you know, Finch has a condo down Panama City. Said, like, maybe for spring break if we want to go down there. Like, I think Elliot and I are going to go, if you want to go. And he kind of looked at me, and he's like, all right. And so I'm like, okay, so we're going to go. So I think Elliot had a plane. It might have been Dale's plane. I don't remember whose. But we. We decided we were going to leave from Bristol and fly down to Panama City. And we get on the airplane, and we're all kind of talking, and. And this leads up to what you're talking about. I remember I told him. I was like, man, I don't stay up real late. I'm like, I'll go pretty hard till about 10:30, and then I'm done. And I don't remember. I think it was Dale. He's like, have you ever had Red Bull and vodka? And I'm like, I have not. And he goes, you're gonna be just fine. And so we got to our trip, and I got introduced to Red Bull and vodka, and by God, I made it till about 6am I believe that

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

next morning, I'm sure he did as well. That was also the. The tabloid trip.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

National Enquirer.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

National Enquirer. Yeah. That's where you guys ended up in the.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

It's the foam pit. Yeah, there was. Yeah, we're not talking about all that. That we had.

[Host/Interviewer]

Wait, you said foam pit in Panama City. Was that Spinnakers?

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

Could be. I don't.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

Or la.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

I don't. Honestly, I don't. I don't remember. Like, I remember. This is what I remember about that trip. I remember the National Enquirer being there. And Elliot had M&M's as a sponsor. I had Texco, Haviland, and Dale had Budweiser. Two of the three sponsors were not very excited about what might come out on National Enquirer. And it wasn't Budweiser.

[Pit Crew Member / Team Member]

No.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

Yeah. So. But I don't remember. I don't remember what came out of that. Like, we didn't end up being like nothing. We didn't even. I mean, we did anything wrong. We were just having fun, you know, we were all just, we're just hanging out. Like it was just, we're just partying. It was, it was a good time, though.

[Host/Interviewer]

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[Dale Jr.]

All right, you guys, something big is going on at Arby's, and if you're ready to seriously upgrade how you do meat and cheese, you'll want to hear this. It's bold, it's craveable. It's meat and cheese done right. This is the new Arby's Cheesesteaks, and they're here and they're on the menu for good. Which means you just found your new favorite. Arby's brought lunch to the shop last week. Carson was one of the first ones to dive into the new 100% Angus cheesesteak, and he said it might be his new favorite. The cheesesteak is a total upgrade compared to other boring meat and cheese out there. It's got this rich and melty Cooper cheese that's the real deal, straight from Philadelphia. That's how you know it's good. The new Amoroso's sesame seed bun gives you the perfect balance of crispy yet soft that really makes this cheesesteak elite for real. This will change how you think about getting lunch in the drive thru. Why settle for a run of the mill burger when there's Arby's cheesesteak right around the corner? This is an authentic, higher quality sandwich. Burgers wish they could be this good. When you're craving something that's just better. Arby's has your new. Go to the new 100% Angus cheesesteak. Prices may vary. Third party marks on the property of their respective owners. Get your Arby's Angus cheesesteaks delivered or at an Arby's near you today.

[Host/Interviewer]

Bad day for Hendrik.

[Race Engineer / Analyst]

That's the norm. I, you know, I, I look at their graphic after the race and like, I mean, Stuart Haas, they, they were getting, they were getting beat like a drum in their comments the last year of their existence and like the old Hendrick bros, they're starting to get in there like, what, is this our norm now? Are we just a teens team? They're not, folks.

[Host/Interviewer]

But 6, 8th and 12th and points,

[Race Engineer / Analyst]

they're, they're not, they need to, they need to have a Snickers. They've not been their self in a while. You know, Larson I'm sure was fast. Blue left rear. You know, it's hard to say that it's not air pressure related.

[Host/Interviewer]

So that's, There's a video though of him exiting pit road that Bozie had and you can see the car just.

[Race Engineer / Analyst]

Yeah, it's beating the. Out of the left rear tire.

[Host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Race Engineer / Analyst]

Yeah. So, you know, my car was doing it pretty bad too. But I mean there's, there's always, usually the more air that you have in the tire, the more it can take some bouncing. Now if you have a cushion ride, you can run your air pressure lower. So there's, there's always a balance there. But I mean, usually you blow a left rear, it's. It. That's, that's not luck, folks. It's. That's. We can't call things luck that someone has a roll in and that was likely too low of air pressure or to, you know, ran it too hard on low air or the load on the left rear was too much. Who knows? I have no idea. But they found their limit of how much air they could put in or need to add more. Chase Elliott, I don't know, he cleared himself off turn two with the 47, right?

[Host/Interviewer]

Yeah,

[Race Engineer / Analyst]

yeah, that was not good. They just, I don't know. I mean, I mean, we're sitting here, we're Clowning on it. But it's, I mean, it's, it's not really indicative of their speed. They, you know, North Wilkesboro. I thought the 9 was really, really strong. Yeah, they've got, they've always got like a couple cars that are in the top five or near the top five. I mean, but just the standard in which we expect from Hendrick Motorsports from, from the legacy, it's just winning a lot of. We expect lots of race wins and top of the standings. And when I see like William Byron and 12th, that's just, that's mind boggling to me.

[Host/Interviewer]

Corey Heim has as many wins as Hendrick Motorsports.

[Host/Commentator]

All right, well, I'm excited to get into spot on, Spot off and especially hear some more about this little rivalry that we have heating up in the cup series. Number one, Carson, not much of a rival. That's the best. You have the upper hand at it, which is the best place to be. Carson Hosavar predicted the future when he told Corey Haim he was number one. Spot on, spot off. Corey, spot on.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

Hey, Honor Carson.

[Host/Interviewer]

I got my ring on my middle finger.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

So, hey, letting him know.

[Host/Commentator]

Did you send him a text with

[Kenny McReynolds]

the, with the, you know, I, I

[Host/Commentator]

wanted to ring on the middle finger.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

I think the best Twitter response would have been a quote to just flipping off the camera with this on my middle finger. I don't think it would have got approved.

[Race Commentator / Analyst]

So the, the thing that I laugh at is like, there's no way you saw that.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

No one, no one coming to pit road is focused on anything except for the commitment line and getting.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

Dude, we are all.

[Race Commentator / Analyst]

I'm like, there's no way. He was just dead set.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

If you look closely, I am emitting smoke from my rear tires walking up,

[Race Commentator / Analyst]

getting a pit road.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

I'm not looking over here on the middle. Like, come on.

[Host/Commentator]

Steve said that on the broadcast too. He was like, I'm sure he's probably focused on the commitment line, making sure he doesn't miss pit road.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

Yeah.

[Host/Commentator]

Versus Josevar.

[Race Commentator / Analyst]

But it's, it's. I don't, I don't have a good enough read on him to know that if he was actually mad because what happened, he came out of. He cycled behind Corey. Corey did what he had to do to keep him behind him, which is what you have to do in that race. Like, we, we talk about it in our, in our meetings. You can't let anybody pass you because that could be the difference in anything. You know, if, if Carson cycles ahead of Corey. Corey Pitts. Carson could cycle way in front of him. You know, like, if, if he's got clean air, he's making lap time up while Corey is getting ready to pit. Now, like, when, when the cycle's over, he's gonna be that much further ahead. So if you can keep him behind you, that's what you have to do.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

And that's the thing, is you lose just less than a lap by pitting. It's like 80% of a lap you lose. So if you let a guy go and he can get 30 car links in front of you, you're probably going to net out even. But if you can keep behind you and pit, you're going to be 30 car lengths in front of him. So you cycle out ahead of the guy. Just the, the timing of everything works out perfect where you just got to keep guys behind you and it's just part of it.

[Race Strategist / Analyst]

Yeah.

[Race Commentator / Analyst]

So I, I, I, I can't decide if he was actually mad or if he's just doing this for attention. Like we see him do, do a little bit here recently. But yeah, I mean, I, I don't, you can't be mad because that's what I mean. If you are mad, you're stupid, because that's what he's doing, what he had to do.

[Race Strategist / Analyst]

But yeah, I, I think the 77 was losing a lot of time getting on pit road. I don't know if you guys noticed, but he, he got his butt kicked every time getting, getting to that yellow line. And I, I guarantee you they're studying that today. I bet you he probably, he didn't do a very good job.

[Race Commentator / Analyst]

It's hard for us to see it from straight down that straightaway. But then, like, I also noticed, I felt like they were just running hard all day long and spending more time on pit road because of it. And we, like, they just continued to, as we all know, like, talk about Daytona coming up. Like, we're all kind of saving fuel and trying to make the slops as short as possible. And I felt like every time we pitted, they just kind of him, the 7,71. They kind of, just kind of kept creeping down the pylon a little bit as, as the race went on. But yeah, I mean, this was, I just love it because it's knowing your mindset, knowing how even kill you are and knowing how kind of he's up and down. I feel like you're the perfect adversary.

[Host/Commentator]

Oh yeah.

[Race Commentator / Analyst]

For him, because it's like, I don't give a, like, where'd he finish?

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

Yeah, yeah. I Think if you were to flip anyone off, coming to do a commitment line would be probably the last place

[Kenny McReynolds]

to do it if you wanted to sit it out.

[Host/Commentator]

Yeah.

[Race Strategist / Analyst]

Really? That was the only time he was alongside of you.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

So that's true.

[Race Strategist / Analyst]

So he didn't have a choice.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

But I did never see him again after that.

[Host/Interviewer]

First question. A lot of fans want to know this. Have either of you changed a diaper before?

[Kendall McReynolds]

I have not.

[Daniel Suarez]

I have not, and I have not, neither.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

Oh.

[Kendall McReynolds]

And apparently he doesn't plan on.

[Daniel Suarez]

Oh.

[Kendall McReynolds]

I said, well, you. You're not getting any more kids then.

[Daniel Suarez]

Yeah, I mean, I'm not a diaper person, man.

[Kendall McReynolds]

But nobody is, Daniel. That's true.

[Host/Interviewer]

I'm not either. But I play the role of uncle, and so I can walk away when it's diaper time.

[Daniel Suarez]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kendall McReynolds]

Kids start screaming, you hand it right back.

[Daniel Suarez]

Yeah.

[Host/Interviewer]

Different.

[Daniel Suarez]

I'm planning, you know, what I was, what I had in mind. The answer is no. I have never changed a diaper in my life. But when I have to, I think I'm going to grab the kid, change the diaper, go to the top, and do, like, a little car wash. Now

[Kendall McReynolds]

remove the diaper and remove the diaper

[Daniel Suarez]

and do like, a little car wash with some pressure or just hold it

[Kendall McReynolds]

by the leg and just spray them.

[Daniel Suarez]

Grab the blower that we got, dry everything, and then put the new one back on. Or maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe let a little free for five minutes so everything breathes airs out.

[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]

Yeah, that'll work.

[Host/Interviewer]

Good.

[Daniel Suarez]

Okay, next question.

[Host/Interviewer]

Next question is, do you guys have, like a finalized or paredown list of names or do you. Are you just gonna wait and kind of just feel it out?

[Kendall McReynolds]

So everyone asks us this question, and Daniel most of the time says, yeah, we don't, you know, we're not sure yet. The truth is, we've had a name picked for each for years already. He just gets shy because then people want to know what the name is. And he's like, he wants. He doesn't want to be the bad guy to say, well, you know, I don't want to say it or whatever. But the truth is, we've had a boy name and a girl name picked out for years. And. And so we're good to go. We're going to get to the hospital, and we have our options.

[Host/Interviewer]

Next question. What's the plan if you're racing and Julia goes into labor? Are you finishing the race? Are we just going to miss the race? We've seen drivers do a little bit of everything.

[Race Analyst / Commentator]

Yeah.

[Daniel Suarez]

You know, that's a, that's a great question. And honestly, I don't have a plan. I don't really have a plan. I know, I know that Julia don't want me to miss a race and obviously we're going to be on the playoffs, so I can miss a race. So I think that depends where we are. Depends the time. Maybe if baby was coming Saturday, maybe, you know, in my mind, maybe missing on a Saturday will be okay right now if he's somewhere close. But not Sunday, like Sunday. I'm not missing a race. I just can't. You know, being in the playoffs, being so competitive with the team and we have just so great, so many great things that we're building that I just can't, you know, if this was a previous format of nascar, see you later. And you know, and we're not in the, in the, in the playoffs yet and we already want to race. Oh, that's fine. It's not a big deal. But the way that things are right now, I just can't miss a race. Maybe I can miss practice and qualifying. Depends of the situation. But we'll have to wait and see.

[Host/Interviewer]

Maybe it's date before Daytona, so you need. There's no practice or call. There's no practice anyways. There's qualifying. Doesn't really matter.

[Daniel Suarez]

That would be amazing, man. You know, I'm so confident. I'm not worried about it because I'm confident things are going to work out. Things are going to work out. I don't know how, but I'm confident that I'm going to be there with Julia when baby's born.

[Kendall McReynolds]

Yeah, I feel like, and obviously this doesn't always happen, but I feel like as a woman, you give birth when you, your body knows when you feel safe. Right. And so I wouldn't feel safe if he's not there. So I trust my body to. It's going to come when he's around.

[Dale Jr.]

Hey, this is Dale Hart Jr. And for all the latest Dale Jr. Download gear, including the I'm old, drink some beer T shirt we've been talking about here around the office, head over to shop.dirtymomedia.com for all the latest merch.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

What did it look like in 2017 when you kind of were coming onto the NASCAR scene, what were you doing until that point and kind of talk about that year and what that was like because you took what you were just describing and learned and used that to your advantage that year.

[Kenny McReynolds]

Yeah, no, it's through the years that led us up to that was pretty crazy. You know, I did ran dirt late models throughout the Carolinas. Got a super late Model, ran that for a couple years and met a guy in 2014 that wanted to go east racing back then. And we had run Greenville Pickens earlier in the year. And then we went to Richmond and ran a race. And we run the race. I got caught up in a wreck, tore the car up. Not a very good day. Well, I got a call a week later from the crew chief and from Penske shocks and from NASCAR and all these other people that the checks had bounced, you know, check bounce. Are you going to square up with us? You're going to pay it? And I think at the time it came up to probably. And this is, this is like, if, where's the turning point? And this, there's two of them. There's this one and then there's the one when we started the O'Reilly team in 21 that I look back in my career on pivotal moments, not knowing

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

that they were really those moments at the time, which happens every day.

[Kenny McReynolds]

Door slammed. There's another door here. And it was about $40,000 of bad check stuff that had gotten written. And I just got, I just had hung a brand new body on my super late model. I had a ham key car motor in it, everything like that. And I called my dad, I said, hey, I need, need some advice. Here's a story. Got caught up with the wrong crowd. This whole deal here, I'm in a, in a tough spot. And he said, you need to do the right thing and you need to make everybody whole, even if it cost you your driving career. And so I sold my super late model. I listed it for sale, found a guy out of the west coast that bought it. And I think from the sell it, I sold everything I had, kept my, kept my trailer, but I sold everything for like 55, 56,000. So I had a little money left over, paid everybody off and I figured, all right, you know, my driving career is done.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

But at least how hard was that?

[Kenny McReynolds]

That was, it was pretty sad because

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

you say it like, okay, I talked to my dad, I hung up the phone and I did this. Did it really go that way?

[Kenny McReynolds]

It was, it was several weeks of like, you know, I had, I had it listed online and people wanted to buy it. I'm like, do I want to call them back and make the deal? Like, it was, it was, it was tough. And when I finally sold it, I had enough money left over. So you know what? I'm going to Go run at least one truck race. I'm going to make that my goal, just to run at least a NASCAR race. So I could say I did it at this time and this was 2014. And I found a couple team owners. I talked to and found a team owner back in 2014 for Phoenix, the 50 truck. And they said, hey, if you'll come out here and cover the tire bill, you can run the truck. And did it and had enough money left over to do that. The race went pretty good. I think we finished 22nd or 23rd, and this was back when it was Phoenix and then Homestead and the race went really good. And they said, hey, if you can do the same thing, come run Homestead next week. And went and did Homestead and ran pretty good. Stayed out of trouble there. And then over the off season, that was kind of got going with. I got to meet Mike harmon in the 74 truck and met him over the off season. He said, hey, if you want to run this program, this is where I got interested. As Mike was running his O'Reilly program at the time, and the truck was just over in the corner and he said, if you'll take it over, you can work out of my shop. I've got some older engines here and we'll do that. And so 2015, we ran the full season with one truck and I kid you not, like, we took it to Daytona, it went to Atlanta, it went to Martinsville, it went to Mossport. Like, same truck everywhere. We ran old SB2 engines and that was kind of the jump that got things going. But if it hadn't been for that deal that happened at Richmond, I might still be racing Late Models at this day. Like, that was the thing that kind of like pushed me out of my comfort zone, Squared the dead up, went and ran those two truck races and it kind of parlayed that into the deal on 15. And yeah, I look back on that moment, I'm like, man, I figured that was in the world, I was going to go get a job at a bank or somewhere because I'd gone to college. I went to Belmont Abbey College. I got a business management degree in their motorsports program. Somebody I got a college degree, I can go get a normal job, it's probably less stressful and go do something routine, a nine to five somewhere and get after it. And I look at something that was so bad in the moment and it was a blessing in disguise because it opened the door up to something and a whole new opportunity for me.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

I know I want to stop on that For a moment, just for our listeners of business and motorsports and to think through that because that is, I mean those times are so tough in the moment when things don't go like we planned for them to go or how we wanted them to go or whatever. And it's so easy to, you know, shut the door on that dream or whatever it is. And like you said, look elsewhere. You're going to look, you know, what's my regular now, what's my day job going to be? You know, still got to pay the bills and, and then being able to persevere and, and, and continue in spite of the adversity to, to look for those opportunities and take those opportunities which a lot, you know, in the sport today they are trying, they try to decide what's the risk in taking those types of opportunities versus not versus being in equipment that's subpar versus being in better equipment. What am I, what am I giving up? What am I doing to myself? You know, I think about Dawson Cram, who I love and his family and just they, they grind every single year, grind after grind, you know, trying to get himself, you know, in rides and get that opportun. So you're doing this with Mike, Carmen, you're doing this with one truck, old engines, all of these things in 2015, which is the perseverance that it took for you to be able to look back on that moment and really see that it was a consequential moment at that point, right?

[Kenny McReynolds]

100%.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Kenny McReynolds]

I think back to a quote that my dad told me that year in 2015 and we're a big faith based family. If it wasn't for that, I don't know that we would have made it through the stuff that we are today. And I look back at that, that year and my dad told me, he's like, you know, what breaks the rock down and it's the water. He said it's not the power of the water, it's the persistence of it. Staying after, staying after. And I guess that's always been the biggest thing in my race career is just survival. Like hey, if I can make it next year, we'll keep going. You know, hey, if I can make it through the off season, we'll keep going. You know, and so we did that for several years. You know, my wife, I'm very thankful. You talk about the family side of this. This is a tough sport. It's long hours, late nights. I mean there's times where you, a Monday for me, you might get there at 6 o' clock in the morning, you're there till 9 or 10 o' clock at night just because everybody leaves at 5. And now you got four or five hours where it's quiet and I mean there'll be nights where I walk to shop and just put an inventory on stuff to look at things. But my wife's been a good grounding board for me. Kendall. And then you talk about her. She grew up in the racing world.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

I was gonna say, I always said to myself, I wasn't going to marry anyone in racing, but if you grow up in racing, you almost need to marry someone racing so that they understand it and get it. And Kendall, definitely Kendall is the, the daughter of Larry McReynolds. And I was going to ask you if, if you get to get advice from America's crew chief from time to time.

[Kenny McReynolds]

Y. No, Larry is, there's, there's been a lot of times I've, I've called Larry, I said, hey, what do you, what do you think about this? And he says, well, do you want the, do you want the father or do you want the real answer? And, and he's not an ear massager. He says it to me all the time. He said, I'm not going to massage your ear. I'm going to tell you the truth. And it's good to have that, you know, because I can, I can go to him and, and trust him and know it's going to stay between us. And you know, I've run a lot of ideas by him. So he's been a great sounding board. You know, John's been a great sounding board. You know, my dad, I got a good relationship with him. He's, he still does his houses down in South Carolina. He comes to a lot of the races, but he's very hands on and you know, he's, he's kind of like my, my prayer warrior, my faith guy. You know, when I go to him, he'll, we'll kind of pray about some things and he always is, is quick to give me some good scripture to get through some times when things do get tough and, and you know, also to stay when things are good on both sides of it. You know. You mentioned Joe. Joe's been a good sounding board to me this year. You know, my brother in law, Brandon, he's, he's in the sport as well, so he's, he's been good to talk through some things and you know, just very fortunate to, to have that.

[Dale Jr.]

All right, that was another episode of the Dirty 30 presented by Arby's. New meat in three bucks. Get more meal for your money. At Arby's we have the me.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

La.