The Dale Jr. Download

Latest Episodes:

384 - Jeremy Mayfield - Blackballed? Jun 01, 2022

Show notes

Jeremy Mayfield is still indefinitely suspended from NASCAR. Today he sits down with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mike Davis to share his story about the drug test that changed his NASCAR career, and life.

The year was 2009, and Mayfield was a race-winner in NASCAR. May 1, 2009 he was called to perform a random drug test at Richmond Raceway. The test, and the result eight days later, would become one of the sport's biggest controversies of the era, and play out publicly and in the U.S. Court system. To this day, Mayfield denies any drug use. He contends that the positive test was a result of a combination of prescribed Adderall and over-the-counter Claritin-D. He was the first driver to trip a positive test under NASCAR's new substance abuse policy.

Mayfield refused to play-ball and decided to fight America's largest motorsports sanctioning bodies. He not only contested the result, but questioned the head of NASCAR's drug lab, Aegis' Dr. David Black. The battle between NASCAR and Mayfield was all over the news and played out for years in the courts.

Trouble seemed to follow Mayfield after the test and suspension. There was a July drug test in 2009 that resulted in a lengthy delay between the time of the call to test and Mayfield reporting. The Kentucky native opens up about what his lawyers were telling him to do and why the delay happened. That test, by NASCAR's lab, showed positive for high levels of methamphetamines. Mayfield says his independent tests, taken just hours later, showed no trace of the drug.

In 2011, Mayfield's personal shop and house were the subject of a warrant and a raid by law enforcement. He details what happened from his vantage point when the SWAT teams arrived with machine guns and broke down the doors of his home. The raid resulted in a string of felony charges for stolen items and a charge for possession of meth. Mayfield denies the meth that was found and tells his take on the baggie they discovered in his safe.

Mayfield still believes that all of the drug tests that tested positive were false or were a part of a greater conspiracy. He claims that a personal feud with NASCAR's Brian France was the root of much of his troubles.

Now, this might not be "the' story, but it is "his" story. The Download gives the former racer a chance to share his account of the fascinating story..

DIRTY AIR

Before Jeremy came to the table, the DJD crew talks about:

The World 600 and why it shouldn't be named anything else.
Chase Briscoe's Hail Mary full of crash.
The new Dirty Mo Media podcast, Speed Street, with Indycar driver Conor Daly and Joey Mulinaro.

ASKJR Presented by Xfinity

Hannah Newhouse brings it with fan questions from Twitter and the live YouTube chat.

The Snake Pit at the Indy 500.
Dale's anxiety of having two aggressive JR Motorsports driver gunning for a win.
The Roval wouldn't be here if the racing was as good as the 600 a few years ago.
Dale going to a World of Outlaws race?

Check out Dirty Mo Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMedia

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383 - Denny Hamlin: Zero F's Given May 24, 2022

Show notes

He's a NASCAR winner. He co-owns a race team with Michael Jordan. He's not afraid to tell it like it is. Denny Hamlin joins Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mike Davis at the table for a bold and honest conversation about the sport.

Hamlin comes in "full send" mode with his takes on the sport and the direction it is headed. His unique perspective, as a current competitor and car owner, gives him an even bigger voice at the table. Boy, does he use it! While he is candid about what he feels isn't right, he points out that his intentions are to make the sport better. Sometimes Denny's presence and opinions on social platforms and in the media have created controversy, but his voice has become one of a leader in the garage. Hamlin opens up about the conversations he's had with NASCAR CEO Jim France about the potential expansion of his team, 23XI Racing, and how they are on hold until further notice. Denny talks about what he needs to see before he and MJ take the two-car operation to the next level.

Hamlin lets us in to how he feels about the business model of NASCAR between drivers, tv partners, teams and tracks. He says that the pie is big enough, but it needs to be divided differently. The veteran NASCAR driver pulls no punches in expressing what he believes needs to happen. Hamlin and Earnhardt discuss the state of the charter system in the sport and the pros and cons of starting a team in the Cup Series. If the sport expands to a higher number of charters, how much should a new team pay?

Fresh off his second-place run at the NASCAR All-Star Race, Hamlin shares his disappointment in the controversial yellow flag and Ryan Blaney's window net issue. Plus, did his post race comments and use of the "F" word get him in hot water? Denny also explains what he thinks about the All Star Race as a whole and how the event, and other aspects of the sport, have become diluted.

Dale Jr. asks Denny, who currently races the FedEx #11 for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series, if he would drive for his own team someday. Earnhardt also gets Hamlin’s insight into the current dynamic at JGR with four full-time drivers, contract questions, and the emerging talent of Ty Gibbs waiting in the wings. What's gonna give? Denny also talks about his exit plan from behind the wheel of a racecar and what that will look like..

After struggling for a good chunk of 2022, Hamlin has reached victory lane. The season though, has only resulted in two top-five finishes. Denny gives his take on the Next Gen car's performance and which issues need to be addressed. He talks about Bubba Wallace's performance and 23XI Racing’s big win in Kansas with veteran driver Kurt Busch.

DIRTY AIR

Before Denny came to the table, Dale Jr., co-host Mike Davis, Hannah Newhouse and producer Matthew Dillner share some conversation about:

The All Star Race and the controversial caution.
The Window-net debacle and what should have been done.
NASCAR owning one mistake but not the other.
What should happen to the All Star Race in the future?
Jimmie Johnson's run to the Indianapolis 500 has come with some big risks

ASKJR presented by Xfinity

Hannah Newhouse brings fan questions to the table about:

Dale Jr.'s wildest appearances, including driving a tank and landing on an aircraft carrier.
How Blaney handled the anxiety of the end of the All Star Race.
Dale's childhood love for wrestling and how it was stifled in the Earnhardt homestead.
Late Night drunken Waffle House orders

Check out Dirty Mo Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMedia

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382 - Doug Yates: Win with Advantages May 17, 2022

Show notes

Yates, a name synonymous with power. Master engine builder Doug Yates, son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Robert Yates, comes to "the table of truth" to share stories with Dale Earnhardt Jr., and co-host Mike Davis, about a family legacy filled with ups, downs and everything between.

Growing up in North Carolina, the epicenter of modern stock car racing, Doug knew nothing different than his father Robert working on engines. But life in Charlotte shifted to the hills of North Wilkesboro. The Yates family uprooted, and went to work for NASCAR car-owner and folk hero Junior Johnson. Living on a farm, just steps away from a modest laboratory of speed, Robert Yates crafted horsepower into the wee hours of the night with his young son right beside him. Doug details the formidable years they spent in Wilkes County and how it prepared them for their racing timeline.

When DiGard Racing came calling, Robert packed up and left the farm. The departure caused tension between Robert and Junior for years. It wouldn't be the only tension. Darrell Waltrip's departure from DiGard resulted in unspoken animosity that spanned decades. It wasn't until Robert's final months, before cancer took his life, that son Doug found a way to get them together to bury the hatchet.

Doug gives us a unique perspective on DiGard’s successes, like the ‘83 title run w/ Bobby Allison and the Daytona 500 win that some called “bumper-gate.” He also details dynamics that led to the fall of DiGard and his father leaving the sport. In 1985, just two years after his engine won, Yates watched the Great American Race from his television.

But soon the sport that came calling for Yates again. Rick Hendrick was using his engines when Ford set up the next opportunity. Doug carefully details the alignment with Ranier-Lundy racing that led eventually led to the creation of Robert Yates Racing.

While young phenom Rusty Wallace was in line to be their driver, Yates took a swing in a different direction, choosing a racer with a familiar pedigree, Davey Allison. With Allison's raw talent and the straightaway speed of Yates Engines, it created speed that even the Intimidator wasn't pleased with. Doug admits the Yates engines were cranking out about 50-horsepower more than the other Ford engines. This forced NASCAR to get involved.

The following years of the Yates story read like a novel. Wins and a near title w/ Davey were followed by his untimely death in a helicopter crash in 1993. Yates opens up about his family's struggle with moving on from a driver that was like a son and a brother. Then, their next big star, Ernie Irvan’s practice crash at Michigan International Speedway. Ernie returned from severe head injuries, to win w/ RYR, but the accident proved to stunt the growth of a once promising career.

Most don’t know that the next step for RYR nearly put Dale Earnhardt as the driver of the Texaco No. 28 Ford. What? But, it was Robert Yates who said he wanted another Dale. Once again, Yates went a different direction and his choice was Dale Jarrett. The combo proved lethal, netting the team two Daytona 500's and the 1998 NASCAR Cup Series Championship.

Doug opens up about the unusual partnership that brought bitter rivals and the two giants of Ford Racing Engines to form an unlikely alliance. Just how did Jack Roush and Robert Yates agree to partner? Doug holds the key. The company still thrives today but not just in racing, manufacturing for medical companies, defense projects and more.

OPEN SEGMENT

Dale Jr. announces his new children’s book “Buster’s Trip to Victory Lane”
“The” new and dirty name for Open Segment
Mike’s commencement speech
Kurt Busch's win!

ASKJR presented by Xfinity

Hannah brings fan questions to the table about:

Drivers pulling those belts tight
Dale Jr.’s Black-top desires
How Dale Earnhardt would handle the SIM

Check out Dirty Mo Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMedia

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381 - Rick Mears: A Quiet Desire May 10, 2022

Show notes

When a Motorsports icon walks into the room, that room changes. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and co-host Mike Davis welcome four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears to the table for a fascinating discussion about his storied racing career.

From the streets of Bakersfield came a young man, with a motorcycle and a thirst for competition. The sensible influence of a mother, added two more wheels underneath Rick Mears. Little did she know that it would lead to being one of the fastest racers on the planet. First, young Rick honed his skills on the dirt of Ascot Park, jumping and sliding around in Sprint Buggies. The world of off-road racing took young him to the desert, where races like the Mint 400 and the Baja 1000 introduced Mears to some of the giants of Motorsport. As his reputation grew, so did opportunity. Bill Simpson plucked Mears from the dirt into open-wheeled racecars. Two years later, this quiet Californian was attempting to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.

His first 500 attempt came with failure. The experience of not making the 33-car field came with learning opportunities and a random meeting that would change the course of Mears' life. Enter Roger Penske. The famed racing team owner tabbed the virtually unknown racer to pilot one of his open-wheeled beasts. The duo blossomed into what became one of the most successful driver-car owner combinations in the sports' history.

Mears' style was calm and calculated. Rick admits that his demeaner led to an embarrassing and potentially dangerous moment in the opening laps of his first Indy 500. It was so bad, that he didn't even want to cue the radio to tell Roger Penske. It's a story you have to hear to believe.

Rick says that "being strapped to a bomb," inside of an Indycar, will teach a racecar driver to go to the limit of speed and not go over. How did a young Mears deal with the ever-present factory of fear and develop the uncanny ability to walk a car to the edge of disaster so successfully?

While his early career was pretty clean, disaster did strike Mears eventually. He admits to Dale Jr. and Mike that the horrific crash at San Air in Canada that left his feet shattered, was caused by driver error. Mears survived the crash but endured through most of his career feeling the pain caused by the incident. Mears became a four-time Indy 500 Champion, a feat only accomplished by three other drivers in the 104th running of the world's most famous race. But during some of those wins, Mears viewed Indy as just another race. It wasn't until later in his racing life, that he learned to appreciate what Indianapolis truly meant.

Out of a curiosity created by filming the tv show "Lost Speedways" Mike Davis inquires about Rick Mears' take on the USAC / CART split in 1979. This question leads to Mears revealing that he had once tested a Formula-1 car and even had a signed contract with Bernie Ecclestone. Why did Mears stay the course in American open-wheel racing rather than a move overseas to the world of F1?

Mears opens up about his disastrous 1992 Indy crash and the change in his mindset that led to hanging up the helmet. While many wanted him to go for an unprecedented 5th Indy 500 win, Mears knew it was his time to walk away.

OPEN SEGMENT

Before Mears entered the Bojangles Studio, the DJD gang took a fresh new swing at the "Open Segment" of the show to talk about:

Kyle Busch leaving his racecar on pit road and walking away to the garage at Darlington.
Joey Logano's controversial last lap contact with William Byron for the win. Is Joey doing it right? How should Byron handle it moving forward?
Dale Jr. and Rutledge Wood's role in the Kentucky Derby broadcast and the awkwardness of interviewing Jack Harlow and Drake.
What should the "Open Segment" of the show be called anyway?

ASKJR presented by Xfinity

Hannah Newhouse serves up fan questions about:

Miami's F1 Weekend
Strange Things Dale has autographed.
North Wilkesboro Speedway News

Dale's Rich Strike moment and more!

Check out Dirty Mo Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMedia

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380 - Ricky Carmichael: The GOAT May 03, 2022

Show notes

"The GOAT" Ricky Carmichael sits down with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and co-host Mike Davis for a fascinating discussion about his decorated career as the greatest motocross and supercross, rider of all-time, his brief go at NASCAR and much more.

Dale Jr. admits that when Carmichael enters a room, the room changes. Ricky brings much more than an impressive resume to the Bojangles Studio. He brings honesty and openness about the ups and downs of his career. From dirt to riches, he details his humble beginnings in Florida and how a 5-year-old went from riding a three-wheel bike to becoming a 2-wheel racing icon. Carmichael admits, he didn't race for himself, but his parents. They were the motivation he used to succeed in his early riding days. He reveals that for years, he actually hated dirt bikes.

Racing MX / SX takes more than just God-given talent, it takes bravery. Dale Jr. and Mike get Ricky to talk about the mindset that it takes to make it in such a wild sport. At first came failure, than a dedication to his craft that led him to finally beat the great Jeremy McGrath in 2001. Then, in 2002 and 2004, Carmichael did the unthinkable. He was perfect. 24 wins in 24 races, for two seasons, solidified his status as a legend of the game. But in between the success' was heartache, tough business decisions and injuries, that threatened it all. Hear how Carmichael raced through a torn ACL to try to progress his racing career.

RC talks about his current life as a broadcaster and how the passionate and vocal Supercross fanbase makes his job even more of a challenge. He opens up about the business side from the various perspectives he's had as a rider, a broadcaster and a team owner in the MX/SX ranks. Do present-day riders get paid what they should? "Someone's making money," says Carmichael.

Ricky's retirement form motorcycle racing in 2007 sent shockwaves across the sport. But it wasn't the end of his racing career, he just added two wheels! A conversation with Kasey Kahne and a test session in a Ray Evernham Late Model at Hickory Speedway in North Carolina, led to the start of his Stock Car Racing career. Ricky details why he made the decision to sign with Ginn racing over the Joe Gibbs development program. The move put him running Super Late Models in his home state of Florida under the tutelage of NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin. When the Ginn team collapsed, the next move put him in an ARCA racecar for the legendary Ken Schrader's team. Their success led to a call from Kevin Harvick and a shot at the big leagues in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In three years he racked up four top-five finishes in the Trucks and a handful of Xfinity Series starts.

With long-time partner Monster Energy, the next step in his career was just one signature away. The plan had Carmichael splitting the seat with Kyle Busch in a Kyle Busch Motorsports Xfinity Series car. Just how did two separate Busch brother controversies lead to the collapse of a deal in the final hour? For the first time, Carmichael opens up about what happened and how it pretty much ended his NASCAR career.

OPEN SEGMENT

Before Ricky Carmichael came into the studio, The Download welcomed Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Marks to the table. They touch on the sudden success of the new team. But, what Marks really came for, was to reveal the Darlington throwback scheme for both of his NASCAR Cup Series cars. The announcement and execution of the liveries had Dale Jr. breathless.

ASKJR PRESENTED BY XFINITY

Hannah Newhouse brings fan questions from Xfinity Twitter and the Dirty Mo Media YouTube about:

JRM's 1,2,4,5 finish and how Door Bumper Clear is the Kyle Busch of Motorsports media.
Monday Night Racing and how it has led to an increase in "wreck avoidance".
How to achieve a Throwback Eclipse in NASCAR
How Ross the Renter is a bona fide contender for the child. Oh, and Dale gives insight into Chastain's post-race talk with Martin Truex Jr.
A possible DEI racecar graveyard

Check out Dirty Mo Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMedia

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379 - Earnhardt Stories: Horses, Hunts and Hangovers Apr 26, 2022

Show notes

On this edition of The Dale Jr. Download, Dale Jr., co-host Mike Davis and special guests take a look back at some of the best Earnhardt stories of all-time.

We reach far into the way-back machine to a couch discussion with NASCAR Hall of Famer Terry Labonte. Labonte was on the receiving end of one of the more famous shots from the front bumper of The Intimidator's No, 3 car at Bristol Motor Speedway. Just how did "Texas Terry" balance the awkwardness of being hunting buddies and fierce competitors during the peak of both of their careers. Dale Jr. and great friend Hank Parker Jr. talk about the relationship their father's had and how it helped their's blossom. It leads the table to learn of one of the funniest Dale Earnhardt hunting stories of all time! Dale Earnhardt's long-time car owner and great friend Richard Childress shares intimate details of a hunting trip that resulted in near tragedy. How did a campfire promise made on the trip keep Richard Childress racing after the death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001?

Last but not least, one of the most popular guests on The Download, the legendary Ken Schrader, shares the story of all stories. Dale Jr. calls it "The Trip," and boy was it a trip! When you mix a teenage Dale Jr. with dirt track veteran Ken Schrader, and add in nudie magazines, beer, hitchhiking and a strip club, you get quite the damn story. It's a trip that drew the ire of "Dad" Earnhardt. As for Schrader? He ultimately paid the price.

OPEN SEGMENT

Before reminiscing on Earnhardt stories, Mike and Dale discuss something that has been on their minds leading up to the up-coming NASCAR Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway. The two friends share their real feelings about what has become a cherished part of the NASCAR season, what it may look like, and how the entire industry should approach it.

ASKJR presented by Xfinity

Hannah Newhouse brings fan questions to the table of truth.
Who on the Dirty Mo Media team have habits that annoy me. It gets super-honest and hilarious.
The Adam Petty shoes Dale showed on MTV Cribs back in the day.
Racecar numbers slanting forward or backwards?
Designing a racetrack from scratch.
Plenty of time to pick on producer Matthew Dillner

Check out Dirty Mo Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMedia

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378 - Greg Olsen: Show Your Scars Apr 19, 2022

Show notes

The NFL and NASCAR combine as a pair of well-known 88's, three-time Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen joins two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the table of truth. Olsen opens up to Dale Jr. and co-host Mike Davis about his journey from a local New Jersey football family to playing in the National Football League. The two athletes met years ago, and forged a solid friendship through shared charitable endeavors..

Thanks our new sponsor Ally, Olsen walked into the Bojangles studio ready to hit the ground running. He detailed the ups and downs of his football life and the values instilled in him by his father that he took along with him every step of the way. Dale Jr. and Greg share their thoughts on the psychology of raising children in a sport and that there is more valuable lessons to be learned by a young mind than just winning a game. Pro football player Olsen is now coach-dad on the baseball field for his children's teams..

Olsen talks about the process of being recruited by colleges during his high school football career and the realities involved in the process. We learn that his father made Greg do something very difficult to let down the coaches from the schools that he wasn't choosing. In doing so he taught some valuable lessons. He also reveals his tenure with Notre Dame and the tough decision to vacate the famed Indiana-based academy for the palm trees of Miami beach and the University of Miami Hurricanes.

Curiosity over the combine events that scout college players before they are drafter in the NFL, Dale Jr. gets Greg Olsen to open up about his experience at the event. It's a rare peek into what really happens between player reps, scouts and teams during the NFL Combine. It also lets us in the killer-instinct and mental game that Olsen used throughout much of his football career. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound tight end offers his memories of getting drafted by the Chicago Bears in the first round. Then a few years later, one of the worst trades in Bears history sent Olsen to the North Carolina to play for the Carolina Panthers. Olsen saw the majority of his success in Carolina, and gives us a look behind the curtain of NFL locker room life. What was it like playing with star quarterback Cam Newton? Was the polarizing figure a distraction? Olsen also details getting released by the Panthers and the many difficulties he faced in his year with the Seattle Seahawks, from the CoVid-19 pandemic to coaching, that helped lead to his decision to retire from the game.

The biggest fight Olsen faced didn't come from a linebacker or a free-safety. It came from within his family. In 2012, he and wife Kara gave birth to twins T.J. and Talbot. T.J. was born with a congenital heart defect that required multiple surgeries, including three open-heart procedures. In 2021, his heart started to fail. T.J. received a heart transplant and is now an active nine-year-old boy. Olsen opens up about the decisions to share the incredibly tough journey with the public.

OPEN SEGMENT

Before Greg Olsen came into the Dirty Mo Media Bojangles studio, Dale Jr., Mike and the gang unpacked some feelings about the recent news of North Wilkesboro Speedway coming off the Lost Speedways list to host racing again. They explain how it’s now up to the fans to prove that North Wilkesboro, and other small market tracks like it, are viable racing facilities, by showing up to the races. Dale's ready to tailgate, are you? The revival has Dale Jr. so excited, that he is even thinking about hopping in a racecar himself at the historic North Carolina track. Wait, what? It's a revelation that had us all floored.

ASKJR presented by Xfinity

Hanna Newhouse brings fan questions from @XfinityRacing on twitter about:

Dale Jr. joining the Fox broadcast team for the Talladega race.
Cruising the Talladega infield
The time Dale Jr. drove a Petty-43 Ford at Nashville Fairgrounds
Dale Earnhardt's role in the motion picture "BASEketball.”

Check out Dirty Mo Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMedia

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377 - Cathy Watkins: The Undefeated Earnhardt Apr 13, 2022

Show notes

There's nothing like the bond of family. This week Dale Earnhardt Jr. welcomes in his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller to sit down with their Aunt, Cathy Watkins, for a peek behind the curtain of the Earnhardt story.

From V8 and Sedan street in Kannapolis, NC a motorsports legacy was born. The King of the dirt tracks, Ralph Earnhardt, was tearing up the circuit feeding his family with race wins and working on racecars. Of course, in 1952 came the birth of his son Dale Earnhardt, regarded as one of the best stock car racers of all-time. But before there was a Dale, there was a Cathy. Aunt Cathy wanted to be one of the boys. She loved washing parts in Ralph's backyard racing shop. But soon came womanhood and she was removed from the male-dominated garage. That was a tough pill to swallow. Ya see, Cathy was born into a true passion for racing. A few years later, Cathy was able to show her racing worth in what was then known as "Powder-Puff" races. The all-female races were an added bonus to a local short track racing program. But to an Earnhardt, it was a chance to win. In a span of decade, Cathy went ten-for-ten in Powder Puff events to become the only undefeated Earnhardt.

Cathy gives a personal look into what it was like to grow up in the Earnhardt house in Kannapolis. She details the unrelenting strictness of Ralph Earnhardt and what was expected of them as children. She also reveals that Ralph Earnhardt did more than just work on his own cars, he worked on liquor cars for legendary racer and moonshiner Junior Johnson. Watkins lets us in on details about Ralph's health and the heart attack that caused his untimely death in 1973. She explains how seeing the shop door closed behind the house was crushing.

After Ralph's passing, Dale Earnhardt used his iron-clad work ethic to create opportunities to race. He was a self-made racer that eventually made it to the pinnacle of the sport. That success on track came at the cost of his family life. Two failed marriages and drama created an inconsistent childhood for Dale Jr. and Kelley. The three Earnhardts talk about the complications of family dynamic. They share memories of the fight between Dale's mom Brenda and Dale's wife Teresa and more.

Cathy's racing life didn't end after her ten race wins. She developed a relationship with one of Dale's crew members, Mike Watkins. She shares how they kept the relationship hidden from Dale Earnhardt for a while. The sneaking around led to a long-time marriage and a shared life on the road working souvenir haulers at NASCAR tracks and on the road for the Earnhardt family. Working at the track, Cathy developed a true passion for conversing with race fans. Oh, except that one time they said ugly things about her brother. That's a story you have to hear!

OPEN SEGMENT

Before Aunt Cathy came into the studio, Dale Jr..and sister Kelley chatted about about:

The NASCAR Xfinity Series dust-up on track between JR Motorsports driver Sam Mayer and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs. They detail the fight that followed on pit road.
Dale's enjoyment back behind the wheel at Martinsville.
What's going on with the Cup cars on short tracks?

ASKJR Presented by Xfinity

Hannah Newhouse hits Dale Jr. with fan questions talking about:

JR Motorsports Late Model boys racing with Layne Riggs at Greenville Pickens
Having Isla and Nicole at the track watching daddy race.
Noah's White Claw, getting to like beer and developing Sun Drop and Vodka drinks.
Should Ty Gibbs have taken off his helmet to fight?
Five tracks Dale Jr. would want to race on more than once a year. Including a cryptic North Wilkesboro mention. Hmm.

Check out Dirty Mo Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMedia

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376 - Robert Wickens: Unbreak-able Apr 05, 2022

Show notes

Being paralyzed from a horrific racing crash has not stopped the drive of Robert Wickens. The paraplegic racer shares his inspirational story with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and co-host Mike Davis.

His story is also unorthodox. How did he get into racing? The exposure came from television, NASCAR and a bootleg, sex-free version of Days of Thunder. Dale Jr. and Robert connect on the mutual bond of matchbox cars, which they both, as children, used to emulate the races they watched. The two racers laugh sharing memories of innovating their makeshift tracks. The passion grew and a decision to abandon stick-and-ball sports led Wickens to go-kart racing. From there, his career took off. He moved to the states and then to Europe chasing his dream.

While in Europe he navigated the pathway up the motorsports ladder in various series of competition. It was a journey that took him from open-wheeled racecars to German touring cars with Mercedes. While in the Mercedes program, his path even crossed with Formula 1 great Michael Schumacher, who served as an advisor to the team. Wickens earned his FIA Super license and was a reserve driver for a Formula 1 team. He was under contract with an F1 organization but the opportunity was severed by a driver with a bigger checkbook.

Wickens’ return to North America came with an opportunity to race in the NTT Indycar Series fulltime with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. The rookie came out of the gate with authority capturing the pole at the ending of the qualifying session at the season opener at the St. Petersburg course in Florida. Wickens then led the majority of the race before controversial contact with two laps to go between he and his good friend Alexander Rossi. The incident took him out contention for the win.

His Indycar progression was going well. Then August 19, 2018. Wickens lined up 6th for the 500-mile race at the tricky Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania. The seventh lap would change Robert Wickens life forever. While battling Ryan Hunter-Reay, a crash sent his car into the catchfence violently at a speed of 210 mph. Wickens tries to recall the scattered memories he has of the day, that live in bits and pieces in his mind.

The accident resulted in badly fractured legs, arms, hands, ribs, neck, a pulmonary contusion and thoracic spinal fracture. Robert Wickens survived the crash but was now faced with being a paraplegic. Wickens reveals what he knows about the time he spent in an induced coma and the struggle to just survive.. He then opens up about the pain he endured from his injuries, both physically and mentally, and the ripple effect its had on so many people in his life.

His journey since the crash has been damn-near miraculous. Driven by a thirst for independence and a desire to return to racing, Robert Wickens fought through various levels of rehabilitation to get to his ultimate goal. That goal? Strapping in behind the wheel of a racecar. At first, E-Sports and iRacing were his proving grounds. Now, the next chapter has begun as Wickens is competing in IMSA's Pilot Series for Hyundai in a racecar with hand-controls.

It's a journey that has inspired so many, including everyone in the room.

OPEN SEGMENT

Before Wickens' arrival, Dale Earnhardt Jr. reveals what it was like to be a part of the nomination panel, for the first time, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The DJD then debates who they would select from that list to make it into the next class of the HOF. Who should be in the Hall and why?

ASKJR Presented By Xfinity

Hannah Newhouse picks the best fan questions from Twitter and the Dirty Mo Media live chat. We discuss:
April fools and dirty pranks
Danica Patrick catching the bouquet at Dale and Amy's wedding.
The advantage of tape on the grille of your racecar after Kyle Busch's penalty.
How the Next Gen car will do on dirt.
How iRacing will get its hands dirty in the console game scene.
Who built the table?

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375 - Ricky Craven: My True North Mar 29, 2022

Show notes

It is rare to hear two racecar drivers, stripped of the machismo attitude that comes from being a fierce competitor, talk about their most vulnerable moments. Former NASCAR driver and television analyst Ricky Craven sits down with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mike Davis for one of the most honest conversations between racers you will ever hear. From broken relationships, near tragic crashes, concussions to depression, it's a conversation that sheds light on parts of racing that are not often discussed.

Craven cut his teeth on the Short Tracks of New England, following in his father's footsteps as a racer. The introduction to auto racing, as we learn, is one of the only lessons his father offered the young Maine racer. From Chargers. ACT Tour Late Models to the highly competitive Busch North Series, Craven's stock was rising. When opportunity came knocking, Craven jumped on it. His move south, into NASCAR's upper ranks, didn't come without challenges and valuable lessons. Some of those lessons, came from an unexpected source, the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Craven's ascension into the elite NASCAR Cup Series came with some early success. In 1996, he was sixth in the standings when the green flag dropped at the massive Talladega Superspeedway. But it was a red flag at lap 129, caused by a savage crash that saw Craven airborne into the catchfence and flying over five cars, that started his struggles mentally and physically. Craven broke his back in the wreck, but came back to the seat right away.

A year later, Craven landed his dream job piloting the Budweiser No. 25 Cup car for one of the best teams in the sport, Hendrick Motorsports. That dream, quickly became a nightmare, as a series of bad accidents led to a serious head injury when Craven crashed during practice at Texas Motor Speedway. Helicoptered to a hospital, the severity of his injuries kept him from the cherished seat he had earned. Eventually, Ricky returned. He fought through the symptoms that lingered after the crash. About a year later, Craven had to take himself out of the racecar, after being diagnosed with Post-Concussion Syndrome. He opens up about how he was feeling and what he was going through at the time.

As if a challenging upbringing, a wildly competitive sport, and concussion issues weren't enough, Craven was also dealing with depression. It wasn't until later in life, that the charismatic New Englander figured out, with the help of friend Dale Jr. and his doctor Mickey Collins, what his "true north" was. Craven shares the experiences battling depression and how he finds the inner-peace to make it through.

Dale Jr. and Ricky share the commonality of going through serious head trauma. They share their viewpoints on a sport where it was once taboo to admit you are hurt and how it affected their careers and lives.

It's a polarizing discussion that you don't want to miss.

OPEN SEGMENT

During our Open Segment Dale Jr. and Mike talk about the controversial finish at the Circuit of the America's (COTA) and what people should expect out of the young and aggressive Ross Chastain in the future.
Dale Jr. also expresses his distain for "Track Limits" in NASCAR.
They discuss Denny Hamlin's tweet an the public response to on-track incidents. Dale Jr. explains Reaction vs Reputation.

ASKJR Presented by Xfinity

Hannah Newhouse hits Dale Jr. with some interesting questions from our fans and we learn a lot from the answers.

Dale Jr. gives us his plan for prepping for his line NASCAR Xfinity Series race of 2022.
What does Dale Jr. and Mike Davis think of Will Smith's slap heard around the world? Was it for real?
Dale wants a fireball. The candy!
Le Mans or No Lemans? Dale also weighs in on Hendrick Motorsports’ participation
How the upper ranks of the sport can help Short Track Racing
Thoughts on the Foo Fighters after the tragic passing of Taylor Hawkins

Check out Dirty Mo Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMedia

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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