The Racing Writer's Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 255 | Brittany Force Mar 13, 2023

Show notes

Brittany Force enters a new season as a two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion and is hungry for more. But before we talk racing, Force shares how she got away from racing over the last few months traveling around the country; having extracurricular activities away from racing; what she learned to enjoy or do from the first championship to the second championship; digesting and appreciating the run her team had in the Countdown last year; what it was like to watch the first round at Pomona with the title on the line; getting crew chief David Grubnic his first championship; if her team can hit the 340 mph mark this season and if she wants to; balancing breaking records but not getting the race win; the work done in preseason testing; having a new car this year; having crew members all switch positions a year after winning a championship; the battle to constantly evolve; the growing depth of the Top Fuel field; the motivation in drag racing from the number on the side of the car; setting new challenges for herself every year; the addition of competition within competitions in the sport; returning to Chicago this year; needing an update to the Twitter bio.
Music created by Tony Monge.
Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Ep. 254 | Brian Lohnes Mar 06, 2023

Show notes

That damn Brian Lohnes! Once you hear the conversation you’ll be in on the joke because Brian is a wonderful guy that is really good at what he does. In our conversation you’ll learn everywhere you can find Brian; the early work to becoming an announcer and sleeping at racetracks; taking in the moments his voice will be connected to in NHRA history; the necessity of being a jack of all trades; the origin story of his love of cars and racing, and how consuming it became; the live and in-person experience of drag racing; having other racetrack experience that bleeds into his current role; the lightbulb moment of a broadcasting career and what a tryout with drag racing entails; how an NHRA on Fox broadcast works for a mostly non-live sporting event; the work to be honest on the broadcast about what the viewer is seeing; the state of NHRA going into 2023; how the Pro Stock division has come back to life; the chase for 340 mph; a class-by-class breakdown of what to expect this season.
Music created by Tony Monge.
Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Ep. 253 | Josh Bilicki Feb 27, 2023

Show notes

Josh Bilicki is back for another season of NASCAR racing in both the Xfinity Series and Cup Series, but before he does that, he experienced the Chili Bowl for the first time. Bilicki shares what it was like to compete in Tulsa; why he wanted to try his hand at the biggest dirt event in the country; if seat time of any kind actually helps a driver hone their craft; turning right to go left on dirt; why he is not based in the Charlotte hub; choosing a stock car path despite having a background and love of road course racing; shooting his shot with a Facebook message to get a NASCAR ride; taking charge of his destiny; all that Bilicki handles on his own for his career; the mental balance of businessman and driver; what being a driver coach looks like; better weighing his career options and business deals; what is going on in the middle of the pack that might not be seen; the weird journey of Next Gen; being attractive to sponsors; the surrealness of his life; details on his part-time deal with DGM Racing; why people want to drive for B.J. McLeod and Matt Tifft; why 2023 will be different for Bilicki.
Music created by Tony Monge.
Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Ep. 252 | Wayne Auton Feb 20, 2023

Show notes

Wayne Auton is the managing director of the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and that means he wears many different hats. Auton keeps things and people in order, and he had to do plenty of that in 2022, so we begin our conversation on the balance of being a mentor but also an enforcer. We then shift into a lesson about having drivers sign autographs and Auton’s mentors; the lack of a family nickname; a family history in racing but not wanting to be a driver; working his way up the ranks starting at Hickory Motor Speedway; overseeing the Craftsman Truck Series in its inaugural season; if the job changes when going into different series; Auton’s outlook for the 2023 Xfinity Series season.
Music created by Tony Monge.
Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Ep. 251 | Lindsey Mandia Feb 13, 2023

Show notes

Lindsey Mandia is the VP of production at Fox Sports, and she is in the middle of a three-week stretch working on the Busch Light Clash, the Super Bowl, and the Daytona 500. Mandia explains how the second year of planning production for the Clash will be different from the first; what Fox brought to NASCAR about presenting the Clash; what exactly the VP of production does; managing the talent; the birth of ideas, and the ones that never see the light of day; the Clash vs. the Super Bowl vs. the Daytona 500; a football broadcast vs. a racing broadcast; preparing for everything leading up to a live event; where Mandia is stationed during a broadcast; busy work and life balance; the birth of the virtual Race Hub studio; plugging into other sports; broadcast bucket list.
Music created by Tony Monge.
Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Ep. 250 | Amanda Busick Feb 06, 2023

Show notes

Amanda Busick loves to work and loves motor sports, which is why you’ll never see her in just one place. Busick is most known for being the top-end reporter for NHRA on Fox, but she has some news to share on the podcast in addition to taking us into how she got to where she is today. We start by learning how she kept busy in the winter without racing; the catalyst to saying ‘yes’ to everything; branching into NASCAR for Fox Sports; compartmentalizing each job and being present; balancing racing consumption and taking breaks; what makes Busick uncomfortable with how many series she covers; falling in love with sports and racing at an early age; being a child of trauma and the bond created with Mom; having to pivot away from broadcasting early in her career to sell meat; fitting into the drag racing community; what it’s like reporting from the top end of the NHRA track and the pressure that comes in those chaotic moments; being at peace with stories that never get told; the reason behind the signature red lipstick; moments of appreciation; if the dream looks like what Busick hoped for it to be.
Music created by Tony Monge.
Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Ep. 249 | Mike Bagley Jan 30, 2023

Show notes

Mike Bagley is a turn announcer with Motor Racing Network (MRN) and co-host of The Morning Drive on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (7 a.m. – 11 a.m., Mon. – Fri.) Bagley joins the show to discuss various topics about his roles, including what he would be doing after a SiriusXM show and where he’s normally located for the show; being a big notetaker and prep work; the approach to an early morning daily talk show; working with David Poole in his early days of TMD; what makes Bagley and Pete Pistone work well together; becoming an interviewer; the responsibility and value of having a NASCAR official visit the channel every week; learning radio broadcasts from the greats; the carpets, radio, and matchbox cars that shaped his fandom; seeing the evolution of radio over time; breaking out of being an introvert; struggling to take a compliment; the view of going from fan to professional; consuming racing content; what else is still to do in his racing career.
Music created by Tony Monge.
Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Ep. 248 | Julie Giese Oct 24, 2022

Show notes

Julie Giese is preparing for her final race as president of Phoenix Raceway before shifting to the Chicago street course. Giese explains what goes on a racetrack in the final weeks before an event; how championship weekend is different from spring race weekend; what being a track president means; sitting with race fans for the start of the events; going from a dairy farm to working in racing; what it was like to come into NASCAR in 2001 during an intense time for the sport; experiences and projects that get thrown your way while in marketing and communications; being involved in finding her successor at Phoenix; overseeing the Chicago street course; addressing the concerns over the event; being involved in seeing if it was even possible to do; praise from the industry of her name being attached to big projects; learning hustle and work ethic from the farm; if knowing the Midwest will help in any way plan the Chicago street event; some of the important things on her agenda; what she’s looking forward to in her final Phoenix weekend.
Music created by Tony Monge.
Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Ep. 247 | Andrew Combs (SHR executive chef) Oct 17, 2022

Show notes

Andrew Combs is the executive chef for Stewart-Haas Racing, but what exactly does that entail? Combs takes us inside a busy week leading into the Charlotte Roval; what prep looks like before a race weekend; previous roles in the sport before turning to cooking; trying to describe the setup in the garage; knowing when it’s time to start feeding everyone; putting together complex meals; having his working station custom made; how the equipment travels; sticking to favorites versus changing things up; accommodating for diets and other preferences; having a Smithfield sponsorship; how many people Combs feeds on a given weekend; watching and comparing to other team cooks; having a culinary degree and a long-time love of cooking; rules and regulations of the garage; having a Facebook page to share his cooking and racing adventures; doing some filming with the Food Network; what is the most fulfilling for Combs in his job.
Music created by Tony Monge.
Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Ep. 246 | Don Hawk Oct 10, 2022

Show notes

Don Hawk is the CEO of SRX, and he’s educating us on the business side of racing. We start by debriefing on the second season of SRX and Hawk’s first with the group; the decision to leave Speedway Motorsports and SRX not being on the radar but quickly developing; how SRX is a new challenge in business; what Hawk wanted to do coming into SRX compared to how the season played out; having a long term vision for SRX and having the resources to do so; SRX’s relationship with NASCAR and other series; the 1 million viewers being the mark; Hawk’s background including the Earnhardt’s, Speedway Motorsports, NASCAR, and Kulwicki; building trust to be successful in business; having a relationship with drivers being an advantage on the business side; if there is concern the shine will wear off SRX; if there is anything else to be added to his plate.
Music created by Tony Monge.
Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

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