The Racing Writer's Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 135 | Daniel Hemric Aug 31, 2020

Show notes

Daniel Hemric was still in the middle of adapting and learning a new team at JR Motorsports and then he had to adapt to racing during a pandemic. Hemric joins the show to discuss how he deals with isolating before the race and handling additional responsibilities. Then we get into the mixed bag of results for the 8 team; if there is any concern about the lack of a NASCAR win; explaining the inexperience of his team; whether Hemric has refocused and settled himself down; how difficult it’s been for a part-time driver to build with a team during such an unusual season; the role SMT data has played in the Xfinity Series; adjusting to not being in a car every week after six full seasons in NASCAR; what is the best way to use the time on the weekends he’s not in the car; stories on his throwback paint scheme honoring John Andretti; previewing Darlington. Music created by Tony Monge.
Wear the moment with BreakingT and connect to the players and teams you love by commemorating the best moments with real-time apparel. To check out their racing collection, visit www.breakingt.com/Kelly.

Ep. 134 | Alex Andrejev (Charlotte Observer) Aug 24, 2020

Show notes

On the podcast this week is fellow reporter Alex Andrejev, who covers NASCAR and MLS for the Charlotte Observer. If you don’t follow Andrejev, you’ll get to know her as she explains what it’s like to start covering a new sport, learn on the fly, and then to do it all during a global pandemic. Also, where she was previously; how and why she got the Observer job; if it has been overwhelming or exciting to cover a year filled with headlines; her first Daytona Speedweeks experience; how Andrejev splits her focus between NASCAR and MLS; what the draw to journalism was; the effort to learn the sport; what has been hard to grasp and what she wants to know; things she is looking forward to as the season winds down; if she hopes to cover the sport for years to come. Music created by Tony Monge.
Wear the moment with BreakingT and connect to the players and teams you love by commemorating the best moments with real-time apparel. To check out their racing collection, visit www.breakingt.com/Kelly.

Ep. 133 | Jade Gurss Aug 17, 2020

Show notes

John Andretti passed away in late January after battling colon cancer, but not before he worked with Jade Gurss to produce his autobiography. Gurss takes us inside how the idea came about, the process of writing the book, and who John Andretti was. John had an incredible memory that led to retelling great stories; being the ‘other’ Andretti; if working on the book was therapeutic for John during his cancer battle; if there was anything left of the project when John passed; conversations that took place about the project should John not see it to completion; the balance in working with John and not overwhelming him; how Gurss makes sure each subject (Dale Earnhardt Jr., Darrell Waltrip, John Andretti) come through accurately; the hidden gems that Gurss enjoyed hearing; how much time he typically spends with a subject; laying out a book project and what it’s like to be deep into it; a story he would love to tell or thinks should be told; why racing fans should read this book, even if they weren’t John Andretti followers. Music created by Tony Monge.
Purchase your copy of ‘RACER’ through Octane Press and be reading before its Sept. 1 release date: https://t.co/tTusa0CrSg
Wear the moment with BreakingT and connect to the players and teams you love by commemorating the best moments with real-time apparel. To check out their racing collection, visit www.breakingt.com/Kelly.

Ep. 132 | Matt Tifft Aug 10, 2020

Show notes

Matt Tifft is back on the podcast to let everyone know how he’s been doing since having to step away from NASCAR because of two seizures late last year. Tifft describes going through the two seizures, what he thinks brought them on, and the journey to find answers. He explains how he combats the stress and anxiety of knowing they could happen again; the emotions of having to vacate his car at Front Row Motorsports; watching races now as a fan and being honest in his opinions on Twitter; how long it took for the disappointment of not racing to go away; if Tifft still wants to race one day, and what needs to happen for that to occur; and how he’s keeping busy these days. Music created by Tony Monge.
Upgrade your personal and professional sound and style with JBL. Visit www.JBL.com for speakers, headphones, gaming products, and other accessories.
Wear the moment with BreakingT and connect to the players and teams you love by commemorating the best moments with real-time apparel. To check out their racing collection, visit www.breakingt.com/Kelly.

Ep. 131 | Tyler Reddick Aug 03, 2020

Show notes

This week we welcome Tyler Reddick back to the podcast to check-in, first, with how fatherhood has been and then his rookie NASCAR Cup Series season. Any surprises for Reddick? How he’s had to be more aware of his race car in the Cup Series; an explanation of what is different for rookies going from Xfinity to Cup; how it has been Turn 1 on lap 1 each week; if he’s having to prepare differently or study more this year; the most challenging part of this season; the comfort in having Randall Burnett as his crew chief; if the run to the playoffs will be stressful or exciting; what his responsibility is to prepare for the Daytona road course and all its variables; if anything has changed at RCR since Austin Dillon’s win at Texas; what the next step is for the company to be closer and inside the top 10; how much the random draw impacts race strategy; how Reddick keeps busy while isolated at the track, and how drivers are handling responsibilities like never before; his view of such a unique season (likes and dislikes); if his rookie season will lack without a win or playoff berth. Music created by Tony Monge.
Upgrade your personal and professional sound and style with JBL. Visit www.JBL.com for speakers, headphones, gaming products, and other accessories.
Wear the moment with BreakingT and connect to the players and teams you love by commemorating the best moments with real-time apparel. To check out their racing collection, visit www.breakingt.com/Kelly.

Ep. 130 | B.J. McLeod Jul 27, 2020

Show notes

B.J. McLeod makes his debut on the podcast with an in-depth interview that helps shed light on who he is and how he got to NASCAR. We start with an overview of his season and how he came to own a Cup Series team; how the relationships work for him to own teams but drive for other owners; how his racing career started before his fourth birthday; the very successful path McLeod had to NASCAR; the excellent explanation on the approach of being a lapped car and not interfering with the leaders; a never told before story of racing without radio communication and doing his own spotting and fuel mileage from behind the wheel; if other drivers have given him feedback on how he races; standing out for his unique look in the garage; whether he believes some stories and personalities get overlooked; who he is away from racing; why he needed to have a driver development program; what is fun about racing; what the long-term goal and plan are for his career. Music created by Tony Monge.
Upgrade your personal and professional sound and style with JBL. Visit www.JBL.com for speakers, headphones, gaming products, and other accessories.
Wear the moment with BreakingT and connect to the players and teams you love by commemorating the best moments with real-time apparel. To check out their racing collection, visit www.breakingt.com/Kelly.

Ep. 129 | Coleman Pressley Jul 20, 2020

Show notes

Coleman Pressley serves as the eyes in the sky for drivers in all three NASCAR series throughout a race weekend, and he’s going to share all about it. Six years into being on the spotter’s stand, Pressley works with some competitive drivers, but it’s been tougher than usual recently because COVID restrictions have spotters positioned in unfamiliar places. Pressley shares how it’s been to adapt and how he goes about communicating with other spotters. In only his second year working with Brad Keselowski, Pressley also explains how it’s different spotting for a front-running driver versus working with someone mid-pack, if Pressley must change things going from one driver to another, and building chemistry when paired with a new driver. Pressley reveals whether spotters do their own version of homework each week, how spotters can help a younger driver, if he gets worked up on the radio, and if being a former driver helps with his gut instinct of making calls. Plus, if it was hard to give up racing and when Pressley knew he was moving onto something else, all the connections between him, Keselowski, and Joey Logano, how the aero package affects Pressley’s spotting. Pressley offers what fans might not know about the job and the feeling of winning races. Music created by Tony Monge.
Upgrade your personal and professional sound and style with JBL. Visit www.JBL.com for speakers, headphones, gaming products, and other accessories.
Wear the moment with BreakingT and connect to the players and teams you love by commemorating the best moments with real-time apparel. To check out their racing collection, visit www.breakingt.com/Kelly.

Ep. 128 | Timmy Hill Jul 13, 2020

Show notes

Timmy Hill has been a busy guy this season, and he joins the podcast for the first time to talk about all it. Hill routinely runs multiple races a weekend in addition to being an avid iRacing user. Hear all about the MBM Motorsports team, how it operates, and going full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, how not having practice has been a relief, and what constitutes a good weekend. Hill looks back on the attention he received during the pandemic as NASCAR put on televised iRacing events, if anything carried over into the real world, and the many challenges a small team faces racing at the Cup Series level. And he gets honest about what keeps him coming back and going through the good days and the bad days. Hill also discusses the stories and personalities that get looked over, and how bothersome that is on a day when his team overachieves. We also discuss how being a Truck Series team owner makes Hill a better driver, how racing became a part of the Hill family (his dad raced and brother races), his rapid rise into NASCAR, and how he approaches trying to take the next step in his career. Lastly, Hill on whether with all his experience, he feels like he belongs and has respect in the garage. Music created by Tony Monge.
Upgrade your personal and professional sound and style with JBL. Visit www.JBL.com for speakers, headphones, gaming products, and other accessories.
Wear the moment with BreakingT and connect to the players and teams you love by commemorating the best moments with real-time apparel. To check out their racing collection, visit www.breakingt.com/Kelly.

Ep. 127 | Antron Brown Jul 05, 2020

Show notes

Three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Antron Brown has been home more than ever before, and not only has he stayed busy around the house, he’s learned a lot about his children, and they’ve been able to use this time as a life lesson. Brown joins the podcast to discuss the upcoming NHRA return and how that will look during a pandemic, such as how the schedule will play out and the excitement many have. He also shares about the racing dynamic within the family with Brown’s two sons being drivers, their competitiveness, and how he felt about them getting into drag racing. Team ownership is next on the agenda for Brown, and he breaks down why he is getting into such a venture and what his long-term goal is for doing so. Plus, a preview of getting back to racing, where Brown feels his team stacks up, getting past a gremlin that had been plaguing them, and the surreal numbers he’s achieved in his career. How much can Brown process in 3.7 seconds? We reflect on some of his biggest accidents, bringing in NASCAR talk when it comes to steering, and where Brown feels the NHRA is with its popularity. Music created by Tony Monge.
Upgrade your personal and professional sound and style with JBL. Visit www.JBL.com for speakers, headphones, gaming products, and other accessories.
Wear the moment with BreakingT and connect to the players and teams you love by commemorating the best moments with real-time apparel. To check out their racing collection, visit www.breakingt.com/Kelly.

Ep. 126 | J.R. Todd Jun 29, 2020

Show notes

We’re going NHRA drag racing this week with J.R. Todd of Kalitta Motorsports, who explains what he’s been in the gym doing to prepare to get back into his DHL Funny Car. For those who aren’t aware, Todd explains how he landed a ride with the legendary Connie Kalitta, and how close he was to turning around and getting a 9-5 job, to how life has changed for him in many ways. In making the switch from Top Fuel to Funny Car, Todd goes over the mental and physical challenges, and figuring it all out for the 2018 championship. What type of a person straps into a Funny Car, and not being intimidated by the engine sitting in front of you? Why driving a Funny Car is a constant battle, and breaking away at the misconception that drag racers are going straight. Todd also explains what he can process in three or four seconds during a run and what feel he’s looking for to have a competitive run, and for a non-contact sport, how rivalries develop. And we look at NHRA returning in July and how Todd views the changing schedule and trying to be successful in a unique season. Music created by Tony Monge.
Upgrade your personal and professional sound and style with JBL. Visit www.JBL.com for speakers, headphones, gaming products, and other accessories.
Wear the moment with BreakingT and connect to the players and teams you love by commemorating the best moments with real-time apparel. To check out their racing collection, visit www.breakingt.com/Kelly.

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