Checkers, Wreckers and What The Heckers

Episode 78: Chicagoland – God Hates Us Racing in Chicago NASCAR returned to  Chicagoland Speedway , and what a weekend it was. From wild restarts and strategy calls to weather threatening to change everything, we're breaking down all the biggest storylines from NASCAR's return to one of the sport's most popular intermediate tracks. In  Three Wide , we dive into NASCAR's decision to...

🇺🇸  Episode 77: Hugh Middleton – Navy SEAL. Actor. American Badass. As America celebrates  250 years of freedom  and another  Fourth of July , we couldn't imagine a more fitting guest than former  Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander Hugh Middleton . From serving with elite SEAL Teams—including Naval Special Warfare Development Group—to protecting American interests around the world, leading high-level...

Episode 76 takes us to the twists, turns, and chaos of Sonoma Raceway as the guys break down one of the most entertaining road course weekends of the season. Chad, Rick, and Chris kick things off with a Three Wide discussion featuring a bracket challenge update and Fourth of July cookout talk before diving into Checkers, Wreckers, and What the Heckers from both the O'Reilly Series and NASCAR C...

Episode 75: Gabe Walsh – Goodyears After more than a decade of grinding it out in Nashville, country artist  Gabe Walsh  is finally seeing the hard work pay off. From his small-town Kansas roots to earning recognition as an emerging voice in country music, Gabe joins us for an honest conversation about perseverance, songwriting, and the stories behind his newest single,  "Goodyears."  Th...

⚓️  Episode 74: Naval Base Coronado – Anchors Away!  🏁 This week, Chad Bearden, Rick Kojan, and Chris Justice break down the latest NASCAR action, discuss Season 2 of  RISING  featuring Carson Hocevar, Connor Zilisch, and Butterbean Queen, play a round of  Fine Wine or Sour Grapes , and reveal their picks for the NASCAR In-Season Bracket Challenge. Plus, it's time for  Checkers, Wreckers and...

This week on  Checkers, Wreckers & What the Heckers , we're joined by one of NASCAR’s rising stars, Austin Green. The driver of the No. 87 Chevrolet for Peterson Racing sits down with the crew for his most personal conversation yet. Instead of focusing only on race results and statistics, Austin opens up about who he is away from the racetrack, the lessons he's learned growing up in on...

Episode 72: Pocono – Eating My Words This week on  Checkers, Wreckers and What the Heckers , the guys return from Pocono with plenty to discuss—and a few predictions they'd like to take back. Chad, Rick, and Chris break down all the action from the Tricky Triangle, including Denny Hamlin adding another victory to his impressive Pocono résumé, the biggest surprises of the weekend, and the momen...

This week the guys break down all the action from Michigan. They also debate if the late Kyle Busch should be added to this year's class of Hall of Fame Drivers, who they would want to see run in the Freedom 500 and give their over/ under on how driver's are performing vs. expectations. As usual, chaos, disagreements and they call their shots for Pocono.

This week the guys are joined by Seth Cannon from CARDIACS Sports & Memorabilia to talk about collecting Sports Cards and getting into the hobby. They also recap the hard Charlotte Race Weekend.

This podcast was unusual. We had Noah Gragson on and were having a blast then the news broke that we lost Kyle Busch.

On this episode of Checkers, Wreckers and What the Heckers, the guys sit down with former NC State football player and current NASCAR tire carrier Jarius Morehead to talk about faith, football, racing, and the moments in life that make you ask “Why God?”. From overcoming struggles and finding purpose to life on pit road with Carson Hocevar’s team, Jarius shares a raw and powerful story about perse...

Episode 67: Watkins Glen- Mini Tornado is here! 🌪️🏁 The crew breaks down all the chaos from Watkins Glen, including NASCAR penalties, playoff drama, wild strategy calls, and the moments that had everyone saying “what the heck?” Plus, Checkers, Wreckers, and Heckers across all three national series and our latest Call Your Shot predictions. Strap in — this one gets rowdy.

Episode 66: Talladega – Ride the Dente   Talladega brought the chaos, and we break it all down—from wild moves and big personalities to what it all means going forward. We go Three Wide on RCR’s crew chief shakeup, Cleetus McFarland’s surprising P2 run, and NASCAR’s historic leadership change as Steve O’Donnell steps in as CEO. Plus, we call our shot for Texas—don’t miss it.

Live from Pins and Friends in Bristol, it’s a high-octane episode of  Bristol: Driven ! The crew dives into the biggest storylines heading into race weekend, talks tire wear, tempers, and takes you inside the chaos that only Bristol can deliver. Plus, special guests from Driven Sunglasses join the show to talk business, passion, and life at the track. It’s short track energy, unfiltered—don’t miss...

The guys break down a wild weekend at Circuit of the Americas where history was made in NASCAR. From standout performances and surprising storylines to the biggest checkers, wreckers, and what-the-heck moments across the Truck, O'Reilly, and Cup races, the crew dives into everything that went down in Austin and St. Pete. Plus, they debate hot topics around the sport and make their picks for th...

When the venue got double booked, the guys did what racers do best: adjust on the fly and keep it wide open.  Episode 63: Atlanta – Plan B  captures Chad, Chris, and Rick shifting gears mid-week while still delivering the full-throttle NASCAR breakdown fans expect. From heated NasCourt debates and the Real or Fake game to Checkers, Wreckers & What the Heckers and an Atlanta preview, the crew p...

The crew fires up the mics for their first live podcast of the year at Earl’s in Winston-Salem, officially launching the countdown to the Cookout Clash and the 2026 NASCAR season. In  Three Wide , they debate which drivers will score their first wins, predict breakout stars in the O’Reilly Series, name the driver they’re most excited to see in a Craftsman Truck, and reveal the tracks they can’t wa...

Filmmaker Mark Cogan joins the show to talk about his journey from award-winning short films to working on major TV and film productions, the grind behind the scenes in Hollywood, and what it really takes to build a career in the industry.

The guys break down NASCAR’s wild offseason — from the 23XI & Front Row Motorsports lawsuit against NASCAR, to Steve Phelps stepping down, Tony Stewart’s return, and the newly announced comeback of  The Chase . Is it the shake-up the sport needs… or a step backward?

Rocko Dion Williams’ journey is anything but ordinary. From spending his early childhood in Germany as the son of a military veteran to becoming a top football recruit in Atlanta, Rocko’s path was shaped by discipline, resilience, and opportunity. A standout linebacker at  Wake Forest University , Rocko earned major honors, played in bowl games, and stood on the doorstep of the NFL before a diffic...

In Episode 58, the crew is joined by  Carla Metts , a former cheerleader turned sports media personality covering NASCAR and Carolina football. Carla talks about betting on herself, finding confidence in an unconventional path, and how every chapter of her journey helped prepare her for where she is now. The conversation hits on social media pressure, building credibility, and trusting the timing...

LET IT FLY.  🎤🔥 Casio Kid (aka Matt Mitchell) joins the show for a no-filter ride through stand-up comedy, rock ’n roll, radio chaos, and wrestling-level stories. Fast laughs, wild takes, and a whole lotta letting it fly — this one goes everywhere, and we loved every second of it.

Episode 56: Reggie Walker Jr. — Caught Between Paterno & ESPN Former Penn State linebacker Reggie Walker Jr. joins us to unpack his unique journey from playing under Joe Paterno to covering the very scandal that took down his former coach while working for ESPN. We dive into what it was like being caught in the middle, the pressures of reporting on a program he once called home, and how that e...

In this week’s episode, we sit down with one of the baddest men to ever step into a cage —  Randy “The Natural” Couture . From the wrestling mats of the U.S. Army to the bright lights of the UFC, Randy has lived a life built on discipline, grit, and a whole lot of unexpected turns. Randy opens up about the early days of MMA, the chaos behind UFC contracts, the pressure of competing at the highest...

In this episode, the guys sit down with NASCAR driver and U.S. Navy veteran Jesse Iwuji to talk racing, service, and chasing big dreams. From life on the track to leadership on and off the battlefield, Jesse shares his powerful story of discipline, faith, and never giving up—even when the odds are stacked against you.