The Racing Writer's Podcast

Cliff Daniels and his group haven’t changed anything regarding a seat in their race cars in over 15 years, but with Jimmie Johnson retired and Kyle Larson entering it has made for an even busier offseason. Daniels, the crew chief of the No. 5 team, chats about how things are going getting prepared for Daytona; how he’s been adjusting to the role with so much change the last few seasons; memories o...

New NASCAR driver Santino Ferrucci is excited and ready for the challenge for stock cars. This week, Ferrucci explains how a deal to run Xfinity Series races with Sam Hunt Racing came to be; people he talked to about making a transition to NASCAR; anticipating habits Ferrucci will have to break in stock cars; the first impression from a late model test; if stock cars with fenders and bumpers will...

Jacob Seelman of Speed Sport is here to help provide a helpful and fun preview of this week’s Chili Bowl Nationals and how it’s going to look in a pandemic. Seelman explains the draw of the prestigious midget car event; how many will make the feature event; how the week of practice and prelims work; his racing connection and background, and how long he’s covered the event; notable names to keep an...

Greg Zipadelli, the competition director at Stewart-Haas Racing, brings us inside the race shop to share how even in the offseason the team is trying to stay safe while preparing for a new race season. Zipadelli also explains how the coronavirus pandemic has changed his job; what it has been like to hold virtual competition meetings with the teams; the unseen and unheard challenges races teams hav...

Zane Smith came up just short in the Camping World Truck Series title fight and afterward described it as a ‘disgusting feeling.’ On the podcast this week, Smith explains if he still feels that way now that the dust has settled; earning Rookie of the Year honors; when the thinking shifted from competitive rookie season to championship; experiencing the playoffs and winner-take-all race as a rookie...

Austin Cindric is now a NASCAR champion and he tries to explain what was different for him and his Team Penske team this season to claim the Xfinity Series title. Cindric joins the show to also discuss filling the void left by Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick, and Cole Custer; having Roger Penske in attendance and what it’s like to hear the ‘voice of God’ over the radio; the possibility of Penske s...

Newly crowned NHRA Funny Car champion Matt Hagan joins the show today to discuss his third world title and the many reasons why it meant so much. Hagan also shares his thoughts on how the NHRA schedule shook out because of the pandemic; doing a longer burnout when realizing he won the championship and what it’s like not to be involved in the championship-deciding moment; capping off his season wit...

Danielle Trotta is the co-host of ‘On-Track’ on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio with Larry McReynolds and is helping put a bow on what we saw this season. Trotta shares about broadcasting through the pandemic and how the channel was affected; the approach to offseason content and conversation; the dynamic and relationship between Trotta and McReynolds; preparing for five shows a week; the distinction betwee...

Meghan Miley is the Sr. Director of Racing Operations for NASCAR, so she will take us inside how things get done. Miley explains exactly what her job entails and having to deal with race teams; how programs like Dash 4 Cash and The Trip come to be; the dynamic on the team with others like the recognizable Steve O’Donnell and John Bobo; what her week versus weekend looks like and entails; where Mil...

Jimmie Johnson is here to reflect some more on the end of his full-time NASCAR career before he heads to IndyCar with Chip Ganassi next season. Johnson discusses the moments where he’s stopped and realized how much he loves racing; if he went through his career with a chip on his shoulder; when Johnson knew he needed to keep himself accountable outside the race car to stay on top; if he saw other...

Bayley Currey is sharing his story of how he made it to NASCAR and what he’s doing to try and stay here. Currey drives trucks for Niece Motorsports and a Xfinity Series car for Mike Harmon, but he’s also working with them during the week as he’ll explain. We also discuss the philosophy Currey’s dad instilled in him from a young age about working on his race cars; how it helps Currey understand wha...

If you love stories and behind the scenes insight into the world of motorsports, this week is for you! Slugger Labbe put in over 30 years in the NASCAR garage and is currently making his mark in the NHRA as an engineering manager for Toyota Racing. What does that mean? Labbe is here dishing on his role and what, from an engineering standpoint, he’s brought from NASCAR to NHRA. We also discuss lear...

It’s a return visit to the podcast for Austin Hill, who is having a career year in the Truck Series. Hill is setting new highs in every category for a single season and he also captured the regular-season championship, and he’s going to discuss it all, plus all of the success he’s found in a short amount of time; the resource of Scott Zipadelli as his crew chief; the growth of his confidence and c...

Ricky Craven is closing out his final season covering NASCAR in any capacity and he’s going to walk everyone through the decision and why now was the time. What was the deciding factor? Discussing the heavy revelation it was for Craven; the responsibility he believes former drivers have when becoming analysts; backlash he’s had from his opinions; the fulfillment of a successful second career; if C...

We’re back atop the spotter’s stand this week with Tim Fedewa of Stewart-Haas Racing, who works with Chase Briscoe in the Xfinity Series and Kevin Harvick in the Cup Series. In this episode Fedewa opens up about the loss of interacting with his team with no access to the shop or the infield; adjusting to spotting in unfamiliar places; what goes into Fedewa picking his normal spotting position; see...

GMS Racing has had a fast and unique rise in the racing world, and a new book (Fueling a Legacy: The Long-Shot Success of GMS) takes race fans into how it happened. Team owner Maury Gallagher joins the show this week to discuss why he wanted to document the journey at this point. Gallagher also discusses the importance of racing in Las Vegas to his team’s history and where the No. 23 originated. A...

Kaulig Racing is having a career year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and Matt Kaulig has to enjoy it all from afar because of the pandemic. Kaulig is the team owner of the Nos. 10, 11, and 16 Chevrolets and joins the podcast to share what he keeps his hands on and getting into the sport seven years as a sponsor in two races. Now, 2020 is a culmination of everything that has been built since, and Ka...

David Pepper is the team manager of ThorSport Racing, the longest-tenured team in the Truck Series. But when that isn’t keeping Pepper busy, he also serves as a spotter in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Cup Series. In our conversation, we discuss ThorSport going 1-2-3 at Richmond Raceway over the weekend, the return of the Trucks to the Virginia short track, and being ready for the playoffs with th...

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 inexpe...

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 excit...

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 h...

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 Fron...

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...

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 ex...

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...