Stagger

This week, J.D. and Derrick decided to re-air an episode they did last year, as they are working on the next new episode. But, if you just found the podcast in 2021, this episode will be new to you!You might have heard the name, but you might not be aware of just how accomplished he was prior to his turn in NASCAR. Find out how Lake Speed toured the world, duked it out with Ayrton Senna (yes, him), and ultimately tamed one of NASCAR's toughest tracks. And also, find out which NASCAR television personality tried to punch him out on national TV. In this episode, J.D. and Derrick are joined by Ory Roberts, a friend of the program, racing fantasy league operator, and all-around knowledgeable NASCAR fan as they take a look back on Lake Speed's career. Let the guys know your thoughts on this episode on social media; twitter and instagram is the same handle - @staggerpodcast

Memories can sometimes be deceiving. Perception is reality, but what if somewhere along the way, your perception was skewed?

An unfortunate accident at Daytona in 2012 changed the way Juan Pablo Montoya was understood by one of the largest fanbases in motorsports - NASCAR fans. But it wasn't just that moment; JPM won just two races in America's biggest racing series. And so, he was seen as just a guy. Not great, not terrible, just one of many drivers to come to NASCAR and struggle. But the reality is that Juan Pablo Montoya is one of the best drivers in the history of motorsports. His accomplishments stand among the greatest names the sport has ever seen - Foyt, Andretti, and Gurney, and Hill. This week, J.D. and Derrick aim to set the record straight on Juan Pablo Montoya, from his time in CART and IndyCar to his Formula 1 days, even to his spectacular run in the NASCAR playoffs (this happened!). And to do so, they borrow a premise from the great "You're Wrong About" podcast (which you really should be listening to!) Enjoyed this episode? Think we're wrong about Juan Pablo Montoya? Let us know!Twitter | Instagram | FacebookListen to You're Wrong About

LeeRoy Yarbrough isn't well remembered by NASCAR fans, despite his big year in 1969. There's a good reason for that...In the second of our two-part series on this forgotten NASCAR driver, we explore what happened after 1969...and why LeeRoy would never be the same again after that season. His legacy remains difficult to square, and what it should be depends largely on who you ask. More Stagger here:Twitter: www.twitter.com/StaggerPodcast

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In the world of NASCAR, we hear often about the legendary drivers of the 60s and 70s: Richard Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Donnie and Bobby Allison, etc. Given all of those names, it comes as no surprise that there was a ton of talent in the NASCAR garage during the season of 1969.What might be surprising to some is the driver who was viewed to have the best season that year, and one of the best seasons in NASCAR history: a Jacksonville, FL, native named LeeRoy Yarbrough. Though he's on the list of NASCAR's top 50 drivers of all-time, he's not talked about very often by many in the sport. Why is that?In the first of a two-part series, J.D. and Derrick Smith dive into what made LeeRoy Yarbrough one of the best drivers in racing in the late 60s...and why we don't hear as much about him anymore. More Stagger here:Twitter: https://twitter.com/StaggerPodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/staggerpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/679112772938999

1982 was a big year of change for sprint car racing. The legendary Knoxville Nationals allowed winged sprint cars to enter for the first time in race history. Also, some kid named Steve Kinser, who had already proven himself plenty on the black gumbo dirt of Knoxville, was attempting to win three Nationals in a row - a feat no one had ever accomplished. Standing in his way was another Knoxville Nationals two-in-a-row winner - Doug Wolfgang. Who would come out on top?Travel back with J.D. and Derrick Smith, as they explore this time of progress in sprint car racing, and try to figure out how the great become the GOAT in this week's episode. Subscribe to the podcast on your app, and follow the guys on twitter and instagram - @staggerpodcast.

In 1989, Geoff Brabham could do no wrong in IMSA. His Nissan/ Electramotive Engineering GTP ZX-T #83 was one of the best sports cars ever made, and his team had figured out how to make it more reliable. They were finally getting the most out of this spectacular machine. However, at the race in July at Portland International Raceway, Brabham had some difficulty getting around Jan Lammers and Price Cobb, drivers of the Tom Walkinshaw Racing Jaguar XJR-10 #60. It was a great battle between two fantastic drivers, and the race ended with a tremendous pass for the lead on the penultimate lap.Unfortunately, there was a problem...the checkered flag had already been waved, accidentally, by the local race official manning the start finish line. IMSA's solution, and the implications of that decision, are what we explore today, along with one of the most glorious times in sportscar racing history in America. That's all today on Stagger!Links:Youtube video of the 1989 IMSA race at Portland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2k3XF0vfJI&t=1820s

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It is one of the most controversial racecars ever built - The Car of Tomorrow, aka the COT. There were many strong takes on this vehicle when it debuted in 2007, and not just from fans. Why was this car so disliked? And why did NASCAR feel the need to build this special race car in the first place, one that many felt was alienating fans from the sport?This week, in part two of two in our short podcast series about NASCAR safety, we discuss everything you want to know about the Car of Tomorrow, with an unabashed fan of the chassis - NASCAR ARCA Menards Series East driver Rajah Caruth. Rajah was just a kid when the COT came out, and has fond memories of the Car of Tomorrow as a race fan growing up in Washington DC. Will he still find it as beloved when the guys go into the history of the car?Find out on this episode, and hear what he thinks about the car's pluses and minuses for the drivers, fans and team owners. Also, make sure you check Rajah's socials if you aren't already!Rajah on Twitter: Rajah Caruth (@rajahcaruth_) / TwitterRajah's website: Home | Rajah CaruthAs always, you can also follow stagger on twitter and instagram: Stagger Podcast (@StaggerPodcast) / Twitter

One of the basic rules of most sports is that they should be safe enough for all competitors to return home after the event. For most fans, a routine consequence of the sport they love isn't death. Unfortunately, the world of motorsports is quite different. Danger lurks in every corner, and one wrong move could be disastrous. Over the years, rulebooks have often been pretty light in the areas of safety and concern for the drivers' well-being.But in 2000, NASCAR officials had a huge problem on their hands - multiple drivers were dying in the highest levels of the sport. Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin Jr had both passed away in the summer of 2000 at New Hampshire, and NASCAR was determined to improve safety before the race in September. Unfortunately, not every driver was on board. And some of that drama spilled out onto the track.In this two part series, brothers J.D. and Derrick Smith take you back to a name where NASCAR was much more dangerous than it is today, and explore just how safe a racecar should be. They also took a look at one of the weirdest races in NASCAR history. In part two, coming next week, the guys will take a look at one of the more controversial solutions to safety NASCAR ever developed - the Car of Tomorrow. Find us on twitter and instagram - @staggerpodcast.

This week, J.D. and Derrick Smith discuss the time legendary sprint car driver Brad Doty returned to Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH for the Kings Royal in 1998, after suffering an injury that left him paralyzed from the chest down just ten years earlier.You'll hear their thoughts, plus an interview with Dave Argabright, who co-authored Doty's autobiography Still Wide Open, as well as the man himself, Brad Doty. What was going through his mind as he took the green flag in front of the entire sprint car world on that night in 1998? The guys also dive into Brad's career, what he's meant to the sport of sprint car racing, and the secret test session where Brad Doty was running wide open at Eldora before bringing the car on TV. Plus much more, straight from Brad Doty and Dave Argabright.Make sure you subscribe to the podcast if you enjoy this episode - we have new episodes featuring some of the best stories in motorsports history coming out every week, so don't miss them! Plus, you can follow us on twitter and instagram - @staggerpodcast!Links from the podcast:Brady Doty: One More Lap at Eldora in 1998 (via youtube)

Purchase tickets for the Brad Doty Classic at Attica Raceway Park 

Purchase Still Wide Open by Brad Doty with Dave Argabright

This week on Stagger:J.D. and Derrick talk about the genesis of one of the most legendary families in motorsports - the Unser family. And specifically, the guys wanted to explore the link between the Unser family and Pike's Peak. The annual hill climb race has been dotted with Unser winners throughout it's existence. But you may find it surprising just how much Bobby, Big Al, and Little Al owe to that hill climb event. Later, we hear from Don Sanborn, the president of the Pike's Peak Hill Climb Historical Association about what it means to be a family with ties to that mountain, the earliest days of the hill climb, and what it means to his family to be a part of keeping this race going. Listen every week for your motorsports history fix, and follow the show on twitter and instagram for plenty more racing history content: @staggerpodcast. New episodes come out every Wednesday!