Dave Moody spends four hours a day, five days a week talking on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio but he didn’t mind talking some more this week to share how he got here. Moody takes us back to when he first saw a race car and what about it was life changing; when he began getting working opportunities; fielding cars of his own; unexplainably getting on Ken Squier’s radar; part-time opportunities with MRN; the seamless transition between broadcasters on a radio call; the genesis behind SiriusXM Speedway; why it was the worst time to start a show; some of the early battles; being a single host; how the channel and NASCAR’s relationship has changed over the years; having an announcer’s voice; the fear of not having the answer; accusations of being a NASCAR stooge; the process of giving opinions; good and bad days on the job; what keeps Moody going after so many years; a personal connection to Moody.

Music created by Tony Monge.

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Brandon McReynolds reinvented himself in NASCAR after admitting that being a race car driver wasn’t going to work. McReynolds is now a spotter and in driver management, both of which he shares insight about this week. McReynolds shares how he recently started a new company; things he learned as a driver he’s applying on the business side; the personal and professional with drivers like Cole Custer and Noah Gragson; how much advice or brotherly love Gragson needs; if McReynolds still considers himself a NASCAR driver as his Twitter bio says; when McReynolds saw the writing on the wall about driving; any thoughts of going into a completely different profession; being able to successfully reinvent himself in racing; how he got into spotting; the eye-opening experience it was and if he’s ever had an oops moment; if he imagined his racing career looking like this.

Music created by Tony Monge.

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A lot has happened to The Racing Writer’s Podcast and Ryan Ellis since he was guest No. 1 back in the fall of 2017. We’re checking in with Ellis this week to see what he’s been up to since that day; what it’s like working with other drivers for his Monday through Friday job; what it is about racing that keeps him from giving it up for a normal job; if people have tried to persuade him to give up or those who have said keep going; balancing his time between the 9-5 job and the NASCAR to-do list; the internship program he offers; emotion at the track when a driver versus when he’s there working for someone else; if being a PR person has given him a different perspective on the sport; his driving plans for this season; why Ellis considers it his best opportunity; goals for this season.

Music created by Tony Monge.

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Time in the NASCAR Cup Series has flown by for William Byron entering year five, and he feels he’s in a good place with everything around him. Byron discusses how the pandemic felt like a gap year; thoughts on his progression from rookie to now; being critical of himself; getting better with his car feedback and having to get over the fear of being wrong; maturing as a Cup driver over the years; how long it took to get comfortable in the series; the toughness of the top level; being bitter over only winning once in 2021; dealing with so much change around him in four years; frustration racing a teammate versus someone else in the field; the most frustrating thing as a driver; the weirdness of driver introductions; how Byron defines connecting to race fans; how comfortable he’s getting in Next Gen and if there’s anything he’s had to change driving wise; impressions after the beating and banging of the Clash; and naturally, a Lego update.

Music created by Tony Monge.

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Doug Yates will see the most Ford Mustangs take the green flag in this year’s Daytona 500 than ever before and he’s excited about doing so with a new car. Yates talks about all things engines this week such as how they are distributed to teams; going through the process of NASCAR deciding to increase horsepower this year; but why it’s not so easy as just saying make a change; the workload of having to build different engine packages; what Yates would want versus what’s good for the sport; what it means for teams to no longer be allowed to put tape on the front grille; why Yates still likes getting his hands dirty and it being an escape for him; the lasting influence of dad Robert; how Yates has worked to build his own brand; working with other engine builders and NASCAR; what he thinks the next engine package could look like; how engine builders work to get an advantage; why last year was the most frustrated he’s been; sharing old memories on Twitter; what Yates considers his biggest win; where he gets an adrenaline rush.

Music created by Tony Monge.

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Chase Purdy’s newest opportunity in the Camping World Truck Series is with Hattori Racing, but we’re going to learn all about his journey to the team and more. Purdy reveals when he knew he wanted to be a race car driver; racing all over the southeast; what go-kart racing is really like; series Purdy’s run along the way to NASCAR; what makes late models so fun; going through a rough two-year gap without racing; landing a full ride with GMS Racing to moving to Hattori Racing; wanting to get a chance in the HRE trucks; being teammates to Tyler Ankrum; no more excuses; being a young driver getting to know a new team; how Purdy feels about the ‘respect’ topic in the Truck Series; learning from veterans, including recently with Kurt Busch; an update on getting his degree from Ole Miss.

Music created by Tony Monge.

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Brian Murphy of Stewart-Haas Racing is here to help with any conversation around the Next Gen race car. Murphy explains the different offseason teams had this year; eventually getting over being uncomfortable with the car and supply chain issues; long days at the race shop; his history at Stewart-Haas Racing; going from fixing the cars to preparing them; thoughts on what this car will do for the sport; if there will be any creativity and innovation with Next Gen; needing to better understand inspection and having more transparency in the sport; his approach to social media; being forced to attend his first NASCAR race; not having any formal job training; what a misconception of working in racing is; being all in on all racing; the big change that is Next Gen; having a fresh start; being an avid photographer and climber.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Jerry Baxter and driver Tanner Gray were among those who got to see the new Atlanta Motor Speedway recently, and Baxter is here to share insight on that much more. First impressions of the facility; throwing out the notebook on the track; first impressions of working with Gray and getting more out of him; how Baxter feels about going back to the Truck Series after spending the last two years in Cup; what he expects to be different or have changed in the Truck Series since last there; some of Baxter’s early racing days; a quick turnaround moving to North Carolina; memories of the first drivers he worked with in Cup; what it was like working for Kyle Busch’s truck team; what he saw in Bubba Wallace in trucks and then Cup; working with multiple drivers versus just one; Baxter’s go-to stories; working with a lot of younger drivers; on his career longevity but also having to adapt; insight on David Gilliland Racing; goals and expectations for his team this year.

Music created by Tony Monge.

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Tyler Ankrum says it’s been a “pretty easy” transition to Hattori Racing as he gets set to take the wheel of the No. 16 Toyota. Ankrum joins the show to talk about how well things are going with already building team chemistry; being with a smaller group in HRE; why and how the move from GMS Racing happened; first impressions of new crew chief Scott Zipadelli; if this is a year Ankrum feels he has to step up; how much he was affected by the lack of practice and qualifying; how Ankrum got into racing and the influence of David Gilliland; choosing ranch life over the lake in NC; things fans might be surprised to know about him; who Ankrum is close to in racing; thoughts on working with Chase Purdy this season; getting his chance in the 16 truck.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Andrea Brimmer is the chief marketing and public relations officer at Ally and joins the podcast to take us inside NASCAR sponsorship. Brimmer looks back on the ’21 season for the No. 48 team; branding around the driver and not having the driver adjust to the sponsor’s brand; a bit on Brimmer’s history in the automobile world; where Brimmer’s passion comes from and understanding athletes; how sports has helped her today; what it was like for Ally to first come into NASCAR; how Ally looks at return on investment; fan loyalty; what Ally looks for in a partner; what’s been learned in Ally’s first few years in the sport; their role in diversity and inclusion; Do It Right; being disruptive; being an active partner; utilizing more space on the Next Gen car for sponsor placement.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall