Listen, did you know that telling jokes isn’t Justin Nunley’s day job? Nunley is an active member of the Air Force, but he’s known for the content he creates on social media. Nunley explains why he didn’t want his military job to be his identity; if comedy helps him escape what he sees in the real world; being able to have an online presence while in the military; being funny but educational; being the most annoying person in the room; having a catchphrase and punchline; intentionally putting Easter eggs in his videos; if he cares to keep up with all the platforms and social media trends; knowing which content is acceptable for which platform; not blaming the platform when a video doesn’t do well; not caring about offending people; being a legitimate NASCAR fan and how he started being invited to races; being a part of driver introductions at Bristol and how he approached the job; what he gets out of being used at a racetrack; if he believes it’s worked in NASCAR’s favor to use a well-known personality; being a lesson for others about having passion for your craft but what people don’t see on social media; if he feels he’s balancing all aspects of his life well; not having an end game; if he has NASCAR specific goals; a message for listeners.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Alba Colon takes us inside Hendrick Motorsports and the tools at the race shop that help their four teams win. Colon explains her role; the importance of the simulation and data tools, and how much has gone into improving them over the years; the difference in her roles going from General Motorsports to Hendrick Motorsports; growing up wanting to be an astronaut and having a family that never believed something was too big to achieve; racing entering the picture with a college project and quickly falling in love with it; how much exposure racing gets in Puerto Rico; being an advocate for STEM programs; being a strong female in motorsports and trying to pass that along; being loyal to Chevrolet and not taking other offers; an engineer’s challenge with the Next Gen car.

Music created by Tony Monge.

It’s racing and science! Caitlin Quinn, coach Quinn, takes us inside the Toyota Performance Center this week. Quinn explains how she went from college athletics to NASCAR with Toyota; how the Toyota Performance Center (TPC) went from being something that couldn’t be talked about publicly to well known; the correlation between training/nutrition and a driver’s on track performance; how coachable highly competitive, ego-driven drivers are; if anything from the college programs carried over to racing; the race car drivers as athletes debate; creating a schedule to fit an individual driver’s needs; traditional programs and coming up with new ideas; reflexes and hand-eye coordination being teachable; the importance of off-track programs with no on-track practice; going through cognitive training; success stories with drivers; being involved in a job that will be ever evolving.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Steve Swift is the senior vice president of operations and development for Speedway Motorsports, meaning he’s leading the way for those big projects. Swift joins the show to share about the extensive work and unique timeline of getting the speedway Roval ready; working for a creative person like Marcus Smith; the importance of keeping the race fan in mind; the way behind-the-scenes operations his team handles; having a relationship with the drivers; finding ways for the racetrack to help with competition; Swift’s background and arriving in NASCAR, including a deep history with Kentucky Speedway; the idea and execution of Colossus TV at Bristol; the process to bringing any idea to life; the difference between NASCAR projects and leading the one for zMAX Dragway; the most challenging project to have done; the one that left him amazed; how the 2024 schedule shapes up for Speedway Motorsports operations.

Music created by Tony Monge.

If you love drag racing and how the (video) is made, you’re going to enjoy meeting Kurt Spitler. Spitler is one of the creative minds behind the NHRA social media content and using that platform to deliver in a different way for race fans; the accidental creation of top-end reaction videos and drivers becoming comfortable with that camera; creative freedom with projects; balancing a focus on cars versus drivers; the pressure of getting the shot when it’s live sports at 300 mph; the equipment he’s working with to capture content; differentiating between Spitler’s work and others on the social media team; pointing viewers to the best piece of content to show what he does; not taking courses in college for the profession but stumbling his way into it; being self-taught; trying to shoot his shot with Pat McAfee and how that came full circle this season; experiencing his first drag race and developing steady hands ever since; the sketchiest position to capture content; what fans can expect during the Countdown from a content perspective; bucket list projects.

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Rajah Caruth did not envision his rookie season in the Craftsman Truck Series going the way it has, but Caruth is keeping a positive mindset as the season winds down. The 21-year-old discusses the valuable seat time he’s gotten in a truck and Xfinity Series car; which one feels more comfortable with his driving style; what Caruth has learned about being a NASCAR national series driver and how that translates to mental health; the resources that come with being a Chevrolet driver; the detailed note-taking process Caruth has had since becoming a race car driver; the responsibility to be as prepared as possible before getting to the racetrack; working with the Wendell Scott Foundation; the backstory of Caruth becoming interested in racing and how the movie ‘Cars’ played a role; why he has a specific date tattooed on his chest; if starting a career later than most has been a hindrance; finishing his college degree and doing so with in-person classes; what the future holds with GMS racing shutting down at the end of the year.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Shannon Spake is about to be one of the busiest reporters in sports. Spake is here to share how the year has unfolded for her on the television side; why she says her year starts in September; time blocking and working well under pressure; the synergy between NASCAR on Fox and NFL on Fox teams with her schedule; the balance of football and NASCAR in the fall and with a new personal life change happening this year; the approach to football coverage versus NASCAR coverage; what goes into being prepared for a new season in each sport; the challenges of dual roles; importance of relationship building with athletes; looking ahead to a new NFL season and the NASCAR playoffs.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Warrick Scott Sr. knows all about hustle, and that can be seen in his work through the Wendell Scott Foundation and sponsorship of Rajah Caruth. Scott joins the podcast to explain his everyday work with the Wendell Scott Foundation; trying to reach as many youths as possible through its programs; the moment of realization for a foundation; success stories and the different benchmarks that come with them; the emotional toll of the ones that don’t turn out the same way; the community of Danville, Virginia; if Scott’s perspective on the sport has changed over the years; where he sees diversity in the sport today and his experiences at the racetrack; what it has meant to be a full-time sponsor in NASCAR with the foundation; information on the ‘Born Driven’ books upcoming release and where to find more on the foundation.

Music created by Tony Monge.

Jessica Hook is an engineer at Hendrick Motorsports, but her exact role is to be determined as Hook looks for her next challenge. However, she was heavily involved in Garage 56 and she’s among the team now closing the chapter on that historic event as the parts and pieces are back at the shop. Hook recalls when she was brought into the loop by Chad Knaus with five minutes' notice; the science behind competing at Le Mans regarding fuel/tires and Hook’s race day role; how Hendrick Motorsports ties into her background before getting a job with the organization; how her perspective on racing changed when realizing she wanted to work in the sport; the two jobs she’s had since graduating college; working with the drivers she once looked up to; what brings Hook a sense of satisfaction in her work; would she consider looking for a crew chief role in the future.

Music created by Tony Monge.

It’s the second full year of Craftsman Truck Series competition for Dean Thompson but his first in the No. 5 for Tricon Garage. Thompson breaks down how the year has gone; the difference in his progression as a driver; fitting into a new environment at Tricon; being surrounded by people (like Frank Kimmel) who are honest but helpful; ways that Tricon is different from other teams; the benefit of using the Toyota Performance Center; being big into boxing as a hobby; having a very structured schedule; getting started in racing then quitting and the reason why he came back; what the feeling was when getting back behind the wheel; racing across the country with his dad; how a young driver learns in a crazy series like trucks and who to lean on; owner David Gilliland having a drivers background; Tricon Garage letting Thompson be himself; controlling his emotions on camera after a few difficult moments this year; what has become a friendly rivalry with former foe Jesse Love; a fraternity amongst TRD drivers; future aspirations in racing; sharing a love of the (Mighty) Ducks.

Music created by Tony Monge.