When sprint car driver Justin Sanders got the call to fill in for Aaron Reutzel, he was exhausted, running on fumes, and nearly backed out. But something told him not to hang up. In this episode of The Dirt Parlor, Justin shares the wild chain of events that led from a wrecked car in Washington to a last-minute flight and a shot behind the wheel of one of the fastest cars in the country at the biggest race of the year.

Justin opens up about the mental and physical toll of juggling a full-time shock business, building his own equipment, and still chasing big-time opportunities on the national stage. He dives into the pressure of adapting to Knoxville’s high-speed surface, the steep learning curve of dialing in a car he barely knew, and how he had to re-learn everything he thought he knew about throttle control and car balance on the fly.

At the heart of the experience is an unlikely partnership with Aaron Reutzel former rival, now trusted mentor and crew chief. From mid-race adjustments to in-the-moment driving advice, Justin reveals how Aaron’s support made all the difference. This episode is a raw, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to seize a rare opportunity, overcome self-doubt, and go full-send on one of sprint car racing’s biggest stages.

 

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🎧 Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.