Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour presented by NASCAR on FOX - Alvin Kamara Interview

Episode Date: July 11, 2024

In Episode 42 of “Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour,” NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick, along with co-hosts Kaitlyn Vincie and Mamba Smith, sits down with NFL superstar Alvin Kamara for an engaging and insightful interview! In this episode, Alvin opens up about his journey into NASCAR and his role as NASCAR’s Growth & Engagement Officer. The conversation also covers his favorite hobbies, his preparation routines for the NFL season, and his pick for this year’s NASCAR Championship. Get ready for a lively discussion that blends football with racing, offering a unique look into Alvin Kamara’s life and interests. Don’t miss this episode filled with stories and analysis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A guy walks in with a suit and some slacks and just sits down and he starts talking to me. And I'm like asking them questions about NASCAR. I'm like, man, what is he doing right here? What's going on right here? You know, why is all the cars stopping? What's the yellow flag? What's this? What's this?

So that goes on for about an hour. I know they said it was COVID. Like, why is this guy up here? I'm still sitting up there. So he's like, oh, you know, I got to get going. Got to go do some things. By the way, I'm Steve Shope. So I'm the president of the Westwood.

He's kind of important. Welcome to Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour. presented by NASCAR and Fox. I'll get that straight eventually. I haven't done that enough. But I'm Kevin Harvick. He's Alvin Kamara, Caitlin Vinci, Mama Smith. Thanks for joining us today.

We're experiencing this interview together for the first time. So usually I've done these by myself. And today we're including everybody so that we can make a team effort towards this. So that's a good thing. So we're just going to get started right off the bat. I just want to know how did you. you become interested in NASCAR, your love for racing. And here we are a few years into your relationship with NASCAR, but racing in general, is that

something that you've liked your whole life? No, I wouldn't say I like racing necessarily my whole life. I think, I mean, every kid grows up, you know, you kind of have a little bit of interest in cars or whatever, but my NASCAR slash racing interest journey started like during the pandemic, right? So, you know, nobody's doing anything. Everything's closed. You can't really go anywhere.

Everybody's just inside trying to find the next bright idea or, you know, catching up on tens of thousands of shows. So I'm sitting in my house one day and I'm flipping through the channels board, same old stuff on and then NASCAR's on. So I'm like, you know, you always see it. But, you know, I never just sat there and stayed on it. I probably, yeah, I never dialed in. So I'm like, all right, let me dial in real quick.

I keep it on. So I'm like, all right, I'm watching. And I'm like, okay, this is a little bit more than just left turns. You know, like they're talking about tires, I mean, pit strategy and, you know, fuel. And, like, you know, they go to the windshield view. And then they go to the comms with the spotters talking and everybody, crew chiefs. And I'm like, oh, this is real, like, this is super intricate. And with me being in the field that I'm in in football, like everything is so detailed.

So I just, I didn't know, I thought it was just driving. Like, I'm like, I get my car every day and drive too. I'm thinking it's just driving and come to find out there's so many working parts to it. And I'm like, oh, okay, this is interesting. So, like I said, I'm down in Miami at home watching. So I kind of reached the NASCAR and I'm like, yo, this is cool. Like, man, it's like, you got a fan to me and then, you know, reach back out. Like, thanks, Alvin, for watching.

They send me some gear. And then, you know, I'm like, let me take this a little step further. I'm like, I want to come to a race. So just so happened that the race was in homestead coming that week, right? So they're like, you know, it's COVID. So I'm like, yeah, I want to come. And they're like, all right, let's see what we can do. And I end up, they end up allowing me to come.

So they put me in the suite. I think it was like 2,500 vets there. So the stands were empty. So that was my first NASCAR experience. Nothing. Just the cars, you know what I'm saying? I'm in the suite. So I'm just sitting up there by myself.

and God walks in with a suit and some slacks and just sits down and he starts talking to me and I'm like asking them questions about NASCAR. I'm like, man, what is he doing right here? What's going on right here? You know, why is all the car stopping? What's the yellow flag? What's this? What's this? So that goes on for about an hour and I'm just engaging with this guy. And I'm like, man, who is this? Like, I know they said it was COVID. Like, why is this guy up here? Then I'm like, you know, I'm still sitting up there. So he's like, oh, you know, I got to get going. got some got to go do some things by the way i'm steve phelps i'm the president of he's kind of important yeah so i'm like what you know and like

in my head i'm not thinking like just not being not being involved or or i guess interested before prior to this in this sport like i'm not thinking that you know steve phelps and who now i have a great relationship with would be that cool like the head the president in the ask car you know i mean obviously in like everything like In our community, it's not, nobody's looking at NASCAR, like, oh, that's somewhere where it's a comfortable space or that's where a lot of us are. But, you know, from then until now, it's like, man, this is a great space to be in, you know. So you became the first ever growth and engagement advisor for NASCAR. So what does that mean?

Like, what all are you doing? What's your role? Yeah. I mean, that is a journey in itself. You know, there's so many aspects and so many cool things that I get to do in that. Definitely, it's definitely interesting. So growth and engagement, I think the way I sum it up is, you know, finding ways to engage in new audience, bringing new eyes to NASCAR.

I think just bringing kind of a new field in NASCAR, right? I think there's a lot of things that in four years since I've been here that have been going on that, you know, haven't been done before with speed season and, you know, they got Daniels Amigos and all these Bubba's block party and, you know, All these other things. I mean, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I know, I, I, I knew, I, I know, I'm, I'm, I know, I knew, Mama, but, nah, I mean, there's just so, there's just so much going on, there's so much opportunity for growth, and, I mean, that's kind of, hence the title,

growth in engagement, so it's been, you know, trying to learn, I mean, me and Mama talk, also, Mama, we talk, and, um, just trying to take the sport to new spaces. And it's, I'm happy to be a part of it because I'm growing while learning, while I guess just kind of being a part of, like I said, it's a lot of history going on, things that haven't been done before that are, that are catching new eyes. So that's kind of the job. We just came back from Chicago and we were on the same flight together. So the vibes, I felt the vibes were high out there.

And that, I think that falls right into your role, NASCAR, and observing that. and how we're building that. What was your take for Chicago? I felt like it's a big community event out there. Yeah, since it's over now and the race is done, and we don't have to go to a second day and not the rain. Yeah, the rain. The rain, two years in a row.

But outside of the rain, beautiful weekend, beautiful events, Bubba's block party was crazy. I mean, had Twister performing. You know what I'm saying? Like the, I know when I got there, I was talking to Erica and she was like, man, when we open the doors, everybody just rushed

into the park. Like, people were trying to get in there at all costs, you know. So, I mean, it was a great turnout at Bubba's Block Party. And then, you know, just everything, the layout of how that street race is set up. I mean, it's amazing that it turned downtown into the whole track,

right? You know, you see that. You look out the window at your hotel and you're looking down, you're like, man, look at the race race. You know what I'm saying? It's super cool. So, I mean, the weekend was, I mean, it was beautiful. I think a lot of support out there. I mean, the mayor's out there in the fire suit. Like, it's crazy.

But, I mean, it's dope to experience. So you've been to a lot of different racetracks at this particular point. What is your favorite track that you've been to outside of Chicago? Because I'm with you. And we talked about this earlier on the show. The race itself at Chicago is over the top. It's amazing to see the city. It's ingrained in the city.

The city is behind it. the fans show up. But outside of that event, what do you think your favorite event that you've gone to outside of that has been? I'm going to, I think it's going to be a curveball for y'all to hear me say this. I love a curveball.

We're used to that. Yeah. I loved Dover. Yeah. Monster Mile. Yeah, what part of Dover did you love? I just felt like it, to me, and all I have to go off is what I know, right?

it just felt like a I'm from I'm from Atlanta so it just felt like a a south of Georgia high school football game where they kind of like shut the city down and everybody going to the game like signs at the front of these businesses and it's like that's what's going on I feel like it I feel like the even like the stands and everything it just felt like it gave that kind of feel like this is what's going on here this is what we have nothing else matters yeah and then that kind of Imagine Dover, Dover 10, 15 years ago would get 140,000 people around it. They've taken a lot of those grandstands out. But Dover is just one of those places where you can feel the speed.

You can see the speed. And it's just a very confined environment that allows you to be a part of the event. And it's just a, that's just a, I like Dover. I do too. I like it. That wasn't a total curfball. When I tell people that, they're like, what, Dover? I'm like, yeah.

The area around over is a little different. Yeah, yeah, I do. Because it is like a, it's like a car. It's just parking lot. Like a home depot in front of it. Like the casino's there. So the camping part is a little different than all the other than the rest. I think that's probably why it feels so good because it's like we're racing.

Yeah. Yep. That's it. That's all there is. Right. Yeah. Now, did you go out and take a picture with the, you went this year? Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Did you go take a picture with the big duck? Oh, the dog. The big duck. The big yellow duck. No, I didn't actually, but I was walking around and you can see it from everywhere. And I'm like, there's the duck. Clint is so fascinated with that duck.

Clint Boyer hated the duck. He was totally against. He could not understand anything about the duck. And so anytime that we get a boy or dig in, we're there. We're down for that. Okay. So that's your favorite track experience. Who are the drivers that you've really like bonded with or had good relationships with

since you've come into the sport? So obviously, Bubba. Denny, cool guy You know, he's fiery When I first came in I wasn't really paying as much attention to the racing as I was the personalities

I feel like you kind of I don't know Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah So I was big on Joey because Joey I feel like he was just Like he didn't care Yeah, he does not care Yeah, he was just fighting

Yeah, he's like, I don't care What cars buy me next to me in front of me I don't care of what you're trying to do. I'm trying to win. And that's it. Like, so I, I always got a little, a little love for Zoe, you know what I'm saying? So would you say, would you say,

who represents, who do you think represents, like, your game in NASCAR? You know what I mean? Like, who's a good kind of crossover character do you think is kind of close? I don't know. You know what? Nobody that tough. You got to have, it's like,

with the NASCAR thing, I feel like it's a little poker face because, you know, I sit in the driver's meetings and I sit in, and I'm pretty, well, I feel like everybody kind of has a little piece of intimacy with the drivers because everything is so close. Like, driver's meetings and you go intros and all that and all the fans are right there on you. The closest thing to that with NFL is like pregame warm up. That's the only time the fans are like close to us and then we go in the locker room and come back out and then everybody's in the stands. But closest to me, man. That's tough. That's a hard-hitting question.

Yeah, that's a hard one. You have to think about that. I'm going to think about that. But you just brought it up. I was telling Kevin this before, because we've talked about it, when they're pre-race and they're doing all the interaction with the fans and the sponsors and the pictures, I was telling Kevin that you're like, I'm like, I'm like, well-distance from the time. Yeah, it's different.

Like, yesterday, me and Erica are walking to the track. I go in Walgreens real quick to, like, grab something. I don't know. It's probably like noon. Tyler Reddick's just. there casually. I'm like, Tyler, what are you doing? What was he doing? Yeah. He was just buying.

With his son and Walgreens. Bow was probably throwing stuff. I'm like, what's up? And he's like, no, I'm just, we got a lot of time. It's calm. He was like, it's a lot calmer. I used to do the racing I was doing before was a lot more, you know, heck big, this is calm for me. I'm like, okay, good luck, bro. That's my thing. Every time I talk to, even in driver meetings and like out on the and stuff. Like when I, when I go up and talk to guys, like, everybody so they're willing to talk. Like, yeah, what's up? Da-da-da-da-da. Like talking about me, I'm like, bro, you got a race.

I'm like, I'm going to leave you alone. Bye. Like, it's almost, it seems like, I seem like a jerk kind of because I'm like, no, but it's the competitor in me and, like, coming from my sport, everybody, everyone knows it's like, man, you got locked in laser focus. So if somebody sees me, like, even pre-game, if people have pre-game passes and they're on the field and I'm warming up and they happen to get my attention. They know it's like, yep. That's totally different from us. You guys have obligations right up to the car.

You guys have obligations that I'll probably get fine. Well, I think the biggest difference in our sport is so sponsor driven. You have to entertain the people and the things that come with the names on the side of your car, right? Like, you know, for their sport, it is, it is a lot different. But I think when you talk about that, that atmosphere and the things that go with that, What else do you like to do outside of talking about racing? What do you like to do outside of your sport for fun? For fun, man, I do a lot.

Yeah. You do? Travel, fashion, snowboard, golf. You got a business in your working on. Yeah, business ventures. I mean, my mom is African. I'm in Africa a lot and doing a lot of things there. Man, it's a lot.

I just kind of, I flow. I kind of just flow from left to right and back and forth. If I find something that grabs my attention, I kind of just go for it. Go ahead, go ahead. We're talking about your love for racing. Have you driven a race car yet? Have you done one of the driving experiences? Yeah, I wish we can turn this camera around that way to see Ms. Erica Wilkerson

that will not let me get into a car yet. No? Just put it right on the spot. I got to. Every time I haven't, she won't. It's like every, you know, I bring it up. It's like you're talking to your child. Like, mom, can I go up?

She just spins me completely like, let's go over your schedule. And I'm like, I just ask the question. I'm starting to get in the car. But I may have an opportunity. I'm not going to say who's giving me the opportunity to get in the car, but I might have an opportunity. You just do a ride along. No, I don't want to ride along.

He wants to drive. Even though I don't know how to drive a stick. Yeah. I'm going to go on YouTube before that opportunity and I'm going to figure it out. But I'm going to know, I mean, but me, you're talking about it before you. I'm done it. Yeah, it'll be all right. We'll find you something to drive.

That's no problem. I'm talking to, I'm talking to. I feel like you could probably make that. That's no problem. You're talking to someone who has a couple ways. We can teach a nine-year-old how to use a stick shift. We can teach you a nine-year-old how to use a stick shift. I've performed well under prison.

Do you have any cars? Yeah, I got some cars. What's your favorite car? For nostalgic purposes only, I have a 2004 Mercury Marauder. Oh, dear, I love that car. That was like my favorite car when I was growing up. So that was like my mission to get one. But it's hard because they, you know, they stopped making them.

And then like a lot of them have. like two, the mileage was too high or something wrong with it. But I found one in Albany, New York that the only thing I was wrong with it, it had like salt damage from, you know, the salt trucks. Yeah. So I had to kind of rework the bumpers and the side skirts and all that stuff. But that's probably my favorite car. What was, what was your first car?

My first car. That's kind of a famous, that's kind of a famous question that I asked right here. I got my first car in college. My sitting. What was it? 2016. I got a 2009 Chrysler 300 C. That was my first car. Okay. Yeah. Still one of my favorite stories ever was the Michael Urban story when he talked about his first

card and he took his soon-to-be wife out on their first date and the floor mat had moved and the hole on the floorboard. Her shoe fell out the bottom of the floorboard. They had to turn around. She got a little bit out of the curb. Yeah. Man, all right. I need to put some respect on my boy's name and what he's been doing in the NFL. Eight seasons with the Saints. Two all-pro second team.

You got 2017 offensive rookie of the year. Six rushing touchdowns in one game, which was insane. But one of my favorite, and also it hurts me a little bit because he did it against the Patriots. He got 10,000 plus yards from scrimmage with the same. insane, bro. That's so, congratulations on all that. Did you know the Patriots were still playing? I thought, I thought they sold the team after break. I thought he got all those stats out. Shut up to Tom, boy. I don't know what they're doing up there. We don't either. We don't talk. So he is the one guy I really wanted to go up to New England and watch because Alvin was playing in his Patriots, right? And I didn't get to go. I'm watching on TV and I'm excited because he's actually just smacking him.

But also we're just getting that buttwarks. I had a problem internally on that. So what is the prep? During the offseason, I mean, I know you go training camp starts and then it stops and it starts again. What do you do to train outside of what you typically do? Because it's kind of like our sport, I would assume. You're doing a lot of things in trying to help the things that you think you need to maintain,

you know, create things that are better. It sounds a lot like the sport that we do in the off-season. Tell us what you do during the off-season. So, man, my off-season is pretty intense. But I try to take some time. So right when the season ends, just saying, for instance, this year we didn't make playoffs. So our last game was January 7th. From January 7th until about March 15th, middle of March, nothing.

Just kind of relax. Just go where, like I said, go where to win. takes me like I want to go somewhere go like no restrictions no schedule like just kind of on my own just kind of decompressing from the season then my body come back you know just get back to that equilibrium before I start back training because right when March the middle of March hits I'm training from then to now basically so I probably we got a report on the 23rd so I probably maybe the 18th that'll be my last day or 19th training right but from like I said from From March to now, it's five days a week, 4 a.m. 4 a.m. 4.30 in the morning, wake up.

Go straight to work out. Yeah. I mean, I start early because I think it's more of a mental thing, right? Physically, I mean, the physical aspect you can't run away from, everybody in this sport, you're going to get hit. You got to hit somebody. But I think the people that last, there's a certain mental toughness that they're. have or mental fortitude that they have that allows them to go out and compete and be consistent day in, day out, weekend week out, season in, season out. So that's what creates, that's what,

you know, creates longevity. And that's why I've been able to do it so long. So going back to that 4 a.m. thing, I think, I don't have to work out at 4 a.m. but there's a certain mental fortitude that I get from saying, all right, I'm up right now. Nobody's up. I'm out working. Yeah, I'm out. I'm out working everyone. Like, every day for me is like two days. By the time my briefs Friday, it's like I feel like I had a 10 day week, right? But 430 workout and then probably get down around 6.30. Go home. My chef, shout out to Tatiana Icardi. She's down in Miami. My chef, she's there. I feel like she's grinding, training with me because she's there from the morning to night, you know, all my meals. So eat breakfast, kind of shower, chill a little bit.

by nine I'm at my next session nine to about like 12 noon grinding grinding and then I try to do it like that because I want to have the rest of my day to kind of do whatever else I got to do Erica's calling me trying to put together my NASCAR schedule

but I'm calling me whatever else I got to do I kind of I leave the rest of the day for that but that's Monday through Friday for We need to have you come speak to a lot of our young drivers and it's probably the same way in the NFL because the window's short, right? And if you don't put everything that you have into it while you've got it, then you don't get the most out of yourself because I see so many guys and we talk about it all the time come in here. They win one race or they get to the truck series and they win a race and all of a sudden it's like,

I made it. I can't breathe. Yeah. And I always try to explain to those kids, you've made it when you're done. When you announce your retirement, that's when you know you've made it because you've had a full career and you chose to end when you did. And I just, I appreciate that work ethic because that window is short. Yeah. And, you know, I hope that is, that is something that you obviously do a good job and spreading that word by setting, but setting that example is pretty cool. Yeah. I mean, but you, speaking on you, you, you did it at the highest level and you've had success that a lot of young drivers, I think, are trying to reach, right? And this is what I tell younger guys all the time in any sport or just in life.

If you want anything, you got to be a little bit, a little sick kind of like, you got to be a little, you got to be a little twisted. A little obsessive. Yeah, you got to be obsessive. You got to be, you got to be kind of like, it comes across as like, what's wrong with them, right? So that's kind of, that's been my thing for my rookie year. Everybody's like, what's wrong with you?

And I'm like, man, I can't do this forever. So I'm like, I'll rather, I'll miss out on that party or I'll miss out on that, that fun or whatever to invest in what I got to do. because I know when this season hits, the only thing that I'll be able to show is what I did to prepare. Yep. Right? Preparation is everything.

So, I mean, I think that's kind of the key. So it's like, again, just that mental fortitude to be able to say, all right, well, I have this much time to do this. I got to put everything into it so I can get the benefits that I want. I love that. It's an incredible work ethic for sure. You're balancing a lot of things between NFL and NASCAR. What is something you hope to see with NASCAR in the future?

or something that you think the sport should do differently. I think just, I mean, it's a good segue. And me and Mama talked about it about that international series. Yeah. I went to Brandeis. It was cool, man. You got to come out with me next year. I think that would be amazing because I think there are places that have the NASCAR interests.

I was literally just talking to somebody from Germany the other day. And they were interested in what I was doing. They were like, I saw you at a race. Like, what are you doing? I was like, NASCAR. I was like, I'm not sure if you. you guys have that. And we're like, is it F1? I'm like, welcome to our world, baby. Yeah. I'm like, yeah, there's cars. And then they started

watching it and then hit me back and they were like, oh my God, we should have that. Why don't they have that here? And I'm like, well, kind of working on it. So, yeah. So, I mean, I think that would be great for the sport because, I mean, you just open it up to other markets. Yeah, you go, once you get that international market, it's kind of like the sky is the limit. Yeah, we do have the NASCAR Euro series. That's doing. doing good things. They actually came out to Chicago, so I saw that group. So they're really working hard on that.

I want to ask you, ownership. Kevin has just made his way back in. He got out. And now he's back in and building his team up. Would you ever be interested in ownership of any kind at any level? Yeah. I think I get that question a lot. And I mean, with anything, I feel like, especially this, right,

this interest that I have. that I've been kind of involved with for four years. There's the competitor in me, the fan of me, and then the, I guess, employee, kind of like, yeah, the business side of it, where I'm like, okay, this is another thing I can sink my teeth into and kind of get that competitive fix, you know, still be close to it in a fan way,

still be close to it working wise. And then, you know, it's just entrepreneurial, right? So, I mean, I think, what was it, 2021, I kind of stepped into it. I just dove into it with Ryan Vargas. I sponsored the car. I'm like, I just was interested in seeing what the business side of it was because, I mean, I was going to races and kind of like, okay, hey, Alvin, buy Alvin. Like, I'm at the race. So I'm checked off Atlanta, checked off Bristol, checked off. They don't. And I'm like, I don't really know what's going on. So I'm like, all right, well, you know, Ryan has a cool

story and I kind of just wanted to get behind somebody that had something like, just had a, had a he had some grit, something that they had to fight through to get to where they are. So I hit up Ryan and his team and they were open to the idea. And, you know, they was like, okay, well, what do you want to do? I was like, well, what can I do that? Right? You tell me. Yeah, you tell me.

So I ended up sponsoring the car, I got the whole car. I had a juice company at the time and I wrapped it with the juice company, put my logo on the car. Sadly, Ryan didn't finish the race. I think he had some technical problems. But it was just cool to step into that business side because, I don't know what you guys go through racing throughout the week from Monday to, I guess, call it Saturday Sunday.

And I was able to kind of step into that. Monday was phone calls about the raps and this stuff. I didn't even think that deep. I'm like, you know, obviously the cars, right? I didn't even think that deep into saying like, okay, they got to come up with this scheme. There's people in the fact, like, in the race up that are like, that's their job to do this. Get this frame and rabbit, do all that. Do you want a fire suit and a helmet?

Exactly. You want just like, what do we do? Exactly. Exactly. So there was so much that went into it. And I was grateful for that opportunity with Ryan because it kind of sparked my interest, right? So to answer your question, it's not a no. But, you know, it's just, I think just the right time and the right opportunity. And I probably would be interested because I think there's a lot of room for growth in the sport. And if I could be involved at a larger capacity than I am right now. I'll be interested in. Well, we appreciate your involvement in the sport, but I'm going to go way off the rockers. I'm going to go out.

I'm going to switch it way off the rockers. I want to know who you think the best player out of the NFL draft is coming into the season that's going to immediately make an impact this year. The best player. Like, who's the guy that you were like, ooh, that's going to make an impact on that team? Because when we had this show, I mean, Mamba was definitely a third draft pick. So. He's taking strays, bro.

In front of my own friends. It's taking his tray. This is very typical. He gets a lot of grief. He gets a lot of grief. He started to dish it out. He started to dish it out. They got me today.

Yeah. Taking him good. I like the worthy pick from Texas, receiver for the chiefs. Because, I mean, he got rare speed. I think he has Rothel and I think he has an opportunity to develop. He got Pat Mahomes up there. Andy, Andy Reed and those guys, I think, I mean, you get your hands on. It's like playing with a car with a perfect engine almost.

Yeah. I went to rookie camp. Oh, you did? With the Chiefs this year. Yes. Yeah. And you saw him? He is so fast.

Yeah. Oh, my goodness. It was all the rookies in the camp. I think it's 90. Yeah. And so they bring all of them in and start to explain everything that's going on so that the other players, they don't fall over everybody. They know what's going on.

It'll hurt somebody. But man, oh, man. Those rookie camps are interesting because, like, you went. Yeah. You quickly see who is different. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

And it was, it was, he stuck out like a sort of. Yeah. So I'm interested to see because, you know, I think in our sport, they say, oh, well, there's football speed and track speed. He has both. Yeah. And I want to, yeah, I want to, I want to see it. And then you got Pat throwing you the ball. I mean, it's almost unfair, but I don't, yeah, I don't say that.

I'll say a team because, I mean, shoot, it's just, they pick. They're good. Yeah, they pick who they strategically did what they had to do to get them. So I'm interested to see that. Yeah. Those are the champs. So that's a pick on the NFL side. Before we close it out, who's your pick for a championship in the Cup series?

Oh, man. For NASCAR, who you're getting close to postseason time. Pressure on some of those boys to even have chance. This is a pressure pick, too, because you mentioned Denny, but Denny, you know, Denny's still looking for that first championship. Yeah, we keep saying. Was that? Yeah, I remember.

Yeah, that's right. You picked him early. Y'all you picked him early. I did. Yeah. Okay. I think this is the year for Denny, but I'm not trying to. Don't let him sway you.

It's not going to swing. It's not going to swing me. I have to get in on my fantasy. I got to start, I got to start doing my fantasy line. That's going to help me kind of gazed what's going on. But I think Denny's driving well. It's somebody he doesn't. Nah, it's not even that I don't want to say.

Now I'm going to be on record. No, no. I said to me and you just on the side like, I mean, everybody that mama picks Rex. I mean, he's notorious for bad picks. So if I,

if I say Carl Larson, then it's, you're good. That's a good, dude. You can't go wrong with that. No, I didn't pick him yesterday.

Who'd you pick? For the Chicago. Oh, for the championship? For the championship. Do you remember? No, I don't. But I feel like I went back to back.

I feel like I was feeling Blamey back to back. I don't know if I made a championship pick. I don't think we did. You just did. I will, right now. You said plenty back to back.

Yeah. Because we haven't seen a back-to-back champion in a while, and they just have that grit to grind out and finish in top time. I'm going. You going William Byron? I think he could do it.

Yeah, I feel like he could do it. I know they're going through a little bit of a summer slump. Yeah. You know, I think it's so strange, and you see this, you know, you have teams that get on the streak at the right time. And then all of a sudden they blow through the playoffs, the next thing you know, they're in contention.

So that's the, that's the, unique thing about what we do as well. Okay, so you're saying Kyle Larson? Yeah, I say Carl. I say Carl. You can put it on the record. That's pretty safe. You can put it on the record. It's a good one to go here.

That's a good one. Yes. Thanks so much for being here. We appreciate everything you do for the sport and for taking some time for us today. Thank you. Thank you. I look forward to seeing you at future races. All right, everyone continue to subscribe on YouTube and wherever you get your

podcast. Also, rate us five stars and leave a review and we'll see you next time.