The Dale Jr. Download - 177 - Dale Jr. Reporting from Roatan

Episode Date: June 1, 2017

Dale Earnhardt Jr. provides his thoughts on the 88 team's World 600 performance, Kyle Busch's post-race antics, seeing the No. 3 car win again, and more. His wife, Amy, joins the podcast for the weekly Ask Jr. segment. Check out Dirty Mo Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMedia  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you love Dale Jr., then Exaltor Racing is your go-to social media account on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. It brings you Insiders info all weekend long on the 88 team. It's at Exaltor Racing, a must follow for any Dale Jr. fan. This is Dale Jr., and you're listening to Dirty Mo Radio. Hey, everybody, it's Dale Jr. back again for another episode of the Dale Jr. download. Today we're doing the podcast from Rootan, Honduras. Why are we here? So Amy has some family that vacation down here.

They happen to be asking us to come to this trip for a couple years now. And so we decided to come on down here after the race. And we'll be back home in a couple hours anyway. So we just come down for a couple days. Pretty fun down here. Just hanging out on the beach, having a few beers, ate great breakfast this morning. we're literally right on the ocean so well these boats are going by and people are fishing and snorkeling and scuba diving

a lot of birds animals dogs so yeah it's great quick uh three and a half hour flight down here anyways let's get right on into this show talk about the world 600 recap so we finished 10th this weekend uh pretty happy about that to be honest with you, although usually wouldn't really be too happy about the 10th place,

but considering how the All-Star race went, we really made a lot of big gains. So I was pretty happy about that result. We started, you know, we started preparing for this race immediately after the All-Star event. We already had planned to bring a different car because it's a different sponsor for both of those. races. So they had the car picked out. We threw away the setup that we ran in the All-Star race. Talked about running similar to what Jimmy was going to race. Whatever he ran in the All-Star race is kind of where we started the week. And we went from there. We made a couple adjustments on the car and practice. Nothing really got away from that idea and that theory. But we definitely

improved the car as the weekend went, which I was real happy. with we started out probably with about a 15th to 20th place car off the truck and made small gains chipping away at it till by the end of the race i thought we had about an eighth or tenth place cars so um i don't think that that's indicative of our mile and a half program we ran uh we had i like my car a ton better at kansas and at texas i thought we had a very fast car Charlotte to me doesn't really compare to the other mile and a half because of the asphalt and how rough it is. Anyways, really happy about the effort and the work that the guys put in. We went and they went and did a lot of work on the simulator on Friday, and that's become a

pretty useful tool for us. We did some simulator work before Kansas, which I thought made a tremendous amount of have made things a lot better for us throughout practice and throughout the weekend. Basically, Greg and the guys will have a long, long list of things they want to change, and we can't get to all that stuff in the minimal amount of practice that we have. So going to the simulator allows us to kind of narrow that list down and also mark off some things that don't work or don't provide any real gains. so we're not wasting our time in practice.

So they were able to narrow the list down on a couple things that they wanted to try for practice on Saturday, and we improved the car a little bit throughout that particular practice session, and ended up into top ten. So real good effort. Also, I've talked about it a bunch, but Jimmy Johnson, the 48 guys, they were a tremendous amount of help as well. Since we leaned on their setup, me and Jimmy could communicate quite a bit about how our cars, felt how they drove because in theory they should react similarly.

So if I, you know, and Bobby Levondi talked about this on race hub or one of the weekly shows or pre-race shows. You know, some drivers, you can basically set a car up maybe the way Jimmy likes it and all the other drivers can get in there and it's not going to you know we're not going to be able to maybe drive it as well or may not like some of the sensations that you have and and they might not like my setup or what I like and what I want to feel so what you do is you look at a driver's trace you look at his steering throttle brake you talk to that particular driver and try to understand how he's driving that setup or how he's driving

the car and maybe tailor your driving style a little bit toward his and do some of the things that he's doing. So Jimmy would come over to the car with sheets of comparing our steering and brake and throttle and we'd talk about how that was working and what he was doing things, why he was doing the things he was doing. And even during the rain delay, we talked about things he had done to his car, some adjustments they'd made during the race. And he gave me some other tips about what he was doing inside the car to help. So he was a great teammate all weekend. He always is, but this particular weekend I asked him for a little extra help and he came through big time. Obviously the big story of the weekend is Memorial Day and having the names on the windshield

of the car. All the drivers, all the teams were allowed and able to honor an individual that's lost his life fighting for this country's freedom. And we were honoring James McClamrock. Private First Class James McLemrock. His family was there. We got to meet, he had a huge family, got to meet his mother. Obviously, they were incredible people.

We shared some great conversation, and it was really good, really good to be able to kind of get to know his family, get to know him, get to know his story. And I think that's fun for everybody to have the opportunity to know these people. We always, you know, week to week honor the military. NASCAR is one of the more pre-traughtic sports, in my opinion, that we always take time each week to acknowledge what the military means to us. And this particular weekend is a little more special because of how we honor individuals and get to know a particular individual. And those stories are out there from every team and for all the fans.

of the drivers, everybody in the industry to get to know each individual that's on these cars. So that's a pretty cool program. I was honored to meet the family. We exchanged some gifts, which were very personal to them and meant a lot to me. So they gave me some of James possessions, which I was blown away, stunned by, to be honest. And I will keep those always. And should they ever want any of that back, I'll have it in my possession forever. So that was great. Yeah, I'm going to miss things like that when I'm retired being a part of those moments. Obviously, another story for the weekend was the VHT that they put down on the racetrack.

So this track at Charlotte's notorious for being a bottom. groove racetrack where it's really difficult to make the middle or even the top work, especially at night. When the track cools off, as it does in the evening, the grip goes up in the surface of the racetrack, and that takes away the top groove and its competitiveness. You'll see in the day race later this year at Charlotte will be moving up the racetrack and using the middle and the top of the racetrack a little bit more. You see that as well in the Xfinity race. But at night, it's a little bit tougher to make the top work because the bottom just gets so fast. They sprayed VHT in the middle and top groove.

We did use that a little bit more, and I thought that that was a good move by the racetrack to try to provide us a better product and try to provide a better race for the fans. And I'm not, you know, I'm not sure whether they'll continue to do this at other racetracks. You know, a lot of racetracks really don't need that assistance to create more grooves, what some tracks do. So they may be inclined to try that at other racetracks to try to develop a second groove or at least make that groove a little bit more competitive. So I'll give that a thumbs up and you've got to give Charlotte struggling to understand

how to provide a better race and create more action at the Charlotte. speedway so I thought that they did a great job trying to create that and made some strides there. I had a two-hour rain delay during the race. That, you know, that's never fun sitting around waiting on that at the end, but it went by pretty quick, I thought. We debriefed in the hauler quite a bit, so that time went by pretty quickly as we were trying to work and improve our car and thinking about what new adjustments we could try and what didn't work and what direction we should probably go. So that rain delay was a little profitable for us. there was a lug nut issue

it got jammed in between the wheel and the hub so how does this happen I know you know it's just a freak deal to be honest with you the lug nut you know when they come off the car they can

get lodged behind the next wheel that's getting applied the wheel the lug nut can hop up on top of the caliber or up on top of the hat and as you're putting it's really a freak deal as you're putting the next wheel on you don't see that and you bolt it down on top of that loose lug nuts sitting there so also as you're putting a wheel on you can knock one of the lug nuts that it's glued to the wheel on top of the hub and that's another way it can get lodged

in there but basically it's just a freak deal that had nothing to do with anyone's application or any of the you know any of the crew guys it just happens sometimes it might have once or twice, maybe three times in your entire career. I remember it happening to me before, but nothing we could have done about that, other than come in and remove it. I'm glad that they saw it, and I definitely noticed it coming off pit road, the dang wheels about to fall off the car. So otherwise, we had pretty awesome pit stops.

The guys were very competitive on pit road, often gaining a spot or two. I thought that this weekend was really reflected the type of performance that I think these guys are capable of week in, week out. We had a real smooth night. We also joked a little bit about Kyle Bush's post-trace press conference. I know a lot of fans were kind of turned off by Kyle's attitude in the press, in the media room. after the race. What a lot of people don't know is that he gave a full interview

before that out on Pitt Road, I believe, and got quite, you know, explained his situation quite well, I thought, and his disappointment. I think by time he got to the media center, it had just really gotten under his skin. But, you know, as I've gotten olderer,

and especially with new perspective on being out of the car and retired, and all that stuff, it's made me sort of look back at what's good for the sport. Instead of really what's good for me and what I want, what does the sport need, what's good for the sport? Cobbush is good for the sport. We don't need everybody acting the same. We don't need everybody all happy or being amazing all the time.

You know, we need passion, disappointment. You need to see that raw emotion in the drivers. so I was completely confined with Kyle Busch's press conference. I was even amused quite a bit, as a lot of people were. But Kyle, I talked to him a little bit. I text him a little bit, and he just really, you know, was disappointed. That, you know, being able to sweep and win the 600 and an All-Star race, and he just really, really wants to win badly.

And it expresses that. he wears that on his sleeve. So, you know, as long as he don't go in the media center and dog another driver or, you know, pick at Austin's good fortune, I don't see a problem with him just being disappointed. So I was okay with it. I think it's good for the sport. It definitely got people talking. People outside of the industry watch that clip as it's getting passed around on social media. So that's good.

It gets people talking, so it's good for the sport. So I'm good with it. And we talked about Austin Dillon there, winning the race, getting good fortune on its fuel mileage. I was really concerned with their crew chief change as they had made a move away from Slugger Labby, who had been with Austin for the last several months, working at least, I don't know, how long they've been together, maybe a year and a half, two years. I've worked with Slugger before. He used to work at DEI, and he's well respected in the garage.

So I was kind of excited about that pairing between him and Austin. I thought that they made some gains. I thought Austin was running better. And so I was surprised that they made a change. But it seems to have made a big difference right away because Austin ran in the top 10 all night. I thought he was one of the better cars that I was around. Definitely had a lot of speed all night.

So we'll watch that going forward and see if this change for Austin is going to continue to pay off. Obviously, he's got his first win at the World 600, an incredible race to win. I'm very jealous because I've never won it. But that's a big deal, and it's a home track for Austin. Those guys are right up the road and welcome. So I bet I think they partied on into the morning hours. So that was a pretty cool deal for them. And now that locks Austin into the chase.

So on that front, it got a little tougher for us as each of these new winners chip away at some of the opportunities to get into the chase for some of the drivers like myself who haven't won races. All right, the three-car wins in the Cup Series for the first time since my father in 2000, Talladega. So that's 16 years ago, 17 years ago, Bob Pockris tweeted that me and Matt Kenseth were the only two drivers that were in both. of those races, the 2000 Talladega race and this past weekend's race. Doesn't that make you feel old Matt? That was our rookie seasons for me and Matt in 2000. I'm very excited about the three car being back in Victory Lane. Austin is going to, as he's already started to do, create his own legacy with that number. And as other drivers did before my father used it. So could have. goes to RCR, Richard Childers.

Always happy to see Richard do well and succeed in the sport. We also watched a couple races on Sunday, the F-1 race from Monaco, which is pretty, I don't know, pretty uneventful. I don't know if that was an eventful race. It's hard for me to tell watching the F-1 races, but I was certainly excited about watching the N.500 with Alonzo in there. Alonzo ran right up toward the front. right away, creating a lot of conversation on social media and from other drivers as well

about what that really says about Alonzo, maybe the competition in Indy or how hard an indie car is to drive or, you know, I don't know. People were trying to determine a lot of different things there. But I think what it says to me is that Alonzo is a very good driver and Alonzo had a very good car and I believe that Indy is a pretty unique challenge for for maybe a guy like Alonzo or anyone else really for that matter to go get some seat time you get that rookie test you get all kinds of lap time and track time to kind of acclimate yourself so if if you're going to go run a race in in Indy and you want to be able to, let's say, what am I trying to say?

If you want to, if you want to go race at Indy, at any race in Indy, I think the Indy 500 might be the one to, I don't want to say it's the easiest one because it's certainly probably not easy, but you get the most track time with all the rookie testing and the whole month of May, right, they're on the racetrack running and running, running. So, you know, if Alonzo had plenty of time to get used to the car and find out where its limits are.

And being a world champion, he's going to do that quicker than most guys. So I wasn't really that surprised by his performance. So he led 27 laps before an engine failure, knocked him out of the race. Chris Knight, one of the media members in our sport, tweeted a list of indie drivers he'd like to see try to run the Daytona 500 someday.

Graham Ray Hall, Marco Andretti, Takumasado, was another driver. that he listed. So we had Alitzer Jr. ran that race one time in one of Rick's cars, actually. We probably had a whole

slew of guys actually try to, you know, AJ Ford and Mario Andradey have done it and succeeded. I think it's awesome when you get guys that come from other forms of motorsport either

coming to our sport and trying to run it. You want to get their perspective on what's harder, what's more challenging. What do they think about our cars, our technology? And I also enjoy seeing our guys go run indie. So we have somebody more, you know, somebody we know to pull for. So when Kurt was in, Kurt, Bush was in the Indy 500, I was pulling for Kurt, of course.

Who would I like to see run the Daytona 500? Obviously, I'm good friends with Graham Ray Hall, so it'd be awesome to see him, give it a run. And Marco Andretti also to have another Andretti come down. in a NASCAR and give it a run. That'd be great. And I'm sure those guys might get those opportunities. So, who knows. All right, we're going to jump into our Ask Junior portion of the show. Amy is here. Hey, guys. And she's going to read off a couple of great questions and see if we can't get some good answers. It's quite sunny, though. Hold on. Okay. So our first question is from Kravitz Cheryl, and she wants to know,

would you consider doing the Rolex 24-hour race next year or at some point in your future? The Rolex 24 hours. Yes. I probably would like to go watch that race. Where is this race? This is the race that I've talked to you about that's over in France. I know, but tell you. Oh, okay.

So. You did mention wanting to go. Yeah. I want to go watch it. Okay. So I think it'd be fun to, uh, they have like a whole week of, uh, kind of celebrating. Yeah. Yeah, festivities in town, in La Ma.

And where? La Ma'a. So they have... Redneck French. Yeah, they have... I took French in high school, you can't tell. Nope. I can count the ten.

Two, twi, catra, saint. Catra? Cece, we... Uh, or... Duh. I don't know. Okay, next question. Nuff.

These. I don't know. Copeland, Zach, is there any one place or event that you look forward to being able to enjoy after your retirement? Well, we just talked about going to LaMont. I'd like to do that. I'd love to go to the N8500 one time. We watched on TV, and it just looks like incredible spectacle. Is there any non-racing things you're looking forward to going and doing?

Whatever you have planned. Okay. I'm sure I'm going to be doing a lot of things that you want to do because you've sacrificed so much to be. It's not that there's just so many things to do. It's not about sacrifice. I know, just let me like, you have. You know, came to these races Week after week after week.

You get him like you coming at us. It's time to, I don't know, do some stuff you want to do. Yeah, I want to take you to the Derby. Yeah. And if we're going to go to LaMalle, as you say it, we're going to see some other parts of France, surely, right? Great. We're definitely going to see other parts of France.

Cool. Yeah, I want to go to the Derby with you since that's something you've done. Yeah, it's really amazing. I think you would enjoy it. Yeah, I think we'd try to do some of those high-end events that you see on TV all Well, there's different ways to do everything. You don't have to do. No, I'm just saying like the things that we see watch on TV that we always talk about,

dang, we can't go because of the racing. Well, yeah, most things are on the weekends. Yes, we're going to go. Okay, next question. Jay Billow 57, Joyce. She wants to know, will you still attend the JRM fan day and make other public appearances after you retire? Hopefully your fans will see more of you.

Yeah, of course. I mean, we're going to have fan day. I noticed that Mark Martin still does his fan day, and they have concerts, and all kinds of fun things. Dave, that's kind of a big deal. Right, and that's still going pretty strong. Obviously, we have other things that we want to continue to promote. So having fan days a great opportunity to let the fans know a lot about our, you know, how Whiskey River's doing,

and our dealerships down in Tallahassee. We'll continue to be able to promote our partnerships with all the brands that we're continuing to work with beyond my racing career. I mean, there's many, many awesome reasons. to continue to have fan days, aside from the fact that we get to, you know, interact with the fans. Yep. I felt like if it gets any bigger, you're going to have to move the location of this event because... It was great this year. The traffic situation, even just getting into J.R.

Yeah. I mean, if we're going to do a concert kind of event or anything like that, we'll definitely have to move it. Sure. Chase the Falcon, first off, your handle is pretty awesome. He wants to know what will you miss most about racing when you retire? I've talked about this quite a bit Yeah, the camaraderie, the friendships Yeah, I'm going to miss the friends, the buddies

But you can still go to the races and be around Yeah, but when they're in that moment of working I'm going to miss being the camaraderie in the moment Like during practice Like I used to hate practice And this year I can't wait for every single practice Because those are the moments that I'm going to miss really The ones that I actually thought I didn't like

All that work part the work and doing things together. All right, NASCAR Catholic. I think that's right. NASCAR Catholic. She wants to know, I'm assuming this is a woman, out of the 10 tracks you haven't won at, which one would mean the most to win before you retire?

And can you list the 10 that you haven't won it? Well, I know Charlotte's won because we talked about that. Well, actually, I won an All-Star race, so maybe that's not on that list. But, huh. Sears Point and the Watkins Glen. Sonoma? Yeah, Sonoma.

Sears Point. Oh, sorry. They're kind of the same. So. Have you won at Homestead? I haven't went at Homestead. It'd mean a lot to win at Homestead, the final race of the year. Yeah.

Go out on top. I can't list the top. I notice. Seeley Racing wants to know, are you planning any short track racing like Hickory or Myrtle Beach after retirement? Well, we do have the late model teams and something we've had a long time. and I definitely would probably like to sneak into Hickory one night and run. I know Kyle's done that.

He's taking his super late model down there and just ran just for fun, you know. Just a mic drop and things. Yeah. Just to do a little mic drops. Pick his nose. Ait Mopal me more than he picked his nose and touched the microphone than he actually threw the microphone down when he did that. I replayed it just to make sure that that's what I saw.

Scott Glover 4. Will you be going? to the booth to help call any Xfinity races this year like you did last year. I might. You know, we're trying to figure out, you know, when those opportunities come about. I've definitely gotten some, gotten asked if I'd be interested in doing a race or two. And it's just we're so busy. It's really hard to dedicate that kind of time during the race weekend because we're running around doing so much.

Well, you're doing extra things with your team now, too, to try to get the car better. You're spending more time doing all of that. So I can understand. Yeah, you're busy. Um, SimRacer 10, 18. Any plans to jump back into eye racing after retirement? Uh, I don't know. Yeah. I think I'll have more time to do things like that. I've gotten out of eye racing or at least I still have my setup, my rig. Everything's ready to go. Didn't they just add something to irising? Dirts. Dirk cars. Are you, um, I'm excited about that. I haven't tried it. No. I, the reason why I haven't been eye racing is because I got so busy with, uh, with, uh, with a real job. out with me.

And you. Yeah. I mean, like, we got married and... I don't think you guys understand that ir racing happens while everyone else is sleeping. Yeah. So, yeah, that's part of the reason. I want to get back into it, though, yes. Okay.

Well. But I just don't have the time right now. You just don't have time for anything, do you? Brand Brand Disco asks if there's a UFC match between Tyler and T.J. Who would you pick to win and why? T.J. I've been in a boxing ring with him. He's pretty scrappy.

Yeah. Tyler's a little lethargic would be maybe a good way to describe him. I don't know. I kind of feel like Tyler being the wrestling fan that he is, probably has some sick moves he practices by himself. That's true. But will the wrestling move win a UFC match? TJ's scrappiness is going to win, I think.

Yeah, I do. I think that's true. It would be fun to watch. We should. It'd be like a W. We should promote this at the next year's fan day. Get a. in the ring with TJ.

What is your favorite video game and or a movie? Fodrod of Odd wants to know that. My favorite video game is iRacing. But I do, what I'm playing right now mostly is Madden Mobile, right? Yeah, you are. He carries around an iPad the size of Texas just to play this game everywhere he goes. My favorite movie, I mean, Forrest Gump's hard to beat. Tombstone was great.

And why? Tombstone? Yeah, why do you like Tombstone so much? I don't know. Why does all men say that Tombstone and Lonesome Dove? All these movies are men's favorites, but nobody can just say one reason why. Lonesome Dove is a miniseries that I'm loved to death. Mm-hmm.

That came out when I was in a ninth grade. Lonesome Dove. Okay. Tommy Lee Jones is in Lawson Dove. What? Tommy Lee Jones is in Lawsome Dove. Yes, he is. Who else is in Lonesome Dove?

Um. Captain Augustus McCray is played by, what's his face? Is it Gary? No. Dang it, it just had it on tip of my tongue. Ed? No, it's not Ed. I can see him thinking.

I'm trying to mess him out. So we named Gus after this character. Yeah, we named Gus after this freaking character. Yeah, you do love that movie. All right, Leanne 23 wants to know with Kelly moving. Have you met any new neighbors? Is it Robert DeVall? Robert DeVall, yes.

Yeah, Robert of all. What did you ask me? Leanne 23 wants to know with Kelly moving, have you met your new neighbors? My mama. She's going to move into Kelly's house. Yeah. So everybody lives out on the property, and Brenda and Willie are going to move into Kelly's house. Yeah. And we're going to have a guest house now.

That's right. So family can come visit. Ne-dog. You have to try to say this. Okay. Nodog mafia. Nadal Mafia. Nadal Mafia. N-E dog mafia.

You guys are clever with these names. All right. He wants to know where I lost my spot. Sorry. Would you ever race in the Indy 500 or Formula 1 race if you were asked to? No, I wouldn't. I don't think that I have, I don't have road course talent to be racing an F1. Why?

I just, what do you mean? Why? Yeah, why do you not think you have any road course talent? I just don't want to go do that crap. I don't like road course racing. Well, just don't have. say that then. Okay, I don't like road course racing, so no. The Indy 500, I might have tried that when I was younger. I might have done it if I was in my 20s. I'm too old for that. All right.

Those are all the questions. That's all the questions. Thanks, Amy. You're welcome. Lovely. Amy has helped us with the questions. All right, we're going to go to looking ahead Thursday. I'll be back in town Thursday for some simulator prep for Dover. So we're going to the simulator for Dover, try to learn some things. We'll be there all day. Quite a great opportunity to zone in on some great opportunity or great changes we can make to the car. Friday, we have practice and qualifying at 350, Eastern Time on Fox Sports 1. Saturday, there's two practices in the Xfinity races at 1 p.m. Eastern time on Fox Sports 1.

Sunday, the race is at 1 o'clock on Fox Sports 1. So Fox Sports 1 all weekend. The Dale Jr. download and all Dirty Moe Radio podcast are made possible by Zalta. You can subscribe to all eight programs on iTunes, Stitcher SoundCloud, and all major podcasting outlets. As always, you can listen to Dirty Mo Radio podcast on Dale Jr.com. Follow us on Twitter at Del Jr. at Overstreet Tyler and at DirtyMoe Radio. Also check out the Dirty Mo Radio Facebook page. Today's theme song, Everyone Left, is by the Dangerous Summer, courtesy of Hopeless Records.

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