The Dale Jr. Download - 553 - ​ Jeff Green: Racing For Legends Like Earnhardt, Childress & Petty

Episode Date: June 26, 2024

Dale Earnhardt Jr. sits down with longtime NASCAR competitor Jeff Green to learn more about how he rose from the short tracks of the Midwest to having one of the most dominant seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series history. After growing up in the footsteps of two racing brothers, David and Mark, also of NASCAR fame, Jeff ventured down a path that landed him at Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 1995.  When he took a call from the Intimidator himself, DEI was at an interesting point in its history, where Dale Sr. was looking to retire from part-time NASCAR Busch Series racing and put someone in the car full-time. Jeff and the No. 3 team had moments of brilliance and strong runs, but he felt it was still “Dale Sr.’s team” and he decided to try out a different opportunity.Jeff found victory lane for the first time in his NASCAR Xfinity career with Diamond Ridge Motorsports at Las Vegas in 1997. The team was excited about Jeff’s success and rushed him into the Cup Series, which Jeff explains was a difficult transition to make, and before long the team shut down. His glory years in the Xfinity Series came from 1999 to 2001 when he had two runner-up points efforts and a dominant 2000 championship run, where he won by over 600 points. The success brought an opportunity with Richard Childress Racing and Jeff, feeling like he was in the prime of his career, jumped at the chance to drive for a premier racing team. But when a run-in with his teammate Kevin Harvick ultimately got him fired, Jeff began a journey of moving from team to team, looking for stability. Along the way, he spent time back at DEI as well as at Richard Petty Motorsports driving the famed 43 before retiring from driving in 2021.Dale and Jeff reflect on their years spent racing each other in the Xfinity ranks, Dale’s first memories of Jeff at DEI, late model racing trips, and Jeff’s current day-to-day activities.  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.

Hey, everybody, it's Dale Jr. back again for another episode of the Dale Jr. Download, and one of our most requested guests is on the show today. It's Jeff Green, raced in the Xfinity Series. He's a champion there, race for DEI, a great friend of mine, and a big kid at heart. We're going to learn why. The following is a production of Dirty Mo Media. Hey, everybody, Dale Jr., Dale Jr., back again.

For another episode of the Dale Jr. Download, the ally guest segment today, one of the most requested guests. Jeffrey, how did you deal with the idea of closing the door on your professional racing life? I do miss the racing. I miss it a lot. I miss being at the racetrack with my buddies. But none of my buddies are there no more. It's just you just got to tell yourself those days are behind you. All right, so we're back in the, we're not in the Bojango studio. I keep wanting to say that because it's just kind of automatic. But I'm at the remote studio, one more week of this, and then we're back at home in North Carolina. But we've got a great guest today with Jeff Green.

I want to thank Ally for bringing our guest segment to us every single week. Alli is a huge supporter of what we do here at the Dale Jr. download, and we couldn't thank them enough for this particular guest, Jeff Green. Jeff is an old school racer, had a lot of success in the Xfinity series, had a really tumultuous experience in the Cup series, a lot of hiring and firing and turnover. I want to talk to him about his younger life, but also the great success and getting to race with him.

I had a hell of a race with him in 1999 for the championship in the Xfinity series. And he's also got a lot of things that I think will be interested to learn. He's still interested in today and things that he's doing today. So I know he's still a big-time Sim race, and has a lot of the fun things that he likes to do. So we'll learn about how he's able to continue to enjoy those things, even at 61 years old.

So pretty awesome. Looking forward to this one. Everybody else has been asking for Jeff Green. Here he is. Let's bring him in. All right. So on the Dale Jr. download today for our guest segment presented by Ally is an old friend of mine,

Jeff Green, 61 years old. Ooh. Yeah, up there. Golly. You believe it? 2000 NASCAR Bush Series champion 16 career NASCAR Bush Series wins. Dude, you look pretty damn good, I'll be honest with you, for 61. Well, thanks.

Sometimes I don't feel that away, but I don't know. I've enjoyed life. It's been really, really good to me. Been blessed over the years to be able to have good health and just trying to take advantage of it in my retirement days. What's the secret to stay in good health? Not worry about anything. That's about it.

You know, I don't know. Worry is a sin, so we just got to take advantage of each day what the good Lord gives us. And, you know, I don't know. I just, I tried to eat right, tried to do the right thing, especially when I was on a race car to be able to have a good enough health to be able to make it through those long races and, you know, try to do the right things through the week to be able to prepare for that particular race too. So I don't know if that did anything, but I guess I've got to.

good genes i just we just buried my grandmother a couple years ago at a hundred and two so wow yeah so i don't know if i want to live that long but uh i guess i've got pretty good genes in my family you grew up in a uh a family full of racers and everybody's aware your brother mark and david um who is where do you where are you at in the in the order i'm the i'm the youngest yeah there and so what was what was that like for you um i don't know i took you know i I tagged along a lot, watched a lot of fights along the way in our childhood. And really, I mean, I was thinking about it. David really kind of set the course for all of us through racing.

Mark was right there behind him. And I kind of got the leftovers, you know, racing go-carts and things like that. But those two guys really set the course. David getting into the Bush series quicker than any of us did. And he opened some doors along the way also. So, you know, I don't know. It was fun childhood. As you know, childhood was a lot different back then.

So in the 70s, you did what you wanted to kind of outside. You never stayed inside. We didn't have but three channels on our TV and didn't have any computer or cell phone. So we had to make our entertainment. And, you know, the neighbors and I tell the story all the time. We race popsicle sticks on the curb after it rained. So we put our number on it, put a paint job on a popsicle sticks, and lay them in the ground and let them row.

So that was our entertainment back then. You started racing go-cars at eight years old, along with your brothers. Was David the one that started racing first? Actually, my dad was drag racing as we was growing up. So we kind of tagged along behind him to the drag strip, and he kind of got us going in go-carts because we were all too young to drive a car. but so to be able to drag race but so he was probably him and my uncle and my granddad uh was the one that really got us going into into go carts and the good thing about go

carts back especially like back then you know you could run at any age so um david and mark definitely got to this above 16 class quicker than I did but I was able to run the younger classes and and was able to race on the same racetrack they did and same day and everything so it worked out pretty good for us Did y'all ever race together? Mark and David raced more together than I did. You know, later in our career

or in our youth there, we raced some. They were always in the senior division, which was 16 and above, and I was always in the junior division. So they raced a lot together. They crashed each other a lot. I think Mark broke his ankle one time because David wrecked him.

So things like that, you know, that kind of sticks out. but we're all together at the same track and same weekend. We traveled throughout Indiana and Illinois and Missouri and through Kentucky to race go carts on each and every weekend. So it's fun. I race a little bit myself, and I really, I don't think I learned that much as a driver.

Not that you can. I think a lot of people develop great racetrack and skill driving, running a go cart at any age, but I really wasn't, I don't know, I just didn't develop much as a driver on the dirt track. That didn't start happening for me until I got into a big car around 15, 16 years old. My mind as a 12-year-old just wasn't ready to start to process apexes and all kinds of things that you learn in a race car. But for you, did it come naturally?

Did it, was it something that you started dreaming big about? I mean, when did you really start to think, man, I want to race for a living or I want to do this for a long period of time? Well, I think going through go-carts, we were doing it for fun more than anything. And we were competitive. Don't give me wrong, we wanted to win each and every day, each and every weekend. If we didn't win, we were, you know, upset and trying to get better for the next weekend. But as far as making a living out of it, I really, it was way after, it was all in stock cars. And when I, 16, I started running my first stock car race.

And those were many modifies, just a modified four-cylinder with big old wings on them and things like that. So the cars really handled good. But even through those days, I really know, I can't put a day on it when, man, I might be able to make money doing this. you know what I mean? So I make a living doing this. So I'd say it was probably in my early 20s. A lot of people know Mike, Waltrip and myself were in school together. We went to school together.

We hung out a lot. And at those days, in our high school days, Daryl was at his prime. So, you know, late 70s, he was winning every weekend. So Mike would take off and go to the races on the weekends. And when he come back, you know, it got me excited because Daryl made it from Orinsboro, Why can't we make it? And Mike was a big instrument in my success or getting to the next level, getting into NASCAR or in the Bush Series.

Without him, I probably wouldn't be able to never make it. It's all about people, back then especially, it's about people putting your name in the hat or open their door for you. So without him, I don't know if I could ever do that. What did he do? He gave me a job. And I was running a bush car out of Nashville for Wayne Day, and we were building the chassis.

Wayne was building the motors, and every time we'd go, we'd run good and blow up. So I ended up getting mad and quitting. And Mike said, just come on over here and work for me. So that would have been in 93. And I worked for Michael in 94 spotting for him in that Penzo car, and I worked him at his shop personally, getting his Bush team together and trying to start a team for him.

So through that year, I was able to run a few races along the way. I remember subbing for Chad Little at Myrtle Beach and I was able to run in the top five in the Bush Series for them with Harold Holly, crew chief in that car. And along the way, your dad was going to retire from the Bush Series. And Mike and, of course, your dad was really, really good for him. So along the way, Mike was putting my name in the hat for that car for that opportunity. So that was what really gave me the opportunity for Dale to call me, I think, to give me to drive that car.

I came home one night. I don't know. I had to be late in the 94 season. And back then we had machines that recorded, you know, at home, the recorder. So flipped on the, Michelle, my wife's flipped, hit the button, and Dale Earnhardt was on the other end. I thought, and for the next three or four hours, I called all my buddies back in Hornsboro to see who was messing with me, but it turned out to be him for sure, and that was a pretty special occasion for me. What was the phone call? What did he say? You know how he was? He's rough and tough, and he wasn't going to talk too much. So just need to come see me, buddy. So that's what I did. So next thing you know.

Well, I mean, did you go over there the next day? Oh, I'm sure I did. I don't really remember Junior. I don't exactly. But I'm sure it wasn't too long. I was there to see what he wanted. And the thing about it, I drove a race for Junior Johnson into that year, too, at Atlanta, the last race of the year of 94 in the Cup Series.

And Junior was wanting to come work for him, too. So I had a couple opportunities, but I felt like the Bush Series where I need to be. I think I was a little bad out of my way. in the Cup Series. We're at, we really run good. We should have finished in the top 10, finished 11th or 12th, I think, but I stalled it on pit road on the last green flag stop,

so I lost a couple of positions. And I had an opportunity with Junior, but I've really felt like my heart was in the Bush Series. I felt like I need to learn more and be able to be more competitive each and every week. And driving that three car, I felt like I could do that. And it did give me the opportunity to go in there

and have an opportunity each and every week to win the race. Man, that's amazing. I had no idea that you had an opportunity to go work for Junior Johnson. I hadn't even remembered that you'd ran that season finale for them that year in 94. Things must have been pretty crazy for you trying to decide what to do, right? I mean, got Dellen Hart calling you, Junior Johnson putting you in a cup car. Yeah, it was. Really, if I had more experience,

I'd just run a few races from 91 to 94 in the Bush Series. So I knew what I was up against, but I just felt like I need more time in a seat to do the job. First, I didn't want to walk through a cup door and not be there very long. So I need to get more experience. And, you know, I felt like going to Delarnhart, Incorporated, would be the opportunity of a lifetime. I was able to work in the shop, work on the cars, put the bodies on. So I'm still doing my same job I had for all my life. But I was also getting paid to drive the race car too.

So it's pretty awesome. Yeah, I remember the first time I walked into the shop. It feels like the first time like you. I don't remember everything that was going on back then. But I remember what I think was the first time I walked in there. It was just going to say it's probably January. y'all are getting ready for Daytona you were welding aluminum uh spoiler together on the bench and you were um it was supposed to be welded aluminum all the way across the back in a spoiler

and you were welding it in four inch increments and then you were putting putty in to look like welds in between there so it would flex you remember that i do uh i do because uh big big e had us in the motorhome after we got disqualified. In the, in the, after qualifying, but in his motorhome. They found it? Oh, yeah. Well, back then, you would make your lap or two laps, and you come down pit row, and they would put your, put an angle finder on the back of the spoiler.

Well, before, I think the races before they put it on before you made your qualifying, and it would lay back five or eight degrees. So we got thrown out because it's eight, five or eight degrees lower than it was when we started so uh but was worth speed everybody was all good for it till we got called but big he never knew it big he never knew it so once we got called it uh it was me and tony uri senior up in in his motor home and we we uh well i got to blame for which is my idea so i should have got to blame for it galley i um always love i love the idea of that type of creativity and i love we spend a lot of time on this show

talking to people about that and I just rarely do you see it with your own eyes right but we hear these awesome awesome stories about you know Darrell Waltrip and them putting all that buckshot in the frame rail and they use like candle wax

or something to plug up the jack post that melts out of the way and all the buckshot pours out and then when the car's getting teched they got the jack on the jackpost so they can't see the hole in it Yeah. And just a bunch of cool, crazy stories.

And you came into the shop. But ain't ran your first race, and you was over there building that spolar. And I just remember being so impressed by that. I was like, this guy's got some balls. And you were really, I do remember you being really confident, really excited about your opportunity with that and that team. But you fit in really good with Tony Senior and Tony Jr. you know talk about I guess the relationship out of the gate at least with those guys and

what it was like working with Tony Sr. He's he can be very amazing, tough, abrasive but I always love working with him. Well, I think him and junior both, I know Jr. did, but Tony Year Jr., I think they grew up like I did. They made everything they raced. They worked on it weekend and week out every night to, I needed to work on it until they got it better. So I think that's why we were together, and I think that's why we were somewhat successful.

I remember a lot of mornings coming in, and Tony Senior wouldn't even talk to you after lunch. So, you know, he just had away. I mean, he's just a hard-nosed, like you said, a hard-nosed guy, and he wanted to win as bad. Nobody wanted to win worse than I did. And, you know, it just, we never, it never worked out for us getting victory line.

We run good. We had some that we missed out on. We had some that we gave away. But it was a couple of years that, not just on a racetrack, but away from the racetrack that I'll never forget. Your dad taught me a lot more as much about life than he did about racing. So it was a fun two years. I'm glad I got that opportunity.

I'm glad I made that decision to be able to go over and do that. I just learned a lot. I learn a lot. I would say I thought that that, that was a big adjustment for that team coming off a dad who ran a part-time schedule and going into full-time and running a lot of racetracks they didn't traditionally run even after you get out of the car and Steve Park gets in the car the team still had a lot of growth to get to where they wanted to you know I was I came along to run for that team at the perfect time but it took them those four years

really to develop into that team that they were in 9899. Yeah, I feel like, you know, knowing what we know today, it would be different, but yeah, it's coming off your dad winning, you know, the last five races at Daytona 300 in the Bush Series race and expecting me to go down there and do the same. It was, you know, we wanted to. We had to our sights and eyes on that, but it just didn't work out for us. And those two seasons, like you said, we're growing pains. I complained about the motors every week

and your dad didn't want to hear it. You just got to drive it. You know, just got to drive it. Yeah. That's what we did. Did the best job we couldn't. I got them hudders. They were awesome.

Yeah, like you said, you came along with the right time. Then things would pull the damn stuff out of the ground. No doubt. Yeah. It helps to go down the straightaway. I, one of my favorite memories back then, there was a couple actually I want to talk about. but my first Xfinity race was at Myrtle Beach,

and I was so excited. And I qualified with you, you and I qualified together, which I was thrilled about that, right? I wanted to measure up to you. I wanted to run somewhere near you. And so we qualified really close together and race that gets started. Things are going good. I'm probably, I'm in way over my head.

It's like I'm in the deep end. I don't know how to swim. Right. But I'm right on your back bumper and you're running sixth and I'm seventh or so. And we go down into turn three and you pop Jason Keller in the ass and knock him up the racetrack. Jason Keller's head turned red and he comes screaming back down the track heading to your right rear quarter panel. Yeah. But I was, I was there.

Yeah. I was already there. Yeah. And he hits me. Spends me out. No kidding. I don't remember that. Yeah.

I remember you racing. I remember you qualified. all find really good with us, but I don't remember anything. I'll never forget that. I was like, bag on, man. He tried to hit, he's trying to get you and he ended up wrecking me and himself. I'm not sure, but I think that's the right. I think we had that race one and a caution come out and we got beat right at the end, I think,

but I'm not sure. I think you're right. The other moment that I always remember was I was racing my late model car regularly back then, and for, I don't know, whatever reason, we were going to go. to Nashville. And you have been, you ran a ton of Nashville, late model stocks and weekly racing series. Your track champion there. Your family's got a great history at that racetrack. And you went with me. We spent an entire day at the racetrack together running my late model stock car. You remember that? I do. I remember every bit of it. Yes, sir. Yeah, that was so much fun.

we ended up running second in that race that we can cross the finish line with the leader on the inside of this guy I forget his name Joe Buford was his name yeah Joe Buford yeah run second to him I couldn't believe we went to Nashville and I mean you know we had a fun time test and I didn't know we'd made the car as good as we we did but I don't think that would happen had you not been there well I don't know I don't I remember being there test, I think we had to race that weekend somewhere, so I wasn't there. You left, yeah. I remember that it went real well.

I mean, you were growing up then, you know what I mean? You were, you were the race car driver he was always going to be, but it just came together that weekend. You know, you're a real race fan when you get the Diacast car of your favorite driver. A diecast, it's like the official jersey of our sport. It's the ultimate racing collectible that symbolizes a special trackside memory or a milestone moment in the sport you love. Now, thanks to Lionel Racing, the official diecast of NASCAR, it's easier than ever to build your die cast collection.

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were going to make, or did you get an opportunity that you couldn't turn down? How did that all go about that sent you to Diamond Ridge? Well, I don't, you know, this was 96 season. And I think I run fourth in the standings in 95 and end up fifth the 96. But the things went on through the year that, you know, didn't make me happy or your dad. So, I don't, Tony Erie and senior and myself probably didn't get as long as we needed to. And that same time sometimes don't get better, you know. But if you started running better, probably would. But we didn't, we wouldn't run any better.

I mean, we run really about the same both years. So Bill Engel came to me at Diamond Ridge Motorsports and said this opportunity is open if you want it. And I never could get your dad commit, you know, and I kind of heard behind the scenes that they were going to do something different. He's looking at Steve Park. So, Diamond Ridge really looked good for me. They had awesome motors. They had those B&R motors from Hendrick, and those guys really built a lot of steam. And I've been complaining about motors for two years.

So I felt like that was an opportunity that would get me to where I needed to be. And that's why I went that away. When you went to Diamond Ridge, you instantly started running better. At least I remember it that way. You know, you had a team. teammate come in with Elliot Sadler. But, you know, that team to me was a big surprise. Y'all didn't have financial support.

A lot of times the car was blank, but you instantly had to feel like that you had made the right decision moving from DEI to Diamond Ridge. Well, I felt like I did. Like I said, we ran better right off the bat. Had West Ward as a crew chief, and he'd been Dale Jarrett's, crew chief for a long time. So he knew what he needed. I knew, I felt like I knew what I needed.

And he put it together for me. So we were able to go out there and win races. And Gary Bechtel owned Diamond Ridge. And all he wanted to do is win too. So the sponsorship deal was, you know, we had a white car, but we wasn't lacking for any issues, any equipment. We had everything we needed. So it was a good team.

Those guys really worked hard. Not that Yuri and those guys didn't. I mean, we had a good time over there, and they worked as hard, but sometimes it's all about people, especially people, you know, get along, get the right to fix the car. Harold Holly told me so many times, all you got to do is listen to the driver, fix it for him, and he's going to go faster. So sometimes, you know, I don't think Tony, I think Tony, senior, well, this is not what we did for Dale Senior. You know, that's not the way Dale Senior drove it.

So why can't Jeff Green drive it that way? And sometimes I couldn't. So it's just, so going back to Diamond Ridge, those guys were able to, I don't know what race it was at Vegas, what particular race that was, seventh, eighth, tenth race the season would we end up winning? And, you know, those guys put it together pretty quick for me. They take the team, though, and y'all go cup racing, you know. that's you know everybody knows that's not an easy transition to make what did you how are you

feeling about that decision when they were when they came to you to take the team move it up I wasn't happy about it you know we were second in the points not too far off the lead halfway through the season they were having competitive issues with their cup car and they thought I was the fix you know so they put me in that thing shut the Bush team down and we we actually run decent We didn't set the woods on fire. We had a couple top tens throughout the season, the second half of the season. And we're pretty competitive most each and every week.

But, yeah, being in a cup really wasn't, you know, I don't know. It seemed like the heat goes up a little bit when you go over there. When you walk through those gates, the heat goes up a little bit. The pressure goes up. So, you know, we were having a good time. It was more like in the Bush Series, every time we rode in the gate, it felt like that we had an opportunity to win. And when you go on the cup side, you don't.

So that was a feeling I didn't want to have, but that's the only opportunity. That's the opportunity that they gave me, and that's what I did. They would end up releasing you in 98 after, like, you know, the first six races of the season or so. So, I mean, it's pretty, I guess, you know, it doesn't feel like it today for you probably, but just looking at it on paper, it's pretty insane how you, y'all come out of the gate so strong, things are going so well then they put you in the cup car that doesn't fix the cup problem

and then you get you're the one that's the fall guy for that I mean when you look back on that how does that feel well they the I mean that's kind of I think the way racing is sometimes but they shut that cup team down the Bush series teams kept going but Elliot's team kept going so they shut the whole team down so I hate it for those guys more than anything

I mean, you know, there's always going to be opportunities if you work hard enough to, for me as a driver. And some of those guys, you know, I guess they went to different teams and was able to get another job. But I hated for them. But I guess Gary, you know, just got tired of spending his own money to be, especially on the Cupside. I mean, you know, the rates go up a lot higher over there. So it takes a little more money to do that. And so he was able to, he shut that deal down and kind of left me, like I said, seven rate races into season with not a job and there's not a lot of jobs come

open you know that part that particular part of the season so I was lucky enough to get on to drive the Sabco car there at the end of the season and that worked out pretty good for me yeah what was that experience like um that's pretty cool Tony Glover and those guys you know they was over there and they had they were insane on trying to cheat you know and do the best trying to try trying to do the things that uh to make you more competitive additive and get you an edge and that's what racing's all about back especially back then i'm guess it is now because there's no way to get an edge but um you know it was it was cool those guys had won races sterling was over there and you know how sterling he's he's the comedian of the group

anyway so it was it was it was good times we had a good time we run pretty good um you know it just we ended up finishing that season out so uh it was it was a it was good run do you remember any of the creative, innovative things they did with the cars? Did a lot of stuff with the motor. I remember putting kind of wiffleball-looking stuff on the cow and pouring stuff down the cow to make it, especially at the stricter plate tracks for qualifying, you know, and things like that.

But I don't really remember anything about the cars particular, but I think it's more about the motors. Yeah. So as that season's coming to an end, what are you trying to figure out? I really don't. You know, we were at Thanksgiving dinner back here in Orinsboro, and I got a call from Harold Holly. And I didn't have an opportunity for the next year.

That would have been in 99. And he said, I got an opportunity to come drive that Kleenex car for Greg Pollux. But unfortunately, he's already offered it to your brother, Mark. So, he called you to tell you that? He wanted me, he wanted me come drive, drive it. Yeah. So, but he said, in result, Greg's already offered her to Mark. So I don't know if you can work anything out, but see, if you can try it.

And I've already raved, I've already driven a couple times at Cup Car, Junior Johnson, Harold Hawley, crew chiefed, the one at Burnell Beach, the Bush Car, he crew chief. So I knew he was on kill every time he went to the race. track and I knew that the opportunity would give me that I think the race car and the team surrounding me to be able to go out and win a championship, win races. So for the next couple days, I tried to figure out how I was going to ask Mark if I could do it. And he was, I mean, he was looking for something too. So I don't remember what went down and how I asked him, but he was all good with it.

I mean, I think he remember, I remember him telling me that I deserved it more than he did. so that's a brotherly love and whatever will be and I always be indebted to him for that because I think he could have done the same job that I did in that race car so anyway where did he end up I think he went to that Dr. Pepper car and I can't remember he owned it now

yeah so he is up in Kyle I can't believe you did that to him yeah well I hear you I don't know what else could I do, you know what I mean? I guess I could have just, I don't know.

Looking back, I wished he had the opportunity too, but I was glad I got it. Yeah, his one car, two brothers. Yes, sir. Mark was, I will say this, man, I was going to say this for the end of show, but I got the chance to get to know David, especially, you know, even as recent as the last few years working as a broadcaster and him working in the garage down there in the cup garage. But I've been around you a ton off and on and raced hard with you in this 99 season especially. Mark was super nice to me from the moment I met him, and every time I see him, he just has the same reaction. Always so happy to see you. Yes, sir.

I'll say your parents did a good job raising them, raising all three of y'all. y'all are good good good people and i think that you know obviously your brother um didn't really get the the same chances i think that you that you you know you two got to i think you all equally had the same ability i think so and and i i really do um did you feel like that's absolutely yes sir and at that level it's all about to people that's surrounding you and the equipment you're driving. Yeah. I think, I mean, you can't take a 10th place car and win with it

or a 15th place car win with it. So, yeah, there's no doubt about it. Mark was as good as David and myself ever was. It might have been better. When he got in at 37, he got to show, you know, some of the things he's capable of doing and that car ran better with him in it. It did.

Yeah. So you get in the progressive motorsports car. Everybody's going to remember that thing as an S-quick car, but you, what was, yeah, it was, clean-ed sponsor in 99. Now that's the one I had to run with. And you talk about Harold Holly. Tell us who Harold Holly is.

Harold Holly's a redneck from Alabama. He grew up on the dirt tracks, I think. But he is out of the box thinking all the time. And I remember, I don't know if we had, we had as good a chassis as anybody, good as set-ups as anybody, but I think we're, we really had an edge was the bodies. He was the first one to start twisting the bodies, hanging a spoiler out, things like that. And I remember at that 99 season in New Hampshire, we were parked by all in the garage and practice. And back then you could change gears, you could put whatever gear you wanted into it. And Harold had put Camber in the rear-in-the-re-re-in. We

had to drive the axles. I had to pull the axles with a hammer and drive them back in. And I remember Tony Sr. looking and saying, what are y'all doing? You know, but I can't remember what excuse we'd come up with. But Harold was one of the first guys to put Cameron rear in, and I think that's what we won some races because of it, and it was more competitive. And the bodies, LaJoy, Randy LaJoy was, he was behind our trailer.

It might have been an escort car, but we were backing it out of the trailer on the, on the, on the gate, on the lift and letting it down. He's, damn, that thing looks like sorry, fell off the lift, the body, you know. So it was all twisted up. But, yeah, I think Harold was the innovator of that stuff. And he was just always thinking how he could make it better and easier for me to drive. So that's, that's what Harold Holly is. Yeah, I don't know.

I never really got to get, I never really got the chance to know him too well, but racing around him and watching him and watching his cars. He also looked like he was really good at, you know, when we were trying to combine and trying to travel and trying to get the car down on the front clip and sealing off the nose and all those things, he seemed to be really smart about spindles and things that you needed to be able to get that car to do what you wanted it to do. Yeah, Dan Dipberger was our engineer, and, you know, back then we didn't have a lot of people, quote, engineers. So he was able to map out stuff on the front end, on the rear end. to be able to make things hold better or make the spring think it's weaker. I mean, back then, that years, we did in Coalbine. I really think that's where my career went upside down.

When they started Coalbine and it took the car away from me. But I think Harold was one of those guys and Dan to be able to make the, you know, a 600 pound think like it's a 300 and things like that. So to be able to hold that car down. You ended up starting off really strong in Daytona. You finished second in the points in 99 behind me. And, man, we got to race a lot together that year. I remember one race in particular I'm very grateful for.

We go to South Boston. And I run pretty good all day, but that last probably 50 laps. You were better. and I was just driving a bit defensive but you had all these opportunities to punt me out of the way, move me up the racetrack and you could have easily done it without wrecking me, you just take the spot.

But you drove me super clean. You even got out after the race and mentioned how you wanted to race with respect considering that it was Tony Senior's car and I always appreciated that about you. I always thought you were a really clean racer and I guess what I think about that season is I'm glad you guys didn't y'all come out of the gate second at Daytona but there was a little bit of a time frame

where y'all took a while to find the speed the team you were in the second half of 99 was scary scary good and we were lucky that y'all didn't find that until about a third of the way through the season. Yeah. Is that how you feel it was? I don't really remember exactly, but I remember Rockingham getting rained out the second race the year. The qualifying got rained out, so it didn't make the race, but then didn't have no points.

So we missed that race, and I think we were first or second in practice. So that was a big letdown to be able, you know, that gave you 175 points or something on me, so to be able to catch you. But yeah, I remember really running good. I remember Memphis, we raced really hard, and I was able to get by you there right at the end to win. But South Boston, I remember that race like us yesterday. Growing up, I felt like to turn somebody sideways, to knock them out of the way,

was you didn't deserve that spot. So I wanted to make sure that I, especially Dale Jr. I mean, he's my buddy, you know what I mean? If it had been somebody else, it might have been a little bit different. But I felt like, you know, that stuff comes full circle. you know if you race clean you're going to get it back at the end so that's the way i thought about it the end of 99 i think was a you know kind of the idea of what y'all would become um you know when you when you when you end that season uh you know going into 2000 did you know

you were going to have this you know did you know did the team feel like they were going to have this incredible run that you would have Well, we felt like it. I mean, I think we built on it all year, like you said, and we were really competitive at the end of the year, was able to win a couple of races throughout the year. So I always felt like that you're ready for the next race, you know. And we had a new sponsor with Next Quick,

and we was able to buy more stuff and have more resources because of that. So coming out of the gate in 2000, I turned over to lap 6 in Daytona, so I left there 43rd in points. but anyway, we came back and we were able to win races throughout that season and have very good year. Why did everybody have to go to court in all season? That's over my head other than they had a sponsor with Kleenex, and I guess Greg got more money from Nesquick, and they resolved the Kleenex sponsorship to be able to get the Nesquick sponsorship.

So we all had to go, all had to testify, and there was a call somewhere where he had an argument, and I guess he ended up winning. Damn. Yeah. Unfortunately for Kleenex, Klan's a great sponsor. They were there for each and every weekend what we needed, and Nesquick was also there. So it was good. You know, back, I've never been a guy that steps in any kind of sponsorship. I drive the race car and get paid to do it.

Yeah. These days are so much different. People ask me all the time, how do you get in there? And I said, well, just go get you a bag full of money, and you'd be able to go do that. But you can go anywhere you want to. But back then it was all by experience. And I'm sure there's still guys that can, especially, you know, you look at and say, well, they can drive the heck out of my car and they can take care of it.

I'm going to hire them. So back then, it was a lot. 99% of us that way back then. You end up winning the championship. You won four races and six starts during one period of the season. and you end up winning the championship by over 600 points. Gone are the days where a driver ends up locking up the championship a couple weeks ahead of time.

Boy, it wasn't that a lot of fun. I've been in that situation where you leave a racetrack with one or two races to go and you pretty much know you're going to be the champion. And we'll never see that again. But tell me what that felt like. I remember in Dover and September, I got wrecked in the race. in final practice we had a final practice

Friday and we were on a 70 lap run and Harold told me give me five more laps and I said all right well I blew the left run like two laps after that and totaled the car

so we got the backup car out and I got wrecked in the race and I think my lead was down to about 300 and I was worried to death I mean I don't know how many more races we had but not a lot and I was worried that you know that when I left there that we were going to get beat.

But we ended up clenching it at Memphis with three races to go. And that was, you know, going to Homestead, we didn't have anything to lose. We had anything gain, really. We ended up running third there. So I always think about if the scenario would have been the playoff situation now, if we'd have won. Yeah. And I hadn't really looked and went back to look at the races. I know we run third at Homestead.

And only two people beat us was cup drivers. So I feel like we still would have won. But anyway, you know, you work all your life to win championships. And when you have a season like we did in 2000 for something like that to be snuck away from me, it would have been tough to swallow. Yeah. You race in the Bush Series and finish second to points in 2001, and you get an opportunity to go drive for RCR. So what led to you leaving the Nesquick team?

Because they would continue with another driver and continue to be successful. What do you want to go to RCR for and how'd that come about? Well, I felt like I was in my prime for one. And, of course, Harvick was supposed to drive the 30 car, the AOL car. And since he went to the three, the 29. car, that seat was open. And Richard, with me associating, be associated

with your dad in 95 and 96, we've grown to be, you know, we'd grown to be friends and talked a little bit along the way. So with that seat opening up, you know, I think we all want to be in a cup series. Whether we want to swallow the

pressure or not, it's two different things, but when he called me, actually Bobby Hutchins, one called me, but I was able to go run a couple races in 2001, set on a poet Bristol, and I thought, man, this is it, you know. This is a car I need, the people around me. RCR was pretty fast then. So that was, you know, I hated to leave those bunch of guys at the Nesquit car.

But they were mad at me at first, but then they understood. I mean, my salary, you know, went up a lot. So, you know, we're all trying to make a living doing this. And so that was probably, you know, the best opportunity that I had to be able to go to the cup level and have an opportunity to win. So that's why I took it. You ran in the 30 car for a full season. Then you go into the second year driving cup for children's in a 30 car. What happens at Richmond that ultimately,

leads to you getting fired by Richard? Well, I think the whole year happened, basically. Harvick took, basically took my team from the year past from 2002. Crew Chief went all. Most of my guys went over there because the 29 car wasn't run as good as the 30, basically. So I just felt like I was the stepchild. I was the guy that was getting. and second.

I don't think my equipment was any different, but he was, you know, like I said, the people surrounding is what makes the difference sometimes. So I was, you know, concerned about that the whole year. Mike Beam came over and we sat on a pole at Daytona, and it's year started really well, but when you get to those tracks where you got to handle and run well and make the right decisions,

we wasn't very competitive. So it was just stuff building up in me. Harvick wrecked me. for third, three-quarters way through the race. And now I run my mouth to Todd Bear, which was my crew chief before, and it was on camera. Steve Burns interviewed me. I should have known better.

I was more grown up than that. And I understand Richard's dealings with it. I mean, I told them that I felt like I was the second team at RCR. And then so RCR just, you know, I mean, RC just, I understand. I understand why that made his team look bad. So I was able, he got rid of me and I went home. I feel like there was, am I wrong for feeling like there was like a moment where there was a swap? I remember being at DEI, Steve Park has kind of come back from his injuries and so forth.

But he's struggling. You guys are struggling to get along up there. And RCR and D.EI did have a bit of a relationship, you know, in terms of just there was always communication between the two organizations. And I remember it feeling kind of like we did a driver swap. Did. Is that kind of how it felt to you? That's exactly what it was. Steve Park was driving to one car and I was driving to 30 and they got rid of me and D.E.I sent him to RCR.

I don't know how that went down, but Steve Mill called me and I said, me if I wanted driving. I said, sure, man, I'd come over there in a heartbeat, so that's why I went. What did you think about driving that car and how'd that experience go? It was different. I mean, you know, I stepped into something that I think was successful. So I remember going to Pocono and we never had it. We didn't get any practice because of rain and the thing took off. I guess I didn't have time to mess it up in practice. So it took off and we were going to be third or fourth and had a restart. I tried to block Terry Labani and he put me in the infield and broke my tailbone, all that, wrecked pretty good.

But I remember running good. I don't remember running as good as we thought we, or I thought we should have. But I remember running good a few times. D.E.I and you split after the Darlington race and you'd end up in the 43 for Petty. Do you remember the split with the EI? Yeah, I don't, not really, Jr. I don't remember really what went down. I mean, I think John, it's kind of a, John came after that, right?

I think John came. John and Reddy. So he, they got rid of Petty. So that's another swap, I guess. So Kyle called me to go to Dover, and we run decent. I mean, we run the top 15, I think, the first race in that 43 car. And people ask me all the time about my career, and I tell them, man, I've been pretty darn lucky. I drove for Dale Earnhardt, Richard Childress, Richard Petty.

You know, how can I ask to be able to drive from any more legends than I did? So I don't remember, you know, the next two years I drove the 43 cars. So we were able to run good a few times. Had a good time. I think there was a time where they were down. Bobby Hamilton, I think, was the last time. They really, really, really, really want to race. So I think John may be won a race in it.

But those days were challenging for me as a driver, but we made the best out of it. Yeah, you end up driving for Petty for a couple years there. And then you'd go to Haas, C&C, when that team was still in development, trying to become what they'd eventually become. And after that, a ton, a ton of part-time driving, crew chiefing, man, you've probably done it all.

So I guess try to help me understand exactly everything you've been, you've been involved in since, you know, around that 2008 year? Well, I bought some land in southern Kentucky, 200 acres, and we built a log cabin on it. I built a shop in all 70708. So after I got released from Hoss, that place over there is paid for.

Got an awesome, and it's close to home. So Michelle and I went, we moved back to, Kentucky and was able to live there and enjoying life, hunting, fishing, whatever we wanted to do. And then I got a call from Mark Smith to go do some starting park stuff and help try to develop his drivers along the way. And that was fine. The only bad thing about it is traveling. I go from private plane to having to drive two hours to the airport, you know, spent most times spend the night after the race Saturday to get home Sunday.

So the traveling really got difficult. Yeah. Unless I could drive, which didn't do that a lot. But starting park was something to make a little cash. It wasn't fun, but I still got to get on the racetrack. I got to help people along the way. I got to race a few races for Eric McClure when he got hurt. So that was fun.

It wasn't driving. the most competitive race car, you know, so that part wasn't fun. So I did that quite a few years. And then Rod Seed called me from Ryan's dad to be able to come do some

starting part for him. That was a few years there. And then I got the opportunity to crew chief work on his cars a little bit, still all living in Kentucky. So the crew chief in part was it was interesting, you might say.

We did really, I thought we did really well. And all along, this is during COVID and not working on cars. You show up, you line them up and race. So you had what you had. You really couldn't do anything other than tire pressures and a few rounds of wedge or something like that. So Matt Snyder was drying. He did a decent job, I thought, as a driver.

And I was able to get that side of racing. So kind of did all of it. the last year that I worked in the sport was a car chief for Ryan Sieg, which was good. Cowboy Kevin Starlin was a crew chief, and we're old-time racers, so we've been around each other a lot. That was fun to be able to do that and to be able to turn wrenches for him. So I've been blessed, Jr., to be able to do the things I've done, to be able to race for the people I've raised for, to win the races I have, race against people like you,

Mark Martin, those guys. That's pretty special. You mentioned the travel, but how did you deal with, I guess, the idea of closing the door on your racing, professional racing life? You know, that's something that I think I'm going to struggle with. I still struggle with it today. Everybody that's a driver that comes on this show, I try to talk to them about what they're experiences are like some guys can walk away from it without any issue while other guys really don't know how to not be involved in it in some way, shape, or form. So how's that

been for you? It's been good. Michelle asked me all the time, don't you, you miss it, don't you? I said, well, I do miss the racing. I miss it a lot at times. I miss being at the racetrack with my buddies. But none of my buddies are there no more. So, you know, it's different and it's easier because of that. But the traveling, what would be tough for you, in my situation, of traveling really overweighs going to the racetrack. So being able to stay at home, being able to hunt fish, I help my in-laws farm.

So during the farm and season, I help them a little bit. So that's fun. I run three and a half, five-mile an hour in a tractor. So a little different than 200. but, you know, I don't know. I don't really know the answer to that. It's just, you just got to tell yourself that those days are behind you, I guess. Yeah.

You do sim race, which is a bit surprising to me. There's not a lot of 61-year-old sim racers out there. There's not many 50-year-old sim racers out there like me, but I know what sim racing is. I know why I enjoy it, and I'm pretty sure it's pretty much. It's the same reason you enjoy it. But I don't think I remember you being a gamer or much about sim racing. When did you first sort of introduce yourself to it? When I was watching y'all race during COVID, I said, I got to do that.

I mean, and everybody told me how realistic it was. Other than the smell and the feel, there's no doubt it's identical to me. eyes. I mean, I go to these racetracks that I've raced on all my career, and the signs and the trees and the stands and everything are all the same place, the bumps. So,

only difference, you've got to feel it with the steering wheel and you hear it. You can't smell the gas or the tires and things like that, but it's the most realistic game I've ever played. I haven't played a lot of games. I played football and things like that on growing, you know, in the motorhome at the racetracks,

but as a game, that's the most realistic game I've ever been around. And it gives you the sense of racing again. We have a great league that we're racing in, elite racing league, and those guys are, I mean, on a good night, I can run six or seventh. I was able to win a truck race this year, but they race three or four nights a week, and it's a lot of fun. So you're talking about eye racing,

and the league you run in is the elite league. And they do have trucks, Xfinity, Cup. I've actually been able to join you guys a couple of nights. Great group, very well-ran league. They give me a lot of updates on the schedule because I'd love to come back and participate. Absolutely. And I do keep up with you and see how you do. And I love to see that you're still competing.

So on average, every week, how much time are you sim racing? Three nights a week. Damn, how does she let you do that? She's mad every night. I thought you retired from racing. That's right, yeah. If it wasn't so darn fun and so much like racing, you know, I wouldn't be so excited about doing it.

But those guys race you like you're in a real car for the most part, you know, not laying on you a lot and not trying to wreck you to knock you out of the way and things like that. So I never dreamed. I would bet my life that we'd never be able to be like that. but it's always good times with Chad's group. I think it is a good alternative for retired racers. Absolutely. You know, if you still got to scratch the itch a little bit.

It's kind of a fun, easy, cheap way that you ain't got to leave the house to do it. Yeah. Until I sign on and I'm not the guy, I want to be the guy to beat every week, you know, and until I can get there, I'll probably keep racing. Yeah. So you got a bunch of deer heads on the wall behind you. I've known you as a big fan of deer hunting all your life. life. I know you had rotator cuff surgery several years ago. And so imagine, you know, you had to

miss a little bit of time there, but you still enjoyed getting out in the woods and hunting. Absolutely. My in-law's got 3,000 acres, so there's always turkey and deer to kill and whatever there is. It's always fun to go out. So, you know, I grew up doing that and so peaceful out in the woods. It's people that don't go out and sit in a tree stand or set in a turkey blind. They're missing a lot of life, so I'm trying to enjoy that. Yeah, so are you rifle hunter, bow hunter? What's your preference? Bow hunting mostly.

Of course, I'll rifle hunt when the season's in. We don't have a lot of season here in Kentucky. But bow hunting mostly. And I'll tell you the truth. turkey hunting has got my heart these days. Deer hunting is awesome, and when you get on a good buck and you watch his development throughout the years and be able to travel with him

and know what he's doing each and every day is something. But when you get four or five gobbers talking back at you, it's pretty awesome. Oh, yeah. I've been able to get in the woods turkey hunting with Robert G., my uncle. He's really good at calling. as you know. And I'm hoping to enjoy. I just started turkey hunting, I guess,

over the last couple years, and it is pretty fun. I remember when I was in the woods with LW. We was sitting in the woods on the ground, and you don't know what it's like until it happens when one of them boys come walking up on you. Absolutely, yes, sir. And he could tear you in half if he wanted to.

Yeah. He could rip you up. Absolutely. I'll tell you, my best, I'm sorry to interrupt, but my best, this past season, past turkey season, I took my seven-year-old nephew and he's able to kill one, and we got on three of them come to us like they was on a string. And that was probably, all the turkey I've killed, that's probably the most fun hunt I've been on, so that's pretty cool.

Yeah. Yeah, I'm trying to get more into that. We got a ton of turkey on our property in Ohio. Where are you, so you're hunting mostly in Kentucky? Yeah, yeah. We live here in Kentucky now. move back home. So yeah, all my property, all the property I have is around here and my in-laws have a lot of property. So yeah. What do you spend your days? I can always drive to Ohio if I need to.

Yeah, not far. Yeah. Come hang out with. That's right. Yes, sir. Yep. Um, what are you spending your days doing most of the time? I've got a shop here. I built hot rods, work on my hot rods. Always working on something. Uh, and you build them for other people? I do. Yeah. Well, I try to. I just finished a 50 model Chevrolet pickup, and before that was a 56 Chevrolet pickup. So it's fun. I don't have time to really work on my own because of that. I mean, I'm kind of getting paid for do what I would do for nothing. It's my hobby, basically.

And again, in the spring, I helped my in-laws plant and harvest in the fall. So that's kind of a year-round deal. That pays bills? Absolutely, yes, sir, yeah. Yeah, I didn't know if he was just doing that because you're nice. No. I'm not that. Set in a tractor for 14 hours.

Yeah, they help me out a little bit. All right, all right. So how often do you get together with the rest of your family? When do you see Mark and the boys? Since my grandmother passed away, my mom's still here, but actually my mom's in North Carolina this week visiting with those guys over there. But we don't see them very often. I've been able to come.

You know, I still got a lot of friends in North Carolina. So been able to come over there. I was wanting to get over there to be on your show. And I just never could pull it off with things happening around here. But I'm glad we got on this way anyway. But I don't get to see them as enough as much as I needed to, especially since I'm not going to racetrack. You used to see David and Mark a lot at the racetrack, but not anymore.

So David Green, his son just started racing. Well, he's been racing a long time, but he just started running in the Xfinity series. and Austin is his name and he's been pretty impressive. He has. You know, and so I get text messages from your brother from time to time about, so when he goes out there and runs in the top 10 or the top five, I'm going to get a text. and it's a proud dad

to him. I get them. He knows. I get them too, yeah. Yeah. And so, you know, when you see him race, you know, how does that make you feel him having success? I know you know how tough this business is and what steep hill he has to climb to find new opportunity. But he's out there proven he can do it.

And that's y'all's blood. So, I mean, that's got to feel pretty good watching another next generation go out there and carry it on. Absolutely does good. You know, last year he ran full time in that TA2 series. So it gave me a lot of road course experience. I really didn't, I don't know where he gets it at, tell you the truth. Me really impressed me at Sonoma out there and at Texas at Cota. He was able to run six, I think, third and and fourth at side-by-side with Sam there for the end at Sonoma.

So really impressed with Austin. He's got a smart head on his shoulders, and he uses his head wisely to be able to put his car in the right position to be able to be there at the end. So that's going, I think, take him a long way because of that. I just hope he gets, you know, that Doug Peterson is with now. I hope he sticks with him and still gives him opportunities, or maybe Austin can get an opportunity along the way to step it up a little bit

and get with the right team to be able to run full-time. I know that's what he wants to do. I'm sure the ovals will be different for him because he hadn't done a lot of them in that type of race cars. So I'm looking forward to see what he can do at Bristol, and I think Martinsville he's going to run also. But just proud of him for what he's doing. Tyler, my other nephew, Mark's son,

he's been a longtime spotter. Of course, I'm bragging on him, but I feel like he's one of the best up there. So that's another job. on his own, but Austin, I think, has got a career ahead of him if he just gets the right doors open for him. I agree with what you're saying there. I think he could get it done. And, you know, road course racing has become a bigger and bigger part of the series in the Xfinity series and in the Cup series. So when you look for drivers, I think down the road, you don't, you know, if you got to have

that race, that road racing component. You got to have, you can't squeak by. being an average road course racer anymore in this day and age in NASCAR and the fact that he's got such a great talent on those tracks will benefit him do you is there it i know living out there kentucky there's got to be some short tracks around some local short track stuff within driving distance there are the salem's not too far away and i actually help a boy a little bit in a they call the CRA street stock it's yeah firstly you know you know what it is kind of kind of a layball yeah they So I help him set his car up a little bit. I don't go, and I went to test with him a couple of times.

He really runs good, so I get a little bit of a field racing there, but that's really only, I run RC dirt cars, so that's kind of a racing feel too. Yeah. Where do you do that? We travel to Missouri, Illinois, run Tulsa out there at the Chili Bowl. We race there that week. So it's a lot of fun. It's just a lot of good guys that like racing.

You know, it is... Is it the tradition? I remember when we were... I remember you being big into RC cars even back in the day. Yeah, those were like... Is this... On-road cars, you know, a pan car, which don't have suspension, basically. But these are fully blown, you know, For Spring, Castor Camber, you know, you're running on...

Is this like the... Is this like the old RC-10 style? Yeah, something like that, basically. Race tracks? Yeah, pretty much. They're not, I mean, they're ovals, you know. Oh, it's an oval? Yeah, it's oval, yeah.

It's not a jump track or anything like that, off-road track, they call it. I remember there was a little dirt track, or not a dirt track. There was a little oval track over by Mount Morn. I remember that, yeah. And you'd go over there and run. Yeah, it was a little concrete track, I think. It was, it was. Yeah, man, that's pretty cool.

You're like a big kid. You know that? Absolutely. Michelle tells me that every day. You make me. I was lucky to be able to put myself in the right position and make enough money to do what I want to do. So that's pretty cool. I know, but damn, you're making me not feel so bad.

I'm playing with all my toys. Yeah, that's right. Y'all will be able to. You know, you should be able to. When's the next RC race? We're actually going up in Illinois, not this weekend, but next weekend. It's outdoor track. Most of the tracks we run, especially.

in the wintertime are all indoor, but this outdoor track. So you got to deal with, I've never run dirt before in anything in reality, but you got to deal with track conditions. It's just like a real thing. You got to deal with track conditions, tire, prep, and things like that. So that's what wins you the races. Who helps you when you go on the road to run one of these RC races? I have a few friends over in Indiana that we all go together.

So we all tag team trying to figure out what we need. things like that. So, you know, out there in Tulsa that week that we race out there, there'd be 800 entries for seven classes. So pretty tough. I got lucky enough to win one a couple years ago at the A Maine. So it's pretty good times. Damn.

All right. Well, man, I've enjoyed this conversation. I appreciate you giving us some time today. Yeah, it's been fun catching up. Absolutely. I've always, you know, I told you earlier how much I appreciate your brothers and you. and, you know, I always enjoyed, I always enjoyed racing you on the racetrack. You were going to race the hell out of you, but you were, you know, you never,

you never had to come up to me and apologize. Yes, sir. Because you were never going to put either one of us in that situation. Right. And I always appreciated that, and I always looked up to you because I was younger and trying to, you know, figure it out. And you were really supportive, you know, it was a, I think it was a tough situation or a dynamic with me and you because things didn't work out at DEI.

Now, I'm in this same car trying to figure my own self out and you didn't, you didn't treat me with any, you know, you didn't treat me like a, you know, like a spoiled kid or like I didn't deserve this opportunity. and I remember, you know, you just being really helpful, and I always appreciated that about you. I appreciate how we've kind of always remained pals. Sure. Ever since. And I'm glad you're doing what you want to do, you know. I'm glad you're, you know, you don't feel, you don't feel tethered to that, you know,

to the racing life that you've known your entire life, and you've figured out a way to, you know, find. new meaning and new things to chase after and it's a good example that you're setting i think for for people like myself well thanks so i appreciate those comments to del jr. It means a lot to me i always enjoyed racing with you always enjoyed being around you and i and i was there when you your dad was making you do the right things uh do the nothing was ever give to del jr. i promise you that so uh you earned it as well so i appreciate those comments you bet you man I, uh, thanks for your time.

I know you've got things you need to be doing. Uh, you give us a couple hours here today and we appreciate it. Jeff Green, you know, I'm going to tell you, man. Uh, we, we listen to our fans on our show. Uh, and they, uh, you're one of the most requested. Yes. That's awesome. You are.

Yeah. Good. You are, man. Let's do it again sometimes. Maybe I can come to studio next time. Yeah. People really, uh, people really have a, uh, a high opinion of your career, who you are, what you're doing, and I think they'll be really entertained to hear what you're up to

these days and how you're still having fun. Yeah, it means a lot. And keeping your staying young. I think you stay young at heart and young mentally, and that's how you take such great care of yourself. So thanks for the time today, Jeff. Yes, sir, Dale. Appreciate it.

Jeff Green on the Dale Jr. Download. All right, everybody. That was the Jeff Green interview, and a lot of fun catching up with him. I, you know, I kind of knew a lot about what we're, you know, what we're going to talk about and what he's been up to. And first off, I want to thank Ally for supporting the guest segment here each and every week on the Dell Jr. download. Ally brings us allies as guests all the time. And Jeff Green is certainly a great friend and a great ally. But he's a great guy.

I love the guy. I've always enjoyed him. I always thought a lot of him. getting him to sort of dive into the whys and the why nots of his career, particularly when things didn't really work out and work in his favor, were tough to do. I really wish Jeff would have been a little more forthcoming

on some of the conflicts maybe that he had in his career, but there's a lot of time that's passed between then and now, and maybe it's just not as crystal clear. And maybe it wasn't all that dramatic. You know, and I can see him as the kind of guy that would get that phone call, hey, we're going to go in another direction, and him just go, all right, whatever, click, and not get all up in arms about it. And so now he certainly gets pissed off and gets disappointed.

but not the kind of guy that's going to turn it into a scene. So, you know, I remember I said so as much on the show. I think that when he raced at DEI in the Bush car, that team wasn't where they needed to be. Tony Senior, Tony Jr., their cars weren't as fast, I guess, as they thought they were. I think Jeff took a lot of the, I think Jeff was blamed, I think, for a lot of the performance and the lack of performance. And hell, he's trying to figure it out too, trying to learn.

He ultimately proves out that he's plenty capable of winning races and being fast and winning championships just even a couple years later in the Xfinity series. So, again, I go back to the idea that the, you know, the DEI, days, his first tenure at DEI, the team and him, they just hadn't, they needed to give it more time. I think had they given it another year or two, that success was going to come. Steve Park gets in the car really kind of drives and struggles just the same. Now, they eventually would build out and start winning races with Park and having some pretty good solid runs, but the car never really took off until I got in it. And it was more of the car, absolutely.

That car carried me a lot in the first half or three quarters of the 1998 season until I sort of got my racecraft and figured out what I needed to be doing. It was an incredible race car. So I was really lucky. But the guy, you know, we got to see the RC car and the Sim racing, the deer hunting, the building of hot rods. I mean, this guy just, he knows what he likes and he's, you know, he plays with his, toys and he's a big kid and that's the way I know him and that's kind of how I remember him being

and it's I believe that's why he still seems and he feels and he comes across young at heart and you know it's he is a big kid so great family um interesting to learn I think my favorite little nugget in the whole thing was that he he he asked mark not to get into 32 and mark had to go drive the dr pepper car which was not a good opportunity that was kind of where mark green's career took a took a turn for the worst but you know mark would get opportunities and eventually you know prove out his talent but um not the kind of opportunities that Jeff and David green got and so that was an interesting turn and something that I didn't even know happened So just thankful for the time.

I know that probably a lot of people will hope we'll get Jeff into the studio one day to continue the conversation and we want to definitely do that. We have one more show from South Carolina. So then we're back in the studio for the rest of the year. So anyways, thanks again, Ally, no matter what you're saving for, whether it be race tickets, a car, a new home, we're all better off with an ally. Now it's time for the white flag.

Dropping Sunday night to tear down with Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi. Monday, action's detrimental with Denny Hamlin, door bumper clear. Yesterday we had our dirty air show, which was a lot of fun talking about New Hampshire and everything we've got going on in our own lives. And then today is another episode of Speed Street dropping with Connor Daly and Chase Holden. Tomorrow, DJD reloaded. We'll get you a recap of everything that's been going on this week, at Dirty Mo Media and Dirtymoe

Doe with Steve LaTart and Tampa Thames comes out to sort of preview the upcoming race in Nashville and to close the show out we got another Apple review this is we don't have a name here

so I can't tell you who gave us this review maybe next week Andrew will give me that information but this is the review from Anonymous I've taken many people to NASCAR races that have never watched your race. I'd say 95% of them have followed NASCAR ever since their live experience. There's nothing like being there in person. The rumble, the smell, tires, and gas and the noise is all like no other. And we all kind of know that,

but I think that we, I think our whole concept or conversation around that idea of, you know, it's so good to attend a NASCAR race and then you truly do fall in love with it is, I believe in NASCAR, comparable to other sports, it matters even more to take in the live show. It's much more impactful in a NASCAR experience versus other stick-and-balls. So anyhow, that's the show. I hope you guys enjoyed it. What do you got to say, Andrew? I see you're trying to talk.

That review is from 9-6-9-6-M and then like 11 E's. Okay. That's why we left the table. name off. Thank you for the, yeah, that's, but hey, leave a, leave a five-star review and we'll keep read them on the show. Even if your name has 90s in it. All right, we'll see you next week. Check out Dirty Mo Media on Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.