The Dale Jr. Download - 603 - Kasey Kahne: Why I Disappeared

Episode Date: February 12, 2025

Dale Earnhardt Jr. reunites with longtime motorsports fan favorite Kasey Kahne to learn about what he has been up to since his last appearance on the Download in 2018. After making the difficult decision to step away from NASCAR Cup racing later that season due to health reasons stemming from dehydration, Kasey has reemerged as a full-time sprint car racer in the last few years, competing with the World of Outlaws and High Limit Sprint Car Series. Kasey remains active in the NASCAR peripheral though, as he was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023 and he recently announced he’ll be returning to Xfinity Series competition with Richard Childress Racing at Rockingham this year. Kasey explains to Dale how the deal came together through Keith Rodden and partners like Rick Hendrick and Mike Curb. After finding success in the initial test at the track in January, Kasey is ready to approach the race weekend like he did when he first entered full-time NASCAR racing.Kasey enlightens Dale about the ins and outs of the sprint car racing world, which he describes as fast-paced and extremely competitive. He also places himself back in his Cup career and talks about the mindset of going from a successful team like Hendrick Motorsports to a mid-pack operation like Leavine Family Racing. Dale and Kasey share insight into how their respective short-track racing teams operate and how their families being at the track helps distract them from getting too caught up in the pressure of succeeding. The guys also discuss on-track feuds, head injuries, car safety,y and Kasey’s path to NASCAR stardom.  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.

For me to get to race Rockingham is just, you know, I took six years off of NASCAR racing. Why? All right, so we got Casey Kane right outside the door waiting in the lobby, and he's been very gracious with his time, but I'm excited to bring him on to the show because the last time he was here was many years ago. A lot's happened since then, and I'm thinking maybe he wasn't as, you know, he wasn't eager to maybe to share some of the things that I want to ask him about, back then. Now he's a little further removed from his cup career, a little more wiser,

a little more comfortable in his life as a family man, and maybe he'll open up a little bit. So we got some things we're going to touch on, but I'm excited to see him. He's always fun to be around, always a great dude, great teammate, and I'm looking forward to the conversation. Let's just get it going. Bring him in here. Casey Kane on the Dale Jr. Download. All right, man, here on the Dell Jr. Download with Casey Kane, and it's been a minute. You haven't been in here, you know, the last time you were on the show, we were in that little booth. Yeah, I was wondering. Things have changed. Things have changed. I was hoping it was still here when I got up this morning and was thinking about it. I'm like, man.

Where is it? Where is it at? But it's got to be right here. Man, I've been looking forward to this. We have a good friendship, right? I think you trust me. I trust you. We've always gotten along really fine. We didn't never really hang out, hang out during the week. You had things you're doing, I'm doing. We've got families and all kids and all that stuff. But man, I don't know. If I ever need anything, I could text you,

and I felt like you had the same appreciation for our friendship. And I just hadn't talked to him forever, man. I missed you. And, you know, I always, Pay attention to what you're doing. Like when you're racing, where you're racing, how often you're racing. I know you have your race teams that are doing things, and I'm trying to keep up with them and how they're having success and all that.

Drive by your shop on the way out of Junior Motorsports every day. And always kind of peek in there and see what might be new. And then when I learned that you, and I teased with you, I saw you at a restaurant talking about racing the cars tour or something like that. And because we can do that now, right, at our age. And then I see you're going to go race a learn. I'm a rockingham. And I was so excited about that, you know, because, I don't know, man.

Things, we get older and things change. And I, you know, miss the old days or feel nostalgic about the past. And so when something from the past, like something from, you know, years ago, like yourself, gets behind the wheel of anything, I get excited about that. And so I kind of wanted to ask you about that. I wanted to ask you how, I know you're probably going to tell me you've always had some interest to do it, but you didn't. Now why you're doing it now? Yeah.

And I appreciate all that. And I feel very similar, you know, with you when I see you out. If I see you here and there, I don't see too often, but when I do. Or if we, you know, send a text or something because, you know, something happened maybe on TV. or wherever it would have been. It's, yeah, the response is quick, and we're always, you know, figured out. And it's cool. I always like that.

I always enjoy that. I like when you go in race at Bristol or Florence, you know, I'm like, how do you do? You know, so I keep track of that. And it's, I think that's kind of similar to what you're saying. And, yeah, it's a cool respect that I have for you and have for a long time, also a friendship. but yeah to for me to get to race rockingham is just you know i took six years off of nascar racing and why um well i needed to i needed to for myself and just kind of get away and do you know do different things i i put a lot into that for um 16 years you know and just put put everything i had into it

and I feel like at times I got everything out of it that I needed. And at other times it was difficult, just like racing is for most. You know, the ups and downs of racing. But yeah, I loved racing in NASCAR. I want to, I'm going to interrupt you, so I'm going to apologize. But why, how hard was that to make that choice? I know you made the choice. You had a purpose and a reason behind it, but it's not like just,

you don't just stop, right? You got to, how hard was it to wake up and watch that series keep going? I've experienced that, right? Yeah. And so how hard was it to wake up and watch them continue on and going down the road without you? Yeah, and it doesn't slow down. They're doing, you know, it just keeps going. So that was actually pretty hard for a little while, and it made me not pay attention to NASCAR for a little while.

You know, and so I tried to really get away from it. It hurt to pay attention to it. Yeah, because I felt that I should still be part of that. Yeah. I needed to get away because of, you know, personal health and things like that. Like my body just was struggling with those long races. Why? It just went down that path of dehyd, you know, it just went down that path and I couldn't fix it.

The longer the seasons went, the harder it got to recover, the longer the week was feeling terrible. and the quicker, I mean, by the end, like, I was done in practice. First practice at Darlington, I was sopping wet. If I stood in one area, it was a puddle underneath me halfway through practice. Wow. And my body just, you know, I don't know why it went that direction, but they say, I mean, you can't control those things and off of environment and a lot of different scenarios is, you know, your body goes certain directions, but mine went that way with the heat. And yeah, so it was tough, and then the series just went on, and it looked good without me.

So that was, you know, it was kind of hard for a little while, and I stayed away from it. And as time went, I was like, man, I want to watch this closer and see where it's at and and things like that. So, yeah, I got more into it. And I've been really into NASCAR for a while now. Yeah. But when I saw Rocky Nam go on the schedule, I was like, man, I love that track.

I've always felt like I understood the track pretty well driving and had decent results there over the years and just saw an Xfinity race was going to be there. And I really wanted to be part of it. So I started reaching out and figured out how to make that happen. Who did you call first? It's like, I mean, how do you get to RCR?

So I got to RCR through Keith Rodden. Oh, yes. Yeah. Engineer. You called him ever? You eventually called him or he learned of this? Yeah. I eventually called him, text him, and Keith was just all in.

I bet. And obviously I had to take it to the right people at RCR and Richard being one of them. and but yeah between Brian Johnson and Keith Rodden we just kind of got the whole deal going and it took some time but who are the partners that are helping so the partners hendrick cars dot com mr. h brought it up to him and he was he actually was probably as excited about it as anybody to this point which i thought was was really i didn't know how he would right what he would think about it and I mean, we were texting during the test. A couple days later, we kind of recapped again.

And I just haven't talked to him a lot. I talked to him, you know, whenever HMS does a, you know, 40 years or some of their deals in May, you know, I'll support that or be part of it. Glad to have the opportunities to join him. But other than that, I don't really see him. You know, I don't talk to him. but he's kind of feel like I race for him right now, you know, like with some of our, you know, just texting again, which was, you know, pretty cool. He's a great guy. And so he supported in a big way, hinderkars.com. And then Mike Curb and Curb Records. Yes. He's, Mike's been with me for 20

years on the sprint car side. We've done all of it together as, you know, ownership and, you know, having partners there. So that's been great. And he wanted to, you know, join us on that and then caravan trailers Scott boyd with caravan trailers and um someone else who's supported the sprint cardio for for many years so yeah between those three um put it all together and rCR is you know taking it with their third team and ran with it just great group of guys like it was a it was a lot of fun to get back in the car and get to feel that you know feel a stock car again and especially at rockingham track that i that i really enjoy it's it's smoother now and grippier with the repave, but it still has all the same characteristics.

It's just at a higher speed. Yeah. I heard that you didn't know they had repaved it until you got there for the test. So I actually learned like two weeks before the test when we were getting the car ready and stuff. And they're like, yeah, it's going to be, you know, much faster. And I'm like, I wonder why, you know. So, yeah, when I was going through it all, working on it all, I had, I thought it was

the old Rockingham for sure. Hell yeah. But the new ones, you know, a lot of the similarities is just, you know, back to throttle sooner and way more aggressive. Yeah. What's the lateral grip like? You tested? Is it pretty comfortable? Pretty comfortable. Yeah. What balance issues do you kind of struggle with? Is the car just locked down kind of turning, trying to get it to turn? Yeah, I mean, we really were on both sides of it. For a while, we started turning really good and kind of on the freer. side, which I didn't want to overstep. So, you know, wanted to to be aware of all that. But we were probably the most competitive in the first couple practices when we were that way. Then we got

slower as we got tighter, which kind of goes with how I always was racing. The tighter I was, the slower I was compared to the field. And that's where we ended up. But we were really on both sides of it. felt like we learned a lot. We were in like maybe close to 300 laps in six hours or four hours, where it was. So it was a lot. Yeah, I was on track a lot. Yeah. All right. So was there any surprises or just kind of fit like a glove? Yeah, the surprises were spotting, like listening to my spotter and like working around a car and listening to the spotter and basically when he would talk, just what that meant, you know, like right now, what did that mean? And where was that other car at? You know, and just trying to

understand that. It's a new spotter. Yeah. But not. nothing on him. I would say it's more just something I hadn't done in a long time. So just as it, you know, just being really aware of it. Yeah. On what was going on. But just little, little or things like that, the actual driving in the feel of the car, I felt I was surprised as can be my first down the back stretch through three and four coming to the green. I was like, wow, that actually felt really good. Yeah. You know, and it wasn't. Um, too crazy at all. It felt really normal.

That's badass. So, I know you haven't even run that race yet, but, you know, 44 years old. How much more is in the tank? Everybody said, damn, he don't look like he's aged at all. You know, you got to love those compliments. Yeah. When they were watching your social media stuff from the test. But you do appear to be in really good shape.

And where are you, I guess, you're racing. I know you're running sprint cars. And in my opinion, racing dirt cars is as physical as it gets. So you've gotten yourself in a good place physically, would you say? Yeah, I'd say physically I'm still in a really good place. I've never really slowed down. I played basketball, baseball growing up through high school and had coaches. But in terms of like the things you struggle with with the heat,

in the cup car. Yeah. You've moved on from that. Feel pretty good? Yeah. I mean, I don't do anything for a long period of time anymore. Yeah. And nothing in heat for a long period of time.

So the sprint cars don't put you through that kind of same thing, than a three and a half hour cup race would? Not at all because my body never gets worn down. Yeah. So just like in the cup stuff, it wasn't early in the year when those things would go on. It's as the year later in the year. Later in the year. And I couldn't recover and catch back up.

So then the next week was that much worse. Do you? Do you set your sprint car schedule based off of how comfortable you are in terms of how often? Is it a particular schedule or a particular amount of races or would you run more? No, I think like 70 races with sprint cars is a good schedule. And that seems like a lot. Is that how many you're going to run? That's what I'm going to run.

And that's what I ran last year, 72, the year before. I think I was 71. This year I'll be around 70 again. but we like you do that and you come in it's in and out you know like like if we had to do 70 NASC cup races oh god yeah no way no way yeah but in a sprint car you know it happens quick and it's just afternoon evening and then on to the next one and um and we can do three or four in a week for two weeks straight and then take two weeks off you know so it's easy because of how those schedules are and when the bigger races are and how they kind of clumped

together. It's easy to do 70 races and sprint cars and actually still have a lot of weekend, or not a lot, but a few really solid weekends off. The last time you were here years ago, you talked about getting back into the sprint car and you were telling me, you're like, man, it's hard because I need to be doing it every week to get to where I think I can be success-wise. Running one every three or four months wasn't conducive to success because it's just like anything. You've got to be doing it all the time. Well, now you are.

Now you're doing it all the time. Yeah. You know, are you realizing the performance that you want to achieve? Where are you in terms of being satisfied with how that's going? I've never really been super satisfied with performance over the years. I think there's times when I'm really happy win a race. or whether it's in, you know, whatever I'm racing, there's times when I can be really happy.

But satisfied, I just, I was never really that satisfied with performance. And still I'm not. And I just, I don't know why that is, it's just, but I just, even when good things go on, before it's, I mean, it hasn't even hardly been over for very long. And I'm already thinking about what could have been better. Like, that didn't seem good enough, you know. And that's just how my mind's always been.

And so that hasn't changed. And so no, not, you know, and I don't feel like my performance in the sprint car is, I think at times it's really, really good. And I don't know why it can't be more often, but it's just, it's like a, you know, it's like a small window, it seems like when that, when I hit that window, like I feel like I can perform and do anything I need to do. but if it's not in that window it just seems way more difficult than what it used to be yeah are you happy are you as a race car driver are you happy so when i get those good feelings of whether it was at rockingham two weeks ago and you get that feeling or um the main event at volusia county the first night you know eight days ago or six days ago uh the first six laps like you have that feeling of this car is capable.

Yeah. And it just, at that point in time, I'm so happy. And I love driving race cars still. When I don't have that stuff, maybe the next night at Volusia County, and it was not doing what I would want it to do at all. And because of that, the car just feels, they don't feel right at all. No, I'm not that happy. And so I go, like, and I'm, I mean, I'm on a roller coaster a lot of times these days

because of performance. And so that makes it difficult. Why do you let that happen? I mean, so I, listen, all the things that I'm talking about I'm absolutely guilty of today, right? I do the same thing in my cars. But maybe I'm asking you to be educated. But like, I was watching this clip of this guy on social media. And he's like, he was talking about how baseball players have a hard time reconciling with their career.

There's a lot of players, right, that make it through minor leagues, some get to the major leagues, but even some major league baseball players, like they retire away from the sport, and they go on and they find a job and they find life and they find roles and things that they want to do, being a dad or whatever it may be. But then they have to come, they end up coming kind of, they end up missing or wanting to do it over, right? And I do that with my own. I'm like, man, I wish I could go back. I wish I could go back and do this over.

I think not that I can do it better, it's that I put so much pressure on myself that I didn't enjoy it. I didn't have fun. And I made myself miserable, worried about performing. And now, me and you are in this, we're in this extra credit part. We're doing this racing you're doing now and the racing that I get to do. Yeah.

It's like bonus racing. we ain't supposed to get it right but we can we're lucky right and still even though this is this blessing I still get competitive I still make myself miserable there are great moments like my car driving through the field at Florence in the week and you're having you having your good day of evolution right there are those moments where you're like yes this is it this is why I'm here but a lot of the time you're like fuck this thing won't turn in the middle you know and you're working on it all day long and you're mid-pack

on speed and you're like, I'm better than this. You know, what's going on? And we can't just enjoy the game and love the game. We, even though we're getting this little extra bonus racing that we, you know, not a lot of guys get. Yeah.

We still can't allow ourselves to just have fun, just love it every minute of it. Do you feel that way? I do feel that way. I feel that way. often. Yeah. And it's a tough thing. It's a tough thing. I need to think about that stuff. One one thing that's helps me is I take Amy and Anna and Tanner comes you know not all the time but he comes as much as he can and we have the motor home. Anna's just turned to Tanner's nine,

third grade. And so it's a great, you know, perfect age for for traveling and so we have our destination we have our spots that we go and have fun whether it's water parks or amusement parks and campgrounds different things like that and so that part of it is is really fun yeah and those are kind of set throughout the year we know when we're going and what we're doing and so that helps you know you do that for three days then go to the next track and maybe it goes well maybe it doesn't but it doesn't matter as much then because you've been able to kind of weave the family part of it into it. We had a race last year.

The first race of the Cars Tour series was at Jacksonville, and it was on the coast of North Carolina and Amy brought the girls, and they went out to the aquarium. So I was like, I was able, I didn't feel as much pressure when I looked at the chart and saw myself in 15th or 20th. I was like, yeah, whatever. The kids are at this aquarium having a great time. Everybody's fine.

Yeah. But if they're not there, and I'm there by myself, I'm like gripping my teeth. Right. How mad I am that I'm not in the top ten, you know. It's weird. But so that's a great point, like trying to drive, trying to, trying to weave that family into it as often as possible.

And they got to want to be there, right? Yeah. Yeah. And they enjoy it. So at this point, it all is working. All three of them enjoy it. Being at that stuff. You know, as soon as that doesn't work, I'm done racing for sure.

Yeah. But yeah, it's good when they're with me and, you know, they're enjoying it, having fun on their end. I think something else that makes it tough, and this is across the board. When I was younger, whether I was just getting into a cup, whether I was learning to drive a midget, a sprint car, any of those times, Xfinity, it just happened and you figured it out quicker, things were just easier to make sense of. And, you know, I think that's people. It's, you know, listening and learning from the right people and things like that as well. But I feel like that's something that, like, today I'm 44 and I have my ways.

And you look at these guys in sprint cars, whether it's younger guys coming in, the fields are tough. Yeah. They're strong, right? Like, the cars are good. the cars are better today. There's more cars that are at a, you know, more teams at a higher level. And the drivers are all capable and young. And like in sprint car racing, you have a couple guys that are the best.

And it takes them a long time to get to that point. And once they're there, they just like every, they just understand it all. And they're going to be good no matter what race it is all year long. That's just how it works in sprint cars. The, you know, the experience. And I think they're dedicated. and things get them to that spot. And there's just a couple.

And then everybody else is really damn good. Yeah. And so you're going against, you know, you're not going against, yeah, I've had a good career and done cool things here and there. But you're going against really good, younger, aggressive kids who want it really bad, you know, so it's not easy by no means. Yeah. You know, and I think it's the same in Xfinity trucks.

You know, I don't know some of the guy's names. some of those series anymore. But if you start digging into them, they have a lot of laps and they're good. Yeah. You know, and they're putting the effort in and working with the right people and putting,

you know, doing it, whether it's SIM, whether it's, you know, the data they're looking at and learning from with, with the right people. Like,

all that stuff matters. And, um, you know, they're progressing really quickly because of, you know, their dedication and the effort that they're putting in. So now you're going against that.

And they're talented. They're young. They're good. Young people are talented people. And risk takers. And risk takers. We're more measured. Very more, very much.

So when you get to. For good reason. Yeah, for sure. When you raced at Rockingham, do you have any idea like what a satisfactory result will be? And it doesn't have to be a position on the field. It's like, what do you want to accomplish? You know, I will say this. I might help you here.

when I ran the one Xfinity race I number one wanted to run all the laps because it's like if I wanted to run every single lap because that was all I was going to get and I would be so disappointed

if something happened or I didn't finish the race I didn't even get to finish so like A all the laps finished the race and like man if I finished in the top 10 I was more than satisfied. Yeah, I think definitely need to run all the laps.

But I already think about qualifying and just how that's going to work, you know, and try to remember the last time I was to qualify one of those cars, I think 16 was the last time at that type of a track. You know, so those kind of where my head is, my mind and the feeling that you're going to get taped off and just trying to go as fast as you can for that for that one lap and or two laps so it's a yeah and i know that the car that i'm driving the team that's part of it like it's a really solid

like really good team really good car so it's going to be you know good stuff you can i just feel like i'll like to feel really good about my weekend we'll be finished all the laps and and then you know be in the top 10 for sure like I need to to be in the top 10 if a not I'll just be like man I just didn't do this right or that it's absolutely doable like without question like that's a that's that's a that's a fair expectation right is to is for you or me to get in there having not done it or just doing it once a year or not doing it in several years get in there and go out there and finish top 10 um the car is good enough and you're good enough and I think also the our ability to like not screw it up right in the first three quarters of the race like a lot of

guys that they're young there may be a little faster but they also get in over their head a few times right and eliminates a few guys and makes that top 10 more reasonable but i'll be um i won't be surprised if you're up there running even in the top five at portions of the race yeah i think it's going to switch too. You know, the track position is going to be pretty key. It will, yeah. I don't think the track's going to open up, unfortunately. Yeah, I think it'll get wider, for sure. It'll get at least halfway up at both ends, but when it does that, you're going to be, everybody's going to be doing the same thing. Yeah. Because that's where it's going to go and then it's going to come back to the bottom or whatever it may do. But I don't think you're just going

to have a really good line here, really good line up here. You know, it's not going to be like that. No, sure. What does this mean? Are you going to run, do you want to run more? Do you wait on that to figure out how this goes? Yeah, I want to just do this one and see how it goes and really enjoy it. I think I have a little bit of family and friends who want to come back, you know, from Enumclaw, Washington, and come back and do a race.

It's been a long time since they were part of it. So, yeah, so I just, I want to really have fun with it. I'm going to drive my motorhome over there and park in the infield. I think you can do that. Sure. Yeah. And I have to talk to the right people, but that's my plan is to treat it kind of like I used to. Yeah.

And yeah, and just enjoy the weekend because it's been a long time since I had one of those. And then after the fact, look at it all and be like, man, I want to do another one, put something else together, or that was perfect. Right. Yeah. When you look back at your cup career and I guess how you decided to do. to retire at the end of 2018. You actually made that announcement before the end of the season. So, like, you knew.

Yeah. When you go back and look over that kind of part of your life, is there anything you would have done differently? I mean, when I look at a lot of those years, there's things I would have done differently. But I wouldn't say, I mean, like at that point, I didn't have a ton of control over some of the things that were going on. And it wasn't my, I mean, I would have way rather finish the entire season out, you know,

or raced, you know, more seasons in NASCAR because from a, you know, like, from, I just feel like I could have raced much longer as far as the racing part of me, you know, in my mind and how bad I enjoyed, or how much I enjoyed driving the cars and racing, but the other stuff had a bigger toll on what was going on. Physical. Physical. Yeah. And I just needed to be done.

So I don't like the way it ended at all. Yeah. And that's why I just kind of disappeared for a little while and because I just didn't want any part of it. You know, that was like the easy way to move on. This is me not knowing about what was really going on. But I want to ask the question. So you'd race.

with Rick, you'd been in this organization that was like top in all the things you needed and now you were with a team that had less resources. It was harder to make that car do things that you wanted it to do. How much of the enjoyment, I guess, had you lost and going to the track knowing, God dang man, to work my guts out to get this thing to do anything because you had been in these other cars, right, that would perform. You went to the track expecting this car to perform and this one that you're in toward the end of your career was was not responding that way right and it was not you know it was just the way it was that was that it was it was harder but i but i was truthfully i was actually very okay with it because i knew

that i think there's you understand where you should be running and if i i felt like i should be at that time, I think, I mean, like, I knew where I should be resulting. And if I was, if I finished 25th, and I thought I should have easily been 18 to 20 that day with, with what the team brought, because the guys did a really nice job. Yeah. And it was a fun team, and I enjoyed driving for LFR. Yeah. I would, I was, you know, disappointed, upset. We would work on it. But when we got 18th, and I knew that was like, I did the best job I could, the team did. Like, 18th was our spot today.

Like, that was a, I was perfectly fine with it and very happy with it. Yeah. You know, but you just have to understand that. You know, like, if I was thinking I could still, like, I should be winning races, that wasn't going to be good. But it was, it was pretty easy to understand that at the time. Was it easy to adjust that expectation? I don't know if it's ever easy because you always just want to win and run up front.

But it was, but I knew what, but I was okay with it. Yeah. Yeah. wasn't so bad. How often are you at your shop? I go to the shop pretty often. Like probably if I'm in town, I have a really hard time just being at home unless I'm cleaning up, you know, doing things outside. Something productive. Yeah. Otherwise I need to be at the shop and. Hands on with your your dirt stuff. Yeah, a little bit hands on with the dirt stuff. Who runs that? So each crew chief. Yeah. You know.

Eric, he's been the crew chief for Brad Sweet the last six years, seven years. And now he's basically the team manager, so he's looking over both teams and the crew chief on the nine. Brad has his car chief has moved up to the crew chief spot this year, which is kind of a new. It's kind of fun and new again, you know, for those guys. Ty's young and excited and so it's a little different for Brad because his roles changed a little bit bringing Ty along and then but ties also put the time in you know he's put the effort in and and Eric oversees all that so between the crew chiefs they just pretty much handle everything I mean I'm part of certain things but but not not too much do you remember the first time we met

first time yeah no do you remember um coming down to the western town yeah yeah I remember coming down to the western town. Was that, so one of the very first times we hung up. I don't think that was the first time. We met at the racetrack. Yeah, we met at the racetrack. But that was like the first time we hung out, hung out, I think. So I feel like the first time we hung out, hung out was when you lived across the street from DEI.

Oh, really? Yeah. You came over? Yeah, I was at the house. Oh, we have a party? We had a party. You had a party. I had a party and you showed up.

Oh, man, all right. You wandered in. Yeah. All right. Do you remember coming over to the Western House or Western Town that night? The night you drove your car through the woods. Do you remember that? Yeah, you were riding Chalkland.

I know it. So was that the night that Larson was there too? I think Larson was later on. That was probably like a year later or even two maybe. So you came, there's really not much of this story. I feel like when Larson was there, it was just about kind of the end of the Western town. It was, yeah.

Of those years, yeah. We'd slowed way down. One night, we're at my western town hanging out, and you came over, and you had this, I don't know what the car was. It was a company car. You remember what time it kind of was, Mercedes or something? The Mercedes. Was it a Mercedes? Yeah.

It was a rear-wheel drive. That thing was so nice. And I was like, how did we get in the woods with the Mercedes? Was that your idea? Probably, but I don't know for sure. I don't remember. But that was a good, it was a good time. I didn't get hurt. Are you serious? It did not get hurt. All right, so I had these four-wheeler trails on this little 70-acre part. That's kind of where the race car graveyard is. And you drove your Mercedes through the woods, like a lot. Like it was a, it was a brief trip, but it was.

Yeah. In my head, I remember like, branches just going down the side of this thing. But it wasn't that bad. No, it wasn't that bad. Oh, my God. I would, it'd be nice to like, we never talked about it. We never talked about it.

See what it look like right, you know, on the next day. Yes. You know, today. Yeah. But I don't, I mean, I had it for a while after that and I would, it wasn't scratched up or anything. Unreal.

I'd always wondered. So it was an E-55 and at the time, as a, it was a four-door E-55. And so it had, you know, all the, I think that was like the Formula One pace car at the timer. or close to it. It was a... You hot-rided it through the woods.

It was a good car, yeah. It made it through, no problem. Unreal. I was wondering if you remember that. I do. Yeah, that was a fun night. Yeah, and then, I guess, when you brought Larson over,

we were just kind of hanging out, shooting pool and stuff, and listening to music. And I remember him coming around and just being, like, head down, quiet, wouldn't talk to nobody, and that y'all were running around,

having a good time? Yeah, that was... So, it was Kyle, Caitlin, Brad Sweet was with us, Clint Boyer was with us, and we'd been at my house for, I think it must have been like, I feel like there was, oh, maybe it was the Masters. Yeah. And we were at my house all day watching Masters and everything

and then ended up at your place that night. Yeah. That was the first time I met Kyle. Met Kyle, yeah. So the first time we met at Vinnie's. Me and you? Yeah, you remember Vinnie's? Yes.

So we were over there, and then Josh Snyder, the guys. All my buddies. And I just hopped in with you guys, and we went back to your place across from D-E-I. So then we were there. It was like probably a Wednesday night. Yep. Whatever night. I think those were Wednesdays.

We did Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Yeah. And then Josh took me home the next day. Man, those were the days. That was a good time. They were. Dellenhart Jr. Chevrolet is your go-to for commercial and crane truck solutions. Dellenhart Jr. Chevrolet is located in Tallahassee, Florida.

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Have you ever, you ever had like a little? legit feud. That one was, so in 2013, in 2013, you'd won Bristol, Pocono, but you had this

little brief feud with Kyle. I guess you'd kind of gotten into it with him and gotten the worst end of it, and then I think it's Charlotte. He run you hard or something and you just like lost it. Do you remember that?

Was that an infinity race? I think it was an Xfinity race? Yes. Yeah, I do remember that. Yeah, so it'd been coming for a little while. and we would always talk after after each time and get back on the right page and understand you know like he would explain why it happened you know how whatever that whatever it was but

I feel like you know there's three or four that I remember and then that one just was kind of the over the age. You handled business. Have you ever had a driver that you just didn't see a die with? Not too often. I mean, it's, I mean, there was a few times here and there, Kyle, and me and Tony Stewart there. We couldn't really see I die for a minute about something too. Y'all wrecked at Kansas.

He wrecked you at Kansas. Chicago. Chicago, yeah. Yeah. And then the fight in the pits and all that. Yeah. And you got out and they were like, yeah, your mentor. and you're like, I don't know about that.

I don't know about him being a mentor these days. Yeah. I just watched that video the other day. Oh, really? Yeah, I think it was 2004. Yeah. Tony Stewart had a wild 2004. He was in a lot of stuff.

He ended up getting penalized by NASCAR. Yeah, it was wild. Like, he was the guy who seriously tried to help me get to the cup level. Yeah. You know, like I remember when I was driving the Great Clips car or the channel lock car, he'd be over in a corner once in a while and just start talking on my radio like he'd went down to the pit and found a headset and trying to help me through the corner at Dover or these tracks you know he helped me a ton and then soon as O4 started and I was um like we were running

good right off the start um Rockingham Vegas you won Atlanta I think I ran third to you at Atlanta like we were rolling right off the start and every time I raced him that year the first half until Chicago every time was like difficult really hard. Like he was just, you know, I think he was just showing me maybe, like that, you know, like he was being tough. Yeah. And it was what it was. We just move on, try to pass him or he passed, you know,

whatever it was, and you move on and go to the next one. And then finally that happened at Chicago. And none of us, or I didn't know what was really going on. And next thing, you know, the teams are fighting and Tommy Baldwin was all wound up. Yeah. Did you and Tony ever have a conversation about it? it then or even later? I'd imagine we did because we've been you know fine after that. Yeah, you see them around? I haven't seen around in a while but I

seem at El Dorah once in a while and and then I think we probably got into it another time or two later on down the road too but that's all kind of part of it but I'd say Tony and Kyle Bush maybe the guys, the only guys I've really had any small feuds with over the years yeah. The other thing that and we don't have to talk about this if you don't want to do Casey because you've never really publicly talked about. about it, but head injuries. I think me and you've had some pretty nasty wrecks, and I've been open about mine, but I was wondering if you thought that any of that ever had an effect on you personally?

I think that it definitely has. I learned a lot about it after I left NASCAR. Before that, I didn't really pay attention to it. Yeah. And when I crashed my sprint car hard and knocked out and, you know, and realized, yeah. Yeah, didn't you have to step out? Yeah, I tried to race.

Yeah. And basically I was entering the corner. When I thought I was entering the corner at the right time, it was like 100 feet late. Yeah. And I had no clue other than when I would get there. I was in a different spot than I really thought I was in. Right. And that's when I realized, I mean, I was questioning kind of my head.

So let me ask you this. So do you, that's interesting to me because there's, like when I had, when I got, when my, when I would have an issue, right, if I'd crash and I'd have it, I was like, I knew, like, yeah, I'm messed up. This is, I'm, there's a problem. Now, when I, it, it, give me a second here. When we're in, when we're in our 20s or when we're young. Yeah. Right. I didn't, I had concussions and crashes and rang my bell, we'd call it, that I didn't think were a big deal. You know, we would, I wrecked it in 98 at the Xfinity race of Daytona flipped and hit my head on the door, on the door top,

and was dizzy and thought it was funny. Because in my mind, I was going to, it was going to go away in a couple days, one day, two day, whatever. Yeah. And no big deal. I didn't think anything about it being a long-term problem, or should I race next weekend? No, it was just fine, you know? And there were other crashes that I was probably messed up and didn't know it.

And then when I got older, it was real easy to tell. There's a problem. And there are guys, there are other guys that I know. know that it's not as obvious to them when there's a problem, right? There's been other racers that I know that have crashed, and they're like, man, I felt fine. I felt totally fine. But then I got out there and this happened, and I was like, oh, that's not right.

But I felt fine. I had no clue. Yeah. And so, and it sounds like you kind of fell into that boat. Like you had this crash, you got knocked out, you thought everything was good, and then you drive in the car, and you're like, hmm. That's not quite what needs to be happening. But otherwise, walking around, talking every day, getting up in the morning, doing your thing, living life, you were oblivious.

He had no idea that there was going to be this issue until you put yourself in stress, right, in duress. Right. Right, behind the wheel of a car. Is that kind of... So I'd say that's partly correct with me. So I just know of two concussions. one was the one that was in sprint cars after, you know, four years ago, five years ago, and learned a lot about it since then.

And after that, I was like, man, I bet there was other times and didn't put it together. Right. There was another, in 13, I crashed at Loudoun, New Hampshire, hit the inside wall. Yeah. You gave this really crazy interview. Do you ever, have you watched that back? So I've seen the interview, and I'm just, it's very confused. Yes.

Do you? And I caught myself after that, I would be driving down the, so I'd be driving from, I lived in Sheryls Ford, I'd be driving into Mooresville and just be happy as can be running 25 miles an hour down the road, 35 miles an hour down the road. 50 mile an hour's on or something, slow. And have no clue. No clue, yeah. Right?

So I caught myself doing things like that after that one. Yeah. But I never felt off in the car. But did you feel? But when I look back, I know I had to have been off in the car. Sure. But I didn't feel it. You know, the only things that were off to me was, you know,

I'd catch myself doing things that I was surprised I was doing on the roads. Yeah. So that means, you know, in the car I might have been as well. Yeah. But always raced through it. Prior to that, I never felt anything different, weird, nothing. That's so frustrating because that there are people similar to yourself, like that have an issue, but don't recognize it.

or don't there's it's not that it's not obvious and i think you know i just watch drivers and i go man i wonder if he knows maybe he's not okay right and they're just like it was it became a it was easy i guess for me to tell like like i got a problem man i need to pay attention to this and but other people it doesn't it's just weird how it affects people differently and i would say in some situations they might know something's off, and then others, they may not at all. Because I feel like I was on both sides of it, and I've looked a lot, you know,

I've looked at it, you know, a lot since I learned more about it. I went to PA, learned a lot about concussions and how to help myself. Did you go see Mickey? Mickey. Yeah. And it was, he's like the best, the man. The man, like the best doctor I've ever.

He just, he makes you feel really good. and understand what we're looking at. You know, and it's like, wow, that clicks. Like, it was really good, you know, visits up there. Yeah, I think I remember you going up there. So let me ask you this question. When you get, so you get past that crash in the sprint car, you take the time, you do the right thing,

everything Mickey's telling you to do, right? You do the homework. You're back at full song. 70 races a year, three years in a row. How do you measure, like, I have girls, you've got kids, how do you measure the risk at this age, right? Like, we're doing this bonus racing, right? Right.

Like, I, I, my idea of, my idea of playing it safe is pretty silly. I'm like, you know, I just don't need to race every week. I can race, you know, a couple here and there, and that really lowers my odds of getting, myself in trouble because I don't need to hit anything right and now could I hit something and be fine more than likely but I don't need to test that theory right and so that's why I race very minimal and but you're back at it hard at it 70 races a year you're in the throws and putting yourself at risk like any other racer in the sprint car world yeah how do you

how do you, you know, how do you justify that? So I talked to Amy about it, you know, and make sure that we're on the same page with it. That's important. I think about it probably more than what I should. Well, that's okay. You're 44 years old. Yeah. You know?

Right. You have to. I have to. And I feel like I want to. And because of that, like every single time, I learned from that last wreck, that, well, that wreck where I I'd hit my head hard, that I just need to be more, like really do a much better job of understanding where I'm at and who I'm around. And, you know, and their tendencies, you know, and just how maybe they race and just do a, you know,

just basically use my head more than just going out there and going as hard as you can. Yeah. So I look at everything a little differently now. Did you change anything? I feel like I'm more aware of the situations I'm in where I'm at, what I'm trying to accomplish. and do it in that scenario. And did you think about anything physically with the car, the headrests, the helmet, or what you could be doing differently?

Yeah, I mean, I've, John Padillac. Padallac, he came by our shop from NASCAR and spent a good bit of time reviewing some wrecks with me. And I learned way more about what the seatbelts are going through, what seatbelts are going through what, because certain ones really aren't doing a whole lot and other ones are depending on how you land. So I learned a lot about that

and have fixed our cars to be better off of that and most sprint cars are that way now. I've also, you know, worked on the headrest stuff. John, you know, has helped me with that. What were some of the things you did? Like if maybe a guy driving, you know, got a sprint car or you can pay attention and learn something? So to me the biggest thing is,

or the two biggest things, things I've done and I won't race a sprint car without it is we put a second that the center belt between your legs goes over a steel bar basically so it can't tear the seat back that was one thing that I had it was tear the seat yeah so like where the center belt comes up and goes through the seat yeah usually that holes a little further in front so when you wreck hard upside down it I tore my seat once through there. Jesus. The aluminum?

Is it an aluminum seat? Which instantly made the belt. Looser. Three inches longer. Damn it. So now you've lost that center belt. So the next time I landed that way, I didn't really have the center belt. And that's the only belt that pretty much holds you, or it holds the highest percentage by far when you land on your top.

Damn it, dude. That's important. So that's important. So that is something that's, you know, changing a lot, like Maxim cars or that's, car they've their cars are built that way um other brands are as well and then the the chasm systems the latest i started doing it after uh you know when the when our cars land on the frame rails um just land straight down the pressure of that just goes it's just all into the driver's body and the bodies just can't handle it and we've learned that that's the biggest to me the easiest way to

get hurt in a sprint car and can cause the most damage in my opinion. So we run this system called the chasm. It's like it has pucks that when the car hits that direction, it squishes into, you have different stiffness of pucks. And the seat absorbs. The seat bar sits on top of the pucks and then they're welded to the chassis. So that comes through Maxim as well. And through chasm is the one who created the system. And I wouldn't race a sprint car without both of those. systems these days. And that's to me, I've crashed one time since where I landed on the rail and could not believe the difference. The difference. And I look at it as more of like landing in a pillow compared to landing on a, you know, on the smit. Damn it. Like a massive difference. So that's been my

the couple things that we've done to make our cars safer. They're still still racing and still things can happen, but that's where it's at. What's the state of sprint car racing? I think it's pretty good. I like it. I like what, to me, from an owner's standpoint, what high limit racing is doing,

I just, to me, they dug into it to help the owners and to make it more sustainable. You know, from as many, different directions that they can help in those areas. And I mean, money is always one of them, you know, and payouts and things like that. But that's, you know, there's a lot of other things that go along that can can help. So I just really like what they're doing for the sport. And so it's been, it's been nice to follow that series the last couple years at a more of a full time level. Yeah. They're doing a nice job. They're working on on that. Their shows are, you know,

their shows are fast, quick, like try to, they're more time-oriented. If you are watching on flow, you know, the times are closer to what you expect at 930. You know, it's going to, the main's going to be, you know, like some of the things that can just, yeah, they're just making it a little bit updating from where sprint car racing has been. And so I like that a lot. The competition, the drivers, teams, there's as many teams out there as I can remember, especially at a high level. Like there's, it's tough, a lot of the shows.

So, yeah, I think Sprint Carriason is in a really good spot. World Outlaw and High Limits. So how do they, is, do you see a world where they, they kind of consolidate or do you think it's good that there's sort of two different competing series or I think there's a way it they hold each other accountable and drive, drive everything in the right direction. Because it might not be a bad thing that they coexist. Yeah, and I don't think it's been a bad thing. I think when it first came out, people had their opinions and thoughts, like, man, this could

maybe be really bad. Or maybe this could be good. And I was unsure because I kind of felt like just need to see what happens in a way. Because you never know what's going to happen in a lot of what the fans are going to think. you know, what the teams are going to think. Are they going to have enough members here or there? But to me, there's, I mean, there'll be 40 outlaw cars running over there and 40 over here with high limits and both put on great shows

and the fans, you know, had a great night. So depending, you know, wherever you're at. So I think both series seem to be doing really well. It's kind of pulled some of the competition, you know, For example, Brad was winning all the outlaw championships there, Brad Sweet, and now he's, you know, on the high limit. So they took one guy, the top guy from there, and, you know, David Gravel won this last one. But Gravel's always been, to me, he's been, he's put the effort and he's put the time in, and he's been right there in line, you know, to win a championship. And, you know, it was his turn, and he did that, and Brad won the high limit.

So when they all race together, you just, you never know, but they're still going to be up in the front. Yeah. So I think the competition is very similar on both sides. The racing is very similar. I like what High Limits is doing, though, for the owners and trying to, you know, make the sport more sustainable as it goes. Do you take ownership year by year or do you have like a five-year or 10-year vision? what is what is you know how do you run your operation so I asked that question so like our late model stock program typically we have a driver turnover once every two or three years out of our A car

and then we're trying to like groom some other guys through the second car but it literally is like a year to year we run a year stop figure out the sponsorship money choose the driver lineup and then fire off again, right? Yeah. There's not, and I have no idea where that thing's going to be in three years or five, you know, in terms of just owning a car, right, that goes out and races at grassroots level. So, but your, your team, right, has operated successfully for a long, long time. Yeah. Do you have, do you, do you, do you have other? So I, I, the nine car, the car, the car I drive, that car is, you never know what's going to be doing next. Like it could be, you know, we could cut back and barely do any. We could do as many as you want. As far as the 49,

Brad Sweet, Napa's our partner there and have been for eight years now and it's, they're just, they're a great partner. It's been awesome. How long does Brad want to keep doing it? And that's what it's completely up to. Really? As long as Brad is, I've always told, Brad, as long as he wants to race at a high level, being a sprint car, he's in that car. And, you know, like, Napa's our, is Brad's sponsor. You know, Brad is a huge part of why Napa's with us and why we've been able to keep Napa with us for a long period of time is, you know, because of Brad sweet. So that's Napa and 49, Brad, like, that car can go, you know, as long as Brad wants.

And if we, if Napa was to move on, that's still Brad's car until he won't. doesn't want to do this anymore. So he's done enough for me and for KKR over the years that he deserves that, in my opinion. As far as the nine goes, he just never know on that car. Sure. What do you think about Brad in terms of being an owner in the high limit, what that means to his length of his driving career, right? Yeah, I think he's probably looking at those things. And, you know, he has, you know, he probably doesn't want a race sprint car forever. But I know he still loves it and you can see by his determination and his speed and things he's still super into it so it's tough to say how long he goes with that I do know one thing with Brad is when

he has a lot on his plate to me he's he's at his best so I've never been worried I've never been worried that he's you know doing the high limits and and also still wanting to you know race the car and he runs a track out in California Chico Silver Dollar Speedway. He has a lot on his plate, and I never worry about that affecting his performance at all, because those types of things never have. Your first NASCAR-related phone call was with Richard Childress. Yeah. You ended up going with Ford and working over there with, I think, Robert Yates and those guys and getting that pipeline. But when Richard called you, what were you doing? I was at my grandma and grandpa's. They had a horse stable. They had Tennessee

walkers. And I was walking beside their barn and my phone rang and it was this number I'd never seen before, which was, what would it be up? 7.04? No, 336. I think it was 336. And I answered and could not believe when he said it was Richard Childers, could not believe that's who was calling me. And so is there any coincidence that that's the car you're going to drive a Rockingham or is that just I think it's happenstance. I think it's pretty neat. It is pretty neat. I'm, I'm, Yeah, I was pretty excited that it all worked out that way. How did you end up not going in that route and going to Ford route? So I was racing for Steve Lewis in midgets, the white nine midgets that are on TV back then.

And we were doing really well. And that was all Ford was behind that. Ford Motor Company was behind that. So I had a basically I had a first ride of refusal contract with Ford to go to, whether it was NASCAR, whether it was Indy car, it was just the first ride of refusal. So when I, Richard called me out of just out of the blue. Right. And he flew me and my dad to welcome North Carolina.

And we, you know, visited with him and went around the whole shop, could not believe it. And he was ready to hire you? And when we left that day, he said, you just tell Ford that you have an Xfinity car to drive and they need to step up and get you in an Xfinity car. That was basically what he said. And so you went to Ford and did that? So when I went to Ford and said, hey, like, and they said I wasn't ready.

And I said, well, Richard says I am. And they said, okay. And then they dug into it. And then I had a 16 race deal with Robert Yates. How did you enjoy running that deal with Robert Yates? Are they 98 car chanelot? Yeah, it was all right. I really liked Robert and really, you know, and Doug.

What state was their Xfinity program? program in. It was like a limited. So they just started this because Ford made them. They just come out of nowhere. So like this car is out of this little garage over here. Yeah. And it was, but they did put an effort in.

Yeah. And I got, you know, like 16, our 14 or 16 races that year that were crucial to learning, you know, because I hadn't been in a car. Yeah. You know, I hadn't been in a stock car. and so it was a really good year. It was a learning year. Robert would show up.

Did you realize everybody was watching? Did you know that you were, like, there were, I remember people going, this kid's, you know, coming out, you kind of coming out of that pipeline, that Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart sort of pathway. And everybody's like, oh, Ford, Robert, yeah, you got a lot of, I remember there being a lot of fanfare and just, and even I was like, hmm, what are he's going to do? you know? Did you, were you aware? I don't remember that year a whole lot. Like as far as people watching stuff. Like I don't remember.

I remember how difficult it was. The things I remember about 2002 was like showing up at Bristol and trying to get on track. Yeah. Like how do I get out there? Yeah. The cars are going so fast. And like, how do I get out there and merge in and don't get wrecked? as soon as I get to the next corner or moved up the track.

I mean, it was intense. Like, and I could not, to this day, I could not believe how hard you could drive at that track on pavement, right? Like, to me, that, because I'd raced a midget on flatter, quarter miles and things where you could be aggressive, but not at that level, not to where the car loads in the track that hard and you can just be that much throttle. So it was just very eye-opening, a lot of different situations that you were. very eye-opening and yeah throw them to the woods yeah and just had to learn and yeah they were very

good races like learning you know that was a really good learning year how'd they get you out of the ford deal so then at the end of that year um or no no they moved me to aiken's motorsports next the following year which was great clips achan motorsports Doug stringer and they had a team that had been raced and that was mark green had raced at the you know that year and uh or the year oh two so they moved me over there uh you know a team that was was put together you know a functioning functioning and um and gotten there and uh we were just instantly um up to speed and just um yeah it was it was actually really good it was it got fun at that point so you're still a ford at that point with that still forward yeah how did how did the forward deal come come to an end

And how did that, I mean, was that when Ray stepped in and said, hey. So then I'm still under that same contract. So then about halfway through that year, 03, which was going, you know, pretty good. I think we finished like maybe eighth in points, which was kind of the first full Xfinity season with proper team. And I wouldn't say my team wasn't proper in 2002 because I had really good guys. It was just thrown together last second. This is a team that had been racing for a period of time and knew what they needed to do.

So, yeah, so about halfway through that year, Ray, Bill Elliott called me. And I'm like a huge fan of Bill Elliott. Really? Yeah, huge fan of Bill Elliott. And the first soccer race ever went to was in Evergreen Speedway in Washington. and Bill had the weekend off and he showed up to race. It was probably like a Winston West and Bill showed up to race that race. So me and my dad took me.

I was probably 10 years old or something and he took me to that race and we were there and it was all to see Bill Elliott. So Bill called me that day and I was at, I rented a building from Jerry Nadu off Lugnut Lane and down Brawley School. And I was standing out in front of that building. We just rented the end of it and had our sprint car, you know, had some sprint cars and stuff there. And Bill Elliott called me another. I answer the phone.

I can't believe it's Bill Elliott, you know, and start having a conversation. And he's basically telling me, like, we need to keep us quiet and stuff. But I'm, you know, I'm out. Like, I'm going to retire at the end of this year. And me and Ray want you to get in the nine. And I'm like. And that nine's good. That nine's really good.

Bill's had an awesome year. Bill's flying. Yeah. And I'm like, I don't, I mean, I didn't know if I was ready. Sure. And that was my biggest concern. You know, do you think I'm ready? Like, I really, I don't have a lot of experience yet in these types of cars.

And Bill was like, I'll help you, you know, you know, the short of it all, like he said he was going to help and be part of that first year in 04 with me and Ray. So then basically I took that to Ford, had an opportunity for Cup. They said, you're definitely not ready for Cup. And I'm like, I'm thinking to myself like, yeah, I kind of agree with you, but these guys are saying I am ready. So went with it. And they didn't, they never had an offer for that, you know. So I ended up in the ninth. They didn't match, you could leave.

Yeah. Did Bill help you? So then Bill was there. He was there. And he was there. We'd go to Pocono and Bill's test, because we had to test back then. So that was, we go to Pocono. Bill's in the infield in a car.

He's over in turn one. He's in a tunnel turn. go to Sonoma, he's, you know, we're out there together driving Dodge Vipers. Yes. And then, you know, a week later, I'm testing the cup car there, I think. And then, so Bill was it everything. And he helped me that whole first year. How did you?

Just like he said he was going to, and it was awesome. How did you adjust to the East Coast growing up in Washington? I've actually always really liked it. Yeah. Was there any difference of them? There's no culture shock or nothing? I mean, Seattle. Washington is a different part of the country for sure.

But not a, I just kind of felt like it always fit me pretty well, you know, being out here. And I've never went, went back. I mean, I go back to visit, you know, once a year is about it is about it. Yeah, who are all still there? Parents, brother, cousins. Your brother's back here? No, Washington. Yeah, your brother?

He's in Washington. Really? Yeah. He was here for a while. He was here for a while. What's he doing out there? He wanted to go back home with friends. He has a seal coating company.

Sweet. Yeah. He used to come around all the time. He was always with you. He's still exact same. He works, you know, seal coatings. I'm kind of surprised he went back. I was too, but now I'm actually not at all.

I think it fits him really well and he's happy to be there with his family. He kind of, yeah. He kind of seemed like he struggled to kind of find his base here, you know. Yeah, he was... He's a bit wild. He's a bit wild. He hung out with some wild guys. Yeah.

They all, they had their... Yeah. They did it all together. Do you remember the... I'll tell you this. The funniest thing I ever seen between you and your brother was when we got the Budweiser deal, you got the Bud deal. I was leaving Bud.

Okay. But we both still had an... appearance to do. I had one final appearance and you kind of had one of your first appearances with them and that was at the Buffalo Chip and they had us in these campers um that we were all staying in. Oh it's Sturgis? Yeah. They had us in these campers and you. So he wasn't there that. Who was it? You had some buddies there. That was my buddies from Enum Claw. Well, I know y'all were trying to turn that damn camper over. Do you remember that? Yeah. You were in a camper or fifth wheel. I'm standing there and at the corner of my eye

I'm watching this fifth wheel literally about to turn over and it's rocking back and forth and we bang on the door and y'all were in there running back and forth from side to side trying to tilt the thing over do you remember that?

I do, yeah that was... You came very close to flipping over a fifth wheel camper from the inside. Yeah, I'd be hard to do. It was. I was pretty surprised that you've got to. as close as you did. I think if we hadn't

to stop you, you'd have done it. You'd have got it. I'm glad you guys stopped us. I am too. That was good. We had some fun. I was always, you know, we're talking about you kind of getting into Ray's deal. I was really, I was glad you got the

Bud deal. You know, the Bud Deal couldn't, I couldn't do what I wanted to do with the Bud Deal and it kind of had come to an end. But you kind of wanted to make sure it goes into another place that you like. And I was like, oh, this is perfect cases. You know, you were younger and younger than me, and you kind of could take them,

you could kind of connect them to a younger demographic and kind of, you know, take them on a new route or a new trip. And one of the funniest things, so one of the best, one of the funniest things, I think, was some of the commercials that they made with you. And they just, those just started popping back up because when you started talking about going and running this car at Rockingham, NASCAR Kazam and a couple other people doing some fun stuff on social media,

the video with the girls, the ladies that are like, you know. So that was Allstate insurance. Do you have fun doing that stuff? And when that stuff pops up these days, do you, do your kids or? They don't even see it. They have no clue. Tanner hasn't seen any of that stuff yet. But the, so back then I didn't enjoy any of that stuff.

You didn't enjoy it? No, because I didn't know what I was doing. You didn't like the attention. I was nervous. You were nervous. I was nervous. I didn't know what I was doing. Why were you always nervous?

The attention, I didn't like the attention. So all those things were a lot, like for me. I see that stuff today. I love it today. I think it was all. Now you're glad you did it. Yes. What about, you know, you did that magazine shoot fitness or what was it?

You were. Yeah, there's a couple different magazines. Like you were in some pretty damn good shape. Yeah. Remember when you got the six-pack and all that? Yeah. I think that was for maybe ESPN. That was ridiculous.

You and Jimmy and everybody getting all in shape, man, and they were on my ass all the time because they were like, can you go out there and beat them in a hundred-yard dash? I'm like, no, they're like, why not? Why ain't you working out? But then you got in shape too. I kind of did, yeah. Yeah.

We rode bikes together. We all were good, yeah. Yeah. That was fun. That was fun. Riding bikes? Do you still ride? I thought so.

Not on the roads. Not anymore. No. I ride a peloton pretty often. Do you? And I have an assault bike that I probably ride more than it. So it's the arms. So you pull the arms and the legs at the same time.

He's a guy, machine guns on? What are you doing out there? No. I think they use it a lot. Maybe wrestlers, things like that. So I like that because I can get a lot done in a shorter period of time. Would it be fair to say that you've always been shy? I'd say probably, yeah.

Yeah. What is that? Why don't you like, why did the, I mean, look. So I don't, I wouldn't say I'm shy anymore. No, you're not. I was always back then. Pretty shy back then and just. Right, when the peak of your, the peak of your stardom, right, as a NASCAR driver,

you were totally uncomfortable. It's uncomfortable. With it. So that was the, yeah. So I don't, I don't know why if it was shy or just uncomfortable or if that's the same thing. but I was, it made a lot of those, when I got in the car on, you know, Friday morning or Thursday sometimes, like that, I was so happy, you know, because back then we were doing, there was times you'd be, or I would do appearances kind of all week and a test and some appearances and then in the car and like it was a different time back then as far as everything going on around you and all the partners we had. Everna Monsports had a ton of partners. And I was fine with all of that, but it was just a lot for me.

It was a lot for me to, just because it just wasn't normal. You know, like all the people and doing things that were uncomfortable, like on TV. Yeah. And we did a few different commercials. And I actually, you know, I'm glad we did that. And I look at some of those things today. I'm like, man, I wish I would have enjoyed it. some of that stuff more because if I would have enjoyed it more, you know, you could have done a

better job at it as well. But instead I was like, you know, this is a lot. So it was just always kind of hard on me. Was it because of your, you know, how you grew up and what you were supposed to? And it was just such a absolute contrast to how life had been for you up until you started to have, you know, some success? I think so. But, you know, like growing up, I was, I was the kid that basically I had friends that were very outgoing and like wanting to do a lot of stuff and I was the kid that like their parents wanted

we want you to hang out with Casey because we know you're going to be like he's you know things are going to be calmer like we're not going to be doing too wild of things stuff like that and then once we went on our way like I could go to their level but it was so yeah

I was just kind of under the radar or a lot, I would say, you know, growing up. Yeah. Well, I've always thought that you had this, you know, kind of a unique personality, and you did seem to always struggle with, you know, kind of the off-track demands and spotlight, if you would. Yeah, I'd say the spotlight type stuff.

I didn't love it. I mean, it's not comfortable. It's not normal. And sometimes, like, you would be, I guess some of the worst situations, and I saw you in these sometimes, and I found myself in them as well, is when you're an unwilling participant to something. You're like, I don't even want to, you know, there were a couple times when we get thrown up on a stage, right? Yeah.

And we're getting, you know, we're taking questions from an MC. And you're, there was one time where there was a, we won't name any names, there's a particular time we were in Vegas for the playoffs. And all the playoffs drivers are on stage. and the MC went a little heart at you. And I think it was me and Clint and a couple other guys were like, hey, bud, you know, lay off. I remember that. Yeah, and it was, it was, those were the times when you're like,

you just never knew when that was coming. And I knew that if there's anybody that's not happy right now, it's Casey, because he don't like this shit. But, and I was always on edge too, because you never knew it was coming your way. Yeah. You know, you'd be in some of these situations where you're not, not in control. And that's why I look back at stuff like that. And today I'm like, man,

it just wasn't that bad. You know, I felt like it was at the time for nerves or whatever it may have been. But it wasn't that bad. And if I would just had a little different mindset, that would have never happened. That guy would have never messed with me because I wouldn't have been the guy to mess with. Yeah. You know, like I'd have been enjoying it with you guys and laughing or whatever was going on. And so it's just a different, you know, like I, kind of put myself in some of those places because of just who I was, I guess. Do you think that you're, you know, do you think that's the great thing about, this is going to sound bad, but the great thing about retiring, I think, is one of those,

so when we're, when I retired, certainly there were a lot of things I was going to miss, but there was also some things I wasn't going to miss. And like kind of that being able to step away and not have to be in that spotlight anymore was kind of nice, refreshing. Yeah. Right, and now you can go to this other thing, sprint cars for you, grassroots racing for me, where you, like it's not too hot. And it's never going to be, you never going to be asked to do anything you don't want to do. Yeah. And even when I started doing that, I was like, I'm not doing any interviews.

Like, I'm just, that was my first year away from the NASCAR stuff. Like, I wanted nothing to do with an interview. Yeah. And I could control that because I was driving my own car, doing my own thing. paying for it out of my own pocket, you know, at times, a majority of it. So I was able to do it that way. And today, it's not like that at all. Today, like, I was pumped to do interviews at Rockingham. Like, that was enjoyable to see some of those, you know, just get asked different questions about whether it was racing or things I've been doing the last period of time. So,

you know, I just feel like you change, change as time goes on and, you know, look at things a little differently and I definitely am fine with you know trying to enjoy life and enjoy interviews enjoy whatever it is these days it's like it's not that bad well I think you're in a really good spot you got you know two incredible children you're in an amazing relationship you're in good health you're for a 44 year old you're in very good health and you got a lot of you know a lot of years of activity and and really kind of be able to chart your own path I want to tell you, man, you got named one of NASCAR's 75 greatest drivers in 2003.

That had to have been a pretty incredible feeling to be put on that list. It was. Yep. Still is. Eric, you know, just a huge honor. And when Mike Elton called me, I just could not believe it. You know, I knew some of that stuff was going on at the time. And then he called, and I still didn't have a clue why he's calling me

because I wasn't thinking 75, like for myself. So it was a very big surprise and just to go to Darlington and I actually sat by you for one of the deals we did. And it was just, it was neat to be part of that and see all the fans that were, you know, excited for all 75 of the drivers. And whether it's the accomplishments or what we've been part of in the sport, you know, like what we've put into it.

and been given during those during that period of time was uh i feel like some of the best years of my life for sure were you know a lot of those years racing in NASCAR and uh yeah i love it well thanks for coming today and giving us some time i've missed you it's been a long time since we ever got to sit down and really kind of chew the fat if you will and um i uh you're you're one of the good guys uh i've always had a really really really really good guys uh i've always had a really really really good relationship with you. Never once in all the years I've been around you, especially when we were teammates, were you not gracious with your time?

If I ever had a question or thought there was something you could tell me that might help what I'm doing or leaning on you and what you guys were successful with, you're always an open book and transparent. And like I said, man, you're in really, you're in a good place to go on and enjoy the next 15 or so years before you feel like maybe this time for me to start slowing down. I'd get everything you could out of it. And I think people love seeing you race your dirt car. We'd love you to come run some pavement stuff from time to time.

People, you'll know, you'll see this when you go to Rockingham since it's been a while, since you've been in a car in the top three series. you are going to be blown away by the reception and the welcome you will get, not only from the industry and folks that are employed in the industry, but also all the fans that are going to be a witness to that race and the social media and all those things that you might see, you are going to really enjoy that because people like myself miss you, want to know what you're doing, want to see you.

you were a big fan favorite back in the day you still are and so it's awesome that we're going to get a chance to see you back out on the racetrack and hope you have fun with it hope it goes well man and thanks for giving us some time today yeah absolutely i appreciate all that and um i've already felt some of that you know just of crazy like more than i would have thought you know and it and we just did a practice day so yeah it's pretty pretty awesome feeling neat to need to have that feeling for sure Well, I think we all believe you've got a lot left in the tank, man. So hopefully you'll get out there, get the results, and keep on doing it and have a few more good runs. And yeah, we'll see you down the road.

Sounds good. After you get done with Rockham, have you come back and tell us about it. Sounds good. Casey Kane on the Dale Jr. Download. All right, so a great interview with Casey Kane. Andrew is our producer back there in the booth. Andrew. What did you think about that?

I thought it was really fascinating. I mean, some of the stuff he was talking about, you know, with the head injuries. Like, I had never heard his perspective on everything, New Hampshire, even the reason he stepped away and kind of disappeared for six years was all pretty interesting. I know people were wanting to hear that from Casey. Yeah, I took, you know, I told, I didn't tell Casey we were going to talk about that beforehand. I usually don't like to talk to the guests until he sit down. But I'd let him know.

after the show, I said, hey, man, if you get to going home and thinking about maybe you want to pull some stuff out, just let me know, I'll take it out. I don't want anything in there that he isn't want to be public knowledge because I don't believe he's ever really acknowledged that particular interview, for example, from New Hampshire. If anybody in the industry that's been around a while watches that interview, they're immediately going to go, man, he don't look like he's doing well. He's obviously having an issue. So I was kind of glad that he, he brought that up or that he that he acknowledged that moment because I think it's been a he's not it's not something he's said publicly ever I don't

believe so I think so and I'd forgotten about his crash in his dirt car a couple years back that he took some time away from and and now I remember I do remember him talking about going to see Mickey and I might have actually gotten on had a conversation with him or something about that but you know you can't go to a better place. That's exactly where he needed to go. And I'm glad that he did that. Some people will go somewhere locally or seeing neurologists in town.

And it's just not as, not that they are not qualified. It's just not as hands on. And it's not as, I'm just telling you, if you get yourself into a situation, particularly as an athlete in sports, Mickey and his team, They are going to be the people to go see. But otherwise, man, outside of that, a great conversation, man. We touched on a lot of stuff. I know I was jumping around.

We kind of started off talking about some things that really weren't on my sheet. My sheet was kind of in an order that we attempted to go to. But then I got to, I was like, all right, I'm just going to go with whatever comes to the top of my mind. But I kind of like the conversation, just be a conversation. And it was fun. And it's really good to see him. Always enjoyed being around him. He was a great teammate.

And outside of a teammate, we stayed in contact. There's not many drivers that I text even knew or passed, but he's one of them. He's one of the guys I've kind of stayed in contact with. And we ran into each other at the restaurant, maybe a year ago. And as I was birthday last April. And that's the last time I think I've seen, seen him in person. But man, it's like, hey, you know, you're just like, God dang, it's awesome to see you.

Man, it's been a while. So it's kind of one, he's one of them guys. And he's just as happy, too, to, like, run into somebody he knows and somebody hadn't seen in a while. And he has a good head on his shoulders, man, just a good dude. A lot of fun to get him back in here. It's been a while starting to revisit some of the guests that we were interviewing way back in that booth over there five, six, seven years ago.

And he's had a lot happen to him over the last couple of years, so it was good to catch up. And just to add, I know you told Casey after the interview, tying it back to the hand injury stuff, but he came back, and now he's racing his 70 race schedule and square cars. So, like, for people out there who are going through that, like, there is a light at the end of the tunnel,

and you can come back from it, even if it doesn't feel like it. So just for people to hear that, I think is really important. I will, if I can expand on that. So, you know, the team at United Pittsburgh Medical Center they see individuals like Casey and myself that might get ourselves in trouble and they can fix it in the moment. They also will see somebody whose injury was years ago that they've struggled, right, to find a solution or figure out a way to get away from the symptoms or cure the symptoms, you know. And some people, and I say that because there's people out there that are like, yep, I had that injury and man,

life's different and this is the stuff I have to deal with and this is just the way it is and I just had to learn to cope and it's not necessarily always the case I've seen people go to Mickey that have dealt with symptoms for years that they thought were just that's just going to be part of life that he's been able to give them a better quality of life and he's been able to fix those lingering long-term issues and so it's pretty incredible um anytime I think there's uh you know somebody with a with a concussion and concussion symptoms in sports, particularly motor sports, man, I have 100% confidence every time that I send somebody to Pittsburgh, I tell him he's going to fix it. Like buy in, trust it 100%, do everything he tells you to do, be completely transparent,

tell him everything you're feeling, thinking, tell him all the problems, get it all on the table, give him all the information to help him treat you, and he will fix it. No question. And that's a great point that you bring up. Casey went through a couple instances that were pretty serious. And now he's running 70 races a year for the last three years at 44 years old and completely comfortable and confident. And so that's what it's all about, you know, because Mickey will tell you, look, man,

I'm not going to tell you you got to quit because I feel like you're as in good as shape is the other guys out there and at no more risk to another injury than they are. So if you love it and want to do it, go do it. And you manage your own personal risk. Do it every week. Do it once a month. Whatever it is. But if you love it, go do it.

And I can fix you. If you come back to me, I can fix you. And so that was what gave me the confidence to kind of continue running a race here and the race there, but it's wild to see a guy like Casey at 44 years old, like tackling a 70 race schedule. That's a lot. Holy moly. But he loves it, you know, he loves it.

And so you got to appreciate that and respect it. So let's get to the white flag. The tear down is going live today on Dirtymo Media's YouTube channel at the Daytona 500 Media Day. They'll be chatting with the full field before the Daytona 500. This is must listen to. must listen to podcasting and content from Dirty Mo Media. It's on their YouTube channel.

They will see every driver today and we'll be able to get the lowdown on just about every story going on in the sport heading into the Daytona 500. And then tomorrow we'll team up with Sirius XM for three hours of live programming from the Hard Rock Bet fans on stage in Daytona. All right, that's going to be on Sirius XM

for three hours. hours. It's live. If you're in Daytona, come down to the fan zone at the racetrack and see us. I'll be on stage at 3 o'clock till 4 p.m. for the Dale Jr. download. Andrew Curlin's going to be there, Jeff Gluck, George Bianchi. Those guys, I saw them over the last couple of days. They are pumped. Saw them at the Hall of Fame deal.

They're like, man, we can't wait. I can't wait either. I can't either. I've never really sat down with those guys and done a show. And it'll be fun to talk about some of the stories going on in the sport and get at their point of view because they obviously aren't shy about sharing their opinion. Oh, absolutely. From 4 o'clock to 4.30 when we're done,

Sirius X-XM, NASCAR Radio, and Dirtymo Live happens from Daytona, with Denny Hamlin, Mike Bagley, Pete Vistone, and Daniel Trotta, Alex Weaver, and Andrew, you're going to stick around. So a lot going on from 3 to 430. Be there if you can. If not, tune in to Sirius XM Live. Also, all of this will be on all of our podcast channels where you already get this stuff. Dirty Mo Media is launching a new e-commerce merch line. So basically we're going to be selling you some t-shirts.

We've got awesome new Dale Jr. download merch on the site, plus a lot more. And we'll be adding things throughout the year. As silly crap happens around here, we might want to make a t-shirt. Visit shop.durdymoMedia.com to check out all the new stuff. It's good-looking stuff, man. And I'm going to get me a rack. I'm going to put a lot of that shit on. it and I'm going to wear it during the shows, right?

Oh, yeah. I think that's one thing we're missing in here is a wardrobe section. Yeah, we've got three studios in this room, but we definitely need a wardrobe section. I can wear my shit from home. I can wear my shit from home. But if you want to sell some of this dirty moat media e-commerce merch, this is how we do it. I got to be wearing it during the show. So let's get us a little rack, a couple of large Excel sweatshirts and T-shirts.

Have some options. Yeah. We'll just wear something different. Yeah. Every show. Do you know that Dale Earnhardt was absolutely 110,000% intentional with every single hat that he wore? Really? Yes, sir.

They would come to him and say, hey, Dad would go to the souvenir haulers and say, what's not selling? Give me that hat. I'm wearing it this weekend. Brilliant. Yes. We've got to have that kind of mentality, man. All right. Action's detrimental is already out.

if you hadn't heard Denny's take on, you know, everything going on in the sport, and he's kind of previewed the field, talking about his competitors. You want to hear that. Action is detrimental. And also keep an eye out for Herman Schrader and Speed Street coming out today. We've got a lot going on. It's, you know, we're headed to Daytona. We're in Daytona.

It's here. It's here. I mean, it just creeps up on you like Christmas. Cars are on track. Cars are on track. Hopefully, by the end of this day, or by the time you listen to this show, maybe we're qualified into the Daytona 500. If not, we'll see you in the duels. Y'all take it easy.

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