The Dale Jr. Download - 7 - Easter Off Weekend

Episode Date: April 1, 2013

With a weekend off, Steve Letarte turns from crew chief to life coach. Your questions. His answers. 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.

This is Dale Jr. And you're listening to Dirty Moe Radio. Mike, it was our first open weekend of the season. What'd you do? I don't know, man. Just sat around being a point leader. The Dale Jr. download starts now. It is the Dale Jr. download with Mike Davis.

I am Taylor Zarzer. Hope everyone had a great Easter, including you, Mike. Had a great Easter. You did? Yeah, absolutely. And I like the time off. It was fun. Wife and I actually got out of town.

So we're back, man. All right. Good. Well, I said it in the beginning. I don't know what we're doing here. We didn't have a race yesterday, and you said, let's call up Steve LaTart and cure all the problems in the world, right? Usually when I don't know what I'm supposed to do, I just call LaTard. It's a great idea. I mean, it really is. He is the crew chief of the team that is leading the points right now by 12. His team has had five top seven finishes to start the season. And Stevie joins us on the phone now. I hope you had a great Easter, too, man. Well, thanks for having me on. Yeah, it was a great Easter. Just like Mike, you know, we got out of town. Me and the wife and the kids get out of town for a little bit and kind of recharge the batteries

and ready to make that long push to the next weekend off in July. So, you know, that's kind of how the season goes. Yeah, I know. We'll talk about getting ready for the paper clip here in just a minute, but let's reflect back on what's happened in these first five races. I mean, certainly you guys have had an incredible start to the year. You've gone through some adversity, though, in these last couple of weeks, especially with what happened in Bristol and then the end of the race

last week was like nothing I've ever seen in California for about a hundred different reasons. So talk about what your emotions were like and how excited you are for those finishes. Well, you know, you're absolutely right. You know, the beauty of racing and the reason why we have such great race fans is it's racing.

The fastest cars don't always get the trophies. You have to go out. You have to run four or 500 miles and perform. And luckily for us, I think that's been our strong suit. We've had some good cars at times, some average cars at times. with wherever the car is running or however the car is performing. I think the pit stops have been very good.

I think Dale's feedbacks been good. We've been fortunate on some pit calls and some pit strategies. And in the end, we're outperforming maybe where we run during the day. And that's really the goal. The goal is to score as many points as possible. And we've been able to do that in the first five. But I'll say the trophy case is still empty. So we're ready to sell that thing up.

We're ready to get our first run. Stevie, don't lie to me. This is an honest podcast here. You ready? I'm ready. 13 laps is really not that long for an ending. You know that, right? Yeah.

25 miles is not that long. All right, you know what it's like around here? Those guys out there are old tires. I mean, the leader old tires are going to be the ticket. But the guys back there. Yeah, well, I mean, but it was long enough. That was good enough for us. I mean, you know, that's the beauty, though.

That's the beauty of these races. And that's why people tune in. That's why I love the sport, because it's never as clear-cut. people want to make it. It's never obvious as everybody wants to make it. And as much as the fans are disappointed, and they'll be mad that I said this, they only pay points on the last lap. So the other ones didn't really matter. That's true. And since you've been working for Mr. H since you were about seven years old, or at least it feels that way, and you've seen all these championships at some level.

You've had some association with the team, you know, with the company at some level. I want you to tell me what Dale Jr. did in those last 13. lapse where that ranks because that was phenomenal. I mean, I hear what you were saying, and I was listening to you when you said it, and I sort of believed you. I knew what you were talking about. But I think what I have to imagine what you meant is, man, we got a shot still to get a top 10 here, you know, but to get all the way up to fourth and then obviously second

when Hamlin Lugano wrecked each other, I mean, what he did, especially on that restart, that's got to be way up there. Yeah, no, it is. It's, you know, that is why we do it. You know, days like that are why when I say what I say about, all right, we're going to push real hard in this last run, it's not just blowing smoke. You know, it would be blowing smoke if it was just a, you know, a dream and it never came together. But we've seen it happen. Dale Jr. proved it again this Sunday that when you get, you know, a little lucky to get in the right lane on the restart, but, you know, luck isn't enough, you know.

And he took a little bit of luck and a good break when traffic kind of cleared out for him getting into one. and then a lot of talent from turn one to turn three to pass all those cars. And then the best part is, you know, after that adrenaline rush, he stays very, very calm and continues to pick cars off one at a time. And you don't have to hand it out to T.J., you know, as much as I like to pick on him, and we all like to pick on T.J. When they're three or four wide, going on the top of one and two, you know, T.J. is talking to him like he's sitting in the car next to him, real calm. You know, well, leave that guy a little room. Well, that's three wide.

Well, okay, it's four wide. and we can tell just we were moving forward just by the way TJ was saying it. I got to ask you, I mean, you're so even killed there. What makes you mad? Anything? Does anything make you mad? Man, a lot of stuff gets me mad. So we can hear about it.

Did you hear the time where they came in and he said that the whole flipping field got by? That wasn't mad. He sounded mad. That wasn't mad. I'm talking, throwing stuff mad. Oh, okay, yeah. Oh, well, I will say my pick crew will laugh. So if we have issues on pit road, I usually have a stopwatch in my hand.

And about halfway through last year or so, we got pushed through our pit stall. Actually, someone bumped us entering our pit stall at Pocono, and we slid through because of it. And I spiked my stopwatch on top of the pit box. And it broke into a bunch of pieces. And we got about two last into the green flag run, and I needed my stopwatch. So I keyed the mic on a little private channel, said, hey, someone grabbed me a stopwatch, mine's broke. Nice. And they all kind of looked up and smiled, and one just got handed up on the box.

Did Mr. Hendricks send you an invoice for that? No, no. Hey, no, we've got to keep that quiet. You know. That's good. That is good. Hey, Steve, before we play some of these voicemails and get your help with some of our listeners, I want to ask you about the relationship, the communication you have with Dale Jr. Marty Smith, Ryan McGee, we have a bunch of people that come in here that have been around the sport for a long time that join us on a podcast, and they're blown away by the communication the two of you have.

And I want to go back to Dale Jr. fan day last year when I was sitting there with Junior talking to him on my other radio show. And he said, man, I just don't want to let Stevie down. He was like, I just have so much respect for him. I just, I don't want to let him down. Clearly, you guys have become very close. But the communication that you have with your driver right now feels about as strong as anyone's. Is that true? Well, you know, I think it is.

I think, you know, that's the key to these first five races of the year. You know, he's done a very good job of doing what we've asked in him, and that's not always drive a race car. Sometimes it's to be involved in some decisions, to not be involved in some decisions and let us handle them, to explain what the car is doing. He does a very good job of explaining and painting a picture of what he needs in the race car, and that doesn't mean we can always give it to him.

And that's something that we've explained to him over time. Just because the adjustments aren't correcting what he's telling us doesn't mean we don't understand what he needs. it's just not that clear cut. There aren't switches labeled, tighter in, looser off. It's not that clear. And I don't know. It's just easy for the two of us.

We get along very well. My wife, she kind of eye rolls because when Dale and I are together, especially in a social setting, she just lasts on how we interact with one another because it's very calm. It's very easy. And I think that carries over. But I think more than anything, the respect is what people see on the racetrack. That as much as he doesn't want to let me down, that's the same way I feel about him. I've seen the effort he's put in, and he's put in a tremendous amount of effort to improve.

And, you know, I feel like it's my responsibility to give him the best opportunity to do that. All right, but what can you tell us about the piece you're taking to Martinsville? Brand new. I've been on Twitter all year, and I have heard more, more, they have cussed me up one side and down the other at all these practices about when we're going to have a new car and when we're going to do this. And so to appease the fans and to appease myself, I love Martin. There's nothing like Martin'sville. That's probably my favorite racetrack. So we've built a brand new car. We got Diet Mountain Dew or Mountain Dew back on the car. We haven't had them on the car yet this year. So Mountain Dew be on the car. It's exciting. I'm ready to go. It's one of my favorite tracks. And, you know, it's one of the first races that I think Dale and I thought we could win together. And we ended up not winning that day, but it did a lot for our careers together to take the lead from Kyle Busch that day and lead some laps in the closing 20. Yeah, and you guys have been excellent there. I can't believe he's never won there because you guys have been awesome. certainly should have a shot on Sunday.

And listen, I want everyone to go to Steve Latart.com. I want them to get those coosies. I want them to vote for you for president. You deserve all the credit that you're getting. But I'm sure there's a part of you that says to all the fans out there, hey, there's going to be a time this year where we have some bad luck. And when you have that bad luck, and again, none of us want that. But when you have that bad luck, I know that that's something you have to prepare for, right,

is how you handle that situation. Absolutely. you know, we're going to have bad luck. Look, we're going to make dumb decisions. I mean, we're not perfect. You're not perfect. You know, we're going to pit when we should have stayed out. Dad's going to be in the wrong line of the restart. We're just going to put a bad car on the racetrack, and it's not going to drive good. The sport is way too tough to think it's going to be top tens all the way to Homestead. You know, that's your goal. But that's just not going to happen. So, you know, I want the fans to be upset. I'm upset when the Red Sox lose. I'm upset when the Patriots lose. You know, that's why I'm a fan. And I love that they're, you know,

that they have that intensity. I just ask for them to remind them, you know, you got to remember when it was good. You know, it can't turn that easy. And, yeah, you prepare yourself for that. You know, our goal is we don't ride the waves too high when it's going good. We don't ride the waves too low when it's going bad. We try to stay pretty even keel. This is our profession.

This is our job. We have 36 races to go run, and we just take them one at a time. You know how much I love the Red Sox, too, Steve. I mean, you guys are sick. But you got to be ready for some losses this year. This goes to my realistic expectations. I'm not sitting here thinking Red Sox to the World Series. I'm thinking let's break 500.

Yeah, I am too. We got Johnny Gomez playing in left field. So, yeah. All right. Here's the deal. Steve, he's on fire right now. He's on fire. He is.

I mean, he's saving cats from trees. I mean, he's taking pieces that qualify in the 30s in Bristol. All of a sudden, they're in six at the end of the race. You know, they're laying in the weeds in the 20s. He's on a street. And Cali, and they finish second. He's on fire. So we thought that, you know, it might be good to bring in some people to ask some questions, see if Stevie can help them with their problems.

Well, we had a caller on Reaction Theater this past week that said he wanted to order the Steve of the Tart motivational tapes. Yeah. And they got us thinking, you know, Steve is out there to give motivation, and it is an off week. Let's just see what they got. Let's handle some life problems here. What do you say, Stevie? Hey, listen, I'm a good problem solver. I mean, it's normally car-related problems, but, you know, I do have 85 employees.

And with 85 employees, you know, you do get some other problems. So let's see. We'll see how good I am at this. All right. We might hear it. I'm with you, man, on some of these. Let's go. Let's see what we got here.

Here's the first one. Hey, Mr. Stable Tart. First off, I just want to give serious props to an entire 88 team for the way you all close the race on Sunday. And after watching that, I'm very confident that you can motivate anyone to do just about anything. So that's why I figured I'd hit you up and see if you wouldn't mind maybe calling my husband and asking him to maybe pick up after himself once in a while. I'm not asking for anything major.

Maybe his dirty clothes and towels and boxer shorts and the hamper be a good start. And maybe the dirty dishes in the dishwasher or even in the sink instead of on my countertops would be nice too. That wasn't my wife, right? I mean, I swear. Yeah, yeah. See, that was a good. cars look way simpler than problems like that. Because, you know, all I can tell you is, you know, I'll give you the same advice I give

all my guys. Just be direct to the point, and we'll see if he listens or not. But I'm not putting any money on this one. All right. Let's see what we got here next. Here we go. Hi, Steve. I need your help.

My husband left me. I got fired for my job. My house burned down. My dog died, and my tires always roll over on the rest. right front, but I can handle all that on my own. My real problem is that I'm not sure Dale knows that he's my favorite driver, so here's where you can help. If you get a spare minute on the radio at Martinsville, you know, under caution, it would really help me out if you could just tell Dale that I'm there in the grandstand and that I think he's awesome.

That's all you got to do. Well, this one's easy, though. This was easy. They don't even need my help for this one. The fans do it every week. You know, when that 88 takes the lead in Martinsville, they stand on their feet and cheer. He knows. I swear it gets so loud at a place like that, that's small of a venue that I swear he can hear him in the car. So I can assure them, we all know they're cheering because even when we don't make the right call, I really hear that one. Absolutely.

We're confident. We know all the fans are there. I thought maybe you say something about some wedge on the right side or a track bar adjustment for her. Well, she has that problem figured out already. He had that one covered. She had that one covered. That's right.

That is true. Okay. Here we go. Let's see what we got. Hi, for my 15th anniversary, my husband came home with the wonderful gift of a Recy Cup and a People magazine. And I am trying desperately to find a way to get even with him. What do you suggest? Man, a lot of bad husbands out there.

Well, I could tell you the best way to get even with that husband is cancel the cable. Oh, he's right. You can't cancel the cable. You just go right to the point. You cancel the cable. And then, you know, I think he'll appreciate maybe. He's right. I'm telling you, see, Mike, just get right to the point.

Yeah. If you cancel the cable and leave the beverages out of the refrigerator, then basically from there, it's all uphill. He'll have to work his way back in. All right. Great advice. Here we go. Hi, Steve.

I need your help. I have this friend. He's really good at his job. He's got his driver first in the point standings in NASCAR. But his problem is he has this really big flaw that he likes rooting for these sports teams from New England, especially that cheating team with the guy that wears the car. with the guy that wears the hoodie. How can I help him see the light?

Uh-oh. Ooh, I don't know if you want to help her. Well, I mean, listen, it's, you know, not all fans and not everyone out there sane. So we're just going to go out by that person had to be an insane caller. I don't really, I mean, that was just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. I didn't understand what they were saying. I really think it was a different language. Oh, okay.

I might have a hard time with that one. I suggest that person should, it looks like they're needing some friends, and they should, join Red Sox Nation or in the Patriots station. You know, we're always looking for more people to jump on the bandwagon. Yeah, there's interference on that one. It was on the wrong channel. Oh, you do a flag? Is that what you did?

You might want to get to another channel there. That's right. We have to go to channel two. There we go. Hi, I'm 12 years old. I told my friend a secret, and she told everyone else from the school, and they won't talk to me. What should I do? Uh-oh, the kids are coming out now.

But this is a serious one. I'm going to give this advice. What this person should do is advice that I tell. tell everybody when you have a conversation to have the best thing you can do is to not beat around the bush you need to do it you need to call your friend up and go sit down with your friend and explain to you what went wrong and how it hurt you and how it's hurt the friendship because while you can't fix the situation you know maybe that person will be a bigger person in the end than what they were before it all started that's very good seriously that is good advice like dr phil

he's hey listen man he's branching out mike i'm branching out i'm ready yeah all right here we go Okay, Mike Davis. Last Dirty Moe, you said you liked Kyle Bush. He did. First of all, you can't be part of Junior Nation and like Kyle Bush. Just doesn't happen. My family, for Easter, no M&Ms in those Easter baskets. They get Dale Jr. Chips, Junior Nation Baby.

Okay, so I don't think Stevie didn't ask a question. He just pointed a shot at you and I... Right, but I'm going to give you to back me up on this. All I was saying is I like Kyle as a person. He is actually a cool person. I just, listen, I, too, have had some good interviews with Kyle Bush. He's been respectful. I just don't know if we should bring that to light to Junior Nation.

Hey, let's see what, let's see what's do. I'll defend Mike. I'll defend Mike because my seven-year-old girl, she has, her loyalty has been purchased by bags of M&Ms, Frank Kyle Bush. So, you know, she loves Dale Jr., but she loves Kyle Bush too because, you know, she's, you know, she's seven. And it's hard. When someone gives you a big bag of M&M. M&M's, you know, that's pretty easy to buying their loyalty. So it happens.

I didn't say I loved Kyle most. I just said I like it. Hey, listen, man, I'm just trying to get people to go to steve-la-tart.com and adele junior. That's all. That's all I'm trying to do. No, Kyle's a good guy. Now, how he races on the track, I can't control that.

I'm just saying we, we, Junior's friends with him well before Junior ever came to Hendrick. So it's nice. Everybody gets along. All right. All right. This is a good one. Kind of. I like this next one.

Big Stevie. What's had him, baby. Listen, man. I need a huge favor, and I know you're the right guy to come to. Papoose and Rick Ross both came out with new albums this past week. Trying to see if you can point me in the right direction. I can only get one. What you think?

Papoose and Rick Ross, Stevie. Man, I'm going cold turkey. Just go Rick Ross, man. I mean, you know, flip a coin. Man, some decisions in life can't be made. I think you should just splurge and go with both. Oh, wow. Yeah.

Every once in a while, you have to splurge, take care of your stuff. I mean why make a tough decision when you don't need to just go with it yeah let's go his next one stevie I need some advice man 43 and Friday I got to get my yearly physical you know the one I'm talking about I'm a little nervous I think my doctor comes from a long line of bricklayers or something but I know when things are down on team 88 your pet talks really bring everybody bring everybody spirits up and I could use a hand well I mean I could really use some motivational word to get me through another physical. Anything you do, help me out, brother.

Stevie, I don't know if I would lend a hand, but anyway. No, I'm definitely not going to lend a hand, and I'm not going to give any of this pep talk in person. But over the phone, I'll tell them, you know, on a serious note, and this is just like racing, is when you don't win on Sunday, as bad as you think that is, there's way worse stuff in the world. So, you know, my advice to him would be, as awful as that sounds, if it comes back with a clean bill of health, he'd be thankful because a lot of other people went through the same ordeal and didn't get good news. So keep your head up and keep going.

All right, there you go. All right, I think we're going to try one or two more here, Mike. Let's see what we got with this one. Stevie, can you help? The college students are leaning on you. Because, you know, him and, you know, me and everyone else in Junior Nation would definitely love to go win next week at Martinsville. So, yeah, he'll definitely be right. You know, they said last year that it was going to fix the housing market and the sock exchange

and everything else when we won at Michigan. But it really didn't. But it felt like it should have. So it's been a while since we won. We're ready to get back to Victory Lane. I think Martins will be a great place to do it. Okay. And this is the last one.

Steve Littart might be a good idea to let Dale Jr. sit down with each member of the team individually and ask them if it's any thing they could think of, the team or him or anybody else could do to make them any better. Like a one-on-one reaction team members. A wonderful job, just a little tip from the tipster. Thank you very much. All right. What do you think, Stevie?

Man, the tipster, man, I appreciate what he's think of it. That's my only job left. If I get back to Dale Jr., then I'm out. I mean, let's just be realistic. I mean, my whole job around here is just to kind of give advice and some advisement to everyone. We can't be having Dale Jr. do that, too. or, man, I'll be on the radio every Monday with you two. Well, that's true.

But Stevie, tell him, you know, every Tuesday Dale Jr. goes over to Hendrick Motorsports and does the weekly meetings and the debriefings, and he always stops in the shop to actually do what the tipster was suggesting, right? Absolutely. You know, that's one thing I can say about Dale is, you know, he's always around the shop. Every Tuesday he comes around, sees us all for the debriefs. And I think that's what makes the whole teamwork is, you know, it's great that Dale and I get along.

It's great that we communicate well, but it has to be way more than that. just can't have the two of us get along and everyone else just be, you know, employees. You know, these are all our teammates, they're our friends. Dale's a huge part of that, but we're all in it together. And I think his attitude and his commitment to the team really shows through, and I think that allows people to follow him. When races aren't going good like California, that keeps a team behind him, where it gives us the opportunity to turn it around in the end.

Okay, man, last thing I want to talk to you about is your website, stevelatart.com. You've got this great thing called Cusies for a Cause, and I see you tweeting about it all the time about everybody having a cold one watching the race with their coozy in their hand, but seriously, it goes to a great cost. No, it does. It was a cool idea a friend of mine have. This buddy of my Phil Graham, he had this coosie that he took all over the country with him, and he took all these cool pictures.

And I thought it was a great idea, so he created this LaTart coozy. He kind of has a joke to start. He bought the first batch, and I gave them to all my friends, and they took pictures all over, wherever they went, and we put them over on the website, or I retweeted them, and it was just kind of a cool way. and then someone gave me the idea to sell them for charity. And the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte is, you know, it's always been very important to me and my family,

and I was fortunate enough to get into sport due to Ray Everingham. And his family was part of the Ronald McDonald House when Ray J., his son was diagnosed with leukemia years and years ago. And the whole situation has really brought a lot of light to it, and we now have one in Charlotte, which is great with the great medical facilities we have. And this is a great way for me to give back. I mean, it's not much. It's however many cooosies we can sell.

and I usually try to, you know, donate some more on top of that. But it's a cool way for the fans to get involved, and I appreciate the support. And so far it's, it's been fun. And then what everybody forgets to do is after they buy their kuzi and they go out and have a good time, it's sent, tweet me the pictures. And the cool ones I'll retweet because, you know, I want to show everybody how much fun it is to have a Latar Kuzzi. I tweeted a couple days ago. I see them get used a lot on the race weekends.

Well, on the weekend off, mine's going to get maybe a little bit of a workout this weekend. So we're going to try it out. And you deserve that. And as this airs, the Red Sox play the Yankees to start the season today. So let's go Sox today in Yankee Stadium. And then let's go get a dog and a do and a win at the paperclip this weekend, Steve. Continued success, man. It's been an awesome start.

Keep it going. All right, guys. Thank you. See, buddy. Great stuff from Stevie. And a reminder, there are four flavors of Dale Jr. potato chips, crispy, original, zesty jalapeno, Creole and green onion, and Carolina barbecue. You go to Dale Jr. Foods.com right now to get yours today.

That's DaleJR. Foods.com. Mike, let's throw the white flag. There you go, buddy, white flag. Dale Jr. will be on NASCAR's media teleconference tomorrow, so keep your eyes out throughout the week for stories about your Sprint Cup series point leader. And the series returns to action this weekend at Martinsville. Sunday's STP Gas Booster 500 is set for 1 p.m. Eastern time on Fox. And don't forget, in two weeks, Taylor, Jr. will be pulling double duty at Texas,

both Cup and Nationwide Series races. You can go to Texas Motorspeedway.com for a special double-down with Dell ticket package. Both races, $88. You cannot beat that anywhere. Lastly, the annual When Dale Junior's Ride Fundraiser has started, and we are raffling off Junior's 2013 Corvette SportCoop. You can go to the Dell Jr. Foundation.org. Don't forget the V to buy your tickets.

And that is it. Did the Easter money come to your house? No. He did not? It came to my daughter's room. completely bypassed me. Thank goodness I get to eat ice cream again. Lent is over.

So is the Dale Jr. download. Thanks to Steve LaTart. Thanks to Dustin. Thanks to Mike Davis. I'm Taylor Zarzer. We'll talk to you again next week. See you. Thanks for listening to Dirty Mo Radio.

Have you tried the new Dale Jr. Potato chips? Are you wondering where you can find them? Today is your lucky day. Go to Dale Jr. Foods.com to see where you can find the chips in your area or place an order online. You can have them shipped right to you. That's DaleJ.R. Foods.com.