Victory Lane

NASCAR Track Communications veteran Matt Humphrey joins Davey (6:25) this week to discuss his career in motorsports and working for the sanctioning body for the last decade plus. Humphrey played an intricate role behind the scenes in the marketing and planning of the Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and explains how the one-of-a-kind event went off without a hitch. He also outlines what his day-to-day entails from a track communications perspective. Humphrey recalls how the trajectory of his life changed at a young age, as he chose to drop out of college in his first year (where he was on a music scholarship) when he started a family. Forced to make a living to provide as a teenager, he picked up a job at the local sewage plant that he kept until he got sick of it...and from it. He explains how a trip to the hospital made him decide to pursue journalism full bore, which led him all over the country and eventually to Orlando, where he forged a relationship with a young, up-and-coming dri

The incomparable Danielle Trotta joins Davey (8:30) for a wide-ranging discussion on her esteemed career in media and motorsports. The current SiriusXM NASCAR Radio host dives into why media and journalism sparked her interest as a young girl, what made her want to get involved in sports and obtaining internships and gaining experience at a younger age than usual. She attended four (!) different colleges before getting her degree and starting her career in the business. But her on-air journey didn't come easy. She explains the importance of relationships, fostering them and building rapport while working behind the scenes before getting her first shot on camera in Charlotte. That was before the NASCAR world came calling in the form of SPEED Channel. She explains why she made the move to racing without seeking it out and the insanely steep learning curve that followed, the influence she received from the late Steve Byrnes, how her relationship then with Larry McReynolds evolved and her eventual departure fro

After a lengthy and unplanned offseason/holiday break, Davey is back to get up to speed on all the happenings in the wide world of NASCAR. He discusses what he's been up to, some news and notes over the last month or so and Papa Segal gives an ode to a NASCAR Hall of Famer before Austin Wayne Self stops by for an all-encompassing conversation (8:50). A longtime Truck Series competitor, Self discusses his time in the series and what his growth has looked like over the years. Plus, he details how he got into racing in the first place, growing up in Texas before moving to Indianapolis, winning his first ARCA race and going through an obscene number of crew chiefs in a single season. Self provides his perspective on his suspension from NASCAR due to substance abuse and rapid reinstatement as well as his other off-track run in with the law. He also dishes on the John Hunter Nemechek incident at Martinsville, competing in the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown and Battle at the Beach and more. Plus, why did Self

And *poof* the 2021 NASCAR season has come to a close. Davey is back from Phoenix and recaps the Championship 4 weekend festivities that saw Kyle Larson earn his 10th victory of the season and first career Cup Series title. He speaks on why second chances are a good thing, the Cliff Daniels/Larson marriage that may be lethal for years to come, the other drivers coming up short and more. Plus, Daniel Hemric and Ben Rhodes earned championships of their own in the Xfinity and Truck Series, respectively. Davey breaks down Hemric's pursuit of that elusive victory, the race-winning move on Austin Cindric and his backflip celebration. Rhodes' press conference may have been more memorable than his race, thanks to his new "Bud" and champagne. But both drivers, despite not being dominators over the course of the season, were deserving champions, as Davey explains. Papa Segal pays homage to a legend who may have the most nicknames in NASCAR history, Davey hits on Lug Nuts including silly season news, crew chief suspen

It's Championship 4 week, which means Julie Giese is one busy woman. Despite that, she still found some time to chat with Davey (14:55) about Phoenix Raceway hosting their first "real" championship weekend. Hear why she calls it "nervous energy," how the city of Phoenix has embraced the race track/event and how preparations for the title race weekend differ from their spring date. Giese didn't have being a track president on her radar five years ago, moreover growing up a race fan on a dairy farm. After deciding that the agricultural route wasn't for her in college, she opted to pursue her passion of racing. But not before getting rejected...a lot. She still has those rejection letters and explains why she keeps them, how she got her first job in the sport and worked her way up from the bottom. From Watkins Glen to Daytona to ISC and now Phoenix, Giese has done it all, gotten her hands dirty and learned along the way. She describes what life was like starting in the sport at a tumultuous time, heading up mu

Ryan Ellis joins Davey (14:20) for an episode full of laughs, memories, reflection and even some trivia. A new father, Ellis details what life has been like with minimal sleep while working his 9-5 job AND racing. Also a third-generation driver, Ellis explains how his late grandfather and father started racing, how Ryan got involved and his fond memories of the early days of go-karting. After getting selected to appear on a Discovery Channel show in the Jetta-TDI Cup Series, Ellis seemed to be on the ride, but his confidence was fluctuating. He explains why, and details his Grand-Am experiences and how Jimmy Means gave him a start in NASCAR, something he admittedly wasn't seeking out. From Obaika Racing to BK Racing and everywhere in between, Ellis has been through the ringer. He tells the good, bad and ugly stories of his time working for countless car owners and why he made it a point to stay out of the way in his first ever Cup start, which also happened to be his hero Jeff Gordon's penultimate one. The

You may have been introduced to Ernie Francis Jr. this past summer thanks to SRX, but there's much more to his story. The seven-time Trans-Am champion joins Davey this week (13:30) to discuss how he got into racing, his father's origins in the sport, sanctioning bodies bending the rules to let him race, the dynamic working for his dad and why he likes to tinker and work on cars. He gives a primer on what the Trans-Am series is about and it's importance, why it's lost popularity over the years and winning his seven titles (in a row!) at such a young age. He also dives into his time running SRX this summer, how he got the invite from Ray Evernham, influence from Willy T. Ribbs, his victory over Scott Speed at Lucas Oil Raceway and how it feels to see fans wear his merchandise. Plus, why he stayed with Tony Stewart in his motorhome during the Knoxville Nationals, how it felt rubbing elbows with racing legends, how he adjusted to running short tracks with a road course background, his time in NASCAR with Rev Ra

Newly crowned ARCA Menards Series East champion Sammy Smith joins Davey (9:40) to discuss what life is like for a teenager who also happens to be a NASCAR champion. He also dives into how he got his start in racing, his experience in legends cars (and heartbreak) before graduating to super late models and stock cars, driving for an extensive list of big names in motorsports and the pressure of driving for said big names (i.e. Kyle Busch). He also discusses winning the pro late model championship at only 14-years-old at New Smyrna Speedway, how his ARCA East campaign with Joe Gibbs Racing came about, why his goal was to win the championship from day one despite not knowing if they’d run the full season and when he knew he was going to be the dominator of the season. Smith’s relationship with Ty Gibbs is a close one, and he details how the two met, formed a friendship, whether or not he races him any differently and why the public perception of the 18-year-old is a skewed one. Plus, his living situation in Iow

Santino Ferrucci joins Davey this week (24:15) to discuss his career in motorsports that saw him move to Europe at an early age and become a child prodigy dubbed "The Great Santino." He details what the racing culture was like in Europe for an American, why he wasn't fond of it as he grew older and some of the huge names he competed with and against while working his way up the ranks. On track to make it to Formula 1, Ferrucci was involved in controversy that involved he and his teammate colliding and skipping a stewards meeting, which ultimately led to his release from the team and move back stateside. Ferrucci dives into the details of what really happened, why it was a blessing in disguise that he was able to come back home and how it led him to his current escapades in IndyCar and NASCAR. It wasn't all bad in Europe, though. As a test driver for Haas F1 Team, Ferrucci recalls the fond memories he has driving a Formula 1 car and why he had to zip tie his helmet to his HANS device while racing it. Plus, w

Chris Lambert is back with Davey for part two of their conversation (14:10) fresh off his Las Vegas victory, and they begin by discussing the day that changed his life forever. He describes what he remembers about the day he lost his then wife Hailey and 15-month-old son Austin, how he coped with the unimaginable losses, the moment he realized he needed to pick up the pieces and start over and why he decides to share his story in public. The two also discuss his Southern 500 victories, and why they mean more to him than his three Daytona 500's, his trophy collection over the years (and whether the team gets trophies the drivers do), meeting Michael Jordan at a UNC basketball camp (as a now Duke fan) and while working with Denny Hamlin, how his Red Sox and baseball fandom came about and why he feels the chances of the No. 11 team securing that elusive championship are as good as ever in 2021. Davey touches on the Las Vegas tripleheader weekend, takes a peek at the 2022 Xfinity and Truck Series schedules and

He’s a three-time Daytona 500 champion, veteran of the sport for over two decades and now the first spotter to appear on Victory Lane. Chris Lambert joins Davey for part one (20:30) of their fascinating and all-encompassing conversation. He details how he got into spotting despite not seeking it out, why he didn’t pursue driving, growing up in Kannapolis and becoming involved in racing. He also explains the role spotters play besides just talking over the radio, why he wears four (!) radios during a race (and why he used to wear FIVE), how the job has evolved over the last two decades and his weekly interactions with NASCAR officials over the years. Spending more time with each other than their families, the spotters stand is a close fraternity, as Lambert explains. He’s dealt with some strange happenings at track, involving fires, potholes and even bikini tops coming off (yes, really). Hear why Lambert called his time working at Red Bull Racing “by far the best working environment (he’d) ever been in,” how

Davey welcomes on NBC Charlotte sports reporter Ashley Stroehlein (15:35) to discuss her career in the industry and the roller coaster road she'd taken to get to this point. From working as a math teacher and basketball coach to eventually following her dream and landing a full-time job sports reporting, "Stro" describes how specific opportunities came about, why she chickened out of attending broadcasting school for the first time and how she balances everything that life throws her. No day is the same as a sports reporter in the 704, which makes for a fun yet stressful job. Stroehlein explains why "finding beauty in the struggle" is cliché yet true and why being one-dimensional in the field won't cut it nowadays. Plus, how she prepares for her various different roles, her work at Bristol Motor Speedway, relationships with Amy Earnhardt and Amanda Carter and more. Also, how does every photo she posts look like a professional shot it? We get the answer. Davey recaps Richmond's playoff race won by Martin T

Amy Long has had quote the journey, both in and out of motorsports, to get to where she is now. She joins Davey this week (17:00) to explain how the the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Superman got her interested in journalism, along with her inherent curiosity, attending Florida State University, working as a one woman band MMJ out of college and how she learned the internet as it became a thing in society. Traveling with the IMSA Patron team and working on the Miss Coors Light activation team got her feet wet in motorsports. Being put in a box by some, Long shares her thoughts on being a female in motorsports, and why she enjoys her role now with NASCAR Fantasy and Trackside Live way more. Long details how her relationship with current World of Outlaws sprint car racer (and former NASCAR driver) Kasey Kahne came to be, including seeing racing from his perspective, having the general public discover how good he really is (and has been), traveling on the road with him and what she can cook up inside the mot

It's been a long time coming, but Rajah Caruth finally joins Davey this week (12:10) for an all-encompassing conversation. The duo touch on his upbringing in Washington DC, getting hooked on NASCAR, sim racing, mentorship from Bubba Wallace, his rapid progression up the ranks, the announcement of him moving to the Xfinity Series part-time in 2022 with Alpha Prime Racing and more. Caruth explains how his relationship with Tommy Joe Martins began and progressed to this point, why moving up to Xfinity next season is the right choice, all the while with his focus remaining on ARCA with Rev Racing, and how much he's learned every step along the way. A surprise road trip to Richmond in 2014 changed his life forever, and he recalls the moment he knew being a race car driver was what he wanted to do, including the subsequent steps he took to try and accomplish his goal. Dealing with everything life has thrown Caruth's way, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, hasn't been easy, though. He gets real about struggl

The IMSA mechanic, Twitter professional, biscuit connoisseur and all-around cool guy Bozi Tatarevic joins Davey Segal this week (15:25) to discuss his career in racing and immigrating to the United States from Serbia. He details the motorsports culture (or lack thereof) in Serbia growing up and how he became involved once moving to the U.S. Working with Vasser Sullivan in IMSA, Bozi details his day-to-day duties, experience working the Rolex 24 at Daytona (including lots of napping and snacking) how he got involved working in the IMSA garage and why he thinks IMSA has seen a rise in popularity recently. He also explains how and why Racing Spaces has become such a success on Twitter, his love of social media, why people seem to resonate with his in-depth coverage on a "quick hits" platform and answers "the question" about Criss Angel. He's also a writer, and explains what led him to begin creating content for numerous publications and whether or not the NextGen car is worth the hype. Bozi is also the biggest

A trailblazer in his own right, Armani Williams, the first openly autistic NASCAR driver, joins Davey this week (14:35) ahead of his Camping World Truck Series debut at Worldwide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Williams dishes on why time time is right to make his debut, understanding his equipment and trying to stay out of the way of playoff contenders, what drew him to racing in general, how a trip to play mini golf sparked his interest in driving and the process that followed getting him behind the wheel. While racing with autism has its challenges, there are also some benefits that help Williams behind the wheel. Williams discusses them, why using racing as a platform to get out the message about autism is important to him and his family, the story behind his “tell me I can’t so I can show you I can” mantra, his time in the Pinty’s Series with mentorship from DJ Kennington and being comfortable in the spotlight. Plus why he’s studying mechanical engineering at Oakland University while pursuing a racing ca

You probably know Joe Graf Jr. as that guy who failed to qualify in a RCR Xfinity car, but Davey shines a light on the SS Green Light driver on and off track this week. The two chat (17:30) about how Graf got started in racing being from the Northeast and how he currently is balancing being a full-time college student at NYU with racing full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He also dives into why attending school is important to him, despite the logistical hurdles involved with managing it. Graf discusses his first career ARCA win and one that he thinks he *should* have won, including racing with a broken foot and making some people mad along the way. As an intern with Richard Childress Racing, Graf got the opportunity to race in the Xfinity Series, but made headlines by failing to qualify. He's in good spirits about the weekend now, and explains why his mindset has switched to making light of the situation rather than avoiding it altogether. Graf also dishes on his fight with Gray Gaulding earlier this y

For somebody who had no NASCAR aspirations growing up, Josh Bilicki has done pretty well for himself. He joins Davey this week (9:00) to discuss his career in racing and lack of stock car/short track experience, despite growing up literally right next to an iconic venue. He details why he didn’t pursue NASCAR from the start and chose sports cars instead, spending his own dime to go race, how spec miatas compare to Cup cars and how a Facebook message helped him secure a ride for his first NASCAR race. Bilicki has some insane stories from his time with Victor Obaika, including his first time driving for the team at Road America, missing seat belts and window nets, unkept promises, checks that never showed up and how it all led to Roger Penske of all people buying him an ice cream cone (yes, really). He also explains why he treats Cup races like IMSA events running for Rick Ware Racing, his relationship with his teammates, reflecting on being a full-time Cup Series driver, his goals and aspirations for the futu

It may not be a high school commitment announcement, but Brad Perez is on the podcast this week to share his exciting news: he’s going ARCA racing! The beloved NASCAR personality on social media details how his opportunity to run at Watkins Glen with Josh Williams Motorsports came about, why he decided to pursue the chance, his relationship with the team owner/driver, how social media posts aided in his efforts to secure the necessary sponsorship and what he did when he got the call that his deal was official. He also explains what he does for Martins Motorsports and Rackley W.A.R. in the Xfinity and Truck Series, how a tire specialists role holds many different duties, why relationships are crucial to success during a race and more. Plus, he explains why racing is “the coolest addiction ever,” moving to Charlotte to pursue it, his time developing in spec miatas and how it translates to NASCAR, his multiple jobs throughout it all outside of racing and more, including his dance skills, softball league and why

You've probably seen her post about her cat, Criss Angel, cars and racing, and this week Alanis King joins the podcast to talk about all that and more. Davey and King discuss her current role at Business Insider and time spent at Jalopnik, where she blogged anything and everything from pink splitters to NASCAR to Yu-Gi-Oh! (yes, really). She also dives into how she's handled the countless haters and threats thrown her way over the years, all while learning how to handle and blog on the internet while finishing college. She also discusses why " the cat lady who writes about cars" could not be more accurate, how "Racing Spaces" began on Twitter and asking Denny Hamlin "the question," driving a Monster Truck, drag racing in her moms Hyundai, riding in a Ferrari with Sebastian Vettel and a MotoGP bike around COTA. Nobody is more obsessed with Criss Angel than Alanis, and she explains why/how the fandom began. After she reveals her ridiculous take on pizza (and it is RIDICULOUS), Davey accidentally makes her cry