Victory Lane

Niece Motorsports general manager Cody Efaw joins Davey Segal (6:50) to dive into his extensive career that has led him to helping run one of the premier NASCAR Camping World Truck Series organizations. He recalls his early exposure to racing on dirt with his family, why he fell out of love with racing and his eventual decision to drop out of college and move to North Carolina to pursue a career in motorsports. Shortly after settling in NC, he landed at Roush Racing in the midst of its heyday, where no job was off the table. From a tire changer to a car chief and everything in between, he gained valuable experience and mentorship from Matt Puccia. But the grind became too much and he opted to step away from the sport for a second time. In came Al Niece, and Efaw was drawn back in on the competition side. He details how Niece convinced him to help run the organization in its infancy, meeting Ross Chastain and knowing he had that "it" factor, the whirlwind 2019 season, why there'd "be no company" without Chas

In a bit of a different conversation this week, Davey Segal chats with graphic designer Noah Sweet (7:00) about the importance of mental health and his struggles with it over the last few years. On September 2, 2020, "Lefty," as he's affectionately known, vanished. Multiple social media posts left his friends and family worried for his safety. He was in a bad place. For the first time publicly, Sweet opens up extensively about the darkest time in his life, the events that led to him hitting a breaking point, why he felt he needed to just get away, what the specific time period for him was like, dealing with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and how he is continuing to work his way through it. Shortly after he returned home, Ally presented him with the chance to design a car for his hero: Jimmie Johnson. Sweet explains why, in hindsight, he didn't necessarily love how it all played out, but felt it was an opportunity he couldn't turn down given the solidarity the community showed him. But he's now conti

Sonoma Raceway EVP and General Manager Jill Gregory joins Davey Segal (7:30) to discuss her impressive career in motorsports that has led her back home to Northern California. She discusses her time in marketing with Texaco, Sprint and Bank of America before working for over a decade at NASCAR, where she left an indelible mark on the sport with her marketing and diversity and inclusion efforts. She also played an integral part in helping NASCAR return to racing amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and dives into some of the specifics that led to the sanctioning body returning to the track. Shortly thereafter, she wound up heading back West to assume her current role at Sonoma Raceway. She tells Davey why she opted to make the change and how things are going at the track. Plus, what to expect for their upcoming race weekend, how influential she feels as a prominent female in motorsports for multiple decades and more, including her potential second calling in the wine industry. Davey also recaps an action-pack

Motor Racing Network lead play-by-play anchor and Berlin Raceway general manager Jeff Striegle joins Davey Segal (5:05) to discuss his career in motorsports, spanning driving, ownership, broadcasting and track operation. He dives into how a trip to Berlin at an early age started the wheels in motion, why he wound up starting his driving career at 23-years-old and the reasons for him hanging up the helmet. Once that door closed, others opened in the form of broadcasting. Before MRN came calling, Striegle implemented a a MRN-style radio broadcast at Berlin, which gave him experience and exposure to eventually land a gig with them. He recalls his memorable audition at Daytona, his first broadcast and errors he made, the nerves that he had on the mic with legends and the art form that is picking up and handing off from one announcer to another on a live race broadcast. Striegle explains why he decided to take the GM job at Berlin, why he frankly doesn't think he should be in the job as currently constructed, wh

Camping World Truck Series rookie Dean Thompson joins Davey Segal (7:15) to discuss how his first season in NASCAR's National Series is going, how the opportunity with Niece Motorsports came about in the first place and why Carson Hocevar was a major help throughout the process. Thompson dives into his start in racing as a kid before choosing to play hockey over motorsports. He explains why he made that choice and his years as a goalie before eventually coming back to motorsports thanks to Cole Custer inviting him to Auto Club Speedway for a race weekend. After tearing up the local racing scene in California winning multiple track championships at Irwindale Speedway, Thompson went ARCA racing. The next logical step? The Camping World Truck Series. Thompson also gets real about the importance of enjoying racing and not making it purely a job, how he handles those thinking he got to where he is purely based off family money, how he felt racing in his first ever Truck race and more, including forgetting his ha

Brad Gillie of PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio joins Davey Segal this week (5:40) to discuss how he got started in the broadcasting industry and his early passion for racing. He describes the racing scene in Texas and why despite a lack of asphalt short tracks, the vibrancy of motorsports was on display early and often. Working at Texas Motor Speedway shortly after its grand opening, Gillie worked as the PA announcer, ran the dirt track, fire and EMS teams, among other roles. He dives into his roles and responsibilities at TMS, working for and with Eddie Gossage and when broadcasting on a more regular basis came calling in the form of PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. He explains what his role as Program and Affiliate manager at PRN entails, how preparation for race broadcasts versus talk radio differ, recalls stories from years gone by, discusses working with legendary crew chiefs Jeff Hammond and Todd Gordon, his passion for motorcycles and more. Davey analyzes Joey Logano's move on William Byron for the win

Spire Motorsports crew chief Ryan Sparks joins Davey Segal (6:50) for a wide-ranging conversation. He details his beginning in racing, why he chose to go down the engineering path and how he wound up at Richard Childress Racing straight out of college, where he stayed for 13 years. Sparks wasn't intimidated joining a championship organization, and honed his craft as a data acquisition engineer. He explains what his role and responsibility was, winning the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600, growing with Austin Dillon through the ranks and how he eventually wound up at Go FAS Racing, in part thanks to a phone call Childress personally made recommending Sparks for the job. Going from a small fish in a big pond to a big fish in a small pond, Sparks had to adjust. He did so again, following Corey LaJoie to Spire Motorsports prior to the start of the 2021 season. He explains what his philosophy of building Spire "brick by brick" means, gives his thoughts on the four-week suspensions to crew chiefs for loose wheels an

Championship crew chief Rich Lushes joins Davey Segal (7:10) to discuss his storied career in motorsports that culminated in NASCAR's ultimate prize last season with Ben Rhodes and ThorSport Racing. He chats about his early days at the track and father's ownership of a local Ohio short track, why and when he realized driving wasn't the path for him, the culture of racing in Ohio where ThorSport is based and why the team likes avoiding "the swamp" in North Carolina. Lushes has helped multiple young drivers blossom into short track and NASCAR stars, including the likes of Landon Cassill and Erik Jones. He recalls stories of the then teenagers honing their craft in the shop and on track before moving onto bigger and better things in NASCAR. While successful, including an ARCA championship with Frank Kimmel in 2013, Lushes had never been a crew chief at the NASCAR level until 2018. He got his chance with Myatt Snider, but was demoted the following year. He gets real about his feelings in the two years that foll

Bringing up the rear for over a decade, Brock Beard (A.K.A. Lastcar) joins Davey Segal this week (5:45) to discuss the work he does and how the concept of covering the back half of the NASCAR garage began in the first place. He explains the origins of his passion for racing and spotlighting those often overlooked, how he approaches covering drivers running in the rear, the reaction from fans and industry members to his coverage and more. Beard also details giving out his LASTCAR Awards each year, if he gets nervous presenting it to drivers and some instances of when people in the garage didn't take too kindly to his work. He explains how he presents his content to someone who is unfamiliar with the purpose behind it, the effort to avoid the satirical label, his loyal following, passion for motorsports history, deep dives on YouTube and recent project authoring the biography of the late J.D. McDuffie, including the undertaking that helped that project come to life. Papa Segal pays homage to another Petty and

NASCAR weatherman extraordinaire Brian Neudorff (known as @NASCAR_WXMAN on Twitter) joins Davey this week (10:25) to explain how he started providing unofficial forecasts for races on social media and how he got started in the field of meteorology in general. He discusses his passion for racing growing up in the midwest, how he provides information in an easy-to-digest form for the race fan, dealing with vitriolic (and unjustified) feedback, knowing he won't get the forecast right every single time and why he hasn't been as active with NASCAR forecasts but is changing that. Plus, is Darrell Waltrip's infamous vortex theory real? Davey discusses the uncharacteristic racing at Martinsville this past weekend and why it was different, Ty Gibbs vs. Sam Mayer post-race and previews Bristol Dirt. Plus, Papa Segal pays homage to Richard Petty and Davey shares a story of a memorable interaction with his birthday buddy: Richard Petty.

Davey Segal welcomes on pit reporter Mike Massaro (9:10) to discuss his extensive career in motorsports broadcasting. Starting in the Northeast at Stafford Speedway, Massaro outlines why he gravitated towards the microphone rather than a steering wheel, tells some hilarious stories from the track involving legends Mike Joy and Jack Arute and how that sent him on a path to work in racing. He also details his first time meeting Dale Earnhardt while auditioning for MRN Radio, his time at Inside NASCAR on TNN, how Allen Bestwick helped him land that job along the way, landing at ESPN to help spearhead their NASCAR coverage and the unthinkable first assignment he was put on: the 2001 Daytona 500. Massaro explains why coverage at the event was a logistical nightmare, how they navigated it, the delicate nature covering an event like that race takes, lessons learned that year and how they were applied in 2014 while covering the Tony Stewart/Kevin Ward Jr. incident. After leaving ESPN due to the NASCAR television r

Spotter and racer extraordinaire Derek Kneeland joins Davey Segal (5:25) to discuss his career in motorsports atop the spotters stand and behind the wheel. He details his early racing career in the Northeast, why he wound up hanging up the helmet before his parents asked him to and how he stumbled into spotting to remain in racing. Kneeland explains how he got his start on the roof, how he balances working in multiple series with multiple drivers, how he tailors spotting to his drivers and whether he does his job differently, the feeling of winning races and championships in NASCAR and more. Plus, how he got his nickname "daddy" from Juan Pablo Montoya, how spotting has evolved over the years, not living "locally" in the Charlotte area, early days in Cup with Kyle Larson, ice fishing with Tyler Reddick, his current late model racing, whether staying behind the wheel helps him as a spotter. Davey also touches briefly on Atlanta and COTA, the change in how racing and going for wins are approached nowadays an

Monica Palumbo's enthusiasm, energy and positivity radiates in this wide-ranging conversation with Davey Segal(4:45), where she details her insanely busy schedule, how she balances it all and her time in motorsports as the original Miss Sprint Cup. Palumbo's career started out in acting, and she explains why she went down that road and how she wound up working with A1 celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black. A former Miss North Carolina pageant winner (and Miss Congeniality, to nobody's surprise), Palumbo also worked with Sandra Bullock to help promote a movie that loosely mirrored her life. As if that wasn't enough, she also co-hosted with hit show "Live with Regis and Kelly" the legendary Regis Philbin and details how that opportunity came about. Most know Palumbo from her work as the OG Miss Sprint Cup in the mid/late 2000s. She recalls why that position was created, how she was chosen for it, how she and Sprint went about being the liaison between drivers and fans, pressure with representing the

Niece Motorsports' Kris Wright joins Davey Segal (6:05) to discuss his start in motorsports, why he was encouraged to take up golf as a profession instead of racing and how his career behind the wheel wound up progressing. From sports cars to open wheel and now NASCAR, Wright details the steps and decisions along the way, including why he wanted to go down the open wheel path, coming oh-so-close to winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona, racing overseas in Europe and how his lack of success impacted him personally and professionally and how it wound up leading him to stock cars and NASCAR only three years ago. Competing in stock cars for the first time in 2020, Wright explains how and why that opportunity came about, going "from Silverstone to Hickory" and the dichotomy that comes with that change, his relationship with fellow Pittsburgh native Chip Ganassi and Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr., how he wound up at Niece Motorsports for this season, what his short and long term goals are and more. Davey also discusses

Davey Segal welcomes on Pete Pistone (5:55), co-host of The Morning Drive on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, for an extended conversation about his background in the sport, how he wound up in his current role, some intricacies of the show and more. Pistone details his beginnings in motorsports with his uncle "Tiger" Tom. From riding inside his race car down the highway while eating popsicles, Pistone's passion for racing was evident. After attending Northern Illinois University, he started calling local races at Rockford Speedway as the PA announcer, where he also wore various other hats, where the next phase of his career took shape. Chicago born and bred, Pistone spent time at WGN covering multiple stick and ball sports (while also focusing on racing). He recalls the phone lines lighting up when he spoke about racing on the radio for the first time, writing for the Chicago Sun Times and being an early adopter to the digital media age and starting an online motorsports blog. Pistone explains how he got the job alo

Graphic designer extraordinaire Harris Lue joins Davey (6:00) to discuss his background in motorsports, passion for cars and Mustangs, working for NASCAR and now Stewart-Haas Racing, the influence of the late Sam Bass on his career and more. Lue details how he became interested in graphic design, attending East Carolina University to further his interest, his day-to-day roles and responsibilities and how it's more than just making cool looking graphics. Logistical hurdles are aplenty in his role, and Lue goes behind the scenes to explain how something simple like a hero card to something complex like a paint scheme takes a monumental effort from all involved. It's impossible to overstate how the late Sam Bass impacted Lue. He explains why he was drawn to Bass' work, his first interactions with the artist, how he grew into a friend and mentor and how his legacy lives on after his passing. Plus, if he's ever had to pinch himself while working with some big name drivers and clients, his passion for Mustangs, i

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