Victory Lane

TRICON Garage crew chief Scott Zipadelli returns to the podcast (9:10) on the heels of the No. 11's series-leading ninth win of the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season. He dives into how successful and fun 2025 has been, their quest for double digit wins and an elusive championship. He also shares his strong opinions on the much discussed playoff format, why he prefers things the old way where more consistency was rewarded and coming to grips with the fact that they *might* only have a 25% chance at winning the championship this year in Phoenix. He also reflects on a special win at Lime Rock Park earlier this year, shares the weak spots for the No. 11 team right now, how good Corey Heim really is, being second on the NCTS all-time wins list as a shot caller and more, including his biggest competition for the title and if they've reflected on their 3+ years together as a group with the writing on the wall that this year may be the final one together. Plus, Davey recaps the Round of 12 opener at New Hampshire, Papa Segal pays homage to John Force and more.

Thomas Annunziata joins Davey Segal this week (2:25) to discuss his racing background and current happenings as a part-time Xfinity Series/Trans-Am driver. He dives into how he got started racing in parking lots in New Jersey, how his dad helped with a racing background of his own, the spec miata success he had and what he learned in that discipline, moving up to Trans-Am, competing against and with drivers he's doing the same with now, like Connor Zilisch, Brent Crews, Connor Mosack and more. Plus, he dives into his runner-up finish over the weekend in Portland, his Lime Rock Park victory in the ARCA Menards Series, improvement on ovals in the Xfinity Series, his 2026 plans, goals for the future and more, including where the nickname "Hollywood" came from, why he doesn't like Italian food and things he's learned now living by himself in North Carolina. Davey also recaps Chase Briscoe's dominating Southern 500 win from Darlington Raceway and looks ahead to Gateway, Race No. 2 of the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Playoffs.

23XI Racing crew chief Davin Restivo joins Davey Segal (2:30) ahead of the final 10 races of his rookie season atop the pit box with Riley Herbst. They discuss what the first 26 weeks have been like, if anything changes in their weekly approach being a non-playoff team, how the No. 35 team may be able to help the No.'s 23 and 45 while in the postseason, how much he's learned in his rookie year as a Cup Series shot caller and more. Restivo also details his background in the sport, getting started at the Truck Series level and working with Kyle Larson, ultimately landing at Stewart-Haas Racing and how he got the call that he'd be working with Herbst as his Xfinity Series crew chief after being an engineer for Aric Almirola in the Cup Series. He also dives into Herbst's groeth confidence behind the wheel, what it's like working for 23XI Racing, the Gen 7 platform and more, including what the next 10 weeks may hold for the No. 35 group. Davey also reaps the regular season finale at Daytona and looks ahead to the 2025 Cup Series playoffs that kick off at Darlington.

NASCAR veteran B.J. McLeod joins Davey Segal (7:25) for an all-encompassing conversation on and off track, including what it's been like without a charter, the transition personally and professionally to racing part-time, what his day-to-day looks like running Live Fast Motorsports, Katherine Legge's progression in the No. 78 this year and more. McLeod also dives into the charter system, explaining why it's a viable business model for decades to come, why he and Matt Tifft sold theirs and reveals why he's already chomping at the bit to get back in, given the right situation. He also discusses the Pigeon Forge Racing Coaster, why they built it, the genesis behind it and his passion for theme parks. Plus, selling sponsorship for a mid-pack/backmarker team, why he thinks he has so much respect from seemingly everyone in the garage, the determination to win a NASCAR race before he turns 50, his obsession with skulls and backwards hats and much, much more. Davey also reviews Austin Dillon's surprise Richmond win for the second consecutive year, looks ahead to the regular season finale at Daytona and Papa Segal looks back to Spingate.

RFK Racing crew chief and veteran of the industry Derrick Finley joins Davey Segal (2:40) to discuss working with Ryan Preece, why the Northeast racer stands out as one of the best Finley has ever worked with, the current push for the playoffs and battling a teammate for a postseason spot and how it is racing against and working for your boss in Brad Keselowski. Finley dives into his upbringing in New Mexico, the racing scene out West, playing football at UNM, why he chose mechanical engineering and motorsports after college, working for Dale Earnhardt Inc. fresh out of school (and some stories to boot), the mentorship he received from Travis Carter, getting the call to crew chief in Cup for the first time in 2003, stops at multiple organizations along the way, what brought him over to RFK Racing and why he got back atop the pit box for 2025 despite not really wanting to. Plus, the intricacies of working on a Gen 7 car in today's NASCAR, whether they're trying to win or point their way into the playoffs, the story behind his famous skull flame pants, his taste in rap music, interesting animal analogies and more. Davey also recaps another dominant road course performance from SVG and looks ahead to Richmond.

Austin Green joins Davey Segal (7:00) to discuss how things are going in the midst of his partial Xfinity Series season with Jordan Anderson Racing. Gearing up for another road course in Watkins Glen, they discuss why the road course moniker may be an inaccurate one given his background, how difficult it is getting used to heavier stock cars, switching between a Trans-Am, ARCA and Xfinity vehicle, his racing background and how big winning recently on the Charlotte oval in ARCA Menards Series competition was. Plus, Green details how his father David and uncles Mark and Jeff have helped him navigate his NASCAR journey, the influence they've had on his career thus far, helping Jordan Anderson Racing grow thanks to his road racing skills, avoiding the chaos during races, what his short and long term plans look like and more. Davey also recaps William Byron's win at Iowa, looks ahead to what might be another SVG dominant performance at The Glen and Papa Segal pays homage to a legendary finish and road racer.

Rev Racing and Alpha Prime Racing’s Lavar Scott joins Davey Segal this week (6:15) to dissect his first career Xfinity Series start at his home track of Dover Motor Speedway, the emotions of having to qualify his way in, what he learned during the race and how everything was heightened with over 100 friends and family members in attendance. Scott also dives into his racing background as a third generation driver, what he was able to learn from his mom and grandfather growing up, the reason for him pursuing circle track racing and not straight line drag racing, competing with his brother growing up, applying for and getting accepted into the Diversity program with Rev Racing, moving to North Carolina at 16-years-old to live in a trailer with his grandmother and more, including his commitment to fitness and nutrition, how his second year in ARCA competition has been going and what his 5-10 year plan in NASCAR looks like. Plus, Davey recaps Bubba Wallace’s Brickyard 400 win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, looks ahead to Iowa Speedway and Papa Segal pays homage to The Voice of NASCAR.

Mason Massey joins Davey Segal (8:40) to look ahead to his first start at the Brickyard and discuss how his partial schedule with Alpha Prime Racing in the Xfinity Series has been going thus far. They dive into how it is running part-time, what Tommy Joe Martins is like as a boss, why he’s a team first type of driver and more, including his racing background in Georgia that saw him transition from asphalt to dirt before coming back to asphalt and making it in NASCAR. Massey also opens up about his stutter, why he decided to go public with it several years ago, the sense of responsibility he felt to bring awareness to it and how his work away from the track has helped the next generation face their fears with stutters. Plus, how he gets his mustache to look so good, his real name (hint: it’s not Mason), realistic expectations for the rest of 2025 and more. Davey also recaps Denny Hamlin’s impressive victory at Dover, looks ahead to Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Papa Segal pays homage to Gary Nelson.

Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi! Kaulig Racing crew chief Andrew Dickeson joins Davey Segal (8:55) as their cinderella run in the inaugural In-Season Challenge continues. He walks through what it was like for him atop the pit box as Ty Dillon moved Alex Bowman out of the way for a spot in the Final Four, how confidence and performance have gone hand in hand (and up) in the last month, the culture he's attempting to create on the No. 10 team, arriving at the track with a chip on their shoulder and why he believes in his driver. Dickeson, an Australian native, also dives into his background in motorsports (spoiler alert: he had none), how he got his hands dirty in Supercars, simultaneously working in racing, bartending and getting his engineering degree, the decision to pack up and move across the world to pursue a career in NASCAR, how he went about finding a job with race teams and his progression up the engineering ladder that eventually led him to becoming a crew chief. Plus, a hilarious story involving Richard Childress calling Dickeson while in Australia (and maybe a bit inebriated) asking him to become the full-time shot caller on the No. 10. Dickeson also explains the similarities between U.S. and Australian racing culture, why Marcos Ambrose deserves more credit for helping NASCAR's image down under, what it's like working at Kaulig Racing, expectations for the rest of the season and more. Davey also reviews another SVG dominant performance in Sonoma, previews the Monster Mile in Dover and Papa Segal pays homage to one of the best to ever strap in behind the wheel on road courses: Dan Gurney.

Toyota development and current Venturini Motorsports driver Isabella Robusto joins Davey Segal (6:55) to discuss her unique background in motorsports and already impressive career to this point. She explains how she prepares for a race during the week and on the weekend, how she eventually won over her mom (literally) after being a bit skeptical of her racing at a young age, what it was like competing directly against her brother on track and how the progression up the ladder was for her. She also dives into the concussion she suffered at Hickory in a late model crash and the 10+ month recovery that followed, what she learned during the process and why she's an advocate for educating other female racers about the importance of head injuries, the memorable first trip to an intermediate track this season for Venturini Motorsports, why she's majoring in aerospace engineering at Arizona State while racing full-time, getting the call from Toyota to be a part of their driver development program, how she approaches being a woman in a male-dominated industry and more, including her escapades as a kicker for her high school football team, sneaker collecting hobbies, her path to eventually become a Cup Series driver and more. Davey also chats about Shane van Gisbergen's Chicago Street Course win, the success of the event in year three, looks ahead to Sonoma and Papa Segal pays homage to Tony Glover.

Trackhouse Racing Senior Performance Engineer Jose Blasco-Figueroa joins Davey Segal (5:45) to discuss what his role encompasses and how its evolved over the years in motorsports. He explains how technology has advanced over the years, how internet going down at the track takes him back to the old days of racing, his background working for General Motors in Mexico City, dropping off résumé's to race teams in the Charlotte area, eventually getting a call back (from multiple teams in mere minutes!) and going to work for BK Racing and learning on the job. Being a Mexico City native, Blasco-Figueroa details how special it was to compete at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez this year, the wild three-week stretch that included him becoming an American citizen, winning the Coca-Cola 600 and in Mexico City, addresses the news of Daniel Suarez not returning to the team in 2026, helps preview the Chicago Street Course weekend and more. Davey also reviews Chase Elliott's thrilling victory in Atlanta at EchoPark Speedway, looks ahead to the Windy City and Papa Segal pays homage to Larry McClure.

Toyota development driver Brent Crews joins Davey Segal (9:10) ahead of his second career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Lime Rock Park for TRICON Garage. He explains how he prepares for his part-time starts, pulling double duty with the ARCA Menards Series, leaning on teammates and his past experience and why this weekend's event may be a good measuring stick at a first-time track for the series. He also dives into how he got involved in racing and why soccer wasn't for him, growing up in Hickory around the racing scene and racing anything and everything, competing internationally in karting and winning all over the world, counting down the days until he can run on intermediates, the cool opportunity he has coming up in Chicago and more. Plus, his guilty pleasure meal at Waffle House, his passion for fishing, why he wants his legacy to be in the GOAT conversation, how impactful Toyota has been in his career, what he's learned in each racing discipline along the way, whether he feels any pressure being one of the most highly touted prospects in the sport and more. Davey also recaps Chase Briscoe's Pocono win, briefly touches on Mexico City, looks ahead to Lime Rock and Atlanta and Papa Segal pays homage to a legendary figure in Pocono history.

Five-time NASCAR Mexico Series champion Rubén García Jr. joins Davey Segal (6:00) to reminisce on days gone by and look ahead to the NASCAR Cup Series’ inaugural trip to Mexico City. He updates us on what he’s been up to since returning to Mexico, if he feels like the Jimmie Johnson of the Mexico Series, how the competition compares to that of stock car racing in the United States, why he feels like the Mexico Series feels like late model racing and the “Winston Cup mindset,” doing more with less, how much Mexican racing fans follow racing in America, differences in race strategy, how well known Daniel Suarez is to Mexicans and more. García Jr. also explains his thought process in coming to the U.S. to participate in the Rev Racing Drive for Diversity program in the 2010s, what the entire experience was like, pulling double duty in the states and Mexico a few times and the relief of finally winning a K&N Pro Series race. He also discusses his upbringing in motorsports, highlights an oval or two in Mexico that may be suitable for the Cup Series, his limited experience racing in the national series and why he’d love an opportunity to return to America to try his hand at NASCAR in the states again. Plus, the deal that came close to being done to put him in a competitive Cup car at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and what fans and drivers alike can expect when they arrive at the track. Davey also recaps Denny Hamlin’s Michigan win, looks ahead to Mexico City and Papa Segal pays homage to a namesake of the circuit this weekend in CDMX.

Joe Gibbs Racing jackman Derrell Edwards joins Davey Segal (8:30) to discuss how he went from a kid from Baltimore, to a High Point University basketball player to one of the best jackmen in the NASCAR Cup Series. He details his childhood and how it's shaped him into the man he's become today, keeping his mind focused on the task at hand while dealing with a loved one in failing health, how he's developed the aura of winning and why manifesting is so crucial to his success. Edwards also explains how his winning mindset has permeated the No. 20 team at Joe Gibbs Racing, the chemistry that the team has developed over 4+ years together, how fast a 4-tire stop can/will get, why a driver change impacts a pit crew more than you'd think, why the jackman is like the quarterback of the pit crew, how impactful switching from five lugs to one was for a jackman and why flying is an undercovered aspect of pit crews doing their jobs. Plus, how he got involved with NASCAR in the first place, his humble beginnings with Richard Childress Racing, grinding his way to the top, why he always opts to pay it forward and help out younger athletes, the importance of family in his life and more, including what's next to accomplish in his professional career. Davey also recaps Ryan Blaney's win at Nashville, previews Michigan and Papa Segal pays homage to Pop Pop.

Sam Hunt Racing Crew Chief Kris Bowen joins Davey Segal (7:05) to discuss building up their current Xfinity Series outfit and how things are going working with Dean Thompson full-time. Bowen explains how and where the recent strides and speed has come from on the No. 26 team, his relationship with Thompson, why having kids of his own helps him work with drivers, how having a racing background himself has made the transition to crew chief a rather smooth one and the decision making process behind hanging up the steering wheel for good. Bowen also dives into his relationship with owner Sam Hunt, why it works despite Hunt being a decade younger than him, the satisfaction he gets from building something from the ground up, why he has no plans or desires to go anywhere else in NASCAR, his dedication to fitness (5 am crossfit workouts for 15 years!), his unhealthy gummy bear obsession to relieve stress atop the pit box, realistic expectations for the rest of the season and more. Davey also recaps the Coca-Cola 600, Ross Chastain's improbable march to victory, explains why the Prime Video broadcast was so good, looks ahead to Nashville and Papa Segal pays homage to Humpy Wheeler.

Veteran Crew Chief Mike Kelley joins Davey Segal (5:40) for a reflective and emotional trip down memory lane and deep dive behind Hyak Motorsports with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Kelley explains how the team is punching above their weight right now in the NASCAR Cup Series, how they operate with no technical alliances in todays day and age and why he and Stenhouse have so much trust in one another. Kelley also recalls his early beginnings in motorsports, including some funny stories when he started working for Ernie Irvan (not as a driver, as he initially thought) and emotional ones while working as Michael Waltrip’s car chief at Dale Earnhardt Inc. Kelley opens up about why the 2001 Daytona 500 is still emotional for him, the relationship he had with Dale Earnhardt and how the team and sport moved forward following his passing. He also dives into winning the 2004 Cup championship with Kurt Busch at Roush, why earning that title meant so much to him, getting hooked up with Stenhouse Jr. as a young, baby-faced kid, winning back-to-back Xfinity Series championships and more, including his leadership style, why he takes pride in teaching the younger generation, his work with Lake Norman Humane and more. Plus, Davey discusses Christopher Bell’s All-Star win, looks ahead to the Coca-Cola 600, Kyle Larson’s double attempt and Papa Segal pays homage to 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Ray Hendrick.

Richard Childress Racing Crew Chief Randall Burnett joins Davey Segal this week (5:40) to discuss how the 2025 season has been thus far, working with Kyle Busch, what he's learned from the two-time Cup Series champion and what the public misunderstands about Rowdy. They also discuss the one year anniversary of the infamous fight at North Wilkesboro Speedway (and Davey's assist in helping Kyle), his journey to Cup Series shot caller from the St. Louis area and how/why he opted to forgo his driving career to pursue an engineering degree at UNC Charlotte. Burnett also explains what it's like working for Hall of Famer Richard Childress, what it's like when he comes on the radio unprovoked, working with Kyle Larson in his rookie season at Chip Ganassi Racing, almost sweeping the crowned jewels in 2010 with Jamie McMurray, his son racing at Millbridge Speedway, Burnett's Mario Kart skills and more. Plus, Davey recaps Kansas, looks ahead to the All-Star Race and Papa Segal pays homage to Johnny Mantz.

Current Wood Brothers Racing crew chief and longtime Team Penske engineer Miles Stanley joins Davey Segal (5:15) for a wide-ranging conversation that dives into his career in motorsports and background in racing. Stanley discusses the treacherous nature of Texas Motor Speedway, how winning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has allowed them to take more risks, when that win truly set in and how big winning a race for WBR really is. Stanley also discusses what he's learned from championship-winning crew chief Todd Gordon, who he worked with for over a decade, how working with all three current Team Penske drivers in some capacity has eased his transition to Josh Berry and the Wood Brothers, why he and Josh seem to be gelling so well so quickly and more. Plus, how he got started in motorsports with Formula SAE, his football career at Dayton and Akron, how racing engineering proved to be a career path for him, his transition from open wheel to stock cars, working with Robby Gordon Motorsports, why the Dakar Rally was one of the coolest experiences he's ever had, why his work at Penske as Head of Performance Engineering was so gratifying (hint: the last 3 championships in a row), why he doesn't go by his given name and more. Davey also recaps Joey Logano's win at Texas, previews Kansas and Papa Segal pays homage to Ron Bouchard.

Front Row Motorsports Crew Chief Jon Leonard (7:45) join Davey Segal this week to discuss his new digs at FRM calling the shots for Chandler Smith on the No. 38. Leonard details how late things came together to even make the second FRM Truck Series entry happen, the thrash that ensued to get things ready for Daytona, why Chandler being involved in the hiring process for team members has made everyone closer and how nice it was to get a win early this season at Bristol Motor Speedway. Leonard also discusses his career as a crew chief, calling races for Leavine-Family Racing in the Cup Series for Kasey Kahne and Regan Smith, being promoted admittedly a little too quickly, learning on the fly, being a first-generation racer turned 14-year NASCAR veteran and more. Davey also reviews Austin Cindric’s Talladega win, looks ahead to Texas and Papa Segal pays homage to one of the greatest of all-time in Formula 1.

That's right, party people. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, 83-time Cup Series winner, NASCAR Hall of Famer and one of if not the greatest NASCAR driver of all-time, Jimmie Johnson (!) joins Davey Segal this week (9:50) for one of the biggest conversations in Victory Lane history. They discuss how life has been living abroad in London, what the European culture has taught Johnson, being able to travel the world with friends and family, the new kind of horsepower his daughters are into, being a podcast host and more. Johnson explains why he wasn't even paying attention to his milestone 700th start coming up at Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600, reveals his future plans for more races in the Cup Series and chats about the struggles LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has gone through since switching to Toyota. Johnson also looks back on his record-tying seventh championship and reveals what Richard Petty told him on pit road before the race, recalls the two (!) times he fell asleep behind the wheel of a racecar, the reasoning behind getting in shape and starting a trend within the garage back in 2007 and more. Davey also discusses the return to Rockingham Speedway last weekend and Papa Segal pays homage to the late Al Pearce.