Off the Chain! Racing Podcast

Bristol brought the chaos, heartbreak, and pure adrenaline.From tire carnage to playoff dreams going up in smoke, this night race had everything. We break down blown toe links, fiery exits, and late-race desperation moves that left drivers stunned and fans on the edge of their seats. Empty grandstands didn’t kill the vibe, this one was electric start to finish. We talk wrecks that weren’t wrecks, busted DraftKings hopes, and the kind of Bristol drama that makes you love and hate short-track racing in the same breath. If you missed Saturday night under the lights, don’t worry, we’ve got all the raw takes, unfiltered laughs, and just enough Red Bull energy to keep you awake for the wildest cutoff race of the season.

Darlington never disappoints, and this Southern 500 gave us plenty to chew on. We’re asking the real questions: is Chase Briscoe actually a title contender, or is he just cosplaying as one? Then we dive headfirst into the drama bomb that is the 23XI lawsuit...vspoiler, it’s juicier than a Bojangles biscuit.And because we can’t help ourselves, we try to play psychic and figure out what kind of madness is coming in the next playoff race. If you like hot takes, half-baked predictions, and the occasional truth bomb about NASCAR’s wild soap opera, this episode’s got your name written all over it.

Daytona gave us drama, chaos, and just enough Fireball to keep the Off the Chain crew questionable but functional. In this week’s episode, we break down why the racing was actually better (hint: full-throttle desperation beats fuel-saving parades every time), and what that means for this package and car going forward.We also put on our tinfoil hats for the Bubba wreck... was it Bubba, was it Larson, or was it the deep-state NASCAR replay editors scrubbing the evidence? (Hoppy’s convinced it’s Larson. Willie’s just mad nobody flipped.)Meanwhile, Blaney repeated, Brad’s pit stop self-destructed, and the cutoff chaos was pure Daytona. We dish on who survived, who got shuffled out, and who you definitely shouldn’t have bet your DraftKings bankroll on (ask Hoppy).Oh, and about those missing Fireball shots… let’s just say Checky and Hoppy are plotting their revenge on Willy for leaving us high and dry before green flag. The punishment may be worse than the hangover.

🔥 Episode Recap: Off the Chain Racing Podcast 🔥This week we break down Dillon’s redemption win at Richmond, where pit stop chaos tried to derail the race but couldn’t stop his comeback.We dive into the biggest pit crew mishaps that shook up the field and debate whether they cost some teams a shot at victory.Plus, Willy stirs it up with the question only he would ask: who got higher at Richmond, the 8 or the 88?You don’t want to miss the laughs, hot takes, and unfiltered fan perspective.

Shane van Gisbergen rolled into Watkins Glen like he owned the joint, then casually mopped the floor with the Cup field… again. We’re talking passes that made seasoned vets look like they were driving rental cars, pit calls with more confidence than your drunk uncle at karaoke, and a victory that felt inevitable the moment he strapped in. We also detour into why the Glen is the unofficial “hold my beer” road course, the weirdest fan moments we spotted, and who should be sending SVG apology cards for the embarrassment. Buckle up, this one’s spicy.

Byron bags another W at the Iowa Corn 350 and we’re breaking down what it means for the 24 team’s momentum. We also dig into why Denny Hamlin still can’t figure out Iowa and whether this track’s "sellout crowd" is as impressive as NASCAR wants you to think… especially after cutting the seating in half. We’re talking:🔥 Byron’s late-race poise🤡 Denny’s Iowa disaster🎪 The real story behind the “sellout”🧂 Fan takes and driver drama🚦 Race control chaos👀 Who’s heating up and who’s on the ropes Tap in for another no-BS, full-throttle episode of Off the Chain.

On this week’s episode of Off the Chain Racing, we break down Bubba Wallace’s historic Brickyard 400 victory and what it means for his career and 23XI Racing, including how he held off the field in a pair of intense overtime restarts. We also dig into the penalty news surrounding Austin Hill after his wreck with Aric Almirola at Indy, the resulting suspension, and how it could derail his playoff hopes. Finally, we recap the early-season fireworks between Michael McDowell and Ross Chastain after their Lap 17 clash at the Brickyard set the stage for what could be a heated rivalry moving forward.Also... Willy shows up late to podcast work... AGAIN.

Dover brought the drama, and so did we (well, most of us). Checky and I were on time, ready to break down Denny Hamlin’s masterclass and all the chaos from the Monster Mile...Meanwhile... Willy rolled in late like he had a pit road penalty. We get into:🏁 Denny’s underrated greatness📊 Big moves in the point standings⚖️ The wild 23XI legal drama and what it could meanIt’s a full episode with bold takes, laughs, and just enough shade to keep it interesting.

This week on Off the Chain, Hoppy, Checky, and Willy are back in full formation to unpack the twisted wine-country chaos at Sonoma.SVG bagged his second win in a row (yeah, that’s three on the year... y’all better stop pretending it’s a fluke), while half the field looked like they took a wrong turn into the infield wine bar.We scream WTF about a few truly cursed race days (looking at you, pit strategy gremlins), take a flamethrower to the worst moments, and salute the hot takes from other NASCAR pods this week. But the real highlight? We count down the Top 5 Things Ty Dillon should’ve said if he got a post-race Interview about beating Alex Bowman to advance in the inseason tourney.It’s unhinged. It’s identity theft. It’s possibly a crime. Listen now or miss out forever.

It’s just Hoppy and Willy behind the mic this week, while Checky was off gallivanting across America but fear not, she phoned in with a voice message that made us laugh, cry, and question the structural integrity of her car.We break down the chaos from the Chicago Street Race where Logano and Chastain got into it, Bubba and Bowman kept it spicy, and someone might’ve accidentally summoned SVJesus back to Earth (resurrected on slicks, no less).If you love NASCAR drama, absurd theories, and two guys trying to figure out if divine intervention is now part of the points system. this one’s for you. Press play, say a prayer, and watch your mirrors, because the streets of Chicago were holy hell.

Off the Chain Racing Podcast: Episode Recap - 2025 Atlanta Quaker State 400Buckle up, Chain Gang! The latest episode of Off the Chain Racing Podcast is here, and we’re breaking down all the action from the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta. Hosted by Hoppy Mellow, Willy "T-Bone" Hadley, and Checky Swags, this episode is packed with fiery takes, expert fan analysis, and a deep dive into one of the wildest races of the 2025 season. Chase Elliott stole the show with a thrilling last-lap pass on Brad Keselowski to snap a 44-race winless streak and claim his first victory of 2025 in front of his hometown Georgia fans. The No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports driver led 41 laps and navigated a chaotic race that saw massive wrecks, including a Lap 70 crash that damaged over half the field.We discuss how Elliott’s win, his second at Atlanta, shakes up the playoff picture and the In-Season Challenge, where he was a top pick for the $1M prize.The episode doesn’t hold back on the drama—Hoppy rants about the AI impersonation fiasco from last week’s show, Willy dishes on the Northeast dirt racing scene, and Checky breaks down the social media buzz. We also tackle the race’s 90.5% approval rating in the fan poll, making it the No. 2 race of the 2025 season so far and a top-tier superspeedway event. From Carson Hocevar’s climb from 30th to 18th to Denny Hamlin’s wreck woes, we cover the highs and lows, including standout performances from Alex Bowman, Tyler Reddick, and Zane Smith.Plus, we react to the chatter from other NASCAR podcasters like Jeff Gluck and Dale Jr., debate the playoff implications for drivers like Kyle Busch and Bubba Wallace, and preview the upcoming Chicago Street Course race. #NASCAR #AtlantaRace #QuakerState400 #ChaseElliott #InSeasonChallenge

Chase Briscoe stretched the fuel milage farther than anyone thought he could and stole himself a win for the season.  While it was a big load of his shoulders, several other drivers were wondering what happened and how they let a win slip away.  Checky and Hoppy break down everything from Pocono and also discuss Hoppy's new plan for the 2026 NASCAR points system that fixes everything once and for all.

Buckle up for an electrifying episode as we dive into the NASCAR Cup Series’ historic Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez! Shane van Gisbergen (SVG) delivered a divine performance, dominating the field by a jaw-dropping 16.567 seconds—the largest margin of victory since 2009.From battling illness and travel woes to mastering a rain-soaked track, SVG’s epic win secured his 2025 playoff spot and earned him the title of "SVJesus" in this thrilling international showdown. Join us for hot takes, driver reactions, and why Mexico City might just be SVG’s holy ground... LFG!

The Michigan race turned out to be the highest rated of the season thus far although I think we all agree the Coke 600 was a better race.  Denny got the job done for the third time this year.  We debate his ability to close the deal on the championship and give some counter takes on Byron and Gibbs.  LFG!

Blaney ran away with Stage 3 in a Nashville race that became the race that needed one more caution.  Stage 2 had a some hard racing and Hocevar gave us some payback drama to expect when he spun Wrecky Stenhouse early in Stage 2.  The Chain Gang is ready to go!!

The World 600 did not disappoint this year!  We had good weather, uncertainty on the track, and battles for the lead!  While the new car is still a problem, the drivers were still able to put on a show.  This week we also roll out a new idea for the 2026 points system we have proposed!  Let's go!

Checky was in attendance at the All Star race at NWS this weekend and what a pleasant suprise it was for us race fans!  We were happy to see Logano stopped from winning and we loved the 3 and 4 wide dicey action we saw at the track.

The race at Kansas was quite a bit different than what we saw the past few years as Larson led 200+ laps and dominated the race.  Quite a few contenders beat themselves.  The Chain Gang puts a stake in the ground on the 6 things that need to change with this car to improve the racing we see each week.

Texas was full of twists and turns again this year and that led to Joey Lagano getting the win.  The Chain Gang discusses the ups and downs for several drivers in the field along with a proposal for a new points system in 2026.

The racing at Dega ain't what it used to be... well unless you watch the Xfinity race.