Jeff Gordon on Driver Personality, Charter Negotiations & What's Next For HMS | Dale Jr Download

[Music] hey everybody it's Dell junr welcome back again for another episode of the Dell junr Download Our Guest segment on Wednesday with Jeff Gordon in the Bojangle Studio let's get to it it's going to be awesome to have Jeff back in the studio we last had him here when we were in the booth on a couch it has been a while so this segment with Jeff Gordon obviously brought to you by Ally allly do it right they do it right um Ally has a really great connection with Jeff obviously sponsor ing um Alex Bowman's car at at hendrik Motorsports and um I'm just looking forward to sort of catching up with Jeff on his new his kind of a new role at HMS he's he's taken over um the Reigns if you will I think that Rick is is trusting Jeff with uh the future the runway the vision whatever you want to call it can't wait to get Jeff's take on that and also um the Char agreement we're going to talk about what's the hold up where's the leverage that the teams have um we're going to see if Jeff can shed some some light on that and his perspective of as a team owner on on where that goes from here I'm looking forward to it again I want to thank Alli for the guest segment here always bringing great support to dirty mode media let's get Jeff in the room ready to get the season started yeah it is it's here all right just me right there so thanks for coming yeah man good to see you always and uh I mean I love your show so it's it's it's been a while it has last time you were here we were in that Booth where the where they're running the show from but we were packed in near somehow I was going to say that doesn't look big that's it yeah we were on a couch in there hanging out talking um well man so you got the season getting ready to start up um I guess how's the offseason been for HMS this year yeah it's been good I mean obviously you know if you look at 2023 we had two of our teams that were super competitive made it to the final four and competed for a championship and won races and then we had you know some struggles with with Alex and the 48 team and and with with uh Chase and the nine team so I think um you know a lot of folus has just been on you know H how do we get those guys to to kick off the season strong get the momentum back obviously being healthy was the most important piece of it and and so I feel really good about where they're both at as the the the you know both drivers and but it's just connecting all the all the pieces I mean Blake was new right with the 48 team and and with Alex and and so that takes a little bit of time to gel and so I'm really excited about them for for this year they came out of the gate really kind of strong right for Alex got her he's sitting there battling up in the front of the points um he had a really good like 10 races yeah right and so people talk I always thought that like moment momentum wasn't real um that you know you just show up and race and where you finish is where you finish um you obviously morale is important and winning helps morale and attitudes but I never was was sure about momentum but when you see from our perspective you watch a guy start the year like that get hurt Miss some races or or the season kind of gets knocked off the tracks and they were never the same team the rest of the year yeah I I think this car really drives a lot of that I I think that this car the details about the setups how it works you know for for each driver as well as just every week you're learning as a driver and as a team and I think when you lose that yeah I think that's that's where the momentum gets lost is just that that amount of time I I I think it even shocked us right I think we thought okay get these guys back in there and pick up where where they left off and I think everybody was was shocked that it it um you know that's the world where we're living in today right Chase is the most popular driver uh a big asset to NASCAR um I think he rebounds this year I know you guys are feeling great but you know you're positive about his his season coming up but do you see any difference in Chase Post uh injury like having to miss some time in the car right yeah um I thought that would only make him better he would come back and go I have a better appreciation for my opportunity I have a better appreciation for being here in this Sport and the opportunity to drive great race cars do you see that what do you think uh has changed in Chase in the last 12th I just put myself in in those shoes of of how how would I have reacted I think on on one hand I probably said man it'd be nice to have a few more weeks off during the season on the other hand you know I think that's 40y old Jeff yeah right uh on the other hand it's hey uh you know like I miss my team I miss that com moerie and and going out there and and working at at the result yeah um and so no I think he's very driven I think also people have really not they've underestimated what they accomplished in the playoffs right because he wasn't in as a driver so a lot of people weren't paying attention if you look at at his points that were scored and the consistency that they had in the playoffs I think that um they they they did far better than than a lot of people think so hopefully carry some of that momentum over into uh to the start of this season yeah and I'm such a big fan of Allan gipson's you know he was my crew chief when when I ended my career and he's just super talented works really hard and and they you know I think both of those teams had some challenges as far as engineering you know lose um you know Greg is is you know the the crew chief and his ability and what he was capable of you know as an engineer and so it's about these days it's about that that primary race engineer and then what's feeding that yes and both the nine and the 48 you know have have been a have really needed to back fill that and I think that's what I'm excited about is some of that's that's taking place over the offseason yeah one of the things in the news is the um the deal between NASCAR and RTA or the teams so the new Charter agreement all right um me and you talked about this a couple months ago you you know I wanted you to come on the show help us understand I you know people think people ask me you know what's going on what's this deal what is the height was to hang up how do you feel about it where's your Charter when you come to cup like I don't even have I don't have the details there's a there are so I will say this like for everybody listening there's so many details on y'all's side of it and NASCAR's side of it I've had the chance to sit down with Phelps and and all of NASCAR and try to understand their point of view um curious as to where the teams feel like they are this you know obviously there's not a deal the time ran out there was a timeline to get one done it's not done we're going into the Daytona 500 without a deal that is going to be part of the headlines especially when we're all in Daytona together uh the media is going to be asking questions so it will be mixed among the happenings uh of speed week and so you know I first off I kind of want to know I the teams are fighting for whatever opportunity in this deal they can have right what they feel is fair but you're also embarking on a new season and you definitely want the best for the sport at the same time right you got a Netflix deal out there that's killing it you got the Daytona 500 staring you down with an opportunity to have a big audience um and and but you do have this happening in the background and how do you uh and how does RTA balance the headlines yeah and and not letting this take away from some of the momentum that's being created around the sport yeah I think the last thing any of us want right is this to be a topic or a Hot Topic leading into our biggest event the Daytona 500 and kicking off the season um and I think it's why there was a negotiating committee that was formed two years ago and started conversations with NASCAR and and a group that they put together and it's I mean there's been a lot of healthy dialogue it just nothing has really moved things forward and a lot of it was because we're waiting to see what the new TV deal was was going to be so because that was delayed then a lot of the discussions and negotiations that were you know taking place were also delayed so it's kind of what's put us here in this moment at this time um you know I I I'll start off by saying and and you've experienced this and I've experienced in so many others I mean what NASCAR's built over 75 years has been incredible and and I've been able to benefit from it tremendously as well as so is Rick Hendrick and hendrik Motorsports and you know their branding but at the same time you know how do we make the sport move forward how do um you know everybody that that's involved from Nascar the tracks uh as well as the teams you know find a way to be sustainable and build the sport back up I mean you and I I think got to experience the some of the best times this Sport's ever ever had right I mean you came in you were a huge rock star and and you know were able to experience what it was like to to see Grand stands packed you know full and opportunities coming in every direction from sponsors and commercials and all that clearly that that has changed and and I just feel like personally as well as I think you know the the the teams in these discuss uh discussions when that's cars how do we need to make a change to to get this thing going back in the right direction I think the new TV contract is a good one um you know did did it live up to if you look at other leagues and and maybe what we thought the potential was that's debatable but it's it's done and it's and it's very solid and so this these discussions are not just about splitting revenues right it's about how do we look at the business business model of a race team and build Enterprise Value um be more collaborative with NASCAR and how we come up with ideas that grow the sport bring new fans um we're still very heavy uh on relying on sponsor income yeah you know and so I think that's why things have not moved forward is because it's it's there's probably three four major key things that the teams have been very consistent on talking to NASCAR about what we think is going to not only help the teams you know be profitable we don't make money right I mean it's it's one of those I don't think hendrik Motorsports has has made a profit in 10 years yeah and and then you say well why do you do it well it's it's because Rick Hendrick loves the sport he loves cars and it's been good branding you know and and but if we didn't have all the B2B right and we're one of the few teams out there very fortunate to be able to have the B2B to tie Hendrick Automotive Group and Hendrick Motorsports together and bring these sponsors in um you know I I don't know where that would put us if we didn't have that and there's a lot of teams out there and that's where this negotiating committee has come along is we got to look and think about all the teams it's not just about hendrik right it's not just about the big teams it's it's every team and what's going and and there's a lot of teams struggling and so you know NASCAR is aware of it and we've we've shared our you know books and everything all the details we possibly can um and they have they listen they've got to run the sport too and they have you know certain criterias that they've got to meet so you know it there's been good dialogue it's just been frustrating that we haven't been able to move things which is why we're where we're at and and we'll we'll kind of see where that takes us moving forward so what can you be specific on some of the hurdles what are some of the things that that the teams in NASCAR arguing over yeah I mean I think certainly starts with Revenue you know and and just trying to figure out what the right proper splits are uh vers the Old Charter versus the new one um you hear about Evergreen we don't we don't say permanent anymore but Evergreen Charters right of of I I just look at other leagues right and and that's who we're competing with right we're competing with other major sports as well as look at what F1 has done if if you look at the way they've been structured and the impact they've made in their popularity and how they've turned the corner and ramped it back up especially here in America um they're they're truly sharing in the revenues and and they're sharing in the ideas and philosophies and and looking at you know how do we grow you know together the Netflix thing was a was a big deal that that changed the game for them I mean I know when the the I go to get my haircut and the girl that cuts my hair is like man I've been watching that F uh that uh F1 Netflix show and and I've really gotten into F1 I'm like wow right and and I think you've heard lot of that I think the Netflix show that NASCAR you know just I think it was great I I love it I'm getting you know a lot of of uh uh people reacting that outside of the us as well so it's good um and but we got to do more things like that and and even that's been a big challenge right because the teams are focused on what can we do for our sponsors as you know I mean you're listen you you're way into it you and Kelly on the Xfinity side so you you know this so I know we're trying to maybe educate some other folks that that maybe don't get it but um you know that's where the team's focuses because that's where the revenue comes in for us I think that what we need to do is get to a place where we're focused on not only taking care of our sponsors and winning races but how do we collectively grow the sport and and and have a broader reach you know go more International have more Netflix type shows and and right now I just don't think that the way that that the business model is is put together uh is conducive of us putting that kind of energy into those other things as much as it is go win races yeah and so it feels like to me that um that the the sport it's it's a bit of impath so there's you know NASCAR and the team owners are just kind of sitting on their hands everybody's put their argument forward right and now now it's like who's going to flinch how long can this go what is what are what are you willing to do how far is this willing to go I mean I just don't believe that I don't know really truly where the Leverage is for the team owners I think like a team owner I imagine myself being in that situation what would I do yeah um NASCAR is always had that mentality of we're we're here we're going to be here long after you're gone you know you know Bill France would bring you in the trailer and say you're not going to mess up my show uh and and we'll show you the door if you don't want to change the way you're doing things right and so I grew up and you were around back then so I have that mentality in my head that that's the way NASCAR is and that's they're going to run this that way and they're going to approach everything with that same mentality that they've had for 50 years maybe they've evolved maybe they've changed a little bit but I just have a hard time understanding like where can can you really create leverage as a team owner to help your argument yeah I mean that that's what what we're going to find out you know o over the next several months if you go back to when the charter was created right why was the charter created I mean I think it was created to have a little bit more consistency in knowing what you were going to get if you showed up to the racetrack right there's kind of a a base amount uh from from the TV Revenue that you're spit in with NASCAR and then and then you go race for for for the rest um and then through this last what 10 years of of the know the current Charter um I I think that sponsors have have kind of declined as far as that revenue and costs have have gone up and we're seeing inflation all those things so I I think you know if you look at what are the good things about the charter well if you have a charter you got to show up at every race right right and and you've got to compete at a high level and and so the charter I think has served a good purpose I think it's also put us you know in a in a place where there's more of a seat at the table and discussing you know how the formats of the races and where we go race and and um you know the rules and things like that but I think that there's so much more that we can be doing I think it's if we want to have the sport stay like it is and and you know continue on the path that we're on then you know all the teams will get together and say okay NASCAR let's just let's just sign what what the deal is on the table I believe and I think a lot of other team uh other teams believe this that the investment that the teams are making right now in the sport and not just to go fast but to try to you know build our businesses into a business that's sustainable then there's something's got to change and and I think if something doesn't change I don't think that we're going to see the sport get back to where it once was and and so what is the leverage well I mean you the The Leverage is that right now right we don't have a charter agreement that guarantees that the teams have to show up at at the racetracks and you know I think that right now we just want to I think we're going to get a deal done I mean I think the dialogue and the conversations have have been good it's just um you know what what are we going to have to go through uh in order to get there and you know I I I don't want to get too much into you know the the rest of details because I'm optimistic yeah I'm just also because I've been I I'm a part of this this negotiating committee right and it's I'm just also very very frustrated that that you know we haven't been able we tried to get this thing done you know over the last 2 years before the TV deal was was put in place um and and I think we had enough structure in there that shows the benefits on both sides for NASCAR the tracks and and the teams that if if if we get closer to what we're asking for then we have something that is not only where the teams are going to invest more in the sport that I think it also makes us true partner ERS you know in in this as well as true partners with our TV Partners yeah so how organized you know we the RTA has been around for a good while now how well organized in this critical moment is the RTA how like-minded are all of the the the the individuals who own these Charters very I mean I I think it's just one of the things where you know when RTA was created it was um you know why was this created is this so un it's nothing like that it's just really about sharing information and dialogue back and forth because again you know most teams are struggling right and so that you you have dialogue with you know how how are you operating your business um you know what's happening in the sponsor Market um you know what are your costs to to go to the racetrack and you know all these different aspects of of of things that we can you know talk about and and you know share different ideas and philosophies and and so I think right now there's just a lot of communication that's happening between all the team owners and and because of that I think it has brought us closer together that hey we we're all dealing with more of the same challenges than we even thought before and I think over the last two years I think it's that that communication's only gotten stronger yeah um thoughts on the nextg car to me it's a it's a great race car I don't have to buy the parts I don't have to build the cars and I don't take them to the racetrack but I love what I see on the racetrack um and so you know that's that's that factors a little bit have you driven one I I I haven't driven one so no I was supposed to go to two tests I was going to go to a Rain test at Martinsville that's the only track I feel like I can still drive but uh but I I'm not I'm not driven in yeah so you know but you're in terms of you know cost finan financials and all of those things you know Denny will come on his show and say it's more expensive than they said it was going to be it's like we're driving Ferraris out there um you can't touch the don't don't wreck you know the car because everything's crash damage and everything just skyrocketing so um you know how you know you but this is a great race car right and it's it's grown on me I think it's a cool race car you know you have to look at a couple different ways right I mean if you just look at the car in general just don't put any other factors in there um there's a a lot of cool things about this car right independent rear suspension big brakes uh the way the air is moving underneath the car with the floor and the diffuser um you know sequential shifting I think is and we'll probably go paddle shifting you know in the near future um you know I I think that that when I talk to the drivers it's pretty edgy right with the lower uh smaller sidewall the tires um and not a lot side force in the car but I think there's a lot of great quality it looks good too I I love the way the car looks um when you talk to the mechanics right that that build the cars they went from building cars that that you could have a lot of creativity in um you could you know design parts and pieces and and bolt them on the car and and make a difference and and so that's that Factor's kind of gone away so we've kind of gone down this road where we're almost more of an assembly line and and you know the way the manufacturing you know takes place um but I think again that's all grown on us how has that affected the way you do business so so well yeah it's it's affected a lot right I mean now we we bring in all these parts and pieces we scan every piece you know we put it in an inventory and and you know then then when it's time to build a car it's like okay go grab that part this part and bolt it on and and you know just as simple as trying to look at at upper control arm uh in Geometry right I mean these guys pretty much just bolted on it's the same almost every you know weekend a very small box to get too creative right now on the cost side I I the biggest challenge on the cost side was just for us I mean some of the newer teams if they came in and only had to buy nextg I I it it probably makes a lot more sense for them I just remember the the day where I saw flat beds of trucks and Us loading up brake calibers and rotors and Transmissions uh just endless number of Parts on these huge flatbeds and just the millions and millions of dollars that just went out the door that you know you're like oh my gosh like you didn't we didn't even realize how much you know we had invested in the the car prior to nextg so I don't know it's going to take years for us to ever make up for that if if we ever can right of that that that switch over but but I will say positives are I think the car's you know been competitive has put on a good race I think there's a pretty good balance between manufacturers I think the drivers are getting more comfortable with pushing it and you know and and I think some of the changes on the short track should should be you know slightly better um and from a cost standpoint I think we are starting to see some benefits there um you know and and so that's that that's good we're still in the hole making up for you know the switch but um but I do think as long as a single Source suppliers don't continue to increase prices with with inflation I think that we'll get to a good place with this car you know as far as controlling some of the costs on the cars yeah for teams like the Infinity Series the truck series weekly Racers all of those parts that came out of those buildings all flooded down into those places right all the transmission cases and all that stuff but the people that make those parts moo and all those people making ball joints things like they stop yeah they don't need to make them anymore there's not the market that used to be like when the cup series stopped using these parts so there's going to be this long sort of effect cause and effect to um to that big switch over and the cup car going away from that traditional you know brake and suspension system that we've ran for 50 years yeah and I and I don't think you know if let's say the next step is moving next gen parts to X step don't know that those teams can afford it I mean they are expensive we just do less of them you know less cars they used to have 15 yeah we don't design as many I I think you know homologation is a good thing I I think there were some ways to do that with the old car um but but we're in it and and listen this is again why we are invested in these types of decisions right and we want to Hendrick Motorsports celebrating 40 years this year I want to see us celebrate the next 40 yeah um and that's why I think that team owners are are this um adamant at what you know we feel like we need to be here for the next 40 or next 80 years you got into the broadcast Booth when you retired from driving race cars in your broadcasting career was somewhat brief you know in terms when you cheers well when you look at Dar walop and some of these other guys Minnie Parsons you did a great job right you were a massive asset to the sport jumping out of the car right into the booth and one of the biggest names A Champion it was perfect and so and you know de DW was sort of in this transition of of slowing down and retiring and you were necessary and so it was really good but you've since decided to get into running you know running hendrik Motorsports um Rick understands the runway uh and and needs to have a plan in a in a future for that business and you make a m mive change uh it appeared to be a massive change from the outside but tell talk to me about that right how were you ready to step away from the booth there there's a bit of information that you shared with us about the timeline of that happening Rick wanted you to come and you're like I'm not quite ready was there some hesitation of whether you even wanted that responsibility in that role because once you sign up for it you're in it that's the one thing about the charters like you don't buy them to to to to sell a sell them on a profit five years from now you're gonna have those Charters forever if you're Hendrick Motorsports and so yeah and so the and and and if you agreed to do this with Rick you're you know you've you've you've agreed to take this on this is your life right this is what you are going to be for the rest of your life I imagine that that was while awesome exciting also you had to contemplate whether you truly wanted to be that's who Jeff Gordon was going to be yeah you know a owner in managing a you know a four car operation man I better be real careful how I I handle this question because I know Mr henrik's gonna see this but um no so so yeah we talked about this before right when when I first stepped out of the car I mean you have to go even further back right way back I think it was 2000 when I signed my lifetime contract so with Hendrick Motorsports when you signed a lifetime contract with Hendrick Motorsports you know I I hear that right and I think my mind goes to you know these these players that'll sign these long deals baseball players do it quite a bit Knowing damn well they're not going to play those last four or five years of that deal you know and and it's it looks good on paper it's a big splash for the media but when you signed a lifetime contract what what in the hell did that even mean because you're still in the Millar driving career at that time right you're you're L did you really believe that you you're your entire life was going to be locked into hendrik Motorsports from that moment on I did really I did you know I I just I mean Rick has meant so much to me you know personally and professionally and and because so so again I go back to this was a time when Ray everham got the Dodge opportunity and and he was he was on his way there and great opportunity you know hated to see him go but at the same time you know it it kind of made me have to think and evaluate my life and my career and and and where things at for me and and I knew in my heart I I didn't want to leave Hendrick Motorsports you know to me they gave me this amazing opportunity it's the best organization we've won championships and races why why would I go anywhere else but at the same time Ray everham was a great Crew Chief and and a guy that I trusted in and and had so much success with that you know how do you break that up and I just remember going to Rick's house and just having a a a conversation with him about it and I think he thought when I came there I was coming to tell him I'm going with Ray oh wow um which was not the case at all so when it finally got to the point where we said hey I I said I don't want to go anywhere I want to be here and he's like well we want you to be here too and I don't know if it happened at that time or if it happened right after that it was it was well let's let's just make sure that that we put that together we're together forever and and so that's what not only um was it a lifetime contract but it it gave me equity and Hendrick Motorsports and to me that's what paved the runway for my future Hendrick Motorsports of of one day when I'm not driving I'm going to have a role here what is the role how's it defined don't know wasn't wasn't put in there but you know so as I got closer to retirement that's when more of those conversations start happening really happened when I hurt my back I hurt my back in the car you know or or along the way just just racing and and I started having pain my back and I thought my career was going to be over uh a little bit earlier than I expected and I started having the conversations with Rick of all right you know let's talk about this and so you know from a branding standpoint I feel like I'd built a brand for so many years that I I I felt like that was also important even to my role at Hendrick Motorsports is maintaining that and so that's when the conversation talked about staying relevant moving into the TV booth and and pursuing it you know with with the TV uh um you know the networks and so ended up getting the deal with with Fox and and Rick's like okay you know that's great I think it's a good idea and and you know we still have a lot of things you know that need to happen here before probably ready for you to move into a bigger role and so go do a three-year deal and that's what I did I did a three-year deal and as I got to the end of the three years I I was enjoying it I mean I I did I loved being a part of the sport in that way calling a live broadcast there's adrenaline um it's exciting and and you've put it well you like it's kind of you're like top five every weekend right it's like you don't leave there disappointed but you're also not going to Victory Lane and and and yet you know but you're also growing with it and trying to find new ways to to um to kind of add value and fox was great to work with too and so uh I kind of said to rck hey I think I'd like to do three more years and he said okay but that's got to be it I think we're we're ready like really want you to to come in here Marshall Carlson uh you know was was doing more with Hendrick Automotive Group more on the manufacturing side and and some of the GM defense things that we're doing and so the timing really was was perfect at the end of that six years to to move into this role now even then it wasn't clearly defined right and and but here's the thing I I you know the relationship I have with Rick is that he he's always lived up to his word and I always live up to my word and we're just really honest we have a great relationship where we could just share things and talk about it and you know wasn't about money it was about what is my future within hendrik Motorsports and how does he see that and view that and he wanted to hear the same from me and and I I just this this Sport and and Hendrick Motorsports has given me everything yeah and so not only do I want to give back but I love the company and I love the sport and so this is the way I think the best way for me to be able to you know have a a long future and in again creating value for hendrik Motorsports and and and for um you our folks I mean it's just like you say it's all about the people and I'm I'm I'm just I'm invested in the people now more than I ever have and I'm I am enjoying it it's got some challenges talk about those challenges I mean it's just you know you're in a lot of different meetings where a lot of things are being thrown at you and and it's just something every day which is the fun part the fun part is there's no day that's the same right the hours aren't necessarily set it's just just what what's being thrown at you whether it's a driver getting injured um you know trying to land a new sponsor or um you know planning 40th anniversary celebrations or or events um negotiating with NASCAR and and you know things that we're doing with for the with the teams and um and and making sure that we're continu to stay competitive winning races and in in championships I'm less on the competition side I'll be honest like that's surprising to me yeah I just feel like having been a driver I mean I like working with the drivers to to find ways to help them build their own brand help you know connect to the sponsors and and you know more the business side of things licensing and Merchandising and and those types of opportunities and for some reason it seems to be more of my interest is the business side um but uh you know the the I I haven't driven this car the competition's changed so much the way that they tied to the engineering and all the data and all it and so while I listen and like to be knowledgeable about it and add when I can to me it's it's more about you know the chemistry and the work ethic and and you know how you share information and how um you know you just get the most out of of yourself as as a team and as a driver that that's more where where I think I'm I'm focused and and that's what Rick you know what what I loved about Rick is Rick was always just what tools do you need to go faster not just me as a driver but as a team right you know this you were there he's just always trying to figure out what can we do to stay competitive stay on top uh of our game what people can we put together yeah uh to make that happen I talked to fans on social media about you coming on the show and ask them if there were any questions that they wanted me to ask you and um talking about the um you know you talked about working with the drivers uh one of the questions from a guy Michael Schuman he says why do you think that monotone drivers are good for the sport and HMS and he's you know he's being a bit uh he's needling you a little bit but you had a comment right Denny this was right around the time when Denny was sort of getting himself in trouble with this podcast yeah and you came out and you said yeah I don't really want my guys doing those type of things we don't need that it's a bit of a distraction we want to be a smooth operation over here and I need my drivers walk in a certain line there's been when I went there you know it was you know tuck in your shirt wear slacks wear a button down there was a style there was an image yeah uh Pinsky has it as well uh an expectation uh that's been there forever right and you were part of that as a driver and now part of it is is you know running the business what is your what is okay for your drivers what are you you know when you we got this Netflix deal yeah you know you see the drivers out there some of them sharing a lot of their lives um I'm certain that you're you you want your guys in that you know in that sort of environment right and helping your sponsors helping the sport and all that thing but I know that um you know you've got a lot of opinions on this well I I mean listen there's no book right you don't get a Hendrick book in it's says here here's you know the the the guard rails I I think we love to see guys have personality and show I mean you I go back through my career and it came through opportunities I mean with the things that you know I did with Pepsi yeah because they presented something and it's like if you have the the um kind of uh Comfort level to go try some of those things and and put yourself out there and and maybe You' be a little bit more criticized if it doesn't go well but but put yourself out there when those right opportunities come along I think that's great I love that I want that that I but also got to be professional you know and and you know the the way we do things is is definitely at a a high professional level to get the most out of the race team and the race car and just knowing how hard everybody works right at it so to me that's a fine line between you know showing your personality being professional and then doing things that that are um you know kind of create conflict and going against the grain yeah and so I just I just think that that depends on who your sponsor is uh depend on who your owner is so I want to ask you this so Jimmy right is driving for HMS forever you and I know Jimmy we know Jimmy Jam we know the altero we know what kind of guy this this guy is when he's you know out and about and away from the track fun goofy hilarious Daredevil yeah all of those things right but when he was and I know that he was focused in a champion right and doing what he needed to do to win races and and be his best but there seemed to be from somewhere whether it was him Lowe's or HMS there was there was uh a muffling of his Personality yeah right and was you now in the position you're in was that a you think that was more of a personal choice for Jimmy I thought it was I mean I didn't think that it was ever again I think it depends on your sponsor and kind of what those expectations are I mean yeah there's I think there's higher expectations at hendrik today because of all the success uh because the way things have evolved higher expectations now well I mean I mean as far as I mean the damn expectations were pretty damn High not not just your performance I I just think the the level of professionalism when there was a five and a seven time champion in the in in the competition meeting four man well four when there was I'm going to give you one more when there were when there were that many championships in the competition meetings I couldn't imagine the expectations being higher today uh but but you you were there I mean you know and and you tell me like you had Mountain Dew right as a sponsor I mean how how did you feel I you know I I probably didn't do myself a lot of favors all the time I mean I was I was going to be an idiot every once in a while and say the wrong thing you know and I wasn't quite as smart about maybe I should just keep my mouth shut today but did anybody criticize you for that or I never had you know I never I don't know that no Rick or no one ever sat me down and said man cut that out right stop that um more you know nothing like Denny's probably experienced I I I'm curious you know was there um one of the one of the questions uh was from John Smith the most fro frustrated you ever were with me when we were teammates so I mean maybe that's a moment where I was uh you know you guys were on on this on this plan and I'm over here acting a fool yeah I mean I don't ever remember you acting a fool I like to me having you there was was awesome because first of all the sponsor like amount of sponsor engagement and interest and fans was just unreal right unlike anything that I had ever experienced or Jimmy had ever EXP experience and you and I had you know known each other and I I mean our friendship you know was was we weren't like hanging out buddies all the time but when we did we got along grade and had a good time so I was excited you know about it and and I knew your relationship with with uh Rick as well was was solid so I thought that was super cool um I never had any anything like that that I remember as far as anything you ever said in the media the only time I ever had frustration with you was a time when I can't blame you right which is Martinsville when oh when I won you were I didn't I mean if I passed you to win the race that's one thing but you just you ran out of laps so what yeah yeah exactly you didn't do anything wrong that's that's why I'm so frustrated no if you remember that day and I think that we were in the championship battle and so I I'm pretty sure that I kept I kept lining up in the outside this is before the choose roll right so I'm in the outside Lane on seemed like every restart I think I was starting like fourth or something like that about every restart and you were usually the one row behind me or next to me I can't remember and I remember like there was some conversation on the radio hey Junior you know he'll help you out if if you get a run and you'll get down in front of him if you get that run I'm like okay cool and all day long right it was like okay I'd get in there get in there get in there and then the last restart when it time to go for everybody it was like wh and I couldn't get down I remember I fell you know a few spots back and then you went up and got the lead and then I'm running you down as you know caught you with like two laps to go and you win the race and I was like devastated because we didn't win and I thought we had a car that could win and we didn't move on you know in the championship but I never would blame you for going and winning a trophy or especially that trophy one the one time I get Mar trophy so that's the only time I can ever remember being frustrated with with you beating us on all the super speed I know I remember some there is some uh inar audio from mainly Daytona tallo where you're like what the hell's this eight car doing what are little out there doing you know just really annoyed cuz I would bump draft in the corners way before it was like something you did um I remember you were pretty aggressive you were aggressive and you had a fast race car I raced in practice and that annoyed the out of all of y'all and uh well I I could sit here and say that that was very Earnhart ear way yeah I'm glad you said that you know I talked about those fan questions um and wanted to get to a couple more of those we had Bill Davis on the show that you drove for at one point think about your career if you don't go to hendrik Motorsports think about your career if you stay with Bill Davis how many wins how many championships h i I would say a few handful wins I don't think any championship and that's no not to to bill you know but now knowing what I know right and knowing the commitment and the investment and and what it takes to win a championship um you know I think even if we had stayed together I don't I don't think we would have taken things that that far yeah um love bill you know love love working he was such a a great guy and and worked really hard and and put together a great team I just I just don't think it was ever going to be able to to evolve to a a hendrik Pensky you know level um and and so yeah it's hard to say but I I I mean I know that they they won races you know so I I feel like we could have won races together for sure so you are um you know you get integrated into um current the current um evolution of hendrik Motorsports now you know and you've been in this position sort of managing the the company and and growing in your own role um at the same time Jimmy comes back from his little you know trip to Indie Car and wants to get involved in NASCAR wants to get back involved in NASCAR I had conversations with Jimmy Zoom calls I know Jimmy went and talked to everybody I imagine and I have to assume that you and him and Rick were in a room at some point to talk about you know his interest in in what his vision was or plan was yeah um it it's I just felt like that at some point the the the announcement was going to be made that he was going to be part of y'all's current future you know part of the runway um where did there were there ever any conversations with Jimmy doing anything with HMS like he's doing now with with his race team you know or was that never on the table did he just come to you he told me like I'm going to go to everybody and just try to gather information get advice and that's he told me when he was going to go speak with Rick or Hendrick Motorsports or anybody that that's what he was there for really just to get information and advice and take that and and move forward that's the way I took it I mean I sat down with him um to talk about I know Rick did as well um but to me it was more just about understanding you the the the business side and and the ownership side and and what opportunities might be out there there um I I he and I certainly I don't know what if he and Rick spoke about but I know he and I never really spoke about that being at Hendrick Motorsports um you know and again I go back to if that were going to happen would that have happen earlier in a contract you know before he was leaving hendrik and having some of those conversations I I would have loved to have kept Jimmy closer to hendrik Motorsports you know I mean he when you you have a guy that's had that much history at a place he can only add value yeah and uh you know but that was not really anything that we really talked about uh you know was more about you know kind of what path he was on what he was thinking what you know and and what he was looking at doing um and kind of what was next for him and so I mean I'm an open book especially with a guy like like Jimmy you know that you have a a friendship and in a relationship like that I'm like man I'll tell you everything I got going on I'll tell you what's going on with the race teams and you know you make your decision you know from from there yeah pretty interesting to see him get back involved and I didn't think he would come back in any real shape or form but now he's you know back behind the wheel of a car it's got to give you got to have thoughts about that you know having competed with him having been such close teammates for so many years I know y'all race the out of each other but you that was a mutual respect in oh there's nobody I respect of course uh you know with him back behind the wheel taking his team to Toyota um he's making moves he's and and and having had some some conversations with him he's very eager to make this thing better um and and he's trying to do that while he also spends a large amount of his time overseas and now he's going to be racing in this you know this this other you know he's racing all kinds of other cars other things um so I you know do you think that um you know we Jimmy around for a long time is he in it for the long haul where do you see Jimmy's future as an owner I would think so I mean I think you know he's partnered with somebody really solid in in myy Gallagher I think that you know that team again setting themselves up for for a long future so I think he's he's found a good place there I you Bumm that it wasn't able to continue with Chevrolet because uh you know obviously you know how I feel about about Chevrolet and and I know how great a relationship he had with Chevrolet but you do have to to to make tough business decisions you know and and there just wasn't a big opportunity there um with the way that the the key Partnerships and and the alignment of the teams are currently with Chevrolet um and what that future looks like apparently that just wasn't a good enough opportunity there so hard to hard to blame them but um I am surprised he's driving I'll be honest you know like uh I I I again I admire what he did in indie car I'm like man woo I went and did one sports car race and got my butt kicked and it was the hardest I ever had to work in a race car in a long time and it made me think a lot about Jimmy you know and that commitment that he made to go run indie car uh and and and you know whether you could say it was successful or not successful just taking that that step right and committing to it is what I admired so much about it and then same thing you know with with with Nascar or whatever else I mean first of all Jimmy is one of the most versatile race car drivers I've ever you know raced against I I not only seen him how he adapted to a stock car changing conditions in the stock car setups or whatever it may be but seing him hop in other cars too you know we went over to Spain and we did this uh this rally car the race the Champions event and it was okay at that time it was you had a you had a two- wheel racer U you know like that came from motorcycles then you had a pavement racer and a and a dirt racer is kind of the the way that it set up so we had Colin Edwards motorcycle guy he won every race by the way he was awesome in four wheels he was in the little buggy even though they weren't on two wheels he was in the buggy won every race I think I won maybe you know half the races I was in and Jimmy had to go up against a full-blown rally drivers in a rally car and and you know he had the biggest challenge and he took it on you so he's not afraid to to pursue something like that and and he was he was competitive very competitive um so you know it just goes to show you I think his mindset his talent his abilties so on one hand I'm surprised he's going to run in the cup series with especially with the nextg car right and and how different this car is but at the same time I'm not because I've seen him take on these big challenges throughout his whole life and and and you know find success he was fast at Charlotte last year I don't know if you remember I think that was was at the 600 October race he was super super fast um you I know he you know he had got in an accident or something but he prior to that he was making some of the best lap times so he still has the speed yeah Anthony wants to know so you know hendrik Motorsports is involved in this effort to take lson to the n500 garage 56 are these just like things that are just like pres you know are these just these singular opportunities that y'all go that looks good what's the plan let's do it okay that's done here comes another one n we're not going to do that one okay this looks good we'll do this or is there a they're a real vision for hendrik Motorsports to diversify and be involved in other forms of Motorsports yeah I would say it started with opportunities um certainly garage 56 when it first came along you know Jim France and Rick talking about it and and then that thing comes to reality and even along the way right I mean I think Rick was a bit apprehensive and and hesitant of I don't know if I'm going to be going to lar and you know what what how are we going to make this car as competitive against GT cars and then along the way I think he saw not just Chad uh you know and and Greg and and the folks that were involved he just saw our people rally behind this and the effort they start making and the testing the progression of the car and and the reality of going to Lama and then he got to lar and he had I've never seen him more proud right of of an effort that had Hendrick Motorsports on and our folks you know and and and representing our country yeah and the car was loud and Fast and and you know the pit stop you know where we won the pit stop competition in our class I mean like it I just saw him beaming from and I think what that did was opened up some doors and opportunities of okay we did this this is a huge challenge what what's next now at that time I kind of already knew the Indie 500 thing was coming and that I I'll give lson a lot of credit on that when he came to hendrik he said man if there's ever an opportunity to to run the n500 I'd love to do it in my Prime not when I'm retired yeah and so you know I I took that to Rick and and we started talking about it and I I don't think until the Lamar thing started gaining momentum did that ever even become a reality um I think he was like like yeah right I don't I don't think I'm ever going to do that and then all of a sudden it was okay you know let's let's pursue it and then we partnered you know with with McLaren on it but I think now because of those two things we are looking at more uh diversification I mean the I think the the manufactur we had to with nextg by the way right nextg goes away we're not building our chassis anymore we're not hanging bodies um you know we're not building as many components for the car what do we do not only with the equipment that we had to do this but the people yeah and try to keep jobs uh at you know keep them at Hendrick and and that's where I give Marshall Carlson and and his group a ton of credit for really pursuing the the GM defense um manufacturing capabilities and in contracts and man that's just been evolving and growing so now you know you see where we've Diversified into that um you know we've seen General Motors bring their Tech Center uh close to our campus um you know the the things with with garage 56 and indie car and then you know Rick's love for Corvette right I mean he just that's that's his favorite car he's collected a bunch of them and I I I think that you know you know if there was ever an opportunity to get closer to Corvette and you know continue to evolve with chevret and and General Motors in the racing uh area then then you know we would love to continue to see that happen wow um there's some opportunity there because there's sort of this sort of you know the the Corvette program in imp and so forth is sort of in this transition and Rick has had some experience as an owner in in the impa uh series years ago um he had that black and silver uh prototype um so was uh Isaac wants to know speaking of the Indie 500 was there ever a real legitimate conversation about you running the double un fortunately no I mean I I I I definitely had a conversation about it but I didn't think it was ever realistic I don't know I'm different than than guys like lson you know I to me it was I can do this one thing pretty good yeah I don't think I can do these two things really good you know he he hops in a Sprint car and goes races at Knoxville wins the Knoxville Nationals and shows up the next day at at Indianapolis on the road course and is leading the race and you know could have won that race I didn't ever think that that was what I was good at you know I I thought that I was best at focusing my energy and efforts into one team one car and while I could have fun going doing the other things I didn't think I could be competitive in all the other things same thing with with the Rolex 24hour you know I didn't I tried it one time and I was like man I'm giving it a half effort I don't have I can't commit to it and when I retired I said I'm committing to this and got the opportunity of Wayne Taylor racing and and you know was able to be competitive in the wed and and contribute to the team and you focus on all the driver changes I put a a ton of effort into driving that car and understanding the car and the team aspect of it and not saying that we won because of me because I put the minimum effort of the other three guys but you know it was amazing to go win win that event but I also know how much I put into it um and I think you get out of it what you put into it and so that's that's just my thing so you know even though I got asked to do India a couple times over the years I didn't ever think that it was realistic for me you you mentioned Larson being the guy that can jump in just about anything day after day and change his uh Styles and be competitive you're very close to him in proximity and watching him work uh you know who AJ Foyd is and and and Mario andred and you raced against Tony Stewart where do you rank Kyle Larson in the ecosystem I mean is he maybe the best ever to ever drive a race car um you know I mean that's a that's a big that's a big statement but he's in the he's in this conversation uh and and he's here we're in the prime of his career watching maybe one of the the greatest at least in the top five greatest race car drivers in the history of Motorsports I I mean it's probably something that's going to be debated throughout his entire career and then long after cuz you know any time you can jump this is why Mario andred is so you know guarded you know as is the one of the best is is because he could get into everything and win right and I mean he did it on a whole another level Formula 1 Indie Car sprint cars who whatever else he got into NASCAR right and and sports cars I mean everything he won in and I think that's the true sign of of the best um and I think lson has shown that he can do the same thing you know he's won the Rolex 24 hours um you know he he's one in NASCAR one in sprint cars I don't know if he'll ever get a chance to drive an F1 car but uh he's going to get a chance to go to Indie with a with a a solid you know very strong effort and I'm and already I've seen him adapt to it very quickly so not not necessarily surprising I mean Jimmy's the best I've ever raced with right because and and that's how I evaluate it is people in same equipment as me on the same track and you go race with them and and you know Jimmy was the best so I got to race with Larson but we weren't in the same equipment and you know now I see how much effort he puts into it and I respect what he does and how he does it um but I I don't know how you you rank a driver sure without you know you being out there competing with him but he's certainly one of the best that I've ever seen you didn't go to Phoenix for the test I couldn't make it to Phoenix unfortunately what did you learn that we didn't hear about from that test uh well I mean he definitely had a moment oh really yes yeah which I think you know they said was was a good thing I think he was on a longer run uh later in the test and and the car started getting loose um I think in the Indie Cars what I'm hearing a lot about is you you have these weight jackers and adjustments and things you can make within the car never mess with that and and that you got to stay on top of it quickly and so I think he felt the car was was starting to get a little bit free and I don't know if he made enough adjust in the car to tighten the car up and then the car you know didn't come all the way around on but but got out there wow and uh he saved it but he pulled in but I think I think yeah no kidding well I've seen him not pull in um but uh but so you know I think that it was good for him and again this is stuff that that I've been impressed with him he's asked for things like this like not only did he ask you know hey if the opportunity for Indies ever to come up but but once once it did he said I would love to drive the car somewhere other than Indie where I can feel the car I can understand you know what loose is or what tight is and and you know some of these things I still think the learning curve is going to be super steep with traffic and the speeds that you're carrying at at Indianapolis trimming the car for qualifying but uh but yeah I I think it was from everything I heard it was a good test yeah is um Leo racing no Leo's taking a taking a bre no I know he ran a little bit right he did both he and Ella you know both uh she's on the track but she is she's on foot all right yeah she's track does track and field uh you know he's just a pretty typical 13-year-old boy he wants to be you know fortnite and and you know gaming and YouTube and all all that kind of stuff uh what kind of dad is Jeff Gordon ah I I think sometimes I'm I'm a little bit too disciplined expectations are high yeah I mean you know I have those days yeah you know where you're like man I got to dial it back I'm asking too much they're just five years you know three and five years old my kids are really young and I sort of you know they'll do things that impress you and your expectations rise because of those those Milestones they're meeting right yeah and then you're like wait why did you not do that it seems like that would make perfect sense to make this decision I'm a very proud very loving dad um want to be there for everything that they have going on you know um anything any activity they're in I'm there um you know that's probably the only thing I take off work for is is you know being together as a family uh otherwise I love to work but uh but but I think yeah what comes along with that is is definitely my upbringing expectations my my parents had um when you see the potential right you're like man kids are so smart if they just apply themselves you know and and so I uh I I I I love being a dad but but it's it's tough right cuz you know where their brains are at at their age versus where yours is at and and it's yeah you got you got to make sure that uh that that you connect to them on on their level and and um luckily my wife is amazing she yeah I know I've heard you say this too with Amy I mean moms are the best and and uh and ing's a great mom and and a great wife and and so uh you know we're we're a great team how has your how's the home environment visually and physically changed since you've so as I got away from my racing career the trophies moved into different rooms then they went into storage now there's a couple right but like you know my kids exposure to my life and my history is not maybe as as robust or or obvious right as I would like it to be I want them to certainly be curious and know but maybe they you know I just have to be patient right but with your kids like I'm they they they probably witnessed a lot more of your career and your your racing career but now as that's gone away right and you're moving further away from that it the physical world around them changes right there's less dad the driver less you know memories of those years um does that is that something you even think about does that yeah I mean you know obviously they were coming to the racetrack about every weekend right when they were younger um and and I I I think that probably pushed me to drive a little bit longer too you know so they could see some so they could see more of it and actually remember some of it Leo doesn't remember as much as as Ella does um and you know I I tried a few times a year to take them both to the racetrack either one at a time or together uh you know just to to I want them to understand what I what I do today but um at the same time they'll get fans coming up and talking about you know following me as a as a driver the one of the funniest things happened recently I is I was uh with my daughter we were in New York and we were walking down the street and somebody recognized me and she was shocked right she's like how did that person recognize you she's like that never happens on the street in New York and and I think actually that day there was a couple people and and so you know it's cute in a way because I mean it's good to know that that people still you know recognize you but I I it was nice to make that connection for for her because you know in her mind racing days are long over and I'm a I'm a guy that goes into an office pretty much every day and not as much of of a of an on you know TV personality so um and we were we were actually we were in Dubai uh o over the holidays we we went to on a big trip we went to Africa we went to males and my wife likes to take big trips right so sounds like it yeah and but we uh we ended coming through Dubai and and there's this amazing mall that's there in Dubai I mean some of the construction and and what they've built there is blows your mind and she was shocked because they had one of my old Pepsi jackets in this uh this this like vintage store and and so she's like look at this oh my God so you know those are when I get the cool dad points when things like that happen because it doesn't happen you know as often which I'm fine with I I like I had an amazing career had a lot of interaction with fans and and got to live that part of my life and and I'm totally comfortable and content on what I'm doing you know today and and the level of celebrity you know that I have uh I do wish that you know that that there was more racing that I could have done when they were older older cuz I would I would love to have seen how they interacted with it and appreciate don't you start with me don't you get started oh man listen I I was talking to some of the girls uh at the out in the lobby before I came in here and and they were ask do you ever do any racing I said not in a circle I said I spent my whole life since I was 5 years old going around in circles I said if I'm going to do anything it's going to be uh you know taking taking a car sports car out on a road course I'm fascinated by that but I wanted to say like um I had one of those moments where uh uh the fan recognized you on the streets of New York City we took a we took um Isa and the girls to meet to see Santa this year and Santa said my name and Isa goes how does Santa know your name that's awesome cuz I'm on the naughty list Amy yeah me and Amy were stuttering boy trying to figure out the right answer for that one um I bug you about this from time to time man about driving and it's really not I mean of course I would love to watch you race a car of anywhere I I you know when we were racing against each other I didn't appreciate you you know I didn't appreciate the competitors and and and and their greatness and and some of the Champions like yourself and and and what icons they were and how important they and valuable they were to the sport but now that I'm kind of out of it and all these guys are you know you me and all these other guys are kind of moved on from that full-time grind that we were in I'm you know I've had a hard time like making that decision to say that was it never again will I be in competition um and so I have to I ask that question a lot of all the guys that come in here when they retired and how they managed that and you seem to you see seem to not have any interest well that's cuz I'm in a competitive environment every single day you know with the business side of it I guess yeah but I mean I just you know I'll watch a race you know you're in that Booth I'll watch a race and I'll go you know I'm not I don't want to get out in a cup car I don't I don't want to run the dayon 500 ever again I don't have any interest in drive you know driving competitively in the next gen it's just too hard it's elite yeah I get I realize the amount of effort you got to put into prep I realized that when I raced that expend car I'm like I'm lucky I'm okay at this cuz these guys are really good you do a great job man I can't believe that I've been able to do as well as I have because they're that good right and trying to come in there and do it once a year is ridiculous that's a that's a silly assumption yeah um racing my little late model car they kicked my ass I ran forth this weekend driving my tail off I saw your race I was wondering all I saw was you passing cars so we did move forward but um it was you know but I can't just stop yeah and um I don't know I'm you know when I did stop I thought I was done right when I retired from cup I was like okay I'm done and then the more I watched the more I felt this draw to it you know and I don't know how you got away how did you escape I mean I I I you know I thought doing TV was a nice transition being involved with Hendrick Motorsports even when I was doing TV second half of the year I was still very very involved but um when you're watching those races from the booth though you weren't yeah I and first of all let me just say this you know so before I don't want to forget saying this that I agree with you like I didn't understand appreciate guys like you and and iconic faces and names and how much that meant to the sport right and how many we had exit the sport in a at one pretty rapid period of time um and so you know having you in the booth having you out on the racetrack I think is is still critical to to our fan base and and and also setting the right example for other guys coming up um you know for for me I guess it was if I don't if I don't feel like I can be competitive but you can why do you think you can't be competitive that's funny too because you bought that Porsche right you and Ray take it to Indie y'all don't know what you're doing Ray I talked to Ray about it he's like yeah I had to Crunch and learn everything I could but I know when y'all got there y'all were not you were you were in left field on a setup y'all didn't have the thing dialed in you finally got it a little better the next day and you walk away from that going yep I I can't do it anymore these guys are better it's too hard that's not it you were driving the wrong car that day um maybe that's the case but I mean what I learned about that was people were testing right I didn't know anybody tested before you get there and and you know these guys are racing all season long and so I I just I respect the competitors I do you know I respect that that they're working hard at your own urge and the lure that it was for all these years I love driving cars don't get me wrong like I love going to the racetrack I don't get enough of that I just don't really need to do it in the competitive environment I'd rather just push myself you know I'll look at the clock but I'll look at the clock to say okay I ran this lap time how do I go a little faster how do I go a little faster I don't want to look at the clock of everybody else you don't want to look at the lineup and go I'm 15th I need to be 10 because I know what's going to happen yeah is I'm G to go take over all right here we go right just like what happened in Indianapolis both me and Ray the same thing I saw it in him he was like about to get we went it haha what's fun you know hey let's have a beer at the end of the day too boom it was full on back into like how you know I'm like getting together with other drivers and sharing data and you know and and and I realized I was out of shape and just all these things and I just was like man I really don't want to do this often I just I I I enjoyed doing it that weekend and and I enjoy going to the racetrack and driving some cars um and different cars right just feeling different things and different tracks I do like that I want to go I actually want to go to nurur green I want to run you know nurur green one one day you drove that dirt car that sprint car just the yeah you drove that yeah and I'm sitting there thinking man I hope he gets the bug when you were when I saw that social media I was like damn it I hope he can't get out of that thing and you just hop out and you're like that's fun okay never because in my mind I go okay like if I had to go slide somebody to make me get the position am I going to clear am I going to jump the cushion you know like I just start thinking about too many other things probably yeah that's fascinating me and you a long time ago me you uh I think Harvick Burton there's a couple of us got together Helton came to us and said hey let's all get together we sat down in a uh we sat down with a couple beers and me and you and a couple of the drivers in hton in my western town and contemplated like double file restarts um not racing back to the flag all these weird you know all these um different things right um there were about I don't know half a dozen different changes to racing procedure and stuff that we we contemplated and he bounced off of us and got our opinion that was a great thing we did that two or three times and then it kind of just went away but it was it was good it made yeah it was great first of all you hosted Us in the best location we could have asked for it was private and and and you know it's a cool environment and I think it walls yeah and it created a good conversation like a like hey this isn't going to leave this room right we could just have these conversations be candid right but but also um and honest and and and you know because it was the betterment of the of the the series of the sport right and and I I think there's some of that that that takes place today but maybe that was the early you know kind of beginnings of some things but yeah I do wish more things like that you know happen because uh you know communication is Everything is Everything in a business it's everything in in in the sport and so uh yeah I enjoyed I mean we had fun we we talked about a lot of stuff I mean we kind of Beed around a little bit and and then and I think I mean Mike Kelton right I mean he perfect that guy has just been amazing for NASCAR and and uh you know I miss him in that role he had such a presence um and he listened you know and and that was super cool and and I and I've ticked him off a few times too so I I really appreciate when I get invited some things like that um but um but no yeah that was that was a good time I mean you to crank those back up oh I you're the one you hosted it well I'll host it okay yeah well the Western Town's still ready let's do it let's get some drivers and Phelps odonald a couple them guys and I'm in pack a cooler tell me what the date is and I'll make it happen um I did well last thing I wanted to talk to you about um before we let you go is being inducted into the Hall of Fame um it's been been several years and uh one of the things that I always enjoy um when I got inducted we went to this dinner that happens the night before where the Hall of Famers all get together and you have dinner with the new inductees uh and and it's a very intimate space and everybody can have these fun conversations and I told Amy and she she agreed she she said I was thinking the same thing when you said it I said Amy for the rest of our lives these two events this this dinner and then the the the ceremony the next night will be on our calendar right there's no skipping this or not coming and um I just wanted to know like after all these years of sort of being uh inducted into the Hall of Fame being recently named you know NASCAR's 75th one of the greatest 75 drivers you were in the you were in the 50s and now the 75 and um you know what's I mean to me the Hall of Fame is the top like of anything that you can accomplish in in this sport at least NASCAR U the Hall of Fame is sort of the peak achievement um you know how how do you enjoy being celebrated all these years later um when you look back on your career um what is it like to walk around a Hall of Famer uh and to be you know recognized as such um cuz you're at you're still at the racetrack every day you're still working and Infused into the sport so um how are you enjoying that yeah no it's it's it's so cool I mean I'm I'm so appreciative again I I talk about and in my my hall of fame speech I talked about timing I feel like just my timing As a Race Car Driver my timing as a race car driver in NASCAR could not have been any any better and and I say that talking about this because the Hall of Fame was created right and and the legends that that built the Spore were inducted and and built this Hall and and made this Hall so special and so unique and and it makes it you know for me so proud right to of what I accomplished in my career and it's like it's just the ultimate kind of of of icing on the cake of a of a career if you can make it into the Hall of Fame and and you know I think it only gets better like you know inducting Jimmy Johnson the seven time Champion into it um and and yourself and just you know now you start to see the names that that are in there and you just go wow you know I can't believe that I'm a part of this because it's it's such a a special class Elite Class to to be a part of so every year and I I agree that Thursday Thursday night part uh dinner that's a like I don't want to miss that ever right the same way I'm like put that on my calendar it's just so cool to go in there you know when they bring you up on the stage and in your jacket and and you you as they introducing everybody and this year was cool I was the first one to get introduced but then I just got to watch everybody else walk up there and it's just like every one of them it's just Heroes of mine yeah guys you know and I didn't get to race against all them but I got to race with a decent amount of them now we're adding some more guys that I raced you know against like Matt and and you and and Jimmy and and um you know it's just uh and Tony and it it's just to me like um it's it's even more meaningful at this point in my life in my in my career and I think it gets more so every year I agree um and and so I'm you I'm super proud of of being in that Hall yeah speaking of the hall of fame um and the NASCAR banquet so uh the NASCAR banquet may very well continue to to be in Nashville but I think there is a moment here where um there's some conversation around should it go somewhere else um if you were at charge right um does the banquet stay in Nashville go back to Vegas or do you take it to the hall of fame uh is the you know I have I'm of the opinion and I want to sway yours but I'm of the opinion that with the Hall of Fame meaning as much as it means to both of us you just you just talked about that um so well why wouldn't we want to celebrate one of the most important nights of the Season annually in that building and yes you know it's great when the sport can be in Vegas and celebrating its champion in in other cities and and under the lights and and and under the ma under the magnifying glass or the spotlight of of a big city like New York at the wildor those are some amazing events that I was able to go to as a young young guy but I think and you know moving it to Charlotte is an investment in ourselves that Hall of Fame and the importance of the Hall of Fame and trying to grow you know make you know make Charlotte that destination for our fans make that our our place where we do all of our celebrating your opinion on that well first of all you know I think you have probably one of the best um pulses on on the sport in this sense right of its history it's connection to the fans um and so I might probably rely on you a little bit more on this one I mean I I certainly look back and think of how special it was to be in New York you know and and to feel like it's hard to make an impact in in a big city right and and I feel like NASCAR made a pretty significant impact to you know all all the opportunities that were happening in there and when you're celebrated as a champion I I I don't know that um you know there would be anything like that again in our sport um you know I thought Vegas I mean again you're trying to make an impact you're trying to take the sport to new people and new levels um and and I think it served its purpose I love N I think Nashville has a great Vibe and I think we're there too late though like I think it's you know it's it's um I I I think that time of year it seems like Nashville doesn't just have as as not in season it's not in season and and it does have a season which I you know found out about I went there this past summer during the oh yeah and it's a whole oh yeah um it's a fun town so I I do like the connection to Nashville but to your point with the Hall of Fame being here with you know everything that North Carolina means to to NASCAR and NASCAR means to North Carolina um I I certainly wouldn't be against it yeah I think New York's a great argument man I really didn't think about it that way because there was a bunch of equity built up in all those years of going to or if there was all the all the you know this was a long time ago but having gone there so many years in a row like shering those guys Petri they had a routine they had the places they were going to eat dinner at the bars they were going to have beers at um plus your all you're right next door to any media any major media you want to be doing during the week leading up to the banquet to celebrate our stars um so I could see it having a great impact or a big you know big boost for our sport to go back um to New York City um I was I was thinking I had more fun in Vegas Vegas was a lot of fun cuz man you'd be in the casino you'd be in the in the hotel have the banquet grab something to eat go to go gamble or go drink some beers or go to the club and never have to leave a building right never do it all in the same building then go to a room when you when you're retired and ready to go to sleep yeah I mean I was just out in Vegas for the Super Bowl and it's it's such a great town for events right and and it just doesn't get any better so it it is a fun town but there's also tons of things going on right so yeah competing a bit Yeah competing a lot you went to the Super Bowl yeah were wore your 49ers gear they came close I this is the first time I've ever gone to a Super Bowl geared out like I I normally I go there you know and I'm in a suite and dress appropriate or whatever maybe a little bit of a hint of a hat or something like that but this year I was like I'm going all out man and I'm I'm not going to let Boer outdo me this year he still outdid everybody and he did he's as he normally does on all levels right um but I went this year with my with my daughter I took Ella who's you know she's GNA be 17 by the way in June which W blows my mind uh and she wanted to go she said if the 49ers go because she she watches football with me from time to time and is a 49er fan as well and so I I committed I had buyers remorse the next day after I bought the tickets but uh but we went we had a we had a blast I mean the whole weekend was awesome the game was a great game the only downside was just the fact that they uh they didn't get it done at the end I I've never been to the Super Bowl but I went to the n500 no how have you never been to the Super Bowl that's unbelievable and I really yeah I mean just because I I would thought one I I would have thought that well you're a Cowboys fan is that right no who no Washington I'm just trying to think if so if they had gone to a Super Bowl would you have gone actually they go actually I actually did go to a Super Bowl recently um it might have been the last time that's bad when you don't even remember well New England was playing New England was playing I was there for Nationwide for a couple days well that's what I was going to say I figured one of your sponsors we ended up yeah we ended up at the game and I was in a suite with NBC and I only I I only really got to watch like two quarters like middle of the game and then we kind of left early because um blay was with us and he was in the stands with some other people that were on my team my brand Team and he had the flu Oh no and so we left early cuz he was starting to wipe out oh no yeah and so um usually people wipe out with a different kind of flu from if Washington if Washington ever goes back um I wouldn't miss it yeah but I got to ask you like I've been to the n500 that is the only other event maybe compared comparable to the day 2500 or or anything we do in NASCAR um and seeing the spectacle the tra tradition you know the pageantry and all of the things the lead up to the race it's insane and I know you've seen it the Super Bowl you know where does it rank is it is it is it hard to comprehend or hard to articulate the moment and how big that is uh you've you've been to a lot of big events in your life and you obviously are going to automatically compare all of those to your experience in NASCAR so where does that Super Bowl rank so I I rank events and experiences off of the energy right like what what do I feel the people that are there are bringing yes and and how's it making me feel and first of all a stadium right you can't beat it even even The Clash right for for NASCAR what I love about The Clash is the energy you know you're able to have music playing where everybody gets into it they're dancing in and and while the racing you know is on this tiny little bull ring and I don't know if it's the best racing the atmosphere is great and so to me a Super Bowl it's just hard to beat it because you're just you're in that stadium and you've got the Rivalry happening between the two teams you know you've got Avid fans for their team you got celebrities you know what was the halftime like uh halftime was was good I I I'll tell my quick halftime story here real quick so so I'm I'm in seats very happy with my seats I'm on the NFC side with mainly my my Niner fans okay and uh is there a side there's a ASC and an NC side well when you buy tickets they they definitely tell you so even though they were people mixed through out but but I think there were more more Niner fans on our side and so Boer who was on the opposite side and was in a suite of course right with all his celebrity friends so he's calling me he's like you got got to come over here you got to come over here and I'm like man I love my seats I'm happy like team's doing good I don't know and he's like listen Happ time's coming and it's facing me it's not facing you I was like how do you know that he's like trust me I know so so I'm like I tell Ella you know I said well what do you think and she's I don't know I think we should stay here and I said I agree I don't I said we and now it's the clock's ticking and we're getting closer you know to the end of of the half and he and so Boyer calls back he goes you gotta get over here you know gwyn's here and Blake's here and and and um Malone post Malone is here and my daughter here's post Malone y now you're going and she's like let's go and so we take off on this Mad Dash to get around to that side we're going so fast we blow right by the entrance to get to where he's at oh no now he's calling me where you at where you at I back up we we get in there I'm sweating like running and we've missed like the first 2 minutes of the halftime show starting and and so but we're there and it was great and it was cool and fun people and she got to meet post Malone and Gwen and Blake and you know there's and it was a great environment of course Boyer is always the life of the party no matter what and uh and and so I you know my daughter was very happy but I missed half the halftime show so I had I had to watch it on TV when I came home to see what it's all about but it cool you know uh I mean you know I like Usher ludicrous and it's you know all the halftime shows always usually translate well over across TV when you're watching at home I mean they you know the camera puts you right in there yeah and I was wondering like when you're at the game it doesn't have yeah it doesn't have the same impact in my opinion although me and my wife were talking about this about CU we've been to a handful of of Super Bowls and our favorite one was was Prince yeah um yeah because he started singing Purple Rain and it was raining it was an open Stadium it was raining and it just besides whether you're a prince fan or not just I don't know it just seemed like you know it was a big big moment of him performing and that music and that song and just felt like you know again the energy just felt like everybody was really into it well man I don't know if we uh I don't know if there's something we had covered that you wanted to mention while you were here but I feel like we we did a good job of of covering some track and appreciate you giving us some time you got a busy week coming up with the Daytona 500 when are you leaving I appreciate you number one and uh and I have a feeling I I feel like I'm late for a meeting so going to be in trouble here but uh I've enjoyed the time man and and I and I appreciate you know you getting into things that we don't normally get to talk about which is cool and your your passion for the sport um yeah since it's Valentine's Day um I'm I'm going to stay home for Valentine's Day and leave leave the next morning so I'll go down for the Duss um and then I'll be there you know for for the rest of the week big week I mean you know we um you know we just have a lot of folks and guests that come in that we get to entertain and they're excited about it and and listen as far as events go I'll put the Daytona 500 up against anything I just I love it I love the pageantry I love the the the energy and the excitement um it still gives me the same chills even though I'm not driving I still get the same chills as if I was before that green flag drops y because you know what's about to happen yeah man I'll be there uh Saturday hopefully taking uh one of our Junior Motorsports drivers Victor Lane um appreciate you you can stick around Sunday and see if we can take one of our Hendrick driver is by the way we've not won it since you won it in 14 so we've got some work to do yeah I think you got the speed to do it though thanks for coming Jeff Gordon on the Dale Junior download it's a great time talking to Jeff uh feel like we learned a lot think he you know might have held back a little bit on some things but you could tell man that this is a critical moment for the team owners in NASCAR to find some resolution in the new Charter agreement and certainly excited to uh you know see hendrik Motorsports and how they may perform coming into this new season and still no plans to get Jeff behind the wheel of a car at least uh to race anytime soon I'm going to keep hammering on him but thanks again Ally no matter what you're saving for whether it's the race tickets to the next race a new car even a new home we're all better off with an ally all right that's it that's my week here on the Dell Junior download lot of fun can't wait to come in uh next week and react to the Daytona 500 man it's going to be fun tuning in to all of the action this weekend there's some weather concerns for the race this weekend but we'll do our best to dodge it I'll be in Daytona for Saturday for the Infinity race uh hoping to see Junior Motorsports take the win so till then uh we'll see [Music] you

Channel: Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Dirty Mo Media

Views: 221,358

Keywords: Dale Jr Download, NASCAR, Dirty Mo Media, Podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Racing, Jeff Gordon, All About The People, Full Episode, Sports, NASCAR Cup Series, Hendrick Motorsports, Daytona 500

Id: CCLE0-TyDro

Length: 95min 5sec (5705 seconds)

Published: Wed Feb 14 2024