top of page
DJD Listen

Audio

headphones icon.png
DJD Watch

Video

camera icon.png
NASCAR’s Senior VP of Competition Elton Sawyer Talks Tires, NextGen Car, and Officiating
01:37:25

NASCAR’s Senior VP of Competition Elton Sawyer Talks Tires, NextGen Car, and Officiating

Dale Earnhardt Jr. sits down with NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer to discuss the current state of NASCAR officiating, the NextGen car, tires, and more - while also taking A deep dive into Sawyer’s own career as a driver. The conversation begins with Sawyer’s early days behind the wheel and the story behind meeting Elton’s now wife and former race car driver, Patty Moise. The two discuss his time racing in the Busch Series, along with his short-run racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Sawyer breaks down the end of his racing career and his transition to working on the competition side of the sport. Sawyer then provides a “peek behind the curtain” and shares what his day-to-day looks like as the SVP of Competition. Sawyer explains the role of a race director, how NASCAR evaluates penalties, and how the appeals process works. He also breaks down what caused the tires at Bristol to react the way he did, shares what they hope to achieve with multiple tire compounds at the All-Star Race, and reveals the potential of Hybrids breaking into the sport. Follow Dirty Mo Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DirtyMoMedia Twitter: https://twitter.com/DirtyMoMedia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirtymomedia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dirtymomedia_ All About Dirty Mo Media: https://www.dirtymomedia.com Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and Background 02:05 - Transition from Racing to NASCAR 03:05 -The Challenges of Short Track Racing 06:21 -Racing Stories with Patty Sawyer 08:43 -Tension in Racing 11:35 -The Decision to Focus on Racing 13:27 - The Finesse of Short Track Racing 15:54 - The Dedication Required in Late Model Racing 50:13 -Transitioning from Race Car Driver to Managing Director 54:05 - Understanding the Sport and Decision-Making Process 56:30 - Challenges of Working in Race Control 01:00:45 - The Role of Communication and Teamwork in Race Control 01:03:36 - Making Difficult Decisions as a Race Director 01:05:15 - The Role of the Appeals Panel in NASCAR 01:08:08 - The Development of the Next-Gen Car 01:08:37 - Collaboration Between Stakeholders in the Industry 01:15:14 - The Potential for New Manufacturers and Hybrid Technology 01:16:41 - Challenges of Officiating and Making Decisions in NASCAR 01:27:36 - Improving Short Track Racing Through Tire Management and Track Treatment
Does Dale Jr. Agree with Fans Calling for More Mile-and-a-Half Tracks after Kansas’s Photo Finish?
01:24:12

Does Dale Jr. Agree with Fans Calling for More Mile-and-a-Half Tracks after Kansas’s Photo Finish?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is back in the Bojangles Studio to break down the closest finish in NASCAR Cup history. While the finish at Kansas between Kyle Larson and Chris Buescher had viewers on the edge of their seats, it sparked a debate on how photo finishes are governed and more: Which start/finish line is the real one? Transponders vs. the line vs. the camera Mile-and-a-half tracks have been great; do we need more on the schedule? Short tracks continue to be on the chopping block moving forward Dale's broadcasting plans for 2025 Kansas second-place finisher Chris Buescher calls in During the Ask Jr. portion of the episode, listeners sent in questions regarding: Dale seeing Kasey Kahne at dinner Dale’s silver Goodyear car from winning the NASCAR Busch Series Championship Multiple tire compounds for North Wilkesboro The secret to finding the best bathroom before a race NASCAR implementing a push-to-pass system like IndyCar Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 29:18 - Desire for More Mile and a Half Tracks in NASCAR 35:12 - Concerns Over the Potential Loss of Short Tracks 41:47 -The Future of NASCAR Races at Different Tracks 44:27 - Chris Buescher Joins 58:49 - Ask Jr. Follow Dirty Mo Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DirtyMoMedia Twitter: https://twitter.com/DirtyMoMedia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirtymomedia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dirtymomedia_ All About Dirty Mo Media: https://www.dirtymomedia.com
DJD Cast

Cast

The Dale Jr. download:

dale_jr.jpg
twitter_icon_edited.png

DALE EARNHARDT, JR.

Two-time Daytona 500 champion and winner of 15 consecutive NASCAR Most Popular Driver awards… Winner of two NASCAR Xfinity Series championships as a driver and five as a team owner… Recognized still as one of America’s most beloved sports figures... New York Times best-selling author, most recently for his 2018 book Racing To The Finish… Currently an analyst for NBC Sports’ NASCAR coverage.

DJD Reloaded:

Andrew Kurland

Andrew Kurland first started working in the NASCAR garages at 12 years old as a reporter for NASCAR’s kid programming. As an on-air correspondent, Kurland has interacted with a variety of drivers and personalities throughout the sport. Over the years he has appeared on NASCAR on NBC, Fox Sports 1, and NASCAR.com as part of the Kids Drive NASCAR platform. He also served as a sports anchor for Arizona PBS’ nightly programming

twitter_icon_edited.png

Carla Metts Gebhart

Currently working at FOX Charlotte, WJZY-TV as the Sports Director and an Anchor. She previously worked for NASCAR and Midcos Sports Network as a producer and reporter in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

twitter_icon_edited.png
casey_boat.webp

Casey Boat

A marketing professional in the NASCAR industry. Married to Chad Boat, a professional stock car and sprint car racer who -owns Trucker Boat Motorsports. A native of Miami, Florida and alumnus of UNC Charlotte.

twitter_icon_edited.png
bottom of page