Mike Davis didn't set out to run a media company – he set out to help tell Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s story. Today, he's President of Dirty Mo Media, leading a company that's grown from a single podcast into a full network of shows, live events, and branded content across NASCAR, motorsports and new verticals outside of the racing world. In Part 1, Kelley Earnhardt Miller takes Mike back to the beginning: becoming Dale Jr.'s publicist during the Budweiser years, helping navigate the historic departure from DEI, and launching the original Dale Jr. Download with no business plan – just an instinct that NASCAR fans wanted more Dale Jr. content. That instinct turned into Dirty Mo Media. As the company grew beyond one show, Mike made the call to move from behind the mic as co-host of the Download to behind the scenes – becoming President and eventually an equity partner, focused on building the infrastructure, team, and strategy behind DMM's expansion. This is the story of how one NASCAR podcast became a media company, and the partnership that made it possible. Part 2 drops next week, where Mike and Kelley go deeper on what DMM looks like today and where it's headed next. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:43 Mike's Start in NASCAR 00:04:24 DEI Tries to Hire Mike 00:09:30 Announcing Dale to Hendrick Motorsports 00:13:00 False Media Narratives 00:14:55 The Idea for The Dale Jr Download 00:20:50 Early Expectations for The Download 00:24:44 Adding Dale to The Show 00:28:29 Mike Leaves The Download 00:36:36 What The F Does Kyle Petty Have to Do With This? 00:40:55 Transitioning Away from The Microphone 00:43:50 Starting Business of Motorsports 00:48:07 Preserving History Through Content 00:52:10 Mike's Creative Mindset 00:58:10 Learning as a Leader 01:01:10 Outro THE PODCASTS YOU LOVE. THE MERCH YOU NEED. Get it all here: https://shop.dirtymomedia.com/ 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 FanDuel: Must be 21+ and present in select states (for Kansas, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino) or 18+ and present in D.C. First online real money wager only. $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets, which expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG. Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat in Connecticut, or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY in New York.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was away, so Chase Briscoe and Noah Gragson invaded the Arby’s Studio to sit in for a new episode of Dirty Air. The guys bring a comical amount of chaos to recap NASCAR’s weekend in Atlanta. From Chase’s fishing trip in Georgia to Noah’s beef with Kevin Magnussen, the show gets off to a hot start. Plus, Noah and Chase reveal who they ran into in the Driver/Owner lot last weekend that had them both shocked. Chase goes into detail on how promising his son a drum set might not have been the best decision, but it has made for some hilarious jokes. Ryan Blaney calls into the show to talk about his near-perfect Atlanta weekend, listen to Noah’s harmonica skills from Cole Swindell’s tour bus, and talk about his motorcycle hot lap around Atlanta at 2 am. Plus, the guys weigh in on Carson Hocevar, Bubba Wallace’s penalty, and the race for The Chase. During the Ask Jr. segment, fans sent in questions asking Chase and Noah about: • Meeting the Costco Guys in Atlanta • Top candy bars • Noah’s time in military school • Chase in solo-dad mode with the twins • Favorite songs • Their first big purchases This show was all over the place in the best way possible. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Intro (Wish Us Luck) 00:00:42 - Atlanta Race Recap 00:02:38 - Chase's Fishing Trip With a 14-Pound Bass 00:04:30 - Noah Self-Diagnosis Himself With Shin Splints 00:06:00 - Chase's Broken Middle Finger 00:06:37 - Noah's Beef with Briscoe & Bell 00:07:23 - Why Gragson Didn't Punch K-Mag 00:09:26 - Meeting Figgy Earnhardt During the Rain Delay 00:13:50 - Rusty Rush: 150 Races, Zero Wins, Still Going 00:15:10 - The Drum Set Chase Regrets Promising 00:19:45 - Ryan Blaney Calls In 00:23:30 - Has Blaney Met Figgy? 00:23:50 - Filming NASCAR vs. Navy 00:26:05 - Noah Wants to Play Harmonica at Red Rocks 00:30:16 - Ryan's New Show 'On The Gas' 00:32:19 - The Tony Stewart Helmet Trade Story 00:38:45 - Bubba Wallace Double Yellow Line Penalty Debate 00:41:56 - Should Hocevar Have Helped Bubba 00:43:14 - Chase for The Championship 00:59:29 - Noah's Military School Stories 01:05:14 - California Burritos Changed Their Life 01:06:36 - Military School... Again 01:09:40 - Chase's Learnings as a Dad 01:13:26 - Ask Jr - With Chase and Noah 01:24:51 - Noah Owns HOW Many Golf Clubs? 01:27:36 - Chase's Random Autograph Session Purchase 01:30:10 - Chase & Noah Swap Helmets On Air 01:33:05 - Noah's Dyslexia and Learning Differences 01:38:30 - What Nobody Knew Chase Did at School 01:42:11 - Dirty Mo Dough 01:44:15 - Bracket Challenge Picks 01:45:47 - Noah's Favorite Driver Intro Moment 01:46:18 - Watching a Fan Heckle on Logano During Ride Arounds 01:49:06 - Birthday Cupcakes, Age Confusion & Closing the Show 01:50:14 - Hats Off for the Outro THE PODCASTS YOU LOVE. THE MERCH YOU NEED. Get it all here: https://shop.dirtymomedia.com/ 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 FanDuel: Must be 21+ and present in select states (for Kansas, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino) or 18+ and present in D.C. First online real money wager only. $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets, which expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG. Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat in Connecticut, or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY in New York.

Dale and TJ might be on vacation this week, but that won’t stop them from delivering another episode of *Dirty Air* on *The Dale Jr. Download* after a headline-filled weekend from NASCAR’s return to Chicagoland. Live from the Arby’s Studio (if you’re Travis), the show kicks off with Dale’s take on the Chicagoland race weekend, why the track is important to NASCAR, the intention to return, and what still needs to be addressed for the fans’ sake. With a couple of on-track incidents in the Cup race, Dale and TJ share their thoughts on the self-policing the Cup Series garage has experienced lately and explain why the incidents involving SVG & Austin Hill and Zane Smith & Carson Hocevar are great for the sport. Is the points system to blame for some of this aggression? Plus, Brad Keselowski is using the media to gain leverage with Ford, Larson’s winless streak might be a sign of concern, and the bracket challenge has Dale wondering if it will survive. Race winner Chase Briscoe also calls into the show to talk about his patriotic victory in Chicago and to share some exciting news. The show wraps up with Ask Jr. and Dirty Mo Dough, bringing another fantastic episode. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:03:51 - A Muddy But Fun Chicagoland 00:08:43 - Bring it Back 00:10:36 - Chase Elliott's Near Win in O'Reilly 00:14:27 - Chicagoland Cup Recap 00:17:30 - Austin Hill vs. Van Guggenheimer 00:32:33 - NASCAR's Dilemma: Penalize or Let It Ride? 00:33:52 - New Points Format Helped Create This Drama 00:38:16 - Toyota's Dominance 00:44:07 - Brad K Leverages The Media 00:46:49 - Larson's Winless Streak 00:50:20 - Ask Jr 00:54:20 - The 2001 Pepsi 400 01:08:46 - Chase Briscoe Joins the Show 01:11:56 - The Bent Toe Link 01:20:05 - Dirty Mo Dough 01:28:15 - Outro THE PODCASTS YOU LOVE. THE MERCH YOU NEED. Get it all here: https://shop.dirtymomedia.com/ 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 FanDuel: Must be 21+ and present in select states (for Kansas, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino) or 18+ and present in D.C. First online real money wager only. $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets, which expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG. Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat in Connecticut, or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY in New York.

After two straight weekends out west, Dale and TJ are back in the Arby’s studio for another classic episode of The Dale Jr Download. Dale turns the show into a bit of a show-and-tell with some of the recent purchases he’s made, including a box of Little Jesus figurines and a Limp Bizkit shirt he just had to have. Dale and TJ recap the O’Reilly and Cup race, featuring another ride to victory lane in the passenger ‘seat’ of a JRM car, and a trophy in the hands of SVG once again. Dale highlights what he’s heard about the future of Chicagoland on the NASCAR schedule and why fans should be excited for the racing they’ll see at the track this weekend. Dale, TJ and Travis get into it about the In-Season Challenge that was the brainchild of Travis’ king Mr. Denny Hamlin, and why Travis won’t fill out a bracket. Dale touches on how the bracket has elevated TNT’s entertainment during their stretch of the schedule. SVG joins the show once again to recap his amazing drive holding off Chase Briscoe at Sonoma yet again, and the show wraps with Dirty Mo Dough and Ask Jr. This is another fun episode you won’t want to miss. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Intro + What Other Driver Should Host DJD? 00:02:22 - San Diego: Should NASCAR Go Back? 00:06:39 - Dale's West Coast Adventures 00:12:40 - Dale's Daughter Rides Shotgun to Victory Lane 00:14:16 - Chicagoland Ticket Sales.. Not Good 00:22:09 - In Season Tournament 00:32:07 - Sonoma Race Recap 00:39:20 - Championship Points Picture 00:42:09 - Can SVG Make the Chase? 00:46:17 - Tyler Reddick's Steering Issues at Sonoma: Pattern? 00:55:29 - SVG Joins the Show 01:05:29 - Dale's 2004 Sonoma Run: Flew Home & Drank Beer Till 2pm 01:06:28 - SVG on the Critical S Section at Sonoma & Ron Fellows Tip 01:09:06 - Why the Gibbs Cars Were Better in the Slow Corners 01:10:18 - What SVG Learned Racing Cup Competition Close Up 01:11:38 - SVG's Mindset to Make The Chase 01:14:02 - Where Does Trackhouse Need to Improve? 01:16:51 - Would Broc Feeney Do Well in NASCAR? 01:17:27 - SVG's Chicagoland Preview 01:19:00 - Ask Jr 01:25:39 - Patrick Mahomes & Travis Kelce in San Diego 01:32:43 - Visiting the I-Bar 01:39:37 - TNT's Pre & Post Race Show 01:45:07 - Working with Marty Smith Again 01:45:57 - 2005 Chicagoland Win 01:48:50 - Dirty Mo Dough 01:59:09 - Outro THE PODCASTS YOU LOVE. THE MERCH YOU NEED. Get it all here: https://shop.dirtymomedia.com/ 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 FanDuel: Must be 21+ and present in select states (for Kansas, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino) or 18+ and present in D.C. First online real money wager only. $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets, which expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG. Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat in Connecticut, or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY in New York.

Kelley Earnhardt Miller welcomes Howard Hitchcock and Richard Barry, the CEO and COO of Lionel Brands Group, to the Business of Motorsports for a conversation that pulls back the curtain on one of NASCAR's most beloved and misunderstood businesses. What most fans see as a toy or a souvenir is actually the product of a 12-to-18-month process involving complex CAD data from OEM tech centers, hand-applied waterslide decals, Chinese factory peak seasons, and approval chains that run through teams, NASCAR, Goodyear, and every single sponsor on the car. Howard and Richard break down why scarcity is not a bug but a feature, how the collapse of single-sponsor deals reshaped the entire product line, and why getting confetti placement right on a Chase Elliott victory car matters more than most people would ever imagine. They also get personal, talking about what drew Richard to invest in a brand with 126 years of history, why Howard collects presidential china, and how a three-year-old kid getting a diecast signed at a fan event captures everything this hobby is actually about. If you have ever wondered how a win on Sunday becomes a collectible in your hands months later, this is the conversation that explains it all. Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro 0:02:06 Is NASCAR Diecast a Toy, Collectible, or Memorabilia? 0:05:04 Collectors vs. Kids: How Fans Buy Diecast 0:10:00 Why Lionel Brands Group Acquired Lionel Racing 0:15:06 Protecting Collectability Without Overproducing 0:18:18 How the NASCAR Diecast Business Has Changed 0:23:35 Managing Demand, Scarcity & Sellouts 0:28:28 How Today’s Collectors Differ From the Past 0:31:35 Tooling, CAD Design & Building New Diecast Molds 0:35:01 How a NASCAR Diecast Goes From Concept to Production 0:41:13 The Challenge of Autographed Diecast 0:43:14 Licensing Rules, Sponsors & Approval Challenges 0:46:03 Cars Lionel Wanted to Make But Couldn't 0:51:34 Future Innovation & Reviving Classic Collectibles 0:53:31 The Most Memorable NASCAR Diecast Releases 0:56:20 Do Collectors Buy With Their Heart or Their Wallet? 0:57:30 Why Diecast Matters for the Next Generation of Fans 1:03:44 Lionel Racing’s Relationship With NASCAR 1:10:54 What Makes a Collectible Truly Valuable? 1:11:40 Protecting the Future of Lionel Racing & the Hobby THE PODCASTS YOU LOVE. THE MERCH YOU NEED. Get it all here: https://shop.dirtymomedia.com/ 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 FanDuel: Must be 21+ and present in select states (for Kansas, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino) or 18+ and present in D.C. First online real money wager only. $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets, which expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG. Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat in Connecticut, or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY in New York.