The Dale Jr. Download - Bonus: Next Level with Ken Squier

Bonus: Next Level with Ken Squier

11/11/22 • 3 min

1 Listener

Coming soon: The second installment of Dirty Mo Media's Next Level with Andrew Kurland. Andrew sits down with legendary broadcaster Ken Squier. The Dirty Mo crew traveled up to Waterbury, Vermont, and spent two days with Squier and talked about everything from the early days of NASCAR, to the iconic 1979 Daytona 500, and even why Vermont is "the greatest place on Earth." Here is a preview of Andrew's conversation with Ken Squier.

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Previous Episode

407 - Scott Bloomquist - Aliens Don't Care About Long Hair

In short-track racing, one driver’s name has been synonymous with creating headlines and capturing the attention of the motorsports world. On this week’s episode of The Dale Jr. Download, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and co-host Mike Davis sit down with that man: the legendary Scott Bloomquist. After arriving in Eastern Tennessee in the mid-1980s and taking the dirt late model scene by storm, Scott rose to prominence in the early ‘90s and has gone on to be regarded as one of the greatest race drivers of all time.

Dale asks Scott about the moment he realized he had become larger than life, and he references the 1988 running of the premiere dirt late model racing event, Eldora Speedway’s World 100. Scott explains that he had never been to the track before and found it intimidating, and upon learning that there were over 250 other entrants for the race he about decided to head back to Knoxville to compete closer to home. He ultimately was convinced to stay by a Hoosier Tire representative, and in the big showdown, Scott defeated late model standout Jeff Purvis, who was aiming for his fourth win in a row at this event.

Bloomquist is well known for his eccentric style and rockstar-like appearance. After being born in Iowa and spending the beginning of his childhood there, his father Ron decided to leave his electrician trade to pursue becoming a pilot. The career transition brought the family to California, where Scott discovered a love for surfing and fast cars. Another defining quality is Scott’s tendency to rebel, and when his father stated “I will never have no long-haired son”, well, you can guess where this is going. As a result, the image of Scott Bloomquist race fans have known for the last four decades was born, and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.

The origin of Scott’s legendary racing career is in part thanks to his father’s interest in trying the craft out himself. After seeing a co-worker race at the local raceway in Corona, Ron bought an asphalt car and got it ready for dirt competition. One attempt was enough, and he quickly realized it wasn’t for him. He then offered Scott the opportunity to get behind the wheel, and the 16-year-old jumped at the chance to go fast. He ran well enough in his maiden voyage that the two decided to pursue the sport further, but when the car Ron built for Scott was destroyed in a crash at Manzanita Speedway, he told Scott he wasn’t spending a penny more. From then on, Scott was independent in his racing efforts.

Scott tells the story of how his family arrived in Mooresburg, Tennessee on a plot of land located on the cusp of the Cherokee River. When Ron began looking for property to retire to in the early 1980s, the family originally looked at property in Oregon. But Scott, who was fully immersed in the dirt racing scene by that point, recognized that Oregon’s racing was outdated and suggested Tennessee, where Robert Smawley and his NDRA outfit were operating and paying $10,000 to win. Upon arriving, Scott found success early at Kingsport Speedway and used the momentum to propel himself to the top of the division, where he has gone on to win more marquee events than any other driver in history.

However, Scott’s time at the top has not been without controversy and the interview touches on his various legal issues and suspensions over the years. Scott is open on the subject and explains how his appearance and success have led others to assume the worst about him. The infamy that came with the arrests boosted Scott’s reputation and ultimately led to him becoming a colossal figure in the sport.

Finally, no interview with Scott Bloomquist would be complete without discussing aliens and extraterrestrial beings. Scott details his neighbor's encounter and even touches on an experience of his own. Download listeners should tune in for an unforgettable episode and a peak into the mind of one of racing’s most iconic figures.

Next Episode

408 - Brian France - The Rise, Fall, and Everything in Between

On the season finale of the Dale Jr. Download, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and co-host Mike Davis sit down with one of their most highly anticipated guests to date: former NASCAR CEO Brian France. In 2002, RJ Reynolds announced it would be pulling its Winston branding as a title sponsor for the NASCAR Cup series after 30 years. Not long after, Bill France Jr., the CEO who oversaw that era stepped down from his position of power. With the organization at a crossroads, Brian arose to the occasion and helped fill the void of his father’s absence while ushering the premiere stock car division into its modern-day state.

From 2003 to ‘18, many changes took place on Brian’s watch that molded NASCAR racing into the motorsport that we watch today. The Dirty Mo crew and listeners alike were eager to have Brian to the Bojangles Studio hot seat to discuss what he felt was a success and a miss during his tenure at the helm of the organization. His education in running an empire began at an early age while growing up in the shadow of his father Bill Jr. A place in the shadows of giants is something that Dale Jr. and Brian can relate to, and the two recall how their fathers were certainly allies but never close friends.

Once of age and eager to work, Brian took a position working at Talladega Superspeedway. He became fascinated with the business side of racing and in the 1990s he went on to manage Tucson Raceway Park and work at NASCAR’s Los Angeles office. His tasks included capitalizing on NASCAR’s flourishing west coast fanbase while strengthening its connection to the entertainment capital of the world, which resulted in NASCAR’s integration into the mainstream television and film industry. After helping to negotiate NASCAR’s first national television package deal in 2001, the stage was set for Brian to try his hand at leading the sanctioning body.

Dale compares Brian and Bill Jr.’s leadership styles and what it's like having one strong character making decisions versus an entire committee of voices. Brian says he recognizes that many of the changes NASCAR has gone through over the last two decades may be alienating to longtime fans, but insists that the intention was always to promote growth through progression. He explains that NASCAR leadership often looks into untapped markets and develops strategies to help bring new fans into the fold including races in new markets, its diversity programs, and collaborative efforts with other sports and business entities.

In 2004, NASCAR along with its new title sponsor partner Nextel introduced the Chase for Cup playoffs system, which would radically alter the traditional points championship structure. Brian explains that the desire to create “big moments” in points racing inspired the inclusion of cutoff lines and races. They discuss how the Playoffs field was expanded from 10 to now 16 and the events that occurred over the years to influence those decisions. Brian admits that a lot of the structuring came from looking at how other sports leagues officiate their playoff systems and what effects it has on their respective championships.

Since Dale was an active competitor during Brian’s time in charge, he was anxious to get his insight on one of the most polarizing developments in the last 20 years: the Car of Tomorrow. Making its debut in 2007, the CoT was intended to increase competition while improving safety initiatives, but it became regarded as an inferior machine by drivers and fans. Brian admits that he viewed the car as a mistake and wishes that he would have gotten more input from the drivers and teams in its manufacturing.

The conversation also touches on the Jeremy Mayfield scandal, the 2013 Regular Season finale at Richmond, Brian’s lack of presence at the races, and his 2018 arrest. Download listeners can expect a candid look at one of motorsports most influential leaders in modern history, as well as insight into the decision-making that shifted NASCAR into a household name.