Happy Hour: San Diego Street Race Preview & Remembering Steve Waid

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Please enjoy responsibly.

Welcome on in, ladies and gentlemen, to another edition of...

As you can tell, I have my assistant with me.

Welcome on in, ladies and gentlemen, to another edition of the Frontretch happy hour program.

It's going to be a little bit of a happy show, but a little bit of a sad show as we are remembering the life of Mr. Steve Wade, who passed away yesterday at the age of 77.

If you have not tuned in, or if you have not read the article that Tom Bulls wrote, I highly recommend after you finish listening to this program.

But before that, we are going to be diving into San Diego.

So without further ado, let's dive on into my co-host with me.

I got both of them with me this time.

I'm going to bring in the guy that is going to be with me in a couple of days from now in Coronado, Mr. Dalton Hopkins.

E8, how are you, bud?

I'm great.

I'm so excited for this weekend.

Ever since they announced this last year, a year ago, I beg Tom back then to send me to this race because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to go do a NASCAR race on an active military base.

I got to be honest, this is like a collision.

This is both of my worlds colliding, both of my careers colliding.

So I'm super excited.

I have got.

Oh, I was on a naval base.

Well, let's just hope that his Wi-Fi is going to be better in Coronado than it is in where he is at right now in Florida.

I'm going to bring in the guy that's going to be watching from home, though.

That is Mr. Michael Massey.

That is that is giggling like a schoolgirl right now.

Massey, I hope your Wi-Fi is not as bad as Dalton's is.

How are you?

Hopefully it's doing better than that.

I just love that he really got to show off that mug there as it froze with him holding up the mug.

I'm also, I'm a little scared that Brian's got some like child labor laws he's breaking there with a teenage girl bringing him a water.

Right.

The start of the show.

But hold up.

First off, my sister-in-law is staying with us for two weeks.

She's 16 and she's on summer break and I text her before the show because I forgot.

I'm like, Hey, so can you get me a water?

She's like, Yeah, I didn't know that we're going to go right into the show.

So, well, you know what happened?

Steve made her appearance for like two seconds.

So shout out to yourself.

I appreciate that.

But without further ado, let's bring in our first guest.

I got to meet this guy.

I think it was a few years ago.

And he is really exploded onto the scene as a betting contributor to NASCAR.

He is part of the Bleacher Nation.

Fantasy is also for for Bet Sport.

One of my good friends and he's a San Diego native living in San Diego.

However you want to call it.

Brian Twinning joins the program.

Brian, how excited are you, my friend?

I think maybe I'm thinking like a scale of one to ten is probably like a 50.

Yeah, I don't even think the excitement can be measured.

Similar to Dalton, although I never served in the military.

My family is multiple generations deep in the United States Marine Corps.

So I and growing up here in San Diego, being on Camp Pendleton, Coronado,

all the different military bases, I never once thought that there'd ever be

a NASCAR race being held on an active military installation.

And when this got announced last year, like Dalton was saying,

the excitement was beyond like palatable.

It was I was telling all my friends I was coming into San Diego.

Everybody that I used to work with, explaining to them how excited this weekend was going to be.

I mean, the excitement in the area is crazy right now.

I mean, we got the San Diego Zoo hosting.

2311 is bringing a car to the zoo to put it on display this Thursday.

There's there's events happening all over the city in areas that you wouldn't think

are NASCAR hotbeds, but the car culture here in San Diego is one of the best in the nation.

So yeah, again, I'm extremely excited as a San Diego native,

and I just cannot wait for this weekend's activities.

Dalton, I'll start with you and I am praying that your Wi-Fi is better so you can answer this.

Is there a certain thing that you're you're most excited about?

Is it just, of course, is it just the different amenities throughout the weekend?

Or is it just going to be the atmosphere in itself?

What is your your biggest excitement level is going to be from what?

Oh, God.

Oh, it's happening again.

He's muted now, too.

It's the Dalton show.

I mean, you know what, Massey, I'm going to go to you and we're going to pretend you are going to Coronado with me.

So Massey, what are you most excited for for this weekend?

I'm most excited to have filmed this strange clip in this podcast.

Oh, I must. I mean, obviously just to see the actual layout of the course and to see the what do you call the big thing that's beyond of such not a military guy.

If I were there, then I would want to go.

Yeah, whatever it is.

Aircraft carrier like season aircraft carriers.

That'd be cool to see.

And then, you know, if I were to go, I would have to stop by the was it the I bar?

Is that what it's called?

Dalton where they filmed the scene in Top Gun.

Yeah, it is.

Boy, how do you can hear me?

We can hear you now.

And I would sit down.

That's great.

Yeah, it's called the bar, by the way, Brian.

It's a really great event.

I'm really excited.

Here's a mug that I got it while it's deployed.

It says Roadhouse and it says Robin is racing.

Look at that.

See, says that because we're talking about not.

Not.

House.

We're talking about top gun, not roadhouse.

This one says roadhouse because I was called Dalton.

They called me roadhouse and then I got a rubbish.

Okay.

Yeah, I'm really excited.

I did not know seeing the jets are going to be really cool.

And being a being on a military was really cool.

Okay, Massey, continue what you were saying.

The New York jets are going to be there.

Okay.

Calm it down.

I hope not.

Calm down.

Again, uncalled for two weeks in a row.

I've gotten made fun of or just comment, but whatever.

Um,

Massey.

Okay.

Yeah.

I don't know.

Okay.

Yeah.

I don't know.

All right.

exaggerate Brian but like we could seriously see like two wheels going off the ground. I think it is

coming down three. I think it's when you're going down three you have that little like little bump

you go down. There's blind corners. Chase Briscoe and Pocono said this is most this is probably

going to be the most technical track because you really can't gain or lose any time from one specific

corner. You can lose or gain time from any specific corner. So I think the biggest thing for me

is going to be just the track itself because I mean it is going to be treacherous.

Yeah from all the driver sentiment that we've been hearing and as you just mentioned Chase

Briscoe talking about it he wasn't the only one that said this is probably going to be the most

technically challenging track that they've been that they've ran on in quite some time and I think

the sheer distance of it too is really going to challenge the driver's ability to stay focused

on a lap to lap basis. I mean 3.4 miles or 3.2 something miles is the length of this track

that's over a mile longer than any of the other road courses and I mean we're going full 75 laps

which is to me it feels like it's going to be extremely long and I don't know about you guys.

I have a guilty pleasure of watching other people play iRacing and drive on tracks and so I've been

taking in as many videos as possible on YouTube of everyone driving San Diego and the bumps I think

and as you're saying just the different elevation changes are what is really going to be one of the

most important things to watch as we as drivers hit the track on Friday and Saturday for practice

and qualifying for all the series. Yeah Dalton according to Bob Pocquist to get the course ready

on the Naval Base NASCAR had to wield more than 150 valves, manhole covers, electrical boxes,

they had to add pavement in an area that has rails in the road for cranes to smooth area

of big undulation and then they added pavement in the chicane area before the final turn. The big

thing for me Dalton is there's going to be old concrete, there's going to be new concrete,

there's going to be old asphalt, and there's going to be new asphalt so you're not going to get any

sense of oh yeah corners three through six they run really good because of the new asphalt or

because the old asphalt there is a different plethora of potential calamity everywhere during

this race. Any specific area of the track that you are concerned with? Yeah I don't know if there is,

I was on that call with with Bob Pocquist too along with a lot of other media when they were

talking about some of the competition directors for for this event and I think a lot of there were

there's it's a such a huge course but from what I get from it there was a lot of thought put into

this track because talking about just the the process of going over which corner going over

the track surfaces like you mentioned Brian, I don't know if there's one that I am quote on

quote concerned about the the trolley tracks that they had to go over is probably I think the most

unique part um my my thing is just how long it is um just just a massive amount just the

massive length uh that it's going to take to get around this course uh it's going to be tough and

and Massey with a dirty mind is giggling at that uh point that out right now um

long tracks are funny we all know you're genuinely curious how is the girth of the track

okay length time's worth divided by width um no as far as concern it's already going off the rails

I think the chicane's are probably going to be if if the way they have it laid out it's from what

I've seen on iracing because just just like um just like our guests today like I agree like I love

watching the iracing stuff um and it's just like uh like I like watching like they'll go them go

through the laps and so I'm looking at whatever each driver upload their own like

lap time or whatever upload their own lap and I see them having to dodge the chicane where there's

just a singular tire out in the middle of the road um there's also some parts of the track where it

really narrow and there are some tracks parts of the track to get really wide so this is going to be

it is a very technical course it's not like chicago or the chicago it seemed like the width was just

the same the entire track it gets really narrow at some points and I think that's going to cause a

lot of chaos and that leads me to my real concern for not just a specific part of the track but the

track itself is cautions um according to the uh some of the folks the leadership uh that are

are heading this right now a lot of them said that uh both of them said that the caution laps

they're gonna have to do they're gonna do quickies they're gonna by that they mean like they're

gonna quickly move through these laps and like they're gonna have the lap cars I think the way

I was just looking at them I see Brian about it but I'm like I've lost I've lost

it's okay it's okay Brian we all we all laugh at the at the stupid jokes um no but uh there's

the quickie yellows are gonna end up being these these caution laps or the lap cars are probably

gonna pit around the same time as the as the uh excuse me the lap cars are gonna put around the

same time as the lead lap cars and I think that's meant to be make sure that these caution

flag periods aren't go out to don't four laps uh per because that's just insane that's

gonna take so much time to get through this course I mean 3.4 miles is the longest course on the on

the calendar as of this year so that's that's the biggest concern on my end is making sure that

we don't we don't go through 30 minutes of caution flag periods which based on what I've

heard earlier in that meeting NASCAR has taken great care into that into making sure that we're

not just sitting around watching cars do pay slaps around this course which to be fair is not the

worst thing in the world because this is a bad ass course Brian a couple more things here before

oh no go for it buddy I was just saying who are you is it worth it to battle NASVG this

weekend I was literally gonna be my question thank you Mastie if you're going to bet anybody to win

this race it's SVG and SVG a hundred times over there's there's nobody in the field that we've

seen that can even keep pace with him outside of the one time in Mexico City when Tai gives

did look like he had the pace to possibly keep up with Shane but as we've seen at every other

traditional road course outside of Cota when Shane puts the pedal to the metal he is a good

half a second to a full second faster than everybody else whether they're on fresh tires and

he's on old tires or if they're on equal stuff and so the only person you're betting right now is Shane

to win the race that's just that's the way I'm approaching this as a as a better

better

Brian I know what you're saying is I should take out my mortgage

yeah and bet it all on SVG that response leaf oh

I wouldn't go as far as saying like take out a mortgage on it but

there is no world that that SGV SVG doesn't win this race outside of just utter chaos

occurring like we saw in 2024 in Chicago when he got wrecked out early there but that was

because of torrential downpour which I don't know if you guys have heard but we don't get

rain in here here in San Diego so that's not a worry and then the only other places where he

hasn't been good are Cota yeah Brian please don't I really hope you did not just drink the rain I mean

yeah we no no no I'm gonna be there I'm bringing it with me you bring I can tell you

for a fact people are going to worry when they get up in the morning at like 6 30 or 7 and they see

that it's gray gray skies because we have something that's called June bloom and the marine layer

out here at the water where it doesn't burn off until around 11 11 30 so it's gonna look dreary

but it'll it goes away believe me with that being said Brian um final thoughts for San Diego

what and if you are if you're going to the race what should fans expect and uh do you do you have

any like secret like uh like secret spots to like have like amazing food oh man it depends on what

types of food you want but out here in San Diego it's all about the taco shops there's multiple

different places Cotijaan Roberto's Sallulitas is a taco shop where you can get a lumpia

carne asada burrito um there just go to your local taco shop on Coronado off Coronado downtown

any neighborhood around there and then another little betting thing I'm definitely looking

forward to seeing what KMAG has with uh Trackhouse 91 he's somebody that I will be shopping uh feverishly

for his placements like top 10s top fives and those type of markets hmm all righty once again uh

Brian twinning of uh Belichur Nation Brian it is gonna be awesome thank you so much for coming

on buddy and um me and Dalton we will we'll see you on Friday my dude yeah thanks for having me

have fun this weekend guys thanks so much thank you brother Brian twinning joining the program

we're gonna take a quick break when we come back we're gonna be talking to Pocono and

and then more San Diego this is the Front Stretch happy hour program refuel in your in-room kitchen

keep pace with your furry co-pilot and take a cool down lap in our comfortable beds check into

the winter circle at my place hotels use promo code Front Stretch for 10 off from the agave fields

of Jalisco Billy's tequila perfect in a margarita or straight over ice celebrate the race of life

with Billy's use code racer for 5 off at Billy's tequila dot com please enjoy responsibly

welcome back ladies and gentlemen to another edition of the Front Stretch happy hour program

for the past like two times I was about to introduce I was gonna say bring the heat I don't

know why I'm thinking of Trelau but you can find Trelau and bring the heat with Trelau

come up on your podcast feeds coming up Thursday guests to be determined um bringing in Michael

compadres and Michael Massey Dalton Hopkins gentlemen let's dive on in um do we want to go

more domination Denny Hamlin do we want to go uh San Diego what do we want to talk about I'm

going to leave it up for the group mass we'll start with you what direction do you want to go

uh well the thing I was thinking about when you talk about the the difficult layout we don't have

to go this direction I'm kind of throwing you guys a loop here but um like there's no way

Christopher bell runs this entire race right you got like what do you guys think that I don't

think it's like it's such I think he does you I Christopher bell

this is a chance for Christopher Bell listening we want to hear your thoughts in the comment

comment below for sure now I think Christopher bell I think this is a chance for him to show

how much of a badass he is um we saw how well he did at uh at Pocono and I think when it comes to

this track I think he's going to be hurting I think he's going to have to grit his teeth at some moments

but at the same time I mean honestly I think a lot of this race is going to be run under the

caution flag it's going to run under pace laps uh because this is a very technical track and a lot

of guys there's going to be a lot of crashes and I think Christopher bell is not going to have to

really go at speed all that much I think he can I think hey I think he's going to make it all the

way through but but here's the thing Dolan though like what if he gets involved in the wreck and

and he injures himself even worse so consider this so here consider this uh don't wreck

you know um brother it is easier said than done

um I mean I I mean if Christopher bell is going to be involved in a crash

and like is he gonna I don't that's not really something I'm concerned about to be honest

with you if I if I'm Christopher bell that's not really something I'm thinking about is like that oh

my gosh like this this try there's there's going to be crashes in this race uh I shouldn't be racing

at all if that's really your mentality you shouldn't be in any race at all personally

I just I'm asking yeah it does leadership from jgr need to step in because I mean if he is yeah

we saw this with Brad keselowski at coda I mean he had I think it was Joey Hand on on standby

he could they could have probably had a top 15 but keselowski ran in like the 30s all all uh race

long you got a guy that is grown up in road courses in Brent Cruz and he's gonna be there

do you get him a little head start replacing hamlin in 2028 or do you

take it out and suck it up buttercup with Christopher bell you're saying they had joey on

hand for Brad keselowski earlier this year I hate you so much I hate you so much no don't

do not laugh you don't encourage him but I think no I I think it's too difficult I think you know

drivers are their own worst enemies so bell is gonna knock it out of the car if they're you know if

they leave it up to him and I think jgr does need to make him get out and I think when they're not

if but when there's a lap one wreck and there's a caution right away easy enough just come on in

get out the car Brent Cruz get on in there and uh yeah I think it's a great test for uh for the

kid that uh the next big thing at jgr yeah don it feels like this this is a a easy solution I mean

brandy jodes obviously this is a standby for pokono but I mean I was listening to I think it was it

was Jeff buff I was talking about Christopher bell and basically bell was telling him that he was

basically driving one-handed um you can't drive one-handed at a at a street course like Coronado

just based on what we've seen um last thing before we move on here when it's all said and done

you kind of do bell what say that again yeah I gotta let me defend myself against that like you're

basically downshifting and upshifting the entire course you're basically you're basically driving

one-handed the whole time okay everyone's gonna have to be everyone's gonna have to be on the

shifter the entire time okay and brad keselowski I mean brad keselowski drove at coda with a broken

femur which is way worse than a than a wrist injury that's way more painful

if brad keselowski is gonna stick it up and Christopher bell is gonna go oh my wrist hurts

I have to get out of the car oh man I don't know that that that it's a source of pride at that point

oh and by the way you're at the same base where the navy seals train

dude come on you can't show that yeah yeah can't do it I I I don't know um it's uh

you lose it's a lose lose situation because you lose it'll be fine you get hurt again you lose if

you get out of the car and you look like a weenie but I don't know um we're gonna take a quick break

when we come back we got a very special guest um who is gonna talk about honoring the life of one

of his good friends mr. Steve way that is coming up here on the front-run chapter our program

how how

enjoy responsibly.

We're going to bring in now at this time.

He co-hosted the Scene Vault podcast with Mr. Steve Wade

and just an absolute legend of the sport.

And we thought we would have him come on.

And just for those that did not know who Steve was,

we thought we would bring him on.

Mr. Rick Houston, welcome to the Frontchurch happy hour

program, my friend.

I wish this was under better circumstances.

But how are you doing this evening?

Doing OK.

All things considered.

It's been a long, last couple of days, two or three days.

Now, for those that don't know, Rick covered the Bush series

for NASCAR scene where he worked under Steve Wade.

They co-hosted the Scene Vault podcast together,

like I said.

Also has written such books as Dale versus J.

Tonya and then a second to the second and none,

which was about the Bush series.

My first question for you, Rick, is just

how did this friendship start?

Was it because you guys worked together?

Was it because you guys worked in the same media center?

How did this friendship evolve?

Well, it's kind of funny you asked that because the fact

of the matter is when we worked together,

it was to come scene for nine years.

And when we were together in the same newsroom,

Steve was the boss.

He was in upper echelon management,

vice president of editorial, whatever his title du jour was.

He was in upper management.

And I was the guy who was just lucky to be there.

If he was the CEO of McDonald's, I

was the night shift manager of your local restaurant.

I was several rungs further down than Steve, obviously.

But I was just happy to be on the ladder at Winston Cup

scene because that was my dream job.

But when we started working together on the same vault

podcast in 2018, to be honest with you,

at first, when we first started on the podcast,

I was still just at least a little bit intimidated by Steve

because this was Steve Waite who had won every single award

that there is to win.

The week after our first episode drop,

he received the Squire Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence.

I always told him that my little podcast was what finally put

him over the top for that award.

One episode in.

But as we continued to work on the podcast,

Steve and I became friends and confidants and family.

I grew to where I considered him a father figure.

We consoled each other over all the different bumps and valleys

that there are in podcasting.

But he became one of my best friends.

And yeah, I will truly, truly treasure those eight years

that we had together when we first started.

I mean, we were just amazed.

I mean, we were thinking we'd done something

when we got to 10 episodes.

We'd put together 10 episodes, and then we put together

50 and 100 and 200.

And we made it to just short of 400 episodes together.

His last episode was episode 398.

And while he was in the hospital,

I posted something about episode 400.

And I've got an interview with Tim Brewer in the can.

I planned to use that interview with Tim for episode 400

because Tim Brewer being Tim Brewer, there's a lot of good stuff.

But when we lost Ned Jarrett, I decided to bump

the Tim Brewer episode to the next episode.

And Steve, I posted something on X about having the episode from Ned.

And Steve Wade from his hospital bed

said that he was going to be taking part in that episode on Ned Jarrett

in episode 400.

And I think both me and his wife kind of put the brakes on that.

Yeah.

But that will be a great, late memory of Steve

because he was still Steve.

And he was, yeah.

I think what you said about him just, I look back.

He joined Front Stretch.

I thought it was like three or four years ago.

It was 2020.

He'd been writing for us for six years.

Time flies by.

But it was just his humility.

Like you're talking about this.

That him coming in, Tom Boles mentioned in his article

about Steve last night that he's like,

you guys got any use for like a grizzled old journalist

or something like that.

And the whole time he's.

Massey, I can read it for you.

He said, I just want to know if you

would be interested in a NASCAR weekly column on present issues

and past from a grizzled NASCAR Motorsports veteran writer.

Just curious and do thank you for your time.

Yeah, that's Steve right there.

Let me ask you this.

You said Steve Wade and humility?

I'm not sure we're talking about the same guy.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Now you.

I'll keep busting on Steve, no matter what.

That was part of the fun of doing the podcast because,

you know, when we work together at scene,

I wouldn't dare to say anything like that.

No way, no how.

Because he was Steve Wade.

But now, you know, when we start working on podcasts,

we reach that comfort level to where, you know,

he kind of he kind of, you know,

rate me over the coals a few times about different things

and laughing and cutting up or whatever.

Well, that was considered my payback.

So yeah, Steve Wade, humility.

I'm going to have to write that one down.

Yeah.

I got a little show of tell for you here.

Here's a 1983.

See, I don't know if you'll be able to see the picture or not,

but just how good Steve was looking in 1983.

The thing is, this paper is 40 plus years old

and didn't have a rip on it until I started handling it.

Yeah.

Good way to go.

Well, you know, I think that's important.

I think that's important to preserve all those newspapers.

So, you know, but for everybody,

somebody had that crazy idea to do that, didn't they?

Yeah.

Who was that idiot?

So let's just, let's just say that I can match you Steve

Wade column photo for Steve Wade column photo.

Oh, no, you'd win.

You'd win in an RV on that.

But yeah, just, you know, Steve there, you mentioned him trying to talk about trying to come back on the podcast,

even though he's in the hospital there.

And Tom Poles mentioned his column as well.

And that's the last time I talked to him.

He's like, I'm in the hospital now.

He's more worried about getting his story in.

He's like, I got it all finished, but I just need to find a way to back to a computer to submit this thing.

And, you know, the way he acted, he really downplayed all of it.

Yeah.

But I think, I think Steve Nascar was a part of his DNA.

It had been a part of his life since the fall of 1971 when he covered his first race apart as well.

And for him to go on and accomplish the things that he did in the sport, it became a part of who he is.

And, you know, he, yeah, he was a part of the fabric of that sport for a long time.

And when you think about the golden era of Nascar, the heyday of Nascar in the late 70s through, I'm just going to say, scenes run for 32 years from 77 through 2009.

Steve didn't just write about Nascar history.

He lived, he was there.

In 1976 Daytona 500, he was in the press box.

1979 Daytona 500.

He was in the press box.

1984 Firecracker 400, Richard Pity's 200.

He was in the press box.

Yeah.

I get to bust on him again.

He was in the press box for those races.

He wasn't really working.

I mean, when you're in a press box, you're not really working.

You know, the real journalists, the real journalists are down in the infield.

They're the ones getting sweaty on pit road, sweating it out, getting, you know, chasing boats and getting slung over barrels, you know, in the middle of fistfights or whatever.

Yeah, that was for the real, that was for the real journalists.

So, but in all seriousness, he was there.

And he witnessed it firsthand.

He had a perspective on so many moments throughout Nascar history.

You know, I just can't, I can't get my arms around the fact that just take Delaar and Hart for instance.

Steve Wade literally covered Delaar and Hart's first Winston Cup race, his last Winston Cup race, and everything in between.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's right.

Yeah, he wrote the race lead for in scene for Delaar's first win.

And he was there for every championship.

He was there for every valley.

He and he was there at the end.

And so, yeah.

Steve, Steve has a unique perspective on Nascar history because not a lot of other people can say that there are a few.

I just say, I think Mike Embry could say the same.

But that would be about it.

That would be about it.

So, yeah, Steve was there.

A couple more things here before we let you go, Rick.

Don't go ahead, my friend.

Well, Rick, I mean, as somebody like me, you know, you talked about how you worked under him and you kind of saw him as this as this authoritative figure as a boss and, you know, you were, I guess, I don't know if scared is the right word, but almost a little bit, you know, timid around him just because of how of how all the stories that are behind him.

And how much he's done for the sport.

When you get in the presence of somebody like that, and you work with him, you work underneath him, surely you had to have learned a few things from him.

I'm sure he taught you some lessons.

As somebody like myself, as somebody like so many other young journalists trying to gain a bigger foothold into the sport, what is something that he taught you that is something that could be carried down to young journalists today?

I think the number one thing that I got from Steve was the importance of developing relationships within the garage, within the industry.

And I don't say that to say that you should play favorites, but you should know everybody.

And you should allow, you should attempt to get there and you should attempt to introduce yourself to them.

When Steve covered a story, he told both sides of a story.

And so when that happens, if you have relationships and you're comfortable with everybody, you can go to everybody who happens to be involved in some kind of on track instant.

And it's important not to take sides.

And Steve, Steve, because of Steve's position, Steve, a lot of times I kind of considered him the ultimate politician.

There was a time when he didn't ruffle a lot of feathers.

He had the rest of us to write the dirt or whatever, but he was able to take the high road while we were kind of slinging it out in the mud or whatever.

But he had relationships with everybody.

1999 Bristol Night Race.

He knew Del Earnhardt.

He knew Del Earnhardt well.

He also knew Terry Labanek well.

And so he was able to tell that story from both sides.

And I mean, you can just go down the list of incidents throughout NASCAR history during that era.

And Steve was there and he was able to tell the story and tell it fairly and object.

So that's what I took from Steve and several others on the staff at List and Cup State.

Last but not least, Rick, our producer, Chris Graham, just texted me.

He says, can Rick tell the story of Steve ending up in a photo with Willie Nelson at the White House?

Well, I would love to tell that story, but I don't believe Steve or Willie ever remembered that photo.

If you know what I'm saying.

I couldn't relate that story to you.

Yeah, I mean, Steve, honestly, I don't know a lot about that photo or whatever.

But I do know the story of him going to the White House.

That was in 1978.

Steve was at a bowling alley, if I remember correctly.

And somehow, someway, the White House tracked him down at the bowling alley.

He was bowling for whatever reason.

Steve wasn't a bowler.

He wasn't a sportsman.

He checked for a fashion.

I don't even remember playing golf that much.

But they tracked him down at a bowling alley and he wound up.

This guy at the small town, well, it wasn't small town, at the Ronote newspaper wound up in the White House.

And having these pictures taken with Willie Nelson, having these pictures taken with First Lady Rosalind Carter

and NASCAR President Bill France, you know, I always gave Steve a hard time, of course.

You know, when I first started at Winston Cup scene, I loved to write columns from the first person's perspective.

Because I was in such, well, I was in such awe of being there.

I wanted to talk about what I was seeing for the first time and experiencing for the first time.

And he eventually came to me and he said, you know what, no more first person columns.

Alright, cool. You're the boss. No more first person columns.

I couldn't write a first person column, but Steve Wade was on the cover of Grand National scene three times.

Now, how does that work?

He was on the cover.

He was on the cover for the White House.

The White House issue in 1978, 1979, he was on the cover, kind of sorta, with Darryl Walter and Stevie Walter,

and he was in the Darth Vader suit.

But that was Steve Wade in the Darth Vader suit.

And then he was on the cover again in 1986.

He wrote a cover story about the experience of being a fan at Bristol.

And I will also point out that that cover story about the experience of being a fan at Bristol was written from the first person.

So, but no, I'm good. I'm over it. I don't have a problem with it anymore.

No more feelings.

But, you know, I will just have so many memories of Steve.

And I am so thankful for the last eight years that we worked together and sing about podcasts because honestly, if it wasn't for the same podcast, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

There were so many people, you know, during the same days that he was closer to professionally.

And, certainly, again, higher up on the ladder than I was at sea.

But I'm thankful for the chance I got to know Steve.

Yeah, that Darth Vader thing, I remember hearing him tell that story where he's dressed as Darth Vader and DW turns to him and was like, who are you supposed to be?

Yeah, Darryl Walter didn't have any idea.

He didn't have any idea who Darth Vader was.

Yeah, but yeah, I was gonna say, I hate it when you're trying to bowl and they come and drag you to the White House.

Yeah, come on, man.

I remember the last time I got a call from the White House.

I know I hate it when the White House calls me up.

Come on.

Well, Rick, on behalf of everybody in Frontred, we're so sorry for your loss, my friend.

I know it was hard, but I mean, the stories that you just told, I think symbolize Steve in itself and we're definitely, definitely gonna miss him.

So thank you for coming on and sharing those stories and we'll have you on hopefully in a much happier time.

I'll be here.

Rick Houston from the Scene Vault.

I'm not the kind of man to overdramatize.

I seem to compare to the good old days and I ain't no football staden who's the best late career still Danny after all these years.

This last verse is for Steve Wade.

He stood at the press box window and he watched the cars and wrote a spectacular piece each Sunday.

Oh, there is no Nascar journalist more respected by his peers still writing after all these years.

Oh, Steve Wade's world, world after all these years.

Use code Racer for 5% off at Billy's tequila dot com. Please enjoy responsibly.

Welcome back everybody once again use code Racer for 5% off your next purchase Billy's tequila dot com. Oh, look at those two. Oh, beautiful. I wish I had minds all empty and it's literally on it's on a bookshelf so I kind of didn't want to go and grab it just because it's empty.

I wish I had one too.

Yeah, well, I don't think these two have had to go to a funeral for a loved one like I have in the past like month or two months so that you know.

You can't you can't buy tequila because you went to a funeral.

No, I'm telling you, brother in Christ, I got a few rolls all the time.

I was going to say after you go to a funeral that's a perfect thing to drink.

That's why I don't have any.

I mean, Billy's tequila is a perfect thing to drink, no matter what the occasion. Okay, you're not wrong.

It does not matter.

I don't really like tequila. That is the only I do like.

Like it is that smooth.

Let me tell you, I like tequila and that is the best tequila that I drank.

Okay, there.

Would that be instead you know what else we like we like the writing of Steve Wade and we're we're honoring him as he passed away yesterday at the age of 77 Steve joined Frontritch in 2020 like Michael Massey said a few minutes ago.

And Dalton, you are like myself, we really never got to interact with Steve, but you did get to edit his pieces.

Just what was what was your interactions with his articles and what what did you take away from those.

I just so some inside baseball for those of you who do read our articles and if you do thank you but

on Monday, going into Tuesday, I will edit the articles that come out on those Monday nights slash Tuesday morning so couch potato Tuesday, holding a pretty wheel stat sheet up to speed, but among others but one that I really enjoyed was Steve

Wade's he came out with Wade's world, which first off, amazing title, I love that title.

Yeah, but it came out with yeah right.

First, I love Wayne's World the movie so great great call back to to that kind of title but

Wade's World and every Monday night, he would send us it was just a rough draft man it wasn't even edited it wasn't like it wasn't formatted it was just copy paste into WordPress.

Okay, you guys edit everything.

You know what, it caused Mark and I a little bit of a headache I'm not going to like Mark Crystal is my my car out Mark that night but shout out Mark or our archer guru but it caused us a little bit of a headache on those Monday nights but we still loved it and let me tell you why because he would tell

these stories about him interacting with these legends.

Bobby Allison, Darryl Waltrip, David Pearson, Kaleigh Arbor, Richard Petty, a lot of these guys that to to a lot of you and myself are just gods living legends, and so on them, no longer living unfortunately but he he would tell us these

personal stories he's personal interactions with him, and leave them in these pieces this column and I urge you if you haven't already just type in the phrase wades world just like his last name w a i d wades world into the column or into the Google search bar and just look

up this column look up the column page that we have him on frontstraction just start reading because it is truly truly interesting stuff and I can firmly say I can truly truly say this.

I looked forward to editing his stuff more than anyone else's even though his pieces were more work than everyone else's.

I still look forward to it. And just because he would tell these stories so well so vividly to where I could relate and I could sit there and say, oh my gosh, this is what the media center was like back in 1985.

And this was what the garages were like back in the 80s and 70s and 90s.

He would tell these stories where it would paint that divot of a picture and it was so, so, so great to to to read those.

Excuse me to read those into Garner and appreciation for what it was like back then.

And it was also fun to compare it to what it's like today and to really not only see the differences but to mostly see the similarities and that some things really haven't changed.

But my personal favorite was the one he did on Darrell Waltrip. He did this one. I believe it was, I can't remember if it was this year I feel like it was this year.

I saw him on Darrell Waltrip. And it was about Darrell him talking to Darrell growing up in in Kentucky, and having to outrun the cops.

When he was a young kid, and Darrell apparently told this story to him. And these are just things that these are the stories that he got man and he would tell stories about these other drivers that would, they're humble beginnings and how they became the

car and where they got their big breaks. It was just from a personal standpoint these living legends. He would tell how they got these personal stories of theirs.

And they're so fascinating because it's not something that you would hear on Fox it's not something that you would hear on Prime something that you would hear on NBC, or anywhere else.

It's not only something that Steve Wade could tell. And that's what made me appreciative of his work because that guy was truly embedded within the sport. And a lot of people don't know his name nowadays which is a shame, because the guy was truly an amazing

journalist, maybe one of the best in NASCAR history, and he will be sorely sorely missed not only by NASCAR as a whole, not only by the old heads and NASCAR media but myself, by Mark Crystal, by Michael Massey by all of us at Front Stretch, who really enjoyed reading his pieces.

We have about five minutes remaining here in the program. Massey, I know that you had a pretty close friendship with him, as well as a professional, but it developed from a professional friendship to a personal friendship. You guys were fairly close.

Tell me about how that professional relationship grew into a personal friendship.

It's one of those things, like each step of the way you're like, oh wow that's Steve Wade, like Steve Wade was right here. Steve Wade is calling me to complain about how WordPress is not working for him.

That's kind of what I became to him was when he would have tech issues. He would call me and try, there's one time where he could not figure out how to get his old article out of all caps, and I had to find a program online to, without sitting there and typing every word in lowercase, you know, to get the whole thing to switch back to regular format out of all caps.

So, I remember there was one time he was having some kind of issue. It was like Thanksgiving. I remember I just pulled in my sister's driveway to have Thanksgiving dinner, and I got a call from Steve, and he was having some kind of issue.

I was like, this is really cool. He's calling, but I hate this timing right now. But, you know, it's one of those things where you wish you had more time.

I was always scared to fanboy over him and ask him a bunch of questions and stuff, or, you know, ask him about his war stories and his time covering NASCAR because, yeah, I didn't want to be a fanboy. I didn't want to waste his time, because I viewed his time as more valuable than mine, which in converse, contrast to that, I feel like he viewed everyone else's time as more valuable than his own.

And part of that humility I was talking about, where like he was thankful to talk to people.

I, in hindsight, I think maybe if I had just called him and, you know, we had talked about like getting dinner or something, whether like a Martinsville or Charlotte race weekend or something, and it just, it never happened.

And I think that was the saddest part for me yesterday is just, and I talked to Tom Bowles about this while it was saddest part for him. It's just like, there's that unrealized part of the relationship that you could have had.

But yeah, the guy, I mean, he was NASCAR journalism in the early days. It was him and Tom Higgins was the Charlotte observer for like, they were the guys on the beat back in the day.

And honestly, it's kind of come full circle now to where they're solely at full on the beat now. But it's just crazy that you kind of get jealous of the days that he covered it because he got to form all these close relationships with these really cool people like

Dolph was talking about. Like he was friends with Dale Earnhardt. He was friends with Alan Kowicky. And now, you know, through PR and motor homes and all this other stuff, you don't really get as close to the drivers as you did in his day.

So yeah, he is really cool to go back and read his stories to see like more of a human side of those legends. The Dolph was talking about.

And that that's what Steve was basically he was like our the window that we could look through to see these drivers lives, these these legends lives. And yeah, with the loss of him.

It is a big loss. But I highly encourage people to go back and read his work, whether it be on front stretch, whether it be on the grand national scene, you know, just want a legend that lasted so many years.

He Rick mentioned he covered Dale Earnhardt's entire career. Kyle Paddy posted he covered his whole career as well. Like just think how many careers that guy witnessed the whole time. So yeah, we'll miss you Steve.

I guess that's weird. Poor. Wow. This week that'd be a Billy's there for Steve Wade.

I think we'll end it with this now I'm going to read a paragraph from Tom bulls this article about a bulls wrote and a quote we did it in a way that we're missing in 2026 by going deeper drivers allowing him to have the conversations and tell the story with the expertise of a journalism background rather than on their own podcast, or in a 280 character tweet and even when Wade rips them a new one critical of something on or off the track.

They still find a way to hash it out and stay friendly, maintaining a healthy balance between writer and subject into quote. And I think that's what we're really lacking is people hide behind a computer screen. They hide behind social media, and they don't go and face.

Pull on and Steve Wade did that so I think on behalf of everybody let's let's for one out to Steve Wade Steve we're going to miss you. The court is not going to be the same or better with with you not being here to so for everybody for this will this will be for you Mr. Mr. Steve Wade.

Well, we're going to end the show on from from a very happy note to a bad note we're going to end it back on a happy note. We're going to be free. Yes, those bills to heal it does make me happy.

You use the code.

That's exactly what I was trying to say.

And then a big thanks to my place hotels you use the code front stretch that check out 10% off once again using the code front stretch.

It's going to be a absolute jam packed weekend. We're going to be in Coronado. What can fans expect from both of us there.

Well, for me myself, I'm going to try to get every bit of content that I possibly can. I'm going to be geeking out the entire time but

I am going to attempt to try to get some stories about some of the things that are not on the track, such as the I bar I think we alluded to that earlier.

The bar that was in the movie. Since I am in a military officer, I have access and I will be attempting to go there and I'll be doing my best to try and get some reaction article there but if that does not happen.

I will be certainly all around garnering some kind of content so be sure to follow me on Twitter.

I will be taking photos of probably everything in sight. And I'll be there on Thursday afternoon. I'm going to try to get do my best to get some content there as well.

I know they got some stuff on the aircraft carrier so I'll see if I can do my best to try to get something there but otherwise you can expect the very usual of Friday, Saturday, Sunday, some sidebars, multiple sidebars and a lot of videos as well.

So be sure to not only follow me on Twitter but also follow Front Stretch on Twitter and follow us on the YouTube page.

I fly in Thursday night so find all of my content for Friday, Saturday and Sunday on our Twitter at Front Stretch Nat B. Brian Nolan.

It is going to be like Dalton, I'm going to be taking every picture in sight. So it's going to be a jam packed weekend. All three series there like Nazcar was telling us this is not going to be like a regular race weekend.

I mean we have to go through background checks. We've had to go through multiple process to get our QR code. So it's going to be different.

It's going to be interesting and it's going to be a once in a lifetime thing. So I'm beyond thankful for everybody at Front Stretch to allow and Dalton and myself to go there.

So it's going to be fun. Massey you're going to be at the Front Stretch headquarters helping us with all the eyes and ears that we cannot see when we're actually there.

So what are you going to be doing? Are you going to be on the watch party or are you just going to be hanging out at home just watching on TV?

I don't know. I mean it's Father's Day so I might not be it right. It's Father's Day this Sunday right?

Yeah so I might not join the watch party. I might watch it with pops. But yeah last weekend for Prime.

I'm excited to watch how they go out with the bang. Wish they had more.

And yeah Dalton if you do get Brian into the I-bar please at some point just point at him and yell out this guy's not even in the military.

The Navy has a weird set of secret rules when it comes to their bars. And I am just not going to tell Brian any of them.

But there if you there is it's well known that if you break any of their rules you have to buy a rad for everybody in the bar.

So I'm just not going to say anything and I'm just going to let Brian figure out those rules the hard way.

Dude my bills are going to be $700.

He's going to expense it.

Mr. Pombles you may need to take the credit card away from me at the end of this weekend but you know we'll get to that.

It's better to say I'm sorry than permission.

That being said it's probably best to say say a Nara to this program this evening.

Big thanks to Brian 20 and Rick Houston coming on the program.

Once again it was an honor to talk about Steve Wade and he will definitely be missed coming up to or coming up Thursday not tomorrow coming up on Thursday you got bringing the heat with Ray Lyle and then you got a brand new game changer of a transformation of through the gears with Michael and

Bella Finini probably butchered that name but you know what that's OK.

Michael Michael B is not Michael B Jordan is Michael B.

He's got through the gears coming up with all the latest betting odds and then you got Scott Christy with my man Eric and Dalton I were going to be on there Sunday night.

So they tuned all the latest on the front stretch podcast.

Chris Graham does it all.

He is a rock star as our producer.

Big thanks to Chris.

Big thanks to Dalton.

Big thanks to Massie.

Big thanks to everybody.

Sports program for Don Bulls and everybody at Front Stretch.

I'm Brian Nolan.

It was another edition of the Front Stretch.

Happy hour program remembering Steve Wade.

Buick Grand National

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