The Xfinity Series is NASCAR’s “step below the top” racing league. It’s where many drivers cut their teeth before they move up to the main NASCAR series.
“Back half of the field” means the cars that are generally toward the back of the pack. The idea here is that they can benefit a lot from more practice because they have more room to improve.
A “race day setup” is how the team sets the car up for the actual race. Small changes can make the car handle differently, so it can be a big deal for performance.
A “sim” is a racing computer setup that lets drivers and teams practice virtually. If a team doesn’t have it, they may need more real track time to learn the same things.
North Wilkesboro is a famous NASCAR race track in North Carolina. The hosts are saying it’s a great weekend for fans because there’s more than just racing—there are events, food, and entertainment too.
Stock car racing is the type of racing NASCAR is known for. It’s about race cars that start from regular car designs, then get built for speed and handling on the track.
Topic
Cup stuff
“Cup” is NASCAR’s top-level racing series. When they say “cup stuff,” they mean the biggest, most important NASCAR races on the schedule.
A diecast is a detailed model car made mostly from metal. Collectors like them because they can look like a real race car from a specific moment or win.
Green flag laps are laps run under normal racing conditions, when cars are allowed to race at full speed rather than following a pace car. The host’s point is that running many green flag laps can make it harder to keep track of who’s leading as positions shuffle.
Concept
scoring was a bit debatable
“Scoring” is how the race results are officially decided. The host is saying that, at the time, it wasn’t obvious who really won based on what people were seeing.
When you hear “green flag racing,” it means the race is in normal mode—cars are allowed to race each other. It’s the opposite of a caution, when everyone slows down.
“Lead lap” means the car is still on the same lap as the leader. If you’re not on the lead lap, you’ve fallen behind by a full lap, which usually makes it harder to compete for the win.
A “short track package” is NASCAR’s way of adjusting the cars and rules for smaller, tighter tracks. The goal is to make the cars handle and race in a way that fits that kind of track.
A “caution” is when the race slows down because of something happening on track. Everyone has to drive more carefully, and that can change who gains or loses positions.
A “penalty” is NASCAR’s punishment for breaking a rule. It usually costs the driver time or position, which can make it much harder to stay on the lead lap.
“Going to the rear” means a car gets sent to the back of the pack. If the #12 is sent back, it has to work its way forward instead of starting near the front.
A stage win is winning one of the race’s segmented portions. Many NASCAR-style events split into stages, and stage results award points and can affect strategy even if the driver doesn’t win the overall race.
Term
control of the race
“Control of the race” means you’re in a position where you can set the pace and decide how to handle other cars. It’s usually about track position and timing, not just raw speed.
Pit road is the special lane near the track where cars pull in for service. Drivers have to go slowly there, and if they break the rules it can hurt their race.
Term
running the bottom of the racetrack
“Running the bottom” means staying near the inside edge of the track. It can be a good line for speed, but it can also make it tough to pass if someone else is holding that same spot.
The “inside” is the part of the track closer to the inner edge. Drivers often try to pass there because it can be the shortest route, but it only works if there’s enough grip and space.
A spotter is like a second set of eyes for the driver. They watch the track and tell the driver what’s happening around them so the driver can avoid trouble and choose the right line.
Person
Joey
They’re talking about a NASCAR driver named “Joey,” but this clip doesn’t say his full name. The point is that they expect him to be especially strong on certain kinds of tracks.
“Short tracks” are smaller NASCAR race tracks. Because they’re tighter and have shorter laps, the cars often need different handling and setup than they would for bigger tracks.
They mention Tyler Reddick as a driver people thought would win a lot. Then they say the results didn’t match that expectation, because track conditions and car setup matter.
Person
Denny
They’re talking about another NASCAR driver named “Denny” who passes Tyler Reddick. This clip doesn’t say his full name, but the idea is that he’s moving up through the field.
A stall is the specific parking spot in the pits assigned to a team. The car has to stop there for the crew to work, and then it pulls back out when it’s ready.
Some races are split into sections called stages. A stage pit stop is when teams plan their tire/service stop to happen around the end of one of those sections.
Instead of changing all four tires, teams sometimes change just two. It can be faster, and they do it when they think those two tires will help most for the next part of the race.
“Lap down” means you’ve fallen behind by one full lap compared to the leader. It matters because it changes where you are relative to everyone else on track.
Short track racing is racing on smaller tracks. Since everything happens closer together, other cars and pit timing can make a big difference in how the race plays out.
Track position just means where your car is in the order on the track. Pit timing can move you forward or back, which affects how hard it is to pass others.
Qualifying is when drivers try to set the fastest time to decide where they start the race. Starting position can affect how easy it is to make good pit decisions.
North Wilkes-Burl is shorthand for North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. It’s a famous NASCAR track, and people get excited when races might happen there again.
That’s the oval track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Oval races are mostly about staying fast through long turns, and the setup can make a big difference.
It’s a way of saying how long the race track is—about 1.5 miles. Track length matters because it changes how the cars are tuned and how the race feels.
“Bristol” is a well-known NASCAR race track in Tennessee. Because it’s a short track, the racing is tight and cars are usually battling for position a lot.
IndyCar is a different kind of racing series than NASCAR, with open-wheel race cars. It’s separate enough that teams can be busy doing both in the same weekend.
“Nashville” is just the city where one of the races happened that weekend. It’s mentioned as part of the schedule juggling across different racing series.
A “grandstand” is the big set of seats at a race track where spectators watch the race. Building more of it means you also have to plan for more parking and facilities.
NASCAR is a big American racing league where drivers race stock cars. It’s one of the main paths for people to build a career in stock-car racing.
Car
Legends cars
Legends cars are smaller, more affordable race cars meant for beginners. They’re often the first step for kids and families who want to start racing.
Car
Bandolero's
Bandolero cars are race cars made for younger drivers. They’re a common starting point so kids can learn racing in a controlled, beginner-friendly way.
Jeff Gordon is one of the most famous NASCAR racers. The hosts mention him as an example of a driver someone might hope to become.
Person
Daylorn Hart Jr.
This sounds like a transcription error for Dale Earnhardt Jr., a famous NASCAR driver. They’re using him as an example of a big goal for someone starting racing.
Cars Tour is a regional stock-car racing series/ladder that organizes events and car classes. In this discussion, it’s expanding from an East-focused footprint into a broader national presence and adding a clearer path from entry-level racing.
“Cup series” is NASCAR’s main top division. In the episode, it’s described as the highest level drivers can reach and the place where champions are crowned.
“Trucks series” is a NASCAR series where the cars are based on pickup trucks. It’s commonly where drivers start before moving up to bigger NASCAR series.
“Race craft” means how good a driver is at racing—like knowing when to pass and how to control the car in traffic. It’s a mix of skill and experience, not just raw speed.
“Ace” sounds like the name of a race track or event on the schedule. The episode doesn’t fully spell out which track it is, so it’s worth clarifying for listeners.
Term
IB fluid
“IB fluid” sounds like IV fluid—medical fluids given through a vein. It’s something you might get after feeling rough so you can recover faster.
“Fuel saving” in racing strategy means managing throttle, speed, and pit timing to use less fuel while still meeting performance goals. It’s a balancing act between efficiency and being fast enough to compete.
“Tape on the grill” refers to blocking part of the front grille to restrict airflow to the radiator and engine bay. In racing contexts, teams sometimes do this to manage cooling and aerodynamic drag, especially in simulation scenarios where rules may differ.
They’re talking about a racing video game (iRacing) and a Daytona 500-style race. The point is that if certain tricks are allowed, people will use them and the race becomes less interesting.
“Tandem” means two race cars stay close together, one behind the other. The goal is usually to go faster by using the air pressure created by the car in front.
They’re using “graveyard” as a nickname for a place where old or damaged race cars are kept. It’s basically a storage collection—like a car museum for wrecks—and they’re saying it’s harder to add the newest cars.
A “push truck” is basically a recovery/tow vehicle used at tracks to move a damaged car. They’re describing an incident where the recovery setup led to serious damage to the car’s chassis.
The “chassis” is the car’s main skeleton—the part that holds everything together. If the chassis gets “snapped,” the car’s structure is broken and it’s usually not safe or repairable for racing.
A “rear clip” is the back section of the car’s body. “Bolt on” means it’s made to come off and be replaced with bolts, not welding, so you might only be able to bring that back section instead of the entire car.
The “center section” is the middle part of the car’s body. They’re saying that instead of getting the whole car, you might only get certain sections like the center piece.
The F-150 Lightning is a pickup truck that runs on electricity instead of gasoline. It can be started and controlled using a phone or remote features, which can be helpful when you can’t get to the truck right away. That’s why it might be mentioned in situations where timing and access are important.
LIVE
The following is a production of Dirty Moe Media.
This is the most fun I've had in this chair in the last hour and a half.
I don't know if we've ever argued.
Do I piss you off over the weekend or?
I'm still sour that I want the best man that you're with.
Who was your best man, Dale?
TJ.
TJ.
You don't need a cool vest for that race.
What are you thinking?
Get him, TJ.
That's the way it's starting to show.
All right then.
Hey, everybody, it's Dale Jr.
Back again for another episode of the Dale Jr.
Download coming in from the beach in South Carolina.
TJ is in the studio.
How are you doing, TJ?
I'm pretty good.
How are you doing?
I'm all right.
You know, still excited about this past weekend at Northwood Sparrow.
So we're going to talk a lot about that.
Travis is with us as well.
Dale, Travis, you watched a race, I'm assuming.
I did.
Yeah.
See you, boy.
Almost get it done.
I saw your tweets.
Trying to really man.
Couldn't do it.
Travis tweeting during a race?
No way.
Really?
Joey, just the car was unbeatable.
This episode is presented by Arby's.
Don't forget about Arby's new meet in three bucks.
You get more meal for your money at Arby's.
We have the meats.
That's their slogan.
Everybody knows that.
Let's dive into it, man.
We got Marcus calling in later.
We got Dirty Mo' Doe.
We got Ash Jr.
Winner.
We're coming off.
Yeah.
We're coming.
Well, we're not going to win the winner.
Oh, I thought we were.
Nope.
Told the winner to take a hike.
Okay.
Yeah, screw you.
Yeah.
He beat Denny and I said, not on this show.
So all right.
So let's dive into it.
There's a lot here.
We had a lot of, we had practice.
I guess that's one thing I wanted to talk about.
We had practice during the race weekend, and that is a massive debate.
I think in the industry of whether we should practice or whether we should not practice,
especially coming off of the news that we're going to Daytona with a new package,
and there will be no practice.
So, you know, NASCAR said that decision was made because the teams and NASCAR got together
and they're like, you know, with the changes we're making, it doesn't, it doesn't warrant
the need and the teams don't want it.
They're not going to go out there and draft in big packs and learn what we think they would
typically learn, you know, 20 years ago.
So I don't disagree with that.
I'm, if the teams are fine with that, that's fine.
That's good.
Yeah, I agree too.
Yeah.
I will tell you though, you know, the practice conversations are a very interesting one for
me because everybody's right.
Both sides are right about this.
The teams will tell you that practice makes the racing, I don't know if I don't want to
say the word worse, practice makes the cars more close together.
Everybody finds a little more speed.
Everybody gets a little, you know, the cars all, the cars already show up to the racetrack,
the racetrack TJ and run really, really close.
Don't they?
Oh, yes.
Really competitive.
Very close.
I watch the board as practice is happening and you can look at every car.
I don't care if they've ran 20 laps, 30 laps, 40 laps, they're all running the same lap time.
Okay.
And if you give them an hour of practice, they're going to dial that in even tighter.
So that's true.
But even with all that said, somebody's got to be the fastest.
Somebody's got to be the slowest.
And as we're watching practice happen, I can see that Bell's got the best car.
I can see that Lars, yeah, I can see that Larson is the second best car.
I can see that Byron Hamlin, Logano are the next group.
I can see the rest of the fast cars are Blaney Bowman.
Zillich is actually pretty good.
Gibbs is fast.
I can see all these things.
It's telling me a story.
Practice is teeing me up for the race on Sunday.
And so I'll just say as a broadcaster and a fan, practice is important to me.
Might it hurt the product on the racetrack?
Yes.
Might the teams all have a good point about, you know, we don't, we don't need to practice
the Daytona and Talladega.
We're not going to go out there and get in packs and draft like we used to.
Would it, would it hurt them to have 10, 15 minutes?
So some, some team that doesn't race every week show, you know, doesn't show up and go out and
qualify on the, on the ground hitting the racetrack or bouncing all over the place.
Like, uh, was it Conor Daly?
Did they tell him that one time?
Wasn't that him?
Yeah, the cars is bouncing.
Yeah.
I mean, yeah, that would be nice.
Give them 15, 20 minutes, just a couple, couple, one key run, you know, a little practice
key run.
But anyhow, you know, I'm sitting here looking at all my notes from practice and
it helped me as a broadcaster and as a fan.
I'm imagining, I don't broadcast every race, but I would, I would watch and look at practice
times regardless and go, man, man, it looks like Belle's going to be good.
And so when we turn on our, you know, we turn the cameras on on Sunday and they say, all right,
broadcaster, what are we going to see today?
Well, I can look at practice and go, man, you know, I think Belle and Larson were the two best cars.
And here's a couple of the guys I think might have good runs today.
It's hard to tell that story without any practice.
I think one part that they got left out a little bit is that we're all there on there
on the track at the same time too.
Like everyone has the same opportunity to run.
You don't have like, well, this guy was faster 30 minutes later than what this guy,
you know what I mean?
The different groups make a difference.
I do not like the groups.
I didn't like them either.
Yeah, I like them all out there.
I like them qualifying together, racing together, practicing together without racing groups.
Um, yeah, I don't understand the group, but that's not for me to decide.
That's just one thing I want to talk about with practice.
I know that there's a ongoing conversation and NASCAR said,
even as early as the end of this year, we'll see more practice at race tracks.
It's going into next year, they're going to double the amount of practice that we have.
And I'm, I'm liking that.
I know even at the risk that it might make everybody a little more similar
in times and speeds on Sunday.
I mean, that's kind of what practice, like we're already super close.
Like you're not making that big of a difference to me.
What it does help is what you said, it helps to go the Connor daily.
Like we weren't very good at practice.
We made a lot of changes in practice.
And if we didn't have that longer practice together right there, we're probably not,
our car was pretty good in the race, but we had that practice to figure it out.
I'm sure other guys made their cars better too.
And, and I mean,
Is there a concern though that like with JGR and Hendrick, the bigger ones,
the more practice time they're going to be able to gain a bigger advantage too?
Who cares? Who cares about that?
So they already unload super fast to me.
Yeah, I don't mean to dismiss that point.
That's rude of me, but I'll take it back to Zillich, right?
He goes out there and he practices.
And I put him in my best of the rest kind of category because
he was sixth on the board in 10 lap averages.
And he was, he had a lap time, I think his best lap time overall.
Well, that was early.
He was sixth on the board, seventh on the board in five lap averages,
sixth on the board in 10 lap averages, and his best lap was 13th.
This dude, if you go back and look at Zillich over the summer,
I bet he ain't ran 400 laps total, right?
He's wrecking out all them races or having problems, having goofy happen.
Had more goofy happen on Pit Road on Sunday.
But he, that driver, that guy that come off of the Xfinity series
with 10 wins or whatever last year,
going into, yeah, going into a rookie year, needs practice.
No briscoe or bell? Bell and briscoe are plus a thousand. Did you say Bubba?
Bubba is 1500. That's the best one.
You like that bet? I do like that bet.
Bubba, you could get a top 10 at minus 120.
Yep. Finished top 10 in the last four brick yards.
Yeah, I do. I do like that. Here we go. Now we're talking.
All right. So, uh, I'm going to do a top 10 parlay. How many drivers are we putting in it?
Let's do two or three. All right. Bubba's one. Who's the other? Tell me Russell.
Can we put Larson in? Yeah.
Are these long shots? Are we like trying to win some money?
Now let's just win some money. We're just winning money.
Larson and Bubba Wallace. Yeah. That's plus 144 right there. I love it.
To me, Reddit, to me, Reddit. All right. Hard to beat that guy there.
218 now. I'd stop there. Stop there.
Yeah. Can we do a long shot one?
I love Todd Gillin as a long shot. Dang. Todd had a good run.
This last weekend, by the way, I think it didn't, we didn't mention earlier,
but I thought Todd had a really good run, didn't he?
Yeah. Well, he's finished sixth in both brick hundred brick yard, 400 stars.
So that's his best track then. Todd by himself for top 10.
Plus 800. I wonder if anybody had Gillin as their winner for the bracket.
Two. I don't even think Todd's wife has.
Yeah. I actually think Riley, take Riley, Eric Jones, and Todd Gillin for the crazy throw.
I ain't even doing that.
Yeah, but I'd do them separate by themselves. Yeah, separate.
A dollar would win you 120.
Yeah, because Riley's won there in the O'Reilly series.
211 is really good at Indian.
Riley's actually been pretty solid.
All right. So we'll do a Gillin top 10 bet by himself.
We'll do a Riley by himself. Who was the other? Oh, Eric Jones.
Yeah. I probably won't do that one, but
he hasn't been great in Indian.
Nothing against Eric.
It just had speed lately.
It's not nothing against Eric.
It's just I like the other two are a little more juicy for the,
for the excitement you get from trying to make the bet.
I've just seen Eric. I've seen, he's had, he's had a little more lately than what,
you know, before and I've, I mean, I've seen it.
I'll absolutely do it. I just, I just probably wouldn't worry about it.
And our Parley is going to be.
It was Bubba and Larson and Reddick.
Yeah. That's too many.
Let's pick one between Larson and Reddick.
Pick one. Just one of the other.
I'd go with Reddick.
All right. Reddick to 23, 11, top 10,
23, 11, top 10, Parley.
Go Jordan. Michael Jordan.
We think about, we think about these other matchups that are featured this week.
What are the matchups?
Bubba versus Bell.
Christopher Bell. I think I take Christopher Bell here.
I just feel like he's on the, he's on his, Bell's heating up.
Yeah.
I just got a feeling.
He's got a day. He's got the edge to me on that.
What do you think? What's the predictor say?
My predictor says Bell.
I go with Bell too.
Joe Logano versus Chase Briscoe.
I'm going to take Briscoe, I think.
Yeah. I think Briscoe, I think Briscoe could have a really solid weekend.
I think he could be a, I think Briscoe could be a real threat this weekend to win.
All right. The last one, this is a tough one actually.
Brad Kozlowski versus Carson Hosevar.
Hosevar all day.
All right.
You hear that TJ?
That's fine. I love proving the predictor wrong.
Hosevar would be good here.
You just said that last week too.
Yeah.
Well, I lost.
I think we'll see.
Yeah. I think we'll see.
All right, man. Appreciate you coming in, Russell.
Hey, if you have, if you want to win a little bit of money,
I think we've got some pretty good bets for you this weekend.
Don't you guys?
I think so.
Yeah.
All right.
I think so. I think I like them.
Yeah.
Mine was Russell's last one, but I mean.
The Dirty Modo segments brought to you by FanDuel,
the premier gaming destination in the United States.
All right, everybody.
Thanks for tuning in next week on the show.
It's going to be Jamie McMurray hosting with TJ Majors.
TJ, you look forward to that.
Yeah, man.
I think Jamie's awesome.
I look forward to it.
Yeah. Jamie is too.
So thanks for joining us here in the Arby's studio.
Don't forget about Arby's new Meet and Three Box.
You get more meal for your money at Arby's.
We have the meats.
We'll see you later.
Check out Dirty Modo media on Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok.
About this episode
North Wilkesboro becomes the emotional centerpiece of the conversation, with Dale Jr. explaining it wasn’t the track itself he wanted back—it was “all of those memories and all and my dad and my friends.” The hosts also dig into NASCAR race-weekend format changes, especially removing practice at Daytona, and debate how practice, pit timing, and lap traffic shape competitiveness. Later, they discuss North Wilkesboro’s fan appeal, logistics, and what’s next for the venue and grassroots racing pathways.
After NASCAR’s first points race at North Wilkesboro since 1996, Dale, TJ and Travis are back in studio to break down all of the weekend’s headlines – including some Joey Logano domination.
After word that NASCAR will be extending practice time for the Cup Series, Dale explains just how crucial it is for drivers like Connor Zilisch to utilize that track time and get laps to help dial in their season. Dale also talks about why North Wilkesboro hasn’t been all about the racing for him, including what he confessed to Marty Smith before going on air with TNT.
The group also dives into Josh Berry’s abysmal season, and why the results don’t represent the talent level that Josh possesses. Is there enough time left in the season for Josh to prove himself for a Cup ride in 2027 and beyond?
Plus, Ask Jr gets into Logano’s comments about tandem drafting, what cars Dale has added to his graveyard, meeting Sonny Styles, and drinking whiskey (or not) on the post-race show.
All this and more on another episode of The Dale Jr Download presented by ARBYYYYYY’SSSSSS.
Check out Dirty Mo Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMedia
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