Dale Earnhardt Jr. welcomes NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin back to the Download to discuss his early days in the sport and how he came to be a chassis setup guru. Mark explains that he and his father, Julian, were both mechanical enthusiasts and began attending drag and short track races in Arkansas before traveling to the Daytona 500 in 1973. Eventually, Julian’s interest wandered to the pit area and he became a part owner of a dirt late model that competed at nearby Batesville Speedway. One night, while scraping mud off the car between events Mark expressed to his father: “How about we build one of these for me next season?” The rest is history.

Mark explains that his expertise in chassis setup came from his years competing in asphalt late models with the American Speed Association. After buying a car from legendary Michigan builder Ed Howe and working with his setups, Mark took inspiration from fellow competitors Junior Hanley and Gary Balough on how to take things to the next level. Dale Jr. was especially interested in a setup Mark stumbled upon using no right rear spring, to which Mark gives a detailed explanation of how the discovery came to him while testing at Winchester Speedway. The discussion also covers Mark’s failed first attempt at NASCAR Cup racing, turning down an offer to drive for Harry Ranier, his long relationship with Jack Roush, and his years of competing with Dale Jr. in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. is back behind the microphone to react to the chaotic NASCAR Cup race outcome at Gateway on this edition of Dirty Air. Blown engines and empty gas tanks disrupted Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney’s clear paths to victory, and Austin Cindric was in the right place at the right time. This episode covers:

• Missing phone calls from Dale
• What’s the future for Stewart-Haas Racing’s drivers?
• NASCAR silly season is ramping up
• Where does Dale stand on owning a charter?
• The trademark of the “8” is up for grabs
• Breaking news on Kyle Larson’s waiver status
• Bell and Blaney’s woes lead to busted brackets
• Race winner Austin Cindric calls in

During the Ask Jr. portion of the episode, listeners sent in questions about:

• Who is the better iRacer, Dale Jr. or TJ Majors?
• Dale’s favorite beach activities
• Advice for first-time parents
• Reactions to Elton Sawyer’s statement about Kyle Larson’s Playoffs waiver

Carla Gebhart hosts a packed DJD Reloaded show this week. Rodney Childers, crew chief of the No. 4 car at Stewart-Haas Racing, joins to discuss his team's upcoming closure and how he’ll work to keep his team focused for the remainder of 2024. Plus, Indiana’s own and Speed Street host, Conor Daly, calls in fresh off his top-10 result in the Indy 500. Conor shares the ups and downs of his day and why he gets so emotional before every race. And finally, with the Denny Hamlin Bracket Challenge back for the second year, there’s nobody better to get in-depth analysis from than Dirty Mo Dough’s “Professor," Russell Wenrich. Entries for the bracket close this Sunday at 3 pm ET, so visit dirtymomedia.com/bracketchallenge to enter!

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is joined by country music star and fellow North Carolina native Luke Combs this week on the Dale Jr. Download. On the heels of releasing his latest album “Gettin’ Old” in 2023, Luke connects with Dale via video chat in the midst of a long-running stadium tour. The two chat about Luke growing up in Huntersville, N.C., and realize that they lived about 20 minutes apart for some time. Luke also talks about his family’s decision to move to Asheville, N.C., and attending Appalachian State University, where he changed majors a couple of times and found work as a bouncer at a local bar. It was during these years that Luke found inspiration to pick up a guitar his parents had given him in the seventh grade and learn to play, a decision that would put him on a trajectory to country music stardom.

Luke explains that his entry into live music and the recording industry was humble. After learning a handful of songs, he asked the owner of a local bar he frequented if he could perform, to which he easily obliged. He also found a local studio to record at and self-released his first couple of EPs, helping to build a grassroots following. When his single “Hurricane” found its way to the top of the country charts on iTunes, Luke brought in enough money to stay in pursuit of his music goals a little longer, and soon after, he made the move to Nashville. While there, participating in songwriting sessions with like-minded musicians, Luke began to take meetings with record labels, eventually finding a home with Sony. Through the strength of a string of successful records and No. 1 hit singles, Luke quickly rose from being an opening act to headlining one of the best-selling tours in country music history.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. checks in remotely from the beach house after a rainy Memorial Day weekend for a new episode of Dirty Air. Mother Nature had other plans for the “Greatest Day in Motorsports.” As a result, there was a lot to debate and unpack:

• Tip-toeing into sports betting
• Getting to know the neighbors
• The 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class
• Should Kyle Larson get a waiver?
• Coca-Cola 600 winner Christopher Bell calls in

During the Ask Jr. portion of the episode, listeners inquired about:

• Dale’s recent exploration of the Gee race shop attic
• Dale’s experience of getting interviewed by Josh Berry during the Charlotte Xfinity race
• Dale’s sim rig setup at his beach home

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Carla Gebhart takes the Lionel Racing stage live at JRM Fan Day to discuss Dirty Mo Media's origin, evolution, and future. Mike Davis, Dirty Mo Media's founder and executive producer, comes out of retirement, and Dale Jr.'s long-time friend and spotter, TJ Majors, shares his perspective on the early days of the Dale Jr. Download.

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When news breaks, we react. Dale Earnhardt Jr. recorded an emergency bonus episode of The Download to react to Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s record-breaking $75k fine for fighting Kyle Busch after the All-Star race at North Wilkesboro. Dale discusses whether or not the penalties levied on Stenhouse are fair, if Ricky should appeal the fine, and what this means going forward.

Plus, Dale compares this fight to other historic fights over the years and reacts to NASCAR's reasoning behind the biggest fine for a fight in the sport's history.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. sits down with Will Compton and Taylor Lewan of Barstool’s Bussin’ With The Boys. Dale and the boys kick things off with Will and Taylor’s early days cutting their teeth on the college football level. Since Dale never went to college, Compton and Lewan walk Dale through what the college experience looks like as a student-athlete. Taylor explains the chaos of the NFL combine and shares the roller coaster ride of NFL draft night. Will shares the origin story of the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast and the story behind finding the iconic bus.

The group moves on to discuss the injuries Will and Taylor have encountered over their careers, including the injury that left Lewan heartbroken. Will shares the reason why he turned down the New York Jets late in his career and how he ended up playing alongside Taylor at the Tennessee Titans. The two share the hilarious story of the time they played each other on the football field, which is now known as “The Bussin’ Bowl.” Dale, Will, and Taylor finish the conversation by shootin’ the breeze and sharing the story of how they initially became friends.

It’s the longest DJD episode so far this year and for damn good reason. You won’t want to miss this one.

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