The Down & Dirty Radio Show

In this "From the Vault" episode of the General Tire Down & Dirty Radio Show, Jim Beaver has legends John Force, Ryan Arciero, & Jeremy McGrath on air.

Sean Cain is a self-described “creative person” but you might know him as Blackbeard. Cain visits the show to share just some of the cars you’ve seen on the track that he designed; the reason behind branding himself as Blackbeard; how he went from industrial design to the race car business; social media being the driving force behind business; how a concept gets off the ground; things Cain has to take into consideration and work around with a design; the nerves going from a render to real life car; trying to have up-to-date templates; how long it takes from concept to completion; how many concepts need to be submitted; if there's any loss over the ones that don’t see the light of day; the hardest thing about the job; not getting burnt out and being repetitive; how often Cain gets to see his work at the track; if there are other designs besides race cars; if there is something out there Cain hasn’t designed that he’d like to. Music created by Tony Monge. Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

You know the legend of L.W. Wright. Now meet the man. The driver known as L.W. Wright made the first and only start of his Winston Cup career on May 2, 1982 at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. He'd not been heard from in the FORTY YEARS since ... until now. May 2, 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of that iconic Talladega event, and for the first time ever, portions of an extensive interview with the man who went by the name L.W. Wright are being released ONLY on The Scene Vault Podcast. NOTE: This podcast is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owners of the Scene brand. Please consider supporting this podcast: Patreon: www.patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcast PayPal: www.paypal.me/thescenevaultpodcast

You know the legend of L.W. Wright. Now meet the man. The driver known as L.W. Wright made the first and only start of his Winston Cup career on May 2, 1982 at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. He'd not been heard from in the FORTY YEARS since ... until now. Monday marks the 40th anniversary of that iconic Talladega event, and for the first time ever, portions of an extensive interview with the man who went by the name L.W. Wright will be released ONLY on The Scene Vault Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and check back Monday at 6 a.m. for the full episode. NOTE: This podcast is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owners of the Scene brand. Please consider supporting this podcast: Patreon: www.patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcast PayPal: www.paypal.me/thescenevaultpodcast

In one of his favorite interviews he's ever done, Jim Beaver catches up with Ryan Arciero in this " Down & Dirty Show From the Vault" interview dating back to April of 2019.

After teasing next week's interview guest, we conclude our three-episode arc with Gil Martin’s cancer story. It’s powerful … because he went at his Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL) diagnosis with the heart of a racer. If this doesn’t work, try that … over and over and over again. In honor of that cancer story … as we have in the past with others in the NASCAR community who have dealt with such serious issues … we let it stand on its own and forego our standard second segment. NOTE: This podcast is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owners of the Scene brand. Please consider supporting the show: Patreon: www.patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcast PayPal: www.paypal.me/thescenevaultpodcast

Whether you know him as Brad or “Bread” Perez, he is here to talk about living the NASCAR dream. Perez takes us inside his role as a tire specialist in the Camping World Truck Series for Rackley W.A.R.; the way he started to network into the sport; not being mechanically inclined; getting a taste for racing with a spec Miata; not coming from a racing family but being a race fan who dreamed of being a driver; memories of attending races at Homestead-Miami Speedway; introducing family and friends to NASCAR through his passion for it; if his parents now understand Perez’s love for racing and being there for his Truck debut; transitioning to North Carolina and how Ryan Vargas played a role; working many other non-racing jobs to earn money for racing; why Perez thinks he’s become a popular figure in the garage and on social media; if he’s used social media to his advantage; if he reminded himself to enjoy the experience of his Truck Series debut; if Perez feels he’s settling for a job in racing versus driving; potentially having a die-cast made of his truck from his debut. Music created by Tony Monge. Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Big news in the world of NASCAR history this week ... the rebirth of North Wilkesboro Speedway, thanks to the efforts of a small group of Wilkes County diehards and Speedway Motorsports! In our first segment this week, we share the second installment of our interview with longtime NASCAR crew chief Gil Martin. Gil shares his memories of his first Winston Cup victory as a crew chief, which came in November 2001 at New Hampshire with Robby Gordon behind the wheel of the Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Gil also shares the story of the Corvette he was promised ... but never received ... following that win. Then, it's on to the sometimes topsy-turvy relationship he shared with young phenom Kevin Harvick, RCR's decision to bring back the number 3 and the urgency of winning the pole for the 2014 Daytona 500. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid break down the November 29, 2001 issue of Winston Cup Scene. That week's paper covered the Battle of the Gordons at New Hampshire, in which Robby gave Jeff a nudge up and out of the lead en route to that first win with Gil. Also, a Busch Series season review package relived some rather testy quotes from competitors. NOTE: This podcast is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owners of the Scene brand.

In this "From the Down & Dirty Show Vault," Jim Beaver goes back to 2015 to catch up with the first man to ever triple flip a dirt bike and the first woman to ever backflip a dirt bike with interviews with Josh Sheehan & Jolene Van Vugt.

Brian Wilson is a return guest to the podcast but it’s a completely different conversation as we focus on Wilson’s first year as Cup Series crew chief and how he got here. Wilson reveals how the team believes they’ve found the reason for their rough start to the season; what Wilson remembers of his dad being an engineer for Robert Pressley and the Skol car; getting his racing start with the Kimmel family; working in the race shop and the grocery store meat department; going from the Kimmel team straight to Team Penske and the Cup Series; memories working on the 77 team with Brendan Gaughan; shock builder to engineer, thinking his career was over moving to Xfinity, and his first shot of being a crew chief not going well; lasting so long at one organization; how Next Gen has changed things for crew chiefs; keeping a close eye on the parts going on the car; being someone how likes information and knowing the rules; what he’s seen from his rookie driver good and bad; what Wilson is looking for from the 21 team getting into the summer months. Music created by Tony Monge. Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

This week ... host Rick Houston and his sons Jesse and Adam join listener Bill Stripling for a memorable weekend of decidedly Old School and frigid short-track racing at Martinsville Speedway. In the first of what will be three installments with longtime NASCAR Busch Series and Cup crew chief Gil Martin, he takes us through his very first days in the sport. A buddy of his needed help out at the old Nashville Fairgrounds Raceway … and Gil didn’t particularly want to go. But he went any way, a move that very obviously turned out to change the course of his life. Gil also remembers Bobby Hamilton and the genesis of Filmar Racing, and the growing pains that Nashville-based operation faced with four very different drivers … Bobby Hamilton, David Green, Jeff Burton and finally, Kenny Wallace. Finally, Gil takes us through his move to Richard Childress Racing. In our second segment, Rick and co-host Steve Waid leaf through the April 16, 1992 issue of Winston Cup Scene. Davey Allison wins at North Wilkesboro, despite being battered, bruised and sore from an accident the race before in Bristol. Bobby Hillin gets put in lockdown due to a run-in with Kyle Petty … and there’s actually a connection to that incident AND our new NASCAR Technical Institute studio. Oh … but wait … there’s more. Dave Marcis helps pave the way for NASCAR to make its first appearance at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a young Dale Jarrett tumbles out of his car while trying to leave North Wilkesboro, a Junior Johnson & Associates crew member is unable to go on an important mission? Why? Because he’s locked in a porta-john. Finally, there’s an almost unbelievable connection … again … to our deal with John Dodson at the NASCAR Technical Institute. NOTE: This podcast is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owners of the Scene brand.

In one of his many interviews with the Extreme E and off-road star, Jim Beaver goes back to 2019 with Sara Price in this episode from the Down & Dirty Show Vault.

Second generation racer Jesse Little keeps busy both on and off the track. Little joins the program to share all he has his hands in; getting his hands dirty when needed; driving for Tyler Young this year; how Young’s team has changed Little’s preparation; what it’s like driving for an owner who is also a driver; why he immediately felt chemistry with the team; splitting the truck with Kaz Grala; being productive when not in the truck; tweeting for the love of racing; why Little has taken to the Truck Series over the years; the Truck Series being a learning series; having to be a hustler and go after what you want; knowing what’s a good deal and what’s a bad deal; the doubts of whether it’s going to happen as a driver; how it feels to look at his former NASCAR Next classmates who have full-time rides; being grateful to still be here after 10 years; what variables Little believes a driver needs to succeed, and what he thinks he offers; not having dad Chad get involved; what it was like running a full Xfinity Series schedule; what’s next on his truck schedule. Music created by Tony Monge. Please support my work through Patreon: www.patreon.com/KellyCrandall

Street Bike Tommy returns to the show this week to catch up on his big changes and Jim Beaver and the crew talk on the new F1 race in Las Vegas.

This week in the third and final installment of our interview with Mike Beam, Mike talks about the struggles he continued to face in the wake of the loss of Mike Rich and a fiery accident involving Sterling Marlin. Despite those reservations, Mike eventually moved over to Bill Elliott’s Junior Johnson & Associates team, where he and Bill combined to give Junior the final Winston Cup victory of his career. Mike also takes listeners through the controversy the team endured during the leadup to the 1995 Daytona 500, when the organization was discovered with an illegal intake manifold. Finally, Mike makes it back to the top of the mountain with Roush Racing, where he guided Mark Martin and Carl Edwards to successful seasons in truck and Nationwide competition. Afterward, he wound up with the organization now known as Petty GMS Motorsports … together again with Richard Petty. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the May 28, 1981 issue of Grand National Scene. Bobby Allison wins at Charlotte, despite serious accidents involving his brother Donnie and good friend Neil Bonnett. Cale Yarborough finishes third just two days after getting scalded by a pot of boiling water in his hotel room, Dale Earnhardt moves back into his father’s old racing shop in Kannapolis and Gene Granger gets PUNCHED. NOTE: This podcast is in no way associated with American City Business Journals, owners of the Scene brand.