
NASCAR on NBC podcast
Discussing the latest NASCAR news, including a weekly recap of races, events and a look ahead to what's next in the sport. Host Nate Ryan is joined by NBC Sports analysts such as Jeff Burton, Dale Jarrett, Steve Letarte and Kyle Petty.
Latest episodes

Aug 14, 2023 • 44min
Indianapolis: The perseverance of Michael McDowell and Front Row Motorsports; Shane van Gisbergen’s second outing and future; back to the Brickyard oval in 2024?
Why did this race end with such a long green-flag run? (2:30); two critical moments that tipped the race in favor of Michael McDowell over Daniel Suarez (6:00); how Next Gen has been a game-changer that has lifted Front Row (9:30); Denny Hamlin’s inadvertent shot at McDowell’s road course prowess (12:00); being a driver involved in team direction and personnel decisions (14:00); the fateful meeting that laid the ground work for a successful union between Michael McDowell and crew chief Travis Peterson (17:00); how being a crew chief at Front Row would be different than Hendrick (20:00); Michael McDowell’s career story (22:00); “He never gave up, but he never gave in” (27:30); assessing Shane van Gisbergen’s 10th place (31:00); what’s next for SVG in 2024 and what would be an ideal schedule to prepare for being full-time Cup in 2025 (35:00); on the likelihood of NASCAR returning to the IMS oval next year (38:00); a novel concept from Burton on announcing Roval or oval a few months ahead of the race (40:00); playoff cutline outlook for the last two races (41:30).
Visit www.nbcsports.com/nascar and www.nbcsports.com/motors for more NASCAR and motorsports coverage from NBC Sports.

Aug 8, 2023 • 46min
Michigan: The winning strategy of Chris Buescher over Martin Truex Jr.; Brad Keselowski’s immense impact as a team owner; 23XI Racing’s systemic pit crew problems; Indy goes international
Why was the racing so good at Michigan, which featured a record 16 leaders (1:00); impact of the car and stage racing (3:30); breaking down the strategy elements of Chris Buescher’s victory over Martin Truex Jr. and the crucial decisions on when to make the final pit stops (7:00); how Buescher and Tyler Reddick helped each other to stay ahead of Truex (10:00); why it made more sense for Buescher to stay out to start the final stage (13:00); why Truex didn’t wait longer to make his final stop after Buescher made his (15:15); the final 20 fruitless laps of Truex’s pursuit and praising Buescher’s sublime drive to close out the win (17:00); has Chris Buescher’s star emergence been surprising this season? (20:00); Brad Keselowski, Steve Letarte’s personal NASCAR on NBC reviewer (22:00); Keselowski’s impressive impact on the look and the results for the former Roush Fenway Racing (25:00); how does 23XI Racing address its pit crew woes? (30:00); why were drivers losing control when on the inside at Michigan? (33:00); how did CBell finish 13th with a car that seemed heavily damaged? (36:30); playoff outlook for Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott (38:00); a preview of Indianapolis’ international lineup with Shane van Gisbergen, Brodie Kostecki, Kamui Kobayashi, Jenson Button and Mike Rockenfeller.
Visit www.nbcsports.com/nascar and www.nbcsports.com/motors for more NASCAR and motorsports coverage from NBC Sports.

Jul 31, 2023 • 46min
Richmond: Chris Buescher and Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing on the rise; strategy rules Richmond; reviewing how the Kyle Larson interview at Pocono unfolded
What we know about Richmond winner Chris Buescher (2:30) and why his persona might be both underrated and appreciate (5:30); where does Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing rank in Cup (8:30); how teams approached the race on strategy expecting long green-flag runs (11:00); how did the style of racing at Richmond change (14:00); Martin Truex Jr.’s confusion with his team’s strategy (16:30); Truex’s frustration while still mulling his future (20:00); a plethora of pit mistakes (21:00); how being a TV pit reporter is different from radio (24:00); the backstory of how Kim handled the postrace interview with Kyle Larson at Pocono (27:30); why the interview went to a rare third question and Kim’s thought process on the follow-ups (33:00); whether Kim got any feedback on the interview from Larson, Hamlin or the rest of the industry (37:00); the impact of Pocono on how drivers will race Michigan this weekend (41:00); Bubba Wallace’s impressive Richmond and what it means for Michigan and making the playoffs (43:00).
Visit www.nbcsports.com/nascar and www.nbcsports.com/motors for more NASCAR and motorsports coverage from NBC Sports.

Jul 18, 2023 • 40min
New Hampshire: Martin Truex Jr.’s breakthrough “home” win and will he keep racing next season; should teams use pit stop code words?; the playoff bubble tightens
The surprise of this being Truex’s first Cup win at New Hampshire (1:30); what it’s like for a driver to win at the track where he grew up at (4:30); how has Martin Truex Jr. recaptured his championship form of 2017-21? (9:30); what are the odds of Truex returning in 2024 (15:30); Truex and crew chief James Small being on the same page for a critical pit stop (18:30); Ryan Blaney’s pit crew error, and should teams use code words? (21:30); a costly mistake for Christopher Bell’s crew as well (24:00); the tightening of the playoff cutline and what it means for Daytona (25:30); what DJ likes about the approach by Michael McDowell and his team (28:00); win or else for Chase Elliott’s playoff hopes (30:00); Joey Logano’s impressive performance (34:00); Pocono preview (37:00).
Visit www.nbcsports.com/nascar and www.nbcsports.com/motors for more NASCAR and motorsports coverage from NBC Sports.

Jul 10, 2023 • 51min
Atlanta: A wild night in the rain; William Byron’s amazing run and good fit with Rudy Fugle; how long will the great racing last on the new surface?
What’s it like for a crew chief to anticipate strategy calls in a rain-shortened race (1:30); “there’ll be as many road course races as rain races this season” (5:00); having a “war room” staffer who’s the meteorologist (6:30); and could the war room be at the track in the future (7:30); NASCAR’s decision to keep the pits closed while running under yellow (9:30); the factor of last year’s call at the Daytona regular-season finale (12:30); the crux of keeping the pits closed (17:00); William Byron’s impressive recovery from 36th to first (21:30); the seemingly perfect pairing of Rudy Fugle and William Byron (27:00); analyzing Kyle Laron’s exploding right-front tire (32:00); NASCAR’s decision to hold the yellow a couple of times (34:00); the scintillating racing on Atlanta’s new pavement and how long can we expect it to last (39:00); why it was about driving at Atlanta instead of steering at Talladega (41:30); improving the fan experience around Atlanta and how that’s part of the reimagining of the NASCAR schedule (44:00); New Hampshire preview (47:30).
Visit www.nbcsports.com/nascar and www.nbcsports.com/motors for more NASCAR and motorsports coverage from NBC Sports.

Jul 6, 2023 • 45min
Chicago: Shane van Gisbergen stuns racing world by winning his NASCAR debut with a lost art; the street course era begins; can Chase Elliott make the playoffs on points?
Putting Shane van Gisbergen’s historic victory in NASCAR context (1:30); appreciate SVG’s racecraft as much as his pure speed (4:00); giving Justin Marks a lot of credit for “the perfect pick” (7:00); a big year for NASCAR’s international footprint (8:45); why the Next gen is a friendlier platform of car for international drivers to adapt (10:30); is SVG really 5-8 years ahead of the field as Kyle Busch alluded (13:30); the Cup drivers who were left humbled (16:00); SVG’s heel-to-toe technique, and was it the difference in his speed (19:00); how the best road course drivers make speed with the brakes and clutch (22:00); will Cup teams now be studying if they can gain speed by left-foot shifting? (23:30); and can this lost art be reclaimed (25:30); should NASCAR go to single-file restarts on road courses? (27:00); did the wet to dry conditions make Chicago a better race? (28:00); impressions on a 30-year veteran of the NASCAR Cup Series industry watching the first street race ever (31:00); what’s the future of Chicago and NASCAR street courses in general (34:00); Atlanta and Chase Elliott’s path to the playoffs (40:30); why Atlanta qualifying and track position could be critical (42:00).
Visit www.nbcsports.com/nascar and www.nbcsports.com/motors for more NASCAR and motorsports coverage from NBC Sports.

Jun 26, 2023 • 42min
Nashville: Ross Chastain ends winless streak with a calculated drive through traffic; Ryan Blaney’s controversial crash without a SAFER barrier; Chicago preview
Sizing up Nashville and why Ross Chastain’s car came to life at night. (1:30); how the No. 1 team optimized handling for Chastain (4:30); Chastain and his more patient approach to navigating traffic and less friendly drivers (7:30); an interesting conversation that DJ had with Ross (10:00); the conversation that Ross had with Justin Marks (12:30); is Chastain getting more respect now since Darlington? (15:30); the Rick Hendrick factor (16:30); is Ross Chastain now a championship contender? DJ asked him and got an interesting response (20:30); the humbler side of Ross Chastain and his relationship with “Mr. Jarrett” (23:00); analyzing what happened in Ryan Blaney’s crash (26:00); SAFER barriers everywhere, regardless of cost (29:00); Nashville Superspeedway’s quality racing (31:30); Chicago Street Race weekend preview (34:00); how many more winners will there be in the 2023 Cup season? (38:00)
Visit www.nbcsports.com/nascar and www.nbcsports.com/motors for more NASCAR and motorsports coverage from NBC Sports.

Jun 21, 2023 • 1h 25min
NASCAR’s hot-button issues at the midseason of 2023: A panel discussion and debate with Mike Forde, Jeff Gluck, Steve Letarte, Pete Pistone
What’s going on with Ross Chastain since Darlington? (2:00); or is it what’s happened to Trackhouse Racing? (4:00); why the timing of Chastain suddenly being managed more directly by the team (7:00); NASCAR’s view of Chastain (11:00); was the team too public? (13:00); the Rick Hendrick factor (15:00); Denny Hamlin in the era of the driver podcast (17:30); do some drivers need to leverage their success into bigger platforms and voices? (22:00); should NASCAR penalize drivers ex post facto? (27:00); the resurrection of Kyle Busch as a franchise driver at Richard Childress Racing (32:00); does Joe Gibbs Racing feel regret about letting Busch go? (38:00); the Austin Dillon effect (40:00); the car vs. driver through the Next Gen lens (44:00); trying to assign a percentage to a driver’s impact (48:00); the Next Gen culture shift in NASCAR (54:00); are penalties and fines dominating the Cup Series narrative too much in 2023? (1:00); state of short track racing in 2023 (1:04); should future track schedules feature more rebalancing to fit where the cars are delivering the best quality of action? (1:10).
Visit www.nbcsports.com/nascar and www.nbcsports.com/motors for more NASCAR and motorsports coverage from NBC Sports.

Jun 12, 2023 • 39min
Sonoma: Martin Truex Jr.’s resurgence; Kyle Busch the title contender; a choppy season for Chase Elliott; Tyler Reddick gets penalized for a good deed; state of Trackhouse
On a reinvigorated Martin Truex Jr. a year after he openly contemplated retirement (1:00); a driver who can win emphatically when his car is right, especially at Sonoma (5:00); do Truex’s victories this year increase the likelihood that he sticks around beyond 2023? (7:30); is Kyle Busch a title contender now (10:00); how Busch and RCR have answered some questions the past two weeks about the short-track package (13:30); Chase Elliott’s interesting top five and where he is with Next Gen on road courses (16:30); Hendrick’s lack of speed overall (18:30); the difficult for Chase Elliott of finding a rhythm during such a choppy season (21:30); feeling “lost” when out of the routine from living at a racetrack your entire life (24:00); the penalty to Tyler Reddick for doing something that helped the greater good, and that KP considers the best call of the 2023 season (27:00); State of Trackhouse Racing (31:00); sizing up the unknowns as the NASCAR on NBC schedule kicks off in two weeks (35:00).
Visit www.nbcsports.com/nascar and www.nbcsports.com/motors for more NASCAR and motorsports coverage from NBC Sports.

Jun 5, 2023 • 42min
Gateway: Kyle Busch continues RCR honeymoon; lights out for NASCAR teams’ Big Data; will Austin Cindric be suspended for the Austin Dillon crash?; Ross Chastain’s fade
Kyle Busch’s impressive start with Richard Childress Racing (1:00); did Kyle Busch and RCR send a short-track message? (3:00); has the discussion and hype around Tyler Reddick been a motivator for Busch and RCR (5:00); on how the lack of Internet connectivity hurt teams during the Cup race (7:30); did RCR’s old-school approach in that respect (10:00); did Austin Cindric intentionally wreck Austin Dillon? (13:00); how will NASCAR determine the fault? (17:00); could NASCAR determine the evidence is inconclusive (20:00); why motorsports is a tougher sport to officiate because of these reasons (21:00); brake rotor failures (22:00); what does Corey LaJoie’s performance in place of Chase Elliott mean for his future (26:00); what is going on with Ross Chastain? (30:00); should Trackhouse Racing just go back to having Ross’ back all the time? (35:00); Chicago Street Race preview (39:00)
Visit www.nbcsports.com/nascar and www.nbcsports.com/motors for more NASCAR and motorsports coverage from NBC Sports.
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