The Racing Writer's Podcast

Elon Werner is the creator of Drag Race Bracket Bonanza (DRBB), a game that has qiuckly taken over the drag racing world. Werner is here to tell all as he explains finally taking the leap to create the game and how it works on the backend; the most important thing he wanted to incorporate in DRBB; the retention rate from week to week and keeping people playing; being a data resource for fans and not just a game with all the information incorporated; a run-down of the many prizes available to players; the range of the game reaching other countries; getting the industry to buy into a new game and have it sweep the sport; always thinking about what is next and continuing to evolve the game. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Charles Denike has Bubba Wallace off to the best start of his NASCAR Cup Series career, and he’s done so as a new crew chief in the series. Denike dishes on settling in at 23XI Racing; how it feels to get off to a strong start this season; impressions of Wallace from afar and now working with him; why the time was right to make this career move; the positive reviews about him before the season even started; the adjustment from the Craftsman Truck Series to being in the Cup Series; if he’s been able to enjoy the fast start to the season or had the pressure that comes with it; finding the same structure in NASCAR as in the military; why he went into the military after high school; his background and experience in the military; going into racing as his second career; the crossover from military into racing; the engineering crossover from one to the other; his NASCAR start being in the K&N Series and then going Truck Series racing; memories from Truck Series racing and his unconventional first career win; seeing his former truck win at at Martinsville Speedway; things that translate from the truck to cup; the balance of how he wants to lead the team but not changing things to change them; what Charles wanted from Bubba and want Bubba wanted from Charles as they paired together; the No. 1 thing the team needs to have accomplished by the end of the year. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Lyn St. James is an icon in the motorsports landscape and now as the co-founder of Women in Motorsports North America. We’re digging into how St. James view the growth of motorsports by encouraging more inclusion of women; the non-existent NASCAR ladder system and women trying to break into the sport; not being surprised by the current landscape of women in racing in the year 2025; the future of WIMNA in the motorsports space; WIMNA opening the door to a new generation learning about who St. James is and her career; the emotion of being inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame; recommendations for reading material and learning for women in racing. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Antron Brown is off to another solid start to an NHRA Top Fuel season, and we’ve got him fresh off a win to reflect and look ahead. Brown starts, however, with his takeaways from a visit to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for NASCAR racing and getting a different perspective in person; looking as good as a chocolate bar joke; the pedal fest at Gainesville where Brown won to start the season; explaining what pedaling the car is and the easiest mistake to make; what he learned about his team during a tough weekend; the boost of winning the first race of the season after ending the previous year as champions; how a team prepares for a new season after winning the championship; his optimism for a very competitive Top Fuel class; being up for a new challenge in competition; chasing prize money for being regular-season champion; the impending departure of Toyota from the sport and if a team can go without a manufacturer partner; the many hats of being a team owner; what keeps him going after decades of success of in the sport. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Katherine Legge has had time to download her NASCAR Cup Series debut, and there has been a lot to process from what happened. Legge shares what she’s been thinking about since last Sunday at Phoenix Raceway; why she felt embarrassed by what happened; the multiple phone calls Legge has made since Phoenix; reflecting on some of the highlights from the experience; having B.J. McLeod in her ear during the weekend; the characteristics of the Next Gen car versus other vehicles Legge has driven in racing; the overall takeaway of Cup Series racing/competition; having Andy Lally in her corner; wanting people to like her; why she loves stock car racing so much; the reason she came back to stock cars after a gap from her first foray into the sport; if the clock is ticking to check off bucket list items; making herself uncomfortable again; entering the podcast space herself this year and what she hopes to accomplish there; what is next on her racing calendar. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

The second part of our conversation with Sadie Glenn starts by switching into how she formed her own social media and photography company, SR Driven Media. Glenn works for a number of drivers in NHRA, such as her husband Dallas, Angie and Matt Smith, Corey Reed, and others. She then digs into having a degree but also being self-taught with the spacing changing over the years; what she tries to accomplish with her work for her clients; the importance of having something (the business) for herself; the openness and honesty Glenn brings to her personal social media pages; her plans for the 2025 season with her racing and her business. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Sadie Glenn is ready for a new NHRA drag racing season that begins this weekend in Florida. Not only as a businesswoman and wife, but as a racer herself. We start the first part of our conversation discussing being on the verge of a new NHRA season; living in NASCAR country; the background of her start in drag racing; the balance of being a part-time driver and her husband being a full-time driver; the approach to her driving career and how often she competes; the reality of trying to be a driver and how that was going to look; the idea of driving being good for the soul; being a cancer survivor and how that effects her today. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Jimmie Johnson thought Legacy Motor Club had a win in a Daytona duel race, but the button doesn’t lie. Johnson gives his perspective on the ending of the duel race and Erik Jones being so close before going into an in-depth conversation about now being the organization's majority owner. Johnson breaks down the progress of the team and working through getting everything in place with Toyota, as well as being self-sufficient with processes in-house; choosing to go without an alliance partner; the type of owner Johnson wants to be; becoming comfortable as a leader of hundreds; the approach to being present as a team owner; finding opportunity for Legacy while living in England; the reason why racing expansion for Legacy Motor Club is in the plans; shooting down the Indianapolis 500 rumor but if that race would be one to look at in the future; things Johnson better understands about racing now as an owner; ways that he’s been challenged and has challenged himself the last few years; learning a different side of the patience game; becoming comfortable communicating with NASCAR as an owner; closely monitoring the 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports and NASCAR lawsuit; understanding the Open Exemption Provisional; being in the team owner space with some of his former rivals; the reason Johnson will only contest two races this year and if the end of his driving career is over; hearing the critics about his current driving career, and how the performance changed his expectations; if the end of his driving career is approaching; balancing ownership, family, and starting his own podcast. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Layne Riggs is back with Front Row Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series, and we check in with the sophomore driver before he heads to Daytona. Riggs also discusses recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and how it felt during the Rockingham test last month; the shoulder making him go viral after winning at Milwaukee; what it’s like competing in a NASCAR national series for the first time; the adjustment to racing wide open; going through the learning pains of a rookie season; the biggest thing about having one season under his belt; where he’s most looking forward to returning; learning to race inches from the wall; the physical exhaustion of racing; the overall feeling entering a new season; expectations versus reality of being a driver; leaning on other drivers for guidance; not having to balance school anymore; having NASCAR’s John Patalak as a professor; being interested in the safety side of the sport; being hands-on with his truck; the finals days of the offseason. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

William Byron spent the weekend driving his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for the first time in 2025, and now he’s on the podcast. We start by seeing how Byron is physically feeling after the first race behind the wheel; the warm-up race leading into a season; ramping up training going into a season; the focus during the season on keeping the body strong and learning more about that over the years; having a week between the Clash and Daytona; returning to Daytona as the defending champion; what he remembers most about the 2024 victory; the change in confidence at superspeedways over the years; the feel of Next Gen drafting versus previous generation of race car; preparation for Daytona; going into his eighth year with Hendrick Motorsports; the difference from his first year to where he is now; how a driver builds confidence and comfort at the Cup Series level; the potential of the 24 team on a weekly basis; the attention and emphasis put on Phoenix as the finale; the change in team mindset after two Championship 4 appearances; quick thoughts on the change to the 2025 playoff schedule; being more accustomed to success; spending time in Japan during the offseason. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Rodney Childers hit the ground running with Spire Motorsports after the 2024 season finale, and now he’s sharing how much work has gone in with the No. 7 team to prepare for a new year. Childers shares the emotions of starting with a new organization; the dynamic of joining a new team and who is and isn’t familiar; the changing expectations within Spire; changing the entire cockpit for Justin Haley and the team basically starting over; building a relationship with Haley; defining expectations for the team; understanding Next Gen going into the fourth year; the overall feeling approaching a new season with a new team and driver, and what it has to do with alarms; how much Childers is putting on his shoulders; dealing with multiple winless seasons; what a week looks like for a crew chief during the season; interest from his twin sons in racing and being at the shop; the difference in Daytona preparation from years gone by; thoughts on the change to the Damaged Vehicle Policy (DVP); looking ahead to another year on the job and hitting 700 starts. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Carson Hocevar is the new NASCAR Cup Series rookie of the year, and the offseason hasn’t yet slowed things down for him because of the award. Hocevar joins the show to discuss what he’s been up to since Phoenix; what he gets out of being at the shop regularly; what winning Rookie of the Year means to him; the difference in his expectations versus those around him; the growth process throughout the year; the races that stand out or Hocevar is most proud of; quickly taking to the Next Gen car; the idea of sim work and how much he does; what the stats don’t show about the season; things that need to be improved for next year; what did or didn’t surprise him about full-time Cup Series racing; reflecting on a fast five years in NASCAR. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

The social media team for RFK Racing does things a little differently than most others with its mix of serious and straightforward and fun and honest content. We’re meeting the team behind the accounts and how they got to RFK Racing. Then we jump into one member transitioning into motorsports from college athletics; how the posting process works with multiple people having account access; any approval process for posting; it being a conscious shift in how in-race updates are presented; keeping the emotions in check during the race; the change in engagement over the years; having other race teams engage with the content; the return on investment with social media; who spends them mot time online; content or a post they are each most proud of contributing. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

‘NASCAR Mavericks: The Rebels and Racers Who Revolutionized Stock Car Racing’ is the latest coffee table book for fans to explore the history of their favorite sport. Holly Cain, a long-time NASCAR writer and one of the co-authors of the books, shares how one begins to dig into what makes a maverick; the process of working with another author, and the personal battles Cain was going through during the project; the importance of the Smokey Yunick chapter; his Hall of Fame chances; including Mario Andretti; memories of Bill France Jr. and his famous expressions; the unrecognizable names in the book; anything that was left out of the book; the parts Cain enjoyed writing the most; the hope or goal with the book; information on another book Cain has written and where to follow her current work. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Wayne Auton, the NASCAR Xfinity Series managing director, returns to the podcast as he wraps up his tenure in the garage. Auton shares what it’s been like to go through this year and how folks have treated him; plans for 2025; going through the adjustment of what comes next and a changing lifestyle; how he views being a resource in the future; drivers wanting to share their success with him; what he wanted to get out of the final season; the drivers who stand out having seen them grow and get to where they are now; memorable moments from inside the hauler; the hauler being a place for teams as much as NASCAR; the chances of still being surprised this long on the job; staying aware of everything involved with the series; dealing with the coming and going of drivers on a frequent basis; what he is most proud of from his tenure in the role as it comes to an end. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Ida Zetterström is finally getting her feet underneath her in NHRA Top Fuel competition and a lot has happened in just a few races. Zetterström gives a detailed breakdown of her first five races; earning a red light for the first time in his drag racing career; the boost a big coming out weekend gave her and her team; continuing to get comfortable in a different dragster from her European machine; finding her routine and rhythm again after being out of the seat for over half a year; the competition not overlooking her team as a field filler; why she said a championship ring was a very American thing; experiencing a baseball game for the first time; the goals Zetterström wants to hit before the end of the season. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Kenny Wallace still has so much going on in life that he’s living by the motto: don’t let the old man in. Among the priorities is still racing dirt, and he explains what he gets out of doing that; the physical differences of not racing for a living; what it meant to be involved with Trackside Live at the SMI facilities; needing to get away from NASCAR after driving and loving it again now; coming back and being heavy into the media space of motorsports; the approach to doing interviews and having a podcast; the serious preparation done ahead of time; changing the Google algorithm for searches of his name; learning so much more about motorsports personalities through his interviews; why people should care about his opinion and content; the way he engages on social media; finally being at peace with himself and life. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Marc-Antoine Camirand is a two-time NASCAR Canada Series champion and he’s here to talk about his latest accomplishment. Camirand shares how they’ve celebrated; already thinking about being the first to win back-to-back championships; recapping championship weekend; why he said that race was special; what experience from the first championship taught Camirand ahead of the second; the highlights and battles from the season; the unreal consistent from his race team; the pressure he felt with a car so good and how the team approached that every week; a surreal and fast trajectory to the top in the series; putting a new team together two years ago; the difference between the first and second championships; selling fans on the NASCAR Canada Series; a look at how he got into racing; how to learn more or follow Camirand. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Leigh Diffey took over as the lead announcer for NBC Sports last month and he’s had everyone’s attention since then. Diffey joins the show to share what the experience has been like in the garage; the races we’ve seen so far; being prepared to make great calls during a race; the approach to being prepared; having good information retention; becoming a better storyteller with NBC Sports; doing a bit of motorcycle racing early in life; broadcasting not being the first choice of profession; but broadcasting always feeling natural; the Australian version of NASCAR; the most memorable thing about the job and being in the booth. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall

Holly Jones is a former race car driver and now the wife of a NASCAR Cup Series driver, and also a fur mom to a dog and bunny. Soon, she and Erik Jones will be parents to a tiny human. We’re covering those topics plus what it’s like being a driver’s significant other; the benefit of being a former driver and relating to what is going on; still having a competitive side; taking in the race from the pit box and superstitions; balancing home and road life, and the importance of routine; the highlights from being at the track over the years; the racing background of Jones; why doing it for a living was never in the cards; the initial plans for getting a job in the real world; finding enjoyment being at the track and as a support system; information on the foundation and the work it does across various issues; the Read with Erik program; upcoming events for the Foundation to know about; the impact the Foundation has had over the years. Original music created by Tony Monge. Follow me here: https://linktr.ee/kellycrandall