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.

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices