Stagger: Recent Episodes
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Stagger is a motorsports history podcast. Each week, we‘ll discuss heroes, legends, and myths from the world of racing. Hosted by brothers J.D. Smith and Derrick Smith, with new episodes published every Wednesday.
This week, J.D. and Derrick decided to re-air an episode they did last year, as they are working on the next new episode. But, if you just found the podcast in 2021, this episode will be new to you!
You might have heard the name, but you might not be aware of just how accomplished he was prior to his turn in NASCAR. Find out how Lake Speed toured the world, duked it out with Ayrton Senna (yes, him), and ultimately tamed one of NASCAR's toughest tracks. And also, find out which NASCAR television personality tried to punch him out on national TV.
In this episode, J.D. and Derrick are joined by Ory Roberts, a friend of the program, racing fantasy league operator, and all-around knowledgeable NASCAR fan as they take a look back on Lake Speed's career.
Let the guys know your thoughts on this episode on social media; twitter and instagram is the same handle - @staggerpodcast
Memories can sometimes be deceiving. Perception is reality, but what if somewhere along the way, your perception was skewed?
An unfortunate accident at Daytona in 2012 changed the way Juan Pablo Montoya was understood by one of the largest fanbases in motorsports - NASCAR fans. But it wasn't just that moment; JPM won just two races in America's biggest racing series. And so, he was seen as just a guy. Not great, not terrible, just one of many drivers to come to NASCAR and struggle.
But the reality is that Juan Pablo Montoya is one of the best drivers in the history of motorsports. His accomplishments stand among the greatest names the sport has ever seen - Foyt, Andretti, and Gurney, and Hill.
This week, J.D. and Derrick aim to set the record straight on Juan Pablo Montoya, from his time in CART and IndyCar to his Formula 1 days, even to his spectacular run in the NASCAR playoffs (this happened!). And to do so, they borrow a premise from the great "You're Wrong About" podcast (which you really should be listening to!)
Enjoyed this episode? Think we're wrong about Juan Pablo Montoya? Let us know! Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Listen to You're Wrong About
LeeRoy Yarbrough isn't well remembered by NASCAR fans, despite his big year in 1969. There's a good reason for that...
In the second of our two-part series on this forgotten NASCAR driver, we explore what happened after 1969...and why LeeRoy would never be the same again after that season.
His legacy remains difficult to square, and what it should be depends largely on who you ask.
More Stagger here: Twitter: www.twitter.com/StaggerPodcast
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In the world of NASCAR, we hear often about the legendary drivers of the 60s and 70s: Richard Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Donnie and Bobby Allison, etc. Given all of those names, it comes as no surprise that there was a ton of talent in the NASCAR garage during the season of 1969.
What might be surprising to some is the driver who was viewed to have the best season that year, and one of the best seasons in NASCAR history: a Jacksonville, FL, native named LeeRoy Yarbrough. Though he's on the list of NASCAR's top 50 drivers of all-time, he's not talked about very often by many in the sport.
Why is that?
In the first of a two-part series, J.D. and Derrick Smith dive into what made LeeRoy Yarbrough one of the best drivers in racing in the late 60s...and why we don't hear as much about him anymore.
More Stagger here: Twitter: https://twitter.com/StaggerPodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staggerpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/679112772938999
1982 was a big year of change for sprint car racing. The legendary Knoxville Nationals allowed winged sprint cars to enter for the first time in race history. Also, some kid named Steve Kinser, who had already proven himself plenty on the black gumbo dirt of Knoxville, was attempting to win three Nationals in a row - a feat no one had ever accomplished. Standing in his way was another Knoxville Nationals two-in-a-row winner - Doug Wolfgang. Who would come out on top?
Travel back with J.D. and Derrick Smith, as they explore this time of progress in sprint car racing, and try to figure out how the great become the GOAT in this week's episode.
Subscribe to the podcast on your app, and follow the guys on twitter and instagram - @staggerpodcast.
In 1989, Geoff Brabham could do no wrong in IMSA. His Nissan/ Electramotive Engineering GTP ZX-T #83 was one of the best sports cars ever made, and his team had figured out how to make it more reliable. They were finally getting the most out of this spectacular machine.
However, at the race in July at Portland International Raceway, Brabham had some difficulty getting around Jan Lammers and Price Cobb, drivers of the Tom Walkinshaw Racing Jaguar XJR-10 #60. It was a great battle between two fantastic drivers, and the race ended with a tremendous pass for the lead on the penultimate lap.
Unfortunately, there was a problem...the checkered flag had already been waved, accidentally, by the local race official manning the start finish line.
IMSA's solution, and the implications of that decision, are what we explore today, along with one of the most glorious times in sportscar racing history in America. That's all today on Stagger!
Links:
Youtube video of the 1989 IMSA race at Portland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2k3XF0vfJI&t=1820s
Stagger Twitter: https://twitter.com/StaggerPodcast
Stagger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staggerpodcast/
It is one of the most controversial racecars ever built - The Car of Tomorrow, aka the COT. There were many strong takes on this vehicle when it debuted in 2007, and not just from fans. Why was this car so disliked? And why did NASCAR feel the need to build this special race car in the first place, one that many felt was alienating fans from the sport?
This week, in part two of two in our short podcast series about NASCAR safety, we discuss everything you want to know about the Car of Tomorrow, with an unabashed fan of the chassis - NASCAR ARCA Menards Series East driver Rajah Caruth. Rajah was just a kid when the COT came out, and has fond memories of the Car of Tomorrow as a race fan growing up in Washington DC. Will he still find it as beloved when the guys go into the history of the car?
Find out on this episode, and hear what he thinks about the car's pluses and minuses for the drivers, fans and team owners.
Also, make sure you check Rajah's socials if you aren't already!
Rajah on Twitter: Rajah Caruth (@rajahcaruth_) / Twitter Rajah's website: Home | Rajah Caruth
As always, you can also follow stagger on twitter and instagram: Stagger Podcast (@StaggerPodcast) / Twitter
One of the basic rules of most sports is that they should be safe enough for all competitors to return home after the event. For most fans, a routine consequence of the sport they love isn't death.
Unfortunately, the world of motorsports is quite different. Danger lurks in every corner, and one wrong move could be disastrous. Over the years, rulebooks have often been pretty light in the areas of safety and concern for the drivers' well-being.
But in 2000, NASCAR officials had a huge problem on their hands - multiple drivers were dying in the highest levels of the sport. Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin Jr had both passed away in the summer of 2000 at New Hampshire, and NASCAR was determined to improve safety before the race in September. Unfortunately, not every driver was on board. And some of that drama spilled out onto the track.
In this two part series, brothers J.D. and Derrick Smith take you back to a name where NASCAR was much more dangerous than it is today, and explore just how safe a racecar should be. They also took a look at one of the weirdest races in NASCAR history.
In part two, coming next week, the guys will take a look at one of the more controversial solutions to safety NASCAR ever developed - the Car of Tomorrow.
Find us on twitter and instagram - @staggerpodcast.
This week, J.D. and Derrick Smith discuss the time legendary sprint car driver Brad Doty returned to Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH for the Kings Royal in 1998, after suffering an injury that left him paralyzed from the chest down just ten years earlier.
You'll hear their thoughts, plus an interview with Dave Argabright, who co-authored Doty's autobiography Still Wide Open, as well as the man himself, Brad Doty. What was going through his mind as he took the green flag in front of the entire sprint car world on that night in 1998?
The guys also dive into Brad's career, what he's meant to the sport of sprint car racing, and the secret test session where Brad Doty was running wide open at Eldora before bringing the car on TV. Plus much more, straight from Brad Doty and Dave Argabright.
Make sure you subscribe to the podcast if you enjoy this episode - we have new episodes featuring some of the best stories in motorsports history coming out every week, so don't miss them! Plus, you can follow us on twitter and instagram - @staggerpodcast!
Links from the podcast:
Brady Doty: One More Lap at Eldora in 1998 (via youtube)
Purchase tickets for the Brad Doty Classic at Attica Raceway Park
Purchase Still Wide Open by Brad Doty with Dave Argabright
This week on Stagger:
J.D. and Derrick talk about the genesis of one of the most legendary families in motorsports - the Unser family. And specifically, the guys wanted to explore the link between the Unser family and Pike's Peak. The annual hill climb race has been dotted with Unser winners throughout it's existence. But you may find it surprising just how much Bobby, Big Al, and Little Al owe to that hill climb event.
Later, we hear from Don Sanborn, the president of the Pike's Peak Hill Climb Historical Association about what it means to be a family with ties to that mountain, the earliest days of the hill climb, and what it means to his family to be a part of keeping this race going.
Listen every week for your motorsports history fix, and follow the show on twitter and instagram for plenty more racing history content: @staggerpodcast. New episodes come out every Wednesday!
This week on Stagger, J.D. and Derrick Smith explore the story of how Pablo Escobar nearly sponsored a Formula 1 driver.
The guys discuss how Escobar lived out his racing dreams in a Renault, Ricardo Londono's rapid rise to F1, and the man who eventually decided to stop Londono, and thus, Pablo Escobar, from being involved in Formula 1. There was also quite a bit of discussion about how the fear of reprisal allowed Escobar to carve out a meager motorsports career for himself.
Finally, we talk with Ken Gold from Atlantis Motor Group, a Porsche 935 expert who is selling a car that was a central piece to this story. Ken helps us trace the history of that car from IROC, to IMSA, to Colombia, and eventually, to his dealership.
As always, let us know what you think of this story - @staggerpodcast on twitter and instagram!
This week, J.D. and Derrick break down one of the weirdest crossover events in motorsports history - Kimi Raikkonen's foray into NASCAR in 2011.
Just four years removed from winning the Formula 1 Championship, Kimi Raikkonen was in Charlotte in a NASCAR truck. But why? The guys talked about that question, his race in an Xfinity Series car (called the Nationwide Series then), and his not so great test in a Cup car. There was also an issue with his water bottle that caused more drama than it should have.
Then, J.D. talked with F1 statistician Sean Kelly (@virtualstatman on twitter), who has worked in F1 broadcast production for nearly 20 years, about his impressions of the move, and how successful Kimi could be if he ever decided to come back to NASCAR.
Just like our favorite crew chiefs, we LOVE feedback! Share your thoughts on this episode, and any ideas you have for future stories you think we should discuss - @staggerpodcast on twitter and instagram!
This week, brothers and motorsports fans J.D. and Derrick Smith talk about the driver that many of his generation regarded as the best ever - Lloyd Seay.
Sadly, we'll never know what Seay's career could have been, as it ended entirely too soon due to tragic circumstances. But in his life, he made a huge impact, one that can be seen today on the streets of Dawsonville, Georgia.
In this episode, the boys talk about moonshine, running wide open on two wheels, and the importance of Dawsonville to NASCAR. They also spoke with the owner of the Dawsonville Pool Room and the founder of the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, Gordon Pirkle, who was just brimming with information from this time period.
Make sure to give us a follow on twitter or IG (@staggerpodcast), and get more info on the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame here: www.georgiaracinghof.com
This week, we relaunch Stagger with an episode about perhaps the most important figure in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history: three-time Indy 500 champion Wilbur Shaw.
An Indiana native, Shaw was instrumental in saving the Brickyard after World War II, where it had fallen into complete disrepair. In fact, it was nearly turned into a housing plot! J.D. Smith and Derrick Smith return to tell you the story of the man who saved Indy, and helped take it to new heights.
Then, J.D. spoke with Courtney Guggenberger, one of the founders of Guggman Haus Brewing Co in Indianapolis. They have helped preserve some tremendous motorsports history related to Wilbur Shaw. Listen to her story, and check out their brewery the next time you are in Indianapolis. Their website is guggmanhausbrewing.com - and you can see more photos of their brewery on the Stagger Podcast instagram.
Also, if you're interested in finding out more about Wilbur Shaw - much of the research for this week's episode came from his excellent autobiography, "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines." A must read for any serious fan of motorsports.
Check out our podcast each week! We will be exploring motorsports legends, heroes, and myths. Let us know what you think of the new format - and if there's a story you think we should tell - @staggerpodcast on twitter and instagram.
Well, the boys have a lot to discuss this week. Derrick Smith is an avid Bubba Wallace fan, going back to his days racing in the K&N series, so it's only fitting that he and J.D. spent a good amount of time talking about Bubba joining forces with Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin to form a new NASCAR team. What will this mean for the sport? How competitive can we expect this new team to be? Will we all be able to buy Jordans from a trackside merch truck? They tackled those questions and many more.
Later in the episode, the guys welcomed in Ory Roberts from Dick Trickle Racing (fantasy league) to discuss the weekend action at Bristol, some playoff thoughts, and an interesting argument - should lap cars be disqualified after being a certain number of laps down?
Finally, some discussion about the new destination for NASCAR - the Circuit of the Americas!
Make sure you add Stagger Podcast in your favorite app so you never miss an episode!
Part 2 of the NASCAR 101 series rolls off the grid with some helpful information about (almost) everything that happens in a NASCAR race. This episode was geared specifically for fans that are new to the sport, but also, longtime fans of racing who may not have learned some of the more technical aspects of what they are seeing.
Below is a directory of topics that will hopefully help you find some answers to some questions you never even knew you had, or were too afraid to ask.
If you enjoyed this episode, feel free to leave us a rating and review in the Apple Podcast app. Thought of something we should have covered and didn't? Hit us up with a question - @staggerpodcast on twitter!
The episode guide is below! ----more----
3:00 - Practice and Qualifying
4:25 - Crew Chief
6:15 - Pre-race Tech
9:15 - Pace Car
10:55 - Scanners are awesome
12:10 - Spotters
16:17 - Why are the cars weaving back and forth?
19:05 - Green flag and restarts
19:38 - Yellow flags and competition cautions
21:20 - Tire wear and tire pressure
24:14 - Pit Stops
32:44 - Fuel Gauges and Speedometers
35:22 - Too Fast on Pit Road
36:55 - Other Flags (Black, Blue and Yellow, Red, Green and White Checkered)
39:04 - Stages
40:10 - Drafting
41:10 - Loose vs Tight
42:30 - Preferred Line or Groove
45:30 - Overtime? Yes, Overtime
47:23 - Bernard Pollard Questions Answered
As longtime racing fans, J.D. and Derrick Smith know you have questions. And since NASCAR has seen it's share of new fans join the sport over the last few years, we thought it might be a good idea to offer a primer on the premier series for stock car auto racing in the U.S.
So, if you are a new fan to NASCAR, this podcast episode was designed for you to hopefully answer as many questions as possible in less than one hour. This episode is part one of two, so look for the second episode next week. We've even broken down the questions in our episode rundown so you can get the answers to the specific questions you have!
Thanks for checking out the podcast, and make sure you follow us on twitter and instagram - at @staggerpodcast . Stay Staggered!
EPISODE RUNDOWN:
4:25 - What is NASCAR?
6:00 - What is stock car?
9:37 - How powerful is a NASCAR engine?
11:00 - What is a "tapered spacer"?
12:34 - What is the difference between NASCAR Cup and the NASCAR Xfinity Series?
14:30 - Wait, there are NASCAR Trucks too?
18:57 - What is a NASCAR team? How do those work?
22:24 - How do the numbers work in NASCAR?
26:07 - How many people work at NASCAR Cup teams?
27:38 - What do sponsors do, and why is it so expensive to be one?
32:46 - What is the difference between a team with a big budget, and the smaller budget teams? Why does more money = more performance?
37:35 - What is a superspeedway? Intermediate? Short track?
46:15 - What is a "Hauler" and why do the drivers talk about them?
Check out part two next week!
Today, J.D and Derrick Smith talk about the racist incident at Talladega this weekend, which involved a noose being left in the garage of Bubba Wallace, NASCAR's only current black driver. Hear Derrick talk about his longstanding Bubba Wallace fandom, how racism is a driver safety issue, what NASCAR will do once they catch whoever did this, and moving forward from a racist past.