Guests: NASCAR Phoenix Winner Christopher Bell, IndyCar St. Petersburg Winner Josef Newgarden, NHRA Gainesville Funny Car Winner J.R. Todd, NASCAR Atlanta Winner Daniel Suarez

SpeedFreaks National Radio Show 03/10/2024

Missed it by *that* much. RFK Racing crew chief Scott Graves joins Davey Segal (6:40) on the heels of Chris Buescher and the No. 17 team coming up 0.001 seconds shy of winning at Kansas, the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history. Graves explains the roller coaster of emotions he experienced from thinking they had the win to realizing they didn't, what answers he got from NASCAR when he went to talk to them before leaving the track, the conversation he had with Chris post-race and the photo finish technology the sanctioning body implements.

Graves also dives into the speed RFK has shown as of late with four runner-up finishes and how close they and Ford really are to breaking through and running better every week. He also dives into getting his start as a crew chief in NASCAR, working with a then young Chris Buescher, winning the 2015 Xfinity championship together, leaving Roush for Joe Gibbs Racing before ultimately returning and being a part of Ryan Newman's harrowing 2020 crash at Daytona.

Plus, why the No. 17 should be one to watch this weekend at Darlington, Graves' passion for fitness, background in racing and why he didn't immediately get into it upon graduating from Texas Tech and why he knows the "what's up brother?!" meme.

Davey also discusses the finish that still has everyone buzzing at Kansas, previews throwback weekend at Darlington and Papa Segal pays homage to Bobby Johns as we continue in the month of May.

Episode 225: Scott Graves

Matt Swiderski, the man affectionately known as "Squid" joins Davey Segal (7:40) to discuss his intriguing career that has spanned motorsports and aerospace. He explains why and how Daniel Suárez and the No. 99 team have turned a corner and flipped a switch ahead of the playoffs, why they were experimenting throughout the spring and summer and reflects on the option tire used at Richmond.

Squid dives into his background in racing growing up in the midwest, working on street stocks and super late models in and around Chicago and how he wound up being a first-generation racer before getting hired at Richard Childress Racing after college as a data acquisition engineer. He explains what the role entailed, winning a then Busch Series title in 2007 with Clint Bowyer, working with Kevin Harvick, Casey Mears and others before making a career change.

Swiderski explains why he opted to leave motorsports for a job at SpaceX, how his skillset transitioned to aerospace and his one-on-one interview with, you guessed it, Elon Musk. But his time there was short-lived, and he explains why racing was calling him back home to Welcome, North Carolina and RCR just 8 months later.

He discusses his eventual rise to the crew chief role, why he was never dead set on pursuing that full-time, but once he got a taste he wanted more of it, stops along the way at Team Penske and Kaulig Racing, the recruitment process to Trackhouse, an ironic story of when he interviewed for the No. 99 crew chief position the first time, the culture at the team being similar to SpaceX, what he's learned in his 100+ Cup races as a shot caller, his realistic expectations ahead of his first playoffs and more.

Davey also touches on Tyler Reddick's Michigan win, previews Daytona and Papa Segal pays homage to a NASCAR pioneer.

Episode 240: Matt Swiderski

The Freaks talked with NASCAR Drivers Daniel Suarez, Denny Hamlin & Michael McDowell on the Charlotte Roval Changes coming next weekend. The changes include elevation changes that may impact driver sighting around the track. There have also been changes in braking zones and chicane setups. Some drivers feel NASCAR wants chaos to shakeup the final race in the NASCAR Championship Playoffs Round of 12. The Roval in the Charlotte Motor Speedway infield was already tough. This may make it more difficult.  Listen...

Confusion and Chaos May Be Ahead at The Roval

SpeedFreaks National Radio Show 10/06/2024

Kenny Sargent collected this impressive NASCAR Driver Tribute to 2017 Cup Series Champion Martin Truex. Truex says this is his last full-time season as a NASCAR Cup Series driver. But the drivers who celebrate Truex career included champions and future champions including Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, Michael McDowell, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suarez, and Alex Bowman.  Listen...

NASCAR Cup Series Drivers Pay Tribute to Retiring Champion Martin Truex

Guests: 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Joey Logano, NASCAR Team Owner & Racing Legend Roger Penske, 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Champion Owner Dale Earnhardt, Jr., NASCAR Driver Tribute to 2017 Cup Series Champion Martin Truex, 2017 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Martin Truex, Jr.

SpeedFreaks National Radio Show 11/10/2024

Sports with Rod 6-16-2025 ...The Story behind the Tattoo is Great! …It was the Greatest World Cup of Darts Ever …Be a Man Monday  

Sports with Rod 6-16-2025 ...The Story behind the Tattoo is Great

Trackhouse Racing Senior Performance Engineer Jose Blasco-Figueroa joins Davey Segal (5:45) to discuss what his role encompasses and how its evolved over the years in motorsports. He explains how technology has advanced over the years, how internet going down at the track takes him back to the old days of racing, his background working for General Motors in Mexico City, dropping off résumé's to race teams in the Charlotte area, eventually getting a call back (from multiple teams in mere minutes!) and going to work for BK Racing and learning on the job.

Being a Mexico City native, Blasco-Figueroa details how special it was to compete at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez this year, the wild three-week stretch that included him becoming an American citizen, winning the Coca-Cola 600 and in Mexico City, addresses the news of Daniel Suarez not returning to the team in 2026, helps preview the Chicago Street Course weekend and more.

Davey also reviews Chase Elliott's thrilling victory in Atlanta at EchoPark Speedway, looks ahead to the Windy City and Papa Segal pays homage to Larry McClure.

Episode 277: Jose Blasco-Figueroa

Gimmicks? Controversy? The Freaks debate all that and more as it pertains to what was a wild night at Bristol. Crash debriefs, following her trip to Thunder Valley for NASCAR's Round of 16 elimination race. What does the crew make of Mexico City not making the cut for IndyCar's 2026 schedule, as well as Tony Stewart's scary NHRA Top Fuel incident? All will be answered in a jam-packed two-hour show! Stick around for sit downs with IndyCar Champion Alex Palou, Daniel Suarez and Funny Car champ Austin Prock!

SpeedFreaks National Radio Show 09/14/25

Morning Show on FM99 WNOR at 98.7 | 5:30am to 10:00am

Longest running motorsports radio/TV show on the planet and NOW on MAVTV. Irreverent? Legendous? Check. 

LIVE Sunday nights 7p to 9p PT/10p to 12a ET on YouTube and The Freak Radio Network including SiriusXM, iHeart, TuneIn, Apple Podcats, SoundCloud and Audacy. Motorsports to Music to some TMZ. 

New episodes on MAVTV every Monday at 12pm ET/PT.

Damn right we’re Motorsports Radio & TV, REDEFINED

Welcome to the place everybody wants to be: Victory Lane! Davey Segal hosts your one stop shop for all things NASCAR, including in-depth interviews, discussion, news and more.

New tracks tagged #Daniel Suarez