Racing Virginia Podcast Racing Virginia

From Smithfield, Va., to the biggest stage in American motorsports, Cliff Daniels just reached the pinnacle: he’s a NASCAR Cup Series champion. But the crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet driven by Kyle Larson hasn’t let that title-winning season and performance even sink in… yet.

Daniels’ love for racing began as he watched his father turn laps at Racing Virginia's short tracks. Daniels (11:44) was a wheelman, himself, from bandoleros all the way to late model stocks. But when driving was no longer an option, he found another path. He took his passion and skills and turned them into a career in racing as an engineer, steadily climbing the ladder all the way to the top of a pit box at Hendrick Motorsports. Hear his story: about his journey from driving to engineering, about the gamut of emotions a title-winning season takes on someone, his relationship with Kyle Larson, and hear exactly how it feels to be crowned a NASCAR Cup Series champion. We dive deep into the nuts and bolts with the man calling the shots of NASCAR’s most dominant team.



In a heartfelt Commonwealth Closer, hosts Dave Seay and Brandon Brown tell us what they’re thankful for this year. 

Chase Burrow doesn’t pigeonhole himself to a certain car or a certain track surface. A 17-year-old racer from King George, Va., Burrow (30:37) just finished third-place in the Shawn Balluzzo Memorial 100 at Larry King Law’s Langley Speedway in an asphalt modified. A week earlier he won his very first asphalt late model stock car race at Dominion Speedway. He’s also been running dirt mods at Virginia Motor Speedway and up in Winchester. Admittedly, he hates points racing and just wants trophies. Hear his Racing Virginia story: how he started, why he races a little bit of everything, and what his short- and long-term goals are.

Hosts Dave Seay and Brandon Brown recap the drama at Martinsville including the Denny Hamlin-Alex Bowman run-in. In the Commonwealth Closer, we discuss real human emotion in racing, and when that emotion crosses the line.

Sam Hunt and Colin Garrett have forged a friendship through racing. Hunt, now the owner of Sam Hunt Racing which fields cars in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, has made a steady rise in the sport, and the progress of his team is evident of that. Hunt, a VCU graduate, gave up driving to focus on ownership. So far, so good. The friendship between Hunt and Garrett (16:25) has followed the two from when they met at Hunt-Sellers Racing. Now, as Garrett, who hails from South Boston, Va., rises in the ranks, he’s found success piloting Hunt’s Xfinity Series ride this year. The two team up once again for the Dead On Tools 250 at Martinsville Speedway, a homecoming of sorts for Garrett. What does the future hold? First and foremost, a great run for the No. 26 at The Paperclip would be nice.

In our Commonwealth Closer, co-host Brandon Brown sits down with Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell (52:39) to talk about a huge weekend of NASCAR that’ll settle the Championship 4 in all three of NASCAR’s top series.

Joseph Glassford has been going to races at Natural Bridge Speedway since he was a kid. So when the track came up for sale, he decided it was his duty to purchase and operate the speedway and make it his own. Now, Glassford (13:03) will use that love and passion he developed for the track as a kid to revitalize it and keep its legacy alive. Meet the “good ol’ boy from Natural Bridge” and hear what challenges he’s already faced and what plans he has for his home track.

Hosts Dave Seay and Brandon Brown talk tires and then preview

Connor Hall has been methodically climbing the late model stock car ladder for a few years now. The driver out of Hampton, Va., almost was racing boats, though. A decision by his mother put him on a four-wheel path as a kid and he hasn’t looked back. From go-karts to Legend cars to late models, Hall (10:18) has taken his career right where he’s envisioned it thus far. A few years ago, he started winning “big races” – most notably the 2019 Hampton Heat at Langley Speedway. We hear how he got started, where he’s at, and what his plans are for his career as he heads into the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car finale at South Boston Speedway on October 16. Learn about the 24-year-old shoe, his run-in with Mark Wertz that blossomed into a partnership & friendship, and why those “big races” and not points championships are his main focus right now.

Brandon Brown tipped his Larry’s Hard Lemonade back and drank it all in. He and his family team had just won at Talladega. It was in an unconventional way, but that’s just fine with Brandon (5:45) and his unconventional family-run NASCAR Xfinity Series team Brandonbilt Motorsports based in Fredericksburg, Va. Brandon took the lead on the race’s final caution, and when the race was called because of darkness, even as the emotions overcame him in the cockpit, he was more worried about driving across the finish line first and not messing up. He won it, though, and took home the big prize and the big trophy. He takes through every single moment of the victory: the pass for the lead, the caution and officially taking the lead, to the race being called and the celebration. But what’s next for this family team and for his driving career? Let him tell you.

We also dive into the momentous weekend at Talladega all around for Racing Virginia, with Bubba Wallace and 23XI’s first Cup Series victory. It gave Chesterfield Va.’s Denny Hamlin his first win as an owner and Halifax Va.’s Bootie Barker his first Cup win as a crew chief. Wallace followed in the footsteps of Danville Va.’s Wendell Scott as the second Black driver to win a NASCAR race, as well, which is something everyone should celebrate, explains (host) Brandon Brown.