Awful Announcing Podcast: Larry McReynolds on Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt, and more

On this week’s episode of the Awful Announcing Podcast, host Brandon Contes interviews two-time Daytona 500-winning crew chief and NASCAR on Fox analyst Larry McReynolds. In the lead-up to the Daytona 500 (Sunday, February 16 at 1:30 PM ET on Fox), Brandon and Larry discuss a wide range of topics, including how Larry became a crew chief, winning the Daytona 500 with Dale Earnhardt, remembering Earnhardt’s death and the way Mike Joy led the broadcast, and more.

Here’s the full breakdown:

• :49: Jalen Hurts winning Super Bowl
• 1:32: Chiefs fatigue
• 1:57: Kendrick Lamar Halftime Show reaction
• 4:17: Super Bowl and Daytona 500
• 6:25: 25 years at NASCAR on Fox
• 7:09: Larry’s current position on broadcast
• 8:41: Studio role compared to booth role
• 10:51: Instant chemistry with Mike Joy and Darrell Waltrip
• 12:15: Media aspirations?
• 14:55: Workload between being a crew chief and being a broadcaster
• 16:20: Comfort of speaking to the camera
• 17:50: Being “America’s Crew Chief”
• 18:35: Larry’s racing origin story
• 25:12: Becoming a crew chief
• 30:53: Was Larry’s career trending to be a crew chief?
• 31:29: Qualities needed to be a successful crew chief?
• 32:43: Most meaningful win of Larry’s career as a crew chief?
• 34:18: Becoming Dale Earnhardt’s crew chief
• 37:24: Were changes made to get Dale over the hump to get the 1998 Daytona 500 win?
• 39:25: How much did the Daytona 500 win mean to Earnhardt?
• 40:36: Entering that 1998 race knowing Earnhardt had a great chance to win?
• 42:16: How much can you celebrate winning Daytona with a race next week?
• 43:38: Calling 2001 Daytona 500/Dale Earnhardt’s death
• 47:48: Finding out Earnhardt died
• 49:32: Kevin Harvick winning weeks after
• 50:24: Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning at Daytona for the first time back
• 52:28: Best driver in NASCAR right now?
• 53:48: Hélio Castroneves making his NASCAR debut in the Daytona 500
• 54:47: NASCAR going international with a Cup points race in Mexico
• 57:00: Relationship between Michael Jordan and NASCAR amid lawsuit
• 59:54: Is NASCAR “missing out” on embracing Jordan due to the lawsuit?
• 1:01:12: Larry’s Daytona 500 pick

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