Episode 272: Mike Kelley
from Victory Lane Hosted by Davey Segal
Veteran Crew Chief Mike Kelley joins Davey Segal (5:40) for a reflective and emotional trip down memory lane and deep dive behind Hyak Motorsports with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Kelley explains how the team is punching above their weight right now in the NASCAR Cup Series, how they operate with no technical alliances in todays day and age and why he and Stenhouse have so much trust in one another. Kelley also recalls his early beginnings in motorsports, including some funny stories when he started working for Ernie Irvan (not as a driver, as he initially thought) and emotional ones while working as Michael Waltrip’s car chief at Dale Earnhardt Inc. Kelley opens up about why the 2001 Daytona 500 is still emotional for him, the relationship he had with Dale Earnhardt and how the team and sport moved forward following his passing. He also dives into winning the 2004 Cup championship with Kurt Busch at Roush, why earning that title meant so much to him, getting hooked up with Stenhouse Jr. as a young, baby-faced kid, winning back-to-back Xfinity Series championships and more, including his leadership style, why he takes pride in teaching the younger generation, his work with Lake Norman Humane and more. Plus, Davey discusses Christopher Bell’s All-Star win, looks ahead to the Coca-Cola 600, Kyle Larson’s double attempt and Papa Segal pays homage to 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Ray Hendrick.
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