4 Wide Salute

What will happen to Dirt Late Model racing when Scott Bloomquist retires from his driving career?  What drivers will step up to try to take Bloomquist's role of wearing the dark hat?  In what role do we see Bloomquist taking in the sport after he retires from driving?  We discuss this and talk about the large role that Bloomquist has taken in the popularity of Dirt Late Model racing over the years.  

We talk about the format changes for the 2019 edition of the NASCAR All Star race, how changes in the sport have diminished the appeal of the event, and what NASCAR can do to make the All Star race relevant again.

We discuss the effect that aero has on the quality of racing in NASCAR and Dirt Late Model racing.  Among topics discussed is low downforce vs high downforce, what sanctioning bodies can do to limit the effects of aero, how aero has crept more and more into play into Dirt Late Model racing, and what we would like to see in the Gen 7 NASCAR car among other discussion.

Brandon and T. J. break down the 2020 NASCAR Cup schedule.  We talk about controversial moves such as moving Daytona away from Independence Day weekend and moving the championship race to ISM Raceway.  We also talk about a night race at Martinsville, the shake-up involving the playoffs, the Pocono doubleheader, and much more.

In this podcast we talk about what has led to the resurgence of the IndyCar Series.  Among topics discussed are the series use of social media, it's rising stars, and how it has taken care of it's core fan base.  We also talk about what IndyCar needs to do to continue it's growth in years to come.

Brandon Stegall and T. J Layne discuss what dirt track promoters can do to enhance the fan experience. T. J., former Southern Ohio Speedway track promoter, offers views of this from a track promoter's side. Amongst the topics discussed are:

-Timely Shows
-Race Format/Cutting Out Time Trials
-Running Headline Classes First
-Offering Other Entertainment At The Track
-Admission Prices
-And much more!

What is it that makes good racing?  Is it a close battle for the lead? An exciting finish?  The personalities driving the cars?  The legendary tracks and events?  Is the quality of racing today better than it ever has been?  We discuss all of these topics!

Brandon and T. J. debate whether NASCAR's new package for the 2019 season on the intermediate tracks is working.  We discuss topics such as is the package making the racing closer?  Are we seeing more side by side racing?  Has the package changed the fundamentals of the sport too much?  Is this package really what the fans want?

We take an in-depth look at the current state of DIrt Late Model racing on a national level compared to a weekly level.  In this podcast we discuss the rising popularity of national level races and the struggle weekly racing is in.  We dive into issues such as cost and technology effecting the sport.  Could the sports struggles at the weekly level eventually slow down the growth on the national scene?  While discussing those issues, we also talk about all of the great things going on to promote the sport and how the quality of racing is as good as it's ever been despite lower car counts.

What we saw from the debut of the new NASCAR Cup Series aero package at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 24th, 2019.  Topics discussed include:

• How many questions about the package were answered at Atlanta?  
• Did the package do what it was intended to do?
• What is going to be the measure of success with this package?
• The danger of a split fan base over the package.

In this first ever episode of the 4 Wide Salute Podcast, hosts Brandon Stegall and T. J. Layne talk about their passion for motorsports and what to expect on the podcast.