He’s a three-time Daytona 500 champion, veteran of the sport for over two decades and now the first spotter to appear on Victory Lane. Chris Lambert joins Davey for part one (20:30) of their fascinating and all-encompassing conversation. He details how he got into spotting despite not seeking it out, why he didn’t pursue driving, growing up in Kannapolis and becoming involved in racing. He also explains the role spotters play besides just talking over the radio, why he wears four (!) radios during a race (and why he used to wear FIVE), how the job has evolved over the last two decades and his weekly interactions with NASCAR officials over the years.
Spending more time with each other than their families, the spotters stand is a close fraternity, as Lambert explains. He’s dealt with some strange happenings at track, involving fires, potholes and even bikini tops coming off (yes, really). Hear why Lambert called his time working at Red Bull Racing “by far the best working environment (he’d) ever been in,” how he spotted two cars simultaneously during the tandem drafting era, all the drivers he’s worked with over the years and why he likes superspeedway racing more now than in previous eras.
Plus, how his job differs from driver to driver, the first time he and Denny Hamlin worked together and why it didn’t immediately click, why he was hesitant to spot for Hamlin in the first place but eventually agreed, his experience spotting the 24 Hours of Daytona and why he turned down a chance at spotting the Indianapolis 500 this year, a race that remains atop his spotting bucket list. Come back next week for part two of their chat, where Lambert opens up in one of the more serious episodes ever on Victory Lane.
Davey recaps the insane weekend of racing from Bristol, whether Kevin Harvick or Chase Elliott is in the right or wrong, why whether or not you take your helmet off doesn’t matter, his plea to let the drivers settle beef alone and the four drivers eliminated. In addition to a brief preview of Las Vegas, Papa Segal also pays homage to another NASCAR legend per usual.
