CONCORD, N.C. – Wednesday, the latest episodes of “Road to Race Day” were released on the go90 streaming platform.
Viewable on the “Road to Race Day” page on go90 and the free app from the Apple and Android stores, the newest episode -- titled "Science It Out" -- follows Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 team in the lead-up to a race at Bristol Motor Speedway and the race itself, which saw the group battle through early adversity.
The series provides glimpses we might never otherwise get to see up close, and after watching "Science It Out," 10 moments stood out.
10) The episode begins with a scary moment on pit road as flames shoot up in the No. 88 team pit stall. We watch the pit crew’s reaction as they work through what caused the fire during film study afterward.
9) The anticipation for the weekend’s big race at Bristol is palpable in the race shop, and No. 88 team interior mechanic Adam Jordan says if some tracks are apples and oranges, “The Last Great Coliseum” is more like “a four-course dinner.”
8) The Hendrick Motorsports weight room makes an appearance as the No. 88 team pit crew and road crew come together for a joint workout – a bit of team-building with a heavy dose of sweat.
7) No. 88 team crew chief Greg Ives’ family comes to visit him at the shop, and he shows how he uses his home’s security cameras for an added perk – a chance to watch his children play even when he’s away from home at the track.
6) Earnhardt unveils two separate paint schemes – first, his “Gray Ghost” Nationwide throwback car for the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, and then a new look for his Axalta Chevy, which he proceeds to drive down the streets of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.
5) The episode features highlights of a Dale Earnhardt Sr. win at Bristol in 1999 that featured a memorable move on the final lap, and find out from Dale Earnhardt Jr. that it was always his favorite track as a kid.
4) We’re inside the race shop and at the racetrack as the No. 88 team tests out a brand-new setup for the No. 88 Chevy, which Earnhardt takes for a whirl in the first Bristol practice. We even get to join the debrief afterward to get the driver’s opinion on how well it worked and what he might tweak.
3) We watch as Ives delivers his final words of encouragement to Earnhardt through the window of the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS and listen in to the driver’s message to his team just before the green flag.
2) The cameras follow Earnhardt and Super Bowl champion quarterback Peyton Manning as the two athletes chat on the grid prior to the race. Manning is especially interested in all the communication that occurs inside the car throughout the race and compares it to how he communicates on the field in the NFL.
1) We watch the No. 88 team band together to overcome a power issue that put Earnhardt down two laps at the beginning of the race at Bristol. Slowly but surely, Earnhardt gains back the laps and battles all the way to the runner-up position, and we’re along for the ride to see exactly what it took.
Check out the full episode now on go90. Next week, the series follows Earnhardt and the No. 88 team to Talladega Superspeedway.