A few moons ago, SRX and ESPN struck a mighty alliance, unveiling the star-studded broadcast team for the exhilarating 2023 Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) season. ESPN brought back the legendary Thursday Night Thunder branding as SRX commenced its thrilling six-race journey on July 13. Switching from CBS to ESPN, Tony Stewart and his team shook things up a bit, but the broadcast crew remains as solid as ever. In addition to some new people and legendary NASCAR champs reprising their roles, the iconic nemesis of Dale Earnhardt is set to make his sensational debut in the second race of Tony Stewart‘s SRX Series, at Thunder Road.

What’s more? Thunder Road holds a special significance as it’s the very track where the two fierce rivals once battled side by side, creating a legendary chapter in racing history.

Did Tony Stewart just hire Dale Earnhardt’s rival on his SRX broadcast team?

The high-octane showdown at Thunder Road International Speedbowl, better known as Thunder Road, is ready to take place, where the SRX’s second race is set to thrill fans to the core. Leading the charge is the unparalleled play-by-play master, Allen Bestwick, ready to dazzle with his commentary wizardry. Fearless pit reporter Matt Yocum returns, fearlessly plunging into the heart of the action.

Also, adding to the excitement, the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion, Joey Logano, is all set to grace three electrifying races at Stafford, Berlin, and Eldora, promising edge-of-the-seat moments. And joining the adrenaline-pumping fun is the lightning-fast IndyCar driver, Conor Daly, showcasing his skills at the Motor Mile and Lucas Oil.

Moreover, the broadcast team has some exciting new additions too, including none other than Darrell Waltrip, the all-time favorite opponent of Dale Earnhardt. Making his broadcast debut at Thunder Road, Waltrip shared an interesting anecdote with Frontstrech reporter Michael Massie. He revealed how Tony Stewart helped him relive a previous race where he once fiercely competed against Earnhardt Sr.

Recalling those glory days, Waltrip said, “I am a big fan of this series, and I raced here years and years and years ago, me and Earnhardt had a match race here. I am vaguely familiar with the track but looking forward to tonight.”

Clearly, the track brought back old memories, and it showed as he spoke with a hint of mockery, acknowledging that he’s hit the wall a fair bit since his last race at Thunder Road. Nevertheless, he felt the place still looked the same to him, only nicer.

With such a star-studded lineup and nostalgic reminiscences, the race at Thunder Road promises to be an unforgettable spectacle for racing enthusiasts. Despite their current partnership, Tony Stewart and Darrell Waltrip were not always on good terms.

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Not everything was always well between Dale Earnhardt’s favorite rival and Tony Stewart

Back in the early 2000s, Tony Stewart was known for speaking his mind without holding back, not realizing the impact it could have. This led to an incident that somewhat strained his relationship with Darrell Waltrip.

In 2004, Stewart found himself in a series of altercations with Rusty Wallace. And after these mishaps came to the attention of commentator Darrell Waltrip, he threw aspersions at Stewart, claiming that he has a reputation for instigating collisions.

At first, Stewart shrugged off the criticism, claiming that people could say whatever they pleased. However, as the comments intensified, the driver came out swinging in defense.

He fired back, “Darrell’s memory kind of gets a little screwed up sometimes. I guess that he forgets that with all the rule changes he wants NASCAR to make. He forgets that if they change the rules and took the championships provisionally, he wouldn’t have been able to race the last two years.”

He made it clear that he understands that Darrell is just following the script and doing what he’s paid to do. However, he pointed out that what the audience sees on the screen doesn’t always reveal the complete picture. He sarcastically remarked that the famous rival of Dale Earnhardt Sr excels at dramatizing things in the booth, just like the broadcasters usually do.

Despite their past clashes, it seems that time has healed the wounds between Tony Stewart and Darrell Waltrip, as they are now working together under the same flag. In fact, Stewart’s decision to hire Waltrip can be seen as a generous gesture.

By the way, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the 2004 incident between Tony Stewart and Darrell Waltrip. Who do you think was at fault?

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