Dale Jr’s Dirty Mo Media Network fills a massive void for us NASCAR fans when the engines go quiet in the off-season. On Monday, the Dale Jr Download recapped the man’s return in the #8 Budweiser car at Florence Motor Speedway.  Before that, Dirty Mo Media made two new welcome additions to their podcast lineup in outspoken NASCAR icons, Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader. For those unaware, they’ve aptly named their show, ‘Herm & Schrader,’ and it’s airing weekly.

However, the guy who was as integral to Dirty Mo Media’s growth as Dale Jr. has been missing from the public eye for quite some time now. We’re talking about Mike Davis, former co-host of the Download, who now serves as the President & Executive Producer of Dale Jr’s media empire. Davis recently sat down with The Hermanator and finally opened up about what’s been keeping him away from the podcast that made him a household name in NASCAR.

Why Mike Davis left the spotlight to build Dale Jr’s Dirty Mo Media

Mike Davis has been by Junior’s side since 2003 and has worn many hats for the man. He joined JrNation to coordinate the entire PR program with Budweiser Racing at Dale Earnhardt Inc. After three years of helping grow the ‘Dale Jr brand,’ Davis switched to JR Motorsports in 2007 at full capacity. As a testament to their association, the pair have spent over two decades together since then. In 2013, they launched Dirty Mo Media together, a podcast network that initially aired the Dale Jr Download to fill out the void of no NASCAR racing on the weekdays.

Drivers like Denny Hamlin have a voice that matters inside the vibrant NASCAR community that thousands hear worldwide. And that’s not all. From spotters to journalists, and even former industry professionals who witnessed those old golden days of pure stock car racing firsthand, every story started finding its way to the grandstands, moderated by none other than Dale Jr and Mike Davis. In 2022, the latter became an equity partner at Dirty Mo Media, also stepping up his responsibilities as Executive Producer. But for reasons unknown (until now), we started seeing less and less of Davis on the Dale Jr Download.

Why? Well, as he told Kenny Wallace, “It was time. I wasn’t enjoying it as much. I felt like the show needed to change… And I just felt like it was time. I mean, sometimes you just kind of have that instinct… Sometimes you have to really self-reflect.” He then probed the Hermanator, “You’ve probably done this. Like when you go, ‘Okay, I wanna Stop. I don’t want to try to keep this NASCAR thing going.’ At some point… You had a Kenny conversation with yourself, right?” Wallace agreed without hesitation. “I left Charlotte. I got the hell out of there.”

After all, it was Dale Jr’s show and Mike Davis was well aware of that. “Not a single day did I ever go into that thinking anything other than it was Dale’s show,” he affirmed. “I wanted to devote the time that it was taking to be on the show. I wanted to channel that into the company.” Mike then noted that he “was starting to hold a bit of a grudge, not at anybody in particular, but just at the situation…” But co-hosting the Download is a major commitment in itself. “I just felt like it was time for me to take some of that time back and put it into the company,” explained Davis.

“I wouldn’t say it made me angry, I don’t say anything like that. But my identity, my value is on what the future of the company is,” he asserted. “But I didn’t love the fact that my identity, people would think that I’m just here to be a co-host on the Dale Jr Download. Like I don’t know what that was. That was something that I was having to really kind of wrestle with. And just because I have bigger plans, right? My vision for this was not going to be‌ relegated to the Dale Jr Download only.” – elaborated the Mooresville native further.

Davis continued his address with plenty of passion, “And so, I told Dale midway through last year like June-ish, July, that I’ll finish out this year, but like I really was looking forward to spending time with my partners out in LA. Spending time with people that are you know, helping me build the company. And that’s what I really get excited about. That’s when I’m in my happy place. That’s my driver’s seat… It’s not in front of a camera frankly.”

If that is how it is, who are we to complain? Regardless, the fact remains: Dale Jr’s banter with Mike Davis on the Download is something fans will never forget. He was the first person to host the Download in its earlier years with Taylor Zarzour—when Junior was only an occasional feature on the radio show. Besides, he’s working harder than ever to grow the Dirty Mo Media Network bigger than it already is. And from the sounds of things, that’s the only thing that makes him happy.

A vision that benefits everyone in the future

With Herm & Schrader’s addition to the list of Dirty Mo podcasts, they’ve amped up their authority over NASCAR-related content a little more already. Fans will be eager to see if any more programs get added to their broadcasts in the future, but Mike Davis, leading from the helm, ensures they are heading in the right direction. “People would think that’s hard to believe,” opined Davis. “And in fact, a lot of people that sit there and think that I was on the Download for myself, couldn’t have it more wrong. I’m not most comfortable in that situation.”

Dale Jr‘s right-hand man doesn’t function like that. “I liked the company and the vision and the mission that we have… I like coming up with new ideas,” he said. “What excites me and what makes what fulfills me is, you know, the building of the shows – what you and I are doing together. Like that’s what I get excited about. You know, building that show out. Being able to tell those stories.”

Nevertheless, he reminds everyone that he hasn’t left the Download. In his own words, “I’m still producing the Download… I’m as involved, and it’s as important to me as it ever was. I’m just not in front of the camera anymore.” And maybe that’s where Davis’s expertise can flourish, everything considered. With each passing year, Dirty Mo Media Network grows a little more from where it was the year prior. 2025 is nearly upon us. So, what fresh new changes should we expect from the people bringing their vision to thousands of fans weekly with authentic NASCAR content? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.