Dale Earnhardt's Right-Hand Man — Ty Norris Remembers DEI's Rise and Fall

We will never get enough of DEI's story - a tale of victory, perseverance, and ultimately, demise. The people who spent years there have memories from behind the curtain of the team we once all cheered for, and Ty Norris's interview in 2021 was absolutely a testament to that.

From early on in his career, Dale Earnhardt had his eye on hiring Ty Norris, until he finally succeeded in landing him at DEI. Ty shares some of the challenges he faced along the way from both the highest of highs and lowest of lows of the team. He reminisces about his old pal, Dale Earnhardt, and about the life lessons he learned from him along the way - right, wrong, or indifferent. After the Intimidator's untimely death at Daytona, DEI was left without its leader and Ty describes how he dealt with the rising tensions within the company. He eventually reveals his opinion on the only way to have saved the sinking ship which was DEI, which was for Dale Earnhart Jr. to be its leader, which is what his dad would have wanted. An emotional story Ty shares about a father-son moment between Dale Sr. and Dale Jr. furthers that narrative, which Dale Jr. remembers as "the best conversation he and his dad ever had."

Ultimately, Ty Norris' time at DEI came to a close, and years later he found himself at the center of one of the most infamous events in NASCAR history - Spingate. He gives us his perspective on the situation surrounding Michael Waltrip Racing at Richmond in 2013 and how he came to terms with the situation following the backlash from NASCAR, the media, and the fans. At the time of recording, Ty had played an integral part in the origins and evolution of Trackhouse Racing, though in recent news, he is now the Chief Business Officer at Kaulig Racing.

Ty's interview is one of the rawest, eye-opening conversations that we will rewatch any time we get the chance to. We hope you enjoy it!

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Personal Reflections
02:58 Career Beginnings at DEI
05:51 Transition to Trackhouse Racing
09:07 Early Life and Career Path Challenges
14:46 Relationship with Dale Earnhardt
18:03 Life Lessons from The Intimidator
24:05 The DEI Experience and Aftermath
39:12 The Impact of Dale Jr.'s Contract Signing
41:00 Reflections on DEI's Golden Era
44:47 The Rise and Fall of DEI
49:52 Transitioning to New Opportunities in Racing
55:25 The Weight of Legacy
1:06:15 Springate and Michael Waltrip Racing
01:30:26 Reflections on Dale Earnhardt's Legacy
01:40:12 Memorable Moments in Racing History

Follow Dirty Mo Media
Facebook:   / dirtymomedia  
Twitter:   / dirtymomedia  
Instagram:   / dirtymomedia  
TikTok:   / dirtymomedia_  

All About Dirty Mo Media: https://www.dirtymomedia.com