Send us a text

Off-road legend and 2021 Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kelley joins Big Rich to trace a lifetime in the dirt—racing, rules-making, giving back, and globe-trotting.

From his first Baja 1000 in 1969 that hooked him on racing to helping build a Class 11-style VW and taking it 200+ miles before limping it back home. Steve ironmanned a Class 1 from Ensenada to La Paz—no driver change, no flats, 20+ hours; 2nd in class, 3rd overall in 1979. 

There is much more to a lifetime of racing.  Listen in for dusty silt-bed memories, class-building history, and the camaraderie that makes off-road special.

Support the show

Send us a text

Old-school rock crawler and Utah native Ben Hanks joins Rich to trace his journey from growing up feral in a small, mountain-side town to becoming one of the OG competitors in competitive rock crawling. 

From first comps in the late ’90s and the rowdy hotel-party era of rock crawling to Farmington’s SuperCrawls raw energy and the milestone SEMA SuperCrawl. Ben got to crawl with all the big names, but like many, Ben pivoted during the ’08 downturn, inventing and patenting an HVAC efficiency system (up to 45% gains), plus marine accessories. If you’re ready for a trip down memory lane, don’t miss this one! 

Support the show

Send us a text

Off-road icon, Casey Currie, joins Big Rich to trace a life lived on dirt – from a family compound of builders and racers to Dakar glory and beyond.  Casey shares how a tight-knit Currie clan shaped his love for muscle cars, Jeeps and racing.

From early JeepSpeed wins and a college-born moto business to full-time short course with Monster Energy. From hard lessons at Dakar 2019 to a Dakar 2020 win.  With a Post-COVID pivot and taking the helm at Currie Enterprises, Casey is aligning racing with product development and brand partners.  The Legacy of his grandfather’s ORMHOF induction and Casey’s vision for a foundation supporting youth outdoors and land use; Casey is bringing both together to live life fully.

Support the show

Send us a text

Big Rich sits down with lifelong off-roader and adventure seeker Dave Simpson to trace a journey that began as a 10-year-old pitting for Malcolm Smith at the 1970 Baja 1000 to now a board member of the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame.

·       Pouring fuel for Malcolm Smith

·       Debuting his own race program at the 1977 Baja 500

·       Class 30 SCORE points champion on a KX500 in 1995

·       From Dad’s auto parts store to Rancho Suspension

·       Nineteen years with aFe Power

·       Camel trophy across South America

·       The WARN Adventure in Turkey/Africa

·       Summiting Kilimanjaro

Listen in as Dave tells of travels and adventures around the world.

Support the show

Send us a text

This week, Big Rich sits down with WE Rock announcer, longtime off-road advocate and friend, Tacoma White. From small-town New York to Utah’s vast public lands, Tacoma shares how punk rock, skate culture, and a love of tinkering led him into four-wheel drives, land-use battles, and a front-row seat to competitive rock crawling.

A candid, funny, and passionate look at community, access, and honoring off-road history—one preserved rig and trail at a time.

Highlights: 

-            Land use advocacy: Utah Four Wheel Drive Association board/president, Tread Lightly Master Trainer, county/BLM collaboration, the constant fight for access 

-            WE Rock origin story: judging at Miller Motorsports Park to becoming the series’ voice; why the stock classes and family campfires define the sport’s magic 

-            Tacoma acquires the late Creighton King’s CJ7 competition rig—restoring it as a true early-2000s time capsule 

Tacoma was an integral part of the WE Rock family for years, he retired from announcing when Big Rich retired from WE Rock.

Support the show

Send us a text

This week, Rich sits down with Rubicon Trail Foundation board member and Rubicon property owner, John Arenz. From high-adventure Scouting and early days as an EMT/paramedic in Oakland to a 30-year fire service career in Emeryville, John shares how the Rubicon became his lifelong anchor—every summer since 1983.

Along with his personal history, John Arenz shares the Rubicon Trail Foundations stance on the re-route – why it’s necessary and who’s in charge. With John’s history, he goes in-depth into the politics surrounding the Rubicon Trail.

Support the show

Send us a text

Big Rich sits down with ORMHOF inductee Dan VandenHeuvel—aka the Flying Dutchman—for a life-in-off-road masterclass spanning 40+ years of racing, building, promoting, and giving back.

Listen in for the these highlights:

·       First Crandon experience and the DIY beginnings

·       The legendary first race

·       Evolution of safety and tech

·       The rise and reshuffling of Midwest short course: SODA, CORR, World Series, TORC, and Lucas Oil 

·       Promoting events in Oshkosh and Antigo, and the hard realities of venues, neighbors, and budgets 

·       The power of volunteers and community glue at tracks like Crandon 

·       and MORE!!

If you enjoy stories of grit, ingenuity, and heart, this one’s a keeper. 

Support the show

Send us a text

Big Rich sits down with Brian Busby, the SoCal gearhead who turned a love of speed into a life in racing—and became “the fuel guy” for some of off-road’s biggest events.

From San Clemente surf breaks near Nixon’s Western White House to wrenching through ROP, Brian shares how a 16-year-old with a Baja Bug ended up racing everything from Class 8 to Trophy Truck and Class 1 (including a 2019 championship). Hear about his first official race—the 1987 Baja 500 that lasted two miles—his drag boat days piloting “Bad Idea” hydros, and the heart-stopping moments riding with Dale Dondel and surviving a 110-mph roll with Brandon Arthur.

Brian also dives into his 17-year Mercedes-Benz career as a specialty engineer (including authoring a global TSB), his pivot to racing fuels, and scaling a small shop into a West Coast powerhouse supplying F&L, VP, and Sunoco—before landing at Merritt Oil and helping launch Fuel Factory across the Western states and Mexico.

Don’t miss the backstory of the Rebelle Rally: the cold, chaotic first year, how fueling 50 teams turned into fueling an entire city-on-wheels, and the now-legendary Busby Games—born from “Busbyland” and officially part of Rebelle lore.

Support the show

Send us a text

In the finale of Joel Randall’s audiography, Joel and Rich revisit the explosive early-2000s growth of competitive rock crawling and the community that fueled it. Joel shares heartfelt stories of competing with his daughter Kristin in the first Women’s National Rock Crawling Championship, the legendary Vernal controversy with Walker Evans, and the game-changing arrival of sticky tires. He dives into team-building the “farm way,” recruiting his daughters’ high school friends into a full-on pit crew, and the behind-the-scenes hustle with partner Anita that helped elevate the sport’s professionalism.

Post-competition, Joel turns wrenches with his daughters on rat rods, celebrates hands-on learning, and shares advice for newcomers: follow your passion, support your kids’ pursuits, and embrace the community.

We appreciate Joel’s willingness to share all the crazy stories, if you haven’t heard episodes one and two, it’s not too late!

Support the show

Send us a text

From Nebraska farm fields to the forefront of early rock crawling, Joel Randall picks up his story with Big Rich. After a turbulent childhood, Joel lands in Nebraska, builds a ’74 International 4x4, and falls hard for fabrication and off-road life. He dives into mud drags and promoting Midwest mud events, then recounts wild tales—like hauling a 60-foot houseboat across Nebraska and detonating big-blocks on nitrous.

Joel shares the moment rock crawling hooked him: meeting Morris Hansen, wheeling Moab’s Metal Masher solo, and instantly bonding with Ron “Wild Oats” Pepper before joining magazine runs with off-road legends. He traces the rise of “R-club,” the Currie connection, and how shiny, well-built Jeeps earned respect on the gnarliest trails from Moab to Las Cruces.

The episode digs into the birth of organized rockcrawling: the 1998 Las Cruces event (ESPN, cones, and chaos), early results (Jeff/Morris win; Joel 4th), and the rapid evolution from trail rigs to competition machines. Joel talks sponsorships, building a team semi on a shoestring, TV exposure, and the bittersweet shift from family wheeling to full-time competition.

Stay tuned for Part 3 coming next week!

Support the show