Off-Road Racer Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Off-Road Racer Live - Ryan Kibbe - 2026 Off-Road Expo Oct 03, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the first edition of Off-Road Racer Live. These recordings come from the 2026 Off-Road Expo, in the Josh the Auto Buyer booth.
In this installment, Matt sits down with Ryan Kibbe, owner of Kibbetech, one of the most well known vehicle builders in our sphere. Matt and Ryan go into his history, how some small skills in repairing bikes for the neighborhood kids led his career into what it has become today. Matt and Kibbe talk about modern prerunner builds, and the things that Kibbe has built, and wants to build.

Off-Road Racer Live - "Jedi" Jack Mamelli - 2026 Off-Road Expo Oct 03, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the first edition of Off-Road Racer Live. These recordings come from the 2026 Off-Road Expo, in the Josh the Auto Buyer booth.
In this installment, Matt sits down with "Jedi" Jack Mamelli, who's part of the new wave of racers that grew up racing in the Youth UTV classes. Jedi has been working his way up through the UTV classes over the last few years, and has recently been racing in the UTV Pro class. Jack and Matt go into what the process has been like, and what Jack's goals are in UTV racing.

Off-Road Racer Live - Paul Fisher, All American Sender - 2026 Off-Road Expo Oct 03, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the first edition of Off-Road Racer Live. These recordings come from the 2026 Off-Road Expo, in the Josh the Auto Buyer booth.
In this installment, Matt and Desert Dime sit down with Paul Fisher, known as All American Sender, known for producing videos of him preforming stunts in his prerunner. The crew go into the history of freestyle and stunt-based motorsports, with the inception of the famous Gymkhana series, and Paul's take on the format, with his Flight School series on YouTube. Paul breaks down how he approaches his stunts, from location planning, to jump building and scouting, to content delivery. Paul gives a unique perspective, as one of the few people in our culture who puts content first.

Off-Road Racer Live - Jerry Welchel - 2026 Off-Road Expo Oct 03, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the first edition of Off-Road Racer Live. These recordings come from the 2026 Off-Road Expo, in the Josh the Auto Buyer booth.
In this installment, Matt sits down with Jerry Welchel, a veteran in both desert and short-course racing. Currently, Jerry is racing with Alex Wacker, and are expecting the brand new Camburg AWD Unlimited Truck in the near future.

Off-Road Racer Live - Danny Thompson - 2026 Off-Road Expo Oct 03, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the first edition of Off-Road Racer Live. These recordings come from the 2026 Off-Road Expo, in the Josh the Auto Buyer booth.
Matt catches up with Danny Thompson, who has been a guest on the show previously. Danny Thompson is son of the late great Mickey Thompson, who may be credited as the man who kickstarted off-road, and stadium, and short-course racing as sports. Now, Danny competes at the Bonneville Salt Flats, setting land speed records in a number of classes. Matt and Danny go into what Danny has been into since we last had him on the show, and the two talk about the advancement of off-road racing as a sport and culture.

Off-Road Racer Live - Kyle Craft - 2026 Off-Road Expo Oct 03, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the first edition of Off-Road Racer Live. These recordings come from the 2026 Off-Road Expo, in the Josh the Auto Buyer booth.
In this episode, Matt sits down with Kyle Craft, one of the most well known co-drivers in the sport. Kyle currently co-drives for Alan Ampudia, one of the best Trophy Truck racers down in Baja. Matt and Kyle go into his career in off-road racing, from his own racing, to racing with some of the greats like James Dean and BJ Baldwin. The two then go into some of the minutia of co-driving, including how Kyle's style of notes and callouts have evolved over the years, how he keeps cool in the high-stress moments, and what it's like riding with some of the wildest drivers in the sport.

Episode 99: Cole Hardin Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, Matt Martelli sits down with Cole Hardin, fresh off his overall win at the Vegas to Reno.
Cole talks about what it takes to race at the front of the field in some of the fastest desert races in the country, including the unique challenges of Vegas to Reno and how quickly things can go wrong when you are running 120 plus mph for miles at a time.
Matt and Cole also get into the differences between some of the major desert courses, from the high speed terrain of Nevada to the rough and technical sections of Barstow. Cole explains why Barstow is one of his favorite places to race, and why the hardest courses can also be the most rewarding.
There is also plenty of discussion about the trucks themselves. Cole breaks down the differences between the Geyser and Herbst trucks, how suspension setup changes the way each truck drives, and what it takes to make an Unlimited Truck work through high speed and rough terrain.
The conversation covers the Vegas to Reno win, the mental side of maintaining high speeds for an entire race, the evolution of desert racing, and what Cole wants to see from the sport moving forward.
A good look at one of the younger drivers coming through the sport and what it takes to compete at the front of modern desert racing.

Episode 98: Chris Forsberg Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, Matt Martelli sits down with Chris Forsberg, three time Formula Drift champion, Nissan driver, and one of the most recognizable names in modern motorsports.
While Chris built his career in drifting, his approach has always gone beyond one discipline. From building cars in his own garage to developing a professional racing program, Chris has been involved in every part of the process. That same mindset eventually led him into the desert, taking on a completely different challenge behind the wheel of an off road race truck.
Matt and Chris talk about the transition from drifting to desert racing, and the huge differences between precision driving on a short course and managing a vehicle for hours through unpredictable terrain. Chris shares what drew him to off road racing, his first experiences in Baja, and how he approached building a competitive program with the Nissan Frontier.
They also get into the similarities between the two worlds. Vehicle control, preparation, car development, and the importance of understanding every part of the program. Chris talks about building his own race truck, working with partners, and why the best drivers are often the ones who understand the entire process behind the wheel.
The conversation covers a lot of ground, from the evolution of Formula Drift and the Drift Alliance era, to OEM involvement, marketing, and how motorsports can connect with a wider audience. Chris also shares his perspective on where off road racing fits into the future of his program and why the challenge of desert racing continues to pull him back.
More than anything, this episode is about a racer’s mindset. Whether it’s inches from a wall in a drift car or miles into the desert, the pursuit is the same: build something better, keep learning, and find the next challenge.

Episode 97: Justin "Bean" Smith Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

n this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, Matt Martelli sits down with Justin Bean Smith, one of the most versatile drivers in off road racing today. Whether it's Trophy Truck Spec, Unlimited Truck, or jumping into someone else's program, Justin has built a reputation for being ready when the opportunity comes. Justin shares how his career has evolved from getting early opportunities behind the wheel to becoming one of the sport's most sought after fill in and development drivers. Along the way, he talks about racing for established teams, adapting to different vehicles, and earning the trust of owners who expect results every time he straps in. Matt and Justin also dive into the technical side of modern desert racing. They discuss the differences between Trophy Truck Spec and Unlimited, how today's trucks continue to evolve, and what drivers can learn by experiencing different chassis, suspension packages, and setups. Justin explains how driving Camburg's Kinetik truck gave him firsthand insight into how incremental changes in technology translate into performance on race day. The conversation also covers race strategy, qualifying, managing pace over long races, and the mindset required to compete for wins in increasingly competitive fields. Justin shares the story behind some of his biggest victories, the pressure of delivering for the teams that put their trust in him, and why consistency is often more important than outright speed. More than anything, this episode is about making the most of every opportunity. Justin's career is proof that talent gets you noticed, but preparation, adaptability, and delivering when it matters are what keep the phone ringing.

Episode 96: Steve Barlow Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, Matt Martelli sits down with Steve Barlow, an influential figure in off road racing and a key player in the growth of short course racing during its most successful era. Over the course of his career, Steve has worn just about every hat imaginable. Racer, team owner, promoter, executive, and industry leader. From his early days in off road racing to helping build some of the sport's most recognizable teams and series, Steve has had a front row seat to decades of change across the industry. Matt and Steve dive into the rise of short course racing, the factors that made series like CORR so successful, and why the format proved to be such a natural fit for television, manufacturers, sponsors, and fans. They discuss the business side of racing, how factory involvement transformed the sport, and the challenges that come with growing a racing series while maintaining what made it special in the first place. The conversation also explores the evolution of off road technology, from vehicle development and suspension systems to the way teams prepare, test, and gather information. Steve shares stories from working alongside some of the biggest names in racing and offers a unique perspective on how the sport has changed over the years. More than anything, this episode is about understanding how off road racing grew from a grassroots motorsport into a professional industry. Through Steve's experiences, listeners get a rare look at the people, decisions, and ideas that helped shape the sport we know today.

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