Episode 62: Ricky Johnson

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, I sit down with off-road racing legend and Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee, as well as Chairman of the Board Mark McMillin. Few families have been as successful in off-road racing for as long as the McMillin’s. Off-roading with his father Corky McMillin in buggies since the 60’s, and racing since the 70’s, Mark has seen and done it all. Mark has had a dominant career in the SCORE series, grabbing multiple San Felipe 250, Baja 500, and 1000 wins, and winning the Mint 400 in 1988. Now, Mark operates as the chairman for the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame, while Mark’s sons, Dan and Luke McMillin, are currently racing Trophy Trucks in the SCORE series. Mark and I talk about his and his family’s extensive history, and more. I’m your host Matt Martelli, and this IS the Off-Road Racer Podcast.

This is an old episode pulled out of the Mad Media Archives, recorded back in 2019. Jim Beaver and Josh Martelli sit down with Motocross, X-Games, and Short Course legend Brian Deegan. The three of them discuss Brian’s history, touching on the key moments in his life, talking about his accomplishments in Motocross and X-Games, the start of Metal Mulisha, and more. Moving closer to the present, they talk about Brian’s transition into fatherhood, and his children starting their own careers in motorsports. At the time, Hailie Deegan was starting her career racing in NASCAR, and Haiden and Hudson were just getting into Motocross. Brian talks about the balance of supporting his kids while still advancing his career. This is the Off-Road Racer Podcast.

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, I sit down with Polaris Factory Team racer Brock Heger. Brock is part of the next generation of off-road racers, starting at 7 years old in Trophy Kart. Now, only in his early twenties, Brock has over a hundred wins and over a dozen championship wins under his belt, both in short course and desert racing. Now, Brock races for the Polaris Factory Racing Team in the desert, picking up the SCORE Championship the first year he raced with them in 2023. We talk about Brock’s history in short-course racing, and how that has translated into his desert racing. We also discuss the Dakar Rally, as Brock will be racing next year. I’m your host Matt Martelli, and this IS the Off-Road Racer Podcast.

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, I sit down with off-road racing legend Ricky Johnson. With 2 Supercross Championships, 5 Motocross Championships, and 4 Shout course championships Ricky is the definition of an off-road champion. Ricky has dedicated his life to off-road, riding mini-bikes at three years old, and racing them at 7. From very early on, Ricky was a dominant force in any form of racing he competed in, from the 250 and 500 classes of Motocross, to Pro 2 and Pro 4 classes in short course, and now the Legends class in desert off-road racing. Ricky has also been a skilled off-road instructor, training clients for years, including military training. We talk about his extensive off-road career and more. I’m your host Matt Martelli, and this IS the Off-Road Racer Podcast.

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, I sit down with sponsorship guru Alex Striler. Alex literally wrote the book on Motorsports marketing ”Motorsports Marketing and Sponsorships: How to Raise Money to Race and Give Sponsors What They Really Want”. Alex has been in action sports and motorsports sales and marketing for 30 years, working for major brands and leagues alike. Now host of the Motorsports Sponsorship Summit Alex continues to help major brands connect with appropriate marketing opportunities in motosports. Alex and I talk about the current state of marketing in Off-Road Racing, and how that relates to the relationship between sponsors and their racers. We talk about the current roles events and social media have in these relationships. We also talk about how to develop relationships with potential sponsors, and convert that relationship into a proposal and a deal. We talk about all this and more. I’m your host Matt Martelli, and this IS the Off-Road Racer Podcast.

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, I sit down with off-road racer Patrick Gailey. Patrick lives and breathes off-road, building, prepping, and racing off-road vehicles. An off-roader his entire life, Patrick started building an Alumicraft 4-seater with his dad at just 13 years old. Since then, Patrick has taken every single chance he has had to go racing and learn about off-road vehicles. He has raced in just about every class from class 11 to Trophy Trucks, now racing in the RPO motorsports Spec Truck with Scott Whipple. We talk about his extensive racing career and more. I’m your host Matt Martelli, and this IS the Off-Road Racer Podcast.

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, I sit down with racer Danny Thompson, son of the late motorsports entrepreneur Mickey Thompson. Danny and I talk about the history of the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG), and Danny gives a unique perspective on his father, the race series he ran, and the culture he ultimately created. We then talk about Danny’s extensive racing history, racing quarter-midget, motocross, sprint cars, off-road, and now races at the Bonneville Speedway. We talk a lot about Bonneville, and Danny’s accomplishments at the Speedway, breaking multiple records and breaking into the 400 mph club. I’m your host Matt Martelli, and this IS the Off-Road Racer Podcast.

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, I sit down with Off-Road Hall of Famer Russ Wernimont. Russ is among the most talented engineers/fabricators motorsports have ever seen. Despite never getting a traditional engineering education and never using CAD programs, Russ has had a hand in building some of the most game-changing vehicles in desert and short-course racing. His career started with sweeping the floors at the famed PPI shop, and moving on to being the crew-chief of Michael Nesmith Class 8 truck. Russ would then go on to design and build some of the most dominant vehicles our sport has ever seen. He built one of the most dominant Pro2’s in short course, which featured a center-seat design. Russ is also attributed to being the father of Trophy Trucks, building some of the first fully custom tube chassis race trucks, and his innovations in shock technology have pushed suspension to its modern-day form. We talk about all this, and more. I’m your host Matt Martelli, and this IS the Off-Road Racer Podcast.

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, I sit down with racer Tavo Vildosola. Primarily a Baja racer, Tavo and his father became the first Mexican racers to win the Baja 1000 in 2010. Since then, Tavo has been a significant player in the Baja scene, winning many more races and championships. We talk about his career leading up to his most recent placements in his Mason AWD Trophy Truck. We also discuss in depth about his race program, with legendary fabricators and mechanics Dave Clark and Javi Valenzuela. I’m your host Matt Martelli, and this IS the Off-Road Racer Podcast.

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, I sit down with vehicle fabricator and Trophykart founder Nestor Beradi. We start the episode talking about Trophykart and its origins, how the first karts were built, and how they opened the door for youth racing. We then talk about Nestor’s introduction to off-road vehicle building, originally starting with aircraft and RC car fabrication. Coming to the present, Nestor talks about his most recent venture, Xtravel suspension, a new 5-link suspension system that has distinct advantages over the traditional A-arm system. I’m your host Matt Martelli, and this IS the Off-Road Racer Podcast.