Conversations with Big Rich

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Conversations with Big Rich , Matt Dickey shares the story behind his life in the off-road world. Raised in Ohio and later relocated to Utah, Matt describes how early experiences with four-wheelers, dirt bikes, and muddy farm trails shaped his passion for adventure. He discusses building a successful framing business from the ground up, the risks and lessons of...

Send us Fan Mail Josh Whitesides joins Conversations with Big Rich to share his unconventional path through the automotive and off-road worlds. Growing up around his father’s dealership, Josh developed an early passion for cars, wiring, racing, and anything with a motor. He discusses his years in car audio, national competitions, high-powered import street racing, and the serious injury that resha...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Conversations with Big Rich , Justin “Aussie” Khoo shares the winding journey that took him from growing up on a Malaysian rubber plantation and swimming competitively in Australia to working in mining, commercial diving, railroading, and the motorcycle industry. Justin talks about discovering his passion for off-roading, adapting to life in the United States, a...

Send us Fan Mail In this inspiring episode of Conversations with Big Rich , Sue Lee Bun shares her remarkable journey from fleeing Laos as a young child to building a life rooted in family, resilience, and the off-road community. Sue discusses growing up in a large Hmong family, adapting to life in America, overcoming bullying, and balancing cultural traditions with American life. She explains how...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Gattuso, SEMA’s Vice President of Events, joins Big Rich Klein for a wide-ranging conversation about his journey through automotive events, off-road culture, and the evolution of the SEMA Show. Gattuso shares stories from growing up near Washington, D.C., touring Europe as a jazz musician, playing varsity football, and developing the improvisational skills that shaped his care...

Send us Fan Mail Jeff Knoll joins Big Rich to share the winding path that took him from a childhood spent riding motorcycles and dune buggies in Southern California to becoming a major figure in off-road racing and land-use advocacy. Jeff reflects on growing up in Menifee and Glamis, his early experiences at the Boardmanville Trading Post, working through school, starting a family young, and overc...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Big Rich Klein sits down with rock-bouncing champion Tim Cameron, a Tennessee native whose passion for off-road racing began with four-wheelers, Jeeps, and hill climbs. Tim shares how he learned fabrication from Brian Cole and built his first full-tube-chassis buggy, Fat Girl . He discusses the evolution of his rigs, including Jenny Craig , Moon Rover , Hellraiser...

Send us Fan Mail Glen Plake joins Big Rich Klein for a wide-ranging conversation about skiing, off-road racing, rock crawling, and the unexpected opportunities that shaped his life. A member of the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame, Glen reflects on growing up in South Lake Tahoe, learning to ski at age two, and finding inspiration in the hot-dogging revolution and early ski films. He discusses his i...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Conversations with Big Rich , Big Rich Klein talks with Keith Purmal, a 2025 Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee and one of off-road racing’s most trusted voices. Keith shares stories from growing up in Las Vegas, developing an early interest in electronics and ham radio, and working in communications at Area 51 and Nevada Power Company. His lifelong pass...

Send us Fan Mail 19-year-old rock crawler and son of off-road legend Big Charlie. Lil Charlie grew up in Carmel, New York, competing in rock crawling events since childhood. Currently pilots a Jesse Haines Moonbuggy in national competitions. Early wheeling at Todd's property in Pennsylvania began around age 3. Started driving buggies at age 8, learning from his father. First rock crawling com...

Send us Fan Mail Robert started in mud trucks around 1998 with coworkers in South Florida. Progressed through multiple vehicles: K10 Stepside on 38-inch Groundhogs, a Jimmy, and eventually a YJ and square-body GMC truck. Attended his first Ultimate Adventure in 2015 (the last pay-to-play year) and was accepted to subsequent trips. Discovered passion for genuine rock crawling rather than mud boggin...

Send us Fan Mail Chad had a nomadic childhood with nine moves across the US by age 10. Played competitive soccer through college; choosing sports over academics. Family of machinists and farmers influenced hands-on career path.   He started as a mechanic, working through transmission and fabrication shops. Became premier Hemi Jeep installer during the modification craze, but was laid off unexpecte...

Send us Fan Mail Cole shares his 35-year journey from car enthusiast to magazine editor to automotive marketing business owner. Starting with dirt bikes in the New Mexico desert, he became editorial assistant at Hot Rod Magazine in 1990 before launching 4x4 Power—where he built an entry-level off-road publication alongside Trent McGee and Tori Tellem. After twelve years at Peterson Publishing, he...

Send us Fan Mail John grew up in Auburn, Washington with a passion for automotive work. He excelled in shop classes and purchased his first car—a 1968 Camaro—at age 14. After high school, he worked at a quick lube shop before joining an automotive repair facility. When the owner retired, John's parents bought the business, and after navigating early challenges, John eventually took over. The...

Send us Fan Mail Colt Clewley is a YouTuber and off-road enthusiast from Farmington, New Mexico. He runs the channel "Colt Builds It," creating fabrication tutorials, trail guides, and adventure content focused on making off-roading knowledge accessible to everyone. Colt grew up in tiny Divide, Colorado, worked in the oil field for 18 years, and later transitioned to full-time content cr...

Send us Fan Mail Matt Adair sits down with Big Rich Klein to discuss a life shaped by cars, languages, and the off-road community. Beginning as an exchange student in Germany at 16, Matt's fluency in automotive passion led him to abandon an Air Force Academy appointment for car sales. What started as a snowy day test drive of a Jeep Cherokee evolved into decades of off-roading, racing, and jo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Adam Arsenault shares his remarkable journey from humble beginnings in North Carolina to becoming a key figure in off-road motorsports. His path spans 20 years in Marine Special Operations, four combat deployments, and a thriving racing career. Adam grew up in Asheville, NC; joined the Marine Corps at 18 and served 20 years, including intelligence work and combat...

Send us Fan Mail Scott Rehn joins the podcast to discuss his colorful career across multiple motorsports disciplines—from motocross and late-model dirt track racing to short-course off-road, water skiing, Monster Jam, and beyond. Learn how an unplanned career launch led to decades in broadcasting.  Early Racing Years Scott tried motocross as a teenager but found his true passion in late-model stoc...

Send us Fan Mail Rory Irish is the owner of Trail Mater and Moab Motorsports, an off-road recovery operation based in Utah. In this episode, he shares his unconventional path from surveying and pipeline welding in Colorado to becoming a YouTube sensation and industry figure. Rory bounced between Moab, Utah and western Colorado throughout his childhood. After dropping out of high school, he earned...

Send us Fan Mail Cody Folsom grew up bouncing between Colorado towns and Texas, attending over 10 schools while working alongside his father in automotive shops. He was introduced to rock crawling through Jason Feuilly and Jimmy's 4x4, learning the philosophy that completing obstacles mattered more than keeping vehicles pristine—a shock after his dad's show-and-shine approach to cars. Fr...

Send us Fan Mail Thomas Meiser is a rock buggy fabricator and off-road enthusiast from Magna, Utah. Once a competitive baseball player coached by his father, Thomas shifted to fabrication after discovering the Suzuki Samurai at age 16—a pivotal moment that redirected his passion entirely. Early Career Path Thomas worked under influential mentors including Casey Beach (Beaches Off-Road) and Ben Han...

Send us Fan Mail  In this episode, Big Rich Klein sits down with Nate Williams to explore a life immersed in off-road culture. Growing up in Logan, Utah, Nate caught the bug early—rebuilding a 1975 Bronco at just 15, complete with body work and a custom Chevy engine swap. What started as weekend trail runs evolved into competitive rock crawling, and eventually into full-scale desert racing.  Nate...

Send us Fan Mail Chris Mercer, a fire captain and body shop manager from Craig, Colorado, shares his journey from a Southern California native to a well-rounded off-roading enthusiast. He discusses his passion for mechanics, competitive four-wheeling, and his goals to become an off-road instructor. Chris grew up immersed in motorsports and outdoor activities including snowmobiling, motocross, and...

Send us Fan Mail Brent Goegebuer joins Big Rich Klein to discuss a life dedicated to the off-road industry. Raised in rural Washington, Goegebuer's passion for trucks and the outdoors led him to open his first four-wheel drive shop before age 21, working his way up from a graveyard wire mill shift to corporate success. The interview follows his two-decade journey at Four Wheel Parts, where he...

Send us Fan Mail Early Life & Background Kim and Nathaniel grew up in rural Kentucky, meeting in high school with lockers across the hall from each other. They worked together at a local Winn-Dixie grocery store before college, where Nathaniel pursued psychology and Kim studied occupational therapy. Both eventually moved to the Lexington area after graduating. Rise in Rock Crawling The couple...