Conversations with Big Rich

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 KX50...

Send us Fan Mail 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, ac...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Fo...

Send us Fan Mail 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 M...

Send us Fan Mail 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 (includin...

Send us Fan Mail 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 t...

Send us Fan Mail 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 an...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Big Rich sits down with Joel Randall, whose path to becoming an OG R-Gang rock crawler started far from ordinary. Pulled from school after third grade, Joel grew up on the move—living in an Airstream behind a 4x4 International Travel-All, camping in Baja and the Tonto, reloading shells by age seven, and learning survival skills during his family’s doomsday-prep phase. ...

Send us Fan Mail Big Rich sits down with Jagged X Off-Road founder Bill Schueler to trace the journey from a Phoenix garage to the front lines of UTV racing and aftermarket innovation. Bill shares how his sons Justin and Brandon turned a high school hobby into Jagged X, the early Rhino craze, and the fateful call from Polaris that put them on the map—leading to the first-ever desert race for the P...

Send us Fan Mail RJ Jackman of Pocatello, Idaho—flat-fender fanatic, trail leader, writer, and organizer of the Idaho Vintage Jeep Rally. RJ grew up riding dirt bikes with his grandpa’s Simplot-sponsored moto crew, exploring lava fields, caves, and old mines—fueling a lifetime of off-road adventure  Event spotlight—Idaho Vintage Jeep Rally - Free, low-friction, three-day gathering in Pocatello eac...

Send us Fan Mail Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Jerry Bain joins Big Rich to talk adventure, public access, and preserving West Virginia’s unmaintained road network. Jerry shares how high school mud trucks led to a lifelong passion for motorized recreation, a 20-year Navy career seeing 51 countries, and ultimately founding the Country Roads Coalition to protect and promote legal access to histor...

Send us Fan Mail From SoCal surf breaks to the rocks of Johnson Valley, fabricator, racer, and builder Johnny Rocha shares a lifetime immersed in dirt, water, and horsepower. Johnny grew up riding desert singletrack, surfing with his dad, and turning wrenches young—then parlayed a career in operation engineering into nights and weekends fabricating Jeeps before going all-in on off-road. Hear how a...

Send us Fan Mail Big Rich sits down with UTV media pioneer and racer Jon Crowley Jr. to trace his unlikely path from water-ski kid and UCSB computer science grad to one of the most influential voices in the UTV world. Jon shares how a first ride at Sand Mountain hooked him on off-roading, the evolution from ATVs to sand cars to early Yamaha Rhinos and Polaris RZRs, and building DuneGuide and UTVGu...

Send us Fan Mail Big Rich sits down with West Virginia history buff, Ford fanatic, and long-time off-roader Jack Sloan. From learning to drive in a ‘73 Wagoneer to 22 years with his beloved Ford Explorer “The Raisin,” Jack shares how small-town roots, family campouts, and a love for the hills shaped a life behind the wheel. -            Growing up in Fairmont, WV (home of the pepperoni roll), coal...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Big Rich sits down with rising Ultra4 racer Matthew Slyngstad. Born and raised in San Jose, Matthew shares how a teenage speeding ticket steered him into a slow Jeep—and a fast off-road life. From cello and wrestling in high school to wrenching summers in the family construction business, he built the fabrication chops that power his racing today. Highlights:  ·       E...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Conversations with Big Rich, Texas native Lance Gilbert traces his winding path from small-town Keller and church-band guitars to VW shops, GM dealerships, architecture school, homebuilding—and a post-9/11 pivot back to off-road. Lance shares formative years at Sunray Engineering with the late Tom Ellison, a decade at PSC with Tom Allen, and deep roots in early...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Rich sits down with Chris Holloway, the founder of the Midwest Overland & Off-Road Expo (MOORE) in Springfield, Missouri. Chris shares his unlikely path from ice cream truck entrepreneur and diesel tech to building one of the Midwest’s premier overland and off-road trade shows.  Highlights - From Massachusetts to Missouri: family, music roots, and early hustle...

Send us Fan Mail CALL TO ACTION DEADLINE: September 15, 2025 www.blueribboncoalition.org/hammers Host Big Rich Klein sits down with BlueRibbon Coalition’s Ben Burr and longtime Johnson Valley advocate Shannon Welch to unpack a fast-moving proposal that could reshape recreation at the Hammers. The U.S. Marine Corps has requested permanent Special Use Airspace (SUA) over Johnson Valley—from the grou...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Conversations with Big Rich, we dive into the fascinating world of motorsports with Danny Thompson, son of the legendary Mickey Thompson. Danny shares his storied journey from racing quarter midgets at the age of nine to breaking land speed records at Bonneville. As a pillar of the off-road racing community, Danny offers a unique perspective on the evolution of...

Send us Fan Mail The Coyote Creek/Prairie City Solar Project Controversy  Guests: - Rose Winn, Natural Resources Consultant, Cal Four Wheel Drive Association - Don Amador, President of Quiet Warrior Racing and Consulting, Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee  Episode Summary: In this special edition of Conversations with Big Rich, host Big Rich Klein dives into a critical issue affecting the...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of "Conversations with Big Rich," host Rich Klein sits down with Mathew Giltner, the executive director of the Nevada Off-Road Association. Mathew shares his fascinating journey from upstate New York to Nevada, detailing his diverse experiences in the Coast Guard, aviation, and the off-road industry. Listen in as they explore the importance of community,...

Send us Fan Mail Join Big Rich Klein as he sits down with Alan Johnson, President of the Rubicon Trail Foundation, in an engaging conversation about his adventurous journey from street racing to becoming a new We Rock rock-crawling competitor. Alan shares his personal history, the influence of his family, and how he transitioned from a life centered around fast cars to one focused on the off-road...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we delve into the dynamic world of off-roading with Angela Rickerson and Adriana Stovall, two formidable competitors in the Rebelle Rally. Angela, a Seattle native, and Adriana, hailing from California, share their journeys from off-road enthusiasts to competitors in one of the most challenging all-women off-road navigational rallies in the U.S. Highlights: Gettin...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for an exciting episode of "Conversations with Big Rich" as we dive into the fascinating world of off-road with our guest, Justin Andrews. Known for his dynamic journey in the off-road industry, Justin shares his unique story, from his musical roots to becoming a key player at Factor 55 and Warn Industries. Episode Highlights: Justin's Musical Beginnings: Di...