Off-Road Racer Podcast

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 edition, Matt Martelli and Bob Bower sit down with Josh Stabile, better known as Josh the Auto Buyer, who was responsible for bringing this entire group of builders, prerunners, racers, and off road personalities together at the Expo.

Josh talks about how the idea came together in just a matter of weeks, starting with a few phone calls and growing into an entire hall built around the people and vehicles he wanted to see represented. The goal was simple: change the vibe, bring some of the old school culture back, and create a place where builders and enthusiasts could actually hang out, talk, and share what they have built.

The conversation also gets into Josh's own history with off road. From his first Baja Bug and years of driving Raptors to building his first serious prerunner, Josh explains how he went from simply enjoying trucks to becoming one of the biggest buyers and sellers of built Ford Raptors in the country. He also talks about the 2023 crash that changed his approach to safety and eventually led to his current desert truck.

A major theme throughout the conversation is the connection between prerunner culture and off road racing. Josh believes the two sides of the sport should be closer together, and that racing is a major part of what created the trucks, technology, and culture that people enjoy today. He also talks about getting younger people interested in the sport by giving them something to aspire to, whether they start with a UTV, a Raptor, a clapped out truck, or eventually move into a full desert truck.

Josh also explains why he wanted so many different builders and styles represented in the hall, from RJ Fab and Kibbetech to Chris Allen, Dirt King, and All American Sender. The goal wasn't to create another competition between builders, but a space where people could appreciate the work, learn from each other, and bring more people into the culture.

Recorded live at the 2026 Off-Road Expo.

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 edition, Matt Martelli and Desert Dime sit down with Eric Conner of SoCal Suspension to talk about his unusual path into off road, starting with a career as a professional skateboarder before moving into cars, fabrication, prerunners, and eventually desert racing.

Eric talks about growing up around skateboarding in Southern California, skating professionally through his teens and early twenties, and how his father taught him to work on cars and build things himself. When skateboarding started slowing down, Eric took a job at a local shop and quickly found a new direction working on cars. From street racing and custom cars to low riders and hot rods, those different parts of car culture eventually led him into the off road world.

A big part of the conversation is the connection between skateboarding and off road. Eric explains how the freedom, creativity, style, and community that drew him to skateboarding are the same things he sees in prerunner culture. He also talks about the difference between that culture and the competitive side of desert racing, and why he wants to see more of the different groups within off road come together.

Eric also talks about getting his son Zach into racing. What started with Zach driving a 1450 truck at King of the Hammers turned into a serious racing career, including winning King of the Hammers the following year. Eric explains what it has been like watching his son develop as a driver, the challenges of co driving for him, and how racing together has created a bond between them that goes far beyond the track.

The conversation also gets into the larger off road community and the importance of telling the stories of the racers throughout the field, not just the Trophy Truck drivers. Eric talks about bringing more attention to the families, personalities, and different communities that make up off road racing, along with ideas for bringing prerunner, overland, and racing communities together at events.

Recorded live at the 2026 Off-Road Expo.

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 edition, Matt Martelli and Bob Bower sit down with Rob Lindsay of RJ Fab to talk about his path from working in a high school metal shop to building some of the most detailed and creative off road vehicles in the industry.

Rob talks about starting out building street and drag race cars, eventually turning fabrication into a full time business, and how a prerunner project for Tom Kirkmyer and Richard Boyle pulled him into the off road world. He also talks about the crossover between hot rods, drag racing, and off road, and how ideas and fabrication techniques continue to move between different parts of the automotive world.

A major part of the conversation is Rob's approach to building. From the Willys that competed at SEMA's Battle of the Builders to his work combining hot rod level fit and finish with serious off road suspension, Rob explains why he puts so much emphasis on creativity, metal shaping, and doing things differently. They also get into the balance between modern technology like CAD and 3D printing and the craftsmanship that comes from actually shaping and building something by hand.

Rob also talks about some of the projects currently coming out of RJ Fab, including an 1100 horsepower four wheel drive crew cab truck and an 89 K5 Blazer with a mezzanine rear suspension. The conversation touches on the small details that make a vehicle more functional, from tire changing systems to custom mounts and other ideas that are designed around the experience of the person actually using the vehicle.

The episode also covers Rob's connections throughout the off road industry, including his time working with Gary Lane, Tony Pellegrino, RJ Anderson, and others who have influenced his approach to fabrication and vehicle design.
Recorded live at the 2026 Off-Road Expo.

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 edition, Matt Martelli and Desert Dime sit down with Ruslan Yankilevich to talk about his progression through off road racing, from starting in short course and making a name for himself with stunts, to racing desert and becoming part of the Roar Tribe program.

Ruslan talks about racing the Mint 400 at just 11 years old, the challenges of trying to race without the budget or resources to properly prepare a car, and how those experiences eventually pushed him toward the pre runner world. He also talks about getting another opportunity to race through Roar Tribe and competing at Vegas to Reno alongside his dad, finishing the race after splitting the driving duties between them.

A major part of the conversation is Roar Tribe and the role it is playing in bringing deaf racers and crew members into desert racing. Ruslan explains how much of his pit crew is deaf, how ASL is used throughout the pits, and how his co pilot learned ASL specifically to communicate with the team during races. The result is a race program where the entire crew and audience can follow what is happening on course.

They also get into Ruslan’s early years, including the Glamis canal jump that put him in the spotlight and brought a wave of criticism when he was only 10 years old. Ruslan talks about how that experience changed the way he handles criticism, the people who supported him through it, and how it shaped the person and racer he has become.

From stunts and pre runners to desert racing and building his own race cars, this conversation gives a look at where Ruslan has come from and where he could be headed next. At a young age, he has already packed a lot into his racing career, and the next chapter is just getting started.
Recorded live at the 2026 Off Road Expo.

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 Martelli and Bob Bower sit down with Blake Wilkey to talk about his second season racing in the Pro UTV class, his progression from Class 11 into one of the most competitive fields in off road racing, and what it takes to run at the front as a privateer team. Blake talks about the pace of modern UTV racing, the importance of preparation, and the challenge of keeping up with factory backed teams while running the entire program out of his own shop. The conversation also covers his background in off road racing, starting with dirt bikes and an $1,800 Chenoweth before progressing through buggies, trucks, and Trophy Truck.

A big part of the conversation is Blake's approach to building vehicles and creating content. From Class 11s and Broncos to boats and other unconventional projects, he talks about finding new ways to have fun, create something different, and bring people along for the ride. They also discuss the role Blake plays in connecting with younger fans and helping grow the next generation of off road enthusiasts.Looking ahead, Blake talks about stepping back from some of the racing in 2027 to focus more on adventure and exploring new places, while potentially moving into a 6100 truck and continuing to race when the right opportunities come up.

Recorded live at the 2026 Off Road Expo.