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Speedway Stories: Brad Kovac
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Wally and Jhonny are hanging out with one of the best mega truck drivers on the show talking about racing and building mega trucks and life!!!
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Transcript
Introductions and Guest Introduction
00:00:00
Speaker
Yeah, I gotta get I gotta get everything in that
00:01:27
Speaker
Welcome everybody to a Monday night edition of Speedway Stories. It's your boy Wally and Johnny Bongs here. Tonight I got a special guest for everybody as you read in the on the caption and everything.
00:01:41
Speaker
This gentleman's actually on a work assignment over in Japan right now and he's coming live on the show tonight for everybody to talk about his racing career and his experiences over there for work.
Early Career and Inspirations
00:01:55
Speaker
Let's bring up Mr. Brad.
00:02:00
Speaker
What's up, Brad? Thank you for joining us tonight, man. Hola. What's up? Oh, just another beautiful day for me in Ohio. i don't know how it is in New York for Johnny, but... Oh, it's beautiful.
00:02:13
Speaker
Gorgeous. So...
00:02:15
Speaker
yeah so and and the out um Brad, I'm going to go ahead and let you have the floor. Let you tell everybody a little bit about yourself and um what got you into motor sports and some of your hobbies outside of you know racing your mega truck and doing tough truck stuff with your buddies.
00:02:39
Speaker
The floor is yours, man. Thanks.
00:02:45
Speaker
Oh, look at this. Little Phil's already starting to shit in the comments. Brad likes lazy boys. Lazy. Oh, who said lazy lady. Lady boys. My bad.
00:02:59
Speaker
Oh, man. What do I even start off at? um Well, I've been racing, or I got started in racing probably when I was 16 or so I built a truck from like the ground up.
00:03:14
Speaker
awesome Just one in my dad's backyard from a bunch of spare parts. um It was a 79 Ford. of Built it for like mud racing, I guess you would say it was but I kind of took it around and hit some hills with it and all that stuff back in the day.
00:03:32
Speaker
And then trucks going wild came out i found that back in happy around the same time, maybe a little bit sooner. This probably like 2005 2006. And mega trucks were coming a thing and I felt no. Yeah.
00:03:48
Speaker
And even before that, though, I've been a fan of monster trucks forever. I think we all have, Brad. I mean, that's like we really want that shit, dude. I am a monster truck nerd, like 100%.
00:04:05
Speaker
And i don't'm I'm not ashamed of it. I've had good times with it. What's up, Morgan? thanks speak Morgan's ears must have been burning, Brad. Morgan's actually in the chatter's box tonight, man. Thanks for tuning in, Morgan.
00:04:19
Speaker
Yeah, good to see you. Oh, man. Well, yeah, mean, kind of basic, you know? I don't know. You're like me, and like the saying that goes on Facebook, those damn back in the day, 99 cent little Hot Wheels get us in trouble, and our toys just get bigger as we get older.
00:04:40
Speaker
Oh, man. you know It a hundred and fifty percent. So the truck I have now, well, I guess it's not really the same truck now because I've gone through like four cabs, but the the truck that you see now was inspired by a truck when I was like a little kid.
Family Legacy and Truck Restoration
00:04:59
Speaker
It started life as a, it was a truck that my dad and my grandfather built way back in 2000, 2001. And one and He they fully restored it, made it look all pretty and dad ended up selling it to some dude and 10 years later or so we found it on Craigslist and ended up buying it back for like 1500 bucks.
00:05:21
Speaker
And it wasn't as nice as it was when my dad first built it. That thing when my dad first built it again, I was young, so everything was really cool to me. But that thing was right when dad first finished it and they first got the thing all done. the The green was unmatched. You know what i mean? like it it was beautiful man and it had the coolest 39.5 boggers with 14 wide welds it was just an old school rig sick warm bumper which is why i have a warm bumper on it now like i built the truck as it was when my dad and grandpa first did it but with my style hell yeah man well that's like with with those 78 and 79 fords i mean between that and the box chevys it was always it seemed like the battle of the lifted
00:06:06
Speaker
between them the lifter with the welds and the boggers on them the paint jobs is usually what usually what broke them out and how your headset quit working on you it not
00:06:21
Speaker
definitely did yeah yeah but didn like that i called on the oh I was saying about the 78, 79 battles of the Ford and the box Chevys back in the day with the lift of trucks and stuff. you know It was mainly what separated it was either the drivetrain and the way the body was painted. That's basically what set them, but they were normally with the weld wheels with the boggers on them, man.
00:06:48
Speaker
You could ask for two better
Community and Support System
00:06:49
Speaker
looking trucks back in the day. i love yeah I'm not like a Chevrolet guy per se, but I can respect anything that's, you know, badass. I that, yeah. and the i got i'm old school through and through, man. I miss the old jamborees and stuff like that. and Yeah, trust me. I know. I had one of the largest ones in my not about an hour away from me here in Ohio, there in Lima and stuff.
00:07:13
Speaker
It fucking started. I went to a – I don't know if it was jamboree back in the day, but kind of cool tie-in. When I was – back in like 96 or so, my father took me to – Anderson, South Carolina.
00:07:30
Speaker
And I want to say it was like a jamboree style thing. I don't really remember what it was, but at that show, I remember Bigfoot being there with the beautiful bubble body. That was always my favorite body style Bigfoot. It's one of the ugliest, people say it's one of the ugliest trucks, but through and through that pink and that blue and just the bubble, it's just a solid look. But at that show, I saw Twister, Thomas White.
00:07:55
Speaker
No shit. Yeah, I saw a Twister race, and that's like the only tough track I remember racing with ah Years later, I end up meeting Thomas through my buddy Robbie, and then I end up running this truck and ultimately destroying it. but you know It happens.
00:08:16
Speaker
It all kind of ties in with itself. Well, I mean, it's and it's neat, though, the history. I mean, between Phil Jr. and his dad and stuff, the history there with that book,
00:08:27
Speaker
with that group and and then with Josh being part of it and then, you know, just the opportunities you've all gotten. And you're, as much as I hate to say it, and I, well, not hate to say but it, because i don't want your head I don't want your head to explode, but you you are like the center of the universe around this group that I've had with Phillip Jr., you know, with him on and Josh.
00:08:55
Speaker
Everybody is cutting their teeth working with you, being around with Phil's dad and stuff. I mean, you guys all are all tied together in a tight-knit family in the in the mega truck and rough truck world tough truck world in your guys' areas.
00:09:13
Speaker
I mean, it's awesome. I wouldn't say I'm like the center of the universe with it. I'm just, you know, really normal. But I will say I'm probably a terrible friend. And I definitely influence people when to do the absolute worst they can possibly do. Everybody's tanneling on himself on lie on live show tonight.
00:09:41
Speaker
mike Mike's dysfunctional fan. Hey. Hey, Baxman. Hey. Dysfunctional family, but family none. Like we me and Phil talked and Josh talked, man. You can't. ah
00:09:56
Speaker
The motorsports world, man, if you get in with the – like with you guys, blood does not make you family, man. And and it's awesome to have have that like you guys have, like I've said before and watching, where I have it here with ah some of the guys I have.
00:10:14
Speaker
We drop it a dime at a dime if we can, if somebody needs us. And that's nice having that group. hey here For sure. For sure. I've always liked to say like a the term that a ah rising tide brings up all ships. you know what i mean? So I try to, if if I'm doing something, I try to bring as many people with me as I can.
00:10:36
Speaker
um Even if it's like, not in like the most special ways, but just however I can. I mean, like whether it be like, give my boys a ride in the truck or i don't know, give them the place to work on their stuff, you know just do whatever I can help everybody the best they can.
Career Progression and Challenges
00:10:53
Speaker
Well, and it's just a little things like that, man, or just give them a space that even if they are not in the mood to help turn a wrench or something, they got some people to hang around with to relax and vent with and have some laughs to get shit off their minds. I mean, yeah,
00:11:09
Speaker
a they Everybody needs that. Yeah. That's one thing I definitely miss about being home is, and besides family, the but being at the shop. Dude, i have a lot of fun just hanging out.
00:11:21
Speaker
One of my boy, my boy Braxton, my little buddy, he's always like, oh, man, sometimes it's a pain in the butt. I'm always. yeah I'm trying to work on something and Braxton's like, hey, what are you doing, man? like Trying to help me bend a piece of tube or something. I've got to yell – not yell at his mom, but like, hey, Misty, come on, man. like Get him out of the way. I've got to do something right now, but I wouldn't change it, man.
00:11:46
Speaker
I love it. okay Morgan, when can I go for a ride? I've sat and watched how you drive and beam. want to see if it feels the same. Ha, ha, ha. No, definitely not the same. B-Man ain't got no budget.
00:12:02
Speaker
Yeah. you can You can shut the damn thing off and start over. Real life, you can't do that. Yeah, press the little reset button. Oh, man. Dude, some of them guys that I play with on Beam, man, they're insane. i've been watching I've been hanging out with them the last couple of and then i busy I've been watching that. I've been following on that Facebook page of that. It's making me want to get get me a computer just for that game because of all they offer between Demolition Derby, truck and tractor pulling, the Mega Truck Racing, all that shit that they offer now. It's like,
00:12:36
Speaker
Dude, I need get a computer now. Which one's that? It's a... it's a it's What is it? Beam... BeamNG. It's like a soft body physics, kind of like Rigs of Rods back in the day. Fuck yeah.
00:12:51
Speaker
Well, i don't know if it's all user-based, like community-driven, but I will say that there's a community out there right now like of dudes like ah Nick Bovec, Nathan Hills, and all these guys out there making megatrucks and monster trucks and make it so much fun. You know what mean? There's a whole bunch of beammonsters. I want to say it's beammonsters.com, and you can download...
00:13:12
Speaker
a shitload of monster trucks that like to scale. It's wild. Nice. Like the dedication these guys are going through on it. Nice. I'll be checking it out. There's a Facebook page for it and it's got everything, Johnny. It's got the truck and tractor point. Like he said, the monster trucks and mega trucks.
00:13:31
Speaker
That truck's in the game, too. like right when Nick Bovet that just mentioned, hope I said last name right, he put he put my truck in the game like two years ago, and then he came in town and like scanned it all with his phone. Some fancy shit. yeah Yeah. This dude scanned my whole truck and put it in the game.
00:13:52
Speaker
Holy fuck. That's fucking awesome, dude. Nice. That truck's in the game now, too. i don't know if I'm supposed to say anything yet, but Aggravator is in the game now. I got a whole sneak peek at it.
00:14:03
Speaker
he yeah Hell yeah, man. That's awesome. So basically, your career started out in the tough truck community, and you just slowly worked your way to where you're at now in the major mega truck world, or you get a taste of it turning wrenches on a mega truck or anything?
00:14:21
Speaker
So I would say the career really started off like just in the backyard, you know, fucking awesome. Sorry. Like most of us. No, you're good, man. hello Having fun and doing stuff.
00:14:35
Speaker
Hanging out with my boys, getting rowdy. You know what I mean? My cousin James, they have property that I have abused way more than they have. So that's definitely where it started was there. And then the tough trucks started getting or Yeah.
00:14:52
Speaker
So I built that truck in the backyard, rowdy, you know, fun, fun, fun. um Career wise for racing, I guess you'd say was I worked at Feld for a little bit.
00:15:04
Speaker
Okay. I'll try to get the timeline like right. So, you know it sounds better. So back in like right after we graduated high school, went to go work for failure entertainment, work on monster trucks. I was actually crew crew being with Brandon Vinson, who was the crew chief for Adam Anderson. First year, he debuted a great bigger legend.
00:15:24
Speaker
And yeah, another driver named Scott Butoh. I was with him and I did that. I was i said I was really young. So I was really fucking stupid. And I didn't treat it like i should have, but I will say i learned a boatload from just being around the people that were there, especially guys like um when I worked there, there's a guy named Paul Cohen and Dan Bright.
00:15:50
Speaker
And then Eddie was there. He builds chassis. they Actually, they all build chassis. They're really badass fabricators. And really try to hang out around them the most. I was asking them guys the most questions because that was always where i was kind of you know, going towards everything. Yeah.
00:16:07
Speaker
Yeah. I've just, I learned so much from those guys. One, I got fired for like said, being dumb. So one summer I was young and dumb, young and dumb. hundred percent one That summer though, I was off work and sorry, I,
00:16:24
Speaker
started pushing like my own fab work a little bit further. know what I mean? My buddy, will now getting yourself, get working your way into what you've learned and putting it to use. now Yeah. yeah I got picked up a Lincoln two 52 or two 53, the same machine I have right now that my grandpa had since, I don't know how long shit but it's old. Picked up that Lincoln started laying down some MIG welds and I worked my, that was the first truck I really worked on. like from like the ground up, you could kind of say was my buddy Will Powell's.
00:16:57
Speaker
And then I fought with the truck. We worked on that truck through stages from like a street truck on one tons and a Dana 44 all the way up until he let me chop it all up and put a roll cage in it. Then we chopped it up even more and put a four link underneath of it with a ah two and a half tons and a big, big block Ford in it.
00:17:19
Speaker
But I stole his transfer case in my truck, so he's not really running right now. yeah Josh, you're not that late to the shit show, man. We'll cut you some slack. Yeah, man. The boys are the boys are here.
00:17:36
Speaker
I need all the support I can get, right? oh yeah yeah Anything and everything, man. It's got to keep this entertaining for the time that we get with you finally on on here until you get to come home this week. So.
00:17:48
Speaker
i But yeah, and then, you know, from there, you know, Dennis's mud track and Morgan's Corner was always booming. So we'd always go and hang out, watch the show, have fun. I ran the truck every once in a while.
00:18:02
Speaker
ah ran whatever truck i had every once in a while. And then the tough truck started making a big debut. And that was a lot of fun to watch.
00:18:14
Speaker
I love the tough trucks, and I was always jealous that I wouldn't ever have one. My buddy, Robbie Williams, he was one of the... Not one of the first ones. There was people way before him, but he was consistently out there with his, and every once in while, he'd let me drive it and wreck it because we always had some hunk of shit. He's out having fun, but he's putting it out there and letting everybody see what it is.
00:18:39
Speaker
Yeah, man. but i mean yeah Like I said, that was kind of it, and then I started building the mega truck after my daughter was born. I wanted to build a mega truck and I wanted to build a one ton truck. Something I could drive up and down the road and go wheeling with.
00:18:57
Speaker
And my dad said, I had terrible idea. I couldn't maintain two and he is a hundred percent right. Cause I can barely maintain one.
Community Connections and Racing Culture
00:19:04
Speaker
So yeah, I, I didn't show, I didn't share the, uh, pictures that, uh, you could see the carnage from the last time, uh,
00:19:16
Speaker
But I just let you all know, he kind of yelled at me in the messengers because of one of the pictures I did. It knocked him out and it was in sling in there and instead of a berserker being in there. He's like, hey, we need to do something about that. So instead, I went ahead and just did it old school and used the pictures i did for the post i was like because fucking chat gtp man pissed me off it kept adding kingsling where i didn't want it and i'm like well screw it i'm just i'm done i love that kingsling photo man when i was when i lined up so that day it was brian wright driving that truck and i think because gary was out but um
00:19:59
Speaker
I asked Brian if I could line up next to him and I knew going into it, I was like, I was wounded heavily already, but it was just, we just came off like a huge rebuild the week of that race.
00:20:10
Speaker
Okay. And everybody, people that are in the chat right now that I've seen Michael French, uh, the My buddies from Haggard, or not Haggard. Oh, my goodness. My buddies from Aggravator. um Sorry, I saw Haggard, my old truck's name. But my buddies from Aggravator Jackson and Jarrett, they all came out. And my buddy Alex, they all came out and we threw this truck back together to get it ready for, think it was 2025. So, yeah, it was last year.
00:20:39
Speaker
yeah But right before we loaded out to go to that race, my rear steer stopped working. Oh, shit, dude. That's the worst possible thing that could happen. But I still wanted to call out Kingsling mainly, honestly, just so i get that picture. I wanted to see if I could hang with him. I knew in the turn he would wipe the floor with me. There was nothing I could do. I knew it from the rip. But I just said, screw it. I want to get a decent picture, and I want to see if I can come out the pit side by side with him. And luckily – my badass girlfriend, was there to snap that moment. That was... In that picture alone, you had him coming out of the pit by at least half the truck coming out of the pit.
00:21:21
Speaker
In that picture. I love it. and I get a lot of crap because my truck's like... It's not 100%. It's not perfect.
00:21:32
Speaker
You know what mean? There's a lot of stuff that's supposed to be doing to it that I don't. My tuning. I get ringed all the time by people. don't really give a shit.
00:21:45
Speaker
The thing is you're conscious of that. you but oh my The thing you've got to look at it too, Brad, is some of these guys in the Megatruck game, man, the backing some of them have.
00:21:59
Speaker
yeah they They can do the what we call general maintenance you're talking about regularly when they've got some of the backing to do. But if like you and your buddy agitators up, you get a few people, you know, but you got your family of friends and stuff that help you keep maintaining it.
00:22:20
Speaker
But you don't have the financial backing of sponsors like most of them have. Yeah, I do have sponsors. I'm not gonna lie. I have really good sponsors, but on that like but with my boys and everything i definitely have the best in my opinion the best support system ever from everybody at home being like you know family misty oh sir mom and dad and you know stepmom all that cool stuff like i have all that but like my boys they're they they got my back the berserkers that's what we call it they got a stupid little group chat and that's all we call it oh yeah but i mean i mean it's fitting for you guys i mean now having
00:23:00
Speaker
having the ringleader of the group so far on the show finally after having two of the main two of the the guys on here now got you on here. I mean, it's it's fucking it's awesome because yeah it is the way everything is lining up with what Phillip Jr.
Tribute Truck and Japan Experiences
00:23:21
Speaker
said, what Josh said, what you and me talked in Messenger and everything,
00:23:26
Speaker
It is awesome to finally getting it fruitation with you personally here on the show to share with everybody. So. Yeah. That's awesome.
00:23:38
Speaker
I love this. ah like such island I honestly almost did not going on two years ago, take the opportunity. My friend gave me to do this. And now it's like, dude, this has been the best thing and I love doing it. It's my release.
00:23:53
Speaker
i what I'm glad you did. ah That's my boy right there. He just pinned. Aggravator. So not make it about me, but let's make about him for a second.
00:24:04
Speaker
Let's go for it. That's a father, right? That is my buddy Jackson and young little man. I think he's like, he might be 14 now. And his our dad, Jared. We, little Phil and I, in French, he was actually there for a couple of days, but we all put that truck together over a course of like,
00:24:23
Speaker
What was like three months or so? Like built shut this whole chassis down and built that thing up, and he's been out there getting it now. And he's talking talking about that boat motor. And they went through some issues motors last year, man, trying to get it running good.
00:24:34
Speaker
But they're out there getting it. Yeah, I've been following and keeping up with them on on their Facebook page because I've seen it was one of your recommendations from you. And, dude, it's been a blast.
00:24:45
Speaker
yeah Following along on that journey over the last year. um How far they've come. Jackson's a good kid. Like, for sure. on You should get him up on it.
00:24:58
Speaker
Well, we if we can get him... I'll reach out to him in Messenger after we get off the show stuff and see if we can get him up on here. I'd love to have him. It'd be awesome.
00:25:09
Speaker
okay
00:25:13
Speaker
38 working days, evenings. Oh, yep ye yeah yeah. That was the total amount of the days that we did work on it. Like add it all up all together, not counting. yeah That was a good time. right A couple hours in there.
00:25:27
Speaker
That's awesome. Yeah, from what I've seen so far with them out this year with it, man, they hang tough with some of the best out there, man. And and and and it's awesome to see that because, like i was saying, we're technically the little guys that Playing in the big boys backyard.
00:25:45
Speaker
when you you know Especially when you go to the Dennis Anderson show. Yeah. 100%. What's this? They were getting it with a damn six-cylinder. Really? Yeah. yeah yeah When do we first brought that truck up to Phil's, it had a... Oh, man. I'm not Chevrolet guy. Somebody's about sound really dumb.
00:26:08
Speaker
What's the... What'd that have? A 4.3 in it? Yep. v six It's like an LS with ah this two cylinders cut off the back of it. not Pretty much. yeah four thirty yeah Yeah. Yeah. They had that thing and they were out there getting it with it. That thing was routed though.
00:26:25
Speaker
Like that was a rowdy little motor. the I'll tell you what, there those little four threes, you do some work to them and stuff. They can be some gnarly little fucking vex motors.
00:26:37
Speaker
Yep. Yep. Yep. yeah There it is. Four three. And then Corey on here. We love Brad. Corey. Oh, yeah, man.
00:26:49
Speaker
but for Yeah, you're... You're actually my second mega truck racer I've had on the show. oh no not But not near... You're actually... I'll be honest with you. You're more famous than the one I originally had on here. Yeah, yeah.
00:27:09
Speaker
Yeah, I've been told that. I'm pretty... Pretty big-headed, you know what I mean? i got a They call my truck Greenfoot, you know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah, I had to i don't know if you've ever raced with ah Tim Warner in Wrong Turn.
00:27:23
Speaker
He tries to hit some of the Megatruck shows and stuff. He's actually from here in Ohio. He's about 45 minutes away from me. Nice. So... That reminds me.
00:27:34
Speaker
um I just got hit with the opportunity last week. I might have a monster truck show in Ohio to come to in August. i Really? Yes.
00:27:46
Speaker
Yes, yes, yes. Bring in the mega truck with me. it's one It's on a Sunday, and I can't remember where it's at, but my buddy is coming for it. Let me know, dude, and i when it is, and i will I will definitely bring the family to come see you in person and hang out, dude. That would be sick. All right.
00:28:03
Speaker
Absolutely. Greenfoot in the chat. Hell yeah.
00:28:09
Speaker
That's us, man. Greenfoot.
00:28:13
Speaker
So, no big question for you. When you get home, after you get over your jet lag and hang out with the family, is it balls to the wall on the truck once you get back?
00:28:25
Speaker
So, right now, actually, um when I get back, the truck is... actually at the metal shop right now. my Phil and Chris ran the truck up to the metal shop for me so my buddy Jordan could get it all prepped up for me. That way, ah honestly, I don't want to mess with it.
00:28:46
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. They a can kind of get ready for me. My first show as of right now planned is the Monsters of Metal show up in Delaware.
00:28:59
Speaker
okay yeah yeah They have a killer lineup monster trucks coming. I'm looking forward to Mayhem and Avenger. you know They obviously got you know the metal shop trucks, but they got creepy trucks coming. They got a badass lineup. Dennis Anderson's debuting the brand new Kingsling, monster truck that weekend. like the Really? yeah ride truck but The actual monster truck they're debuting that weekend.
00:29:23
Speaker
That should be a killer show to be a part of. Like I was saying though, the truck is getting prepped up by Jordan right now. ain't got to put no time on it.
00:29:36
Speaker
my What I'm really going to focus on when i get back is some of the side work that I have going on. That way we can free the shop up and pay some rent. Oh, so far here A bunch of jobs right now.
00:29:49
Speaker
Roll cage. well okay smith I got a school bus I'm working on right now that is on access. that I i'll hate it, but I love that damn thing. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:30:02
Speaker
Hell, yeah. but Well, that and then you got then you got little Phil to help him with on his mega truck that he was telling me, ah telling us about when he was on the show.
00:30:14
Speaker
Yeah, you got him with the bug with that. Just order motor flus for that. Now, those motor plates will be there the same day I fly in. so Nice. nice so Jordan, you're going to finish that bus. absolutely I got to finish the bus so I can afford to pay them.
00:30:32
Speaker
see Oh, man. Oh, yeah. The bus has got to be done. i came so awesome So what's the split design that Josh is talking about?
00:30:45
Speaker
Okay. So the split design. It's actually, it's hard to see on that photo, but, um you know, my truck, the traditional lime green slick paint job. Years ago, one of the original guys with the mega truck in our area um a gentleman named morgan morris he had he had a mega truck called a rum runner and this was back in this is back in the day i'm talking 2000 and dude that's like two that's 2007 2008 era i remember the name of that yeah morgan built rum runner
00:31:26
Speaker
and he was one of the first mega trucks you know in our area very crude mega truck leaf sprung this dude ran a bench seat no roll cage oh rowdy but one would have morgan was a special dude man i Love that guy. we probably yes he years a couple years ago, ultimately he passed away. And kind of as a dedication for him, I've always wanted to do it. even
00:31:58
Speaker
yeah i've always wanted to do a rum runner body on my truck it's it's been a goal of mine for a long time but last year i finally pulled the trigger on it i got help from kdd kill devil diesel he helped me out big time because i really wanted to make the rum runner accurate to what morgan had and like there's a few sponsors of his that ah wanted to try and get and kill devil while not one of his sponsors they grew up together and he jumped on to come like and join the party with me so i guess we bought a body we bought a whole another truck to split in half per se we pulled the front clip off of it i took the bedside off of it and the whole passenger side
00:32:46
Speaker
with permission from his family was a rum runner tribute split directly in half. Chris Weiss came out and helped me spray paint this thing, rattle can it just like Morgan did back in the day. Nice. And it was still probably one of the best things ever could have done with the truck. You know what I mean? If you can't, that that's fucking awesome dude to do. And well, and you're basically, you're carrying on, carrying on the legacy when you did that man for a good friend and fellow competitor. And,
00:33:15
Speaker
kind of an idol you think about it because of, you know, he put mega trucks on the map in your area and it, and to be able to do what you did like that, that, that speaks volumes, man. It does.
00:33:28
Speaker
I remember, um so Morgan and I grew up kind of in the same area, out in Blackwater, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake area. But I remember being high school, and one of the roads were shut down out in Blackwater, whatever. But I had to take a detour.
00:33:42
Speaker
And I was cut through the back roads of Blackwater, which is already, you know, back roads enough. And I rolled up on his house, or his parents' house. Because he went Hickory.
00:33:53
Speaker
But rolled up on his parents' house, and I saw this huge, Freaking 79 Ford on 54 inch racing canes, like combine tires, real. shit Not this go-kart. I'm talking about real mega trucks. The real mega truck. Yeah. know what you're talking about.
00:34:13
Speaker
He cut the centers out, stick welded him. Like said, this thing was crude as all get out. But I remember seeing that. I like, damn, we got one of those. And then it was, I think it was years later that I finally got the opportunity to like bump into him, to meet him. And he made an impact, man. He was a good dude.
00:34:31
Speaker
He really was a good guy. And the rest was history, as they say, man. It would become um a friendship and stuff out of it. That's awesome. Absolutely. yeah You would come over my truck, or or come over my truck. Come over my house every once in a while i was building my truck because my truck took me a long time, dude. It took...
00:34:50
Speaker
as I started building my truck when my daughter was born. She was born in 2012. And my first rendition of the truck was a stock frame truck. And it took three attempts to build it finally. But during that time, Morgan would come over and check it out. And I'd try to get him back into it.
00:35:08
Speaker
Like, hey, man, you should build one. And I remember one of the last messages I had to him was, ah Sorry.
00:35:18
Speaker
My truck was up at the metal shop, and it was just got painted and powder coat and everything went into that. And I sent the photo to him. and I was like, don't show anybody this yet. i was like, this is it. Like, it's coming together.
00:35:29
Speaker
Dude, he was so pumped. Yeah, man. That's good. Yeah. So now we're going to get off the motorsports side for a little bit. So what's life been like working over in Japan? All right, Johnny. Thank Life in Japan?
00:35:49
Speaker
Yeah. Not bad. i definitely can't complain at all. it's It's been a good time out here. um Sightseeing mostly. Saw Fuji. Went to Okinawa.
00:36:02
Speaker
Worked a bunch.
00:36:07
Speaker
That was a very common question. If it was ever going to be finished. So what's the... So what's the culture like compared to what you see they do on TV and everything? Is it really laid back like they more than what you see television advertisements?
00:36:28
Speaker
the Like one of the biggest things that you'll notice out here is like the people are really, really nice. You know what mean? can't understand what they're saying. So they might be talking smack, but they're playing off the facade that they're really nice. Like,
00:36:41
Speaker
something simple as like elevator getting hung up or something, man, they'll apologize a thousand times. Like it's okay. Like it's fine, you know, but it's, it's good out here. It's fun.
00:36:53
Speaker
I'm just, I'm ready to get home though. I've seen everything I want to see. i am counting down the hours at this point. That's what you were telling me last night when we were talking on messenger. Like I'm ready. Wednesday can't get here fast enough. I'm like, yeah, I'm excited for you to come home, man. It's going to be cool.
00:37:10
Speaker
Um, So what's the – did you try some unique foods while you've been there too, or did you try to stick kind of to the local common what you knew in a way? not going lie to you, man. I'm a picky eater, dude. I am terrible. have the taste buds of a five-year-old.
00:37:29
Speaker
Oh, God. I love chicken nuggets.
00:37:33
Speaker
the Who doesn't, though? I mean, who doesn't? but but I am. I'm a picky eater, boy buddy. But um when I got out here, I kind of had, like, no choice, but just kind of, like, expand. And it's been good. You know what i mean? they Honestly, you know what they do really good here? least that I found is really good Italian food.
00:37:52
Speaker
there's Really? There's a place within a half-mile walk from where i stay at, and they have some the most wicked Italian food that you could possibly imagine. My boss, he also took me to a place on my birthday. All the boys loaded up, and he took us to – It's a place called Zushi Beach. I don't know. I can't pronounce it. But nonetheless, beautiful atmosphere, cool little sunset area. Good place to take a date.
00:38:20
Speaker
But um that place was so good. That dude gave us like a 12-course meal that night, man. Sun was setting behind Mount Fuji so he could see Fuji in the background.
00:38:30
Speaker
That'd be sick, man, especially to have dinner and shit like that. That'd be awesome. Stuff like that's that's kind of like my favorite stuff. It's like these cool little... don't know. Sunsets, I guess. When I get to see like Mount Fuji in the background. I got to see that up close. That was insane. It just looks so fake to me.
00:38:51
Speaker
It's like you're there it still doesn't look real. cause it's just this mask's like agree It's like reaching out. Are you real? Are are you real? but It's just this massive volcano, basically, that's just there. You know what I mean?
00:39:03
Speaker
And there's... Obviously other mountains around it but they're all dwarfed by him, man. it's just It's just You got you get to see what people you got to live it and breathe it and see it in real life What people get to see on like National Geographic videos and stuff over you got to actually see it firsthand So you got some pretty badass experience Another question. What's the car culture like over there? Did you get to see any of the any of that at all? Why you know since you've been over there too? Yes. Yeah, yeah so What I see the most, because I kind of look out for them, a lot of Jimmys, like Samurais back home, Suzuki Samurais, what we call them. yeah.
00:39:41
Speaker
are so many Jimmys out here. I want one so bad. I want one so bad. Those things are fun. Yeah. They got ah the Hiluxes, all the 4Runners, what they call him back home. I think here they call him like a surfing ride or something. i don't really – I can't remember what it is. Okay. But it's a 4Runner.
00:39:58
Speaker
But they have all kinds of different generations of them. Yeah. Obviously, the other like JDM cars, you see. Oh, yeah. They got a bunch of those. But one thing I have been noticing out here, not a lot, but ah enough to be like, that's pretty wicked.
00:40:14
Speaker
There's a bunch of pre-73, 256 model muscle cars. I've seen a 69 Fastback out here, 69 Mustang. fifty six model you know mule art ah seen a sixty nine fast back on here siting that mustang Oh, I've seen that, and I've seen there's a yellow, I want to say it's a Firebird, but I only caught the back half of it. It was a bright yellow Firebird. It had to be, like, in the 60s, like 69 at least again. Nice. That's cool to see the American Muscle.
00:40:44
Speaker
Well, it also, too, makes you wonder how many of them are, you know, naval men or military that's stationed that's brought this stuff over, too, as well. but Yeah. infle habit oh you When we went to like Okinawa, we went out there for like a little trip just to kind of go hang out and take the sights in.
00:41:04
Speaker
And that place is very Americanized, I guess you would say, because it was kind of – Right. From DJ. Yeah. So we kind of took it over. But um that place had a whole bunch of American cars out there, man.
00:41:20
Speaker
any Really early American cars, though, because it was ah i was it a Providence or something. I don't remember what it was. I'm not that smart. Yeah, it was like a Providence off of Japan and everything. It's its own little little area and stuff.
00:41:34
Speaker
Yeah, we still have two bases are out there, though. so My question, too, since the car culture, did you get to see any OG skylines being over there?
00:41:47
Speaker
So I've definitely seen Skylines, but I'm not really big into that scene, so I don't know what an OG would be. Like, I remember playing Forza back in the day, and I think it was like an R32 or R34. Yeah, yep. Those are the OGs right there, the 32s and thirty four s are. Okay, so yeah, I've definitely seen those out here.
00:42:06
Speaker
They're not popular. i I remember seeing a blue one. I do remember seeing a very, like a bright blue one. Yeah, that's a, yeah, that was a, one um but One of my favorite imports besides the Toyota Supra, man. i The older Supra is in the 2000s from, of course, the orange body style from Fast and the Furious.
00:42:25
Speaker
But I'm like you. I like my American muscle, my American trucks. You know, it's either go fast or run over something. Very American of us.
00:42:38
Speaker
Oh, yeah. But... But yeah, that's cool. That's cool as hell, man. You got to experience a different culture besides working in that culture.
00:42:49
Speaker
And I do remember one thing from one of your podcasts you did with, I believe it was Josh and Chris.
00:43:00
Speaker
You said you tried their ramen noodles there one time. Yeah, I'm going to make Rob. I wanted to ask about that. Compared to the shit we get here in the stores, are they anything close to what we get store-wise here? Are they actually all handmade?
00:43:20
Speaker
Dude, so like this ramen place I went to, it's good. I just don't like ramen. but Right. it This ramen place I went to, this guy's been doing ramen in this same spot for like 40 years.
00:43:33
Speaker
So this dude's like the Dennis Anderson of a ramen noodles, man. This guy's like the best you can get. Okay. It was pretty good.
00:43:45
Speaker
was all like five bucks for a bowl like yay big. Holy shit, that's a huge-ass bowl. That's one thing I will miss out here, the how far your money will get you on certain things like food and how good the food is here. It's really sad, like, how bad the food is back home.
00:44:03
Speaker
It's like the kind kid. Yeah, well well, and that's the thing. You look at look at the cultures. I mean, it's just –
00:44:12
Speaker
It'll be – it's one of those deals. We've got so much preservatives. If we don't grow the shit and process the shit ourselves, all the preservatives that they put in our shit over here for it to last, that's where it gets
Racing Safety and Equipment
00:44:25
Speaker
us. That's why why we're fat, why we're unhealthy. I mean, it's just one of those deals. I mean, it's not natural natural shit that we're constantly eating here. For sure. You can definitely – so something simple as an orange man it's so crazy like how different the taste is here yeah you'll come home and buy it in an orange and like this is gross yay line
00:44:54
Speaker
yeah but so what's your plans uh once the truck's done that one race you're talking about you plan on 10 north versus south is that a bucket list this year So my list of shows, I have a list of shows I'm definitely going to do, or hopefully, if everything goes right.
00:45:12
Speaker
That is the Delaware show. definitely going do that. West Lebanon, is I'm definitely going to go up there for that. And then North versus South is a for sure thing. Now there's stuff that I want to do, like um all those shows are just listed, but then october not october damn July, there's a show in Pennsylvania. What's up, Daniel?
00:45:35
Speaker
I want to do the buck. I want to do that Ohio show. I've already got the invite for that. It just depends on my time and how much, if I get off working everything like that. But, um, I'm really trying to keep it this year and I want to keep a little bit more local, to be honest with you. I'd like to try and hit, there's a, up on the Eastern shore of Virginia, hey little Chesapeake Bay on the other side of it. yeah They got a bunch of mud racing up there and it's,
00:46:03
Speaker
um It's going to sound insulting when I say it, but i really don't mean it. But it's kind of like small town-ish. You know what I mean? like oh so basically going back to your grassroots and going out and having fun and enjoying yourself.
00:46:14
Speaker
Yeah, like they yeah, yeah. They got like the 316 Mudhop and everything like that there, and they have a blast. I saw him in here earlier, Dwayne. He's big into that area, like racing on that side. Okay. i believe Misty and I, we love the people out there. and i kind of want to see if I can get – my truck across the bridge and go outside, go out that way. You know what I mean? we have race and on the mo mens Oh, that's Labor Day weekend. I was wondering when that Monsters versus Mega race was going to be in North Carolina.
00:46:46
Speaker
I forgot about that. Where is that?
00:46:51
Speaker
Like you said, when you get back, not here by that what's going on? Well, it looks like you got something. That's, that'll be a That'll be neat to see the Monsters vs. Megas, man. That'll be cool. so That's what's up in West Lebanon that we go to.
00:47:08
Speaker
They'll be there as well. I'm trying to figure out who else is coming to that show. I messaged the dude that books the Megas to find out who's all going to be there. I know I am.
00:47:19
Speaker
I think Aggravator is going to be there. I'm pretty sure they're locked in, don't know who else will be there. Probably Dave Zizza. I imagine he's going show up. Nice. So with the Megatruck racing, we're going to get out and go on this.
00:47:36
Speaker
What did you think of the Dirty South show when it was on with ah that Megatruck racing? with that crew and stuff. With Chris Liebach and all those guys. Yeah, yeah. The DMT show.
00:47:49
Speaker
good um Honestly, hot take.
00:47:59
Speaker
Oh, that's dope. But it'll be out near Charlotte. Hell, there you go In there in your backyard. um, but um That show, I thought the show, I thought the idea was really dope.
00:48:13
Speaker
Kind of like a Street Outlaws thing for megatrucking. I wish they wouldn't have made it so dorky. You know what we're on the bus Well, the bad part is that's why Street Outlaws and all them, when you get TV money involved, it's either their way or no way. and it yeah it After the first season, it kind of got, like you said, it was kind of dumbed down version of it.
00:48:39
Speaker
So one thing that i've I wish they would have done more of in that show, not to make it about that show, but um the personalities that you can meet in Megatruck racing are kind of off the hook. You know mean?
00:48:54
Speaker
Some people are that's some of the funniest dudes that possibly meet. You know what I mean? If you don't clean it up for TV. I bet. Well, that's like That's like I'd like to know.
00:49:07
Speaker
and I've actually, I'll be honest with you, I've actually reached out to Liebach. I'd love to get his take on, you know, him being a you know, one a phenomenal chassis builder and a former, you know, TV star.
00:49:23
Speaker
But it's not just that. I want to pick his mind about the mega trucks and stuff because in my eyes, that's just baby monster trucks. And I love i love it all the way across the board.
00:49:35
Speaker
but But it would be neat to pick his mind on his take of what it was like to actually be on a reality TV show, plus being known nationwide as one of the top chassis boaters in the country for megatruck racing. I mean, you're right there with him and a few of the other guys that I follow.
00:49:58
Speaker
But every time every time you turn around, though, you – You get on a MegaTruck page, you see Liebach's, one of his old builds or something, is up for sale. Or it's racing in Texas. Or it's out in California racing down, you know, mostly Texas and shit. And it's like, damn, he's really spread those chassis and shit out there.
00:50:20
Speaker
Yeah, you were he was one of the best. or i guess tenant hes I think he still is building some of them I know that that new steamboat that Jimmy was running. Yeah. yes lieback Him and Lieback both that together, if not mistaken.
00:50:34
Speaker
No shit. yeah if I didn't know that. That steamboat truck, if you ever get look up to it if you ever get a chance to look at it up close, mm-hmm that thing is wicked like is it they designed the the trailing arm the leading arm on it is insane like the four link setup on it it's so cool it was definitely out of the box he's uh yeah jimmy's about the only one that i see that's actually still really doing anything from that show yeah yeah it's a neighbor for some people well i mean hell i just watched
00:51:11
Speaker
I follow him. i just watched where he did the first Trucks Gone Wild out there in Texas and everything. Drove out there and and damn near split the truck in half. Damn, I missed that. that's yeah he Yeah, when he was done, literally, Brad, it was sitting like this. He broke some of the lower bars jumping it in the race.
00:51:34
Speaker
It literally looked like this when he was driving it after the race. Yeah. yeah yes He wasn't playing around. that He gets down, man. He was at North versus South last year, I think it was.
00:51:51
Speaker
Dude, that thing was flying. He would come off that tabletop jump with so much air underneath of him. It was insane to watch. Watch him.
00:52:01
Speaker
And then he just. Just like it's nothing.
00:52:06
Speaker
You guys. Like shit. Yes. Now you guys, i mean, just watching any of you guys launching off the tabletops at Dennis Anderson's race that I found on YouTube, you guys are nuts. I thought us ah tough truck guys were nuts.
00:52:22
Speaker
Fuck. With the horsepower and suspension, you guys, you guys are more crazier than we are. not um So, you know, maybe in a way. Unless unless you're Phil Jr. or Josh, then then we'll we'll throw them in the mix because I've seen their highlights of They're tough truck racing.
00:52:41
Speaker
They're right up there with them. and So like that track at Dennis's, it looks gnarly, but honestly, ah um might be speaking out of turn. I don't know, but I think that is one of the most, as gnarly as it looks, it's probably one of most tame tracks you could possibly imagine. Because one thing that they do like really nicely is they know cut a jump.
00:53:04
Speaker
And that is something you do not get I got a lot of places. I'm last week. I was, you you were talking to Josh about your fairground shows. Yeah. The way they have their motor costs. They're just like fucking straight up shit.
00:53:17
Speaker
Yeah. They do not. That is terrible. You know what mean? There's no reason to modify tough truck shouldn't be hitting the thing, you know? And also, I also get that they don't want to be hauling ass and, you know, hurt someone. So that makes sense. Right. I'm on now.
00:53:33
Speaker
Like, yeah that's a lot of them like i was talking with josh yeah there's a lot of them that it literally i'm not shittting you i might as well go up 20 minutes up the road to my local local motor cross track and run run rough trucks up there off the jumps because i mean it's literally fucking triangle peaked on the majority of them it's just kind yeah yeah and we have we like i said we have really that track at dennis's isn't even at morgan's corner um they have really good like nicely cut jumps if you were hauling ass and in a tough truck and you just hit the tabletop wide open chances are you're going to downside across the back of you know i mean like it was designed to do you know what i mean right but what it is actually poor yeah as far as you're not hauling too much ass same thing at dentists you know i mean you're hitting tabletop but
00:54:27
Speaker
and you're jumping a five-foot hill in a Jeep Cherokee, but you're coming down the backside of the jump, you know, fairly level.
00:54:39
Speaker
Right. Yeah, because most of these, like I said, most of these fares, the fare board brings them man. It's just – and they wonder why people are getting hurt when they're, you know, in their trucks and shit when they hit them and because – You're basically launching straight up in the air and your ass is coming down or you're bottoming out and it's just flatlining as we call it and it's and people are hurting their backs and shit from it.
00:55:07
Speaker
But at the same time, my good buddy built built modified truck, man. This fucker could have, he could have probably ran it in the Pro 4 minus the mother the horsepower.
00:55:19
Speaker
But he was, he ended up He bottomed out. He hit the jump at his home track so hard that when he landed, he bottomed out and it messed up his lower back.
00:55:29
Speaker
And he had a suspension seat. the You know, he had all top-of-the-line shit. It just was one of those misfortunate happenings that it did what it did to him. It jarred him just enough.
00:55:42
Speaker
But, yeah, these guys in this that I have up here that run stock and shit, man, I'll never run a stock Jeep again or truck car or whatever without a five-point harness. I hate getting sloshed around in there because that's where the that's where the most damage comes from is just not being where you're stable.
00:56:01
Speaker
Yeah. ah If you really want to step up your game in like your tough truck and everything, I highly recommend set inside a couple hundred bucks. You can find them on Facebook Marketplace. I know around here there's a boatload of them, but there's a company out there called like Ultra Shield and Butler.
00:56:19
Speaker
yeah give might Get I got a couple buddies that have them. They have the Butler race seats, man, and they fucking love them. That will change your whole perspective in like for your tough trucking.
00:56:32
Speaker
doesn A lot of the problem is for a seat. no Like you said, a suspension seat. ah Suspension seats are not good. Suspension seats are good for like trail riding and shit like that you want comfortable.
00:56:45
Speaker
If you're going out there jumping, that suspension seat, when you're latched down on the into that seat, right you feel it's not going to move. But when you go out there and you jump and then you land and your ass crushes that seat, it's going to unload everything on you. You know what I mean? like It becomes loose.
00:57:03
Speaker
That's where you get hurt at. so that's So I'm going to now, thanks to that, I'm going to change my setup then since me and my son's going to run this. Looks like I'm going to invest in a butler seat for us or something because I have i actually have a Jiggs, getting a Jiggs suspension seat that's brand new that to run on my Cherokee. So...
00:57:24
Speaker
Yeah, try to stay away from it's the same thing as like riding in a stock seat. Okay, if somebody was having fun. Yeah, it's not like it when you go out there and like said you jump and you know, you feel like you're tight.
00:57:36
Speaker
It's the same thing like back in mosh trucks back in the day, man, they would run the same seats. these Those beard seats and everything like that. Yeah, there and you jump and you feel like you're tight. Nothing can move you around when you land.
00:57:47
Speaker
and you sink further in that seat, whether it be a half inch or quarter inch, whatever, your um your whole body's unloading those belts and they move, they fall off your harness or they fall off your hands or your neck brace, whatever you got going you're in for a world of pain, man.
00:58:02
Speaker
Believe me, I've been down. Well, I'll be honest with you. I mean, that's what the downfall of retiring Dennis Anderson for monster truck racing was, is because he still at the time had those old school seats and gravedigger when he broke his back in that wreck.
00:58:19
Speaker
But yeah, yeah those I mean, safety, I mean, that's my big thing. I ran ran last year. It was a wheel man, stock Grand Cherokee with stock seat.
00:58:34
Speaker
But it was a stock bucket bucket seat. I made sure I had my five-point harness. But you are right. When I hit the hit the last jump and came down, I could feel the movement.
00:58:45
Speaker
and everything else i was sore for a couple days but i but i'm not wasn't as sore some of the guys that ended up paying a visit the next day to the hospital but it was another jarred my it jarred my back enough that it's like oh you moved just wrong and you could feel feel it but after two days it was fine but it was still just enough to piss you off because it's like i i knew better kind of i have that I still have that even my big truck.
Racing Community and Future Aspirations
00:59:14
Speaker
I have a have an ISP seat in mine, and it's still I still get moved around in that thing. But I need i want to get a better seat.
00:59:23
Speaker
Well, there you go. I want to get a better seat that's like actually made for me. The seat I have is not made for me. It was just one I fit inside of. No decent. Yeah, that's on that's what Tim Warner sent me. and i Actually, I'll send you the photo of it.
00:59:39
Speaker
It was basically a butler seat, except it was custom molded. He had to literally go, and they did the whole outlining of him literally like sitting behind the wheel for him in his harnesses, and they molded custom seat for him.
00:59:54
Speaker
I'll have to get with him, and I'll get you the info from him. But, yeah, he's got a custom seat, and he says he does not move at all. Even when he gets rolled upside down, he is literally tight in there.
01:00:08
Speaker
yeah Butler Belt. That's a sponsor of Premier Megatruck, Raisin.
01:00:17
Speaker
Oh, Matthew is? yeah well so Matthew Underwood, that guy right there. Yes, sir. He's one of the OGs, too. ah We were talking about Morgan earlier. but he's Yeah. that du he's been in there Him and his brother, they've been in Megatrucks a for so long, but Matthew and Joseph, Hilton, Joey, they run Premier Megatrucks. So that that all that Premier Megatruck racing you see, in the side-by-side racing, the cool shit, yeah man that's all them, him and Joey.
01:00:48
Speaker
Well, Matthew, thank you for giving us the, us fans, the side-by-side racing and stuff with the Megatrucks, man. I really appreciate that. That's fucking awesome. Hell yeah.
01:00:59
Speaker
Give you shout-out here on the network. Definitely the best form of racing that you can get for a Megatruck. It's not, you know. Well, I mean, honestly, i besides freestyle, I mean, other than that, get you can't go wrong there.
01:01:14
Speaker
But that's like with – we were talking here in Ohio with the Tough Trucks. The only time we get to do the side-by-side racing anymore is if you get – go the monster truck shows and stuff.
01:01:27
Speaker
It's the only time – Because the Jamborees, they're starting to come back, but it's not huge like it used to be. So now now the modified guys here in Ohio and stuff, they get to hit the the monster truck shows is when you can finally find out who's the, you know, like with the Megas, who's the best of the best racing side by side.
01:01:51
Speaker
yeah.
01:01:54
Speaker
Oh, yeah. but You got a fan and a driver that that is the we agree. is it That's what we all want, man. That's what everybody wants. Unless you're down in Florida, it's a little good for one run.
01:02:08
Speaker
Down in Florida, they'd just rather play in the mud instead of race. That's all they do. They got that race book down there. But some of those guys, they do. I'll tell you what, one one of the guys that from Florida that I've become good buddies with because of some local racers I'm friends with here is Bobby Brown, Gator Racing down there in Florida.
01:02:29
Speaker
Dude, he's got, he's fucking got some nice shit that he races. So, you're talking about Bobby. Bobby was good. i met bob I've known Bobby for a couple years you know over Facebook, but i finally got a chance to meet him.
01:02:44
Speaker
That's another tough truck guy, man. He's tough truck guy. him and T Ray. i yep Everybody calls him T Ray. So I adopted it. But um, him and Thomas like hit the road together for Monster Jam way back in the day. You're talking about tough trucks. I love tough trucks.
01:03:00
Speaker
be honest with you. I've said it in your comments before. love ay love Oh, tough truck racing. I had so much fun when I was racing Twister.
01:03:11
Speaker
And whenever I got a race Jeepers, Jeepers or whatever it was, I was driving i racing Twister. I had so much fun. I never really cared about racing. be honest with you, I was more just like one and a half on But when I got started, like working really good for us, dude, there were, i had so much fun racing with all those guys.
01:03:29
Speaker
Oh, it's it's ah it's a blast, man. like i and I got back into it. I got bit by the bug. ah But I'm getting to the point, you know, I'll be 44.
01:03:39
Speaker
I got a younger generation below me that's really interesting and wanting to take the reins. So me and my son are going to split split driving time this year at some of our local fairs.
01:03:51
Speaker
I think after this season, I'm going to turn the reins over to him and just be the mechanic and crew chief and We're going just hit the races together and let him drive from here on out starting next year.
01:04:02
Speaker
It's going to be his show. so That'd be dope. Yeah. i got i got three I got four kids my own. I got my i have two older girls. my oldest is like 13. And then McKenna, or Kylie's 13. McKenna, she's eight. Then I got Braxton, who's, he'll be three in July.
01:04:20
Speaker
And then Brayden, he's, as of right now, he's like four months old. Okay. I hope one day that they want to get into it. That'd be dope.
01:04:32
Speaker
Oh, yeah. I'm i'm for i'm fortunate that um I'm surrounded by my family that actually enjoys the motorsports. I got one one that likes it, but she likes just being the spectator side of it. She's more into softball and stuff, which is my youngest, which she'll be.
01:04:50
Speaker
My oldest will be 21 January, My second oldest, so she'll be 18 this year, and my youngest will be 16 this year. So yeah the older two, are they're hot and heavy into the motorsports side. But my boy's like my right-hand man when it comes to getting into the tough trucks, derbies, truck and tractor pulling. you know I mean, he's he's always right there with me when he's not working now and stuff. So absolutely he's always been there.
01:05:18
Speaker
My oldest, my oldest, Kylie, she's –
01:05:23
Speaker
i'm i don't want I'm not beginning to force him like anybody to do anything. i would love to get her like introduced to it. like I think she's going to come up to – she doesn't live with us. She lives in Georgia georgia with her mama. but um Okay. I would love – I want to get her like introduced to and be like, this is what dad does for fun. That way she makes it little bit cooler.
01:05:42
Speaker
Hell yeah. be like dog See, see you can have you can have fun besides playing with makeup and dolls and playing on phone and chasing boys. Go beat boys right here.
01:05:52
Speaker
Go beat boys in racing. If ever she ever like wants to like go for a ride in there or something small, you know i mean maybe get her like introduced to it you know but Give her a taste. yeah right my My oldest boy, that dude, he is all up about it.
01:06:11
Speaker
Well, you said it you said you you got to literally chase him out of your way before because he's right there with you. Dude, he loves, loves his monster trucks and mega trucks and everything. Man, if I could somehow put a passenger seat, I have a passenger seat. If I could mount a little racing seat for a three-year-old, I would say. Oh, he did.
01:06:36
Speaker
Oh, and he'd be, oh, he'd you'd have to put a GoPro in just to get his reaction from going to riding that thing. Hell yeah, man. I thought about this summer, like I said, he'll be three this summer.
01:06:49
Speaker
He gets around good. He can hold his head up and everything like that. and Like, I take him for rides every once in a while in the truck. He'll write you'll sit on my lap, and he'll sit there and drive it, and he's been doing that. Hell yeah. he's been like He's been driving it forever. You know what but um take care Be careful, Dad.
01:07:07
Speaker
It'll get that time he's going kick your ass out of the seat and be like, this is mine. I'd be down for it. If we can. property. And I want to, like, I say a rig up, but I want to somehow mount his little his car seat in the truck, you know, buckle them all down and everything like that. And not make, obviously, a full race pass. they're like Right, but just get enough.
01:07:33
Speaker
Yeah. Let him sit in there and experience it, you know what i mean? Maybe find a little element. I mean, that'd be awesome. It's like the other safety stuff. Like if something were to happen, mean, not that I think it would, but it's like, there's but just don't keep that that. We always keep in the back of our mind as racers and builders, man. it It's not, with it's not when it's how it's going to happen. yeah The main thing. And but I want to take it for a ride so bad. Just take it for a ride. Let me experience some passenger seats.
01:08:08
Speaker
I can see it now. you come home, he's going to be the first one to tackle you. I can see it now. He's going to run away from me because he forgets who I am.
01:08:19
Speaker
All you got to do is head to the shop and he'll be right up he'll be right up on you like blue. He'll be like, oh, dad's home now. We're going to the shop. Oh, man. It's like, bye, mom.
01:08:31
Speaker
like but grand
01:08:38
Speaker
in iran Yeah, I've seen ah the the list of drivers that's been getting added to the point series and stuff for Matt and everything on on the Facebook page, man.
01:08:50
Speaker
There's some heavy hitters coming in that point series for him. you Dude, that is insane. da That Premier Megatruck race and stuff, it's got some tight racing on it, man.
01:09:02
Speaker
You got some guys out there that truly do dominate. Like Shane Tucker, he's out there with Wasted. don't know his name is now. But he is wicked fast.
01:09:14
Speaker
He reminds me of like – I don't take anything away from our area, but let's be real. Remember Scott Sweat back in the day? just Yes. every yes Shane reminds me of Scott. It's like, all right, what's the point? It's like – Yeah, I was like, here, we'll just hand you the money and trophy now. We'll sit and watch you put on the show, dude. I was like, that dude is fast, man. He is so fast.
01:09:41
Speaker
then I remember, well, I remember one time he lined up, actually, he was on the show, lined up against Lieback. And that was a, dude, the corner caught him because it just, that show was when it downpoured.
01:09:56
Speaker
And he was on that show, and He had Lieback. He had he literally had him that race ah other than that sloppy-ass corner, and that's what cost him that race against Lieback in that show. Oh, shit.
01:10:10
Speaker
Dude, it was – my favorite of that show, though, is when they put together and brought Dennis Anderson and all them in to race those guys. Their look on their face when Boston Weston showed up and King Sling and all those guys are like,
01:10:25
Speaker
We're racing these guys. and yeah but you claim you're liken street that was You claim you're the best. Guess what? You might as well race the best. yeah and That was a fun episode.
01:10:38
Speaker
There was an episode where... ah oh man, I'm going mess up his last name. but Dustin Ramacher came out. You ever follow him? dust Oh yeah. yeah like i love I love his builds. He builds some of the coolest trucks in my opinion. cause i like sound a big fan I like trucks with 54s. You know what all good they're There's some of these mega truck guys that he's with. they There's a few. he's one The one we're talking about, he goes old school. And then there's a couple other ones that it's that's fucking awesome.
01:11:10
Speaker
they it That sounds really interesting, man. I'd like to, Wally, if you got a link, brother, at some point, I'd appreciate it. it he was Oh, that's right. Matt was on the show. That's right. Matt was on the show. I forgot about that, too.
01:11:23
Speaker
Him and his brother were, i think. Yeah. Yep, they were both. ah Trust me, i've got I've got that show bookmarked. I watch it over and over when I get in the mood to... I can't help it, man. I love watching it because it's the Megatrucks.
01:11:37
Speaker
My... My YouTube channels is anywhere from drag racing to mud bulbs to mega truck racing. I mean, anything motorsports that's got high horsepower, it's on my YouTube channel.
01:11:51
Speaker
And talking about like that, bringing trucks together, like the kind of the theme of that show that you're talking about, I always thought it'd be cool. No, the last couple years, I figured. But they have all these race series out, kind like Premier. You got this other one, think. can't remember it's called. Southern Mud Outlaws. I think that's what it is.
01:12:12
Speaker
I might be messing that up. Anyway. It's Southern Outlaws. I know what you're talking about. Yeah, it's another one that I follow on Facebook and stuff. so You have them kind of covering the South. You have Premier, in my opinion, which is covering like the Mid-Atlantic. And then you have this other series up North now, which is covering the North.
01:12:28
Speaker
I always thought it'd be badass if all three of those, you know, ran their series. You know if you want to participate in both, go ahead. But if they could somehow find their top eight or five from that year and then meet back up somewhere,
01:12:44
Speaker
Find out who's the best of the series. Just a knife thought yeah like I've talked about finding out West Coast, East Coast, and Midwest who's the best in the modified Tough Truck game, man. i've See, maybe to something, Brad. We can get everybody together, the Mega Truck side, and we can get the Tough Truck side and make a fucking weekend out of it sometime. I wish. That'd be blast.
01:13:08
Speaker
Matt, put your ears on. you we're We're throwing ideas out here, buddy.
01:13:16
Speaker
Oh, shit, man. But, yeah, that'd be cool to, you know, I mean, because you got the guys, the Megas out there in Texas and shit. You got the boys up in, you know, Michigan. You got you guys. You got the guys in Florida.
01:13:29
Speaker
Oh, yeah, that's right. They did do that over there in Mississippi. That is right. I forgot about that. That was, i was like five or six. That was right before COVID when they did that.
01:13:41
Speaker
That's when they did that, Chris. But still, it'd be cool to make that like an annual thing, though. End of the year bash. I need to pay more attention. <unk>s How about that? Yeah, that was that was like 2018 or 19, I think it was, if I remember right. When they they had that, they brought them all brought them all in. Because guys from Michigan, they all came down. Dirty Dollar, Killa, and all those guys came from Michigan and went and raced that ordeal.
01:14:11
Speaker
it was It was pretty badass. Oh, yeah.
01:14:16
Speaker
Johnny, you got any questions for Brad? Now that you're back? Welcome back. Sorry about that. Yeah, my mom called me. You appreciate it, dude?
01:14:27
Speaker
No, man. i ah I have appreciated hearing your side of things so far tonight, brother. I love the humbleness and the spirit behind it, man. You're you're doing well. You're doing great.
01:14:39
Speaker
I try. Keep on doing what you're doing, man. That's okay. We'll have Brad back next time. He gets a couple races, ah at least a race under his belt. Oh, good.
01:14:51
Speaker
But when we do it, we're going to have Larry, Curly, and Mo up here. We're going to have Josh and little Phil up here, too. So we're going to have them together when we do that show.
01:15:03
Speaker
That'd be fun. Oh, yeah, dude. That'd be fun. We'll be on here for fucking eight hours if we're not careful. Yeah, man. Okay. Listen to Phil talk. Golly.
01:15:16
Speaker
Well, he's like, when he was on here, he's like messaging He goes, I can only do about an hour, hour and a half. I get looking down at the thing, like with when I had Morgan on here and stuff, talking with Matt Motorsport.
01:15:29
Speaker
We just got sidetracked and it was good time. And then he's like, all a sudden, he's like, oh, by the way, we need to cut this short. He goes, I'm am a little longer than what I needed to be. And then you, then you jumped into chats, like back into the chat again. And we just kept going on more about the shop stories and stuff, but it was a black, it was fucking awesome. Having, having you guys up here on the show, man. i Oh yeah. Yeah, man.
01:15:58
Speaker
oh yeah yeah man Yeah, you come to ohio you come to Ohio for that show, man. Let me know, and I'll find a way. Come hell or high water. Come down and watch you and meet you meet you guys and hang out for that day.
01:16:13
Speaker
Absolutely. Give me a second. I'm going to bring my Facebook up real fast so I can look up where it is. One second. No problem. Because I know you've got to get to catch your shit before, what was it, 9 o'clock?
01:16:25
Speaker
Yeah, I got to go. I got to hop on a little bicycle and go ride over to ride over to the boat here soon. also so So it's not illegal to pedal ass in Japan. Oh, oh let's see. Confirmed. the didtada in one second.
01:16:45
Speaker
my go car fuck this guy lie doesn't it
01:16:50
Speaker
ah medina med Medina? Something like that. meino bye Medina, Ohio? Medina? you're only a half hour from me. Yeah, it's Medina.
01:17:01
Speaker
Okay. What's the date? August 9th. It's a Sunday. and Oh, that's the week before my ah Hartford Fair show in Croton.
01:17:15
Speaker
Yeah, I will make a point. to That's actually during their fair. Don't forget the ring.
01:17:24
Speaker
What? Mom wrote that. That's my mom. Jesus, Lord have mercy. i Oh, I know my ring. Yeah, don't forget the ring. We want to see it we want to see it live on the Zerker's Facebook page when you do it.
01:17:38
Speaker
Yeah.
01:17:42
Speaker
Oh, man. yeah but This was fun, man. I had a good time, dude. I definitely want to do it again. Oh, definitely.
Plans for Future Shows and Guests
01:17:51
Speaker
And, uh, I'm looking forward to you coming home safe travels. Yeah, man.
01:17:56
Speaker
I'll hit you up Wednesday or Thursday just to make sure you made it home all right. And I'll keep in contact through Messenger throughout the the year and everything else. And we'll definitely get everybody. a I would love to have you, Phillip, and Josh all up here.
01:18:11
Speaker
And maybe we can have. Phillip Sr. come and join the show too. Have all of us up here together. so If you get Phil Hall Sr. on, that'd be a fun conversation with him. Hell yeah. well well ah we Well, we'll keep putting the bug in people's ears when you get home too. We'll keep going and see we can get a time set up. We'll have everybody up on the show.
01:18:33
Speaker
Absolutely. i mean I'll try and help you. I'll try and get anybody I can. least i definitely think I think Jackson and his pops would be a good interview for you. I'll get on the phone. Hell yeah, I'll definitely do work on that. And thank you again so much, man, for becoming a friend over this last year, even just through Messenger and everything else. I appreciate it.
01:18:54
Speaker
um Thank you, too, for coming up being on the show. I really appreciate that as well.
Acknowledgements and Gratitude
01:19:00
Speaker
and You got any sponsors you want to shout out before we wrap up the show, sir?
01:19:05
Speaker
uh yeah yeah i got a couple people i shout out um you know racing wise truck wise uh start off i'll think performance plumbing and uh pipelining you know last couple years they helped me out sponsoring me um i'm really grateful for them uh jordan fisher over there at the metal shop him i gotta give him a shout out too for One, they helped me finish the truck originally, but now they took it back and they're getting it ready for me. I really do appreciate them doing that for me. It's really short notice for them to it, and he's helping a brother out. Who else?
01:19:42
Speaker
My buddy Albert with his detailing. He helps keep the truck looking pretty. That's actually who that picture. He was helping me that day clean the truck up. get around Okay. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. Of course. um Phil Jr., Chris Weiss,
01:19:57
Speaker
Both of them for helping me out. My buddy Mike French for having my back. um Family, mom, dad, and and then, of course, you got thank Misty for always having my back and supporting me.
01:20:10
Speaker
Oh, yeah, man. Over there, Mr. Rush for Murphy. So, yeah, I think that's everybody. Oh, well, well hold on, one more. didn't mean to forget them, but. No, you're good.
01:20:22
Speaker
My buddy Alex Lindberg with Talent Fab, but he helps me out a lot cutting out brackets and tabs. Not just for my truck, but for whatever i'm working on, he helps out Aggregator as well. So he's a good dude.
01:20:34
Speaker
Hell yeah, man. you got Sounds like you got you a hell of a circle out there, man. That's awesome to That's actually not only sponsors, but become good friends and family, man, for just ah in general all around, not just for the racing, but just for personal, personal wise too.
01:20:52
Speaker
Sounds like you got yourself a good group, man. Absolutely, man. It's, it's just, you know, becoming friends with people who just like through builds and stuff is, has been wicked.
01:21:03
Speaker
You know, like I mentioned him before and I'll, I'll say him again, but like Jared and Jackson, Like they've helped me out a lot too. So I gotta give a shout out for them. They've helped me get my trucks to races. Like I didn't have a truck to pull my truck with. I had a gooseneck, but didn't have any way to move my truck around. So. And they're like, well, here we go.
01:21:22
Speaker
Let's go. Jarrett would let me borrow his six, seven, which I've still loved that truck. It's one of my favorite trucks I've ever driven. you Hit the road and drive up the, where do we go? Hell, New York. Went to West Lab with his truck and Pennsylvania.
01:21:37
Speaker
No shit. well most Nice. All righty, Brad. I'm going to let you go. Thank you again, man. I'm going to drop you down. Safe travels. Enjoy your last couple days in Japan. And I will look forward to talking to you when you get home, buddy.
01:21:52
Speaker
Absolutely, brother, man. You guys have fun. in Enjoy. You too, man. Later.
01:22:00
Speaker
Everybody, Brad. Um, berserker motor sports, man. It's awesome to have him up here on the show. Um, yeah this show's really honestly come a long way.
01:22:11
Speaker
Um, and going on two years will be in October. Um, so I appreciate all my guests that's come up on here. I've met some amazing people outside of my circle. Um, and Brad is added to that list of awesome people and hopefully keep adding more.
01:22:29
Speaker
um Thank you all for tuning in tonight and everything else. Chatters box. Guys killed it once again tonight. I really appreciate it.
Show Growth and Audience Interaction
01:22:37
Speaker
um
01:22:41
Speaker
Tomorrow night is no Glick's house of music. Tomorrow night we have nothing on for the show. Wednesday Glick's back with a comedian guest on Glick's comedy lounge. um Thursday night me and Johnny are going just sit back kind of reminisce. I have no guests for Thursday.
01:23:00
Speaker
We're going talk about this past weekend's Supercross race. and Ken Rosen won his first title in I think it was like 14 years since he's won it and put Suzuki back on the map in the Supercross world.
01:23:13
Speaker
That's what we'll probably talk about, some motocross and some other things. yeah um Friday night, kind of up in the air, depending on weather-wise. um I'm working on getting my rough truck together and everything else. I've been slowly putting little things here and there.
01:23:29
Speaker
on it and going to continue on that, but possibly have, we probably may have Wally's Motorsports World talking shop, hanging out, bullshitting anything with wheels and an engine. We'll talk about it.
01:23:42
Speaker
um This Saturday should be cash's corner. Glick and cash, his son cash talk, everything WWE wrestling. They should be catching up with backlash and stuff coming up in the pay-per-view that just happened.
01:24:00
Speaker
And then, of course, Saturday night, the main stable of this network is Nonsensical Nonsense. called nonsense We do the Open Door Challenge where everybody gets to come up, hang out, and have a good time and stuff. and Sunday, i believe, if Glick and Kayla will be back with Behind the Veil, which they talk a lot of haunted history and stuff of about Ohio, potentially.
01:24:25
Speaker
And then we're back here next Monday for Speedway Stories. I'll keep you guys posted if I get a guest wrapped up for that. And everybody have a great week.
01:24:35
Speaker
and Have a great night. Thank you once again. um Let's keep this motorsports podcast and all this network all the way across the board.
01:24:46
Speaker
File links down at the bottom. um If you also want to, you don't have to. If you'd like to support the network and everything else and this show and all the other ones between me and Glick, um it's Cash App and all the card things. It's Glick Glick 13.
01:25:03
Speaker
You don't have to if you don't want to. um Make sure you smash that like, share, and subscribe button, guys. so Leave a comment. Let us know how we're doing. yeah Tell us if we're doing good or bad. Either way, it's good for the algorithm. Share us out.
01:25:20
Speaker
And if you guys know anybody in the motor sports world or of the comedy world or music world, reach out to me um for the motor sports side. And for the music, get a hold of Glick. um for And the comedy, reach he's pretty much booked out on the comedy clear until the end of August.
01:25:41
Speaker
um a Aggravator. Hold on, Johnny. I will be hitting you up in Messenger to see if you would like to be a guest on the show sometime. And thank you for being in the chat with us tonight.
01:25:51
Speaker
We try to do our best. Go ahead, Johnny. All was going to is I'll be keeping my eyes and ears out as well for potential people in the future. That works, man. I appreciate it. Johnny, once again, thanks for being a kick-ass co-host as always.
01:26:06
Speaker
Thank you for having me, brother. I appreciate it Well... i will Well, we just got they said they would love to, so i will get a time. i will message you on Facebook Messenger, and we will set up a Monday or a Thursday, and we'll go from there.
01:26:21
Speaker
Other than that, you guys have a great Monday night. Much love. Peace out. Bye.