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Speedway Stories: Mike Witek
28 Plays12 days ago
Wally and Jhonny are joined by Mike Witek he will be talking about his racing career.
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Transcript
Introduction and Racing Overview
00:00:45
Speaker
Red light glow, engines ignite. Friday dreams under Saturday night. Mud on the tires, dirt in the air. Races chasing glory everywhere.
00:00:57
Speaker
Tough trucks flying, mega trucks soar. Crowd on their feet, screaming for more. Every racer has a tale to tell. From victory lane to the edge of hell.
00:01:09
Speaker
Turn it Let the horsepower scream.
00:01:19
Speaker
Chasing the dream. Speedway stories. Hear the engines roar. Speedway stories. What we're racing for.
00:01:52
Speaker
Green flag drops and the battle begins Every lap another chance to win Get from everywhere, story to share The passion for racing is on
00:02:05
Speaker
That's...
Welcome and Guest Introduction
00:02:29
Speaker
Welcome everybody to another edition of Speedway Stories. hope everybody's having a good Monday night and had a great Fourth of July weekend. um We're back.
00:02:41
Speaker
I got a special guest, as you see, Mike. He is technically dealing with some technical difficulties, I believe. um I got me and Johnny are here since Johnny bailed on me last Monday. Actually, last Thursday. We'll actually last thursday wellll well We'll get it there. So, but, uh, yeah. Um, why, why that's going on and everything else.
00:03:07
Speaker
Like I said, I hope everybody had a great fourth of July and everything else and had fun.
Onboard Racing Experience
00:03:12
Speaker
Kept all your fingers and toes. ah Hey, what's up, Zempius? Zempius is on yours.
00:03:18
Speaker
Zempius, welcome. Good evening. Um, but yeah, I, I got actually here, um I'm going to actually share it real quick with you guys. Mike sent me a clip.
00:03:32
Speaker
It's a little 30-second clip of onboard racing. What's up, Xanfias? Thanks for tuning in, brother.
00:03:41
Speaker
oh yeah. So I'm going to go ahead. I'm going to share this clip with you guys real quick, and you let me know how you guys enjoy it.
00:03:56
Speaker
to stage.
00:04:32
Speaker
All righty, guys, we will hear.
00:04:37
Speaker
We were, let's welcome to the show and everything else, Mike.
Audio Troubleshooting
00:04:41
Speaker
Welcome to the show, Mike. Thank you for joining us tonight, man.
00:04:48
Speaker
Can you hear us? ah is He went mute. ah
00:04:57
Speaker
You muted your mic. the
00:05:02
Speaker
Oh, crap.
00:05:05
Speaker
Got about 10 years, sir. Oh, yeah. We got to you got issues going on. It happens. It happens. It does. right There you are. it went mute again.
00:05:17
Speaker
Just take your headsets off, Mike. We'll be all right. yeah I ran into this before, so it'll be all right.
00:05:29
Speaker
just Just unmute your mic on the laptop. I've been there, done this before with my stuff. It's all good. Let's see if you can unmute. up to
00:05:42
Speaker
Oh, yep. all i know You got volume on yours.
00:05:55
Speaker
Oh. and there we go Now he disappeared.
00:06:04
Speaker
oh It happens. It happens. it happens ah great It's understandable. We've all been there and everything else. um oh yeah Like I said, apologize. having Just having little issues here. oh There you are.
00:06:27
Speaker
You there, Mike? Yeah, can you guys hear me now? Yes, sir. We can hear you just fine. All right. Sorry about that. i don't know what was going on. um Like I said, we've all been been there, done that. I've had that happen a few times. Oh, yeah.
00:06:44
Speaker
I'm going to hand the floor over to so you, Mike.
Mike's Background and Racing History
00:06:47
Speaker
Introduce yourself and give yourself some descriptions and everything. Yeah, I'm ah i'm Mike Wittick. I live in Gates, North Carolina.
00:06:59
Speaker
And I've been racing for about seven years. I've been around it for a very long time. So, yeah, I'm ah um' a welder, fabricator.
00:07:10
Speaker
I work for Willie Towns at Towns Metal Works. um and We got a few wins under our belts, you know, we but we we try real hard, you know. But the guys around here are fast, man.
00:07:23
Speaker
And they're crazy. They just jump. They don't care. What's that, Pat? pat's Pat's one of my ah out west guys. that's been a He's part of the Midwest Tuck Truck guys out in Oklahoma, Missouri area and stuff. So he's been an honest and following the show and stuff a lot. so Yeah, man.
00:07:59
Speaker
I don't know what's going on. Can you hear me? um
Racing Experiences and Challenges
00:08:06
Speaker
surprise I
00:08:12
Speaker
hear feedback coming from somewhere. What's that? ah hear some feedback coming from somewhere.
00:08:22
Speaker
You hear me, Arne?
00:08:32
Speaker
johnny little bit little bit little bit now better okay sorry about that laptop's being time for me to upgrade my laptop happens oh yeah no what i was saying mike is uh you guys down there main thing is Are you still having fun racing? That's the main question. Because that's what a lot of people with competitiveness and stuff. So.
00:09:06
Speaker
Well, that's what I ask myself a lot over the off season. you know i got I got kids and you know responsibilities and I work 40 plus hours a week. And you know sometimes it it don't seem like you know you really want to, but.
00:09:19
Speaker
You know, and I asked myself about that and I decided ah it does make me happy. But I did decide that this year I wanted to spend kind of supporting some of these newer tracks, trying it out, you know, and trying to make maybe travel a little further away than I normally would just to just to show up, you know.
00:09:37
Speaker
And so that's what we did. Nice. We went to Uari in April sometime. I think we went to Uari. We went out there. man last They had that track perfect out there. and We ended up winning out there. but It was fun, man. they had and They're the only place around here that has a modified class. and I was excited about that modified class.
00:10:02
Speaker
i stopp with if That's a different animal. That class is. That's how we are up here in Ohio. We got that divided off.
00:10:12
Speaker
So. And it's neat. Oh, yeah. Yeah, well, right now I got i got some stock ones, and you know theyre they're basically bone stock, man. I put chains on the axles so they don't fly out. That's basically what I do.
00:10:27
Speaker
Oh, yeah. You got your truff and everything? I got what, truff? Yeah. Yeah, you got them truff. Yep. Nice. Nice. Yeah, that's, that's the way to go on those Jeep Cherokees and stuff, man. You gotta do that with those axes.
00:10:46
Speaker
I'm Dana thirties. Don't like it. Uh, that's what happened to at the beach. Uh, the first race out on the V8 Jeep, you know, i was telling you earlier, I just built that V8 and I've been kind of flirting with the idea of running it, but I'm not too sure what I want to do exactly. And, um,
00:11:08
Speaker
Been just thinking about it. and I took it out to the beach at Monsters on the Beach. um And we over jumped a lot. So I figured out though that the V8 doesn't need as much throttle as the 4.0. I was going to say those four, those inline sixes, you got time to kind of hold them to the wood compared to the V8.
00:11:32
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. there It was fun though. It was safe. I mean, it Not this guy. Yeah, because Glenn came on, Mega Trucks, Crazy Drivers, Deep Pockets, and that's why Brad said, not this guy. We know, Brad. We know. Hey, what's up, Branson? Nice to see you in the chat, man.
00:11:53
Speaker
What up, Branson? Oh, yeah. Good evening, Branson. But, yeah, dude, that had to be... a What was it like for you to actually race on a beach on the sand? Because I had one other. Who the hell did have on here that also raced that? Branson was on there. He went and raced there too.
00:12:13
Speaker
Yeah. I asked him the same question. So what was it like racing on so on the beach compared to like a dirt track and everything
Racing Strategies and Tire Choices
00:12:22
Speaker
else? The sand is tough, man. The sand is tough. And, know, we say it all the time when we race around here, least our trucks are all built pretty well within the rules and we're all within 10 seconds of each other. So really it's anybody's race and it literally comes down to what tires you're running.
00:12:44
Speaker
I mean, every single time you hit the track, it's it's a different track every time. ah Because we qualify, then they run monster trucks, then we run the first series, then they run monster truck freestyles and everything else through it as we're trying to race. So,
00:13:00
Speaker
I made the Jeep sad. Talking about the axle from the beats. me But, yeah, it' it's got to be different. It's different. i mean,
00:13:14
Speaker
With watching the YouTube videos and your guys' style, style i love the track down at Dennis Anderson you guys get to race on compared to my local fairs and stuff up here.
00:13:24
Speaker
I'd take that track at every fair all day long to race even the stock Jeeps up here or stock trucks or anything compared to down there. I'd love to have a track like that all the time.
00:13:37
Speaker
Yeah, i mean, it's definitely fun, but I'm looking for... more of a ah more out here we only have like a handful of races a year and you know support these tracks coming to tough then they're not going to do it So, you know, if you're able, you can travel a little to maybe kind of show up to a somewhere somewhere that wouldn't have, but 10 to 15 trucks.
00:14:07
Speaker
People like to get to 30, I think one year we had like 38 trucks at Dennis Anderson that go over South one and new year. And i was man, and within seconds, like milliseconds of each other. And these these guys around here are fast and they're very consistent.
00:14:27
Speaker
that consistency and and dennis's is tricky man because they they run the mega trucks through there so yeah it ain't you do the two rounds the same at all so you and you don't even know if you're gonna have two rounds there you know you you go run and you give it all try and if it's still together then you try again until it just stops Until i mean i not suffer and Break it, break it, take it,
00:14:59
Speaker
okay But yeah, you guys, like I told everybody else, man, it would be awesome to get you guys up here to Ohio or and stuff to race a couple of races and everything.
00:15:12
Speaker
we That would be cool to get on get you guys. Well, bringing up Brad since he's in here. He told me he was invited up actually here in Ohio with the mega truck in August.
00:15:28
Speaker
I'm going to try to make it to the fair if he does end up showing up I'm going to try to make it to the fair where he's at because it's about an hour away from me. I'm going go hang out and watch Brad run the mega truck. So, yeah. So, what about you in the motorsports? What yeah got me in motorsports? Got you hooked on motorsports.
00:15:52
Speaker
Yeah. All right. So here's how I got started in motorsports. So growing up, I was telling you earlier about, you know, I remember watching tough trucks when I was in like 10 years old. My mom used to take me to monster jam. I remember Tony Bond's distinct. He's always had the same style.
00:16:11
Speaker
Always. Since I was a kid, it's always been a wood grain white with orange interior. Always. And i remember growing up with him and um I remember that growing up with monster trucks. i' always been into monster trucks. I've always loved Dennis Anderson. and I've always been kind of a local around here.
00:16:30
Speaker
i grew up in like Norfolk, Virginia Beach area. so So I grew up with like like phil Phil Hall Jr., Washington Phil Hall Sr. Rip it up at the local little backwoods mud bogs.
00:16:41
Speaker
I mean, I remember one time at Birdneck, there was Birdneck bogs, but they had a bounty on a mud hole and oh additional came out and brought his tough truck in it. That thing was, he was spraying that tough truck. Oh yeah?
00:16:58
Speaker
Nice. Yeah, what a guy.
00:17:02
Speaker
Uh-oh.
Self-Taught Journey in Motorsports
00:17:03
Speaker
He froze. He froze on me. Uh-oh. It happens. right.
00:17:17
Speaker
I got my license and whatnot, and then... I ended up later on down the road running into Coney Bond through a mutual friend of ours. that um We pretty much had it worked out to where you know i was a teenager at the time and I was just tearing stuff up in the woods at a local Burton station. People around here know Burton station. you know and then we eventually started getting some spots that we could be able to do legally.
00:17:44
Speaker
We started going stuff like that, and it just become like an every week thing, man, that we would just go to hang out in mud bogs, and that, you know, everything comes to an end, and really around here, there's nothing to do as far as actually racing. So i started ah racing, me and my
00:18:07
Speaker
my mom. Oh.
00:18:11
Speaker
Little technical difficulties. Service coming in and out. We're
00:18:19
Speaker
but all back. Yeah, you're back. In the backyard. Yeah, connection that you're you're like us. We have a connection issue sometimes. It's all good. live in two farm fields.
00:18:37
Speaker
Farm fields. Nice, nice. Yeah, it's like up here, if we don't, there's a bunch of us that also that used to go, we used to have places we could go wheeling like you guys did, go hit the back trails. Well, a lot of people ruined that shit for us up here, but Now you got to go places and pay to play. It's ridiculous.
00:19:01
Speaker
Well, I mean, they just recently started having that where the wheel stuff go on around here. But, I mean, I have a tough truck. And my stuff's set up to just go. mean, don't really do trails. Right. And, uh, but that's how I kind of got into racing. Me and my mom were at peanut fest one year and I ended up helping a buddy of mine that was getting into tough trucks. Um, Clayton Mosley, he'll let me help him on his pit team.
00:19:24
Speaker
And you know, I had a blast and I was like, man, I can do this. Like I can do this. I have to learn how to well first, you know, you ask Brad on my first truck, that thing was questionable, but I can walk.
00:19:39
Speaker
No, I wanted to do it. only way you're going to get better is the practice. The more you practice, the better you're going to get. so how you got And you're surrounded by a great group of guys, man. You couldn't ask for a better group in your area to learn stuff from, you know? And they'll look up to. I mean, it's amazing.
00:20:07
Speaker
And and there's there's people that race that don't think have been up here talked about um that, man, these guys are just a blessing, dude. I've literally had fellow racers send me money to make races because they know I i got a lot of responsibilities. So, you know. I'll trust them. I understand. i I got kids myself. So it's balancing that happy medium of the hobby and the kids. Yeah.
00:20:34
Speaker
when it comes time to doing things. race when I can. I always want to race, but I i race when I can. and you know and and when i do i give it all man i mean i prepare months in advance you know and i am coming up i got i got willie towns has got my back and basically man his whole metal stash is mine if i want it for the tough truck i mean he looked so good and he really looked out for me with this v8 jeep man you know we were talking and well what do you want to do and i said well the v8 makes me smile and you know That 318 Jeep is going to be fun when it's done.
Support and Personal Growth in Racing
00:21:12
Speaker
And, you know, I can't get along. Well, you're going to hit him on the head, too. with I mean, look what look what that man's had his hands in over his his lifetime in like in the motorsports world. I mean, so when you sent V8 to him, I bet he was grinning ear to ear because of the horsepower. He's like, I can help you with this. Put that thing up there,
00:21:33
Speaker
the rear end and I let him sit in it and I let him start it. And and he he said, Mike, he's a he said he said, why don't you take this around back and go ahead and make a list of what you want for it Really? Oh boy. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Next thing. Next thing.
00:21:52
Speaker
Go ahead. He took me to his house, and and it's one of the like more memorable moments that I've had with him because he's a good man. He really is. he's Like I told you earlier, he's a pastor, and he really you don't even really like motorsports anymore. He just likes hanging out with his family.
00:22:07
Speaker
And he makes sure that I know that, that you know, motorsports ain't everything. He showed me his whole trophy wall, and said, Mike, none of this means anything anymore. He said, you know, I got a couple that I really earned that I feel like was tough and I earned it, you know, that I care about. But other than that, I love my family, my house. I got a nice business, you know, and and that really hits home to me because, you know,
00:22:33
Speaker
A lot of people have it blessed in the motor sports. And there's people that won't never even get to drive a race truck or a race car. They're probably better than all of us.
00:22:45
Speaker
And, you know and these you make an opportunity you know, people are born with this and and they really just want to do it and they have the want to do it. And I told you, you know, I literally taught myself how to weld and I'm a full machinist now. i can weld almost anything. don't know.
00:23:02
Speaker
You know, i really tried and I just soaked in all the information that I could and just focused on what my outcome that I want. And the end game is really where I'm at with it. I'd like to eventually be one of the guys that helped build these things. And, you know, I really – I mean, I can get some good metal and, you know, yeah and the guys at the stop, man, they love
Racing Community and Rivalries
00:23:28
Speaker
motorsports too. we' got one guy that's in the derby. We got another guy that wants to do drag racing. I mean, we've got that. I've done the derby inside.
00:23:40
Speaker
I'll tell you right now, firsthand experience. Somebody would offer me a car already built to drive. I would do it. But the way the times has changed up here in Ohio for derbies,
00:23:52
Speaker
I would not touch a derby car if somebody handed me a free car and said, build it yourself, because it's got out of hand up here. They don't bend anymore nothing. They put race car motors in these things, man. They go out and smash them for 30 minutes, and it's like, dude, no.
00:24:10
Speaker
dude no like dead danly I don't know if you know what that it is, but. They do like a day of destruction up there where they do like Enduro races and whatnot. I've seen that. Yeah. We got some of that stuff up here in Ohio. They do. It's neat.
00:24:26
Speaker
Yeah. Especially the trailer races. Those are a blast to watch. hi race I tried to get the local track up here to do it and they wouldn't do it.
00:24:38
Speaker
So that's my sister, sat my stepsister Sally. She races. Hi Sally. Thanks for joining us. She's got the pink and black Jeep that races with us. She's doing good.
00:24:51
Speaker
I think she got like top four out there. She's doing real good. I'm trying to tell her the most interesting thing when it comes to this racing stuff is seat time. I mean, you really got to sit in the Jeep and get comfortable with it and work out the tweaks. you know it's It's mainly getting...
00:25:09
Speaker
and Like anything you build or anything you get in and drive, you got to get a yourself accustomed to everything and get comfortable. Because but like like you were just saying, the less seat time you have, the more you're going to be on the on edge.
00:25:25
Speaker
And it's like, what do I do? what do I do? Oh, see, Brad's telling your secrets. They got a full family of people.
00:25:39
Speaker
I think we got like, we're almost eight. Almost eight. We got a problem. We got a problem. my goodness, man. Hell yeah. um I mean, you know, some of them are just stock, but i mean, you got start somewhere, you know, exactly everybody starts somewhere.
00:25:59
Speaker
just but our friends Whoever helps us with the pits race, you know, i mean, I just, I want to see the sport grow, man. That's what I'm in it for. I want to, I want to see, because it is fairly affordable compared to other motorsports.
00:26:12
Speaker
you're late It really is. It is honestly. You know, but it's it's fairly affordable for racing and the sponsors really help. And, um, you know, got another sponsor, mechanic Joe. He, he really looks out for me. Like at the, at monsters on the beach we were talking about, I have a flat, i paid a shop to put some tires on because it was supposed to rain all weekend originally. And then like Wednesday, the weather changed to be like a hundred degrees all weekend.
00:26:39
Speaker
And so I knew I had to put some alterings on it. And, uh,
00:26:46
Speaker
We tried to do that. I paid a local shop to do it. I'm not to mention the name, but I ended up getting it. I aired it down at the beach, and the stuff went flat. Oh, that sucks. there and That was the first time I raced a V8 in anything in Morgan's Corner.
00:27:04
Speaker
Morgan's Corner didn't feel good with that Jeep. I almost slipped it first time out. That Jeep's fun, though, man. Not supposed to do that. Man, yeah.
00:27:14
Speaker
upla What what do they say first? downright lovely If you're going to lose, at least be upside down. Make the highlight reel. Yep, exactly. Brad said that when he was up here on the show.
00:27:26
Speaker
He said, if you if you can't win it, you might as well put on a show. Fuck yeah, man. I mean, I go through my stuff every time I touch it. You know, every time I go out, it sits.
00:27:39
Speaker
Side chick off the tabletop. My wife. So that was the first time I ever drove a tough truck. Yeah, I drove it right off the tabletop and almost flipped it. I got bad luck sometimes.
00:27:52
Speaker
Driving with eyes closed. soon Yeah, yeah. It's getting a little wild there. But yeah, I mean, it's ah it's amazing to see other other areas of tough truck growing in other parts of the country. i mean, you' got we got our West Coast, we got our Midwest,
00:28:13
Speaker
Then we got, you know, here in Ohio, Pennsylvania, parts of New York. And now you guys down there in North Carolina, Virginia and stuff, you guys are catching up with us all.
00:28:24
Speaker
I mean, you guys have some bad units. and I mean, it every year, it's getting better and better. I mean, we're getting faster and faster and faster, everything, and staying within the rules. You're doing this with damn near stock motors. Nothing stroked, nothing special. That's the thing.
Technical Vehicle Discussions
00:28:41
Speaker
Nothing in our internals. other than maybe some lifters and some rockers. I think I've seen some guys put roller rockers in their stuff. But I mean, most of them, man, is completely stock. on Yeah, and and that's the scary part. That's the scary part. You guys are that quick with just a little bit of change in stuff. I think i think Phil Jr. said it the best that you know with If you know Jeep's history,
00:29:07
Speaker
Right. If you look into it, you know where their performance parts are. You just got to find them and apply them to the right block. And it's all stock stuff. Yep.
00:29:19
Speaker
It's just like you said, like you said, and I agree 100 percent. And that's like with any V8, too. mean, you find the right. basically bolt on parts, you make that stock motor come alive without even touching the guts of it. I mean, it's on any motor if you can find the stock.
00:29:38
Speaker
You want a motor to go fast, give it fuel, give it air, and give it fire. And it'll go. How long it lasts, I don't think that's something most tough truck guys care about.
00:29:49
Speaker
As long as we're smiling while we're flying, it doesn't matter. we Back out next weekend. you know get and fix it up yeah that's what the especially with the the with the grands with the v8s in them that's the only thing is that murder make does make them a little nose heavy i mean that's the only like downfall but they still work great they honestly do um I learned with my other trucks. See, I run a ZJ, which is a little different than a lot the other guys like the XJs. But i I like being spoiled with my coil springs, man. I love them coil springs and the four-link.
00:30:28
Speaker
Factory four-link, you can't argue with it. Oh, you can't do that because you're just one step away from changing out that four-link to having modified rough truck, really. I mean, honestly, with a four-link setup,
00:30:46
Speaker
It's just adding the certain stuff to it and everything and you'll have it. You got yourself set up and you can do a lot more with the four link too. Yeah.
00:30:57
Speaker
I think the rules here are as long as the factory control arm mounts are is what's used. I think they do allow you to do that drop bracket. But as long as it's the factory mount, then it's considered a stock tough truck.
00:31:14
Speaker
just Do you guys run any of the the long arms kits on them or anything on your tough trucks down there? I think some guys do. I know Justin Mudd does. Chris Weese, I saw his Jeep. I haven't seen in person yet. I'm thinking I'm seeing it on the 18th. I've seen pictures of his.
00:31:31
Speaker
Yeah, that thing's pretty. That thing's inspired me to build my V8.
00:31:39
Speaker
I'll tell you what, Chris has done some amazing shit. with not only just his getting his deepep but Jeep built, but his side business with his shirts and the design he did on Brad's mega truck.
00:31:54
Speaker
That is amazing what he did. i mean, I'll be honest, he's made he's made stickers for us. I think he made our like first or second scrap metal racing stickers. I've had it for like six years on a tough truck that's had five seasons it and it's still on there, so I don't have to buy another one. he's His quality is out in sales.
00:32:15
Speaker
Hell yeah. Our motto is build it break it, so that's why we just send them. You're 100% on that, Brad. No. Robert, you're 100%. No. yeah That is lot of us. We do the scrap metal racing. So we were getting into a little bit about like what ah how we started out. So when I first started out, you know, I was a mechanic. So I had like a bunch of parts and stuff laying around all the time and I just started scrapping it. Basically, that's the money that I had throught the year to race. You know, I'd save up all my parts all year.
00:32:49
Speaker
And, ah you know, between people hooking me up, like, You know, other racers really looked out for me over the years. ju and And that's the nice thing about our our community, man.
00:33:05
Speaker
You guys down there's got the same style community we have up here. I've been in all frames of motorsports.
00:33:15
Speaker
And Toughstruck family, in my eyes, is one of the best motorsports families you can have. so having your back on anything.
00:33:25
Speaker
wrap And I've been around it all. All my life.
00:33:31
Speaker
I think one of them told me, we we were talking when I first started, and, you know, everyone when they first start, they always just want to go and win. And that's what that's what I wanted to do. You know, obviously i was like, yeah, I can do this, you know.
00:33:42
Speaker
And I started last week, you know, and I had to a kind of over over the years, I just started going. As long as I beat my last time, I was happy. So that's basically where I started, man. I started real slow, and I worked my way up, worked my way up, worked my way up.
Overcoming Racing Challenges
00:33:59
Speaker
Brad invited me to his house a few times to kind of, i mean, he knew I was scared of jumping. I mean, that's like the hardest part of being in a tough truck is like driving full throttle at that jump. extended his life let get let me get eat and then let that fly he help But that's where that's where you went right there. I mean, between Nell and that turn at Dennis Anderson, is that turn makes or breaks your whole run there.
00:34:21
Speaker
If you mess up that turn, you're done. I mean, you know, and and then not letting off before the other guy, you know, who they have had heads up races. I personally really like the heads up races.
00:34:32
Speaker
Run what you've grown. lot of us up here in ohio like that too. But because most of the fairs and stuff. don't have the room to do the side-by-side stuff so the only way we get to do any of that's like at the monster truck shows they bring here to ohio and everything else if they have them but other than that it's strictly one by one most fairs have time passes time wins so that's how we do it up here at our our and our park
00:35:06
Speaker
our fairness That and that's what I really liked about that new place is trying to open up. It's called the farm at URI. I've dealt with a dude named Joey and man this track when I showed up there was phenomenal man. hey they groomed the track, they listened to the drivers. I said, Hey man, it might be a little dry out there. And they went and wet it all. And, you know, they really made feel like they wanted us there as to where some of these shows, you know, it's it's made clear that, you know, that that we're just here to fill time. And, and, you know, nobody's racer anyone that puts in time to build these things, because whether it's a tough truck or a mega truck or an enduro car or a late model or sprint car,
00:35:53
Speaker
somebody's working on it oh yeah i working on my truck right now and you know when I'm not at work I'm either I'm saying here tinker yeah i'm same here know The king of URI.
00:36:16
Speaker
I didn't get to go back, though. i didn't get to go back and try to do something.
Future Aspirations in Motorsports
00:36:22
Speaker
I'm going to try to do it Heck but yeah It's neat to see see how people get their start in the sport, how far they progress like you i mean You're like I was. I was fortunate. ah My childhood, I grew up around motorsports.
00:36:42
Speaker
I grew up around in the in the garage. um But I've met people that are like you, that are self-taught, or they've been around just enough people, you know, being around Brad, bringing around those guys, but you're self-taught, and you just keep expanding yourself, making yourself better, which is phenomenal to see. Most people just give up.
00:37:07
Speaker
Yeah. They try it, and they give up. There's times that I'm...
00:37:12
Speaker
There's been times. Oh, I'm out through the Tauwen this year. Me and my son are out through the Tauwen this year. We have not. Truck trucks aren't any less racial than anything else, man.
00:37:25
Speaker
Really. I mean, i got I got a pit guru. I got a Justin Bruner. I want to give him a shout out. That's my homie. He's like my consultant. He says I just call him and I run these ideas through his head and he doesn't say anything and then I work it out. So.
00:37:40
Speaker
That's pretty much my advisor there. What's up, Josh? My mom. Then Andrew. Couldn't do without none them. Those great teammates, man.
00:37:52
Speaker
He to hook me up with a day. You remember when I broke Mom's YJ and you had sell me those axles for dumb cheese? I say this is the most underrated, but consistently great job. yeah Nice. That says a lot coming from you know that man right where he's come from himself.
00:38:09
Speaker
let alone himself. Hey, can we get a fence post roll cage for the old days? Now we're using... No, it's a... I was going to say, I'm like, what? A fence post? That's a new one.
00:38:28
Speaker
Frankenstein and his Jeep together. My mom's old YJ, man. she got She got sick and couldn't drive it anymore. and She was like, yeah, just take the YJ and do it. and so I bought a cage from Josh Phillips and I combined the roll cage and the factory cage together to make this like Frankenstein cage. but i Somewhere, man. i didn't It was the first time I'd ever messed with anything like that. no and Brad made it clear that that was dumb.
00:38:56
Speaker
You know, that's probably do something better. And and we have, I mean, my black trucks built real decently good. It's lasted a few rollovers and the gold truck. I mean, big, big Willie, Willie Towns told me safety.
00:39:09
Speaker
I know we got three eights plate all the way in the back of that thing. It ain't moving.
00:39:15
Speaker
I have to agree with you, mom. but We all have our moments. And sometimes we give our mothers heart attacks with our moments, but it is what it is.
00:39:27
Speaker
Yeah, but see, that's why we build them safe. Bird poop would build them. There's nothing. But that's just applying yourself, man, and really learning. That's what link makes us like Americans, man, is you can start from nothing and just learn and learn and learn. I didn't have no schooling in this.
00:39:48
Speaker
I just learned. I wanted to learn. And that right there is the key word. You want to and you have the drive to do it. I'm sorry, nowadays, delighting most kids I see growing up that my son's out of school, they all they care about is video games. They don't even go outside. They're video games.
00:40:14
Speaker
Not my kids, man. My kids are on dirt bikes or shooting something or running into something. My daughter, she likes bugs. Hell yeah. Uh-oh.
00:40:26
Speaker
Josh is on a new tu truck truck. A new truck truck. Yeah. Three years later. Three years later. We'll see it next year. Or the year after. The year yeah.
00:40:41
Speaker
I'll tell you what, his old tough truck he turned into a trail rig looks pretty sick. Yeah, he had a dope rock crawler. What was that thing, Josh? Like a little Sammy you took me in? That thing was wild, man.
00:40:54
Speaker
Me and Josh got a lot of history, man. He's been like one of the guys behind the seat. When I very first went
00:41:05
Speaker
You'll see it north versus south. All right. i Look, I'm working on some stuff for north versus south. There's a reason I ain't been to Dennis's all year. I've been trying to focus on some of these other tracks, man. i stoked that Virginia Motorsports Park is letting us come out there.
00:41:20
Speaker
And, man, I just hope it's really good. That's a big race. That's an NHRA drag strip out there. putting on a premier megatruck show. Yeah, that is awesome to see that.
00:41:31
Speaker
There we go. Yeah. that one Yeah, I got that one yeah my first big race. My first big race is actually July 18th, two days before my birthday. So that's my first race of the season.
00:41:45
Speaker
Yeah, we'll be racing the same day. Apparently, yeah. I couldn't travel down and race with you guys instead of staying here in Ohio for that weekend. You should. I told you.
00:41:58
Speaker
Get it north versus south, man. We'll see what happens. If not this year, I'll definitely make it a bucket list to make it down next year to drag it down. Spring swing is a fun one, man. It's early spring and it gives you a good time. They kind of, i wouldn't they don't never knock the jumps down at Dennis's, but they definitely don't put a lip on them like they normally would. Because it's right at the beginning the season, you know, so it's a really good time to kind of go out there. We use it to go out there and kind of fill out how the Jutes are doing through the winter and get it ready for the horses.
00:42:32
Speaker
Nice. Nice. But, yeah, it's one of my bucket list races for the year, ah either this year or next year, and that and make it out west the hang out with Pat that was in here and hit one of their races.
00:42:47
Speaker
I want to go to Mommy, Oklahoma and race during it their big monster truck show and stuff they got out that way. I think it would be neat to hit that up. They just celebrated 45 years this year, and, man, they have a show out there.
00:43:02
Speaker
ah Hell yeah.
00:43:07
Speaker
So you got any sponsors you want to shout out besides your boss that you did earlier? You got anybody else? I got, what'd I say? will Willie Towns, Towns Metal Works. They're probably the main deal, man, as far as helping me out.
00:43:20
Speaker
But Mechanic Joe, he really helps out too, man. He helps with some fuel now and then. and and And Eastern Trucks and Accessories, Eastern. I'm one of the non-Pongo boys.
00:43:35
Speaker
They help me get me into every year, me and my team. um Basically, we pledge to donate the race entry fee to their, they do an open house fundraiser every year that they donate to cancer.
00:43:51
Speaker
not sure exactly which one. But um as long as we make the race, they pay it. um But that pledge is kind of cool, you know, if we don't make the race. That's neat. Four races in three days, man. It'll test them it'll test you to the end of your week. By the end of the week, I was done with it.
00:44:11
Speaker
It's time to park this thing. I don't want to look at it for a while. and See you later. See you later. We've been available. Do you have any goals? of ah What's your future goals besides tough times? Any chance down the road to getting behind the wheel of a mega truck eventually or something different or sticking with the sort of tough trucks you never know i don't i mean if someone said here's a tough truck um or mega truck you know i whip it but yeah you know ah i don't think that's in my you know um i understand ah but you know there's aspirations out there you never know
00:44:54
Speaker
you know You never know. oh I mean, I definitely have always kind of been into the mud truck thing. And, you know, that wouldn't even be like out of my realm is, you know, driving a like a hill and a whole
Philosophy of Racing and Learning
00:45:05
Speaker
truck. I mean, I seen them guys are wild, man.
00:45:07
Speaker
Oh, yeah. I've watched videos of them. They're nuts. rocke I mean, I've i've always really, you know, I mean, my kids, they'll sit here and just watch tough trucks all the time.
00:45:20
Speaker
But that's good. If it was a future or something like that, I'd definitely be open to it. But coming out of my wallet, I don't think it's going to happen. I'm going to share with you, man. I'll stick with what we're doing. And if it happens, it happens. If it don't, oh, well, I'll keep doing what I'm doing.
00:45:40
Speaker
Ricky Bobby that thing, man. if I ain't first, I'm last. maybe Exactly. I don't even know what it is.
00:45:49
Speaker
Anything dangerous. No wonder I get along with all my guests on this show because we all like living on the edge. I've been on fast jet boots. I don't care what it is, man. If it's got a motor in it, we're having fun. I've had drag cars. you know I just have fun with anything, man. Whatever I got, that's kind of the kind of guy I am.
00:46:17
Speaker
Well, and it's neat, too, like you were saying, and how much your family's involved in this as well. That, to me, is a big win in it just itself alone, let alone winning a race, knowing your family's involved and enjoys it as much as you do. That's huge. so So a little quick story. So at... um What was it?
00:46:42
Speaker
It was two years ago, Monsters on the Beach. Man, we were having ah some bad luck. And so we were on the trail working on my truck because we always ended up in my truck at Monsters on the Beach for some reason.
00:46:56
Speaker
And, ah you know, my daughter could tell I was kind of frustrated. She come over and started, she was doing my gears for me. I took out my my carrier and kind of showed her how to do it. And she was doing, she put spider gears in my Jeep.
00:47:11
Speaker
and That's awesome. nice That's awesome. He's like, here, Dad, I got this. Get out of my way. Hell yeah. He's welding and, you know, i mean, man, I think I've even been trying to teach my dad how to weld.
00:47:27
Speaker
mean, I just like doing it. that And that's the good thing, man. it's It can get, pre like you said, it gets frustrating. Yeah.
00:47:38
Speaker
you know when it's constantly breaking you know yeah i've learned i've learned over the years if it breaks walk away for at least a day but my my dumb ass give me two hours and i'm right back trying to get it fast and ready instead of taking that time to do everything so so i feel that one yeah
00:48:12
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Cash, he's going to be a monster trucks one day. I'm going to have talk to Jackson about that monster truck school. Yeah.
00:48:24
Speaker
yeah That is awesome. Awesome. Yeah. I'll tell you what. That was one of my most exciting nights to have somebody like Jackson on my show. Yeah. That was cool.
00:48:37
Speaker
That was You know, I didn't even know he was related to James Anderson.
00:48:48
Speaker
Hell yeah. we go Oh, he's got a bright future ahead of him. Yeah, that yeah he he's to be a megastar by the time he's our age. He deserves that guy. think...
00:49:03
Speaker
he really like guy i think like so I didn't even know they were related to Dennis Anderson when i first met him. And, you know, that's just how the racetrack is, man. We just all hang out and have fun. They're all there for one purpose. And it's to have fun.
00:49:17
Speaker
These they yeah out here, they want to beat you on the track. I mean, they don't want to beat you before you can get there and they don't want to beat you as a person. You know, they, they just, we all look out for each other and that's the way tough trucks have been for, I mean, at least as long as I can remember. mean, I remember used to help Tony Bond out back in day and,
00:49:35
Speaker
Tucker Bond and, you know, like said, the Durs. Those guys are just they're behind the scenes, man. they're i think you you were debating the other day about built versus bought trucks.
00:49:47
Speaker
And i think you said it, that... um You know, when you build your own stuff, you just pay a different kind of respect to it because, you know, I i have touched every single bolt on both of my trucks on that truck within the last race. I have been all the way through that truck.
00:50:06
Speaker
And I think that's something, know, people buy their stuff or pay someone to work on it. That's not something that everyone's going to do. of Right. Right.
00:50:18
Speaker
Well, and I mean, that's the thing was what's when I brought that up. I mean, I see too many people out out there thumping their chest because, oh, I dumped this money. but I bought it.
00:50:30
Speaker
Yeah, but can you tell me what this boat does or what this does or where this is? Yeah. And like you said, when you do it yourself and you go over it multiple times you can close your eyes and be like okay that's the the drop bracket for the lower control mark you know it's just just different things like that that makes the difference my jeep makes a noise and i already know what it is yeah and and that's how that's the thing mean Hell yeah.
00:51:00
Speaker
Idol's weird. I'm like, oh man, that's not right. You know? And like said I said, work on my stuff. I probably obsess over a little bit. You know, like so I said, I got my kids, my wife, and racing. And that's basically what I got.
00:51:13
Speaker
And, you know, I'm going to run as far as I can with it. ah really that's That's awesome. And that's great. Johnny, do you have any questions for Mike?
00:51:24
Speaker
Or did we hit them all on the head? Uh...
00:51:29
Speaker
Have you set yourself any goals for the future? Yeah. yeah Oh, all right. So, so basically I was a mechanic for 10 years. That's what I started off as. And, like said, thought myself cause I was too broke to pay anybody to work on my stuff. And I like mud and I'm tearing my stuff up. So I had to learn how to do it.
00:51:49
Speaker
ah if you're going to be dumb, you gotta be tough. So I learned how to be a mechanic, jobs as a mechanic. And when I was younger, And as I got older, you know, kind of got burned out with it now, like working on people's cars and, you know, it just got old.
00:52:04
Speaker
And ah and honestly, the way I met Willie Towns was I was just doing Indeed, like, you know, on Indeed, you can go and like just say like what you want to do and stuff and what your experiences are. And man.
00:52:19
Speaker
And out of nowhere, Willie Towns messaged me. And he's like, hey, man, you know, well are you available for an interview like now? And I'm like, sure. You know, so so I go and and I, you know, take a weld test with him.
00:52:35
Speaker
And, ah you know, I had never touched like a professional welder before. Like never. I've always used like a MIG, like a little MIG gun, like a little snap on or whatever.
00:52:46
Speaker
yeah her or you know something like that i've never been like with a professional like miller gun oh yeah the so high dollar stuff I go and do the well test and I mean, it didn't look horrible, but it didn't look great. You know, I had worked with myself over the last probably two years, or three years or so before that.
00:53:07
Speaker
And ah so I talked to him and Willie, you know, kind of joked my wheels at first. He was like, Hey man, you did that. And I'm like, look, I said I was a mechanic, you know, and I just, I want to learn how to do this stuff. And you know, I feel like I could help. And this place is like 10 minutes from my house.
00:53:23
Speaker
It's right here in town. And yeah, and and that's like really why it caught my eye. was I didn't even know who it was when I first accepted it, you know, and I went and talked to him and everything. And we talked and he pulled me in his office.
00:53:35
Speaker
And so in his office, he's got like this RC car of Virginia Beach Beach, which is like really badass. man And it's like a little like 3D printed thing. And so far I ended up talking to him. I walked in his office and everything. We talked and he gave me a shot, man. And, you know, like with everything I do, i kind of ran with it. You know, i I don't have like that middle ground of like not giving it everything. Like if I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it 150 percent because no one else is going to.
00:54:07
Speaker
You know, and I do that for me, for my family, for everything. I just apply. And so what is that one day, eventually, i would like to kind of start like designing like off road parts and whatnot, because that's something that like, or you know, because like being in tough trucks and like seeing where all the weak points are in these vehicles.
00:54:30
Speaker
you know with like one simple plate you could make a jeep last double what it would you know if you didn't put that well because a guys know ideal the unibodies we gotta have something to strengthen them up to keep them from tearing it like you said in their weak points yeah i mean as far as like aftermarket parts i mean you have uh was it iron man four by four the guy andy he needs the most incredible freaking parts dude and you know they're pricey but if you ask me i mean it would be nice to have something like that a little more locally i mean my boss has even talked to dennis about like you know machining some of like the parts that they use for mega trucks and whatnot like that like that's the kind of stuff that i like the engineering side of it too you know yes there
00:55:23
Speaker
making gears, stuff like that, you know sending stuff out. you know well And from what I understand, Willie Towns and Dennis have talked about something like that in the past.
00:55:35
Speaker
um But you know we would say so i'm just I'm hopeful that maybe one day we kind of lean more into doing more of the mechanical machining stuff for some of these trucks and you know design and stuff. I think Willie's still like He's an inventor, man. That's what you he apparently does.
00:55:56
Speaker
First, I think he hit had a dirt bike on monster truck tires. The guy is like but crazy insane, man. and There we go. had a monster truck, like car crushers and whatnot. He's built them all himself.
00:56:12
Speaker
you know and and He told me, he said, he said Mike, I raced Bigfoot. and That made me feel a little better. you know when i'm i got this budget. got this budget and I'm trying to beat them, but there's ways you can do it, but you gotta be smart.
00:56:27
Speaker
Oh yeah. And, and, ah and, and that's the thing I like about going to the tough truck races. I've seen multiple guys like us beat these money modifieds and stuff that syncs all this money or buys them the way they are or builds them.
00:56:44
Speaker
I got a buddy that's got a grand Cherokee. Um, He ended up having a having this had the four-liter. He had it stroked over this past winter.
00:56:55
Speaker
I mean, this thing was already nasty, but it's going to be even crazier this year. He's a top ten against modifieds. And, I mean, he and stock suspension, you know, off the shelf, set up everything else, good roll cage, no cheater break.
00:57:11
Speaker
um ah But, yeah, he hangs in the top ten with the big boys, and it's amazing to see. hell yeah uh for example in uari man they had a modified class and they had this really freaking sweet uh what is a toyota it was like it was like pre-runnered out man things supercharged sweet truck man i went out there and i ended up winning and i told the guy i said hey man you know i'm not ready to put g book yet it's still running it's still one piece you know so i said hey 20 on a race you know let's do it for the fans you know and uh he ended up agreeing to it and we we ran and uh you know sometimes he made a comment because beat him and he was like man this he sent me a ah blue uh dino print of what his car was it was like a 400 horsepower thing was pushing some power man And he was like, oh yeah like beat and I said, man, the difference is, is I was willing to flip mine.
00:58:12
Speaker
you Yep. And that's what turn man makes or breaks us. I mean, you got to drive the thing, man. I mean, you can have the best vehicle there. And if you ain't driving it, you know, somebody with that crap box in the back might get it, you know?
00:58:31
Speaker
Yep. Oh, there we go. with With tough trucks here, it literally is mostly anybody's race, man. It is anybody's race. it When we race, our Jeeps are so close and you know they're all built, basically like half of them are built by the same people. you know Right. and well For sure.
00:58:50
Speaker
They're all built the same. So we're running so close and as literally is a driver's race. You know, it's, I mean, and you got these guys that are just fast, man. You got, uh, the Corey and them come up from Pennsylvania and those guys that they do a lot of that like flat track racing and they can nail turn every single time. Dude, they don't miss that turn.
00:59:12
Speaker
And that's where they, they, I can't be, you know, i I'm not that good at turning yet. on that's and that's the thing And that's the thing up here is here, Pennsylvania, especially over in PA, a lot of their tough truck horses, most of them's only got two or three jumps, and it's strictly, like you said, the turning aspect of it.
00:59:40
Speaker
If you can handle coming in full throttle and sliding that around or whatever, you're going to win races. I mean, it's just, it's crazy the way they do that stuff. You just got to have the, you just got to have the want, man. I mean, i'm I'm a firm believer that whoever wants it the most is who's going to get it.
00:59:58
Speaker
Yes, sir. um I'm with you on that one. A hundred percent. i know it hairs They're going to win that race. Yep. Yeah. gar If you got a hundred thousand dollars in your stuff, man, I mean, it,
01:00:10
Speaker
If they got a, a compatible truck to what did you got and they want it more than you, they're going to beat you every time. Oh, for sure. Oh yeah. It's, it's, it's, it's who's the hungriest.
01:00:22
Speaker
That's, that's that what it boils down to is it's who's hungrier. Yeah. Alrighty, Mike.
Conclusion and Future Episodes
01:00:29
Speaker
Um, I appreciate you coming up. We're going to go ahead and wrap this up and everything else. Um,
01:00:36
Speaker
I really appreciate it. Hopefully ah this offseason, I've been talking with Brad Branson and all them. I'd like to get all you guys up here on the panel one night if we can. I may even set up a special day.
01:00:51
Speaker
And we just have a group session to talk about the season, how it went for everybody. I'll definitely stay in contact with you and stuff. Definitely. But I really appreciate it.
01:01:03
Speaker
Thanks, man. I appreciate it. Good luck to you this season. yeah Hopefully, if not catch you guys this year, I'll definitely try to make it this next year to definitely come down and kick it with you guys one way or another. So you have a great evening.
01:01:18
Speaker
I'm going to go ahead and drop you down, and we're going wrap this up. I'll talk to you later on, buddy. See you, man. All right, buddy. See you. Hell yeah. Thank you everybody for tuning in tonight and stuff.
01:01:32
Speaker
Chatters box. You guys were amazing once again and everything else. as always like You're an awesome dude. I am really appreciative of course, like always with my guests, I really appreciate you guys coming up here, sharing your stories and stuff with us. um That was great.
01:01:48
Speaker
Oh yeah. It was, it was amazing. And it's, it's the more talking with the guys from Virginia and North Carolina, oh It hits so much home here with me in Ohio with this tough truck scene.
01:02:03
Speaker
I mean, and then then, of course, we got Brad, the odd man out that's got, you know, he's got his mega truck, but he's still just, he's one of us. um But it's neat to hear and see the different aspects of different areas of the rough truck community and tough truck and stuff.
01:02:21
Speaker
For sure. Oh, it was my pleasure to have him up in a Thank you very much for being in the chat. You raised one hell of a kid. will give you young man. So I'll tell you guys again.
01:02:37
Speaker
Tune in tomorrow night. Glick's house of music. I believe Glick has a guest. He never, I haven't gotten with him since last week because he's on vacation.
01:02:49
Speaker
Oh, I appreciate that. I really do. Thank you. Yeah. If I can make it down, I'd definitely get with you guys and stuff. hell yeah wednesday night glick's got on glick's comedy lounge he will have a guest thursday as of right now me and johnny i'm currently working on trying to get somebody if not we will have another hangout session and everything else for uh speedway stories uh friday i'm gonna try to do wally's motorsports world this goes for anybody in the chat hit me up in messenger
01:03:23
Speaker
If you guys want to come up, just hang out and everything Friday night. It don't matter. Shoot the shit. We talk motorsports and stuff and just have a good time. Hell yeah. And then, of course, Saturday night, your boy probably here, Wally, will probably be hosting the Nonsensical Nonsense show again. And I'm to get with Rocky and stuff and see with Rock Lee.
01:03:47
Speaker
We may do a co-host deal together. We'll see what's going on. I'll keep everybody posted. Make sure you smash that like, share, and subscribe button. Share us out to everybody.
01:03:58
Speaker
It's down there in the link, biolinks.com. Much appreciate, y'all. Appreciate you guys. You guys have a good rest of your week. Good luck to my racer friends all this this summer and everything else.
01:04:11
Speaker
And we will catch you guys on the next one. Bye. Love y'all.
01:05:02
Speaker
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01:05:15
Speaker
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01:05:26
Speaker
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01:05:53
Speaker
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01:06:09
Speaker
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01:06:22
Speaker
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