Conversations with Big Rich

Big Rich Klein

Hear conversations with the legacy stars of rockcrawling and off-road. Big Rich interviews the leaders in rock sports.

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Episodes

Episode 248 with John Williams, entrepreneur and off-road racer.
Jan 2 2025
Episode 248 with John Williams, entrepreneur and off-road racer.
Serial entrepreneur, John Williams, owner of Impulse Off Road shares the journey to now, with all the twists and turns. John has had some interesting experiences and is sure to have many more. Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app.5:08 – our front yard corner was worn to dirt; that was our goal, was to wear through the grass every year on our motorcycle 13:02 – when I got done with the Land Cruiser, I got 33 1250’s and I thought I was king of the world             20:39 – I had my friend’s dad’s credit card and ordered a lift, I thought, this is the coolest thing ever, I tell people I work for Roberts Auto and I don’t have to pay full price.27:19– we’ve just been compatible in that aspect; my strong points are not his and his are not mine.34:03 – they gave me the opportunity to pitch a Raptor program to the higher-ups at Ford when they came out to the track; We created the Raptor Assault program together. 43:34 – You realize you don’t win and lose races in the first 100 miles, it comes down to the last 2-3 miles – it’s how you manage, mitigate risk, and make sure the car is staying together50:53 – the whole time you’re thinking, why am I here? Why am I doing this? But when you’re done, you can’t wait to do it all over againSpecial thanks to 4low Magazine and Maxxis Tires for support and sponsorship of this podcast.Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app.Support the show
Episode 240 features BRC Director Ben Burr
Nov 7 2024
Episode 240 features BRC Director Ben Burr
Blue Ribbon Coalition Executive Director Ben Burr gives the low-down on what BRC needs right now and shows us how we can be successful in our land use fight. It’s a fascinating take on what is going on in the real world. Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app. 4:16 – my ancestors settled the Moab area; the Burr Trail is named for them 8:01 – I was always an advisor on these issues, I had pretty deep life experience working on public lands             17:13 – If you would have said I’m going to go from restaurants to politics, I would have been like, how am I going to get there? 25:16 – that’s the operating system running things now, it positioned lawyers to be the key players in this movement, especially on the environmental side 30:19 – and so, it is time to install an operating system that works to the benefit of outdoor recreation users 37:21 – you say exclusionist, I say elitist, it’s a very elitist movement 47:21 – SUWA wants concentrated recreation in just a few areas 53:20 – Call to Action – join BRC, a change in the public land system is going to happen because a bunch of people rise up and demand it 1:01:15 – if everybody who owned an off-road vehicle joined BRC, I’d be bigger than the Sierra club, it’s a $300 million organization – the math maths out on that Special thanks to 4low Magazine and Maxxis Tires for support and sponsorship of this podcast. Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app. Support the show
Chris Ridgway hopping on Episode 239
Oct 31 2024
Chris Ridgway hopping on Episode 239
“I just wanna go fast,” Chris Ridgway. Chris joins us from the road as he’s hauling multi-million-dollar cars all over the US. If it’s got wheels, Chris has raced it, from motorcycles to Porches. Some great stories in here. Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app.6:35 – I wasn’t the most popular guy, I wasn’t the least liked guy, I was just one of the guys. 10:38 – I was still getting lapped in the ADCC beginner class. I wasn’t good. I just wanted it.             19:51 – It was a way of me feeling important and feeling like people like me, and the thing is, as you know about racing, that’s all that matters.25:31 – I turned pro in ’91, and I got hurt. The big injury came in, I think, ‘95 40:34 – He said, “someone needs to put you in a car.” And I said, “who’s going to put me in a car?” And he said, I will.48:13 – I had my leg all bandaged up, and I remember smacking it on the dash and someone’s wife duct taped it back up! 52:47 – He had so much more to lose, I felt like I didn’t have much to lose, and so I would take chances like that1:06:50 – I was like, dude, we can do these doubles, he’s like, well, what happens if we come up short? 1:14:55 – and when you go to SEMA with Jesse Combs on your arm as your co-driver, you get sponsorshipSpecial thanks to 4low Magazine and Maxxis Tires for support and sponsorship of this podcast.Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app.All Automotive with Matt Clawson Automotive related topics. Anything from owning an repair facility to racing. Anything...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show
Episode 238 has Bryan Crofts helping all in his path
Oct 24 2024
Episode 238 has Bryan Crofts helping all in his path
Helper should be his middle name; always one to give an assist, Bryan Crofts shares life from family Crofts to family Campbell and all the twists in between. Some great stories in here. Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app.9:39 – when I was a young kid, I always wanted to be a garbage man; they make good money. 15:51 – I had a buddy I went to school with, him and I would go out to Mt Shasta and do fireroads and mud wheeling, it got me interested in doing more             22:53 – I worked for the Sheriffs Department in San Francisco, mostly in the jails. I saw things that I probably wish I hadn’t, it definitely changed my outlook on life31:17 – “Hey, Jody’s looking to get out of the Stock Mod rig if you’re interested,” and I jumped on it 35:11 – my brother goes, “Hey Bro, why aren’t you racing?”47:14 – That’s what sparked the interest, it was way cheaper to build two cars at once 53:17 – one of the coolest things that we do, we’re all racing against each other, but we’re all racing with each other, too.1:01:18 – I was chasing him down and I didn’t see those two rollers, and I hit one and nosed into the second one, and lights out! It knocked me out!1:12:29 – I’ve got people calling me after the race that that was the one spot they were worried about, as soon as they say me and Bailey there, all their worries went awaySpecial thanks to 4low Magazine and Maxxis Tires for support and sponsorship of this podcast.Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app. All Automotive with Matt Clawson Automotive related topics. Anything from owning an repair facility to racing. Anything...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show
Jeff Ismail, Scout Master on Episode 237
Oct 17 2024
Jeff Ismail, Scout Master on Episode 237
If International Harvester made it, Jeff Ismail knows about it. From printed manuals to Scouts and Travelalls, Jeff has his finger on it. A self-made man, Jeff understands that happy is a choice, join us for a conversation on episode 237. Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app.3:29 – my friends were playing and swimming, but not me and my brothers, we were with Dad – raking leaves and edging lawns, doing what we had to do to earn a living 8:50 –some grew up in Ford, some Chevy, some Dodge – we grew up in IHs             17:17– You don’t forget people who race in Scouts; we won a couple of seasons, and it was always by attrition. It looked like the Turtle and the Hare28:28 – my dad came to me and said, I want to take you back to the home country to get married; I’m like, I’m not ready to get married! 36:36 – my dad goes, “why don’t you just fix up that pole barn out there and start working on Internationals again?” If I got Dad’s blessing, why not?43:27 – we’ve always had this thing, “If the job makes sense, we’ll take it!” 49:38 – people don’t know me, but they know my truck.57:23 – Some people are like, Oh, I can’t wait for the future. I know good times, I’m living in good times.Special thanks to 4low Magazine and Maxxis Tires for support and sponsorship of this podcast.Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app.All Automotive with Matt Clawson Automotive related topics. Anything from owning an repair facility to racing. Anything...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show
Former NAXJA President, Matt ‘McGyvr” Rowland on Episode 236
Oct 10 2024
Former NAXJA President, Matt ‘McGyvr” Rowland on Episode 236
Matt Rowland from Indiana is a bit of an anomaly. A communications major in criminal justice, attends XJ conventions without an XJ, and a builder of fabulous bonfires! Join us for some Midwest history on Episode 236. Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app.4:35 – …that might be part of the reason I’ve always had affection for Jeeps 13:50 –my freshman year, we lost to the big high school in Fort Wayne by over 100 points             18:49 – everything auto mechanic-wise, I learned from working on the junk we were driving31:59 – Tony bought a ’99 TJ and started taking it to the Badlands, in Attica, Indiana 39:24 – In 2005, I got on the police department in Fort Wayne, and I’ll have 20 years next May44:31 – I had to borrow $1500 from my parents to pay off the loan on the XJ because they said Modified Cherokees were worthless 51:02 – I had a buddy who said, “Hey, are you ever going to settle down and get married?” and I’m like, I guess, maybe.1:03:45 – The LJ became the family truckster for wheeling, and we changed the bylaws when I was NAXJA PresidentSpecial thanks to 4low Magazine and Maxxis Tires for support and sponsorship of this podcast.Be sure to listen on your favorite podcast app. All Automotive with Matt Clawson Automotive related topics. Anything from owning an repair facility to racing. Anything...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show