A Dakar-designed Ford Raptor T1 is about to find out what American desert racing feels like, and we’re here for every gritty detail. We sit down with Matt Martelli, CEO of Unlimited Off-Road Racing, to talk about why Ford chose the Casey Folks Vegas to Reno run for the Raptor T1’s American debut and what makes this run so different from the rough-and-tumble world of Baja-style courses. Think long distance, high speed, and a 550-mile day that stresses cooling, electrical systems, and durability in a way most racing formats never touch.
We also get into the fun rabbit holes only off-road racing can create: what “unlimited” really means when trucks push 1,000-plus horsepower, 40-inch tires, and suspension travel measured in feet, not inches. Matt shares why the sport still leaves room for the garage-built crowd alongside multi-million-dollar teams, and we revisit the roots of short course and stadium racing through the legacy of Mickey Thompson. If you love motorsports history, fabrication culture, and the way racing tech shapes production vehicles like the Raptor and Bronco, this one hits hard.
Then we pivot to the headlines: a Ford worker fired over a $1.95 cookie, and the growing trend of drivers downgrading from premium gas to regular to save money. We break down what modern ECUs and knock sensors actually do, when premium is required versus recommended, and why the real tradeoff is often performance, not instant damage.
Listen now, subscribe so you don’t miss the next drop, and if you enjoyed the show, share it with a fellow car nerd and leave us a quick review. What would you want to watch most: the Raptor T1’s pace or the in-car Starlink view?
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