About this episode
In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, Matt Martelli sits down with Justin Von Metal — racer, builder, and one of the most outspoken minds in modern UTV racing. From his roots in motocross and factory race teams to building championship-winning Pro Stock UTV programs, Justin breaks down what it actually takes to win at the highest level without unlimited budgets. The conversation dives deep into race course design, class structure, affordability, and the realities of racing rough events like the Mint 400, Barstow, Parker, Laughlin, and Vegas to Reno. Justin explains why preparation, testing, and discipline matter more than hype parts, why Pro Stock is one of the most demanding driver classes in off-road, and how racing experience — not checkbooks — separates contenders from casualties. Justin also shares hard-earned insight on suspension development, the transfer of knowledge from motocross to desert racing, working with partners like King Shocks, SuperATV, BFG, and Diode Dynamics, and why simplicity and reliability still win races in an era obsessed with technology. The episode closes with a candid look at the evolution of UTV racing, factory involvement, safety concerns, and where the sport is headed as competition continues to escalate. This is an unfiltered, technical, and brutally honest conversation about what it really takes to finish, compete, and win in modern off-road racing.