 |
Conversations with Big RichAuthor: Big Rich Klein
Hear conversations with the legacy stars of rockcrawling and off-road. Big Rich interviews the leaders in rock sports. Language: en-us Genres: Automotive, Leisure, Sports Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
Speeding ticket to Slow Jeep to Fast Racecar, Matthew Slyngstad on Episode 288
Episode 288
Wednesday, 1 October, 2025
Send us a textThis week, Big Rich sits down with rising Ultra4 racer Matthew Slyngstad. Born and raised in San Jose, Matthew shares how a teenage speeding ticket steered him into a slow Jeep—and a fast off-road life. From cello and wrestling in high school to wrenching summers in the family construction business, he built the fabrication chops that power his racing today.Highlights: · Early days: Bay Area roots, yearbook photo editor, wrestling, and a love for the outdoors. · Montana years: slower pace, more dirt—fishing, wheeling, and hunting. - Dogs and discipline: competing in Schutzhund with a powerhouse German Shepherd. – · First Jeep mods: rock sliders as his first welding project; Rubicon trips that sparked bigger builds. · Ultra4 entry: mentored by Jack Taggart and welcomed into Jason Scherer’s Rage 4 team; pit crew to Baja 1000 with Ford’s programs. · The leap to racing: buying a 4800 car just weeks before KOH 2025; pre-running, shock tuning, and sponsor hustling. · Race day rollercoaster: comms failure at the start, blazing desert pace, a boulder impact and broken rear upper link, pit heroics—and a proud finish, 18th in class. – Shoutout to the entire Rage 4th crew—and old-school legend Jeff Mello—for making the dream real.Support the show
