Rallying in America: The Recce Podcast

This week my guest is Alex McCrady, Climb to the Clouds committee member and Sports Car Club of New Hampshire’s Vice President and Activities Director.

Alex gives us some insight on the SCCNH and some behind the scenes of the Climb. Alex will also be competing at the Climb as Mike Pettengill’s co-driver in a 1982 Volvo 242 Turbo. He also talks about his experience with gravel trials, rallycross, and of course hillclimbin...

This week’s guest on Rallying in America: The Recce Podcast is Cory Grunwald, creator of the Rally Time Card App. 

We talk about Cory’s first rally experience spectating at the Olympus Rally back in 2008. From there he slowly got into co-driving then driving in the past couple of years. He talks about his BWM 318 rally build and finally, his Rally Time Card App.

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This week’s guests on Rallying in America: The Recce Podcast are Erik and Clarissa Votipka of Hot Hatch Racing. Based in Missouri, they started off as spectators, then volunteered at 100 Acre Wood and soon progressed into rally cross and stage rally.

We discuss how they started off with purchasing a car and eventually ending up with their current “Blueberry.” They also explain their racing philosophy of keeping cos...

This week on Rallying in America: The Recce Podcast, I have a nice casual conversion with Scott Crouch, owner and general manager of Flatirons Subaru in Boulder, Colorado. Scott shares his journey into rally, starting in 2003 when Tanner Foust introduced him to the sport after working together at a dealership. Scott and Tanner competed together for several years before Tanner moved on to X Games and other opportunities. 

Scott&...

I’ve talked a lot about rally cross on this podcast over the last year and a half and how it’s a gateway into stage rally. 

Well, finally, I believe it now. My guests this week are RJ Ridgway and Ryan Symancek. We chat about the why and the how-to. I’ve included our discussion before we got started because I feel it is good for you to hear. I left the conversation pretty much unedited.

I hope you enjoy the conv...

This week, my guests are Zach Arnold and Jack Cuezze, both in their second year studying mechanical engineering at Oregon State University and co-founders of the Oregon State University Rally Club. Zach shares his family's connection to rally. His grandfather was involved in the sport, fueling Zach's lifelong passion for cars. Jack revealed that his father's enthusiasm for automobiles drew him into rally as well—he drove a WR...

Here is my collection of interviews and tidbits from my trip to Olympus for the ARA National event back in April. 

Going to start off with the main reason I was there and that was to hang out with and observe the crew of Screech Owl Garage. 

I was invited by Screech Owl founder Daniel Quarto to come out to Olympus back in March. Daniel offered to cover my room and board for the weekend. Little did I know it would involve so...

This week’s guest is Brian McMahon, a photographer and former rally driver. He began his career shooting night rallies like Press On Regardless, unaware of how the film would turn out. Later, he competed in TSD and stage rallies, starting with a ’69 Camaro before switching to a Datsun. Brian also shares how rally fans have diverse backgrounds and often engage in interesting conversations in the woods.

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My guest this week is David Weiman. 

David started rallying during the mid-1960s, quickly developing his skills and passion for the sport. In 1970, he achieved a significant milestone by winning a national Time-Speed-Distance (TSD) rally.

During the interview, David discusses the history and significance of the "Press on Regardless" rally event. He shares insights into the early years of stage rallying, describing the challenges...

My guest this week is rally driver Steve Bis. Steve talks about his 22-year journey in rally racing, starting with his first rally at Rally Colorado in the early 2000s. 

Steve details his recent acquisition of his 2013 Ford Fiesta N5 rally car and his preparation for the upcoming Rally in the 100 Acre Wood this week in Missouri.

We discussed Steve's plans to compete nationally and sponsorship opportunities. We also talk about th...

This week Mark Huebbe joins me. We cover his early mechanical experience with his father's airplane projects, his progression from autocross to rallycross in Subarus, and his entry into stage rally in 2007.

Mark shares how he and his brother “restored” a Volkswagen Beetle and competed at multiple events, including WRC Mexico where they won their class.

We also discuss running a bakery, an ice cream business, and how bitte...

Welcome. This week, we are joined by Preston Osborne, who serves as the Series Manager for the American Rally Association (ARA).

We begin our conversation by exploring Preston’s background, including how he first got involved in the world of rally racing. The discussion also touches on the history of O.D.D. Racing, providing additional insight into Preston’s journey.

Our talk continues with Preston detailing his path to b...

Mark Utecht’s journey into motorsports began in Minnesota, where he worked next to a racetrack. One day, he heard the distinctive sound of cars participating in an autocross event. Captivated by the excitement, Mark decided to take the afternoon off work. He borrowed his girlfriend’s Dodge Omni and entered his very first autocross, marking the start of his involvement in competitive driving.

Several years after his initi...

This week’s guest is DirtFish instructor, rally driver, and co-driver, Michelle Miller.

Michelle shares that her struggle with insomnia was the unexpected spark that ignited her passion for rally. During sleepless nights, she found herself watching SpeedVision, where her fascination with rally grew. This interest inspired her to try auto cross, allowing her to gain hands-on experience. Over time, her dedication and growing ent...

Rob Bohn and Rupert Berrington join me for a conversation about Rally Colorado. We cover their backgrounds and how they became involved as organizers of the event. Our discussion also touches on experiences like being hit in the head, the rally's history, and its upcoming designation as an ARA National event in 2026.

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