016 - Nick Isenhouer

In this episode of The MF Show, Rich Waitas and Jerry Zaiden sit down with Nick Isenhouer, driver, builder, fabricator, drifter, rock crawler, and one half of Isenhouer Brothers Racing. Nick’s story is the modern off-road blueprint: a kid from San Diego who grew up staring at photos of his dad’s desert cars, growing up on the internet learning about prerunners, and building his first F-100 in a small garage with his brother Chris and their dad.Nick walks through the early days of racing 1450, the garage-built trucks that taught them everything, and how those childhood obsessions turned into a full-time operation building, prepping, and racing trucks for other off-road teams. He shares stories about racing with his family, the evolution of truck classes, why 1450 was such a special era, and how today’s desert races have become full sprint battles from start to finish.The guys also dive into Nick’s world beyond traditional desert racing; His KA-powered S13 drift car, his ’95 Ford Lightning rock crawler, and what he’s learned from juggling multiple disciplines focused on car control. They talk about trips to Baja, Moab, and Midwest Dirt Fest, as well as the full-circle moment of bringing an early Camburg race truck back into the shop for a modern rebuild.This episode highlights the blend of creativity, grit, and family-driven passion that defines Nick Isenhouer and the off-road community he represents.