The Off-Road Racer Podcast

Episode 58: Russ Wernimont

In this episode of the Off-Road Racer Podcast, I sit down with Off-Road Hall of Famer Russ Wernimont. Russ is among the most talented engineers/fabricators motorsports have ever seen. Despite never getting a traditional engineering education and never using CAD programs, Russ has had a hand in building some of the most game-changing vehicles in desert and short-course racing. His career started with sweeping the floors at the famed PPI shop, and moving on to being the crew-chief of Michael Nesmith Class 8 truck. Russ would then go on to design and build some of the most dominant vehicles our sport has ever seen. He built one of the most dominant Pro2’s in short course, which featured a center-seat design. Russ is also attributed to being the father of Trophy Trucks, building some of the first fully custom tube chassis race trucks, and his innovations in shock technology have pushed suspension to its modern-day form. We talk about all this, and more. I’m your host Matt Martelli, and this IS the Off-Road Racer Podcast.