Dead Red Off-Road

Dead Red Off-Road Dead Red Off-Road™ | Short-Course Off-Road | Desert Racing | Truck Culture | Racing Team |

Champ Off-Road, “Where the Wildman Roams!”We wrap the wheels on our Stock Truck with Maxxis Tires, because they’re durab...
01/09/2026

Champ Off-Road, “Where the Wildman Roams!”

We wrap the wheels on our Stock Truck with Maxxis Tires, because they’re durable, aggressive, and have lots of traction! We run the Maxxis Razr MTs, 32x11.50r15, on the gnarliest short-course tracks in the country!

We don’t stop there! We trust Maxxis Tires for our Tow Rig/Daily Driver! We run the Bravo ATs 771 LT275/70r18s on a 1-Ton Duramax Chevy Silverado. The Bravo AT’s are quiet on the road, and also provide plenty of grip off-road!

The ‘28 Race Hauler has Maxxis Trailer tires as well. Each race for us is at least a 5-hour drive, and the trailer is heavy with the race truck and gear! We have upmost confidence in the Maxxis M8008 Plus ST Trailer Radials, ST225/75r15s!

Go Johnny, go, goJohnny B. Good 👍🏼
01/09/2026

Go Johnny, go, go
Johnny B. Good 👍🏼

01/08/2026

👀 WOW! Look at that Suspension Travel! 🤯

Jerry McDonald sends the Team MacPherson “Big Mac” Chevy 4x4 Class 4 into the air—then the onboard shows the real magic: suspension cycling like it’s got a second job as a pogo stick. That’s not “bounce”… that’s articulation doing trench warfare with desert chop.

This thing was the MacPherson heavy hitter—often called “Big Mac” to separate it from “Lil’ Mac,” and the Class 4 program dates back to the early ’90s (the MAC 904 build).  Built by Jerry McDonald (with design work credited to Bryan Kudela alongside McDonald), it’s a legit piece of desert racing history. 

Turn your volume up, watch the shocks work, and tell me: would you rather ride shotgun for the jump—or for the whoops? 😤👊

Be The Hero Your Dog Thinks You Are!Charge Forth!Dead Red Off-Road®️
01/07/2026

Be The Hero Your Dog Thinks You Are!

Charge Forth!
Dead Red Off-Road®️

01/06/2026

⚠️ Beware of the Wily Ol’ Veterans ⚠️

Rod Hall explains the challenges his Dodge Truck faces with the newer trucks in Class 4 (Production 4x4). In perfect Rod fashion he drops some knowledge for the audience.

✨🪨 Chrome & Grit: This ’84 GMC Sierra Classic Climbs Where Others Quit 💪🏼💪🏼That’s a 1984 GMC K-1500 Sierra Classic Wides...
01/05/2026

✨🪨 Chrome & Grit: This ’84 GMC Sierra Classic Climbs Where Others Quit 💪🏼💪🏼

That’s a 1984 GMC K-1500 Sierra Classic Wideside doing what square-body GMCs were born to do: KICK ASS! Big stance, classic chrome, and that unmistakable GMC grille—this rig doesn’t need fancy tricks, just traction and attitude.

Back when trucks were built like tools, the Sierra Classic blended comfort with real 4x4 capability. And on terrain like this? You can see why these old Widesides earned their reputation—stable, tough, and ready to climb.

If you’re into off-road history, this is a rolling reminder: the golden era didn’t end… it just got patina.

1984 GMC K-1500 Sierra Classic Wideside Pickup

01/04/2026

💨 SCOOP STANDING ON IT 💨

Frank ‘Scoop’ Vessels III attacking the whoops in the SCORE 1989 Parker 400! Frank is driving a Nelson & Nelson Racing, Chevy C/K Sportside Pickup! They would go on to win the 1989 HDRA/SCORE Class 8 Championship!

📍 Parker, AZ

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01/03/2026

🚨 NEW DROP: SHOP FOREMAN BEANIE 🚨

Cold weather doesn’t cancel race weekends. Neither does shop duty.

So we built a beanie that feels like crew-issued equipment, not “winter fashion.”

Introducing the Dead Red Off-Road® Shop Foreman Beanie — made for the people who show up early, stay late, and fix problems fast. Stuff it in a gear bag. Yank it on with greasy hands. Stand outside the trailer for hours. This beanie keeps up.

Why it hits different:
Most beanies run 100% acrylic. This one levels up with a premium blend for warmth, softness, and durability:

✅ 10% mercerized wool (warmer + more breathable)

✅ 20% nylon (stronger for real wear)

✅ 50% PTT (stretch + shape retention)

⚙️ Crew-grade comfort

🧵 Pill-resistant durability

🏁 Cuffed fit for extra ear warmth

AVAILABLE NOW — drop a 🔥 if you’re grabbing one, and I’ll message you the link.

🐴🐴 Extra HORSEPOWER 🐴🐴If you’re a Baja history nerd, you already know the name… but Frank “Scoop” Vessels III deserves w...
01/02/2026

🐴🐴 Extra HORSEPOWER 🐴🐴

If you’re a Baja history nerd, you already know the name… but Frank “Scoop” Vessels III deserves way more flowers than he gets. This dude wasn’t just fast — he helped change the sport. 

Scoop’s résumé is the kind of thing that makes modern teams nod in respect:

✅ 30 major race victories across a three-decade off-road career 

✅ SCORE “Rookie of the Year” (1972) and SCORE “Offroadsman of the Year” (1978)

✅ A Class 8 win at BOTH the SCORE Baja 500 and Baja 1000 in 1977 — on the world’s first radial all-terrain concept that became legendary

✅ Four-time SCORE Baja 500 Class Champion

✅ Kept stacking milestones, including another Baja 1000 class win in 1988 

And here’s the part people forget: Scoop wasn’t only winning — he was building the blueprint for how sponsors and racing programs work. His partnership-driven approach (BFGoodrich + major manufacturers) helped push off-road into the mainstream, and he’s even credited with helping lay groundwork for what became the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. 

That’s why these old photos hit so hard: the Vessels Stallion Farm trucks weren’t just race vehicles… they were rolling proof that off-road could be professional, polished, and still absolutely unhinged at 100+ mph over whoops.

Frank “Scoop” Vessels III = pioneer, winner, and one of the real architects of modern off-road racing. 

Got a favorite Scoop moment or a favorite era of Class 8 iron? Drop it below. 🏁🔥

Happy New Year! 🐾2025 was a big year for Dead Red Off-Road!☑️ 1st Labor Day Parade - Crandon World Championship weekend....
01/01/2026

Happy New Year! 🐾

2025 was a big year for Dead Red Off-Road!

☑️ 1st Labor Day Parade - Crandon World Championship weekend. The participating in the annual parade was an honor. Thank you for the Crandon Community for helping us feel welcomed! Even though the race weekend didn’t go our way, it was a great experience with family and friends!

☑️ First Year Racing - We set 2025 as the goal way back in 2023. It was a steep learning curve from wanting to build a new truck to buying an established one. The financial and logistical challenges of starting a race team is no small feat, especially when you don’t know what you’re doing! But we made it!

☑️ Expanded The Pit Crew - Met a great band of brothers, The Bellands, who helped me out so much during the season. These guys love off-road racing! Their support made those first race weekends less stressful.

☑️ New Dog - Our family adopted another Pitbull, Brutus! We learned about this sweet boy on Labor Day weekend. He stole our heart from day 1! He has a great personality, and grew up at the race track. He’ll be our Pit Dog in 2026! He is a big friendly doof, so stop by in 2026 to give him a boop!

Thank you for our family, friends, followers, fans, and sponsors for your support! We cannot do this without you!

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12/30/2025

🔥 Everything caught FIRE 🔥

Off-road racing is organized chaos, where logistics and maintenance are just as important as the drivers! Watch The Enduro Racing Team get to work replacing a transmission in the middle of the desert. While surgery is taking place, other crew members are performing their specified duties, such as changing tires, fueling, inspecting, and repairing routine damage.

Dan Smith, who co-drivers with Dave Ashley, explained that an electrical short happened near the transmission, which produced a spark, and leaking transmission fluid ignited causing a fire.

📆 1998 SCORE Las Vegas/ Primm 300
📍 Primm, NV

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Eldridge, IA

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