Big Pete podcast

American Scout Monster Truck Driver Colton Kiser

We talk about how we first became friends with Colton, after he helped source Pettibone axles for Big Pete, arranging for them to be manufactured and shipped over to the UK. What started as a parts connection quickly turned into a great friendship built around monster trucks and motorsport. Colton tells us how he got into monster trucks, beginning his driving career in 1/2-scale monster trucks at just 11 years old. Before long, he had his own 1/2-scale truck and steadily worked his way up into full-size monster trucks as he grew older, living and breathing the sport from a young age. We also dive into stories about his resident friendly meth head, as well as the major differences between independently run monster trucks and the big corporate monster truck operations. With his laid-back attitude, endless collection of stories, Colton is packed full of memorable tales, one-liners and real behind-the-scenes insight into the monster truck world. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

James Dillon, 57 Years of Stunts

This week, we’re joined by the grandfather of UK stunts, Collin Guppy — better known as James Dillion. Having started his stunt career in 1969, he’s now spent an incredible 57 years performing stunts around the world. We begin right at the start of his career, when he worked as a stunt clown before quickly deciding that being inside a car was probably the safer option. From there, we dive into some of the most dangerous, unsafe, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants stunt ideas ever attempted over the years. Collin talks us through the early days of driving cars on two wheels, beginning with an old Ford Pop weighted down with nothing more than a wedge of concrete as ballast, before going on to perfect the art of two-wheel driving and eventually training stunt teams at Disneyland Paris. We also cover the injuries he’s suffered along the way, the many people who have entered — and left — the industry over the years, and, naturally, what happens when you get lost while skydiving. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Former Monster Jam, Hot Wheels Tour Manager Trevor Stimson

Joining us is the “Grandfather of Grim Reaper”, Trevor Stimpson. We go on quite the journey, covering his first experience of mud bogging in the States and becoming one of only a few UK mud boggers. From there, he moved into tractor pulling, stock cars and monster trucks—importing Blown Thunder and competing in European Monster Jam events. When he stepped back from driving, he began helping out at Monster Jam events, gradually climbing the ranks to become a tour manager for events around the world. He later took another step back and joined the Top Gear Live tour, becoming an integral part of the UK Monster Truck Nationals, and more recently, part of the Hot Wheels World Tour. During this time, Blown Thunder became our very own Grim Reaper, supporting the Great Dorset Steam Fair evening stunt show and playing a key role in the development and arena coordination for the UK Monster Truck Nationals. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Former Santa Pod & York Raceway Commentator Graham Beckwith

We sit down with our very own Uncle Graham, who shares with us his keen hobbies of O Gauge model railways and creating bespoke models for special people. He also tells us how, as a young boy, seeing drag racing demonstrations at Elvington sparked an interest that would stay with him for years. That passion later led him to help build a car to go drag racing at Santa Pod, and when he heard the sport he had fallen in love with was coming to his own town, he knew he had to get involved. We briefly cover the history of northern drag racing, from Crossland Moor and the pop-up airfields to the permanent settlement of York Raceway. From the moment a microphone was thrust into his hand at a power sports festival at Aintree and he was told, “’Ere, tell them about drag racing — the dragsters are coming out now,” he never looked back. He went on to co-commentate at Santa Pod, covering Super Gas while supporting events around the country, before the opportunity arose to commentate there more regularly. Shortly afterwards, he also took up the mantle of commentator at York Raceway. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Unofficial Mayor of Howarth Dan Clark

A very good friend of Big Pete, Dan “Clarky” Clark, tells us what got him into motorcycle trials, how he got his first bike, and why Haworth was the centre of the universe when it came to creating world-class trials riders. He tells us how he went to Australia for a week and came back six months later, and how that experience inspired him to create a travelling trials show that toured all over the UK and Europe, eventually expanding to two teams. He then went on to create The Great Yorkshire Bike Show, which grew into a huge event but was short-lived despite its popularity. He later returned to the show scene, developing a whole new set of shows and even resurrecting John Surtees from the grave. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.