Episode 26: Ricky Brabec: From the Desert to Dakar

Ricky Brabec’s path to the top of rally racing didn’t happen overnight. In this episode of Bore and Stoke, we talk about his roots in the desert, the journey to becoming a Dakar champion, and the lessons learned along the way. We also reflect on one of the closest finishes in Dakar history—not as a headline, but as part of a bigger story about resilience, growth, and the pursuit of perfection in rally racing. 00:00 Intro 00:35 Advertisement 01:26 Welcome RICKY BRABEC 03:15 Ricky’s ladder into rally racing 14:10 Ricky’s first rally was gnarly 18:00 Ricky’s second chance on the Honda — and roadbooks 22:40 Dakar comes calling 27:09 Learning from Johnny Campbell 32:11 Partying takes a back seat 37:56 What’s cool about desert racing 40:11 Dakar’s rise in popularity in America 44:51 Bringing up a sore subject 51:33 Advertisement 52:10 Managing each stage mentally 58:01 Ricky’s relationship with danger 01:02:00 Airbags have changed the game — but it still hurts 01:06:09 Americans at the Dakar 01:09:00 Training with Jimmy Lewis 01:14:37 What makes the Ricky Brabec/Honda package work so well? 01:16:30 What’s going on at the Rip n Dip ranch? 01:24:27 What a cool guy 01:26:28 Rate us and leave a comment! 01:28:00 Advertisement