Desert Racing 101: Why It’s Way Harder Than You Think - Ryan Millen
In this episode of The Creative Drive, we’re joined by Ryan Millen — off road racer and member of one of America and New Zealand's most iconic racing families. Son of Rod Millen and brother to Rhys Millen, Ryan has forged his own path from formula cars to rally stages, winning in the American Rally Association, working with brands like Toyota along the way and now desert racing in trophy trucks.
We get into Ryan’s unique journey, the pressures and perks of a legendary last name, and how he blends performance with personality in the age of motorsports storytelling. From his take on off-road racing to content strategy for modern drivers, this conversation is packed with insight, humor, and a look into what keeps Ryan creatively driven.
Watch or listen now. 0:00 Cold opening1:00 Host Taro Koki Introduces Ryan Millen01:45 What the last name Millen means03:33 Sponsor message04:27 How Ryan Millen started rally racing08:00 What's so difficult about desert racing?12:00 Growing up on Pikes Peak14:30 Toyota rally sponsorship and Two Roads to Baja17:10 Racing Porsches in Siberia18:15 Rally racing Toyota RAV425:00 What it was like having a girlfriend as a co-driver28:33 Creating content and being a racecar driver30:15 Father Rod Millen lived in the golden era of rally31:45 Racing with Terrible Herbst spec trophy trucks 37:30 Almost getting run over at Baja 50039:45 Innovation in desert racing actve dampers and 4 wheel drive 44:40 Difference between Dakar and Baja racing47:40 Off road racing promotion landscape52:45 Rapid Fire with Ryan Millen57:10 Ryan Millen thinks Who's Boost'n It01:01:20 Ryan Millen's Creative Drive
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The Creative Drive
The Creative Drive is a podcast hosted by Racer’s Creator Network President Taro Koki, dedicated to exploring the world of creativity within the automotive industry. Each episode features conversations with a diverse range of creatives, including YouTubers, directors, authors, designers, builders, and photographers, as well as industry journalists and creator economy experts. Together, we delve into what drives these creators, how they got started, their creative process, their inspirations, and their insights on building an audience in today’s digital landscape. From stories of success to overcoming setbacks, The Creative Drive offers listeners a candid look into the minds of automotive creators and their journeys.
- No. of episodes: 28
- Latest episode: 2025-07-15
- Business Leisure Automotive Marketing
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