OFF-ROAD EXPO COSTA MESA

Racing The Clock At The Expo!

- WORDS AND PHOTOS BY CHAD DOUGLAS

From start to finish, the Off-Road Expo in Costa Mesa, California, is an event that I look forward to every single year, but 2025 was my favorite so far! There were many companies I have close relations with in attendance, like Maxxis Tires, Predator Tires, Fittipaldi Off-Road, PRP Seats, Terra Crew, and many more! There was no shortage of drama on the Proving Grounds course either with the excitement of rowdiness put on by the Terra Crew and Terra Drift Crew. Big names like Ruslan, Blake Wilkey, Eric Conner, Anthony West, and more got to party and jump their rigs for everyone to see as well as show off the capability these desert rigs have on pavement.

Saturday morning started off with an early wake-up call at 5:30 A.M. I woke up and got myself dressed and ready for a day out of the house and on the floor grabbing media content for friends and businesses. My early drive to Costa Mesa was about an hour and a half—not horrible, but when I'm tired, I just wish there was a way to teleport to places and back home instantly. I arrived at the gates before the show started, so I grabbed my media pass and immediately started setting up my camera and dialing in my settings for the harsh morning light of the show. I ran around and saw some familiar faces from both media and companies that I've worked alongside with for a long time during my off-road career. Before I knew it, there was a loud crash over at the Proving Grounds caged area where drivers were practicing. I didn't think too much of it, so I kept walking and made my rounds, capturing some rigs before the fans and eventgoers showed up. The weather was shaping up to be perfect in every way with blue skies and a slight breeze winning over the California heat.