JCW ARCHIVE: Danger Calls

Summary

Podcast Summary: The John Clay Wolfe Show - "Danger Calls"

Episode Overview In the episode titled "Danger Calls," released on March 22, 2025, host John Clay Wolfe delves deep into his personal journey of overcoming adversity and returning to motocross racing after a severe spinal cord injury. Joined by his co-host J.D. and guest DJ Prek, the episode explores themes of resilience, passion, and the human spirit's capacity to push through physical and emotional challenges.

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1. John Clay Wolfe’s Motivational Comeback

A. Background and Injury Story ([02:01] - [03:33]) John Clay Wolfe opens up about his tumultuous history with motocross. Eighteen years prior, he suffered a devastating spinal cord injury during a motocross event, resulting in paralysis from the waist down. This life-altering event forced him to halt his racing career and adapt to a new way of living.

John Clay Wolfe ([02:18]):
“I was supposed to be in one of those [handicap cars]. So I feel obligated… something I want to do is, you, never give me when. Give me the VIN Buys handicap bands. A lot of times we'll give them away to people in need to walk again.”

B. Determination to Return ([03:07] - [05:29]) Despite the severity of his injury, John's passion for motocross never waned. He describes his return to racing as a "fortunate comeback recovery story." Equipped with adaptive modifications—such as a left-hand brake for the rear and a specially built shifter—John felt empowered to conquer the tracks once more.

John Clay Wolfe ([04:15]):
“It’s a sport that I can do that I’m really not paralyzed with because I have a left-hand brake for the rear brake. And we built a special shifter so I can shift right correctly.”

C. The Recent Race Experience ([02:50] - [07:45]) John narrates his most recent cross-country motorcycle race, highlighting the physical and mental hurdles he faced. From multiple falls to equipment failures, his journey through the 90-minute race was fraught with challenges. Despite these setbacks, John showcases unwavering perseverance, ultimately securing third place.

John Clay Wolfe ([06:50]):
“And I was really wanting to quit, but… I just kept going and kept going. I was like, okay, I got this third gear thing figured out. I can finish this race in third gear. And I did, and it worked.”

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2. Co-Host and Guest Reflections

A. J.D.'s Perspective ([02:50] - [08:11]) J.D., John’s co-host, provides a candid and humorous take on John’s comeback. He questions the risks involved and highlights the physical toll the sport takes, even as he commends John for his determination.

J.D. ([03:05]):
“Yes, right, I do sound like a bitch.”

He also draws parallels between John’s racing determination and his own passion for gliding, sparking a conversation about what drives each individual to pursue their respective thrills.

B. DJ Prek’s Insights ([01:34] - [03:33]) Guest DJ Prek adds depth to the discussion by reminiscing about John’s early days with dirt biking and the significance of his return to motocross. He underscores the emotional and psychological aspects of John’s journey, emphasizing the contagious nature of his perseverance.

DJ Prek ([01:50]):
“What makes him and the crew risk it for the biscuit, baby. Check it out.”

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3. Themes of Resilience and Passion

Throughout the episode, the overarching theme revolves around resilience—the ability to bounce back from severe setbacks—and the unwavering passion that fuels individuals to pursue what makes them feel alive. John’s story serves as a powerful testament to overcoming physical limitations and finding purpose through giving back.

John Clay Wolfe ([08:47]):
“Everybody’s got their thing that makes them feel alive again. This makes me feel alive again.”

The hosts encourage listeners to reflect on their own passions and the excuses that hold them back from pursuing what truly invigorates them.

John Clay Wolfe ([09:16]):
“Boy, that's a bad excuse. Listen to those excuses.”

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4. Community and Support

John emphasizes the importance of community support in his recovery and racing endeavors. By providing handicap cars to those in need, he fosters a sense of solidarity and purpose, stitching people together through shared experiences and mutual support.

John Clay Wolfe ([02:18]):
“…jobs bring pride, purpose. They stitch people together.”

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Conclusion "Danger Calls" is a compelling episode that not only chronicles John Clay Wolfe's fearless return to motocross but also delves into the emotional and psychological resilience required to overcome life-altering challenges. Through engaging dialogue, personal anecdotes, and motivational insights, listeners are inspired to confront their own obstacles and pursue their passions with unwavering determination.

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Notable Quotes:

• John Clay Wolfe ([02:50]):
  “You were never supposed to walk again. I mean, then you do and you ride motorcycles again, by the way.”

• J.D. ([08:11]):
  “That's freaking amazing.”

• John Clay Wolfe ([09:16]):
  “Boy, that's a bad excuse. Listen to those excuses.”

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Connect with the Show: Stay updated with "The John Clay Wolfe Show" by visiting JohnClayWolf.com. Follow the show on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to join the Wolf Pack community and access a full library of past episodes available on PodBean.

Transcript

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[John Clay Wolf Show Host]

The John Clay Wolf show has appeared on terrestrial radio for a really, really, really long time time. So we dug into our pockets and on the other side of our we found something funny. And yes, it's contagious. Gather round as the wolf pack goes on this throwback adventure.

[DJ Prek]

What it do, Wolf Pack? It's your boy DJ Prek with the John Clay Wolf show chilling in the archives. And today I got a clip when John was just getting back into that dirt bike riding. And if you know his history, it's a big deal, man. And hey, since he's only had two broken collarbones so far since he got back on that bike, I think he's doing pretty good. So let's see what makes him and the crew risk it for the biscuit, baby. Check it out.

[John Clay Wolf]

I did that damn race last weekend, right? The motocross, I mean, the cross country motorcycle race. I'm a sore bastard, by the way. It is about 90 minutes. And you know, for people that don't know, I was injured badly on a motorcycle years ago, 18 years ago. I never, ever, ever thought. I mean, I had a spinal cord injury, paralyzed from the waist down. Very, very fortunate comeback recovery story. And that's why I give handicap cars away to people, because that's kind of my thing because I was supposed to be in one of those. So I feel obligated or not obligated, but something I want to do is, you Never give me when. Give me the vin Buys handicap bands. A lot of times we'll give them away to people in need to walk again.

[J.D.]

You were never supposed to walk again. I mean, then you do and you ride motorcycles again, by the way. Can I just take a side note? When you first started this motorcycle thing, you said you wouldn't motocross. You'd just be out riding in the dirt. Now you're motocrossing again.

[John Clay Wolf]

No, J.D. you sound like.

[J.D.]

Yes, right, I do sound like a bitch.

[John Clay Wolf]

Because I am a bitch, okay? There's a difference between motocross and cross country enduro. And this is enduro. This is an endurance test. Motocross is where you fly through the air and do doubles and triples and big tables and lay it over and whip it. That's where I got hurt, okay? I do not do that anymore. This is a trail ride.

[J.D.]

Did you fall down?

[John Clay Wolf]

Yeah, I'm gonna fall down again and I'm gonna get hurt again. I'm gonna break my arm before this is over. And I'm happy to do that. No, no, it's okay. It's part of it. It's like snow skiing. I mean, are you gonna blow me out? You damn sure are. I mean, I'm 50 years old. It's something I like. It's something I can do physically, right? And I'm not. When I'm doing that very ironically. The thing that got me screwed up and paralyzed is the thing that makes me feel whole again, because it's a. It's a sport that I can do that I'm really not paralyzed with because I have a left hand brake for the rear brake. And we built a special shifter so I can shift right correctly. And, you know, I. I've been riding this trail thing out in. I built this trail out at my ranch, 10 mile loop. And I've been riding it, riding it, riding it with these guys, like, you got to come race again. You got to come race again. I'm like, I'm never going to do it again. I'm never going to do it again. Like, you've got to. They talked me into it. I wanted to. I did it last. Last Sunday. And the gate drops. Here we go. Man. I was having flashbacks, by the way. I was. I was freaking out, like, before I almost quit. I was like, I'm not gonna do this. I'm not gonna do this. Anyway. Gate drops. So I ended my motocross career with a helicopter ride to the hospital in years in a wheelchair. And I started my Cross country back, career back. Eight seconds in, I'm down on the ground in a pile up wreck. I'm like, wow, this is cool. Some. A hole comes in from the side, cuts me off. I lock it up trying to miss him on the first turn and I lay it down. Everybody goes by, get up, everybody's gone. I'm like, okay, I've got a lot of catching up to do. So I'm on it hard. Three turns in, I lay it down again because the track was real slick and I'm laying on the ground, I'm like, okay, so we're not going to win today. My glamorous comeback will not be. I won out of the. I'm not in. Dead last. I'm like two minutes, three minutes behind. Dead last. Jesus.

[J.D.]

Okay. Blows into that, I guess.

[John Clay Wolf]

No, it was not. So I get up and I'm like, now I just need to try to finish. So I get going and I. Stella got her groove on. I had an opportunity to pass some people in the woods in a bulk and I ended up third place.

[John Clay Wolf Show Host]

That's really good.

[J.D.]

Can I also add that your bike was stuck in third gear and it.

[John Clay Wolf]

Was, it was the last lap. The laps are like eight miles. The last lap. My bike got stuck in eight gear, man. I was talking to myself, J.D. and I was wore out on my body because you can't practice for racing. You just don't push that hard. And that last lap when it got stuck in third gear and I was so tired, I was like, this is. I can quit now. Glamorously. I can like say I can't finish because my. I had equipment failure.

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[American Giant Advertiser]

This country was built on a distinctly American work ethic. But today work is in trouble. We've outsourced most of our manufacturing to other countries and with that, we sent away good jobs and diminished our capability to make things. American Giant is a clothing company that's pushing back against this tide. They make a variety of high quality clothing and activewear like sweatshirts, jeans, dresses, jackets, and so much more, all made right here in the USA from growing the cotton and adding the final touches. So when you buy American Giant, you create jobs for seams, roosters, cutters, and factory workers in towns and cities across the United States. And it's about more than an income. Jobs bring pride, purpose. They stitch people together. If all that sounds good to you, visit american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order. When you use code STAPLE20 at checkout, that's 20% off your first order at american-giant.com with promo code STAPLE20.

[John Clay Wolf]

And I was really wanting to quit, but. God, I was wanting to quit. I mean, I was, like, really getting my story together on how I'm going to quit and how I'll come back and do it in two weeks and try again. But for some reason, I just kept going and kept going. I was like, okay, I got this third game, third gear thing figured out. I can finish this race in third gear. And I did, and it worked. But third place, that's amazing, dude.

[J.D.]

That's freaking amazing.

[Podbean Announcer]

It's fun.

[John Clay Wolf]

It was fun. I mean, it was the over 45amateur class, but I was looking at the lap times on that, and, hell, the top three guys on that were faster than the over 30amateur class. Yeah, but I'm not going to go up and race intermediate and push it that hard. I don't want to. I'm not going to go back to where I was and race with experts. I'm just not going to do it because they just go too hard. And I can run with those guys for a minute, but it's just I'm not in a physical shape to do that.

[J.D.]

How long does this race take from start to finish?

[John Clay Wolf]

About 90 minutes.

[John Clay Wolf Show Host]

Yeah, beat down.

[J.D.]

I don't even want to be in a car for 90 minutes.

[John Clay Wolf]

It's fun, though. God. I mean, it makes you feel alive again.

[J.D.]

I get it.

[John Clay Wolf]

Everybody's got their thing that makes them feel alive again. This makes me feel alive again. JD what's your thing that makes you feeling.

[J.D.]

Gliders? Yeah. Love it.

[John Clay Wolf]

Okay. When's the last time you did that?

[J.D.]

Two years.

[John Clay Wolf]

What's that cost?

[J.D.]

About a hundred bucks for an hour. It takes you up. That's the tow and everything?

[John Clay Wolf]

That's it. A hundred dollars at the airplane, that makes you feel alive? Why don't you do that a few times?

[J.D.]

Because it just takes time and it's fine. Sunday's my only day off, and him and I do stuff.

[John Clay Wolf]

Boy, that's a bad excuse. Listen to those excuses.

[J.D.]

I know, right?

[John Clay Wolf]

Damn, that's weak. You need to go work on your story, dude.

[J.D.]

I know. Here's John. I came from behind and I was.

[John Clay Wolf]

You know.

[J.D.]

And I finished third of my motocross. Hey, J.D. well, I'm tired on Sunday. I'm just laying. I'm on the couch, man.

[John Clay Wolf]

I think your wife would be more than happy.

[J.D.]

Oh, she'd love it. She loved it.

[John Clay Wolf]

To let you go glide for a few hours. Gigi, what makes you feel alive again? You know, a lot of things. I like swimming. So you've always said that. Yeah, I like swimming.

[DJ Prek]

Being in the water makes me alive.

[John Clay Wolf]

It's almost your time of year, Turley. What is your thing that makes you feel alive again? Makes. If young is the right word. Makes you feel. Puts you back in that place.

[Podbean User]

I want to run another marathon. Yeah, that was that when. When I did that. And it kind of what your story was talking about. That finish I had, I was the same thing. It's like, okay, I'm dying here. My foot. I had like a cracked foot on my top of my foot. And I was just like, I gotta finish. I gotta finish. You're talking yourself into it because you're like, okay, if I. If I don't finish, I gotta have a good story here.

[John Clay Wolf]

Right?

[Podbean Announcer]

You're.

[Podbean User]

It's a long, long distance. So, yeah, you don't want to get.

[John Clay Wolf]

Your balls busted because you made a big deal out.

[Podbean User]

You work so hard to get there. And it's because it's. And I'd love to do that again. I just haven't had the time. And I know that's a bad excuse, but. Yeah.

[DJ Prek]

All right, y'all know what to do. Hit us up on John Claywolf.com youm can check out old episodes on there. You know, stay up to date with what we got going on. Get cool gear. We got hats, shirts, all that hit us up on Facebook, you know, Search John Clay Wolf show. We're on Instagram, John's on Twitter. You know, you can holler at all of us. Okay. You know how to spell it. Okay. We appreciate y'all listening. Keep on rocking with us.

[American Giant Advertiser]

These days, work is in trouble. We've outsourced most of our manufacturing to other countries. And with that, we sent away good jobs and our capability to make things American. Giant is a clothing company that's pushing back against this tide. They make all kinds of high quality clothing and activewear like sweatshirts, jeans, dresses, jackets, and so much more right here in the usa. So when you buy American Giant, you create jobs in towns and cities across the country and jobs bring pride, purpose. They stitch people together. If all that sounds good to you, visit AmericanGiant.com and get 20% off your first order. When you use code STAPLE20 at checkout. That's 20% off your first order at AmericanGiant.com with promo code STAPLE20.