The Original Off-Roader
Whoever said “those who can’t do, teach” never met Mark A. Smith.
A pioneer, a trailblazer, and an all-around legend, Mark was known as the father of modern four-wheeling, and he earned that title. As the founder of Jeep Jamboree, Mark helped turn recreational off-roading from a fringe passion into a full-blown movement. His work transformed the Rubicon Trail into one of the most iconic off-road routes in the world.
But Mark didn’t just make history in the U.S. He went farther. A lot farther.
In one of the boldest off-road expeditions ever attempted, Mark led the Expedicion de las Americas, a 20,000-mile journey from Tierra del Fuego in South America to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The route included the Darien Gap, a brutal jungle stretch that took the military 100 days to cross. Mark’s team did it in 30.
He wasn’t done. In 1987, Mark helped prepare competitors for the Camel Trophy, a grueling overland challenge across Madagascar that marked the island’s first-ever full north-to-south crossing.
Mark didn’t just chase adventure. He shared it. He spent his life teaching safe, smart off-road techniques, many of which still shape how we drive today. He passed in 2014, but his legacy continues to guide drivers everywhere.
On behalf of BFGoodrich Tires and the entire off-road community, we dedicate this guide to Mark A. Smith, a man who redefined what it means to lead the way off-road.
Our BFGoodrich Story
There was a time when off-roading wasn’t something most people could just go out and do. Sure, the vehicles were capable, and the suspension systems kept evolving, but it was the tires that held everything back.
Until the late 1970s, the recreational light truck world ran almost exclusively on bias-ply tires. If you’ve never driven on one, imagine an old tractor tire: stiff, unforgiving, and built more for brute force than finesse. They didn’t absorb shock, they didn’t grip well, and they made every off-road trip feel like a full-body workout.
The industry was stuck, literally and figuratively. Most off-roaders just accepted the punishment as part of the ride. But at BFGoodrich, we weren’t having it.
Our engineers pushed for something different. A radial tire that could take a beating off-road and still feel smooth on the pavement. It was a bold idea. Most didn’t think it would work.
So we proved it.
We entered our radial all-terrain tires in the Baja 1000, the toughest off-road endurance race in North America. People expected us to fail. Instead, we won. That moment didn’t just change our story, it changed the entire off-road category.
To this day, we test many of our tire prototypes at Baja. It’s where our legacy was built. And if you take a close look at our all-terrain and mud-terrain tires, you’ll see sidewall markings that honor those race-proven roots.
If it's built to win Baja, it’s built for whatever trail you’re heading toward next.
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