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.
Frequently asked questions
BFGoodrich answers your most asked questions.
FAQ
It grew out of military vehicle development during and after the Second World War, when purpose-built four-wheel drive vehicles proved what was possible off pavement. Surplus vehicles entering civilian hands after the war created the first generation of recreational off-roaders, and the aftermarket and competition scene grew from there.
An annual competition held from 1980 to 2000, best known for using Land Rover vehicles across some of the world's most challenging terrain. It combined expedition driving, navigation, and recovery under extreme conditions, and it did more than almost any other event to establish the culture and technique of expedition-style off-roading.
SCORE, originally Southern California Off Road Enthusiasts, is an off-road racing sanctioning body in desert racing, famous for the Baja 1000, Baja 500, and San Felipe 250. These races are among the most demanding proving grounds in motorsport, and tire technology developed and validated there directly influences consumer off-road tires.
Desert racing exposes tires to sustained high speed over rock and washboard, extreme heat, and repeated impacts that would destroy a standard tire in minutes. Surviving that requires sidewall construction, compound heat resistance, and casing durability far beyond street requirements. Those developments carry into consumer all-terrain and mud-terrain products.
Bias tires were tough but incredibly stiff, prone to tire slip, and designed to bulldoze through terrain rather than grip it. Radial construction separates the flexible sidewall from the stable tread, letting the tire conform to the surface and generate real traction. That difference in how the tire grips changed off-road capability fundamentally.
Related articles
Off-Road Safety Tips and Trail Prep Guide
Tire Selection
Know your vehicle
Tackling tough terrain
Recovery techniques
Off-Road Glossary