Meet the Team
Thomas Prendergast (co-owner of FRR) started off-roading in 1998 with a stock 1994 4Runner and after spending several years going slow in the rocks, he made the decision to step up and build a 4400 car. When he’s not off-roading, Tom focuses his time on his family and his fabrication business. He also has been apart of several other race teams in the Dirt Riot and Ultra 4 Series, learning a lot along the way.
Using his fabrication skillset and over 20 years of experience working on offroad vehicles, Tom began to build the 4400 vehicle Te Ka in 2019 preparing for her first appearance at KOH in 2020. Te Ka earned her name from Tom’s daughter as the car is a force to be reckoned with. Every aspect of building the 4400 car Te Ka has been pushed by sheer determination and a love for this sport. Tom has since turned over the reigns of TeKa to Joe Gatlin while he sits behind the wheel of Tiffany, the newest car to our fleet.
Tom introduce Tiffany at 2023 KOH and has been racing her for the last 2 years. While there have been bumps along the road, Tom and the team are excited for what 2025 brings.
Tom Prendergast
Owner & Racer
Rosalie Prendergast
Owner & Racer
Rosalie Prendergast (co-owner of FRR) is a Behavior Analyst who supports individuals with complex diagnoses and histories utilizing The Happy Medium Approach. She hopes to support the dissemination of the practice of Psychological Flexibility at the racetrack!
She began her journey into the off-road world in 2016 with a 1962 Scout Rock Crawler featured on the cover of Peterson Off-Road Magazine. Tom dedicated a significant amount of time and effort to building the car to fit her 5’2” size. After spending time at the races, building a race family, and watching the Class 11 race at KOH 2021, she was dying to have a Class 11. Tom surprised Rosalie with a trip to Johnson Valley California for their 10th wedding anniversary to pick up YOLO, a 1969 Class 11 built by Mauro Diaz. Starting with "medium fun", an inside joke stemming from a radio conversation during the race at KOH’22, Rosalie is excited to continue her Class 11 career with YOLO!
Joe Gatlin
Racer - TekA
Starting with KOH 2023, Joe Gatlin took over driving TeKa, our first 4400 car, ensuring to keep her in the FRR family. Since taking over TeKa Joe has crossed the finish line at King of the Hammers and Vegas to Reno in 2024.
Joe Gatlin brings over 30 years in the automotive industry including performance vehicle testing, design and fabrication of auto accessories and suspension, and even more years of desert and drag racing.
Outside of racing, Joe enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with his family. Most evenings and weekends are spent in his fab shop.
Grant Nuttall
Co-Driver & Crew
Grant Nuttall is the co-driver for Tom and a part of the crew, always willing to get his hands dirty. He has been 4-wheeling Colorado’s trails since 1997.
It all stated at a young age in the early 90s with ATVs in Texas and Oklahoma on the family farms. Not long after moving to Colorado he purchased a Jeep Wrangler and modified it to handle the Rocky Mountains. Tom and Grant met in high school and bonded over a love for off-roading. Over the years, he has wheeled the hardest trails across Utah and Colorado putting his cars to the test.
When Tom asked him to be his co-driver he didnt hesitate to say yes! Outside of racing, Grant shoots competitively in 2 Gun and shotgun trap matches and enjoys anything outdoors with family and friends.
Seth Montero
Crew Chief
Seth has spent his entire career in the automotive industry, and a large portion of that with emphasis on aftermarket and performance. He loves solving problems, and finding new ways to innovate and push boundaries. Seth first got involved in Ultra4 through some mutual friends who invited me to King of the Hammers to be a part of the pit crew, and instantly fell in love with it. The Ultra4 community and attention to detail that is required to succeed is what continues to keep Seth coming back for more.
As part of the Fire River Racing Team, Seth has been integral in helping to get all vehicles race ready and to the tracks, ensuring that each team member knows their role for each race and helps to ensure to keep racers on course for each race.
Joe Kennedy
Crew & Marketing
Joe Kennedy also known as (Joe Al) started his love of off-roading in the mountains of Tucson Arizona with a 1988 Jeep Cherokee. This Jeep was where his passion for off-roading began in 2007. After a short time, he realized he had outgrown the Cherokee and was ready to start the next chapter. Joe bought and built a 4 door Wrangler with 1-ton axles and 40-inch tires. This Jeep was where he learned about fabrication and his wife, and 3 daughters learned to love the off-road world.
While working at an off-road company a friend asked him to co-drive the 4500 class in the 2019 King of the Hammers. The following year Joe was introduced to the Fire River family. Joe has now joined the team at multiple Hammers events, Sturgis and has co-driven at Crandon the last 2 years. While he is not under the hood or in the co-driver seat, Joe Al is helping develop social media content and marketing material for the team.
Dan Krob
Crew
Dan Krob began his obsession with all things off road in the late 90’s with a ‘77 CJ-7. Dan and Tom met in high school when their love for offroading and rebuilding led to many light nights in a garage. Since then there have been a multitude of Jeeps, Toyotas, atvs, dirt bikes, and tube chassis that have continued to fuel his passion. Dan worked at various off road shops and manufacturers throughout college and although he is no longer employed in the industry, he can be found at races or in the shop turning wrenches in his free time.