Drivers, mechanics, their loved ones and their dogs gathered at Nitro Motorsports Park in Prince George last weekend (Sept 15-16) to celebrate wet earth and monster machines at the second annual Mud, Sweat and Gears Mud Bogs event.
A primarily North American phenomenon, mud bogging involves 4x4 vehicles attempting to travel as far as possible through a 70-metre pit of churned clay and mud. If several vehicles make it through the mire, the ones who do it fastest are rewarded.
The event had two pits lined side-by-side. One where vehicles with A, B and C Class tires competed and a deeper, muckier pit for vehicles with D and E Class tires.
Fogi Dhansaw, the president of Nitro Motorsports Park, said the event was a success.
“It’s a good turnout,” he yelled over the sounds of a colossal pick-up truck revving its engines nearby. “We expected less because of the weather, but it turned out to be the same as last year.”
The 40-plus contestants didn’t seem to be letting the chilly, damp weather bother them in the slightest. If anything, mud boggers like for the conditions to be as nasty as possible.
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Tony Wiebe, the vice president of the park, said people travelled from Houston, Vanderhoof and Quesnel to take part in the filthy event.
“I think it’s the hillbilly action,” he said, when asked what draws people to the unusual sport. “It’s horse power, it’s mud, it’s breaking stuff; people seem to love it!”
Breaking stuff is right. It seemed a fair number of the trucks attempting to force their way through the soupy course were doing damage to themselves.
“There were a couple guys that lost their ball joints, and tires fold right over when you do that,” said Jeremy Johnson, who travelled up from Quesnel with his 1987 Chevy K10. “I blew an axle U-joint and there were a couple guys that blew some driveline parts, axles and drive shafts.”
Johnson added that it can get significantly worse at some events.
“There’s generally a lot more carnage than there was this weekend, for some odd reason.”
While Johnson didn’t get the result he wanted, finishing sixth in the C Class (36 to 39.5 inch tires), his group from Quesnel did well, with Justin Price finishing second in D Class (40 to 44 inch tires) and Kevin Shaw finishing third in C Class.
One of the more entertaining aspects of the event was seeing the trucks that weren’t able to traverse the length of the pit being taken out.
A large excavator on tracks rolled over to where the unfortunate driver had marooned themselves and a volunteer, covered from sole to scalp in thick mud, dove into the pit to hook a chain onto the stuck 4x4.
This individual is referred to as the hooker. Prior to the event starting, a bucket was passed around with donations for the individual, who can make upwards of $600 for their efforts.
While the events are highly competitive, an overall sense of community exists between the attendees.
“We all get together and if somebody breaks something, we’re over there helping, even if it means they’re going to get better times than us,” said Johnson.
”Same goes for when we go into the bush. We bring spare parts and chains and straps for everybody and if somebody breaks something we try and fix it and get everybody out of the woods.”
sports@quesnelobserver.com
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