Douglas Mud Races,
July 31, 1999
Well, we had to go for at least one official race this year.  This one was held just northwest of Rochester, in a small town called Douglas.  The runs were held behind the local bar in a 135' mud pit.

The field was separated into 5 classes:  
A - Showroom Stock
B - Street Stock - 33's & smaller
C - Modified - 38's & smaller
D - Pro Modified - All else
E - Powderpuff - Women's class.


There were only 4 entrants in the Class A group.  Despite the shallow mud at the beginning of the pit, they didn't do too well.

By virtue of being last, and having the most mass, the Suburban took the honors, but only by a couple of feet.







The Class B trucks for the most part were even.  Most of them got stuck as the pit depth dropped off to between 1 & 2 feet.  The drop was fairly quick, and being later in the heat was a definite advantage, as the previous trucks had plowed a bit of a path.

Most of these trucks had tires that didn't dig too much, so they tended not to dig big holes once they got stuck. 


Most of Class C were trucks that were also running in another class as well.  Some multiple times with different drivers.  These trucks made it only about the same distance as those in Class B.
Highlander was the first Class D truck to hit the pit.  Jason had the first shot in the truck, and was the first truck to run the pit.  This series shows his run.

This series shows what NOT to do.  The truck had a massaged big block that made enough horsepower to launch it to the best time through the pit, but when he was showing off at the end of the pit (he claimed his throttle stuck), his tires caught, and roll bar testing began.  Luckily for him, he had one.

As you can see, he broke the beads on three of his 44" Boggers.


I was the 8th driver to hit the pit in Class D, but didn't have as much success as Jason.  My downfall was hitting 2nd gear.  I made better time to the deep goo, but the tranny didn't cooperate when I tried to drop back to 1st.  The result was a lugging motor through the deep stuff, and I lost enough momentum that I couldn't make it up the edge at the end of the pit.  Officially, since the front made it up, I was on time, not distance; but, it's still not the same.  Though at least I wasn't the only one.
The last shot demonstrates how important it is to know where your rust is.  This Jeep's bumper was no match for the mud, and wound up in the back seat for the ride home.

Photo Album Highlander Links Guest book
Photo Album Highlander Links Our Trucks Guest book Suppliers Reference The S__t List
               
Link Exchange Member LinkExchange