| Imagine it: the sleek, shiny bodies, all in peak | | | | vehicles all the way up to non-street-legal paddle and |
| condition, battling it out in filthy, mud-slinging | | | | scoop tired madly-modified vehicles. |
| competition, emerging heated, covered in mud, and | | | | Bog tracks can range across a variety of types, |
| victorious even if they lost. No, these muck-covered | | | | from flat or progressive tracks to open bogs, even |
| beauties won't be on the cover of Sports Illustrated; | | | | hilly tracks with rises punctuated by mudholes along |
| they're more likely to be found on the pages of | | | | the way. Tracks are up to 300 feet in length, usually |
| Off-Roading, especially the ones with tractor-grade | | | | determined by the amount of space allowed by the |
| tires. | | | | arena rather than what promoters think the vehicle |
| Mud bogging is a sport that combines the thrill of | | | | can handle. It is common today to see mud bogging |
| racing, the love of top-performance vehicles, the fun | | | | competitions at the same events that feature |
| of off-road mudding, and the never-outgrown little | | | | monster trucks because the two types of vehicle |
| boy love of playing in the mud, getting as dirty as | | | | overlap; in fact, some of the best mud bogging |
| humanly possible. The sport began in the 1970s, | | | | racers first became known for driving monster |
| when off-road afficionados started racing their | | | | trucks. |
| vehicles through the most boggy, muddy, dirty areas | | | | The racing is serious, and is generally as simple as a |
| they could find - notably, the swamps of North | | | | set of matches pitting winners versus winners. But if |
| Carolina. Motorsports show organizers picked up on | | | | you go to watch mud bogging, you're almost |
| the trend and began including long mud-filled pits for | | | | certainly interested in the fun of the flying mud, not |
| racing in their shows, and as the sport grew in | | | | in who wins. Like in mud wrestling, both vehicles win, |
| popularity among racers and spectators alike, mud | | | | provided they come out thoroughly covered in mud. |
| bogging grew into its own organized competition. | | | | If you want to get into mud bogging for yourself, |
| In 1988, the National Mud Racing Association was | | | | the best route is by getting involved in mudding |
| organized in Dayton, Ohio, making this rebel sport a | | | | locally. Most country areas have a group of guys - |
| legitimate member of the auto sports racing family. | | | | and sometimes gals - who go mudding on a regular |
| Today, you can see mud bogging exhibitions and | | | | basis, seeking out the nastiest muddiest holes and |
| competitions throughout the country. | | | | driving ordinary four-wheel-drive vehicles through it. |
| Mud Bogging Rules | | | | Many of these groups are happy to teach you how |
| Vehicles that compete in professional mud bogging | | | | to get your car as dirty as possible, as fast as |
| are required to have four-wheel drive, and are | | | | possible, and they frequently hold meets or are |
| generally turbocharged, high-clearance, oversize-tire | | | | associated with mud bogging groups. |
| vehicles, often with nitrous injections and other nifty | | | | Honestly, though, if it sounds like fun, just go do it. |
| modifications. Picture a monster truck on steroids, | | | | Just make sure your cell phone has power before |
| and you pretty much have it. There are six classes | | | | you get started - just in case you find more bog |
| of mud bogging vehicles, from stock four-wheel-drive | | | | than mud. |