1 of 10
Jeff Allen
2 of 10
Jeff Allen
3 of 10
Jeff Allen
4 of 10
Jeff Allen
5 of 10
Jeff Allen
6 of 10
Jeff Allen
7 of 10
Jeff Allen
8 of 10
Jeff Allen
9 of 10
10 of 10
Story by Stuart Wightman, Photos by Jeff Allen – Fat Kid Photography
In anticipation, you prepare well in advance for the biggest race of the year: Chilliwack Heritage Park, Aug 17 and 18. And, then before you know it – it’s staring you in right in the face. Then, just like that – it’s over. Once all the “smoke has cleared” you look back, and all you can say is, ‘Wow – what a race’! Considering the pre-race stress that’s been building up for the past several weeks – the North West Mud Racing Association (NWMRA), along with its many supporters, sponsors and volunteers – breathes a collective sigh of relief. For the moment at least, the stress is gone. You forget about all the pre-race red tape and organizational details. You forget about all the phone calls and sleepless nights. You even forget about the one where they put a Moto-Cross track in the Heritage Park infield – right where our racers camp (at this point, you could say “where the racers used to camp”). Fortunately, this too was resolved and in the end the race went off without a hitch. Everyone knows it couldn’t have happened without the countless hours of tireless help from all our volunteers and the constant and generous support from our many sponsors.
And what a race it was. The 2013 instalment of the NWMRA Chilliwack Heritage Park Mud Race shaped up to be one of the best ever. There were over 80 racers, from bone stock street trucks, to high horse-power rails – and everything in between. There were tons of avid spectators, perfect mid-August weather and the Insane FMX Big Air Motorcycle Jump Team. The insane FMX guys opened the show, and – as usual, they did not disappoint. Along with their regular repertoire of massive air and sick tricks, they’ve upped the ante with a ton of killer back flips. Those guys were awesome and the crowd went crazy.
Once the Insane FMX guys finished getting the spectators warmed up, we cranked up the heat with some wild Mud Racing action, starting with the Paddle class. These are the “big boys” of Mud Racing. Full custom chromoly tube chassis, super light weight everything and blown alcohol guzzling engines capable of producing upwards of 3000 horse power. These are some of the fastest cars in the country, they’re all BC boys, and the NWMRA is proud to have them as members. Proud indeed. As a matter of fact, one of our guys – Brad Astbury in Dirty Thirties machine – still laid claim to the 200 ft. Canadian national record at the start of race time. However, rumour had it that the record would fall, and fall hard this weekend – more on that later. These guys let it all hang out on the 200 ft. “Pro Pit”. Riding the wheelie-bar the whole way and cutting mind-numbing passes in the 2.2 second range. But the record still stood – for now.
Next up were the competition classes. Full competition machines running modified (cut) DOT tires. Different tire sizes or types denote different classes. No blown alcohol permitted here, but un-limited cubic inches and power adders such as nitrous-oxide are allowed (actually, more like “encouraged”). These guys run in traditional 200 ft side by side mud pits and beat the living crap out of their machines. This is the old school bucking and bouncing, heavy air time, mud-slinging action that our fans grew up on. Most of these guys are spraying heavy nitrous on jacked up big blocks and they run them till they won’t run anymore. Pass after pass of hard-core side by side Mud Racing action.
Then it was time to return to the “Pro-Pit” for our Pro-Cut class. More blown alcohol machines, but running cut DOT tires as opposed to paddle tires. The NWMRA runs a season long points series in all classes, with the Pro-Cut perhaps being one of the most competitive classes of all. The distance between first and fourth is barely measurable, and these boys like to let the trash talk flow. It flows like anti-freeze from a split rad hose. It flows like water from a busted culvert. It flows like – well you get the idea, it flows…. And it’s a beautiful thing. Like all mud racers, these guys are fierce competitors. Off the track they’re like brothers, but on the track, they don’t give an inch!
Finally we finished off back in the mud with our Modified “A” and “Street Stock” classes. A lot of our fans really identify with these classes. Maybe back in the day, buddy had a hopped up 4X4 like that “A” classer. Or maybe he’s got the exact same stocker out in the parking lot. Either way, this is where it all begins. This is the Street class where little Johnny can borrow his Mom’s Rav-4 to “go to the library” and end up entering it in the Mud Races. Trust me – it’s happened. It’s happened more than all the Moms and Dads out there realize, and I hope it never stops happening. Some of these guys aren’t as fast as a lot of the other competition vehicles, but they take it just as seriously and work just as hard. They burn and churn and fight for every foot of real estate. Smoking transmissions and overheating radiators were the norm.
With all the racing done, it was time for our famous half-time autograph session. Racers bring their machines to the common staging area we give out free NWMRA full size colour posters and encourage spectators and fans of all ages to come and mingle with the drivers. We have always had a very “hands-on” approach with our fan base and this is a chance for us to meet new fans and future racers alike. The drivers happily autograph posters and answer questions. Kids get their photos taken inside the cockpit of these machines and rub elbows with the drivers. Free posters? Photo’s inside an actual race car? The crown went crazy…
And then it was Sunday. The racing format was the same as Saturday, but there was still this little matter of “the record”. A group of expert “dirt-ologists” (paddle class racers) gathered at the Pro-Pit starting line and strategized a way to re-work the launch pad for more traction. More traction, equals potentially more speed, and more speed is what is required for a shot at – you guessed it – “the record”. So what’s with all this record talk? Allow me to explain…. Being virtually at sea-level, Chilliwack is the lowest altitude venue on the NWMRA circuit (actually it’s probably one of the lowest altitude venues in the country). The Chilliwack race has regularly produced track and club records, and several of our members have run their personal bests here. Why? Well, in a scientific sense, the lower altitude results in heavier or denser air. This denser air contains more oxygen molecules and – as any racer/gear-head will tell ya - “more air equals more power” (potentially that is).
Two more rounds of the Insane FMX guys. Two more rounds of action packed racing. And two more cracks at “the record”. Well there aren’t enough pages in this magazine to describe all the days’ action – so I’ll get right to the point. When the dust had finally settled, there it was – a new (unofficial*) 200 ft Canadian national record. Actually the record was broken in the first round, and re-broken in the second round. I guess all the “dirt-ologists” starting line pre-work paid off. Although both of Brad Astbury’s Sunday passes (2.142 and 2.148) eclipsed his old record of 2.165 – at the end of the day, it was Steve Strell in Overdraft with the new record and the new number to beat: a 2.104. Sick. Fast. Unreal. And the crowd went crazy…
Stuart Wightman is Vice President NWMRA
To see the balance of the race results, or to learn more about the North West Mud Racing Association, go to: www.nwmra.com
*The record is referred to as unofficial at this point as there is a detailed verification process to be undertaken. The NWMRA uses a high dollar, state of the art, race recognized, wireless timing system – complete with 60 ft / 180 ft / 200 ft elapsed times, portable LED display boards, etc. The NWMRA has been a recognized sanctioning body for nearly 35 years, and have promoted hundreds of races during that time. The verification of said record is simply a formality.