Top Truck Challenge and compatitions like it getting out of hand?

Wow, just watched the newest Top Truck video... What average wheeler has 24+ inches of lift and, what has become the norm for the video, 64 inch tires? What will next year hold? 96" tall 40" wide(yea, that's a real size) tractor tires on something that resembles a dump truck like buggy?! What happened to the way the challenge started? Is it now a compatition for the rich? What this world needs is some more grass roots compatitions and bring things back to a realistic 44" or less, non tube buggy, bare knuckle brawl of a wheeling event! something that the average blue collar guy could actually strive to enter and not blow away all his savings doing it! we need some real world wheeling, not something like the top truck challenge. in all reality it is more like a trucks gone wild video than a compatition. if you don't believe me watch a trucks gone wild video, then a top truck vedeo, you'll never know the difference.  

i think top truck should be full blown how it is, however they use to have a competition called Real Truck Challenge where they had 2 classes, one for 33" and under tires the other for 35" to fourtys i think. i really hope they bring it back, like scruffy said, the adverage guy could afford to enter  
"WHEN IN DOUBT TACH IT OUT!"

You mean something like this?... RCRocs (web site still being updated, but, you'll get the jist)  
2nd gear, and punch it!!

does that RCRocs compatition ever visit the northwest? would really like to enter some of their events! looks like some good, down home wheeling! how long have they had this compatition?  

Nope, you wold have to travel to PA for this one... For you, you would want to look into WEROC. This would be the 3rd year for RCRocs, 2nd year with a full 3 event season.(if memory serves correctly)  
2nd gear, and punch it!!

Ya know, I have thought for a long time that there should be a competition like the old school 80's tough trucks again. It was more for guys like me who can almost afford to keep it running. You just come out in whatever you got. there are several classes and they group you acordinigly. If you have a rig with 50 or 80 grand in it you run with the "supers" class If you have a stock rig you run with the "stock" class and so on. There where prizes and trophies but it was mostly so you could go out and have a good time. After all thats what its really all about, even for the guys with lots of cash.
By the way, I do have a cousin, Kevin Engleking , who is in the top 50 for top truck challenge this year. cool huh?
I cant dog the top truck challenge but I would like to see some more regular joe wheelin' out there.  
It's not a money pit, it's a PROJECT!

Yeah, in some ways I agree. But if you showed up to TTC with a solid basic rig on 44s that you knew how to drive you could very easily win TTC. The most extreme rig doesn't always win. I've seen so called sure things fail miserably in the Tank Trap and other events. It's more about being a good calm driver in all environments.

Usually the rig that should win a particular event on paper, doesn't.  

At least now they seperated the competition into two different categories. One for full bodies rigs and the other for the all out buggy creations. That should hopefully level the playing field some. Make it more of a driver's competition. As cool and capable as rigs like the Sheeley's FC are, they're just outgunned by most of the buggies like that orange tj, or the warthog from a couple years back. Or the buggy that won last year. I do wish Real Truck Challenge was brought back though. Those rigs were so evenly matched overall that it was just as exciting in my opinion. Even though the obstacles weren't near as crazy.  

I like the idea of crazy terrain with full-bodied rigs. I donno. Not a big deal to thrash a tube buggy. Maybe it's that I like to see vintage iron get crunched. Or stock-like (body) rigs hitting hard stuff.  

I think we all like a little trail carnage, that's why we do what we do. It's allways more fun when it's somebody else who has to fix it though. I don't see much difference between TTC vehicles, and the feature rigs that you see in this magazine.  Believe it or not, there are people out there who can afford to own and wheel something that costs 80-100K. I just don't happen to be one of them. You can find your average beater on any trail in the country, and find a host of real truck challenge at your local county fair. You can take your truck to Hollister and wheel it just don't expect to get national recognition for it. It's called top truck for a reason not average joe's junk.  

Yeah, but I think the point is that its kinda going the way of NASCAR. It started as a bunch of shine runners just havinig fun. Then any good ol' boy with a fast car could race. Now you have to have millions of dollars, a pit crew, sponsers , and a crappy attitude to even think about it. And it's not just ttc we are talking about its most of the same type things. I am NOT saying we should get rid of any of them, I just think scruffy is making a good observation.

I really think having seprate classes would be great. I wanna see the big expensive rigs go play, they are awsome to watch. But I personaly DO wanna see avarage joe wheeling for some serious cash. I mean, what is more interesting. a bunch of  guys that already has 50 grand out to get another 50 grand, or the guys with 20 bucks out for 50 grand. Both are gonna put on a good show! why now let us see it all?


1  
It's not a money pit, it's a PROJECT!

for 50 grand you would see me break whatever i had to, to get the win. it would be no holds bar!!  
"WHEN IN DOUBT TACH IT OUT!"

I haven't been in a long time, but around here at the oval dirt tracks they race all kinds of stuff. they have a latemodel class, a street stock class a bomber class, and a 4 bannger class. I think It would be awsome for an offroad comp to do basicly the same thing. of course ttc should stay as it is cause as m.hern said, it is called top truck challenge for a reason,

Anyway, YEAH!!! 50 grand and its comin' out in pieces if its gotta!!  
It's not a money pit, it's a PROJECT!

I agree with redsand and sanford, for 50,000 I'd destroy my jeep to win. could build five CJ's just like mine for that kind of money! And I'd go into the challenge knowing everyone else there would be pushing their rigs just as hard! would even be a blast just to watch it!


also, top truck challange should consider calling it top buggy challenge...