Each year, we bring you coverage of the 4x4 Truckin Nationals. We go through some spiel about monster trucks and chicks. What we don't necessarily get across is that this event is pretty cool. You won't find a ton of Jeeps there, so if you are one of those Wrangler-only people, don't bother going.
If you have an open mind, however, and like tech tips and trinkets wherever they might be, this could be a show for you. It takes place over one weekend at the Firebird International Speedway in Chandler, Arizona. The show is broken down into four main areas: the arena, the vendor's area, the test drive, and the drag strip.
In the arena you'll find tough-truck competitions and monster truck fun. The tough truck competitions are open to anyone, so bring your Jeep and run it through the course.This year, there was a track, a tire pit, a log pile, and a rockcrawling competition. Finish at the top in all of them and you'd win.
In the vendor's area, there's a Show-and-Shine competition in addition to the requisite vendors in attendance hawking their wares. One of the nice things about the vendors is that even if you have no interest whatsoever in what they are selling, you can chat up the models they have with them.The test-drive area has all kinds of makes and models of vehicles. Unfortunately, you aren't allowed to drive them. You are, however, welcomed along for as many rides as you want while a professional driver puts the vehicles through their paces. There is both a road course and an off-road course.
Out on the drag strip, running any vehicle was legal. While the track observed normal NHRA rules, there was everything from a '52 Kenworth tractor to an '04 Scion xB running the strip. Bring your Jeep and run it. With both the Kenworth and the Scion in the mid 19s, it's just about guaranteed that you'd beat someone with your Jeep.
All in all, it's a fun weekend. It's no Easter Jeep Safari, but if you are in the neighborhood you should definitely check it out.
These two girls like to play...
These two girls like to play dirty, and it was all we could do to stay focused long enough to get this picture. We did ask what exactly they liked playing dirty with, but all they did was laugh.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopia...
Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopia County, Arizona, sent a 5-ton rig and M109 to represent his war on drugs. He also sent a few cute female deputies, but cute or not, we sure weren't going to ask for their pictures. So here's a tank.
We thought it was cool when...
We thought it was cool when we found out about the new vehicle test drive. Then we were bummed to learn that it was really more of a test ride. There were professional drivers there to take you for a ride. Here is one of them pushing a Hemi Grand Cherokee to the "extreme."
Kristy Neman was one of the...
Kristy Neman was one of the girls with Tire Pros. When she saw our sticker, she was only too happy to pose with it. Seems her ex-husband made her get rid of her Jeep, which is why he's the ex. For our part, we were only too happy to watch her apply the sticker to herself.
Not all rockcrawling has to...
Not all rockcrawling has to be slow and monotonous. The Bounty Hunter basically jumped the tough-truck rockpile perpendicular to the way it was supposed to be run. With 1,000-some horsepower and 6-foot-tall tires, it was child's play.
You'd think that when the...
You'd think that when the tough-truck course opened up on Sunday for anyone to do anything, more than one or two of the many Jeep buggies would be all over it. This Rancho-sponsored one gave it hell and was a blast to watch.
There is something about a...
There is something about a 53-year-old Kenworth in the burnout box we find really cool. While he only ran mid 19s, the sound of those tires squealing and the diesel roaring is something else. We'd still take chirping Swampers any day, but this is a close second.
Not all of the vehicles in...
Not all of the vehicles in the tough-truck contest were buggies. There were definitely some cool Jeeps too. Tim Wiley was out on the course in this desert race FSJ Cherokee. He had some problems with power steering and dirt in his eyes, but he still ran the whole course twice around without rolling (even though he was all over the place).
Weird things abounded in the...
Weird things abounded in the Vendors area. From dub-wearing ATVs to sky-high Hummer H1s to low riders laying frame, there were all kinds of things. This CJ-7 is from the Rural Metro Fire Department, and we can only imagine they use it to access second- or third-floor fires.
The bikini contest this year...
The bikini contest this year was awesome. Nikki Zeno was the winner (green bikini), there were hot chicks judging (cowboy hats), and the runners up were stunning as well. We made out all around. Who cares if there are Jeeps, anyway?
The underside of the Blazer...
The underside of the Blazer was hurting. When he came down on the corner, the track bar tweaked and took out the harmonic balancer and main pulley on the engine. It also did a number to the brand-new Fox shocks and blew out two of the four tires. This proves, once again, if you want to get in a magazine, blow something up spectacularly.
It's a bad day when even a...
It's a bad day when even a normal tow by a front-end loader can't get you out and you've got to be practically airlifted onto your trailer. Wayne Bounds was trying to pull wheelies off some concrete barriers and did some decent damage to his Blazer.