NEWS FILE PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN - Hilda's Monty Ehret works his way through the track during the ninth annual Medicine Hat Boggers mud bog on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2017 at the drag strip.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
Things are about to get dirty.
The Medicine Hat Boggers have spent their week making a muddy mess at the local drag strip for the group’s 11th annual mud bog on Saturday afternoon, and president Dylan Yanke says it’ll surely be one to remember.
“Who doesn’t love watching a high horse power vehicle go through 200 feet of mud legally,” said Yanke, adding he anticipates around 50 vehicles will sign up. “We’re expecting a full house once again. It’s our 11th annual and we’re hoping to make it bigger and better every year – that seems to be the trend we’re going in.”
Yanke added a lot of work goes into ensuring the mud bog goes off without a hitch – though a hitch will likely be needed to haul a few unfortunate drivers out of the 20 inches of mud awaiting their arrival at the strip. Â
“We started Wednesday morning and we’ve been non-stop ever since,” said Yanke. “Initially we mark out the pit dimensions, 25-by-200 (feet) and we figure out how deep we want to dig it. Then we get our sponsor out here to excavate the pit for us, and then once that’s done we put the dirt that we took out back in while adding water. Then we mix it all up and hopefully make the perfect mud bog.”
Drivers will be split up into six categories ranging from stock vehicles to open-class.
“Some of (the open class) are 1,000 horse power and just fly through it,” he said. “To win you have to be either the fastest through the pit or the furthest distance made.”
Anyone interested in getting into the mud for themselves can sign up on site. Registration opens at 9 a.m. Saturday and costs $50.
Yanke says the mud will start flying at around noon. Admission is $10 and kids 12-and-under get in free.
“We work with such a great group of people out here and we always welcome new racers,” said Yanke. “It’s the adrenaline, honestly. I’ve been racing for seven years now and every time I get up to that start line it’s like the first day again.”
For more information, visit the Medicine Hat Boggers on Facebook or visit chinookmudracing.com for rules and regulations.
