$8000 raised for the 4 shop charities thanks to 6 4WD clubs selling raffle tickets and working extremely hard at the first Off-Road Shop Team Challenge and genorous sponsors of the 5 stages of the event: COOPER TIRE, NEAL TIRE, PITTSFIELD, IL, DETROIT LOCKER, WARN AND REUTHER JEEP.
The shops endured 12 hours of brutal stages testing all aspects of driver ability and vehicle competency. There was a mutual respect developed of each others efforts and accomplishments as drivers, spotters and vehicles' abilities were tested not only for skill but for endurance.
After 2 stages of the comp, AH Off-Road led with 120pts as the other 3 teams were tied with 100pts. The next 3 stages took teams back and forth in place scoring. The shops were tested in the 160ft. Mudbog, a Timed trail run up a 1/4 mile narrow, rough, very muddy ravine, a Dump Truck pull up a steep, clay hill, a very technical trail challenge of driver ability and a brutal rockcrawl competition.
All of the stages were hosted and ran by 4WD clubs. Over 800 spectators stuck-it-out to see the very end the competition.
A huge thanks to the shops: AH Off-Road, Axleboy Enterprised, TNT 4x4, and Toumbs Repair. All of them displayed enourmous talent, endurance and sportsmanship. The 4WD clubs did an amazing job of running the stages and providing support to ALL of the competitors.
We're already in the works of planning the National Off-Road Shop Team Challenge to be held this fall.
Stay tuned to www.rorp.com for more info.
Some pics of the event:

http://www.mojeep.com/TopShop05/index.html

http://community.webshots.com/user/shadowcpl/3

http://community.webshots.com/album/318732218OhbUGB

http://community.webshots.com/user/madyaks

http://community.webshots.com/album/318906443VfmHER

http://community.webshots.com/album/319521893AIYXWJ

Wow, great event guys. My body is still sore.

This is a great shot of Chrispy holding on for dear life as be blast through Wolves Den. :flipoff2:

I think that big tree on the right is the one we started to drive up and then had to hit reverse. :eek:

http://midwestjeepthing.com/jeep/member/images/Bushwhacker/wolvesden.jpg

Congrats on a successful event!!! Sounds like everyone had a great time!! And now that you've discovered the joys of mud, we need to talk ;)


TEX

Complete event details:http://rorp.com/Events/2005/MORSTC/index.htm

This Falls event will involve 10 teams.
Next years schedule will involve an East Regional, West Regional and A National Off-Road Shop Team Challenge.
If you think your off-road shop has 3 rigs that as a team can excel on rock, in mud, pulling and through technical challenges of driver and vehicle capability, email rorp@irtc.net to be put on the list of teams to be considered for future events.

Look for April event coverage in the August or September issue of Petersens 4Wheel and Off-Road

http://rorp.com/Events/2005/MORSTC/index.htm

If you think your off-road shop has 3 rigs that as a team can excel on rock, in mud, pulling and through technical challenges of driver and vehicle capability,

Does each vehicle do every stage? Or, do they bring 1 for rock, 1 for mud, etc?

TEX

Out of the 5 stages, a team picks 2 stages that all 3 vehicles must compete in. Of the remaining 3 stages, each of the 3 vehicles must compete in one of the stages.
Each vehicle competes in 3 stages.
In stages where a team has all 3 vehicles competing, the bottom score is dropped and the top 2 are averaged for a teams score on that stage.

Very cool concept. Wish I coulda been there to witness it. Sounds like a blast.

Hopefully I can make the next date. Keep me informed. :)

Gotcha. So, essentially you couldn't bring out a specialty rig to dominate one stage 'cause that same rig would have to attempt 2 other stages. I can see the positive and the negative in that.

The upside? Probably keep the competition tighter if some groups are unable to get ahold of a hard-core rig.

The downside? Specialty rigs could get more people involved & put on a better show (and provide better pics/video) on the individual stages.


Have ya thought about doing the same kind of thing, but with clubs instead of shops?

TEX

A couple of my favs and a short video of the timed run.

http://www.midwestjeepthing.com/jeep/member/images/Bushwhacker/JeeponSideSM.JPG.jpg
http://www.midwestjeepthing.com/jeep/member/images/Bushwhacker/rockcoursesm.jpg
video (http://www.mojeep.com/TopShop05/DCP_1491.MOV)