2000 Top Truck Challenge

From the Sierra Rock Crawlers Perspective
(Courtesy of the Sierra Rock Crawlers)

Welcome to Top Truck Challenge 2000 put on by Four Wheeler Magazine.

This our second year bringing you the action from this great event. This event is held down in Hollister Hills OHV park and comes about like this. A call out is made to see who has the best set up truck in an all around form. Everyone who thought they had this kind of truck was asked to send in their trucks information and pictures. From there, 60 trucks were chosen from the batch and published in the magazine. Only 10 people could attend this competition, so the readers were then asked to choose their favorite rigs out of the 60 entrants that were published. This is how the field of Top Truck Challengers had been chosen.

    The competition itself is made to test out all aspects of a truck. From engineering, street performance, to off road prowess. This contest challenges every part of a rig and beyond. Speaking with former contestants, they have all pretty much agreed that this competition was brutal in every way and said to not expect to come back without some serious carnage from the event. Needless to say, this event is an ultimate challenge of driver, spotter, and machine.

    This year, we had Dan Black on the scene taking pictures and writing out his impressions from the event. Not only was he viewing the event, Dan wound up taking part in the event by supplying recovery services with his SHSSS truck. You will see as the events unfold, how this years TTC 2000 was an exciting and unique display of our favorite motorsport.

     When first arriving at the campgrounds, I walked over and shot the breeze with Sniper owner Steve Rumore and his wench monkey Drew Barber. He came from Colorado and towed the Sniper with a Freightliner, single axle tractor. He got my daily award for best tow rig and tied with Sam Patton’s CJ7 for my personal bet on the whole ball of wax.

     The next chat was with the crew of the F100 and they traveled from Washington. Talked about quite a few things, but I can’t remember much about the conversation because I was busy checking out the suspension on Cliff Steelman’s truck. I didn’t think that it would do well on the ramp.

     I walked over to check out Roger Bernard’s Rogerbilt which was trailered all the way from Canada. It was still on the trailer, with the tires cooling when I got there but there was no one around to talk to. Long trip, they probably needed some food and supplies from town.

     I introduced myself to the Blown Flattie crew who drove in from Washington. I checked out the vehicle and thought that it was a clean rig. But, upon further inspection, between the blown engine, which sounded like it was ready for the drag strip and the short and narrow stance, I didn’t think it would fair well in the competition.

     Jake Hallenbeck from Nevada was there with his Samurai, but I didn’t have a chance to get over to check out the rig or chat.

     Owners Kevin and Donna Kaylin towed the Scrambler in a borrowed trailer all the way from South Carolina. The Scrambler was loaded in the enclosed trailer on its rotors and drums so that it would fit. On the trip out Kevin blew out three tires on the trailer getting here, so they got the “E” for effort award for the day. The paint was so fresh you could smell it.

     Sam finally rolled into camp with his CJ7. He stopped in the middle of the campground and everyone stopped to look and check out the vehicle. He is from Oklahoma. Somehow, we got on the subject of cryogenics and Sam was saying that he has everything on his truck cryogenically treated. So, pretty much the whole rig has been in the freezer.

     David Eulberg and his Goliath showed up on a flatbed gooseneck trailer together with Bob Rugey who had his rig too. Late comers to the party, so I didn’t have a chance to talk with them that day.

     Day One of the TTC 2000 brought all competitors to the school house at Hollister Hills to sign in. All competitors were accounted for and continued to the campgrounds for great grub served by our local Mansmiths Barbecue. After everyone stuffed their faces, the staff and judges of Four Wheeler Magazine introduced themselves to this years lucky competitors. After the introductions, everyone went to their campgrounds, set up camp and turned in for an early wake up call.

     Aaron Clough owner of the Bummer and Josh Pariseau owner of the Cherokee decided to not rough it and stayed in one of our local hotels in town, about fifteen minutes away.

     At the end of day one, I went home to my house in Hollister, gathered some much needed fire wood and brought it back to the campers. Stayed and chatted at the Sniper camp and then went home.

    None of the ten top trucks would get muddy today because day two consisted of the RTI Ramp, Turning Radius, Ground Clearance Measurements, Show & Shine and the Ride & Drive. This year they took the trucks to a secret location and took beauty shots while all the rigs were still running and looked good.

    This year there was an added feature: a CHP officer handing out tickets for anything that would be against the law if the rigs were actually to be driven on the street. To no ones surprise the Sniper won this category hands down.

    On the way to the RTI Ramp the top ten trucks would do a u-turn and the judges measured the turning radius. The Sniper won the turning radius with its newly added (for the event) rear steering. I believe the award for worst was the Bummer with its 131” wheel base.

    A thirty degree ramp was used at TTC 2000 to measure the ramp travel index of the ten trucks. This year the diesel powered Scorpion served as an anchor for the RTI ramp.

    The Sniper was first up the ramp and I think it scored in the high 900’s.

    A truck that impressed a lot of people this year on the ramp was the leaf sprung F100. I’m not sure what the score was but I was impressed with overall flex of the vehicle.

    Third up the ramp was the Blown Flattie which I didn’t feel scored very high. It didn’t have much front flex at all.

    Fourth was the bright orange Sami with his orange bead lock rings to match the paint scheme. Not sure what it scored, but it flexed very well.

    The Cherokee was next and it didn’t make it up the ramp very far. The rear Avalanche ¼-elliptical two link setup lifted a 35” bogger off the ground just after a quarter up the ramp. Once again, very little flex from the front leaf sprung Flex J.

    Sixth up was the non-beadlocked 454 powered Scrambler which had more front flex than rear. It was leaking gas from the filler cap as it sat on the ramp. Once again, I don’t know the score because Ned Bacon and Tim Hardy were being quiet about letting information out. The final scores will be out with the upcoming publication of Four Wheeler.

    Number seven was Dave in the Goliath. He crawled up the ramp and his very flexy rear suspension laughed at the 30 degree ramp. He backed down and hit the ramp at an angle so the left rear tire could go passed the base of the ramp. Everyone laughed when Dave got out of his rig and Mark Williams told him to get back in. Of course, Dave had his straw cowboy hat on to keep the hot sun off of his cool composed head. I personally like Daves driving style which was that he was in no rush to get anywhere. I believe Dave scored over 1000.

    Sam Throttle Happy Patton was number eight. He drove up the ramp and flexed very nicely until the rear left tire was inches away from touching the ramp. He must of scored very close to the Sniper in the high 900’s because they were about the same distance up the ramp. I noticed he let a lot of air out of the LF and RR tires to achieve a higher score.

    Ninth was the Bummer to take his shot at the ramp with its extremely long wheel base. Due to it’s limited articulation it didn’t make it up the ramp very far before it lifted a rear tire.

    Last, but not least was Rogerbuilt who flexed rather nicely on the ramp.

    I’m not sure who won the Ride and Drive this year, but I would guess the Flex J due to its soft suspension and mostly stock interior.

    The final scores will be out in the next Four Wheeler Magazine and I am just as anxious as all of you are to see if my scores and thoughts match up.