The Daily News
Submitted photo
After a month-long hiatus, mud racing is back.
Races return Aug. 16 to Jumping Run Creek Motorsports in Hubert.
Craig Sanderson, who opened up Jumping Run Creek Motorsports in 1997, admits that mud racing has a reputation for being a bit of a redneck sport. But he says the races draw crowds of mixed ages and backgrounds who want to enjoy some of life’s simple pleasures: sitting outdoors with friends and family, enjoying a meal and watching a vehicle get really dirty.
It’s hard for the frequent riders at Jumping Run Creek to narrowing down exactly what it is about driving through the mud that’s so much fun. Sanderson and his children say it’s just fun. Chris Bonnette, assistant manager at Leonard Buildings & Truck Accessories in Jacksonville and a frequent racer, said it’s an experience that you can’t have anywhere else in such a safe environment.
“Just seeing rooster tails of mud shoot up behind you and all over your vehicle… It’s just good wholesome fun,” said Bonnette.
The sport is also popular among children, who Sanderson said usually make up around a quarter of the race participants overall. Children under 13 with no driving experience can drive vehicles with up to a 35-inch tire, as long as they can reach the pedals and there is an adult in the vehicle with them. So far, the youngest child Sanderson has seen compete was 6 years old.
Austin Lambert, the current champion of the small tire renegade class, is a former child-racer. He’s been attending every race held at Jumping Run Creek since he was 8 years old. While he mainly goes for the adrenaline rush that racing provides, he said that as he gets older, the experience takes on new meaning.
“When I get my truck muddy, it makes me feel like a little kid again,” said Lambert. He expects that this is true for many of the racers who come back week after week.
Sanderson said the event is family-friendly. Although alcohol is permitted, it is only allowed in a separate section from where the families will be seated. A concession stand is available at the event, but visitors are allowed to bring tailgate grills or food from home. The facility bathrooms are air conditioned, but the bleachers looking onto the tracks are not.
There are three tracks available: a 200-foot long flat track for fast racing; a hill-and-hole, with three hills and three holes buried under 18 inches of mud; and a bog that takes drivers through 200 feet of mud. Sanderson said having three tracks is unusual for a mud raceway, so he often sees drivers coming from other states to race in his mud.
There are 15 different classes drivers can compete in, based on vehicle type, tire size and vehicle modifications. The races are open for anyone with a four-wheel drive vehicle. But while anyone can drive, said it takes a specific type of person to truly enjoy racing.
“Anyone will enjoy watching the sport, but it takes a person who can say, ‘Okay if I break it, I’ll fix it,’” to enjoy participating in it,” Chris Bonnette said. While many precautions are taken to ensure the safety of participants and spectators, anyone driving their vehicle through 18 inches of mud should expect that their car will need some maintenance after the event.
Overall, there tend to be about 80 participants on race days, with spectators ranging from crowds of 300 to 1,000. Sanderson said turnout usually depends on what prizes are being offered. Winners receive the entry fees of all the participants within their class, plus a bonus cash prize added by the owner that varies from race to race.
Jumping Run Creek Motorsports is located at 567 Riggs Road in Hubert. Tickets to watch the event are $10, and available on-site on the day of the event. Children’s races begin at 2 p.m., and regular races begin at 4 p.m. To enter, register at Jumping Run Creek the day of the event before the races begin. Entry fees range from $20 to $50 depending on which class the participant enters. For more information, visit promud.com or call 910-389-4159.
Jumping Run Creek Motorsports is located at 551 Riggs Road in Hubert.
Children’s races start at 2 p.m., and adult races start at 4 p.m.
Registration for the races is done on-site before the events start.
Registration fees vary from $20-$50, depending on what class a participant enters.
Entry to watch the races costs $10 on the day of the event.
The races take place rain or shine, but stop for thunder, lightning or the possibility of flooding.
Even if you’re not participating in a race, come prepared for a chance of getting muddy.
