Real Truck Challenge 2003

The Obstacle Course

Slow and steady usually wins the race in the rocks, but in the obstacle course, things are different. Here, speed is the key, so getting on the gas is the best thing you can do. Too much throttle, however, can hurt you, because cones are strategically positioned around the course. Kill a cone and 10 seconds are added to your final time. Also, with plenty of twists, turns, climbs and water crossings, careful, precise driving is needed to navigate the course quickly. And to make things interesting, competitors were required to do two laps of the course. In the end, the rig with the quickest time twice around the course was the winner.

The big '78 Ford Bronco of...        read full caption The big '78 Ford Bronco of Eugene Kelbel from Viroqua, Wisconsin had plenty of problems in the Rock Garden. He busted a rear driveshaft and the Dana 44 front could not hold up to the 44-inch Ground Hawgs. He was able to get a new rear driveshaft in place for the Obstacle Course and started it in two-wheel drive, but the driveshaft let go on the first hill.	The airbag suspension under...        read full caption The airbag suspension under Sam's Chevy gobbled up the bumps and the truck's shortened wheelbase made it easy to maneuver in the tight confines of the Obstacle Course. Sam was able to get through the course with the fastest time to take the victory in this event.	The big '88 Ford F-250 of...        read full caption The big '88 Ford F-250 of Robert Rink from Shamong, New Jersey was cruising around the course, collecting samples of shrubbery here and there. With the diesel puffing hard, Robert was able to coax a sixth-place finish out of the truck.
Cody Bloodworth's big tan...        read full caption Cody Bloodworth's big tan Chevy was another big truck trying to be nimble and quick around the Obstacle Course. With lots of wheelbase, this truck was out of its element, but Cody still managed to pull off a fourth-place finish.	Steve's Bronco II was also...        read full caption Steve's Bronco II was also another vehicle that started the obstacle course without four-wheel drive, thanks to damage sustained in the Rock Garden. Steve hammered on the baby Bronco and got it most of the way around the Obstacle Course before the rear driveshaft finally let go in a tough spot.