The hot summer sun penetrated every inch of Phoenix's Fairplex campus, the home of the biggest truck jamboree in the west. It was only 11:15 a.m. and still we found ourselves huddling next to awe-struck attendees, crammed amidst the shadow of a monstrous white Jeep Scrambler on 49-inch Iroks. Dodging direct sunlight wasn't an easy game at this show because every direction we turned, a custom vehicle beckoned, requiring several minutes of inspection to digest. Amazed by the sheer numbers of tricked-out fullsize trucks on display, we simply accepted our fate and gave into the reality that our vanilla-colored skin would likely resemble the deep red hues of Arizona's stunning sunsets by days end. Local residents and shop owners were responsible for most of the rigs featured at the Arizona 4x4 Nationals, held each October in Phoenix. As such, it never ceases to amaze us how many purpose-built show trucks come out of the woodwork for this event each year. Everything from slammed K-5s on big-blingin' wheels to full-blown race-prepped Trophy Trucks could be found on display for the masses to enjoy. Tons of product vendors were on hand to show off their newest gadgets and whiz-bang devices, while at least a dozen attractive young ladies strutted their stuff during each day's bikini competition. The weekend schedule featured various forms of competition ranging from diesel drag racing to rockcrawling to a monster truck freestyle showdown. As if those events were not enough, there was also a ride-and-drive arena, sponsored by GM, where attendees could get behind the wheel of brand-new GM vehicles and take several passes on a man-made obstacle course. All in all, the 4x4 Nationals made for a thoroughly entertaining weekend, our only words of advice for next year are: Don't forget sunscreen. This buggy made the rockcrawling competition look simple, clearing the boulders with enough time to take a second pass, in Reverse.This buggy made the rockcrawling competition look simple, clearing the boulders with enoug High-flying excitement with numerous rollovers kept showgoers on the edge of their seats while watching the competition.High-flying excitement with numerous rollovers kept showgoers on the edge of their seats w You'd be hard-pressed to find a cleaner Ramcharger anywhere on the planet. Moving a bit too fast for this particular corner, this buggy driver wasn't able to save his 10-point advantage in the Short Course competition.Moving a bit too fast for this particular corner, this buggy driver wasn't able to save hi The Arizona 4x4 Nationals brings out most of the heavyweights in the world of monster trucks. Snake Bite, one of Bigfoot's siblings, redefined "big air."The Arizona 4x4 Nationals brings out most of the heavyweights in the world of monster truc Our inner child got excited when we found this amazing Jeep owned by He-Man and built by "The power of gray skull." As it turns out, the rig was sold to She-Ra shortly after the show.Our inner child got excited when we found this amazing Jeep owned by He-Man and built by " This unfortunate mess was the result of a driver who missed a turn, which got him stuck in Bigfoot's Lagoon. Luckily, Bigfoot was off crushing cars, allowing recovery personnel ample time to retrieve "my-bad's" Bronco.This unfortunate mess was the result of a driver who missed a turn, which got him stuck in A rare occurrence indeed. Several thousand spectators cheered as Bigfoot took the plunge into the desert lagoon at the end of the Freestyle competition. The dousing briefly stalled Bigfoot's powerplant, but the beast emerged from the pond quickly to secure a well-deserved victory.A rare occurrence indeed. Several thousand spectators cheered as Bigfoot took the plunge i Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
