2007 Top Truck Challenge - Muck, Sweat & Gears

Day 3 Final Event

The Tank Trap

Fink's TJ

What it is and how it works: It's a quarter-mile of the worst terrain nature has to offer. What nature didn't make miserable, we did. We literally analyzed every inch of the 'Trap to ensure it was a challenge from end to end. Not only does it sport goodies like rock waterfalls, loose dirt climbs, insane off-camber sections, and our ridiculous water holes, it climbs 195 feet in altitude from start to finish. Strategically, this event is critical for the competitors because it's worth double the points of the other six events. This offers the opportunity to increase a lead or catch up. Each competitor is given 30 minutes to complete the course. Rules? Competitors must travel through marker cones when they appear. Other than that, the key is to survive.

Well's M135A

Johnson's K3500

McGilton's K1500

Finish Line Quotes

"I'm so out of shape. I didn't think I fell down quite that easy on my face. I'm exhausted. Even through all that, it was fun."
-Ron George

"We got a mud truck and we didn't even know it."
-Donald Hadden

"If we wouldn't have had any malfunctions it would've been a walk in the park."
-Matt Thorson

"That's a nasty mess down in there."
-Philip McGilton

"I think we picked the wrong line."
-Jeff Fink

Hadden's S-10

Thorson's TJ

George's Bronco

The Play-By-Play

Fink's TJ: Winched through Water Hole 2. Entered the Canyon with 6:49 on the clock. While attempting to traverse Water Hole 3, the rig began to float. Contact with the left wall flipped the rig onto its passenger side, which immersed the snorkel, allowing water to enter the 5.2L engine. After several minutes of weighing options, they chose to end their run with 8 minutes left on the clock.

George's Bronco: First competitor. Originally slotted to run ninth, but swapped with Team Miller, who drew slot one. Broke the passenger stub shaft in Water Hole 2, which damaged the Detroit Locker and left them with no front axle power. Kept going anyway. Locker began working again and they regained use of the left front wheel in the Canyon. Driver and codriver swapped positions often to spread the workload. Completed the course with 2:25 to spare.

Hadden's S-10: Blew the return line for the hydraulic steering while leaving camp for competition. They quickly fixed the line but didn't have time to clean the fluid off of the engine. Four minutes into their run, the 454ci engine threw the serpentine belt in Water Hole 2. A quick fix had them on their way. Winched out of Water Hole 6 with 11:28 on the clock and finished quickly, earning the fastest time.

Johnson's K3500: Entered the event with a new torque converter. Winched out of Water Hole 2 less than 2 minutes into the run. Got stuck in the Canyon. Tried to power out and peeled the left front 'Claw from the Marsh wheel. Chose to end their run.

Langford's Bronco: Flipped onto the passenger side going into Water Hole 2. Spent the next 20 minutes trying to get the rig back on its wheels. Problem compounded by lack of snatch block. Chose to end their run with 5 minutes left on the clock.

McGilton's K1500: Tilted precariously in Water Hole 2. Stuffed the body into the Canyon wall, which broke the windshield. Kicked the broken windshield out and placed it in the bed. Winched out of Water Hole 3 and Water Hole 6. Finished the course with 1:22 left on clock.

Miller's Sonoma: With the suspension and drivetrain still damaged from the Hillclimb, they came to gather whatever points they could. Progressed 3 feet into the course and then chose to end their run.

Rhodes' D-100: Slow, but calculated run. They winched out of Water Hole 1 with 7:30 on the clock. With over half their time gone, they were stuck in the Canyon. While fighting to get out, they broke one of the front wishbone's spherical rod ends at the axle, which allowed the axle to rotate and bend three of the four shocks. Rigged the winch cable to locate the axle, but timed out.

Thorson's TJ: Blazing start that had them through the Canyon with only 1:30 on the clock. The steering pump grenaded in Water Hole 3 with the rear wheels cocked. Team had to crack the rear hydro lines so they could ratchet-strap the rear wheels straight. The electric cooling fans and the winch failed shortly thereafter. They chose to end their run in Water Hole 6 when the clutch became stuffed with sticks and debris and wouldn't engage.

Wells' M135A: Winched through Water Hole 2. Got stuck in the Canyon and began winching. With the bed tilted, the fuel pickup wouldn't pick up fuel and the Detroit Diesel starved. Team tried to winch further, but the winch burned up. The batteries died while trying to restart the engine. Timed out.

Langford's Bronco