4-Wheel Jamboree - Oklahoma Knows How to Put on a Show!

Interestingly, in the Stock Tough Truck Class, there were two Chevy S-10s from Oklahoma City, each one model year apart, and each finished 0.01 second from the other’s time. Both were a bit nose-heavy.

Tough Trucks drew more than 10 challengers, with track times running from 29.40 seconds to 101.02 seconds. Veteran Tough Truck driver Mike Rosenthal from East Peoria, Illinois, entered two Broncos, both named Cheaper Than A Wife.

The minute it stopped raining, this young man fired up his rig and cruised the show. There were kids’ games too at the Main Stage.

The place to see Dale Ison’s award-winning ’97 Ford F-150 show truck (which won Grand Champion of the Street category) was in front of season sponsor National Tire & Battery’s display in the Performance Marketplace.

Mike Rosenthal can accurately claim that his Bronco has been roll-tested after this gnarly endo. Rosenthal was fine and already in his other truck, lining up to race again, before this truck was back on its wheels.

Everyone knows spring and baseball go together, and now you can add Jambos to the mix. The ’99 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals Series began with the O’Reilly Auto Parts Oklahoma City 4-Wheel Jamboree at the Oklahoma City State Fair Park with a full plate of 4x4-based activities. Oklahoma presented the usual fine shopping for discriminating after- market buyers at the Performance Marketplace, which offered accessories from Sears Auto Centers, National Tire & Battery, Flowmaster, Rancho Suspension, Rhino Linings, and Weld Wheels, while the show ’n’ shine area drew custom vehicles from Ohio, Texas, Indiana, Missouri, Colorado, and Illinois, to name a few.

Of course, infield racing was in full action mode, with six classes of mud racing, side-by-side and freestyle monster-truck racing, and hammer-down Tough Trucks. The fastest reaction time of the weekend was produced in Class VI by driver Jack Frost, who generated a blazing 0.013 launch off the start.

Four Wheeler’s Best Classic 4x4 award went to Darrell Huffman from Oklahoma City for his super ’37 Ford pickup. Best Bulletproof 4x4 went to Kenny Merrell of Norman, Oklahoma, for his trail-ready ’87 GMC S-15, and Best Fullsize 4x4 went to Jim Light of Harrisonville, Missouri, for his healthily lifted, oh-so-trick ’99 Ford F-350.

The Oklahoma Jambo drew 295 participant vehicles and more than 8,800 spectators. Special thanks go out to the members of the Frontier Four Wheelers, who helped with registration, games, and whatever else was needed. For next year’s dates or more info on any of the Jambos on the ’99 schedule, contact Special Events, Dept. FW11, 804 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis, IN 46204, 317/236-6525, or visit its Web site at www.familyevents.com.