After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Mud Bogs made a triumphant comeback to Plamondon over the July 7 weekend, bringing with them a ferocity befitting a virus-ridden thrower.
With the support of the Canadian Mud Racing Organization and a packed grandstand for the Saturday event launch at the Plamondon Festival Centre grounds, the weekend event breathed new life into the sleepy Albertan town.
The juvenile dragsters entertained the early audiences on Saturday, the first day of the two-day racing activities, which included many people who paid $45 for a weekend pass. The explosive racers tore up a section of the runway packed with sand, shooting audience cheers and dirt skyward.
It was time to go down in the mud once the dust had settled. The boggers were classified into four classes: stock, modified stock, pro modified, and super stock. They included post-apocalyptic crossbreeds, modified classic pickup trucks, and monster trucks. Races by amateur and CMRO-sanctioned drivers were held at the event.
Local amateurs and seasoned racers from all around Western Canada plowed through the adjacent mud pits to vie for fastest speeds. Fans of racing traveled far and wide as well. Grandstand seats were close enough to the action to hear the racers’ cheers, but far enough away to miss most of the splashes.
After two days of racing, the number of runs and the time for each one was tallied up. In addition to prize money and medals, the top three finishers in each category walked away from the dirty weekend with bragging rights.
While the mud bogging was a massive draw all by itself, the weekend event also included plenty of other amusements such as a children’s festival, a demolition derby, and slo-pitch tournament. The weekend also featured an open-air dance on the Plamondon Festival Grounds.
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