Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Spotlight: Competitors of the 2011 Top Truck Challenge

The 2011 Top Truck Challenge is just under two weeks away, and anticipation is building among each of the competitors. 10 competitors and 2 alternates have been selected and will descend on Hollister Hills, CA for the week of June 6th to battle it out for the 2011 Top Truck title. The Top Truck Challenge takes no prisoners; the courses are brutal and capable of taking down even the mightiest truck. Hollister is known for its challenging terrain, drawing four wheel and powersports enthusiasts from all over to take on the trails and attempt to make it out with their rides intact. With events like the Frame Twister, Tank Trap and Mud Pit, conquering each of them and making it to the top is a near-impossible feat. The editors at Four Wheeler Magazine are constantly ahead of the curve in keeping the TTC as demanding and twisted as possible, with a no-holds barred approach at making sure they take out as many rigs as they can over the course of the week.

Some of the competitors responded to a Q&A interview with Four Wheeler Magazine editors, each providing some quotes to illustrate where their heads are at as they prepare for the 2011 Top Truck Challenge. The full interviews can be viewed on Four Wheeler Magazine’s official website, but here is a glimpse of what each respondent had to say:

John Retzloff
’77 GMC K15

Q: What made you want to compete in TTC?
A: TTC is like the Olympics of four-wheeling to me and being able to compete at something I truly love (wheeling) is one of the biggest honors for me!
Q: What's one thing people should know about you?
A: I built my truck almost entirely myself, right down to the concept of the doubled 205s and the bodywork. I do have a lot of time in my truck, but not a lot of money, and hopefully I can show that it doesn't necessarily take a lot of money to compete but a lot of ingenuity and a good driver.

Mike Keller
’76 Ford F-350

Q: What made you want to compete in TTC?
A: The thrill of competing and the challenge.
Q: What's one thing people should know about you?
A: Wheeling is my favorite sport in life. I spend the majority of my free time helping to organize events in the Oregon area so that all of my wheeling buddies and the next generation of wheeling kids have places to wheel. Often times, for various reasons, our wheeling sites get shut down, so I try to organize private property, etc., for them to have a good time. I enjoy using my years of wheeling experience to try to help all my friends get their trucks on the right track so that they can do their best. Hopefully I'm making a difference!

Jeff Seely
’69 Chevy Suburban

Q: What made you want to compete in TTC?
A: I have watched many of the past TTC DVDs and have always wanted to tackle the Tank Trap.
Q: What's one thing people should know about you?
A: Ummm, my first word was 'dirt,' 'nuff said.

Brooke Spencer
‘09 FJ40 Buggy

Q: What made you want to compete in TTC?
A: Why not? It looks like it would be a blast so I figured I'd go for it and see what happens.
Q: What's one thing people should know about you?
A: Ready to come down, drive hard, and have a good time.

Josh Hall
Suzuki Samarai Buggy

Q: What made you want to compete in TTC?
A: I've been buying the TTC DVDs for the last eight years and I always find myself saying 'I could have made that' or 'this guy can't drive,' so I want to see how my driving skills and my version of an offroad rig compares to others.
Q: What's one thing people should know about you?
A: Not much to say here. I'll let my right foot do the talkin'.

Corey Timson
’10 Blue Torch Fabworks YJ Buggy

Q: What made you want to compete in TTC?
A: It's just plain cool. Great chance to be part of something much bigger than the norm.
Q: What's one thing people should know about you?
A: Once I want something I make sure I get it or do it!
Alex Sanders
’08 Chevy Buggy
Q: What made you want to compete in TTC?
A: I have seen it on videos and in Four Wheeler and thought it would be awesome to be able to compete in one of the toughest off-road competitions.
Q: What's one thing people should know about you?
A: I'm that guy that even if you have never met will stay as long as it takes to get you mobile again or get you out of the trails even if I break my own rig in the process. I will help no matter what and will never ask for anything in return. I just enjoy getting to go play in my rig and have the most possible fun I can have while doing it. Who cares if the rig gets beat up or broke, that's what it was built for. If it wasn't then why you do you take it out to play?

Check back on the AMSOIL Events Blog, Facebook and Twitter during the week of June 6th for live updates straight from the 2011 Top Truck Challenge, where you can also see what went down in the aftermath of this grueling challenge.

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