This is the only event in TTC's seven-event repertoire that doesn't require mud bogging, rockcrawling, or deep water navigation. Nonetheless, this kickoff event instills fear in competitors because it has the potential to annihilate weak components. The Tow Test is like a truck pull that drank a case of energy drinks. It takes place on a dirt hill that climbs approximately 13 feet in elevation over its 150-foot length and it has a maximum angle of approximately 16 degrees. Each competitor's rig was fastened to a 36,000-pound cement mixer and each competitor was allowed one pull. There was no time limit and a pull was completed
The brutal Frame Twister has evolved through the years, and for 2013 it changed again. In 2012 we cut almost 100 feet of fat from the Frame Twister for Top Truck Champions' Challenge, and this year we hacked off another 100 feet or so, which left us with 201 feet of condensed chaos. The course began just a few yards prior to the infamous Squeeze Rock section with its nasty dogleg that likes to flip vehicles. Once clearing the Squeeze, competitors made a left turn and came face-to-face with the gut-wrenching, suspension-bending log section. This section included six strategically placed logs that are perpendicular to the direction of travel and each was separated by deep, water-filled trenches. The log section may only be a few yards in length, but it's an evil section that has ruined the day of many TTC competitors over the years. Each team had 10 minutes to complete the course. Cones marked the boundaries and a competitor was considered out of bounds if the inside of any one of their vehicles tires traveled past the outside edge of a cone. Hitting a cone resulted in a 30-second penalty and a two-minute penalty (per occurrence) resulted if the competitor violated the winch safety guidelines. It would be really boring if we constructed our infamous Mud Pit the same each year. Besides, then competitors would know what to expect, and that's unacceptable. Last year, the course was fast and nearly all of the competitors made it through with no problem. This year, we mixed it up (no pun intended) by combining thousands of gallons of water and our special dirt. With a water quotient higher than last year, our 135-foot pit was a delightful, soupy, tire-swallowing mess. Competitors were allowed to run until they ceased forward momentum or crossed the finish line. Running over a cone netted a 30 second penalty for those who completed the course and a 5-foot penalty for those who did not finish. Traveling out of bounds meant disqualification and a two-minute penalty was assess
We've renovated the Obstacle Course for 2015: no long downhill section and an entirely dry course. But is it easier? Nope. Our demented course builders made sure this event would be a real eye-opener for competitors. Competitors begin in the lower section, which is pockmarked with evil holes, off-camber sections, and gobs of loose dirt. They then travel to the upper section that includes a pair of deep, nasty holes and the infamous “U-Turn Hill.” From there, it is into a ravine that stands guard over the finish line. Even with a 10-minute time limit, this event is less about speed and more about accuracy. Who will be
The Tank Trap is legendary, often spoken of in hushed, reverent tones. Tank Trap is a regular feature at the Hollister Hills SVRA, but for one day each year it's significantly modified for Top Truck. In its basic form it's a quarter-mile-long natural valley that climbs approximately 195 feet in elevation. For our once-a-year thrashathon we dig seven giant holes and we fill 'em with 120,000 gallons of water, which significantly increases the challenge level of the course. Here's how it works: Shortly into the course, competitors have to navigate two deep water holes that are preceded by steep dirt hills. Next up is the "Canyon." This evil 100-yard section is quite narrow and bordered by steep walls. The Canyon contains slippery rock waterfalls, ledges, and the ghosts of former competitor's hopes and dreams. But the worst is yet to come. Ahead are five more strategically-placed water holes, each separated by steep dirt hills. And if that doesn't suck the will out of competitors, there's a nasty, often underestimated thing we call the "Crevice" located between the fifth and sixth water holes. But wait, there's more. The crown jewel is the final hill, which steeply rises just past the last water hole and guards the finish line. Add to all of this the fact that competitors are given only 30 minutes and you have a recipe for some world class action and drama. And no, we don't let competitors see the course in advance. Strategically, Tank Trap is a major player because it's worth more than double the points of the other events. Catch the entire week of Top Truck Challenge 2013 right here!
You know what a truck pull is, right? Well our tow test is way better: our track extends 150 feet, climbs 13 feet in elevation, and has a maximum angle of approximately 16 degrees. Each competitor’s rig is tethered to 5-ton 6x6 weighing in at over 36,000 pounds. Each competitor was allowed one pull, no time limit. This event grabs competitor’s full attention, because it’s the first event and has the potential to quickly weed out weak components. Through the years, the Frame Twister has evolved, and for 2014 about half way into the course, competitors arrived at the infamous Squeeze Rock section facing boulders, the dogleg, and the dreaded log section. In case you’re wondering, the Frame Twister at Top Truck Challenge really has twisted vehicle frames over the years. It has also wasted driveshafts, destroyed tires, and thrashed suspensions. Each competitor is allowed 10 minutes to complete the Frame Twister course. Hey, you didn’t expect it to be a run-of-the-mill first day did you? Catch the entire week of Top Truck Challenge 2014 right here!
Normally competitors would be directed to our infamous Mud Pit event at this point in the Top Truck Challenge competition, but due to the 2014 California drought, the Mud Pit was replaced with the gnarly, waterless Mini Rubicon. The course was approximately 140 feet in length and packed with boulders and rocks of various sizes. To keep things exciting, there were no penalties for winching, stopping, or backing up. Instead, we gave each competitor 5 minutes to travel as far as they could. Traveling out of bounds resulted in disqualification at that point. We also renovated the Obstacle Course for 2014: no long downhill section and an entirely dry course. But was it easier? Nope. Our demented course builders made sure this first event would be a real eye-opener for competitors. Competitors began in the lower section, which was pockmarked with evil holes, off-camber sections, and gobs of loose dirt. They then traveled to the upper section that included a pair of deep, nasty holes and the infamous “U-Turn Hill.” From there, it was into a ravine that stood guard over the finish line. Even with a 10-minute time limit this event is less about speed and more about accuracy. Who will be stopped cold. Catch the entire week of Top Truck Challenge 2014 right here!
If you ever need a pick-me-up from a bad day check out our Hill Climb event and relish the fact you’re not on it. We take a nasty, steep, 600-foot-long hill with an average angle of 60 degrees and modify it to Top Truck specs by plowing strategically placed holes for our competitors. As icing on the cake, we spread loose dirt everywhere to impede traction as the drivers. Competitors must think on-the-fly to battle the 5-minute time limit and they can winch, back up, or stop and take in the view of the Hollister Hills. This year's Coal Chute used a section of the newly developed Upper Obstacle Course, which is so challenging we didn't even build it for TTC it came with the park! This new section is 525 miserable feet in length and features rock walls over 7 feet high plus a collection of rocks and cement tubes. The Coal Chute is divided into three distinct sections and culminates in a cement wall at the finish. 20 minutes on the clock, here we go! Catch the entire week of Top Truck Challenge 2014 right here!
This is the event most Top Truck Challenge competitors anxiously await—or dread. The Tank Trap is a quarter-mile-long course designed to force each competitor to fight for every inch of forward progress. The Tank Trap is a standard feature at the Hollister Hills SVRA, but for TTC, it’s modified to our specs using heavy equipment and water. As in previous years, Tank Trap (located in a deep, natural valley) had an approximate 195-foot climb in elevation from start to finish. Due to water restrictions from the 2014 California drought, we had to cut back on the number of water holes, though we used the same numbering system as in previous years. A few yards into the course, competitors had to navigate the 5-foot-deep Water Hole 2. From there, they entered the infamous 100-yard-long “Canyon” that contained steep rock walls in excess of 7 feet in height, slippery steep rock waterfalls, nasty ledges, and generally inhospitable terrain. If they made it through the Canyon, it was onto Water Hole 3 and then a series of deep, slippery, dry climbs and descents. Provided they were still moving, they came fact-to-face with the deep, off-camber “Crevice” before dropping into Water Hole 6 and Water Hole 7. Catch the entire week of Top Truck Challenge 2014 right here!
You know what a truck pull is, right? Well our tow test is way better: our track extends 150 feet, climbs 13 feet in elevation, and has a maximum angle of approximately 16 degrees. Each competitor’s rig is tethered to 5-ton 6x6 weighing in at over 36,000 pounds. Each competitor was allowed one pull, no time limit. This event grabs competitor’s full attention, because it’s the first event and has the potential to quickly weed out weak components. Through the years, the Frame Twister has evolved, and for 2014 about half way into the course, competitors arrived at the infamous Squeeze Rock section facing boulders, the dogleg, and the dreaded log section. In case you’re wondering, the Frame Twister at Top Truck Challenge really has twisted vehicle frames over the years. It has also wasted driveshafts, destroyed tires, and thrashed suspensions. Each competitor is allowed 10 minutes to complete the Frame Twister course. Hey, you didn’t expect it to be a run-of-the-mill first day did you?
We've renovated the Obstacle Course for 2015: no long downhill section and an entirely dry course. But is it easier? Nope. Our demented course builders made sure this event would be a real eye-opener for competitors. Competitors begin in the lower section, which is pockmarked with evil holes, off-camber sections, and gobs of loose dirt. They then travel to the upper section that includes a pair of deep, nasty holes and the infamous “U-Turn Hill.” From there, it is into a ravine that stands guard over the finish line. Even with a 10-minute time limit, this event is less about speed and more about accuracy. Who will be stopped cold?This year's Coal Chute uses a section of the newly developed Upper Obstacle Course, which is so challenging we didn't even build it for TTC - it came with the park! This new section is 525 miserable feet in length and features rock walls over 7 feet high plus a collection of rocks and cement tubes. The Coal Chute is divided into three distinct sections and culminates in a cement wall at the finish. 20 minutes on the clock, here we go!
Surprise! Normally competitors would be directed to our infamous Mud Pit event at this point in the Top Truck Challenge competition, but due to the 2015 California drought, the Mud Pit is replaced with the gnarly, waterless Mini Rubicon. The course is approximately 140 feet in length and packed with boulders and rocks of various sizes. To keep things exciting, there are no penalties for winching, stopping, or backing up. Instead, we give each competitor 5 minutes to travel as far as they can. Traveling out of bounds results in disqualification at that point.If you ever need a pick-me-up from a bad day, check out our Hill Climb event and relish the fact you’re not on it. We take a nasty, steep, 600-foot-long hill with an average angle of 60 degrees and modify it to Top Truck specs by plowing strategically placed holes for our competitors. As icing on the cake, we spread loose dirt everywhere to impede traction for the drivers. Competitors must think on-the-fly to battle the 5-minute time limit and they can winch, back up, or stop and take in the view of the Hollister Hills.
This is the event most Top Truck Challenge competitors anxiously await—or dread. The Tank Trap is a quarter-mile-long course designed to force each competitor to fight for every inch of forward progress. The Tank Trap is a standard feature at the Hollister Hills SVRA, but for TTC, it’s modified to our specs using heavy equipment and water. As in previous years, Tank Trap (located in a deep, natural valley) had an approximate 195-foot climb in elevation from start to finish. Due to water restrictions from the 2015 California drought, we had to cut back on the number of water holes, though we used the same numbering system as in previous years. A few yards into the course, competitors had to navigate the 5-foot-deep Water Hole 2. From there, they entered the infamous 100-yard-long “Canyon” that contained steep rock walls in excess of 7 feet in height, slippery steep rock waterfalls, nasty ledges, and generally inhospitable terrain. If they made it through the Canyon, it was onto Water Hole 3 and then a series of deep, slippery, dry climbs and descents. Provided they were still moving, they came fact-to-face with the deep, off-camber “Crevice” before dropping into Water Hole 6 and Water Hole 7.
The legendary Tank Trap event continues! After our drivers navigate through holes 1 to 7 they face the final obstacle: a long, slippery dirt hill that standing between them and the finish line. Competitors were not allowed to see the course prior to competition and are given 30 minutes to complete the entire Tank Trap. Because of its difficulty level, Tank Trap is worth double the points of the other events, so a competitor can catch up on needed points or extend a lead by doing well. Lastly we tally the points, factor in penalties, and stack up our drivers to crown the champion of Top Truck Challenge 2015!