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The First Stop on the Ramsey National Off-Road Challenge Series Was a Success

(Tulsa, Oklahoma) April 16, 2001, Ramsey Winch hosted the first Ramsey National Off Road Challenge Series in Cass Arkansas April 13-15, 2001. The rugged landscape surrounded by the beautiful Ozark scenery, was a perfect location for three-days of four-wheeling adventure. The series was full of challenging events and exciting trail rides designed for the whole family. It attracted competitors all over the United States, as far away as New Jersey.

Friday was the first day of the challenge. The weather couldn't have been better, sunshine and not too much wind. The competitors started with the rock garden. Each competitor had 7 minutes to maneuver through the boulders. Some succeeded the rock garden while others failed because of time or breakage.

The winching challenge was next on the agenda. Participants had to winch their vehicle up a rough incline, which wasn't a straight shot. This required skill on both members of the team. Some teams timed out and others had mechanical difficulties. The winching challenge was a great course that tested their vehicle's equipment, especially their winch.

After lunch the next challenges utilized the great knolls of the Ozark Mountains. This is where competitors had to get to the top as fast as they can. The fastest time won. This wasn't easy with trees and boulders in the way. The smaller Jeeps did better than the larger off-road vehicles. The final challenge on Friday was the hill crawl. This challenge was a timed event and a lot tougher then the hill climb. Several competitors struggled with this challenge and one ended upside down. Fortunately he was not injured, and was able to compete in Saturday's challenges.

The second day of the Ramsey Challenge was not as pleasant. The weather was colder and it drizzled off and on all day. The first two challenges were the trench event and the rock garden. The weather fit the muddy trench, damp and gloomy. There were two areas that were problems for the teams. Right after the competitors entered the course they had to make a right turn in a very large mud pit. Several competitors struggled, some ended up on their sides. The second area was a left turn around a tree. This tree didn't want to let anyone around it. Some made it others had to winch there way out of the hole they were in. The rock garden was the same layout as the day before. Many of the teams improved on their performance of the previous day.

The next two challenges were the log run and the woods trail race. The log run was designed in a low area in the woods with logs place strategically throughout the course. These logs slowed the teams down, and caused a few to have to winch their vehicles out of the rough spots. The woods trail race was a race down through a creek bed up the bank and over the creek, and then head up a hill making a sharp left and heading back down. The toughest part was crossing the creek. It was easy for some teams, others struggled, one team ended upside down in the creek. No one was injured and he was back competing in the next event, which he won.

The final challenge on Saturday was the mud bog. This was a flooded field with a pond in it. The course was to race through the pond, circle around the edge of the pond then race through the flooded field, circle around and head back to the start finish line. It looked like it was designed to see how dirty they could get their vehicles. Saturday evening after dinner, awards were handed out to the top three finishers in each of the challenges. Then it was announced who would be in the finals Sunday. The top ten teams with the most points for the first two days qualified to compete in the finals. The Ramsey Challenge ended Saturday's evening with a raffle, with some great prizes given away.

Sunday was the last day of the Ramsey Challenge, which involved the top 10 competitors competing in the finals. The weather was brighter but the courses were muddier. It stormed Saturday night, which made for very slippery trails and huge trenches were formed in the courses. The finals consisted of three challenges, the trench course, the trails course, and the rock garden. The trench final was the same course as the day before but it was muddier after the rain the night before. We saw several different techniques to tame this course. Some worked others did not. Unfortunately one competitor broke and couldn't finish the finals.

The trails course was also the same as Saturday's. The teams seem to master this course and only a few teams struggled. The final event was the rock garden. This challenge had been modified from the previous days. They were calling it the rock garden from _ _ _ _! They weren't mistaken either. Only three of the nine competitors finished the crawl. The competitors timed out, fouled out, or had breakage in the difficult challenge. The competition was so intense, one driver tried to fly over the obstacles. Unfortunately that didn't work. The finals ended early afternoon and everyone had a good time and the spectators enjoyed some extreme four wheeling.

Product and cash awards were handed out to the top three winners of the Ramsey National Off-Road Challenge Series. Congratulations to Dan Gable from Tulsa, Oklahoma for winning the competition series. Second place went to John Loyd from Missouri, and Sam Patton from Tulsa, Oklahoma was awarded third place. The points accumulated during this challenge will carry over to the next two challenges. The competitors with the most points after everything is said and done will win the series championship.

The second Ramsey Off-Road Challenge Series will take place in Hazleton, the mountainous and scenic northeastern region of Pennsylvania. If you wish to take part in the remaining two events of the Ramsey National Off-Road Challenge Series, contact our web site at www.ramsey.com.


More Great Pics from the Ramsey Off-Road Challenge in Cass, AR...

At the Ramsey Winch Off-Road Challenge there are all types of spectators.