1000 fans brave the weather for mud racing’s return to Hidden Valley Motor Sports Complex

Close to 1000 people descended on the Hidden Valley Motor Sport Complex on Saturday night for the Top End’s quirkiest motorsport, mud racing.

UPDATE: Close to 1000 people descended on the Hidden Valley Motor Sport Complex on Saturday night for the Top End’s quirkiest motorsport, mud racing.

And Top End Mud Racing president Peter Donovan said there were some “good luck and hard luck stories” from the meet.

In a “last minute decision”, SA driver Shayne Ramm flew up north to steal the Top Gun class in “The Hulk, beating local favourite Shane Munt in second.

Check out all of the pictures below from the action packed night.

Sadly, Ted Roderick blew a motor and couldn’t compete in the final.

Then, in the two wheel drive standard class, 71-year-old WA driver Michael Cook – standing in for his grandson who couldn’t attend due to Covid restrictions – was beaten by 16-year-old Ty Modra in a Cortina.

“The car was older than the kid driving it, it’s 35,” Donovan said.

Meanwhile, Faris Bolton took out the four wheel drive modified in “James Bond”, edging out Rod Gobell in “Dunno”.

In a grudge match at the end of official racing, four wheel drive standard competitor Jo Tattingham attained ultimate bragging rights, beating her husband Mark, who competed in the pro modified, by around half a second.

Donovan was happy with Saturday night’s crowd, estimating somewhere between 800 and 900 racing fans in attendance.

EARLIER: A 74-year-old stalwart, a driver who has been slushing it out since Darwin mud racing began and a loyal wife who went from superfan on the hill to now class leader.

That’s just a small sample of the drivers set to rev their engines when Top End Mud Racing returns to the Hidden Valley Motor Sports Complex this Saturday for the motors-in-the-mire event which has run for nearly 25 years.

Top End Mud Racing president Peter Donovan said the event was “very unique” which had attracted generations of children who wanted to get down and dirty.

“It’s the only wet season motorsport in the Top End,” Donovan said, who was slightly concerned Covid might keep crowds lower than normal on January 22.

Top End Mudracing has been a rite of passage for thousands of NT children for over 20 years. Picture: Glenn Campbell.

For the uninitiated, drivers from all over Darwin will descend on the complex’s twin, identical tracks and go head to head across six classes – with four heats per class – including the premier “Top Gun” division.

Donovan said hundreds of fans will cheer for their favourite car or driver as they race the clock and points are collected over the course of the season with the final meet in April.

The track can be set in different configurations with each heat one lap of the course.

Jake Leech's “Mud Leech” rolled at Hidden Valley three years ago. Picture: Glenn Campbell.

However, it’s the mud which sets this NT event apart.

“That’s the uniqueness of this particular event,” he said.

“Mud gets splashed everywhere and that’s what generations of kids have grown up with, running up and down the fence getting muddy.”

MUD RACING DRIVERS TO WATCH

Ahead of the event, Donovan highlighted the classes involved and some of the drivers to keep an eye on:

Two Wheel Drive Open

Details: “That’s pretty much left to the imagination, you can build what you want providing its two wheel drive only.”

Drivers: Paul Whitmore and Jeff Gale.

“A newcomer, (Whitmore) has been setting them alight in that class this year, while Jeff has been racing in that class since Mud Racing began.”

Jeff Gale, in “Bent Az” in 2019, has been a part of Top End Mud Racing since its inception. Picture: Glenn Campbell.

Two Wheel Drive Standard

Details: Vehicles like old Falcon utes or an old Cortina are equipped with mud tyres and a roll cage.

Drivers: Jonathon and Michael Davison

“Jonathon will be up against his father, Michael, so a bit of family rivalry there.”

Jonathon Davison in “Smurf Ya Later” in the Two Wheel Drive competition at a previous meet. Picture: Glenn Campbell.

Four Wheel Drive Standard

Details: Vehicles range from a Hilux, Daihatsu to a Patrol.

Driver: Jo Tattingham.

“(Driver Mark Tattingham’s) wife, that’s a bit of a story, she sat on the hill for 20 years watching her husband before saying: ‘Bugger this, I’m going to have a go’. I think she’s leading the class in her first season.”

Pro Modified

Details: A vehicle that started its life as a regular car, like a Land Cruiser, Hilux or Patrol, which has been modified and given a bigger engine.

Drivers: Mark Tattingham and Simon Modra.

“The two biggest rivals who have consistently been there for 15, 20 years.”

Mark Tattingham in Dirty Harry and Simon Modra's Brumm in the Pro Modified section. Picture: Craig Radcliffe Action Sport Photography.

Four Wheel Drive Modified

Details: Vehicles like a Hilux or a Patrol with a V8 motor.

Drivers: Faris Bolton and Rod Gobell.

“Rod is 74, he’s been racing since he was a kid and been into all sorts of motorsport, and still going very hard and very strong.”

Rod Gobell's "Rampage" at Top End Mudracing in 2019. Picture: Glenn Campbell.

Top Gun

Details: The premier class. Peter says “anything goes”, providing the vehicle is safe and meets the regulatory requirements in terms of roll cages. Drivers also get creative with engines, gear boxes and transmission configurations.

Drivers: Ted Roderick and Shane Munt.

“Ted has been racing for almost 25 years while Shane is the crowd favourite, he has some kind of disconnect between his brain and his throttle foot. They’re pretty big rivals … in the main class.”

Ted Roderick in "Hyper Active" in 2019. Picture: Glenn Campbell.