Weather or Not

The question has been raised more than just few times this week………………… “what’s the weather at Tuff Truck going to be like”?  

Well the TTC organisers have been on site since Friday last week and things in that time have been very good, especially compared to the pouring rain that has been had in coastal regions at present. Since Friday just a couple of light showers have rained down on Tuff Truck Central. This has been particularly good in assisting to keep the dust down.

The temperatures have been particularly comfortable during the day at around 20-24 degrees and a good sleeping temperature of around 10-12 degrees in the evening. There has been a lot high cloud for most of the week thus so far.

The forecast is still for bursts of light showers of rain, however these will clear as the weekend rolls on. Sounds like near perfect conditions for holding of this year’s Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge!!!!

A Tuff Challenge for All

Hot on the heals of the Crazy Esky Competition from TTC07 comes another two ludicrous competitions for Tuff Trucker goers, the Snake Racing-Crazy Esky Challenge and the Snake Racing-Sexiest Gas Bottle Challenge.

Last year’s Crazy Esky Comp brought out some ingenious concepts on how an esky should be more than just an esky, and this years TTC should see some even more ingenious eskies. Taking it one step further we'll see who can put together the sexiest gas bottle.

The rules are simple, just show up to judging and present your offering. The Crazy Esky Challenge will be happening at the TTC merchandise marquee on the Saturday (12^th April) commencing 3:00pm and, on the Sunday the Sexiest Gas Bottle Challenge will also be held at the merchandise marquee and will commence at 11:00am.

Both Challenges will be handled by the commentary team, of which the boys will be putting up $250.00 cold……….hard………….cash for the winner of each Challenge. The Challenges are open to all Tuff Truck goers, so let the creative juices flow and as Lleyton Hewitt would say………………….COME ON!!!

To check out more on the Crazy Esky and Sexiest Gas Bottle Challenges plus “other stuff” such as “Mini Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge” (mini RC’s), the Saturday night TTC band and all of the kids activities.... click here.

Fires at Tuff Truck

What a difference twelve months makes! Last year there were concerns that the good old campfire wasn’t going to be allowed for Tuff Truck goers due to the ongoing drought and dry conditions. TTC08 sees a totally different light in relation to campfires.

The Hunter region has had some good rainfall in recent times, hence the easing of drought conditions and certainly a much safer means of fire related issues. Presently it is deemed safe for open camp fires to be held at TTC08.

Whilst open camp fires are allowed, there are still restrictions on the sourcing and bringing of firewood to TTC08. Tuff Truck goers are more than welcome to bring their own supply of wood, however the wood must be chopped/cut into smaller pieces. Complete pallets etc. are not allowed to be brought onto the site, however a broken down pallet is permissible. 

Tuff Truck organisers have sourced firewood from the property’s surrounds. This wood will be found in a couple of piles on site for the use of campers. However, there is still an abundant supply of wood onsite, which can be utilised.

Open camp fires must be kept to a maximum size of a roughly one metre in diameter. Keeping camp fires to this size will help to ensure the safety and comfort of all campers.

Now Known

The final competitor list for the 2008 Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge is now finalised, and what a top-notch field it is!

As well as the three qualifying teams from TTC07, nominations from 41 high calibre teams went to the voting public.

The nominations for TTC08 saw the greatest array of teams in years, battling it out to make the cut for this year’s Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge. All teams have now been advised of their position in regards to vote count and placing in the field... let the team strategies begin! The teams who have not made the cut will go onto the reserves list and realistically still stand a good chance of competing. 

Nominations were received from the length of the country’s eastern seaboard including Victoria, ACT, New South Wales, Queensland and even further around the country from the Northern Territory. What happened to all you Tasmanians, South and Western Australians? C’mon guys, you let your state down!

As for the voters... voting slips came from even further a field. The voting process has been become such a popular aspect of Tuff Truck that slips came from as far a field as New Zealand, England, The Philippines and the USA. The number of voting slips received was more than double that of previous years. Looks like you competitors are known outside of Australia as well!

The team with the most tallied voting points was a Victorian team (the only Victorian team entered) team Black Betty (Nick Hirons/Craig Withers). Congratulations go to Nick and Craig for a fine effort.

All that remains now is for the teams to work on the preparation of their trucks and get some saddle time in the lead up to TTC08, which is not far away now.  

To check out the make up and the field positions... click here.

It’s only days before the “Know”

Forty-one teams (outside of the TTC07 place getters) have nominated and are vying for a position in this year’s field of competitors at the 2008 Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge (TTC08), which this year is in association with Snake Racing .

The last of the voting forms will be counted in the next few days with the competitors and their field placement to be publicly announced on Friday 21st March 2008.

The place getters from last year’s TTC gain automatic entry to this year’s Challenge, as well as receiving the top position in the running order. These teams are:

• Total Care 4WD/ABT Racing - Mal Van Ysseldyk/Mick Finch

• Evolution - Phill Noble/Phil King

• OPW - Peter Antunac/Tarrant “Tazz” Baguley

What happens from there will be very, very interesting!!

As of Wednesday 12th March 2008 when the last of the votes were counted before Friday’s close off, team Bandage Bear of NSW (Mark Mitchell/David Rowlands) had 468 votes.... that's a very slender lead over two Queensland team’s, Long Shot (Brett Long/Troy Wilmot) with 455 votes and Advanti Racing (Brett Thorpe/Grant Walker) with 433 votes.

It's also interesting to note the amount of nominations from interstate. Out of the 41 teams that are hoping to make the cut, the top ten voted nominations so far sees 6 from Qld, 1 from Vic and just 3 from NSW..... Gee, do the interstaters want the title or WHAT!!

Watch this space for when the competing field and running order for this year’s Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge are announced. Expect the announcement on Good Friday.

Nominations Are Closed But Voting’s ON!!!

Vote For A Cause

A wonderful gesture by Mark Mitchell of ‘Team Bandage Bear’ will go a long way to putting a smile on the faces of the kids at the Westmead Children’s Hospital. Mark is very passionate about the kids and sympathizes in the struggles that they endure; hence he has brainstormed a unique method to raise funds for the hospital.

Anybody that would like to know more or simply want to take Mark up on his offer, should call him direct on 0414 448 549 or alternatively e-mail mark@erh.com.au

Competitor Voting Is Happening

Voting For this year’s Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge is just about to ramp up, with voting forms now available in current issues of both Dirtcomp and 4x4 Australia magazines.

Greg Hamilton (TTC08 Competition Manager) says “the field of nominations vying to compete at this year’s Challenge is growing by the day, and I know of many more nominations that are on their way. It’s likely to be a record field of nominations for this year’s event”.

With so many nominations received so far, the field is looking impressive and teams will really have to earn votes to make the final cut. Prospective teams have until 29^th February 08 to forward their nomination, with voting winding up on 14^th March 08.  The vote count will be displayed on the this website up until 12^th March 08 and competing teams will be announced on 21^st March 08. 

The exciting aspect of this year’s field, is the mix of new and previous teams. So far the nominations list sees countless numbers of newbie's. To check out the current nominations and current voting results click here to check out the nominees listing.

The latest copies of Dirtcomp and 4x4 Australia are available from your local newsagent, with Dirtcomp also on sale at leading 4WD outlets such as BBMotorsports. 

So, who will get your vote? Make sure your favourite team is guaranteed a place for the Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge, and be there to cheer them on!

Three New Stages

After a HUGE weekend of excavation and earth-moving over the Australia Day long weekend, Greg Hamilton (Competition Manager) is pleased to announce the completion of not 1, not even 2, but 3 new stages for TTC08. Yes, that’s right, to keep it fresh and interesting for both teams and spectators alike, there will be 3 brand new courses for the Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge in 2008.

The first, is the all-new “Devil’s Marbles” (brought to you by DPChip), with over 80 metres of retaining walls, combined with over 150 tonnes of solid rock, masterfully placed into position by some crazy excavator and bobcat drivers. To be run by Dale Moore, this stage will combine all the best aspects of the All Terrain Challenge from prior years, with a magnificent viewing area for thousands of spectators. This stage will be absolutely insane and a must to see.

The second all-new stage has been christened "Out The Back", as it is just up the back-blocks to the left of Mini Wirraba and above the Frame Twister. Here you will find a natural amphitheatre, ready for spectators to pitch their chairs and watch non-stop action as the teams pit their machines against the many twists, turns and squeezes that Stephen Barton has brought to reality. While quite different to the Rocky Horror in the past, Stephen has taken-up the challenge to create something that is truly special, and will test all comers.

And to round out the trio of new stages, we have Mick Watts who complained that cause the other guys got a new track, why couldn’t he. So off he went, in search of trees, boulders, ledges, twists, turns and sheer rock faces, returning with an evil grin on his face, and a master plan to ensure all competitors remember this stage for years to come. The plan is to restrict the drivers vision, but giving them plenty to concentrate on from behind the wheel.

Not to be outdone, there are going to be some major changes to the Frame Twister, with Rob Alexander coming aboard to set the bar higher than ever, and build on the enormous efforts of previous stage manager, Glen Philpott. Look for no other options but going over the tyres this year, and an all-new path through the obstacles.

Not to be outdone, Steve Price has some magic in mind to re-vamp the Mini Wirraba stage, with more twists and turns that ever, and some extra entertainment to keep the crowd happy when one of the big rigs fails part-way.

But the best part for spectators is that all stages will be so close together this year, that once you plant your backside in your comfy chair, you should be able to see all 5 day driving stages from your one vantage point. So whether you choose to be up the back of Up The Back, or lined along the Frame Twister, or even prime position at the start of Devil’s Marbles, you should be able to see all the action across all 5 stages, and kept up-to-date by our Tuff Truck commentary team over the weekend.

And that’s before we mention the Mudrat’s Revenge (the annual crowd-pleaser), the Mystery Night Run, the Travel Ramp and Show n’ Shine / Engineering stages. All up, 9 stages for competitors to attempt and complete (we hope).

So what will be your favourite stage this year? Will it be the rocks, the tyres, the mud, the logs, or will it be the jaw-dropping angles these rigs must navigate and endure to complete the courses. Suffice to say, there will be something for everyone, and everyone will enjoy the entire event. Make sure you get your tickets ASAP, and take advantage of the $10 discount for ordering online.

The Voting Process

The much anticipated voting process relating to selection of competing teams at the 2008 Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge commences in January. As per previous years, it’s the voting that not only determines who gets into the event but governs the running order. So voting is extremely important.

Each voting slip provides for an allowance of “voting points” to be awarded to any of three teams from the nominations list. The teams with the most voting points in ascending order will be admitted along with 39 other teams to compete for the Offroad Images perpetual trophy and to become the Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge champion of 2008.

Voting slips for next year’s Challenge can be found in the January edition of Dirtcomp magazine, which is available mid January and in the March edition of 4x4 Australia magazine, which will be released in early February.

To vote for your favourite teams, check out the nominations page http://www.tufftruck.com.au/nominees.html on the TTC08 website. The timeline relating to team nominations, voting and competing is as follows:

-1st Oct 2007 Nominations open
-15th Jan 2008 Voting opens
-29th Feb 2008 Nominations close
-14th Mar 2008 Voting closes
-21st Mar 2008 Competitors announced
-10th Apr 2008 Gates open for competitors and crew
-11th Apr 2008 Scrutineering begins at 12 noon
-13th Apr 2008 Winners announced at 5PM

For nominating teams, mates will be a priority in the lead up to the close of voting (and probably beyond pending the state of your truck). For Tuff Truck followers, stay tuned as the voting process hots up.

Nominations for TTC08 are OPEN

Get ready, get set, let’s GO……… Nominations for the Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge for 2008 are now open. This year will be bigger and better than ever, with many new things planned for competitors and spectators alike.

The return of Australia’s biggest and best 4WD competition event for another year is sure to generate enormous interest, with some new rules the strong chance of some new courses (shhhh, it’s a secret) and maybe even a new method of voting for your favourite rig (more to be revealed about this soon – but get the texting fingers at the ready).

The field for 2008 will again be restricted to only 40 Tuff Trucks, with nominations expected to be received from many more – voting by the public will decide the final cut and running order. Want to know who’s in and who’s out? You can monitor the voting by logging onto the official Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge 2008 website at: www.tufftruck.com.au.

So, if you want to run the gauntlet in 2008, don’t delay and get your nomination in early to take advantage of the full voting period. Unsuccessful nominations will have an administration fee of $250.00 retained by TEP, however this will entitle the unsuccessful entrant to four weekend passes to the event. 

For 2008, the prize money pool has been increased, with 1^st place now getting $5,000 – yes, that’s right, five smackeroos. All up, a total of $19,000 is on offer, making TTC08 one of the richest 4WD events in the world.

A Competition Fee of $695.00 (incl. GST) applies to each team, which consists of one vehicle, one driver and one navigator. For this entry fee, all competitors will get the following:

• 4 x Official TTC08 Competitor Polo shirts

• 2 x TTC08 DVD’s (when released)

• TTC08 Front and rear number plates

• Official TTC08 Door Stickers

• 2 x TTC08 Seat Covers (yes, they’re back!!!!!)

• An exclusive OffRoad Images photo package for the driver and navigator

• Entry to the event for driver and navigator

• And for TTC08, an EXTRA 2 entry tickets for your support crew or partners 

All up, over $700 worth of value, all for only $695 – and you get to drive in the biggest and best 4WD competition in Australia. What awesome value!!!!!!

Meal packages may also be purchased by competitors – final pricing for this will be announced soon.

All nominations MUST be submitted with a photograph of you and your truck AND a Competitor Deposit of $250.00. After submitting your nomination, email photos of you and your truck to nominations@tuffevents.com. Put your team name in the subject so we know who they came from.

The balance of the Competition Fee ($445) MUST be paid by 31 January 2008. Nominations for which the full competition fee has not been paid before the close of voting, will be disregarded.

All successful applicants shall be notified in writing and posted on the Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge web site, and will receive copies of rules and regulations.

All drivers and navigators must be over the age of 18 and hold a current driver licence as recognised in Australia.

Click here if you want to nominate your team

for the Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge 2008.

Click here to download the

TTC08 Supplementary Rules

Click here to download the

CCDA Manual of 4WD Motor Sport for 4WD Competitive Events Rules

 Are Ya Tuff Enuff To Compete?

So you think you’re Tuff Enuff to have a crack at the Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge for 2008???

You’ve stood by on the sidelines and watched the action from previous years, and thought “Too easy, give me a shot at the title.”

Or you’ve been a competitor in previous years and want another chance to get your name on the trophy next to Mal’s.

Well then, you’ll be mighty interested in the latest release from the Tuff Truck Team – we have just released our official rules and regulations for TC08. In combination with the Cross Country Drivers Association standard rules for events, we have added a couple of extra ones, just to make it interesting. Some of the changes are a bit more restrictive in keeping with the safety aspect of the event, while others open up the field and leave several options available for teams this year.

So fire up the ‘ole Commodore 64 and start downloading the latest details from the below links. You will find all the Supplementary Rules applicable to TTC08, as well as a link to a copy of the CCDA Manual of Four Wheel Drive Motor Sport for Four Wheel Drive Competitive Events – sounds a mouthful, but wait till you have a read. And we DO suggest you have a read, and spend some time ensuring your team and vehicle meet all the spec’s and requirements for competing – it would not be good to turn up at the start line and forgot to bring the helmet.

You will also find a link that where you can email us at 'TTC08 Central' with any query you might have in relation to competing in the event. We will then post a copy of your question, and our answer for all to read, ensuring that all competitors are kept up-to-date with the latest information.

Nominations forms will be available from first week of October, so stay tuned for all the news about TTC08 and how YOU can be involved.

Click here to download the

TTC08 Supplementary Rules

Click here to download the

CCDA Manual of 4WD Motor Sport for 4WD Competitive Events Rules

Email us a question:

competitionmanager@tuffevents.com

Competitor Entry to the Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge 2008 – Update

The rules & regulations for the 2008 Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge are in the process of being finalised. They will be made available for viewing in mid September.

Nominations for entry to next year’s Challenge can be lodged after Monday 1^st Oct 2007. A total of 75 nominations are being accepted.

As with previous years, a voting process will determine who the competitors are. Nominated teams will be promoted via this website from about mid October 2007.

The final arrangements  for the voting process are being finalised. Information will be made available soon.

The 40 teams with the most amount of votes will compete for the coveted Offroad Images Perpetual Trophy and become the 2008 Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge champion.

And just a final reminder to get your diaries open to April 11^th to 13^th next year & make a note about TTC08. Get the annual leave forms in with the boss – you know you won’t want to miss out on all the action!

BBM Open Day and TTC07 DVD

BBMotorsport in conjunction with Tuff Events and Promotions P/L (TTC organisers) are holding an open day to celebrate the release of the official DVD production of the 2007 Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge.

The big day happens on Sunday 24^th June and kicks off at 9:00am.

The day will be jam packed with things to see and do:

• Trade/info stands

• Club display/info stands

• The Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge champion, Mal Van and the Bush Rangie

• The TT Ramp

• The 4WD Monthly ramp for the public to have a crack at

• A live band

• Food & Drink on-site

• Roothy will be here

• Simon and Miranda from 4WD TV will be here

• The 4WD Monthly crew will be here

• Massive sales & specials on all BBM stock on the day, big savings on Tough Dog suspension kits

• The Tuff Truck crew and merchandise……. and much more

The open day will be huge. The BBM & Tuff Truck crews look forward to seeing you there.

The Tough Dog Tuff Truck Challenge 2007 – DVD
 

The much anticipate release of the official TTC07 DVD is only a matter of weeks away and it promises to provide non-stop entertainment.

Simon Christie and his crew at 4wdTV have gone all out to produce what would be described as an all-inspiring production of the event. The TTC07 DVD brings together a great insight and review of the thrills and spills of this year’s Tuff Truck Challenge.

The production will take on a new format for this year and will provide an excellent insight into what makes Tuff Truck the event that it is, of which includes many bonus pieces such as interviews and behind the scenes stuff to keep viewers entertained for nearly three hours (the main feature provides 2.25x hours of action viewing).

The DVD will be released in the fourth week of June (competitors copies will be dispatched prior to this) and can be pre-ordered via the Tuff Truck on-line shop  or can be obtained from your local 4WD outlet after release.

To download a preview of the DVD, CLICK HERE