With Florida mud truck racing being a big part of culture, we take a deeper dive into the sport with a local racer, Cody Stanley. Don’t think that just because these races are hosted here in Florida that it’s only Floridians that are taking part though! Many racers come from Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi and all over the US to compete against Neighbor’s Nightmare and other local race teams.
How Florida mud truck racing works
On any given day, there might be 30+ trucks that come to race with fans lining the track arm-to-arm cheering on their favorite racers. The races are typically circuit based, with the fastest lap taking the win. What makes things interesting is the track layout and the trucks themselves.
The track is modified for each race, but generally Florida mud truck racing consists of several turns, straight-aways where the trucks can pick up speed, shallow water sections, and (the fan favorite) jumps! Lap times will vary depending on the layout of the track but they generally last 30-45 seconds.
What type of trucks are used
Given the type of race that it is (short, fast, and messy), you need to have a specific type of engine to be able to compete. Where a typical engine runs on gasoline, these supercharged engines run on nitromethane.
Without getting into the specifics of the fuel comparisons, the difference is essentially that the nitromethane (nitro + alcohol) needs less oxygen to burn and produces a higher rate of combustion. Where regular gasoline has an octane rating of around 87, the octane rating of nitromethane is around 110.
While the results of this type of engine produce a much higher “bang-for-your-buck”, they do not last very long and are meant for short distances only (hence the 30-45 second lap time).
The style of the truck used in Florida mud truck racing varies slightly with modern racers going with a dragster-style “rail’ design. Many, however, still use a modified pickup truck with lifted suspensions and large tires.
Where to see a race
Being a staple of the Sunshine State, there are quite a few places to go and see mud racing. These locations vary all over Florida but some of the most popular are Down to Earth Mud Racing, Redneck Mud Park, and Iron Horse Mud Ranch to name a few.
Whether you’re a Florida native or visiting from out of town, a Florida mud truck racing event is not something you want to miss!
*Flogrown does not sponsor any of the mentioned locations, this is purely an informational article.