If playing in the mud is your thing, then you won’t want to miss this. The Garden Island Motorcycle Club, with the Kuhio Auto Group and the Knudsen Trust, will host the 2nd annual Kauai Mud Out on Sunday, March
If playing in the mud is your thing, then you won’t want to miss this.
The Garden Island Motorcycle Club, with the Kuhio Auto Group and the Knudsen Trust, will host the 2nd annual Kauai Mud Out on Sunday, March 20 in Omao.
“Last year was a quick learning curve. We’re going to improve on the things we should have had last year,” said GIMC president Bertram Almeida. “Everybody can expect a much better experience. It will be the same excitement — probably even more.”
The objective is for drivers to ride their vehicles as far as possible through a mud pit that is 150 feet long, 25 feet wide and about 5 feet deep.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in each of four classes — 4-cylinder, 6-cylinder, 8-cylinder and modified. A total of $5,000 will be awarded, said Kuhio Auto Group owner Ryan Mackey.
“I don’t know how it’s all broken out, but a lot of the guys will have an opportunity to actually make some money to help offset some of the costs they’re putting into these vehicles,” Mackey said. “I’m looking forward to a great turnout.”
Mackie added the contest has drawn a lot of interest.
“We’ve started getting calls from off-island — from people that are going to be coming town to watch the event, as well as other people shipping their vehicle over to enter it,” he said. “And then, of course, on Kauai (last year) was the first mud out we’ve had in, I guess it was 10 years. We haven’t had one in so long. So, the turnout was great.
“I heard a lot of positive feedback. The only negative feedback I heard was the parking,” he continued about last year’s contest. “Parking was an issue. I heard people were parking on the highway. So, we’ve addressed those issues. We’re putting in parking lots, so it minimizes traffic and helps get people in on flat ground quickly.”
About 65 drivers took part in last year’s mud bogging event in front of about 4,000 spectators — most of which got stuck halfway through the pit. Almeida said they’re making the pit this time in a way that the contest can move along quicker.
The deadline to register is March 13. Registration is $50 for each driver and there’s a two-person limit for each vehicle.
Almeida said there are 60 spots available.
“It’s filling up really quick. And last year, we had to turn people away,” he said. “Anybody who wants to enter, I would encourage them to do it sooner than later.”
Also making a return from last year’s event is the Dash For Cash contest, in which spectators run through the mud pit for a $100 cash prize at the finish line. There will be three dashes varying by age group.
“Personally, my whole favorite part of the whole thing was watching the kids run through the mud,” Almeida said.
Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Gates will open 7 a.m.
Food trucks and a disc jockey will be present. Free shave ice and a free fish pond for kids will also be part of the event.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society and the Boys and Girls Club of Kauai.
Information: Almeida, 651-3000. www.kuhiokustoms.com.
