Top Truck Challenge: The Ultimate Guide to 23 Years of Engine-Drowning, Axle-Cracking, Prime 4x4 Chaos
A year-by-year look at Four Wheeler’s legendary Top Truck Challenge.
DuringFour Wheeler's incredible 60-year history (which we're celebrating in 2022), we've had some epic events, and arguably the most epic was Top Truck Challenge.
Weeklong, but Not for the Weak
Top Truck Challenge, often known simply as TTC or Top Truck, was a weeklong competition held at the Hollister Hills SVRA near Hollister, California. It ran for 23 consecutive years from 1993 to 2015. For most years it consisted of 4x4s selected byFour Wheelerreaders from applications submitted byFour Wheelerreaders. This made TTC a reader-driven competition from beginning to end. Competitors challenged a number of off-road-centric events including the legendary Frame Twister, Obstacle Course, and Tank Trap. From its humble beginnings, the event grew in popularity, and there was even a Top Truck Champions' Challenge to celebrate the 20th anniversary of TTC where all the previous Grand Champions were invited to return for an incredible, epic throwdown. It's also worth noting that TTC inspired many things through the years including videos, similar events, a clock, and the development of the 54-inch Mickey Thompson Baja Claw TTC tire.
Top Truck Created 4x4 Legends
TTC helped to make the competitors and their rigs household names. Folks like Heath Biggs and his Scorpion MK1, Mike Niebuhr and his "Quagmire" Chevy pickup, John Joling and his "Rodent Exterminator" 1972 Ford F-100, and John Reynolds' 1973 Bronco, along with many others.
Wheelers Still Talk Top Truck
TTC was a big chapter inFour Wheelerhistory, and its popularity continues today. For those of you who email us wondering if TTC will return, we say maybe a return is inevitable.
Read on for a fascinating overview of Top Truck Challenge's 23 kick-butt years.
1993: Year One
We kinda had no idea how the first TTC was going to shake out, but competitors came anyway to battle a series of events including the Mud Pit, Frame Twister, Mini Rubicon, Stair Step, Stream Bed, Slalom Course, and Hillclimb. Competitors included Rick Pewe (who later became the editor ofJpand4-Wheel & Off-Roadmagazines) and the legendary Soni Honegger. Jim Piatt owned our inaugural event with six First Place finishes.
Grand Champion: Jim Piatt, Manchester, Washington
Vehicle: 1984 Jeep CJ-7
Engine: Chevy 350ci V-8, Holley Pro-Jection
Transmission: TH400
Transfer case: Dana 300
Axles (f/r): Dana 44, ARB Air Locker/AMC Model 20, ARB Air Locker
Suspension (f/r): Skyjacker 3 1/2-in-lift leaf springs, Skyjacker shocks/Skyjacker 3 1/2-in-lift leaf springs, Skyjacker shocks
