Mud bogging, or mud racing, is a form of off-road truck racing popular in Michigan and several other states. Modified pickup trucks are the most common mud bogging vehicles, where the winner is determined by distance traveled through a long pit filled with mud and water. Michigan itself has been welcoming of mud bogging participants and their trucks, and a number of mud bogging enthusiast clubs have also sprung up. Several competitive mud bogging events are also held throughout Michigan.
Mud bogging events are known as "mud runs," and in West Michigan many competitive events take place from early May through early October. The West Michigan Mud Runs website lists a full race schedule for professionals and amateur stock truck enthusiasts. Mud bogging events in West Michigan take place at diverse locations, such as Olivet, Bad Axe, Charlotte and Pullman. West Michigan Mud Run series competitors race for championship points, and series events are organized and family friendly, with activities for adults and children alike.
Another mud bogging competitive series, the Extreme Mudding Tour for the Great Lakes region, makes many Michigan locations a regular event stop. Running from late March through early November, Michigan-specific events on the Extreme Mudding Tour calendar include the Hale Mud Bog at the Iosco County Fairgrounds. At time of publication, Mio, Michigan, hosts the late-August Mio Mud Bog at the town's Motorsports Park. The Hale and Mio Michigan mud bogging events are competitive affairs, though other tour events are simply recreational in nature.
The Michigan Mud Jam, a two-day event in Hale, bills itself as the "biggest mud bog in Michigan." The Hale mud bogging event is also a stop on the Trucks Gone Wild tour, where some of the nation's top mud bogging drivers and their trucks compete. Mud bogging trucks at the Michigan Mud Jam race through the venue's numerous mud pits, and plentiful camping is available on-site. Mud Jam spectators must sign liability waivers prior to entering the venue.
Birch Run, Michigan, located in the state's middle eastern region, hosts the Mid-Michigan Mud Run. At publication, Birch Run's mud run is a part of the Birch Run Expo Center's events calendar and draws competitors from all over the state. Mud bogging enthusiasts can register their trucks for a nominal fee and compete in the class appropriate for their vehicles' specifications. Competitors at the Mid-Michigan Mud Run compete for cash and prizes and there venue also offers several other spectator activities.
