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Second Goodyear Rock-Crawling Event Goes to Extremes

22 February 2000

Second Goodyear Rock-Crawling Event Goes to Extremes

    PHOENIX, Feb. 22 -- The second Goodyear Extreme Rock Crawling
Championship next month pits two Arizona mountain men against two Nebraskans
from the prairie.
    Could the March 10 and 11 obstacle course be a repeat of the first event
in the mountains of Farmington, N.M.?  Jeff "Rookie" Waggoner, a plumber from
Kearney, Neb., led the field of 12 in the New Mexico finals.  Waggoner, one of
the competitors on Goodyear's new Wrangler MT/R tire, was the odds-on
favorite.
    Fellow Nebraskan Rick Hudson also had a set of the puncture-resistant
Wrangler MT/R tires.  Bring on the mountains, as they say - from down on the
farm.
    The two Arizona men, naturally, have mountain experience as well as
Goodyear's new tire on their vehicles.  Waggoner, however, rolled his Jeep at
the first obstacle in the finals, and that was an opening for the Arizonians
to claim the first Goodyear Extreme Rock Crawling Championship.
    Shannon Campbell, 29, of Gilbert, Ariz., drove his off-road race truck to
first place. Dan Dunaway, of Mesa, Ariz., came in second.
    Campbell says he's not favored to win here, despite having the event in
his backyard.  "It's not like I'm out there rock-crawling every weekend.  My
time is spent in the garage building my equipment.  I've driven the area, but
that's about it."
    Nebraskans Waggoner and Hudson came in fourth and fifth in Farmington.
Waggoner, who leads the series in points, said Campbell and Dunaway will be
strong contenders, but he will be visiting the Phoenix area twice before the
event to practice.
    Waggoner said his strengths are experience, reliable equipment and a good
spotter to help him drive over the obstacles.  "The bad thing is, I live in
Nebraska.  There are no mountains there for practice," he said.
    The question is, can the mountain men do it again, at the second Goodyear
extreme rock crawling event in Phoenix?
    More than 60 highly modified vehicles are scheduled to compete in the two-
day four-wheeling event, sanctioned by the American Rock Crawlers Association.
ARCA also has tentative events scheduled in Cedar City, Utah, and Montrose,
Colo.
    To the uninitiated, extreme rock crawling is an unusual sport.  Drivers
and their spotters follow a strategy for conquering an obstacle course with
lifted suspensions in the least amount of time and penalties.  Points are
taken off for stopping, backing up, running over course flags and winching up
boulders.
    Ron Wells, marketing manager for Goodyear light-truck tires, said he is
excited about the level of interest in rock crawling. Nearly 5,000 people
attended the finals in Farmington.
    "We recognize the growth in extreme sports, such as rock crawling.
Goodyear market research indicates more vehicles -- up to 20 percent -- are
leaving the roadway intentionally.  Sponsoring these events allows us to
promote our new tire to enthusiasts who are loyal to products that perform,"
Wells said.
    The timing also is important.  Dealers are receiving Wrangler MT/R tire
shipments now in sizes 30x9.50R15 and 35x12.50R15.  Seven other sizes will be
available in March and April at Goodyear retail locations nationwide.