Racing In A Crapcan While Trying To Drive Onto A Moving Trailer Is Racing At Its Best

I’m not really the biggest follower of motorsports, at least not in its more, um, professional contexts. I respect all that goes into NASCAR racing and F1 racing and I sort of envy my friends that get such satisfaction from following those series, but I’ve never been about that, for whatever reason. What I do love, motorsports-wise, are the ragged, unhinged edges of motorsport, where people do poorly-advised things in extremely questionable cars. And I’ve just found out about a whole new category of this sort of thing and holy crap, is it good.

It’s called King of the Hill racing, and from what I’ve been able to find out, this seems to be something new on the bonkers racing front, a rich and imaginative field that has given the world trailer races, figure-8 school bus races, and, of course, skid plate racing, which I once got to try out. This overall category of racing is easily one of the most daring and imaginative in existence, but so far I haven’t found anything definitive to suggest that this particular variant – where cars attempt to drive onto a moving car trailer being pulled by a truck that is actively trying to shake the cars off – has been formally attempted before.

This milestone of bonkers racing was given unto humanity by what I can only assume are a pack of genetically-enhanced race planning geniuses at Hudson Speedway, in Hudson, New Hampshire. The first King of the Hill race happened this past Labor Day, and I think it looks like it was an absolute triumph:

Here’s how Hudson Speedway’s own site described it:

“One of the most anticipated additions to this year’s Labor Day program was the King of the Hill Trailer Race, and it didn’t disappoint.

With competitors battling while trying to negotiate the moving trailer, the unique event provided plenty of laughs, close calls and chaos for the crowd. When it was all over, John McInnis and the No. 609 stood alone as the inaugural Labor Day King of the Hill, earning the victory in one of the wildest events of the afternoon.”

I didn’t realize how anticipated this was, to be honest, but I’m willing to believe that if someone described what this plan was, I’d be anticipating it, too.

 

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There’s so much going on here, when you really think about it! There’s strategy! When is best to make a move? Just after a corner? Right before one? Trying to do this in a corner seems especially difficult but who knows? Does it make sense to try and get your car caught on the railing or tow hitch or some other bit of metal, to add a sort of mechanical advantage holding you onto the trailer?

Is a FWD or RWD car an advantage here? Is it better to pull yourself onto the moving trailer, or push? Does the moment of contact tire to the ramp factor in here? Is a heavier or lighter car better? I have so many questions and I want to try this so much, it’s absurd.

In my head, of course, I feel like hell yeah, I can get on that trailer! Reality would most likely have me spinning upside down in the middle of the track after a particularly misguided attempt that involved accidentally hitting the horn and maybe peeing myself a little bit.

This is a big moment in ridiculous racing. This is a time to celebrate. The rest of the world may be falling to shit, but in this one very specific realm of human endeavor, we’re cooking with gas.

UPDATE: I found an onboard video of the race from Danny Gill, driver of the number 97 Subaru Impreza:

Top graphic images: TBERG Media; 20th Century Fox