(Words and Photos by David Whealon) With the unfortunate passing from a courageous battle with cancer back in 2021 of famed and beloved mud racer Darryl Jones, pilot of the legendary “Scooby Doo” Blown Ford Ranger Hill n’ Hole mudtruck and owner of the Lee County Mud Motorsports Complex in Sanford, NC, a legacy was left that will remain in many people’s hearts and minds forever. Darryl passed shortly after the annual running of the 2021 “Blown Alcohol Madness” and the “Fastest of the Fast” race. The race format consisted of a 160’ of freshly groomed Carolina red clay for some of the most badass Blown Alcohol Dirt Dragsters along with Nitrous injected machines to turn lightning fast passes on. On the “Fastest of the Fast” muddy side of the race, a 250’ length of thick sloppy muck with two hills in between three murky mud pits is where the fastest mudtrucks in the nation come to compete in an effort to gain entry into the prestigious “3 Second Club”.
After Darryl’s untimely passing the future of this yearly tradition was understandably unknown. With the help of some of the most devoted racers, Darryl’s Widow Deborah chose to keep the tradition alive and in 2022 created the First Annual Darryl Jones Memorial Race celebrating his life and passion of the sport he loved so much.
And now in 2024, the time has arrived for the final curtain call of the memorial edition of the yearly event. For this 3rd and final go round, tons of heavy iron and horsepower showed up on the picture perfect weekend to put on a fantastic showing of soaring dirt and mudslinging at it’s finest. Quick times were happening all throughout the weekend. With one notable run through the 250’ Hill n’ Hole mud pit was Denny Kerley piloting his Blown Dodge Mudtruck to a record setting 3.49 second pass.
The event was such a huge success that hopefully a possible reconsideration of keeping this awesome event alive for years to come would be fantastic. We’ll just have to stay tuned.
A big thanks to all that helped make this Memorial Tribute to Darryl Jones over the past three years such an epic tribute.
