Erne, Joy Making Tracks In Mud Racing
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
While his job at the United Parcel Service allows him to drive the 'big brown truck', 38-year-old Brian Erne loves nothing more than driving his 1948 Jeep he calls the Insta-Gator.
Veteran stock car driver Dale Jarrett has made the 'big brown truck' common among households in his NASCAR commercials. Erne and best friend Tim Joy, both Whitko High School graduates, are trying to make a name for themselves in the sport of mud racing.
Erne, whose daughters Nicole, 9, and Elizabeth, 5, go to Burket Elementary School, remembers going to mud bogging events back in the 1980s. In 1993, he experienced his first mud drag race. He began his own racing career almost immediately and has been hooked since. Hooked like Tiger Woods is to golf.
"A lot of people in the area are interested in racing," Erne said. "What we need to do now is get people interested in mud racing."
Unlike mud bogs, where drivers steer through a pit of mud as far as they can, Erne and Joy are into the speed end of it - they want to get through it as fast as they can.
Though the track distance varies from event to event, tracks are usually around 200 feet long. Erne is a member of the 2-second club, traveling the track's distance in under three seconds.
To power their green 4x4, Erne and Joy have a 622 cubic inch nitrous-injected engine designed by Chevy and cast at Dalton Foundries.
"It's a big block Chevy," Erne said. "It's not as big as it gets, but it's pretty big."
The duo estimates one engine, which burns one gallon of methanol per run, might cost as much as $20,000.
Erne drove his first mud drag race in 1993. The following year he moved up to the Pro Modified class of the National Mud Racing Organization where he competes now. At the time of this interview, he was third in the NMRO Pro Modified point standings.
Though they went to school together at Whitko High School - Joy a 1980 graduate and Erne graduating in 1981 - their racing paths didn't cross until a little over two years ago.
On this day, the two were found in a shop at Erne's house. It's the same as it is everyday. It's a story of two gearheads quenching their thirst for horsepower, while at the same time a story of friendship.
"We do a lot of things together," Joy, an employee of Commodore Homes in Goshen, said. "When I first got into it I was going through a divorce. I just needed something to keep me occupied and Brian and his family was there for me. They've basically adopted me. I come over every night, we eat together and then we'll work on the car. It's more than racing. For us, it's really about the people we've met."
Without Joy, Erne never would have been at an event in Iowa back in 1999. Now, Erne calls it a turning point.
Driving through St. Louis, Erne's 1978 Chevy truck blew an engine. There the two stood under the Arch and alongside the interstate. Erne was ready to just get home.
"Tim talked me into going to Iowa," Erne said. "We were broke down in St. Louis, and I wasn't sure about going."
The two made it to Iowa, driving through snow and sleet, and then won their first national event.
The duo picked up their second national win this past July in Pennsylvania. They followed that up with a second in Ohio and a third-place showing Vermont.
"Over the last couple years we've earned a lot of respect," Joy said. "We'd like to win a national championship."
Erne refers to an upcoming event in Indianapolis as the biggest one on the schedule. Erne expects 70 to 80 entries.
When not driving their Jeep, which carries local sponsors Front Line Manufacturing., Tom Farms, The Keg and Fort Wayne Clutch, the two spend time promoting a local series, the Northern Indiana Mud Racing Series. The NIMRS will race Sept. 8 at Trojan MX track in North Webster and at the Fulton County Fairgrounds on Sept. 29. [[In-content Ad]]
While his job at the United Parcel Service allows him to drive the 'big brown truck', 38-year-old Brian Erne loves nothing more than driving his 1948 Jeep he calls the Insta-Gator.
Veteran stock car driver Dale Jarrett has made the 'big brown truck' common among households in his NASCAR commercials. Erne and best friend Tim Joy, both Whitko High School graduates, are trying to make a name for themselves in the sport of mud racing.
Erne, whose daughters Nicole, 9, and Elizabeth, 5, go to Burket Elementary School, remembers going to mud bogging events back in the 1980s. In 1993, he experienced his first mud drag race. He began his own racing career almost immediately and has been hooked since. Hooked like Tiger Woods is to golf.
"A lot of people in the area are interested in racing," Erne said. "What we need to do now is get people interested in mud racing."
Unlike mud bogs, where drivers steer through a pit of mud as far as they can, Erne and Joy are into the speed end of it - they want to get through it as fast as they can.
Though the track distance varies from event to event, tracks are usually around 200 feet long. Erne is a member of the 2-second club, traveling the track's distance in under three seconds.
To power their green 4x4, Erne and Joy have a 622 cubic inch nitrous-injected engine designed by Chevy and cast at Dalton Foundries.
"It's a big block Chevy," Erne said. "It's not as big as it gets, but it's pretty big."
The duo estimates one engine, which burns one gallon of methanol per run, might cost as much as $20,000.
Erne drove his first mud drag race in 1993. The following year he moved up to the Pro Modified class of the National Mud Racing Organization where he competes now. At the time of this interview, he was third in the NMRO Pro Modified point standings.
Though they went to school together at Whitko High School - Joy a 1980 graduate and Erne graduating in 1981 - their racing paths didn't cross until a little over two years ago.
On this day, the two were found in a shop at Erne's house. It's the same as it is everyday. It's a story of two gearheads quenching their thirst for horsepower, while at the same time a story of friendship.
"We do a lot of things together," Joy, an employee of Commodore Homes in Goshen, said. "When I first got into it I was going through a divorce. I just needed something to keep me occupied and Brian and his family was there for me. They've basically adopted me. I come over every night, we eat together and then we'll work on the car. It's more than racing. For us, it's really about the people we've met."
Without Joy, Erne never would have been at an event in Iowa back in 1999. Now, Erne calls it a turning point.
Driving through St. Louis, Erne's 1978 Chevy truck blew an engine. There the two stood under the Arch and alongside the interstate. Erne was ready to just get home.
"Tim talked me into going to Iowa," Erne said. "We were broke down in St. Louis, and I wasn't sure about going."
The two made it to Iowa, driving through snow and sleet, and then won their first national event.
The duo picked up their second national win this past July in Pennsylvania. They followed that up with a second in Ohio and a third-place showing Vermont.
"Over the last couple years we've earned a lot of respect," Joy said. "We'd like to win a national championship."
Erne refers to an upcoming event in Indianapolis as the biggest one on the schedule. Erne expects 70 to 80 entries.
When not driving their Jeep, which carries local sponsors Front Line Manufacturing., Tom Farms, The Keg and Fort Wayne Clutch, the two spend time promoting a local series, the Northern Indiana Mud Racing Series. The NIMRS will race Sept. 8 at Trojan MX track in North Webster and at the Fulton County Fairgrounds on Sept. 29. [[In-content Ad]]