The MRA
WELCOME TO THE MUD
RACERS ASSOCIATION
The Mud Racers Association (MRA) is a
nationally recognized sanctioning body for many types of mud racing.
The Association itself is made up of competitors, promoters and fans
of the sport who’s basic philosophy is that by establishing a
uniform set of safety guidelines and class rules, a standard can be
set throughout the United States that all interested parties can
utilize to improve and expand this sport we call mud racing.
The following is a brief description
of the history of the Mud Racers Association and how it came to be
quite possibly the largest sanctioning body for mud racing in the
country.
Mud racing throughout time has
been made up of hundreds of small organizations, each with their own
ideas of what is or is not allowed in a specific class. While
to this day this has worked fine on a smaller scale, the problems of
racing on a national level are complicated by these variations in
the rules across the country. This coupled with low
enforcement of the rules in an effort to gain more entries, created
more problems when racers traveled to different events, quite often
even from town to town, problems that were holding back the growth
of the sport. Without some form of standardized rules and
format it was very difficult if not impossible for racers to travel
to or promoters to hold larger events to bring in racers from other
areas. These issues as well as many safety issues
concerned as well as discouraged many of the racers from searching
for more and better competition. The prospect of gaining any
national recognition for the sport without some form of sanctioning
body and unified rules was near impossible. The prospect of a major
race series or sponsors to help support it seemed out of reach.
Racers were calling for unity and consistency in the rules, better
safety regulations as well as more growth in the sport. With
no organizations willing or able to address these issues, the racers
themselves started to look to each other for an answer.
As with many ideas timing is of the
upmost importance. The need for an association that would unify mud
racing across America was not a new concept by any means, but most
will agree that it was a concept whose time had come. March of
2007 was that time. Throughout the racing season racers
discussed the fact that there was a need for unification of the
rules if the sport was going to progress. Creating a standard
set of class rules and safety regulations would allow racers from
all parts of the country to compete in National level events without
worries of fitting in the class of their choice when they arrive.
Once the rules could be standardized, the prospects of offering an
event series across the country would be possible. With the advent
of a national series, promoters would have the opportunity to
procure sponsors.
With these ideas in mind and by racers
working together, a web site was created. A name was chosen by
the racers around the country and the Mud Racers Association (MRA)
became official. It was accepted by all involved to hold an
election in the fall of 2007 for the purpose of electing a “Board of
Representatives” (Rep’s). Candidates for positions in the
association were many; racers from all parts of the country that
were interested in bringing the sport together under one banner
participated. The election was held and the Mud Racers
Association was well on its way with its first of what was to become
many annual meetings in Nashville, Tennessee. Nine racers were
chosen to be on the board of representatives for terms of one and
two years. That’s when the real work began. Rules for “Fast
Track” and “Bog/ Pit” racing were developed from hundreds of
different sets of rules from dozens of different race organizations
and clubs across the United States. By-laws were put into place as
well as a Charter and mission statements. Vehicle and track safety
were a big concern for the MRA with efforts to maintain and improve
these areas a top priority. Membership requirements were set
and racers were signing up in an effort to promote the MRA and its
concepts. It has been a long and at times a slow process but the MRA
has managed to stay on tract in its efforts to unify and promote the
sport of mud racing.
The Mud Racers Association has come a
long ways sense its beginning. With over 300 registered
members from more than 28 states continuing their support, it has
progressed from writing rules to promoting and establishing a race
series in conjunction with host tracks and organizations. They
have gone from sanctioning a few events to crowning their first
point’s champions in the three “Fast Track” pro classes in 2009.
The 2010 season upped the ante with
the MRA sanctioning five National Events for the Fast Track series
with four of our pro classes and brought to you the first ever MRA
sanctioned “Hill n Hole” event series with events in North Carolina,
South Carolina and Kansas.
In 2011 the Fast Track racing series
continued with its five Points Series Events now featuring six Pro
classes. The program was also expanded to include as many as three
classes of Bog Pit racing at two of those events.
With hundreds of competitors,
traveling for thousands of miles to take a shot at some of the best
competition in the country the “2012 National Points Series” will
continue to expand on an already successful series bring
everyone some of the best mud racing in the country, for today and
into the future.