Dirt Dog Promotions Brings Redneck Rally Energy Back to Southern Iowa Fair

Red Neck Rally (photo courtesy Denis Currier)

OSKALOOSA — For 10 years, Chris Menninga and Dirt Dog Promotions have built a different kind of motorsports event in Oskaloosa, starting with a simple idea: take inexpensive cars, build a rough dirt track and give drivers and fans a night they would not see at a regular race.

The Redneck Rally started with a simple idea: take inexpensive cars, build a rough dirt track and give drivers and fans a night they would not see at a regular race.

What began as a single class of junk cars has grown into an event with cars, trucks, side-by-sides, dirt bikes, four-wheelers, school buses and other vehicles that are not normally expected to race or jump on a dirt track.

The next Dirt Dog Promotions event will be held Saturday, July 18, during the final night of the Southern Iowa Fair. The program begins at 5 p.m. at the grandstands.

This year’s event is being promoted as “A Redneck Good Time” and will include two-man cruiser races, trailer races, a driver’s education race, dirt bike races and four-wheeler races.

The combine demolition derby is expected to feature combines competing on the track, along with a heavily built Suburban that may challenge them.

The two-man cruiser race places two people in a single vehicle, each with different jobs. One person handles the steering wheel and brakes. The other person controls the gas pedal. Menninga said the format creates plenty of shouting, confusion and unexpected moments once the race begins.

Another part of the night will involve vehicles racing with a pickup box trailer attached to the back. The goal is not polished racing. The goal is to keep the action close to the grandstands, where people can see it.

The drivers’ education class gives younger racers a chance to compete. Drivers must be between 14 and 17 years old, and a parent may ride with them. Menninga said some drivers who began in that class have later moved into the regular Redneck Rally divisions.

The event has changed over the years, but the basic idea has remained the same. Menninga said Dirt Dog Promotions has tried to keep the events affordable for drivers while giving fans something different to watch.

The first Redneck Rally featured only cars. Menninga said between 40 and 60 vehicles showed up, and the grandstands were full. The event returned after that first show and has continued to grow.

Today, the Redneck Rally includes several classes. Drivers can bring front-wheel-drive cars, compact trucks, larger trucks and heavily modified vehicles. There is also a class for women drivers known as Hick Chicks.

Some competitors spend only a few hundred dollars on a vehicle. Others build more serious race machines with stronger engines, safety cages and upgraded suspension systems. Menninga said the top prize in several classes is $1,000, which helps bring drivers to the events.

While the racing can look wild, Menninga said organizers work to keep the event safe. The races have rules, safety equipment and track preparation, but the event is still built around the kind of motorsports action that includes jumps, mud, crashes and damaged vehicles.

Dirt Dog Promotions depends on local sponsors and volunteers. Menninga said local equipment operators, truck drivers and others help build the track before the event and tear it down afterward. The work can involve dump trucks, excavators and skid loaders.

The event also has a connection to the larger world of motorsports.

Menninga’s son, Tyler Menninga, recently added another major title to the family’s motorsports story. Driving Grave Digger, Tyler won the JCB Racing World Championship at Monster Jam World Finals XXV on July 4 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. The victory was his third World Finals championship and his first in the JCB Racing division.

For Chris Menninga, the local Redneck Rally remains a different kind of racing event. It is built around local drivers, local volunteers and spectators who want to spend a night at the fair watching vehicles do things they were not designed to do.

Grandstand admission for the July 18 event is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 through 12, and free for children age 5 and under. Pit admission is $25 for all ages.

Tickets will be available the day of the event. More information, rules, and event updates are available on Dirt Dog Promotions’ Facebook page.