Beautiful Auburn, IN courthouse, a backdrop to the magnificent automobiles of the ACD Parade, Labor Day Weekend.

Beautiful Auburn, IN courthouse, a backdrop to the magnificent automobiles of the ACD Parade, Labor Day Weekend.

Off-Road Racer Ricky Johnson Takes on Vermont Ski Slope in Truck

Three-time TORC Series championship driver Ricky Johnson is no stranger to a challenge, but most of the time, his competition and driving take place in warmer weather than what Johnson faced this past week at the Mount Snow resort in the Southern Vermont town of West Dover. Well-known for its sponsorship of spectacular motorized exhibitions, Red Bull selected the El Cajon, California, native to be the headliner for its Frozen Rush event.

But Johnson wasn't the only participant out of its element. Johnson's 900-hp race truck has a highly tuned engine and drivetrain optimized for warmer weather, and special heating blankets had to be placed on the engine oil tank and transmission to get the truck to run right in the cold conditions.

To help his truck face the white powder, special BFGoodrich Mud Terrain KR tires were fitted with half-inch spikes to help them get traction going up the 30-degree Yard Sale black diamond trail. But Johnson didn't go into the challenge cold, so to speak. The truck and tires were tested in the Lake Tahoe area of Northern California, an area renowned for its ski resorts.

The Frozen Rush exhibition was a success, with Johnson driving up the notorious slope, and finishing with a final airborne jump.