Huckfest brings trucks and an economic boost to Oceano Dunes SRVA

Salty ocean air mixed with the smell of gasoline at the Oceano Dunes on Oct. 18, as the ripping sound of engines overpowered the steady sound of the waves.

Thousands of off-road enthusiasts converged at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) for the annual truck-jumping competition known as Huckfest. Spectators and competitors camped out the night before, peppering the sandy shores with RVs and trailers. 

click to enlarge Huckfest brings trucks and an economic boost to Oceano Dunes SRVA
PHOTO BY AARON SALAZAR
GO BIG: Even though Huckfest has become more organized since its beginning, the grand prize of rig-hucking glory has remained the same.

On Friday night, the band Moonshine Bandits kicked off the weekend with a concert. They performed onstage under a banner that read the event’s tagline, “Go huck yourself.”

As first light crept over the dunes on the morning of the contest, lifted trucks, ATVs, dirt bikes, and dune buggies roared down the beach.

“The event brings spectators and competitors from around the world,” Huckfest organizer Manual Garner, a 23-year-old from Nipomo, said. “It’s a good family event.” 

The jumping competition took place about a quarter-mile into the dunes, off of a 50-foot slope called Competition Hill. As the start of the contest drew nearer, lines of vehicles filled in against the fenced-off edges of the jumping zone. A bright glare reflected off the vehicles that crowned the tops of the surrounding dunes. Onlookers brought out barbecue pits and ice chests to make a day of the four-hour event, and stood on truck beds to get the best view.

After a few practice jumps, the contest took flight with 18 registered competitors in three different categories. The three categories were separated by the types of trucks, and included limited, unlimited, and open wheel.

Limited meant that the trucks had to have a two-axle, steel cab with opening doors, where unlimited trucks could have everything customized. Open-wheel vehicles are like dune buggies with nothing covering the tires.

The crowd erupted into cheers each time rubber and metal soared through the air.

click to enlarge Huckfest brings trucks and an economic boost to Oceano Dunes SRVA
PHOTO BY AARON SALAZAR
BIG WHEELS: A big part of the events show happens outside the jumping zone, as spectators turn heads with their most tricked-out trucks.

“It’s like free-falling,” James Mullenix said about jumping.

Mullenix built the engine for one of the competing trucks. He put a Corvette engine into a standard Ford pick-up, and added an excellent air filtration system to keep the engine from sucking up too much sand, he said.

“It’s exciting to see them compete,” he said.

He built the truck with Ryan Kibbe, 28, from Newbury Park, Calif.

They gave the Ford a new transmission, new front and rear suspension, and a roll cage.

“You got to be safe,” Kibbe said, who’s been building trucks for 10 years and has his own company called Kibbetech.

Last year their truck, numbered 1466, took second place at Huckfest, Kibbe said.

Each driver was allowed three jump attempts to reach their farthest distance. The winners from each class went on to compete for the top spot and bragging rights until next year’s event.

Brad Deberti, from Arroyo Grande, took first place in the limited class with a 146-foot jump.

It was a tie between Deberti and Mike Higgins from Michigan in the unlimited class, but the local decided to concede to second place because he didn’t want to jump again and damage his truck.

Overall, damage at the event was minimal. There were some popped tires, dents and cracks, but nothing catastrophic, Garner said. 

Competitors weren’t the only ones putting on a show. Spectators showed off their vehicles’ prowess by mounting nearby slopes and carving around the slippery sides of the dunes.

But the sand claimed its victims as heavy vehicles got stuck in the soft surface. Before hitting the sand, drivers let the air out of their tires to get better traction, but sometimes it wasn’t enough.

click to enlarge Huckfest brings trucks and an economic boost to Oceano Dunes SRVA
PHOTO BY AARON SALAZAR
WHEN TRUCKS FLY: Mechanics build light and powerful trucks to get the biggest air off the top of the dunes.

Sand geysers shot out from behind tires that were buried in the sand, and trucks pulling each other out were a common sight throughout the day.

After the competition ended, a mass exodus of shimmering steal poured out of the dunes, while some hardcore enthusiasts stayed behind to continue the quest for glory under the orange setting sun.

Garner organized the event with his twin brother, Johnny. He remembers getting the idea to plan the first Huckfest when they were 15 years old. “Hucking” is off-road lingo for jumping. 

He and his brother were at the dunes when some friends started arguing about whose truck could jump the farthest, Garner said. Somebody yelled out “huckfest” and the rest is history. 

“We might as well do something big,” Garner said he remembers thinking at the time.

The event grew from there, and in 2012, the Oceano Dunes SVRA required organizers to have a permit.

Last year, so many people showed up to the event that park rangers had to close the beach. This is the first year that tickets were sold to help offset the costs for safety personnel. Organizers teamed up with Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol, and the local fire department to help run the event smoothly. Day use tickets were $35, and overnight camping tickets were $100.

The popularity of Huckfest has also helped boost the local economy, Garner said. Some local businesses told him that it was their best day of the year.

“It was a good turnout,” he said.

 

Contact Staff Writer Aaron Salazar at [email protected].

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