Even though most mudding is best done in four wheel drive, this week’s Muddy Monday video features a 1993 Dodge Dakota digging through the mud in rear wheel drive. Mind you, this Dakota is a 4×4 model but this video shows that even the 4×2 guys can have fun in the mud – although it is probably a good idea to have someone there to pull you out in case your rear drive truck gets stuck.
The 1993 Dodge Dakota in action in this video is a near stock 318 V8 model with just some decent tires and a Cherry Bomb muffler which actually sounds pretty decent in this clip. The driver eases into the mud and about halfway through, it looks like the 4×2 might not be enough as the truck hesitates at the far edge of the mud pit. The cameraman even chuckles as the momentum of the Dakota dies but with a little effort – our hero is able to dig his way out of the sloppy mud and water. Once out of the water, the Dakota is able to dig its way up the muddy hill before spinning the truck to head back towards the camera. This is a great clip of the 1st gen Dakota in action but the fact that he fords this pit in rear wheel drive shows just how great these trucks were in offroading situations.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
