Cranks and Critters

Today's Wall Street Journal had an article about an event in Oregon that may provide some insight on how to spice up next year's Doughty 500. When These Little Pigs Go Racing, There Are Rules Against Boorishness:

Driving in circles while holding a pig properly is something that demands hewing to the rules.

The Pig-N-Ford Race has long been the premier event at the Tillamook County Fair in this town of about 5,000. Each racer grabs a young pig from a pen with one arm, crank starts a Model T Ford with the other and drives around a dirt track clutching the porker.

As the pigs join their racers this weekend for the 2014 Pig-N-Ford finals, they will face some of the sorts of rules, rivalries and whiff of controversy that often consume motor sports.

The pertinent question at this point is exactly how this crazy contest got started.

The race, in its 90th year, is rooted in the 1920s, when someone in a Model T saw a neighbor's pig running loose. He chased it down in the car and scooped it up. Locals turned the episode into an annual event.

We wouldn't have to stick with pigs of course. Any farm animal would do. And there are no shortage of farms in Wisconsin. A little research project might be in store for Mike and Sean before next year.

On the Block

The take from the 2014 Doughty 500 auction netted out at $1115. This will be added to the kitty and used for productive purposes on the 2015 Doughty 500 (t-shirts, drinks, etc.).

Do The Math

Our son Isaiah this morning reflecting on yesterday's visit to the Plank Hill compound:

"Mustache plus guns equals Brendan."

Hard to argue with that equation.