By Roger Harnack
Chronicle staff

     OMAK — Hundreds of fans turned out Saturday night to watch monster trucks jump crushed cars and local motorheads race through mud bogs and around an obstacle course in the new Omak Stampede Arena.
     It was the first time in two years that Nitro Promotions had brought its Outlaw Monster Truck Challenge to North Central Washington.
     Nitro owner Chris Roy said the organization skipped Omak last year due to construction of the new arena.
     Looking out on the new arena, Roy called it “phenomenal.”
     “This is one of the nicest in Washington,” he said.
     Although ticket sales figures were not available at press time, Roy predicted a good turnout of both spectators and competitors - the show included local drivers competing in mud bog and tough truck racing.
     According to Roy, 14 local drivers entered the mud bog competition and 11 entered the tough truck obstacle course.
     Not all of them completed their events.
     The mud bog winner, Kevin Fletcher of Omak, completed that course in 5.72 seconds.
     Nick Martin and Jeb Heindselman tied for second place at 6.19 seconds.
     In the tough truck competition, William Jess of Bridgeport took home top honors, completing the course in 27.44 seconds.
     Second place went to Adam Bergstrom of Omak with a time of 29.75 seconds. He was followed by Nick McCallum of Tonasket, who took third in 30.05.
     Other local drivers entering one or both of the competitions included Robert Willis of Tonasket, Shane Davis of Tonasket, Derik Grooms of Omak, David Pierce of Okanogan, Eric Brown of Omak, Jeff Harris of Omak, Jake Taylor of Omak and Kris Vigoren of Riverside.