Bad Azz coming back to Ionia By ANDREW ROBERTS Sentinel-Standard sports editor Published: Thursday, August 7, 2008 10:34 PM CDT Jeff Dennison moves rocks into a pile at the Ionia Free Fairgrounds in preparation for the 2008 Bad Azz Truck Expo, which will be held on August 16 and 17. Sentinel-Standard/Andrew Roberts. IONIA - The ‘boyz' will be bringing out their ‘toyz' later this month. Preparations for the third-annual Bad Azz Truck Expo have gotten underway this week in the far west regions of the Ionia Free Fair grounds. Bulldozers and front loaders have begun creating mounds of dirt and rock for the event. Co-founder of the Bad Azz Truck Expo Ron “Buzz” Possehn said they are optimistic about this year's event being the biggest and best expo they have ever had. “We are hoping for about four to five thousand people to attend this year,” he said. “We have had help promoting from 101.3 and B-93, and from the phone calls, it sounds like there will be quite a turnout.” Along with the more traditional events, like the mud bogg, obstacle course and burnout competition, the participants will gather for a parade through downtown Ionia Saturday morning. Perrin Motor Sports will be putting on two monster truck shows on Saturday, while Michigan Off Road Center will feature its monster truck ‘Mongoose' in the mud. There will be inflatable amusements for the younger truck fans. Local country-rock band Center Stage will perform Saturday after the monster truck rally. Other events include, the truck show and shine, a rock crawl, truck pulls, kiddie tractor pulls and dirt drags. There will also be an awards presentation Sunday night for the show and shine winners. Possehn said his crew will be working through the weekend and next week, preparing for the event, but he has been fortunate to have a great deal of help. “We started Wednesday night and will be working right up to the event,” he said. “We have a lot of volunteers coming out and all the equipment has been donated.” Registration for the event is $20. Admission for spectators is $15 for the entire weekend. Camp sites at the fairgrounds will be available for rent Friday, Aug. 15 for $45. For more information, visit www.badazztruckexpo.com.

Truck Expo hopes to leave mark on Ionia

By BRANDON LACIC
Sentinel-Standard editor
Published:  Friday, August 25, 2006 3:08 AM CDT

IONIA—It’s an extreme truck exposition the likes of which have never been seen in Ionia—or the state, for that matter.

Ron “Buzz” Possehn and Jim Ricket Auto Sales are promoting the “Bad Azz Truck Expo” this weekend at the Ionia Free Fairgrounds.

Possehn said it’s a unique truck event that he hopes will gain some tread in Ionia.

Featuring truck pulls, a rock crawl, burn out contest, mud bogg, Truck Show and Shine, a swap meet and two off-road courses, truck expo organizers are expecting hundreds of trucks and thousands of spectators from across the Midwest.

Possehn said about 500 trucks are already slated to appear at the event.

“Nobody else in Michigan does something like this,” Possehn said. “I’ve never been to anything like we’ve been doing here.”

Amateur truck enthusiasts are not only welcome to enjoy the expo, they’re encouraged to take part.  For a $20 fee per event, anyone with a Truck, Jeep or any Sport Utility Vehicle can hit the off-road course, bogg, burn-out or any other event.

And forget wedding cake on their faces—one newlywed couple may get a little messier.

Possehn said a couple that had planned a wedding in the floral building may be Saturday’s unofficial guests of hone when, in full tuxedo and wedding gown, the pair celebrate their first minutes of their nuptials mud bogging.

It’s not a planned event, but Possehn is hoping the couple can participate—giving the Expo a romantic touch.

Registration for Saturday begins at 8 a.m. but the show really revs up at 10 a.m. with the “Show and Shine”.  The show runs until 10 p.m.  Contests on Saturday include the burn-out competition from noon to 1:30 p.m., the rock crawl from 2 to 4 p.m and the mud bogg from 4:30 to 8 p.m.

On Sunday, registration begins once again at 8 a.m., followed by the all-day Show and Shine from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Truck pulls will be held from 10 a.m. to noon, with the burn-out competition following from noon to 1:30 pm, Kiddie Tractor Pulls will be held from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m, followed the ever-popular mud bogg from 4 to 6 p.m.  The trophy presentation for the Show and Shine will begin at 6 p.m.

Tickets for the show are $7 per person for each day or $10 per person for both days.  The entry fee for all events I $20.  Parking is free and door prizes will be awarded.

For more information email: info@badazztruckexpo.com