Gus Dean Sweeps Twitty’s Mud Bog with Dramatic Victory in “Trucks Gone Wild”
ULMER, S.C.: Sometimes in racing, victory doesn’t come down to inches or moments — it comes down to thousandths of a second that vanish in the blink of an eye.
Bluffton, S.C., native Gus Dean was prepared to unofficially end his 2025 Mud Truck season with a hard-fought second-place finish on Saturday night, until the official results were posted nearly a half hour after his final run at the growingly popular Mud Bog track nestled in the heart of South Carolina’s low country.
Fighting back with a Vengeance, Dean roared to a seven-tenth-of-a-second improvement on his second run and ultimately claimed the Mega Truck victory, narrowly topping the impressive effort from close friend Tristan Adams by just 97-thousandths of a second (0.097) — faster than a single blink of an eye.
The victory rewarded the three-time ARCA Menards Series winner with a season sweep at Twitty’s Mud Bog and capped an impressive year for Dean in Mega Truck competition — a season filled with triumphant wins and multiple podium finishes.
“This win is awesome, especially because I was not expecting it,” said Dean. “The first run was good, but not good enough. I knew I had to go out there with the track in very difficult conditions and leave nothing on the table. We were able to pick up seven-tenths of a second and just barely beat Tristan.
“It was a great way to end the season. Duke (Bohanon) had us hooked up all weekend with the right setup and adjustments, and I’m excited to start getting ready for 2026.”
But the weekend meant more than just another win.
Among those in attendance was popular Mega Truck competitor and close family friend Rey Vasquez, who was seriously injured on March 15 and left paralyzed with a shattered C5 and fractured C6 vertebrae.
Despite the challenges he continues to face, Vasquez never took his eyes off the competition and celebrated alongside Dean and his team on Saturday night.
Before the competition roared to life, Vasquez gave an emotional thank-you to the fans and his racing family for their support, love, and comfort throughout his recovery.
The Alice, Texas native vowed to continue his fight and return to Mud Truck competition in the future.
Dean’s engine in his Vengeance machine — nicknamed Diablo — came from Vasquez and was instrumental in helping the South Carolinian bring home the plaque at the end of the night.
“Rey and his wife Felisha mean the world to my family and me,” said Dean. “To see him there cheering us on after everything he’s been through this year… that hit me hard. We acquired that engine earlier this year, and I’ve always joked that Diablo has his heart in it — but Saturday night, it really felt true.
“Every time I fire that motor up, it feels like a little piece of Rey is out there with me. To win with it on a night he was standing there with us made this one of the most special victories of my life. I’ll never forget it.”
In typical Dean fashion, he didn’t take the winning honors home with him. Instead, he handed his winner’s plaque to Vasquez — a gesture he felt was only right.
Dean believed the edge that carried him to victory came from the engine Vasquez had entrusted him with, and he wanted his friend to share in the moment just as much as he did.
“That was Rey’s moment as much as mine,” said Dean. “He trusted me with that engine, and I know I wouldn’t have had that edge without him. Giving him the plaque just felt right.
“After everything he’s been fighting through, I wanted him to know how much he means to all of us and how much he’s still a part of what we do.”
Dean also praised his team, led by fellow competitor Duke Bohanon, who helps maintain and prepare his equipment throughout the season.
“Duke and his guys have been unbelievable all year,” said Dean. “He’s been like a mentor to me since day one. They’ve taught me so much about this style of racing and have helped us get better every time we hit the track.
“A lot of our success this season is because of them, and I couldn’t be more grateful for everything they put into this effort.”
Dean’s impact isn’t limited to the track. He was recently interviewed by LOCAL Life Magazine, a lifestyle publication based in South Carolina, where he was featured in the sports category earlier this summer.
The feature highlighted his achievements in motorsports and his continued contributions to his hometown community, showcasing a career built not just on speed, but on character, pride and deep roots in the Palmetto State.
Dean will announce his racing plans for the 2026 season in due course.
For more on Gus Dean, please visit GusDean.com, like him on Facebook (Gus Dean Racing) and follow him on Instagram (@GusDean) and X | Twitter (@GusDean).