The Backforty Beatdown opens today at 100 Mile Horsepower Ranch in Forest Grove, British Columbia, beginning a three-day off-road competition weekend built around side-by-sides, purpose-built trucks, buggies, obstacle racing and a hill-climb challenge.
The event runs September 18 through 20 at 2750 Bradley Creek Road.
Friday is primarily an arrival and practice day, with gates opening to racers, crew and campers at 9:00 a.m., J Hook practice scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and the hill-climb competition listed for 4:00 p.m.
Spectator racing begins Saturday.
Side-by-sides share the weekend with heavy off-road builds
The Backforty Beatdown is broader than a UTV race.
The organizer invites Mega Trucks, rock bouncers, buggies, tough trucks, truggies, mud trucks and side-by-sides.
That mix creates a weekend where different vehicle types compete on courses designed around distinct skills.
Side-by-side classes are included in both J Hook racing and the Heavy Metal Eliminator obstacle course.
For Canadian powersports riders, the SxS presence is the clearest connection to conventional dealership inventory, but the larger custom rigs give the event a different character from a typical trail ride or manufacturer demo.
J Hook racing puts two vehicles head to head
The J Hook is a mirrored jump course.
Two competitors run at the same time on parallel layouts, making cornering, acceleration and vehicle control immediately visible to spectators.
The organizer lists Modified, Outlaw and Side-by-Side classes.
Practice runs are scheduled for Friday afternoon.
Saturday’s J Hook racing is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m., with final rounds on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
A mirrored course changes the experience compared with a conventional timed trail.
Drivers can see another vehicle racing beside them, while spectators can compare the two runs in real time.
Heavy Metal Eliminator is an obstacle course
The second major format is the Heavy Metal Eliminator.
The organizer describes a course using trees, rocks, mud and other obstacles, with competitors racing against the clock.
Classes include Modified, Outlaw, Pro Unlimited and Side-by-Side.
Saturday obstacle-course racing is scheduled for 2:00 p.m., after a one-hour halftime.
On Sunday, the obstacle program begins at 10:00 a.m.
This is the part of the weekend where vehicle setup becomes especially visible.
Ground clearance, tyre choice, suspension travel, approach angles and driver judgement can all matter when a machine is moving through tight obstacles instead of simply carrying speed on an open course.
Friday adds a hill-climb challenge
Friday’s competition schedule also includes a hill climb at 4:00 p.m.
The format is listed as a time trial, with drivers attempting to reach the top as quickly as possible.
Hill climbs can place major stress on driveline components because traction changes rapidly and vehicles are often operating at high load at low speed.
For side-by-side owners watching the event, that is a reminder that competition use is very different from ordinary recreational operation.
Clutching, belt temperature, cooling, tyres and recovery equipment all deserve extra attention when a machine is used in steep or technical terrain.
Racer entry begins at $100 per class
The current racer page lists registration at $100 per class.
Registration includes entry for the driver and one co-pilot or spouse, plus two camping passes for the racer and co-pilot.
The organizer also requires racers, co-pilots, pit crew, pit-vehicle operators and volunteers to complete a waiver.
A $10 charge applies when the digital waiver is not completed in advance.
Those details matter for anyone arriving to compete rather than simply watch.
Participants should use the organizer’s current registration and waiver pages rather than relying on an older event post, because race formats and fees can change from year to year.
Spectator program starts Saturday morning
Spectator gates are scheduled to open at 9:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday’s racing begins with the J Hook at 11:00 a.m. before the crowd moves to the obstacle-course area for the afternoon.
Sunday reverses that order, with obstacle racing first and J Hook finals at 1:00 p.m.
Awards are scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Sunday.
The organizer warns that the property is spread out and spectators will need to walk between competition areas.
Attendees are encouraged to prepare for changing weather and bring suitable seating and water.
Pit vehicles are allowed, but the rules are strict
ATVs, motorcycles and side-by-sides can be used as pit vehicles on the property, but the organizer says they must be operated slowly and respectfully.
Joy riding, speeding and driving under the influence are prohibited.
Unsupervised minors are not allowed to operate pit vehicles.
That is an important distinction.
A race property may allow powersports vehicles for transportation, but that does not turn the entire site into an open riding area.
Keeping speeds low around camps, pits and spectators is part of making a mixed vehicle event workable.
Why the event matters to British Columbia off-road riders
The Backforty Beatdown sits at the intersection of powersports and custom off-road competition.
A side-by-side owner can see machines pushed through jumps and obstacles, while truck and buggy classes bring in a separate off-road audience.
That cross-pollination can be useful for dealers and aftermarket businesses because many of the same themes appear across vehicle types: tyres, suspension, recovery gear, cooling, protection and driver safety.
The event also gives regional riders a destination that is not built around a conventional racetrack.
The terrain itself is part of the competition.
Bottom line
The 2026 Backforty Beatdown begins today at 100 Mile Horsepower Ranch in Forest Grove, B.C., and runs through Sunday.
Friday includes racer arrival, J Hook practice and the hill-climb challenge. Spectator racing begins Saturday with J Hook and Heavy Metal Eliminator competition, followed by Sunday finals and awards.
Side-by-sides compete alongside trucks, buggies and other purpose-built off-road machines.
Anyone travelling to the ranch should verify the organizer’s latest schedule before departure and arrive prepared for a rural venue, changing weather and walking between competition areas.
