ST. JO, TEXAS — After enjoying his most successful season in Mud Truck competition in 2025, veteran race car driver Gus Dean is ready to get back to work — and back in the mud — kicking off his 2026 campaign this weekend at the Rednecks with Paychecks event deep in the heart of the Lone Star State.
The Bluffton, S.C. native returns to the helm of his Vengeance beast looking to carry momentum into the new season and deliver back-to-back victories, dating back to his dramatic 2025 season finale win at Twitty’s Mud Bog, where Dean edged fellow competitor Tristen Adams by just 97-thousandths of a second (0.097) faster than a single blink of an eye.
Rednecks with Paychecks is a massive, twice-yearly off-road amusement event held in Saint Jo, Texas, roughly 90 minutes north of Fort Worth.
Spanning more than 1,200 acres, the four-day festival blends intense mud racing, megatruck competitions, truck pulls, ATV and UTV riding, live music, vendors and camping into one adrenaline-fueled experience.
Known for its larger-than-life atmosphere and celebration of off-road culture, the event draws thousands of competitors and fans to what is often described as a muddy, high-energy weekend of racing and entertainment.
Among the fan favorites expected to take on the mud pits this weekend is the three-time ARCA Menards Series winner, Dean.
Known for his fierce competitiveness behind the wheel and his bubbly personality around the pits, Dean has quickly become a popular figure at Rednecks with Paychecks — and throughout the mud truck community.
Whether he’s charging through the mud in his Vengeance beast or sharing laughs and stories with fans across the sprawling off-road playground, the South Carolinian continues to bring both speed and personality to one of the sport’s most electrifying events.
“Rednecks with Paychecks is one of those events I always look forward to,” said Dean. “The fans are incredible, the atmosphere is wild, and everyone comes out to have a good time.
At the same time, once you strap in and roll into the pit, the competition is tough and you want to win just as bad as anywhere else. We finished last season with a win, so hopefully, we can carry that momentum into this weekend and put on a good show for everyone.”
Beyond the competition and fan interaction, Dean remains a vocal advocate for safety in the Mud Truck community — a role he plays at major gatherings like Rednecks with Paychecks.
Drawing on his background in professional stock car racing, the versatile competitor has worked to raise safety standards across the sport, encouraging the use of updated driver uniforms and recommending head-and-neck restraint systems.
As Mud Truck racing continues to grow in popularity, Dean has embraced the opportunity to bring additional structure and awareness to a rapidly evolving segment of motorsports while helping protect the drivers who share his passion for the mud.
“I’ve been fortunate to race in a lot of different forms of motorsports, and safety is something that has always been a big part of that,” said Dean, who scored the ARCA Menards Series pole at Daytona International Speedway last month.
“Mud truck racing has grown so much over the last few years, and with that growth comes the opportunity to make things safer for everyone.
“If we can bring some of the things I’ve learned from stock car racing — better gear, better protection, better awareness — and help keep drivers safer while they’re out having fun, that’s a win for the entire sport.”
As engines roar to life and the mud begins to fly this weekend in Saint Jo, Dean will once again climb behind the wheel of his Vengeance beast, ready to compete in front of thousands of industry fans.
Armed with momentum from his 2025 season-ending victory and fueled by the electric atmosphere that Rednecks with Paychecks delivers, he hopes to kick off his new season the same way he ended the last one — standing in victory lane.
Following Rednecks with Paychecks, Dean will continue chasing wins in Mud Truck competition while also preparing for his return to the ARCA Menards Series next month at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway — the famed Alabama superspeedway, where he captured his first career series victory.
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).
