It’s fun to play in the mud.

Just ask the dozens of drivers who plan to participate in Saturday’s Mud Bogg at Roosevelt Park in Troy. The annual fund-raising event for the Troy Volunteer Fire Department draws vehicles from not only Montana but also Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Canada.

“It’s going to be a side-by-side mud racing event,” said Steve Garrett, a Troy businessman who will handle announcing duties at the Mud Bogg. “Vehicles are broken down into different categories – stock and modified and other categories beyond that.”

The Mud Bogg is scheduled to run from noon-4 p.m.

The various categories have specific restrictions to keep the races fair. But there is an unlimited category – called “X Class.”

“That class, they can run whatever they want – supercharger, turbo charger, nitrous oxide – we’re talking about engines that produce in excess of 2,500 to 3,000 horsepower,” Garrett said. “That category is the fastest of them all.”

Garrett estimated that 60 to 80 vehicles take part in the annual event.

“Anybody can enter. Obviously, there are safety requirements Š seat belts, helmets and all that good stuff,” he said. “But you could take your ’72 Chevy and enter it as a stock rig if you wanted to.”

Onlookers will watch the vehicles race in two pits – each identical in depth and length, and of course, filled with mud. An electronic starting tree gets the action going. The faster vehicle moves on to the next round.

“There are some very fast cars from previous years Š state-of-the-art-type mud bogg racers,” Garrett said.

Concessions will be sold on site, including food and beer.

The fire department, which switched from a softball tournament over to the Mud Bogg as a fund-raiser five or six years ago, will use proceeds for various needs, including equipment.