JOYCE — Slug racing enthusiasts gathered once again in Joyce for the annual Extreme Slug Racing events during Joyce Daze at the Family Kitchen this weekend.
This 10-year-old competition drew its biggest crowd with young and old gathered around the race track to witness the fierce competition.
The fundraising event for Joyce Fire and Rescue raised $1,364. A total of 12 slugs vie for the title of Olympic Peninsula’s fastest slug.
The races consisted of three heats in hopes that one slug will take the coveted triple crown. Although there was no triple-crown winner this year, the races were so face-paced that event organizers authorized an unprecedented fourth race, after the crowds cheered for more.
Returning champion Gary’s Fury, who claimed two out of three victories last year, struggled to keep pace with rising stars Slick Rick and Scooter’s Pooter.
Slick Rick stole the show in heat one, crossing the finish line in just under four minutes. Scooter’s Pooter, a banana slug with a need for speed, dominated the second heat.
The third race brought the day’s biggest thrills — a photo finish between Scooter’s Pooter and Vanessa the leopard slug, as the two slugged it out nose-to-nose down the home stretch.
Shell Shock, the lone racing snail, came in a respectable third.
With the previous winners apparently out of slime, newcomer Pillsbury Slowboy surged to an easy victory in the fourth heat, leaving the exhausted veterans in his sticky wake.
The event continues to grow each year thanks to the enthusiastic support of the Joyce community and generous local sponsors.
Organizers give special thanks to Joyce Family Kitchen for hosting the venue and Fogtown Coffee, Bedford’s Soda and Wilder Auto Home & RV for their generous gifts to help make the event the success it has become. They also thank the volunteers.
As always, no slugs were harmed in the event, and were returned safely to their pastures after the races.
Think you’ve got the next slug superstar? Racers interested in entering the 2026 competition can contact Sam Nugent at 360-460-4014 or email whatranch@gmail.com to get on the roster.
