1981 Swamp Buggy Races

Oct. 1981: Customized swamp buggy named "Rubber Duck" enters the Sippi Hole.

Swamp Buggy racing goes back to the 1940s as local hunters in the Naples, Florida, would get together informally and race their Everglades swamp vehicles. The first official races, with 50 competitors, occurred in 1949.

The sport became a popular tourist attraction, often featured on ABC Wide World of Sports.

In the early 1980s, races were run twice a year. I was able to attend the February and October, 1981 events. Today, the event is held three times a year. Check out the website swampbuggy.com .

During this last week, I uploaded nearly 50 images to this flickr gallery: 1981 Swamp Buggy Races.

Oct. 1981: A common sight during competition, a broken down swamp buggy.