yeah, the 4wd guys stood there and wondered why the 2wd guys were having such traction issues as they slid thru each corner station sideways with 12ft mud rooster tails....then the 4wd guys/girls went.
quote from one of the regular 2wd guys as he watched us 4wd folks...
"...you guys thought it was sooo easy. The first 10 4wd cars slid by the first turn wiping out cones and slinging mud just as bad if not worse than the 2wd cars."
I missed the first turn at Union on my first run by 10ft or more. I had to squint to see the cones because they were so far away. Once I gained composure 2 turns later I had to bump my transfer case shifter(isuzu truck 4x4) a couple times just to make sure I was in 4wd, because it sure felt like I had no control in that swamp. If I had an e-brake to use I would have been all over that thing.
Yes, a skid plate is a big plus. The skid plate will remove the fear of any belly damage and actually allow you to go faster. Skid plate up front equals 30+horsepower, the rear diff protector Subaru offers is cheap and equals 10+horsepower. I strongly suggest a skidplate for Loon Mnt, maybe the Greyhound track, all the others you could get by without one but you'd feel more comfy with one for sure. Cheap insurance
http://www.writerguy.com/primitive/skid.htm get the front one first, its most important, then get the primitive rear or subaru rear.