2035: Federal Government moves to nationalize dwindling supplies of oil and natural gas production. Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana secede, and nationalize these resources themselves. Pitched battles follow on both sides of the new border.

2038: U.S. armored columns stopped in hills of central Texas, ending bloody “Gulf or Bust” campaign. Rebel forces began to retake lost territory.

2039: Texarkana accords signed, ending Second Civil War. Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana become three separate sovereign nations – the Free Oil States.

2045:  On January 1, 2045, the Treaty of Denver is signed. Under the treaty, the United States recognized the brief sovereignty of the Republic of Deseret, and accepted that nation’s petition to become a part of the United States as an autonomous region.

2047: Grain blight breaks out in Nebraska, spreading rapidly. A similar blight takes root in Ukraine. A nuclear exchange ends quickly, but the world’s breadbaskets are devastated. Food shortages break out across the globe.

2051: The Food Riots. National governments fail to keep order. “Fortress” towns develop.

2051: Outlaw gangs were on the rise, and the weakened governments were in no position to do anything about it. Private citizens began to arm themselves for self-defense, but like the gangs, the lack of high-powered weaponry forced them to improvise. This period of “Low Tech” vehicle combat is referred to as “The Good Old Days“.

2057:  U.S. Supreme Court decriminalizes manslaughter in arena games. “Death sports” become popular. Television stocks hit new highs weekly.

2057:  Vehicular Combat Laboratories is established in Ogden, Republic of Deseret (DESERET AUTONOMOUS REGION) by 3 unemployed government workers.

2058:  “Crazy Joe” Harshman wins Fresno destruction derby by mounting a surplus .50-caliber machine gun on his Chevy. The term “autoduelling” is first used by sportswriters.

2060: Autoduelling becomes most popular TV sport worldwide, edging out combat football and private wars. Nine autoduel arenas are open in North America, with dozens more in planning stages. The American Autoduel Association is formed.

2061:  Utah autoduellists fight vigilante campaign against Badlands cycle gangs. AADA holds first sanctioned National Championship in Austin, Texas. AADA also begins issuing area advisories and helping duellists organize against armed threats to their communities. Some local police forces condemn this; others join in.

2062:  Vehicular Combat Laboratories relocates to California (the birthplace of Autoduelling). V.C. Labs sights LDS politics and mandatory tithing as reasons for relocating. As a parting poke in the eye to the Republic of Deseret, V.C. Labs adopts a new Moto “Gods Way or the Highway, We choose the Highway“.

2063:  Many areas legalize vehicular weaponry of a loosely defined “defensive nature.” Duelling outside city limits now legal in 14 states, tolerated in others.

2064:  Most makes of cars now offer a variety of weaponry as factory options.

2065:  Statistics show “smash and grab” car and cycle crime much reduced. Law enforcement officials credit vehicular weaponry of private citizens, but point out that “the gangs that are left are now better armed than we are.” Autoduelling is now legal in all 47 U.S. states, all 12 Canadian provinces, the Free Oil States, the Republics of Quebec and Deseret, and most surviving nations worldwide.

2065:  V.C. Labs sponsors Los Angeles, California AADA club “North American Mondo and Duellist Society” or NoMADS.