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4/27/08

- Noelke, Perrin Clinch '08 Monster Nationals Championships!!

- Firebird Monster Truck Nationals Video Updates!!

4/26/08

- Wild Night One at Firebird Monster Truck Nationals!!

- This Weekend in Monster Trucks Update!!

4/25/08

- Firebird Raceway's 10th Annual Monster Truck Nationals This Weekend!!

- Legendary Tom Meents to Defend Title at Dixie Speedway!!

- Monster Spectacular Tour Update!!

- New Extreme Truck Challenge Series to Debut In Arcadia, FL!!

- New BIGFOOT DVD!!

4/24/08

- MLMT PR - Points System & Payout Enhancements!!

4/22/08

- In Memory:

Dave Harkey

- TheMonsterBlog.com Interviews Gary Schott!!

4/21/08

- HBR Teams With Carolina Dodge Dealers for Anderson, SC!!

4/20/08

- Updates From Texas: Raminator Sweeps Weekend Racing!!

4/19/08

- Updates From Texas: Raminator Sweeps
Day One!!

- Monster Spectacular Highlight Video!!

4/18/08

- Monster Truck Challenge Schedule Taking Shape!!

4/16/08

- Dave Harkey In

Critical Condition

4/14/08

- Darren Migues, Steve Koehler Take Wins In Montreal!!

- Blue Sudden Impact Racing Tires Hit the Track!!

- Warrior Monster Truck Debuts In Montreal!!

4/13/08

- O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals Returns to Miami With 8 Trucks!!

- WMTRL 4/13 Update: "The Rundown"!!

4/11/08

- Monster Spectacular Returns to Olympic Stadium in Montreal!!

4/10/08

- TMB TV Episode #1: Monster Truck Grand Nationals - Pocatello!!

- Sudden Impact Racing Tires Have The Blues!!

- Kyle Doyle Interviews Sudden Impact Racing Owner Brandon Lagarde!!

4/09/08

- NASCAR Stars Drive 1,500 HP Chevy Monster Truck!!

4/07/08

- Pocatello CFP Grand Nationals Photos!!

4/05/08

- Duhon Wins Racing & Championship, French Takes Freestyle!!

- Pocatello Updates!!

4/04/08

- Friday Night Updates From Pocatello!!

- CFP & Make A Wish Foundation Make Special Visit In Pocatello!!

- MLMT Announces Re-Scheduling of Atlanta Motor Speedway Event!!

- Exhaust Fumes Blog: "Readers Sound Off on MLMT Situation"

- Pocatello Preview:
Sean Duhon

4/03/08

- Pocatello Preview:
Rick Long

4/02/08

- Pocatello Preview:
Rob French

- Hall Brothers Racing Teams Up With Texas Dodge Dealers

4/01/08

- Pocatello Preview: Jerry Dalton

- Pocatello Preview:
Ed Beckley

Noelke, Perrin Clinch 2008 Monster Nationals Championships!!:  The Monster Nationals tour made its next to last stop of the 2008 points series in Erie, PA this weekend, and two drivers clinched their first championships!!  Doug Noelke in Tail Gator dominated racing contests all year and clinched the racing title with two wins in two days in Erie. Jocelyn Perrin came from behind winning four straight freestyle contests, including both in Erie, to take the lead from Noelke and clinch the title. TheMonsterBlog.com congratulates the Big Dawg 4x4 and Perrin Motorsports teams on their first titles!!  Thanks to Paul M. Harry for the updates from Erie, be watching for his full photo gallery from the weekend coming soon. Once again, great job to Doug Noelke and Jocelyn Perrin, the 2008 Monster Nationals Racing and Freestyle Champions!!  (04/27/08)

Firebird Monster Truck Nationals Video Updates!!:  The Firebird Raceway Monster Truck Nationals continues today, but we wanted to bring you some updates from last night's show. See below for the winning Wheelie Contest run by Ronnie Sturges in Nasty Boy and the winning Donut Contest run by Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter. We'll try to have more later tonight, so stay tuned to TheMonsterBlog.com!!  (04/27/08)

Wild Night One At Firebird Monster Truck Nationals!!:  The 10th Annual Monster Truck Nationals is being held at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, AZ this weekend and Night One saw some wild moments as seven trucks (T-Maxx out after intros with unknown mechanical problems) competed in wheelie, donut, and freestyle competitions. Ronnie Sturges dominated the wheelie contest, scoring a perfect 30 against Bigfoot, Unnamed & Untamed, and Sudden Impact. Jimmy Creten grabbed the donut contest victory after competing against teammates Kreg Christensen in Iron Outlaw and Darren Migues in Q Torque Power. Freestyle would see strong performances from all the trucks and would end in a three-way tie with Kevin King in Sudden Impact, Dan Runte in Bigfoot, and Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter sharing the top honors. The trucks will be back in action at Firebird tomorrow afternoon and we'll have a full update tomorrow night--stay tuned!!  (04/26/08)

This Weekend In Monster Trucks Update!!:  There are several big events going on around the country this weekend, here's a quick recap of some of the reports coming in:

- Monster Nationals: Erie, PA - Doug Noelke has reportedly clinched the 2008 Monster National Racing Championship after another racing win Saturday night over Dan Patrick in Samson. The Erie Monster Nationals was the next to last point event of the season for the series, and it appears that Noelke has wrapped it up. We are also trying to confirm the status of the Freestyle Championship which is being decided between Noelke and Jocelyn Perrin's Lil' Miss Dangerous. More news as we get it, our congratulations to the whole Big Dawg 4x4 team on their first title!!

- Monster Truck Thunder Drags: Anderson, SC - Geremie Dishman pilots Rammunition to two wins Saturday over teammate Mark Hall in Raminator. Hall maintains the overall points lead based on his three wins in Texas last weekend to start the Thunder Drags series. Other trucks in attendance include Avenger, Spike, Gun Slinger, and Instigator. All trucks reportedly put on solid freestyles, with a good crowd in attendance for both shows.

- Dixie Monster Truck Spring Nationals: Woodstock, GA - Checkered Flag Productions returns to Dixie Speedway with a stacked lineup including Tom Meents in Maximum Destruction and Gary Porter in Grave Digger. Meents picks up racing and freestyle wins Friday night. Porter was involved in a violent wreck in Grave Digger Saturday night during racing. Running against Rob French in Twisted Dragon, Porter crossed into the other lane causing the trucks to collide in mid-air resulting in a rough rollover for Grave Digger. Both drivers were ok. Meents wins freestyle again Saturday after a great save during a wild cyclone.

More news coming your way soon, keep checking back!!  (04/26/08)

Firebird Raceway's 10th Annual Monster Truck Nationals This Weekend!!:  The Monster trucks are returning to Firebird International Raceway this weekend for the 10th Annual Monster Truck Nationals!!  This year's all-star lineup includes Dan Runte in Bigfoot, Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter, Winter Nationals Champion Sean Duhon in T-Maxx, Iron Outlaw, Unnamed & Untamed, Nasty Boy, Q-Torgue Power, and Sudden Impact!!  The weekend is jam-packed full of fun in addition to the monsters including Jet Dragsters, Show & Shine, Whiplash Sanderson Ford off-road racing, the Off-Road Test Drive Experience, Truck Drags, the Miss Monster Truck Nationals bikini contest, and an Aftermarket Expo with over 100 unique Truck & aftermarket displays featuring manufacturers, aftermarket truck and racing apparel. And if all that was't enough, see IHBA Drag Boat Racing!!  TheMonsterBlog.com will be on hand for all the action Saturday and Sunday, with Saturday night's event being featured in our new major event coverage series, TMBtv!!  Check out www.FirebirdRaceway.com for more information and keep checking back for more information as the weekend progresses!! (04/25/08)

Legendary Tom Meents to Defend Title at Dixie Speedway!!: (Bridgeport, TX) Mr. Excitement…the legendary Tom Meents will be at the Dixie Speedway this weekend to defend his title at the Carl Black Dixie Monster Truck Spring Nationals!!  Meents drives the Maximum Destruction Monster Truck and has won the event at the nearby Georgia Dome many times, as well as having been crowned the Champ at Dixie Speedway in the past!!
     "Tom has a personal relationship with the Swims family and was a close friend of the late Mike Swims, it was only fitting for Tom to be here to defend his title and help us celebrate this new beginning and pay tribute to the man we all loved dearly," said Ed Beckley from Checkered Flag Productions, who has been bringing the event to the Speedway for many years.
     The Dixie Spring Monster Truck Nationals will take place this Friday and Saturday, April 25 and 26, 2008 at 8:00pm each night!!  For more information click here!! (04/25/08)

Monster Spectacular Tour Update:  Will it be 06 in '08 for Black Stallion??: (By Doug de Nance) Early on Friday night in Regina, Saskatchewan, Mike Vaters had a sense of dejavu. He'd piloted his 10,000 pound monster truck Black Stallion to a similar place before. Five times before. But the challenge to make it a half dozen may be the toughest test yet for the monstrous steed.
     The destination calling to Black Stallion is not a geographic location. Rather, it is the most prestigious title in monster truck competition north of the 49th parallel - the Monster Spectacular Canadian Tour Championship. The Monster Spectacular is nothing short of a grueling series of tests for monster trucks and their drivers that attracts some of the best on the planet to the great white north every year.

(Photo by www.FlagWorld.com, courtesy Chris Arel Motorsports)

     Chris Arel, the president of Chris Arel Motorsports and the presenter of the Monster
Spectacular, has created a most unique approach to awarding the Monster Spectacular title. Throughout the tour there are typically three separate monster truck contests at each stop. While two competitors are announced to the sold out crowds, always one outcome remains secret. Monster Truck Freestyle is judged secretly so that the drivers do not know who will ultimately win the overall title until the very final night. Brilliantly, Arel guarantees the very best from the competitors each and every show.
     Mike Vaters knows this - and smiles about it. He prides the 25 year history of Black Stallion on facing the toughest monster truck competitors and competitors. He seeks them out each and every night because the only way he knows how to perform is at his very best each and every night. But he had his work cut out for him at the first stop on the Monster Spectacular 2008 tour.
     You see, for one of the rare times in the 25 year storied career of Black Stallion, Vaters was actually the underdog, the up and comer. He had to face down the reigning Monster Spectacular Champion - Jimmy Creten and Bounty Hunter.
     Creten is one of the most intense competitors in monster trucks today - perhaps ever. A former World Freestyle Champion, he finished second in racing at this year's World Championships. He was angry about that. To help ease his discontent, Creten first wanted first in Regina and then first in the Monster Spectacular tour every time.
     Vaters knew this. He expressed his respect for Creten during the VIP Pit Party. But when the rubber hit the concrete, Vaters knew he had to drive Black Stallion to win by more than just a nose. It wasn't just Bounty Hunter that stood in Black Stallion's path to the greener pastures of a sixth Monster Spectacular title. Arel had collected a field of some of the best monster trucks anywhere.
     The first monster truck competition on each of the two nights in Regina was the Wheel Standing Contest. Five trucks, one pass, one winner. The rabid fans were already revved up to fever pitch and ready to make their choice
     Godzilla driver Steve Hearley defied the medical staff, soaring the dinosaur from Green bay sky high each night. It wasn't the jump; it was the landing that worried the doctors. Hearley had a cracked sternum and two broken ribs from a previous crash. While it wasn't easy for Hearley, he wanted to make sure Godzilla didn't make it easy for Bounty Hunter and Black Stallion. But the pain was too much for the veteran and he just couldn’t pull off the win.
     Trey Meyers employed an educated approach to calculate a path he thought would lead to victory for Iron Warrior. Meyers is well schooled in the educated approach, holding a Masters in Business Administration. But the business at hand was monster trucks. And there is an element of magic that only the passion of drivers like Mike Vaters and Jimmy Creten can bring to the science of monster mechanics. Iron Warrior was unable to win the loudest cheers either night.
     There was another truck that featured Iron in its name and in the metal of the driver. None other than Iron Outlaw and Darren Migues. While only having seat time of 6 months, Migues was out to evolve from student to teacher, hoping to school the field with the 1800 horses at his disposal. While he did accomplish that to some degree in racing, the Wheelie contest looked like it was going to go in favor of his boss, Jimmy Creten and Bounty Hunter.
     Creten said during a trackside interview that the key was not the big horsepower. A certain finesse was needed to find the right lift off the cars. That came from watching how the fresh cars crushed during early wheelies. In other words, Creten summoned all his experience to send Bounty Hunter skyward and he did just that. Both nights the cars collapsed under his rear wheels and he pivoted to the inside of the lane. Both nights he managed to drive Bounty Hunter out of potential disaster. Both nights it was just not enough to beat Black Stallion.
     Vaters approached the cars in a manner that lived up to his “Wild Child” nickname of old. He launched the truck into a Sky Wheelie to clear the car stack. Then slapping the front wheels down and powering back up, Black Stallion wheelied across the arena floor to victory in the cheer off. Vaters made sure he gave back the love to the fans, not only signing a t-shirt to toss to a lucky fan, but climbing into the crowd each night to get up close and personal.
     Vaters was off to a good start both nights with two Wheel Standing contest wins. But could he double up on Monster Truck Drag racing to kick off his quest for the Monster Spectacular title? There were three other trucks that wanted to spoil that celebration.
     There were only three other trucks because the medical staff literally had to pin down Hearley to keep him from racing Godzilla. That meant an even bracket set for the preliminary round would send one truck from each pair directly the final. Black Stallion defeated Iron Warrior both nights to advance.
     But things got very interesting in the other bracket. Iron Outlaw was facing Bounty Hunter. While Creten soundly defeated Migues on Friday night, things went downhill from there for Jimmy Creten. Vaters beat Bounty Hunter on Friday for the race win.
     But the real racing story was on Saturday night. Creten said that he felt the key was to have the lane closest to the start flagger. The starting official had to stand to the side of the lanes and was closest to the right lane. Creten felt that the right lane would give the driver an advantage to be able to see the start flag more clearly.
     Creten won lane choice and lined up on the right stack opposite his protégé, Darren Migues and Iron Outlaw. When the start flag dropped both truck roared simultaneously. And seemingly crossed the finish line simultaneously. The video official had to replay the tape eight times to determine that the student had become the teacher – Migues had defeated Creten and Iron Outlaw was in the racing final.
     Migues quickly circled iron Outlaw back to the start and grabbed the left lane as though it might bring him the same result. Vaters eased Black Stallion into the right lane start position and then began the mind games. Over and over his rode the front wheels of Black Stallion up onto the first car, crushing a perfect starting lane while making Migues wait… and wait … and wait. Perhaps the glow of the earlier victory seeped away or perhaps the nerves became too much. Either way there was only one way that Vaters wanted the result to go – victory. And he got his wish both nights in Monster Truck Racing.
     As noted earlier, Monster Truck Freestyle was purely entertainment for the fans with the results kept secret with the Monster Spectacular officials. Both Creten and Vaters had their way to dazzle the fans. On Friday night, when Vaters had a slow leek in his front tire, Creten added and extra twist to his freestyle. During his interview, Creten was reminded of his skill in placing Bounty Hunter on the arena floor after a gliding donut. Creten had spun Bounty Hunter in a series of circles across the concrete stop just inches from the boards – something he had done over and over during his triumphant run through last year’s Monster Spectacular tour. Creten promised the fans he would drift Bounty Hunter in a donut across the floor the opposite way and stop at the cars. He proceeded to do just that, but intentionally slammed Bounty hard into the car stack providing an extra level of destruction for the fans.
     Using a piece of brilliance (and experience), Vaters jammed a bicycle inner tube against the bead of the rim to hold the air in the 66 inch tire, Then Vaters provided his own brand of entertainment in Freestyle, turning tightly to hit the van stack multiple times in a free flowing freestyle. In the midst of his rhythmic turns and hits he stopped, then eased the nose of Black Stallion away from the car stack. Old school fans went wild immediately because they knew what was coming. Vaters hit the trick he is so famous for – the “reverser” and reversed wheelied over the car stack.
     Fans got a double dose of freestyle with three Canadian champions of Freestyle Motocross. The original champion Kris Garwasiuk was on hand, along with two time back to back champ Reagan Seig and the reigning Canadian Champion Jeff Fehr. The demonstration escalated into a competition with the Bag of tricks. Each rider had to draw a trick out and then perform it. Fehr randomly selected the Back Flip and then proceeded to continue the trick pick, performing variations to the delight of the fans.
     While the Monster Spectacular is indeed about monster trucks, there were other monstrous entertainment elements on hand for the fans. Megasaurus transformed from a tank into a fire-breathing, car devouring dragon. Mike West, the “trainer” of Megasaurus, decided to relax on the track in a jet powered recliner called Crazy Boy. Not to be outdone, Mike Vaters had brought his jet powered “toy” called Kamikaze. Sitting astride a jet engine turning at 30,000 RPMs, Vaters blasted around the arena floor on his jet powered ATV.
     Stop what you’re doing right now and find out when the Monster Spectacular is scheduled near you. Then order your tickets right away so you don’t miss a second of the action. Things will be heating up throughout the summer as the Monster Spectacular Tour continues. Check out www.ChrisArel.com for more information on the Monster Spectacular Tour!!  (04/25/08)

New Extreme Truck Challenge Series Kicks Off In Arcadia!!: (Arcadia, FL) ETC Promotions and Desoto Auto Mall’s XTV present The Extreme Truck Challenge Series debut in Arcadia, FL on May 9th and 10th, 2008. This series will pit top monster truck drivers against each other in a points race competition. The competition will run the entire month of May in different venues around the state. Eight monster trucks will be vying for the series title including the smoke-breathing Reptoid, Instigator, Hurricane Force, Bad News Travels Fast, Nail It, Monster Bucks, and six-time world champion Equalizer along with team truck Hot Tamale.

     This Extreme Truck Challenege Series is an action packed, non-stop event. Come see a car pulled in half and other exciting events!  The series also features the Desoto Auto Mall’s XTV Tough Truck Competition and Quad Battles. This will be a two night event that pits local truck owners against each other and ATV drivers against each other for trophies and $500.00 in cash. Event goers can also ride in a real monster ride truck and meet the drivers and get up close to real monster trucks.
     Tickets go on sale April 23rd, 2008 at area Aaron’s Stores in Arcadia, Wauchula and
Okeechobee and Desoto Auto Mall’s XTV Store. Check out www.ETCPromotions.com for more information on the Arcadia, FL event and more about the series!!  (04/25/08)

BIGFOOT In Action 2 DVD Released!!: (Hazelwood, MO) A brand new BIGFOOT DVD is now available!  The DVD features BIGFOOT # 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, and 16. This along with some other great new items are now available in the Bigfoot 4x4 Online Store.

     Other new merchandise is coming soon including: A new black BIGFOOT t-shirt featuring the Firestone BIGFOOT and the 30th Anniversary BIGFOOT trucks; 3 new BIGFOOT hats - 1 kids featuring the Star BIGFOOT, 1 adult featuring the Firestone BIGFOOT, and 1 adult with an "Inferno" design; A new "BIGFOOT Presents: Meteor" DVD, titled "Shifting Gears"!
     So, be sure to head on over to www.Bigfoot4x4.com and check out the Online Store and all of our new items, and check back soon for the other new things that will be available in the very near future!  (04/25/08)

MLMT PR - Point System & Payout Enhancements Announced!!: (Lubbock, TX) Today the Major League of Monster Trucks (MLMT) announced some critical enhancements to the point system and pay out program for its events on the 2008 schedule.
     It has been established that each team who passes inspection and attempts to qualify will earn 10 points toward the season end championship. Additionally, each truck that completes a qualifying run, but does not make it into the top 16 spots, will receive a guaranteed payout of $500.

     Additionally, promotional truck displays are available for each team during the week leading up to the live event. Teams are paid $500 per display. Please contact the MLMT at info@mlmt.com to get more information on how you can schedule your team’s truck display.
     “With the overwhelming response of teams registering for each event we wanted to make sure that for the trucks that didn’t make the final 16 that they didn’t walk away empty handed,” said Debrah Miceli, MLMT EVP. “We are less than two months away from our first event and the competition is already starting to heat up.”
     The first event of the season is set for the Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday June 21st. For more information and all of the latest news on the Major League of Monster Trucks go to www.MLMT.com. (04/24/08)

Monster Truck Industry Mourns Loss of a Friend - UPDATE - Funeral Services:  Beloved Father, Grandfather and Son David W. Harkey, 48, of Shipman, Illinois went to be with the Lord at 9:30 A.M. on Saturday, April 19, 2008 in St. Louis, Missouri. Born on November 8, 1959 to Willie H. amd Dorothy (Ross) Harkey. David was the "Big Foot" 4X4 Race Truck Driver for many years. David had two daughters Meline (Mike) Ironwing and Tamra Harkey. He also had one Grandson Aiden Ironwing. David will be missed by all that knew him.

- Visitation - Tue. April 22, 2008, 4-8 PM at Targhetta & Wooldridge Funeral Home-Brighton
Click for Map and Directions

- Funeral Service - Wed. April 23, 2008, 11 AM at Targhetta & Wooldridge Funeral Home-Brighton
Click for Map and Directions

- Interment - Wed. April 23, 2008, 11:30 AM at Shipman Cemetery

Click here for more information

4-19-08: Today the monster truck industry mourns the loss of a great friend, a great driver, and a great person. Former Team Bigfoot driver Dave Harkey passed away Saturday morning, April 19th, 2008, at 9:03am in a St. Louis area hospital. TheMonsterBlog.com would like to express our deepest sympathies to all of Dave's family members and friends, we will be keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.
     Dave was a longtime employee of Bigfoot 4x4, best known for his years behind the wheel of Bigfoot #14 prior to retiring last summer. For us personally, Dave will always hold a special place in our hearts as the first Bigfoot driver to be featured on the site in our first video coverage from the Springfield, MO Jamboree in 2005. Dave has been a great friend to many in this industry and has brought an untold number of smiles to the faces of fans during his time in the sport; he will be greatly missed.
     We searched through our video vault and put together some clips of Dave behind the wheel to pay tribute to his work, and that can be seen below. Kyle Doyle, who knew Dave personally, has written a very nice memorial article in his blog, which can be seen here. God speed Dave, may you rest in peace.

TheMonsterBlog.com Interviews Gary Schott!!:  TheMonsterBlog.com's Lauren Z. Bonar had the opportunity a while back to sit down with longtime monster truck owner Gary Schott, who is now celebrating his 25th year in monster trucks. Rather than do a traditional Q&A interview, Gary pulled out a large batch of old photos and told stories to go along with them while we scanned them into the computer. Click the link below to check out Lauren's feature with Gary Schott, and be ready for some great monster truck memories!!  (04/22/08)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE MONSTER BLOG'S INTERVIEW WITH GARY SCHOTT!!

(FEATURES)

HBR Teams With Carolina Dodge Dealers for Anderson's Jamboree!!:  (Champaign, IL) The Hall Brothers Raminator and Rammunition Monster truck racing team will join forces with the Carolina Dodge Dealers for the up-coming Southeastern 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals in Anderson, SC on April 26, 27, 2008. The Carolina Dodge Dealers will have a display featuring some new 2008 Dodge vehicles at the event, while Raminator and Rammunition will feature some special Carolina Dodge Dealers logos.

     Driver Mark Hall said "we are proud to get to work with the Carolina Dodge Dealers. They are very involved in motorsports, even serving as title sponsor of some NASCAR events, so this is a major deal to us---to get them involved in monster truck racing."

     Tim Hall added "we are fortunate to get to work with the Carolina Dodge Dealers. We hope to make this a great event for them and look forward to a long term relationship. They are a great, very motivated group that knows that success on the race track translates to success in the showroom."
     For more information on the Hall Brothers Racing team, visit www.Raminator.com. For more info on the Anderson 4-Wheel Jamboree, check out www.FamilyEvents.com. (04/21/08)

Update From Texas - Raminator Sweeps Weekend Racing!!:  Mark Hall in Raminator is off to a great start in the hunt to defend his Monster Truck Thunder Drags championship in 2008 after three wins in three rounds to begin the season!!  Today's racing bracket saw Hall defeat Jim Koehler in Avenger in the first round of the competition, with teammate Geremie Dishman in Rammunition taking down Dan Runte in Bigfoot. Dishman suffered a broken driveshaft, saw Runte was given another shot at Hall in the finals. But when the trucks left the line, Hall pulled away to complete the weekend sweep. Freestyle would see nice runs from all competitors, with Chris Bergeron in Spike ending the day on his lid once for the second time in two days. The second weekend of Monster Truck Thunder Drags competition will be in Anderson, SC at next weekend's 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals. Check out www.FamilyEvents.com for more info!!

(Photo By Kyle Doyle)

Raminator Sweeps Day One:  Round two of the 2008 Monster Truck Thunder Drags season is in the books and it was Mark Hall in Raminator back on top for the second time today. Hall defeated Chris Bergeron in Spike in Round One, while Jim Koehler in Avenger beat Geremie Dishman in Rammunition. In the finals, Hall drove to his second win in two competitions over Koehler. Freestyle saw strong runs from all the trucks, with big air from Avenger, big wheelies from Bigfoot, and wild donuts and a nice save from Raminator as the highlights. The final round of the weekend in Texas will be tomorrow afternoon, so stay tuned for a rundown of those results right here on TheMonsterBlog.com!!  (04/20/08)

Raminator Takes Round One:  The Monster Truck Thunder Drags season is underway, with round one in the books in Baytown, TX!!  Raminator, Rammunition, Bigfoot, Spike, and Avenger are competing at this weekend's 4 Wheel Jamboree Nationals at Houston Raceway Park. The area has received lots of rain the past couple days, but today proved to be a beautiful one, and the Special Events crew did a masterful job creating a good track out of the mud. The first event of the weekend saw a four truck racing bracket with Mark Hall in Raminator defeating Dan Runte in Bigfoot and Chris Bergeron in Spike taking down Geremie Dishman in Rammunition in round one. The trucks were reaching high speeds and catching huge air on the long straight-line drag course, which featured a roller before a long stretch of no man's land leading to the big final jump. The finals would see last year's champion Mark Hall pick up where he left off, taking the racing win in round one of the 2008 Monster Truck Thunder Drags championship. Freestyle would see all five trucks put on a good show for the big crowd on hand, with the highlight coming as Chris Bergeron rolled over while riding out a slap wheelie in Spike. The crew is working on the truck and will have it back together for the tonight's event. A big thanks to Tim Hall of Hall Brothers Racing for the update, results from the evening event coming later tonight, so stay tuned!!  (04/19/08)

Montreal Monster Spectacular Highlight Video!!:  Highlights from the Chris Arel Motorsports Monster Specatcular last weekend at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec are now available!!  Thanks to video editing pro Kevin LaRochelle for another amazing highlight reel and to Chris Arel Motorsports for sharing it with us!!  Enjoy, and be sure to check out www.ChrisArel.com for more information on this year's Monster Spectacular tour!!  (04/19/08)

CHECK OUT THE MONTREAL MONSTER SPECTACULAR HIGHLIGHT VIDEO!!

(VIDEO GALLERY)

Monster Truck Challenge Schedule Taking Shape!!:  Monster Truck Challenge today announced their fifth date for the 2008 schedule, August 2nd at the legendary Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH. Four other dates have also been announced thus far, including:  June 14-15 at Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, KY; June 20-21 at Raceway Park Shakopee in Minneapolis, MN; July 26 at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, IL, and August 16 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC. Excitement about the season continues to build as more info is announced, so stay tuned to MonsterTruckChallenge.com!!  (04/18/08)

Former Monster Truck Driver Dave Harkey In Critical Condition:  TheMonsterBlog.com has learned that retired monster truck driver Dave Harkey is in very critical condition in a St. Louis area hospital. Bob Trent with Bigfoot 4x4 has confirmed this information, in contrast to reports that Harkey had passed away yesterday. We apologize for the misinformation, and we will be keeping Dave and his family in our thoughts and prayers. (04/16/08)

Darren Migues & Steve Koehler Take Upset Wins In Montreal!!:  With an all-star field of 12 trucks competing at Olympic Stadium in the 9th edition of the Monster Spectacular, it was to the surprise of many that two drivers fairly new to the seat walked away winners. Darren Migues in one of the two competing Bounty Hunter trucks took the racing trophy home after working his way through the brackets in some high speed Chicago-style racing. Winner of the last edition, Rick Long and Bigfoot lost in the first round.

     Freestyle included a spectacular roll by Bob Robbins in the new Warrior truck, and a unique save by Kreg Christensen in Iron Outlaw, who finished his run slamming hard on the side of the school bus pyramid.

     In this city where NHL hockey rules, and the Montreal Canadians, who won the Eastern Association champhionship, had a local game at the Bell Centre. For the first time ever, the game was broadcast live during the Monster Spectacular in front of 50,000 spectators. Steve Hearley, a Boston native, who loves the Boston Bruins (Montreal's opponents) had the idea of putting Boston's logos big on his truck--he sure was not the crowds favorite!  Mike Vaters who considers Montreal a second home, having performed in Quebec in the last 20 years, had the Habs logo on big with the flag, etc. After Hearley finished his runs and was boo-ed by the large crowd, suddenly Mike Vaters came out of nowhere, and ran over Steve's side panel, after climbing the sidewalls of Steve's tire!!  The roof of the Big O almost exploded!!  Vaters also later destroyed the giant stage and hot seat when the MC gave him the red flag.
     The surprise of the night was Steve Koehler, filling for Chris Bergeron, who won feestyle with the highest jump ever performed in Montreal--the suspension flew apart after the hard landing.
     Other acts included a demolition derby (cars and pick-ups), a jet car, drift cars on concrete, sports bike freestyle, rally car races on dirt with jumps, and, featuring the best riders from Ontario & Quebec, freestyle ATV with a series of backflips.

     A survey at the door showed that there were many Americans coming from all around the New England states as this is the only stadium event in the northeast. Next up on the tour is Regina, Saskatchewan next weekend with Black Stallion, Bounty Hunter, Iron Outlaw and more!!  A special thanks to Chris Arel for providing the above update and photos (click here for more photos from the Montreal event), be sure to check out www.MonsterSpectacular.com for more information!!  (04/14/08)

Blue Sudden Impact Racing Tires Hit the Track!!: (Jefferson, LA) Less than a week ago, the first batch of Sudden Impact Racing’s blue monster truck tires arrived at SIR headquarters in Louisiana, and team owner Brandon Lagarde didn’t waste any time getting them to the track for testing this past Saturday. Testing took place at not one, but two different tracks in two different states! Some lucky fans in Mississippi and Louisiana were the first to witness these tires in action as Lagarde piloted the team’s Sudden Impact truck sporting the blue tires in some freestyle exhibitions. Lagarde was joined on track by 2008 CFP winter champion Sean Duhon in the Amsoil T-Maxx, which was sporting a brand new set of SIR Black racing tires.

(Text By Kyle Doyle, Photos By David Kranak)

     “All of the tires performed really great, performance and handling-wise. You can convince yourself on paper all day that these things will work just fine, but at some point you have to just go out and use them. We chose to do that sooner rather than later,” said Lagarde during a phone interview on Sunday afternoon. “I’m really happy with how they performed, and I wasn’t even really able to push the truck that hard. The rear shocks were hurt a bit from last weekend in Pocatello, but we still managed to work them [the tires] pretty hard.”
     For more information on Sudden Impact Racing and where/when you can see these blue tires in action for yourself, or how to get a set for yourself, visit www.SuddenImpact.com.  (04/14/08)

Warrior Monster Truck Debuts In Montreal!!:  Aftershock Monster Truck Racing debuted a brand new body and identity Saturday night at the Monster Spectacular in Montreal, Quebec. Plans are for the team to begin running two chassis later in the year, with Aftershock on one and Warrior on the other. The idea behind the new truck is to help promote a positive image of Native American people and issues--to have something truly native in sports as opposed to the stereotypical icons (Redskins, Indians, etc). The team will be doing displays at non-motorsport events including pow wows, community fairs, and at schools. For more information, check out the new website at www.WarriorTruck.com. (04/14/08)

O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals Returns to Miami With 8 Trucks!!:  (Springfield, MO) The O'Reilly Outlaw National Championship Motor Spectacular is returning to the Miami Fairgrounds in Miami, Oklahoma May 9-10, 2008 with eight monster trucks!!  The event will feature shows Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with metal munching monster truck superstars in all out war. It's the best lineup ever in Miami including Bounty Hunter, Big Dawg, Brute Force, Monkey’n Around, Tailgator, Iron Outlaw, War Wagon and Miami’s own Devin Jones in the Barbarian in side-by-side racing and freestyle like never before including school buses, vans & more!

     The Sergeant Smash monster truck will also be on hand to let fans experience the feeling of riding in a real monster truck. Tuff Trucks are back too, watch as local weekend warriors and professionals from around the country battle it out on the treacherous course. Think you have a Tuff Truck? Call 417-887-9400 for more information and get your truck in the show. Back for ’08 we will have the stock class too!
     Finally, see Transaurus the fire breathing dinosaur as it eats a car and everything in his path. It’s over 3 stories tall and 37,000 lbs. of metal munching mayhem. It’s the world’s only jet powered dinosaur for the first time in Miami!
     Tickets go on sale April 28th at all area O'Reilly Auto Parts Stores and at the Fairgrounds on May 9th. Adult tickets (ages 12 & Up) will be $18 advance, $20 day of show; children's tickets (ages 3-11) $ 9 advance, $10 day of show; age 2 & under get in FREE. Prices include tax. Pit passes are $5 additional at the event. For more information on the 2008 O'Reilly Outlaw National Championship Motor Spectacular, check out www.MAPMotorsports.com. Don't miss out on your chance to see Miami's biggest event ever!!  (04/13/08)

WMTRL 4/13 Update: "The Rundown" with Tony Budny!!:  Sean Duhon takes the stage this week with the Checkered Flag Production Winter Championship firmly in hand. He nabbed the title with a racing victory and a solid third place showing in freestyle. With the racing victory, Duhon jumps from 7th to 2nd in the standings behind the idle Pablo Huffaker. Duhon has 15 wins in 21 races this season, giving him a dominant 71% winning percentage this year, best in the WMTRL. Can his dominance continue as the weather and the competition heat up?
     Number three driver Jimmy Creten heads north of the border to Montreal, Canada to face stiff competition, including… another Bounty Hunter. He has the top points average and has competed against some of the most difficult competition in the WMTRL. If he continues his success and participation after the Monster Jam season, he has a great shot at a title.

RISING STARS: Not much change in the standings this week. Duhon makes the big move, up 5 spots from 7th to 2nd. Raminator driver Geremie Dishman makes his debut in the WMTRL standings at 18th. Larry Quick in Ghost Ryder also makes his debut at 77.

FREE FALLING: One driver of note here this week. Rodney Tweedy in Bigfoot #10 fell three spots this week, from 24 to 27.

     The Monster Jam winter has come to a close and the spring and summer seasons are on the horizon. Where does this leave our competitors? The Monster Jam drivers, such as Pablo Huffaker in Grave Digger and the big names like Maximum Destruction, will have a difficult time continuing their reign over the WMTRL standings, as independents like Doug Noelke in Tail Gator will add more events on their schedule in the summer.
     Noelke boasts the top final percentage at 90% and 14 wins in 20 races. But, he sits in the #5 slot overall in the standings. Will the outdoors be good to him this summer? Or, will Huffaker nab the title that eluded him in 2007, with his second place finish to Mark Hall in the overall standings? Will CFP success propel Sean Duhon in T-Maxx to the 2008 WMTRL title?
     The long road to the 2008 title continues next week. For more information on the World Monster Truck Racing League and the full standings, check out www.WMTRL.com. (04/13/08)

Monster Spectacular Returns to Olympic Stadium Tomorrow Night!!:  Get the best seats now for the next edition of the Monster Spectacular - Saturday April 12 - 2008 at the Big O in Montreal!!  12 monster trucks will compete including Bigfoot with Rick Long, Avenger with Jim Koehler, Black Stallion with Mike Vaters, Brutus with Chris Bergeron, Iron Outlaw with Kreg Christensen, Samson with Dan Patrick, Godzilla with Steve Hearley, Rap Attack with Dave Rappach, Iron Warrior with Trey Meyers, the new Warrior truck with Bob Robbins, and now for the big surprise...not one, but TWO Bounty Hunter's!!  The trucks will be driven by Jimmy Creten and Darren Migues. The show will also feature ATV freestyle and many other surprises. Click on this link www.admission.com/html/artist.htmI?&artist=MONSTER+SPECTACULAR&l=EN to buy tickets or call toll free 1-800-361-4595 or local 514-790-1245. For more information on the event, check out www.ChrisArel.com!!  Don't miss out, this show is gonna be huge!!  (04/11/08)

TMB TV Episode #1: Monster Truck Grand Nationals - Pocatello!!:  TheMonsterBlog.com's major event coverage series is back for 2008 and bigger than ever!!  Last year we brought you major events to watch online in their entirety, but this year we're taking it one step further. Welcome to the new TMB TV, featuring interviews, analysis and much more to go along with the event itself. Our first episode is this past weekend's Monster Truck Grand Nationals from the Holt Arena in Pocatello, ID!!  See all the action as nine trucks compete in racing and freestyle, all while the battle for the CFP Monster Truck Winter Nationals championship is decided. Click the link below to check it out, we hope you enjoy!! (04/10/08)

WATCH TMB TV EPISODE #1: MONSTER TRUCK GRAND NATIONALS - POCATELLO!!

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Sudden Impact Racing Tires Have The Blues!!:  (Jefferson, LA) Yet another first in the monster truck industry from Sudden Impact Racing!!  The SIR team generated quite a buzz when they unveiled their first batch of purpose-built monster truck racing tires nearly two years ago; since that time, their tires have gone on to find widespread use in the industry, with more and more teams latching on to them each month. But now, the SIR team is taking their tire program to the next level, with the introduction of their all-blue monster truck racing tires. To say that this will cause a buzz may be a bit of an understatement.

     “The first thing everyone is going to say is ‘All they did was dye the rubber blue. Big deal,’ but that’s not the case,” said SIR owner Brandon Lagarde. “How do you dye a black rubber product? Simply put, you can’t. So we worked with our supplier to develop a different rubber compound that lives up to our stringent quality standards, but offers a completely new and different look for a monster truck tire.” These tires will feature the same style of lug and overall proportions as their more conventional counterparts, but with the added flair of being blue, all the way through. Lagarde added that “Our driver Kevin King has blue hair, drives a blue truck, wears a blue firesuit, and has blue lights mounted in the hood, so we figured the next logical step would be blue tires!” Future plans call for additional colors, and perhaps even some multi-color patterns and designs.

     The SIR Blue tires will be hitting the track for the first time this weekend, and the team is confident they will perform as well as the SIR Black tires have over the last couple of years. Brandon Lagarde summed it all up by stating “I can’t wait to see one of the guys lay down a big blue patch of rubber while doing a donut. You might as well write ‘Sudden Impact was here’ on the floor.”
     For more info on pricing and availability of SIR racing tires, visit www.SuddenImpact.com for contact information. For those looking to upgrade to SIR tires without breaking their budget, SIR has recently announced that they have eight (8) used SIR tires available for $1200 apiece, or best offer. These tires are certified, numbered, and have 90% tread remaining. (04/10/08)

TheMonsterBlog.com Interviews Brandon Lagarde!!:  TheMonsterBlog.com's Kyle Doyle recently had the opportunity to sit down for an exclusive interview Sudden Impact Racing owner Brandon Lagarde!!  It's been a big week for SIR, taking their first championship in the Checkered Flag Productions Monster Truck Winter Nationals series and making an announcement today about their new blue Sudden Impact Racing Tires. Click the link below to check out KD's "Sudden Interview", and be sure to let us know what you thought on the Fan Forum!! (04/10/08)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE MONSTER BLOG'S INTERVIEW WITH BRANDON LAGARDE!!

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NASCAR Stars Drive 1,500 Horsepower Chevy Monster Truck!!:  (Toganoxie, KS) Fox Sport's Nascar Analyst Jeff Hammond and superstar driver Clint Bowyer had the chance to feel some real thunder last week. The pair met up with monster truck driver Jimmy Creten and his 10,000 pound machine at the Ft. Worth Stockyards for a Chevrolet publicity stunt.

     "These guys were really cool to work with" noted Creten, "I didn't know what to expect, but they are completely down to earth and I know they both had fun". The 'trainees' took the truck through Chevy's Off Road Experience, a course designed to showcase the capabilities of the Colorado and Silverado pickup trucks. Creten then demonstrated the power of the truck by launching over a row of junk cars and performing a small freestyle run. After that Hammond and Bowyer were turned loose and tore up the course. "It was awesome. I've never been able to do that," Bowyer said. "I drove over Fords, that's always fun. I aired it out pretty good. I surprised myself. I just got to where I was a little bit confident and I thought I’d better get out before I did something stupid!".

     The truck spent the rest of the weekend on display at Chevy Thunder 2008 and at Chevy's hospitality village before the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Special thanks to Brandi Webster and GM R*Works for putting this project together. We look forward to doing much more in the future. (04/09/08)

Video courtesy www.RaceweekOnline.com.

Pocatello CFP Grand Nationals Photo Gallery!!:  The 2008 Checkered Flag Monster Truck Grand Nationals photo gallery is now online!!  See all the action in over 250 of Ross Z. Bonar's photos from Saturday night's main event in Pocatello, ID by clicking the link below. Another big thanks to CFP and Ed Beckley for their hospitality this past weekend, and we hope you enjoy the photos. Thanks and Enjoy!!  (04/07/08)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ROSS Z. BONAR'S GRAND NATIONALS PHOTO GALLERY!!

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T-MAXX CLINCHES CHAMPIONSHIP WITH RACING WIN, FRENCH WINS FREESTYLE!!

     TheMonsterBlog.com congratulates Sean Duhon and the entire Sudden Impact Racing team on winning the 2008 Monster Truck Winter Nationals championship!!  Saturday night was a great event in Pocatello and we greatly enjoyed covering it. A huge thanks to Ed Beckley for inviting us out to the championship event this year, and to all of the CFP staff for their hospitality. Tons of coverage coming your way from the event when we return to St. Louis, but in the meantime we have posted a lot of good stuff to tide you over until then. Check out some video clips below, and some teaser photos below that. We hope you enjoyed our live updates from tonight's show and our coverage throughout this weekend. More coming soon, stay tuned!!  (04/04/08)

Last Updated 4/7/08 - High Anxiety Freestyle - Click each thumbnail on the right to view videos.

Click each thumbnail to view larger image!!

LIVE UPDATE NOTES:

POINTS PRIOR TO POCATELLO:

POINTS AVAILABLE IN POCATELLO:

QUALIFYING:

RACING ROUNDS:

POINT STANDINGS AFTER RACING:

FREESTYLE:

FINAL POINT STANDINGS:

Friday Night Updates From Pocatello!!:  TheMonsterBlog.com is in Pocatello, ID for the 2008 Checkered Flag Productions Monster Truck Grand Nationals championship weekend!!  We'll be providing updates all weekend long as the Winter Nationals champion is decided. Friday saw track construction inside the Holt Arena along with monster truck displays around town. Below you can see some photos and video clips of each, along with video interviews featuring CFP President Ed Beckley, former CFP Champion Rob French and rookie driver Shelly Kujat. We'll have more updates throughout the day tomorrow, so stay tuned to TheMonsterBlog.com for more updates from Pocatello!!  (04/04/08)

Click each thumbnail to view larger image!!

Friday Night Updates From Pocatello!!:  TheMonsterBlog.com is in Pocatello, ID for the 2008 Checkered Flag Productions Monster Truck Grand Nationals championship weekend!!  We'll be providing updates all weekend long as the Winter Nationals champion is decided. Friday saw track construction inside the Holt Arena along with monster truck displays around town. Below you can see some photos and video clips of each, along with video interviews featuring CFP President Ed Beckley, former CFP Champion Rob French and rookie driver Shelly Kujat. We'll have more updates throughout the day tomorrow, so stay tuned to TheMonsterBlog.com for more updates from Pocatello!!  (04/04/08)

Click each thumbnail to view larger image!!

CFP & Make A Wish Foundation Make Special Visit In Pocatello!!: (Belton, TX) This weekend the CFP Crew is in Pocatello, ID for the 2008 Monster Truck Winter Nationals Finals that will take place this coming Saturday night. Pocatello also marked another very special visit on the Winter Nationals tour, thanks to the great caring folks at the Make A Wish Foundation.
     4 year old Jacob Tolman of Idaho is an active little guy, and at first glance may seem like a perfectly healthy 4 year old boy. But since birth the Tolman family has met great challenges with Jacob, as he has a genetic condition that affects much of his body and organs, requiring great care and attention. As early as 2 years old, Jacob had brain surgery to help his ailments, and that’s just one surgery. In total young Jacob has had a total of 19 surgeries to date and has been to the hospital over 50 times…just too many to count. Jacob and his family (his Mother, Teresa, his Father, Todd, and two siblings Ashley and Zackary) make the trip to Salt Lake City, UT for doctors visits, tests, treatments, surgeries, and more at least on a monthly basis, if not even more frequently.

(Photo Courtesy www.CheckeredFlagProductions.com)

     Jacob is a typical little boy when it comes to interests, and is absolutely fascinated with cars, trucks, and trains, according to his Mother Teresa Tolman. The Tolman family was found through the local division of The Make A Wish Foundation as well as Checkered Flag Productions, and the wish was coordinated based on the Winter Nationals schedule (being here in Pocatello, ID) and was based on Jacob’s love for cars and trucks. Needless to say, when Jerry Dalton and Rick Long showed up right at Jacob’s door with a real Bigfoot truck, everyone was excited…especially little Jacob!
     The weather was beautiful, and the temperatures were right for a little preview of the power these trucks have. After getting Jacob up in the cab of Bigfoot, Jerry Dalton sent chills down everyone’s spine by starting up Bigfoot and giving it a couple of good revs, which turned many of the neighbors into curious spectators!
     The Tolmans will be in attendance at the show on Saturday night, and I think you know who they will be rooting for. Not only that though, Shelley and Ron Kujat of the ACES HIGH Shell Camino truck also stopped by for the special visit with shirts of course, gaining some new fans that will be backing them on Saturday night as well!
     The Tolmans were thrilled with the special appearance on Thursday evening, and will be in for a real treat come Saturday night when the lights turn green, as they have never, ever witnessed a Monster Truck event in person! It seems only fitting that their first ever be the CFP’s biggest and best show on the tour, the Grand Nationals and Winter Nationals Finals in Pocatello, ID!
     Visit CheckeredFlagProductions.com for a photo gallery and video of the visit by clicking here. Tolman family, we’ll be watching for you on Saturday!  (04/04/08)

MLMT Announces Re-Scheduled Atlanta Motor Speedway Event!!: (Lubbock, TX) On the heels of its announcement of a television coverage package with the VERSUS cable television network, the Major League of Monster Trucks (MLMT) and the Atlanta Motor Speedway announced today the rescheduling of its event from May 3rd to Sunday July 6th.
     The rescheduling of the event was required because of the lack of time available to schedule production trucks and television crews to cover the original May 3rd event at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
     “We never like to reschedule events, but based on our recent acquisition of a television coverage agreement for our series it was necessary to make the schedule change for us to provide the best monster truck racing television coverage possible for our loyal MLMT fans,” said Joe Froome, MLMT CEO.
     The MLMT series will feature open qualifying for the field of 16 trucks that will be competing for a $100,000 purse at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
     The stop in Atlanta is one of the many events on a national schedule for MLMT that kicks off June 21st at the Texas Motor Speedway and ends in October. At this year’s events, points scored at each event for Racing and Freestyle competitions count towards the MLMT national championship where the winner is crowned at the Monster Ball Awards at the end of the season.
     The qualifying session at the track starts at 2 p.m., the pit party/driver autograph session is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the racing and freestyle action kicks off at 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 6th.
     Fans can get the best seat in the house by opting for a the special “Monster Fan Zone” ticket which includes a free MLMT seat cushion, a checkered flag, VIP parking and exclusive passes to the post event pit party with the drivers and their trucks. These tickets are $50 for adults and $25 for children.
     Other reserved seats are priced at $20 for adults, $10 for kids or $15 for adults and $5 for kids. All tickets are $5 more per ticket on the day of the event.
     Tickets are available through the AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com website, Ticketmaster.com or by calling 877-9AMS-TIX. Visit www.MLMT.com for more information. (04/04/08)

Exhaust Fumes Blog: "Readers Sound Off on MLMT Situation":  by Kyle Doyle - In a follow-up to his excellent analysis of MLMT's current situation in an open letter to Joe Froome, Kyle Doyle examines some fan response to the article. Readers sound off asking more questions of MLMT and share their observations on MLMT's difficulties. Click Here To Read  (04/04/08)

Pocatello Preview: Sean Duhon!!:  The Monster Truck Winter Nationals Championship will be decided tomorrow night in Pocatello, ID as the CFP Grand Nationals takes over the Holt Arena!!  TheMonsterBlog.com will be on hand to cover all the action this weekend, and you will see it all right here on the site starting later today. In Part Five, the final edition of our Pocatello Preview interview series, we talked with current CFP points leader Sean Duhon, driver of the Amsoil T-Maxx. Duhon has had an incredible season thus far and is the one all the others will be gunning for tomorrow night.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  You enter championship weekend as the points leader after a strong start to the 2008 season. Tell us about the season thus far and what you've been able to accomplish.

Sean Duhon:  So far this year everything has gone great. The truck has been staying together really well and we've been able to put together a strong record. I've got a great teammate in Kevin King and he's helped out a ton, we wouldn't be where we are without him. We're going into Pocatello in first place again this year, and I intend on leaving there in first this time.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  Last year in Pocatello, you had the championship in your grasp, but a really tough night on the track opened the door for Dan Runte. What went wrong last year and what can you do different to make sure you take home the big trophy?

Sean Duhon:  Yeah, last year we were the leading the points when we got to Pocatello, but got bit with some bad luck in both racing and freestyle. We were working a new tire cut and that was the first time we had been on concrete with it. So in racing, when we got down to the U-turn, the truck just wouldn't turn like I needed it to. So we went out pretty early in racing and had to try to make it up in freestyle. That started off really well, but ended up being kind of a disaster. Early in the run, I lineup for the bus and as I went up and over it, the right front tire popped off and went rolling away. With it being such a big event, I tried to keep on going, but there just wasn't anything I could do on that slick concrete. This year we've got the tire all figured out and the all-dirt turn will be much better. We've been tinkering with the shocks and suspension, and feel like we've got a really good setup for tomorrow night.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  What would it mean to be the driver to bring home Sudden Impact Racing's first championship, as well as to win your first title?

Sean Duhon:  You know, I've been thinking a lot about that. Sudden Impact Racing has made so much progress since Brandon Lagarde bought it but we've yet to get a championship. I plan on this weekend being the first, and I really hope to be able to bring it home and see it on display there in the office. I just hope to make the team proud tomorrow night.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  Rick Long, Jerry Dalton, Rob French--those guys are going to be coming after you in a big way tomorrow night. Tell us about your competition and who you think will be your biggest threat.

Sean Duhon:  Pocatello is interesting because we run a certain type of course all year for Checkered Flag and then the final is completely different so you never know what can happen. Rob--he's good competition, runs the heck out of that truck, but I'm not scared. I saw what he said about me in his interview and to respond, I'll just say I'm not worried about him because he hasn't beat me all year. But seriously, he'll definitely be on kill. Rick is one of our toughest competitors, he has got a great truck and knows how to drive it. Jerry is the sleeper--you wouldn't think a rookie would be so good so quick, but we'll really have to watch out for him. Don't forget Shelly and Kevin either. They may not be in the title hunt but Kevin will probably give me the biggest run while Shelly has just been getting better every time out.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  What's the key to staying focused and bringing it home tomorrow night?

Sean Duhon:  The number one thing is to just not get overconfident. I know I'm going in with the lead, but tomorrow that's all out the window. With the double points, it doesn't take much for the last place truck to come out first when it's all said and done. We've just got to take it round-by round as a step-by-step process and keep getting wins. It'll be a great event and I'd just like to thank all the fans that have supported us all year and that are coming out tomorrow night. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be doing this. We may have ended up second last year, but I don't plan on that happening again. We're gonna do whatever it takes and the competition better watch out because T-Maxx is gonna be on kill tomorrow night.

     You don't want to miss all the action, so if you are anywhere within driving distance, get on out to the Holt Arena tommorrow night for the Monster Truck Grand Nationals!!  Check out www.CheckeredFlagProductions.com for more information on the championship event and keep checking back on TheMonsterBlog.com for coverage as CFP crowns their champion!! (04/04/08)

Pocatello Preview: Rick Long!!:  The Monster Truck Winter Nationals Championship will be decided this Saturday night in Pocatello, ID as the CFP Grand Nationals takes over the Holt Arena!!  TheMonsterBlog.com will be on hand to cover all the action this weekend, and you will see it all right here on the site. In Part Four of our Pocatello Preview series, we talked with title contender Rick Long, driver of Bigfoot #15. Long is coming off the Edge Motorsports title from last year and sits 3rd in the championship points leading into the Grand Nationals finale.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  You just picked up your first championship running for Edge Motorsports last year, how does it feel to be contending for the CFP Winter Nationals title now, in your very next series out?

Rick Long:  It really means a lot to me--we always try to do our best, always try to win, but the championships really mean something. There's a really cool feeling of pride, both in yourself and in your equipment, so to have a chance at going back-to-back is great. And there's the extra added bonus of bragging rights and being able to contribute to the success of Bigfoot. Of course, that was in #11 and now I'm in #15. I feel pretty comfortable after about eight months in this one, and I ran it real hard in Montreal last November which has a tough race course and real big stuff for freestyle too. We've made a lot of changes to the truck including a new two-speed transmission, so I think we're ready. We'll just see if we can manage to walk out of here with another championship.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  Now this isn't your first time coming to Pocatello with a shot at the title. Talk about your experience at the Holt Arena two years ago.

Rick Long:  Yeah, last time we came up here we did pretty good, went into the deal in second, came out of it in second. Actually, we finished up tied for first in the overall standings, but they gave it to Brad Campbell based on who did the best that night in Pocatello. I went for a pretty wild ride in freestyle that night, came up over the bus and caught the rear wheels, pogo'ed it into the concrete. Somehow I managed to pull out of it, I don't know how it didn't end up rolling over. All we ended up with was a dented bumper. But yeah, since then I've seen that clip in nearly all of Ed's commercials, so that's pretty cool.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  The freestyle course should be pretty wild again this year, along with a very unique racing track. What is your plan of attack for Saturday night?

Rick Long:  Well, I never really set a plan of attack for freestyle. I mean, you can start out and on your first hit, take a weird landing, end up facing the other way, and there goes your whole plan. I like to just go after stuff, hit what feels right. I'll go out there and try to hit everything and do something cool. I'm really glad they're putting dirt down in the turn this year for racing, before that concrete made things really tough. We'll have to see what kind of dirt it ends up being. If it's really tacky, with such a sharp u-turn, you'll have to be really careful not to roll it. If it's loose, we'll be able to slide through the corners, but even there, you'll have to be careful not to spin out. There's lots of room with it being an indoor football field, so we'll put on a good show for the fans.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  You'll be racing for the championship with some really good drivers. Talk a little bit about your competition and what you can do to come out on top Saturday.

Rick Long:  Hey, we've all earned our way here and with Pocatello being double points and the standings being so close, it's anybody's game. Sean has been running awesome this year and he's the leader going in, but he was last year too and got beat by a Bigfoot. We'll see if we can make that happen again. French--that guy likes to talk so he'll have to back it up, but his truck runs really strong and he'll be one to watch. Jerry's only run one turning course before, so racing on a course like this may slow him down a bit but he has been really strong this year. All I can say to them is they better not slow down or I'm gonna run right past them.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  So what can the Pocatello fans and the fans watching on The Monster Blog expect to see from Rick Long and Bigfoot Saturday night?

Rick Long:  This is a big show and there are a lot of good trucks which is going to make for some great competition, so anyone who's able to really needs to be here. If you can't make it, make sure to watch it on the Blog after this weekend because its gonna be really cool.

     You don't want to miss all the action, so if you are anywhere within driving distance, get on out to the Holt Arena this Saturday night for the Monster Truck Grand Nationals!!  Check out www.CheckeredFlagProductions.com for more information on the Pocatello, ID event and keep checking back on TheMonsterBlog.com for coverage as CFP crowns their champion!! (04/03/08)

Pocatello Preview: Rob French!!:  The Monster Truck Winter Nationals Championship will be decided this Saturday night in Pocatello, ID as the CFP Grand Nationals takes over the Holt Arena!!  TheMonsterBlog.com will be on hand to cover all the action this weekend, and you will see it all right here on the site. In Part Three of our Pocatello Preview series, we talked with title contender Rob French, a former CFP Champion, who now sits 3rd in the championship points leading into the Grand Nationals finale:

TheMonsterBlog.com:  You were the 2002 CFP Champion, but this has got to be your best shot at bringing home the championship since. How does it feel to be back in the hunt?

Rob French:  The last time I was here, we were too far back to contend for the title. This year, I'm in a great position and we're gonna go for the gold, and we're gonna win it. It feels great to be back in contention, we've just gotta keep our stuff together. We worked real hard on the truck this week, lots of new parts, everything ready for a beating because I'm sure gonna give it one.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  Last year you took the Twisted Dragon for a wild ride in racing, but still managed to come back strong in freestyle. Tell us about your night in Pocatello last year.

Rob French:  Yeah, last year we were far enough back that we didn't have a shot at it, so I was trying to get one of the wins. Racing was a tough break. The rear steer wasn't fast enough for that tight corner and so I was way behind Runte coming out of it. I held her to the wood and ended up soaring through the air and landing on the lid. We turned it back over, thought I was done, the body was all tore off. But Kelley, she told me that if I didn't get back in there and freestyle that thing, that she was gonna because we didn't come here to lose. So yeah, we went out there and tore it up and were able to grab the freestyle win.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  Talk about your 2008 season thus far and what all you have experienced on the road to sitting third in the standings going into championship weekend.

Rob French:  It's been a pretty good season, very successful. We've grabbed some wins in racing and in freestyle and here toward the end of the season especially, the truck has been running great. Outside of one major engine problem, the truck's held up really well through all the abuse this year and with a bunch of new parts for this weekend, it's ready. You know, its been a long season though, lots of time away from the family. So I really want to be able to bring home that big ol' trophy and have something to show for all the hard work.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  You're going up against two big guns from Bigfoot and one of Sudden Impact's top guys for the championship. Who will be your biggest competition?

Rob French:  I've told those guys all along that if I came here in the top 5, there's nobody gonna beat me. Rick Long, man, that's gotta be the weakest guy in the field. Duhon, he can't turn right or left, heck, he can't even see over the steering wheel. The only one I'm worried about, and I'm not even really worried, is that rookie. He's an old drag racer and he races really hard. If they let him run the truck, he'll be the one to beat because he's not afraid to push it to the limit. Now, if you haven't picked up on it, I'm talking some trash and having a little fun with those guys. But seriously, if those guys are on their A game Saturday, they will be tough--but if they don't bring the A game, they might as well take that stuff back to St. Louis and New Orleans because I'm gonna run harder than I've ever ran.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  Finally, what can the fans in Pocatello and those following on The Monster Blog expect to see from Rob French and Twisted Dragon Saturday night?

Rob French:  Anybody that's here in town or within driving distance and not coming, you don't know what you're gonna miss. Be here. If I've got to run over the top of Bigfoot, I don't care, I'm gonna win it. I'll do whatever it takes--this thing might leave here in five pieces, that's how serious I am. Stop on by Pocatello Cycle, we'll have both the trucks on display all week, this place is like monster truck central this week. Folks around here are excited, all over town they've been talking about it, Saturday's gonna be huge. I just wanna thank all the fans out there who've supported us, there's a lot of folks out there who have really liked the Twisted Dragon. I also want to thank Red Line Oil and all of my sponsors--without them, we wouldn't be here this weekend, they've done a ton for us ever since I started. Also fans at the show, be watching out for me because we just picked up a new sponsor and I'll be giving away something cool after both racing and freestyle. See you there!

     You don't want to miss all the action, so if you are anywhere within driving distance, get on out to the Holt Arena this Saturday night for the Monster Truck Grand Nationals!!  Check out www.CheckeredFlagProductions.com for more information on the Pocatello, ID event and keep checking back on TheMonsterBlog.com for coverage as CFP crowns their champion!! (04/02/08)

HBR Teams Up With Texas Dodge Dealers for Houston Jamboree!!:  (Champaign, IL) The Hall Brothers RAMINATOR and RAMMUNITION monster trucks will be sporting some additional livery when the 4-Wheel Jamboree season kicks off at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown,TX April 19th-20th. Both trucks will prominently feature the “Texas Truckstop” logo of the Texas Dodge Dealers Association.

     The dealers will have some exciting new 2008 Dodge vehicles on display, along with some special deals for potential buyers. Championship winning driver Mark Hall said “We are really happy to get to work with the Texas Dodge dealers as we kick off another great Jamboree season. The Texas Dodge dealers are a great group to work with, and we are looking forward to putting forth a great effort for them. We love Texas, and can’t wait to get going!”

     Team co-owner Tim Hall added “We do a bunch of displays in Texas at several dealerships each year. Texas is a very important truck market to Dodge, and we look forward to an exciting time as we work with the entire dealer group. We intend to make this a great success for the dealers.”
     For more information on the Hall Brothers Racing team, visit www.Raminator.com. For more info on the Texas 4-Wheel Jamboree, check out www.FamilyEvents.com. (04/02/08)

Pocatello Preview: Jerry Dalton!!:  The Monster Truck Winter Nationals Championship will be decided this Saturday night in Pocatello, ID as the CFP Grand Nationals takes over the Holt Arena!!  TheMonsterBlog.com will be on hand to cover all the action this weekend, and you will see it all right here on the site. In Part Two of our Pocatello Preview series, we talked with title contender Jerry Dalton, the rookie driver of Bigfoot #11, who sits 4th in the championship points leading into the Grand Nationals finale:

TheMonsterBlog.com:  Only three months into your monster truck racing career, here you are getting ready to compete for the Monster Truck Winter Nationals title. How does it feel?

Jerry Dalton:  This is the neatest thing in the world, no doubt about it. I’m so excited about the opportunity to represent Team Bigfoot at the Finals, I can hardly even describe it. I do have to say, I’m not sure that I am the most deserving of this opportunity as there are other drivers on the team who have been doing this longer than I have, but to be chosen feels great. I’ll be pulling for Rick to bring it home for the team, but if something happens and he can’t, I sure hope I’m in a position to get it done.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  This will be the biggest event of your young career, any apprehension as this weekend approaches?

Jerry Dalton:  Definitely. I’ve told folks they better watch out getting too close to me this week because I might throw up at any time. That’s an exaggeration of course, but there are a lot of nerves leading up to the event—when I strap into the truck that will all go away.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  From what we’ve been told, the course will feature J-style racing and there are some huge obstacles planned for freestyle. What is your strategy for racing and freestyling on a course like that for the first time?

Jerry Dalton:  I think I’ll be fine in racing, but freestyle does worry me a little bit. Honestly if I can just do good in racing and bring it home in one piece after freestyle, it will be a good night. I just want to look respectable in freestyle and not tear up the truck—racing is definitely where I’m going to let it all hang out though.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  You’ve experienced a great deal of success since you’re first weekend out in Topeka. What have been some of the highlights and what was it like to be a rookie leading the Checkered Flag points nearly a month into the season?

Jerry Dalton:  Oh man, that was awesome leading the points. And that first weekend out, beating Rob French both nights in the finals, that was a dream come true. One of the highlights though was beating Jon Zimmer in T-Maxx at the Winston-Salem race. I’ve seen him race on TV and we got to know each other real well when I was crewing for Rick Long on the Canadian tour last year. I just have a lot of respect for that guy, and so it was really cool to win against him. I’ve been very fortunate to find some success thus far, and I can only hope it continues.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  What message do you have for your fellow competitors that you will be fighting for the title this weekend?

Jerry Dalton:  It’s an honor to race with you, but having said that – “Watch out, here I come!”

     You don't want to miss all the action, so if you are anywhere within driving distance, get on out to the Holt Arena this Saturday night for the Monster Truck Grand Nationals!!  Check out www.CheckeredFlagProductions.com for more information on the Pocatello, ID event and keep checking back on TheMonsterBlog.com for coverage as CFP crowns their champion!! (04/01/08)

Pocatello Preview: Ed Beckley!!:  The Monster Truck Winter Nationals Championship will be decided this Saturday night in Pocatello, ID as the CFP Grand Nationals takes over the Holt Arena!!  TheMonsterBlog.com will be on hand to cover all the action this weekend, and you will see it all right here on the site. In Part One of our Pocatello Preview series, we talked with CFP President Ed Beckley about the upcoming finale:

(Photo By Brian Stellabote - Courtesy www.CheckeredFlagProductions.com)

TheMonsterBlog.com:  We've been hearing some wild things about the setup for Pocatello this year. What can you tell us about the course drivers will see at the Holt Arena Saturday night?

Ed Beckley:  Man, we've got some big stuff for these guys out there. This year we're doing two freestyle motocross hills instead of just one, we're doing two buses instead of just one. We've got various cars and vans, there will be lots of stuff for them to go after in freestyle. For racing, we'll be running a J-style course as in the past, but it will be all on dirt this year rather than the concrete to dirt transition seen in previous years. This will give the trucks more grip and allow the drivers to carry more speed, which of course should make for better racing.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  The racing competition is worth the most points so the championship could very well be decided there. Tell us a bit more about the unique course CFP uses in Pocatello.

Ed Beckley:  Well, we've talked about the cornering, but it gets very challenging after that. Coming out of the turn, drivers are met with a 4.5 foot roller, followed by 80 feet of flat track, then another jump, and another 100 feet of flat track before the big final jump to the finish line. This course leaves it up to the drivers--you can have all the power in the world, but the track is about rhythm. If you go flat out over the first jump, you'll land on the second and get out of shape, having to get out of the gas. With the hairpin turn and three jumps, there is the potential to see the lead change hands 3-4 times in a single race.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  The Pocatello lineups are usually comprised of trucks in the championship battle along with a few extras brought in to add even more excitement to the event. Break down the lineup of trucks and drivers for this year's Grand Nationals.

Ed Beckley:  Here's the deal--we invite the top 8 drivers in the point standings after the last regular season event, and then we typically bring in a couple of local trucks as well. This year we've got seven of the top 10 in the season points. Bigfoot made the decision to send just their top two trucks, so with Keith in 5th not coming, that opened up a spot. With Mitch in 7th not coming, and Bennett in 9th not taking a spot, that gave Mark Foulk and Bulletproof in 10th an invite. At that point, we made the decision to bring in three regional invites this year--Scott Anderson with Arachnaphobia and two of Chris Roy's trucks. But this week I got a call from Scott saying he thinks he might have motor trouble. He will still be coming out as he's from only 40 miles away, but we couldn't risk a truck not being able to put on a show for our Pocatello fans. So we got on the phone with Paul Strong who was still out in Vegas and this year's Pocatello lineup will have 11 trucks with Martial Law just added.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  Of the eleven truck lineup, four are the primary contenders for the season title. Tell us what we can except to see from the championship contenders Sean Duhon, Rick Long, Rob French and Jerry Dalton.

Ed Beckley:  You'll see one heck of a battle, I can promise you that. Jerry could be the sleeper, he's no rookie. An ex-drag racer, he'll be strong in racing and we've seen him go big in freestyle this year too. He may have only been behind the wheel of a monster for three months, but you sure can't tell it from watching him drive. Then of course Rick, he's a great racer and he can really put on a show in freestyle in these big stadiums. Duhon--we thought he had it wrapped up last year, but just had a rough night in Pocatello. He'll be looking to redeem himself from that, and he has been so strong this year--he's the one the others will have to beat. Those trucks are working great, both him and Kevin. Rob--he's just a little crazier than the rest. This year, he's got the "I want's"--he wants that championship. He won it a while back in Sniper, but man, we've taken so many more steps forward since then, the title means a lot more now. If he doesn't win, it won't be because he didn't give it 150%--it'll be because the truck wouldn't hold up to the abuse he puts it through. I don't really know if I can say any of them have an edge. The points are so close and with the finals being double points, it's anybody's ballgame. The championship pays $2,000, so I can guarantee these guys will be going all out.

TheMonsterBlog.com:  Congratulations on a strong year at the gate, the future seems very bright for CFP. Talk about the success this year and what you're expecting for the Grand Nationals.

Ed Beckley:  The only thing to be disapointed about is that we don't have another month of these indoor shows left this winter!  Nineteen sellouts this year, man that makes you feel pretty good. Ticket sales are up for Pocatello, the guys will be out around town all week doing PR and we're expecting a HUGE crowd. Things just keep getting better, and we've battled through a lot of adversity over the last year or two. We'd just like to thank all the fans for their support, and we're going to keep going bigger and better each year. 2009 is going to be huge, and we've still got a big summer schedule coming up this year--lots of great things in the works, stay tuned.

     You don't want to miss all the action, so if you are anywhere within driving distance, get on out to the Holt Arena this Saturday night for the Monster Truck Grand Nationals!!  Check out www.CheckeredFlagProductions.com for more information on the Pocatello, ID event and keep checking back on TheMonsterBlog.com for coverage as CFP crowns their champion!! (04/01/08)

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