12/31/06

- First Pictures of New Devil's Dodge Body!!

12/29/06

- KSR-Motorsports Press Release!!

12/28/06

- Get-Er-Done Update!!

- A Thanks From James Tigue II!!

- Monster Blog Update--Where Is Your News??

12/25/06

- The Barbarian Is Ready For 2007!!

12/24/06

- 2006 Year In Review Highlight Videos Posted!!

12/22/06

- Grave Digger UTI Scholarship Is Back!!

- Sudden Impact Racing Team News!!

12/20/06

- Welcome to

KC's Fireworks, our newest sponsor!!

- Checkered Flag Productions Press Release!!

12/17/06

- Firebird Raceway Coverage Posted on

The Enthusiast Network!!

- New Hall Brothers Racing online store!!

12/14/06

- Inside Look at Hall Brothers Racing!!

- 2006 MTRSS Highlight Video Posted!!

- New Hydraulic Jack Available!!

12/13/06

- Update on the

Twisted Dragon!!

12/12/06

- Australian Monsters Tour of Destruction

News Update!!

- Custom Wheel Rings Now Available!!

12/10/06

- MTRA Meeting & Banquet Recap!!

- Monster Jam Europe Tour Featured In Wall Street Journal!!

12/08/06

- Monster Blog Weekend Update!!

12/07/06

- Extreme Monster Truck Nationals Highlights on Television!!

12/04/06

- Live Nation Motorsports Introduces New Wheel Tethers!!

- New Gun Slinger chassis debuts at Muddy Muddy X-Mas!!

- AMP Live Events Invades Michigan!!

- Natural High Launches Online Store!!

- Steven Hill Drives Wild Thang in Samsula, FL!!

- Welcome to Sturges Motorsports, new website client!!

12/02/06

- Minneapolis Monster Jam Recap!!

- New Videos from the Durant, OK Extreme Monster Truck Nationals!

- Welcome to Chris Arel Motorsports, our newest sponsor!!

12/01/06

- New Reaper Scheme Completed!!

 

THE MONSTER BLOG

DECEMBER ARCHIVE

PICTURE OF THE MONTH!!

 

 

Photo by:  CHRIS PARRISH

 

First Pictures of New Devil's Dodge Body!!: Larry Birch III was kind enough to send us over photos of the brand new Devil's Dodge body, which is now ready to go for the new year!!  The Devil's Dodge is all set for '07, with a full slate of shows in January including stops in Knoxville, TN, Lake Charles, LA, and Columbus, GA for AMP Live Events, and Salisbury, MD for Checkered Flag Productions. Monster Blog Staff member Tommy Lee Byrd will be in Knoxville for Devil's Dodge's first show of the year, so be watching for coverage of that right here on The Monster Blog!! (12/31/06)

KSR-Motorsports Press Release!!: (Exton, PA) KSR-Motorsports has been hard at work finalizing the 2007 Night of Fire and Destruction Schedule. With the Delaware State Fair and Lake Erie Speedway shows finalized, KSR-Motorsports Summer Tour is sure to be the best yet.
     In 2006 KSR-Motorsports brought an action packed show to Lake Erie Speedway. Well in 2007 we are back and ready to tip the scales with another power packed show. The KSR-Motorports will bring Bigfoot, Snakebite, Thrasher, The Broker, Eradicator, Backdraft, Mopar Magic and Viper to tear the house down. These 10,000 lbs beasts will compete in Suicide Figure 8 Racing as well as High Flying / Car Crushing Freestyle Action. KSR will also bring FMX and the legendary Hollywood Stunts of Crash Moraeu. All of this is set to go down on Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th of July.
     But that’s not all KSR-Motorsports will bring 7 of the Best Monster Trucks back to Delaware to Crown the 2007 Delaware State Freestyle King. Will it be the Slap Wheelie King Bigfoot or will it be the Donut King Grave Digger. Teenage Ninja Turtle last years’ king is looking for a big repeat year. A few trucks feel they can knock these Kings of our sport off; will it be Thrasher, or Viper, maybe Mopar Magic, and possibly Bad Habit. And that’s not all; KSR will also bring back the Death Defying Long Jump of Doug Danger, the legendary Hollywood Stunts of Crash Moraeu, and last but not least King Kong Knievel will be on hand as well. All of this is set to bring the house down July 22, 2007.
     Keep a look out for the 2007 KSR-Motorsports Night of Fire and Destruction Tour coming to a town or city near you, and be sure to visit KSR-Motorsports.com!!  (12/29/06)

(Press Release & Photos Courtesy KSR-Motorsports)

Mitch Tulachka Is Ready To Get-Er-Done!!: Mitch Tulachka and the Get-Er-Done team are ready to cut loose in 2007, beginning with the Extreme Monster Truck Nationals in Alexandria, LA January 5th-6th!!  Mitch purchased a brand new Patrick chassis earlier this year and, after finishing the fabrication and assembly of the truck, performed in a few smaller shows up north to dial the truck in for the team's full schedule this year. The team is based out of Kewaunee, WI and is one of the newest members of the MTRA, the truck having been fully certified at this year's Indianapolis 4 Wheel Jamboree. Mitch Tulachka also plans to use Get-Er-Done to help give back to the community, working with organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, D.A.R.E., and children's hospitals. Look out for the Get-Er-Done monster truck in 2007, and be sure to come out and welcome Mitch Tuluchka to the sport of monster truck racing. Thanks to the Get-Er-Done team for the photos and the news update!!  (12/28/06)

A Special Thanks From James Tigue II:  We received the following message from our good friend, driver James Tigue II, having now returned from his tour of Australia with Clive Featherby's Monsters Tour of Destruction:
     "You know, my trip to Australia was very nice. It definitely was a great experience not only for me, but for Clive and the KC's Fireworks's crew. Working with the guys everyday, teaching them more about monster trucks was great, and they taught me many things too, including the Australian way of life. The shows that Clive puts on for the people are not only good, but some of the best all-around shows I've seen. He has got it figured out!!  If I was going to rank promoters, Clive would definitely be in the top 5. I would like to thank Clive for bringing myself, my wife Crystal, and daughter Shelby to Australia, and for giving me an opportunity to work there--he is a good friend. All the crew took us in like family and made us feel right at home. Can not thank him enough." - James Tigue & Family

Monster Blog Update--WHERE IS YOUR TEAM'S NEWS??:  It's been a little slow news-wise the past couple weeks, and I find that a bit odd because I know that so many of you industry folks who are frequent visitors of the site are hard at work in preparation for the new season. I'm sure that you have lots of good things going on that all our diehard fans would love to hear about! The Monster Blog is here to help further the monster truck industry in any way we can, and that includes all of you!!  The site is a powerful tool in that it is recognized and frequented by the majority of promoters, teams, and industry persons. Just give us a call or shoot us an email, we will be happy to do a news update on your team anytime--It's that simple, and it's what we are here for!!  We look forward to hearing from you, so contact us today!!  (12/28/06)

The Barbarian Is Ready For '07!!:  Devin Jones and the Ka-Boom Motorsports team have been hard at work all winter building the new Barbarian monster truck, and they are now ready for the start of the season!! Devin was kind enough to send us a couple pictures from the new truck's first practice runs, check them out below. The team is excited to get the 2007 season underway, as they are fully booked for the first two months of the year. Devin and Barbarian will be running the full MAP Motorsports tour, starting the first weekend of the year in Little Rock, AR and then continuing in February in Texas with stops in Austin, Odessa, and Waco. The team will also perform in Lake Charles, LA, El Paso, TX, Huntsville, AL, and Amarillo, TX for AMP Live Events and TNT Monsters. Best of luck to Devin and the Ka-Boom Motorsports team and we thank them for the shots of the new truck!!  (12/25/06)

TheMonsterBlog.com 2006 Year In Review Videos!!:  Merry Christmas to all of you from all of us here at TheMonsterBlog.com!!  We have been hard at work the past couple weeks working through all of our footage from 2006 to assemble our now traditional "Year In Review" highlight video, along with a new addition for '06, our "Best of Contributions" highlight video. The "Year In Review" video features nearly eight minutes of the best footage taken by our staff, and the new "Best of Contributions" video includes six and a half minutes of pure monster truck action sent in by our great Special Contributors and Fan Contributors.

Thanks to my beautiful wife Rajeana and mother Lynette for most of the excellent video work in the "Year In Review" video. My father Lauren and I get credit for a few of the clips, but it is these two ladies who you have to thank for all the great footage here on the site from the shows we have attended this year. Thanks to our awesome Special Contributors Charlie Wagner, Marty Menze, and Dave VanArtsdalen, who all have shots featured in the "Best of Contributions" video, along with some great friends of the site who shared video with all of us in 2006: Kaedon Berry, Cory Schwab, Larry & Valerie Quick, and Danny Torgerson.
Yes, the two videos will take some time to download, but they should be worth the wait. Sorry if things have been a bit slow these past couple weeks, but we are working on many behind the scenes projects at the moment that will hopefully result in an even bigger and better 2007. Please be sure to stop by the Fan Forum and let us know what you think of the videos, we would love to hear your feedback!  Ok, enough talking from me, enjoy the videos and have a happy, safe, Merry Christmas!!  (12/24/06)

Grave Digger Scholarship Is Back!!:  Monster Jam® and Universal Technical Institute ( UTI ), the Official Technical Institute of Monster Jam, announced today that the second annual Grave Digger® Scholarship is now available to fans. After a successful inaugural year, Dennis Anderson anticipates seeing the passion of these applicants, and awarding the scholarship that is good to any UTI campus across the county.
     Grave Digger driver and creator Dennis Anderson will personally review the video tapes and select the winner. The $20,000 Grave Digger Scholarship winner will be announced at the Monster Jam World Finals at Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium on March 24, 2007.
     In last year's inaugural announcement, Brandon Hires, of Dothan, AL, won the Grave Digger Scholarship at The Monster Jam World Finals before a sold-out Sam Boyd Stadium. Hires presented his passion for becoming a top technician and emulated the same work ethic Anderson used to propel himself to the top of the Monster Jam world. Hires is currently enrolled in the UTI Orlando Campus.
     HOW DO I APPLY FOR THIS SCHOLARSHIP?! You must create a two minute video demonstrating ‘Why Dennis Anderson should choose me for the Grave Digger Scholarship at UTI .’ And remember to Be Creative! Show work that you have done on your own cars, special projects that you’ve done, or how determined you are to get into the automotive industry. Be sure to fill out the written application found on UTIevent.com. All entries must be postmarked by February 17th to be eligible. (12/22/06)  (Press Release and Image Courtesy MonsterJamOnline.com)

Sudden Impact Racing Updates!!:  Our good friends over at Sudden Impact Racing have just launched their new and improved Sudden Impact Racing website, designed by Elliott Miller. There is tons of new content to check out, including new photos, video, driver and employee bios, and of course, their 2007 schedule!  Also check out the all new features, "Ask A Tech with Jim Ursini", and "Monster Tech Articles" with Scott Bryant!
     The exciting news doesn't stop with the new website though! Sudden Impact Racing has an all new line of merchandise currently in the works, which will be available soon through the new site and at the merchandise stand at any event featuring Sudden Impact. One of the coolest new items are the SIR puff trucks, featuring Sudden Impact, T-Maxx, and Excaliber!!  The puff trucks will retail for $15.00 and will be available soon as the team is just receiving the first shipments.
     As you can see, the Sudden Impact Racing team is gearing up for another big year in 2007, so be sure to head on over to SuddenImpact.com to keep up with all the latest team news!!  (12/22/06)

Welcome KC's Fireworks!!:  TheMonsterBlog.com is proud to welcome Clive Featherby and KC's Fireworks as our newest sponsor!!  KC's Fireworks is the organization behind the hugely popular Australian Monsters Tour of Destruction. Clive and his team are gearing up for a big 2007, with the debut of their new Batman and Scooby Doo monster trucks, as well as the upcoming World Monster Nationals in Brisbane on January 20th. Clive and KC's are the second organization to come aboard under The Monster Blog's new "Premium" sponsorship package. A huge thanks to Clive Featherby for his support of the site, and we look forward to more updates from down under as the Monsters Tour of Destruction rocks Australia in 2007!!  (12/20/06)

The Winter Nationals Championship: (CFP Press Release) When you mention racing to a Monster Truck driver it means competition. The level of that competition rises with even more when you put together a series with points awarded per race. Take that series and add a 6-foot tall Championship Trophy, a huge event at the end of the Points Series that has DOUBLE Points awarded this brings a whole new meaning to Competition...Continued Here. (12/20/06)

Firebird Revisited on TEN!!:  The Monster Blog's coverage of the Firebird Raceway Tire Pros Truck & 4x4 Nationals has now been posted on The Enthusiast Network, including event recap, photo gallery, and highlight video!!  Sure, this event has been pretty well covered over here on The Monster Blog, but the good folks over at TEN have just gotten around to posting it, so, why not revisit one of the best shows of the year!!  For those that missed the highlight video the first time around, check it out for 11 minutes of non-stop monster truck action. I have provided a link to our version of the highlight video (35MB), which is higher quality than the one posted on TEN (15MB). Thanks & Enjoy!!  (12/17/06)

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE TIRE PROS TRUCK & 4X4 NATIONALS ON TEN!!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FIREBIRD HIGHLIGHT VIDEO!!

(Please note that this video is 35 MB, so please be patient when loading!)

(VIDEO GALLERY)

New HBR Team Store!!:  The Hall Brothers Racing team has just launched their brand new online team store, "Monster Merchandise" on Raminator.com, just in time for Christmas!!  The new store features all the same merchandise that is available wherever the Raminator Merchadise trailer travels, but it can now be purchased online with just a few clicks of the mouse. Even better, all you monster fans still have until tomorrow, December 18th, to place your order and have it in time for Christmas!!  Thanks to our good friend June Hall for sending over the news, be sure to head on over and check out the new store!!  (12/17/06)

Inside Look--Hall Brothers Racing!!:  TheMonsterBlog.com 2007 Preview Series continues as Monster Blog Special Contributor Kyle Doyle gives us an Inside Look at Hall Brothers Racing and their 2007 plans!!  If you are interested in having your team featured in TheMonsterBlog.com 2007 Preview Series, contact us today. Thanks to Kyle for the article, enjoy!!  (12/14/06)

New Video--MTRSS 2006 Highlights!!:  A couple weeks ago we posted some great video footage contributed by our good friend Kaedon Berry. That footage was from the Durant, OK show, but along with that, Kaedon had sent footage from Brad Darnell's O'Reilly's Monster Truck Racing Super Series events as well!!  There was so much of it, coming from the Springdale, AR and Ft. Smith, AR shows this year, that we went ahead and threw the best of it together into a new highlight video, which is now available in the Videos section. See trucks like Equalizer, Bearfoot, Monster Patrol, Hot Tamale, Barbarian, Amsoil Shock Therapy, Cyborg, and more battle it out!!  Thanks to Kaedon for the video submission, now check out the video by clicking the link below!!  (12/14/06)

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2006 O'REILLY MTRSS HIGHLIGHT VIDEO!!

(VIDEO GALLERY)

New Hydraulic Jack Available!!:  Darren Crossman sent us over some information on a new hydraulic jack he is producing for use by monster truck teams. The jack is pictured below, and will be sold for $1,250 plus shipping. The jack does not come with a pump or battery, as most folks in the industry already have those, and this will allow them to save some money. The jack will come with a 4 by 8 hydaulic cylinder, and final weight is not yet known, so an exact S&H price is unavailable at this time. Interested parties can contact Darren at tac12@twlakes.net or by phone at (H)615-897-2210 or (C)931-252-3507. A small deposit will be required with order, with the balance due upon completion. Thanks to Darren for the udpate!! (12/14/06)

Look Out For The Twisted Dragon!!:  Last month we showed you some pictures of the new Corvette body being prepared for Rob French's new monster truck--now, courtesy of Wildfire Motorsports, here are pictures of the new paint scheme design and the freshly powder-coated chassis of the Twisted Dragon!!  This is a first look at the body paint scheme concept, the final will be produced as a vinyl wrap and applied to the new Corvette body. The new Patrick chassis is looking sharp as well, with a beautiful powder-coating job done by All-Tech Powder Coating in Quincy, FL. Head on over to WildfireMotorsports.com for more photos & information on the new truck. We look forward to being there for its debut in Cape Girardeau!! (12/13/06)

Monsters Tour of Destruction News!!:  You may remember from our feature article on the Australian Monsters Tour of Destruction series that KC's Fireworks was close to announcing the identities of their two new trucks--that time is now!!  Clive Featherby has come to an agreement with Warner Brothers to run the Batman and Scooby Doo monster trucks, which will both debut at the World Monster Nationals in Brisbane, Queensland on January 20th!!
     KC's Fireworks' brand new chassis, currently being assembled with the help of American driver James Tigue II, will run the new Batman body. The body is being constructed by fabricator Greg Spence and will be very similar to the Live Nation Motorsports Batman currently running in the United States. The new chassis is a frame built by Rich Inman, with Pablo Huffaker's stage three suspension, and the truck will be powered by a 580 cubic inch big block Chevy motor.
     The debut of the Batman monster truck in Australia is ideal for Warner Brothers, which operates a WB "Movie World" only 100 miles from the home of KC's Fireworks. A brand new Batman thrill ride is currently being prepared for launch, and Warner Brother's support of monster trucks in Australia will serve as an excellent promotion for the new ride.
     The Scooby Doo monster truck launch is not set in stone for the Brisbane show, as WB has indicated they may prefer to debut the truck in Sydney around Easter. The Scooby Doo identity will replace Captain Crusher on the team roster.
     With the Batman body now planned to run on the new chassis, Outback Thunda 2 will be created from the overhauled chassis purchased from Don King that was last run as Bearfoot. The second chassis purchased from King, formerly ran as Monster Patrol, will be turned into another cartoon character identity, and that character will be announced soon.
     In other exciting news for the Monsters Tour of Destruction, the World Monster Nationals event will be televised on Australia's leading motorsports pay TV station, Chequered Flag--the first time an entire show has been dedicated to monster trucks!!
     This past weekend saw the tour visit Geelong, Victoria for a Saturday night show featuring Sky Wheelie and Freestyle competitions. The event saw a great crowd turn out despite less than ideal conditions brought about due to a heat wave and huge brushfires only forty miles from the event venue. Those conditions wouldn't stop Clive Featherby and Outback Thunda from dominating however, as he topped Bearfoot USA in both the evening's competitions.
     For more information on the Australian Monsters Tour of Destruction series, be sure to visit KCsFireworks.com, and thanks to Clive Featherby for the great news update!!  (12/12/06)

Custom Wheel Rings Now Available!!:  Devin Jones was kind enough to send us over a photo of Ka-Boom Motorsports' sharp new custom wheel rings for the Barbarian monster truck!!  The rings are made by Rock Locks and can be made any size using any logos, custom made to fit your needs!  The wheel rings are created through a laser etching process that leaves smooth edges and the finest in details for a low price of only $300 for all four rings. For more information contact Travis with Rock Locks at (620) 674-2204. Thanks to Devin for the update!!  (12/12/06)

MTRA Meeting & Banquet!!:  Yesterday marked the 20th Anniversary of the MTRA Meeting & Banquet and TheMonsterBlog.com was on hand for all the day's events!!  Your 2006 MTRA Driver of the Year is once again Mark Hall, and this year's Truck of the Year is once again Raminator!! A big congratulations to the team on another year of great success from all of us here at The Monster Blog. Click on the link below for more of this year's award winners and to see who will be serving on the 2007 MTRA Board of Directors!! (12/10/06)

2006 MTRA Driver of the Year Mark Hall.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS & AWARD WINNERS!!

Monster Jam Featured In Wall Street Journal!!:  Monster Trucks received some great press this past week as a feature story on the Monster Jam Europe Tour was run in the Wall Street Journal, one of the world's most respected publications. The story was also featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and can be viewed online by clicking below. Thanks to Special Contributor Andrew Palochko for the heads up on this story, and make sure to check out the article, it's a good read!!  (12/10/06)

"MONSTER TRUCK ROAR INTO EUROPEAN ARENAS" By Mary Jacoby, WSJ

Monster Blog Weekend Update!!:  Tomorrow morning we head out bright and early to attend Saturday's 20th Annual Monster Truck Racing Association Meeting & Banquet!!  The event is being held at the Airport Plaza Inn in St. Louis, MO.
     The MTRA Meeting will run from 10AM to 4PM and some safety issues up for discussion include safety rings on GM Automatic Transmissions, heim joint size on driveshafts, brake pedal minimum size, crossover relief valve placement, and valve cover breathers (screw on, not snap on) safety. Various issues may be brought to a vote to the membership, and the 2007 MTRA Rulebook will be shaped.
     After a short break, everyone will reconvene for the Banquet, which runs from 7PM to 11PM. Here this year's top performers will be honored, including the awarding of the prestigious 2006 MTRA Driver of the Year.
     TheMonsterBlog.com will be on hand for all of the day's events, and we will be bringing you tons of coverage, so stay tuned to the site for updates!!  Click below for further details on the 2006 MTRA Meeting & Banquet!! (12/08/06)

Extreme Monster Truck Nationals on TV!!:  Footage from last weekend's Extreme Monster Truck Nationals at the National Western Events Center in Denver, CO is coming to your TV!!  Highlights and interviews taken at the event will air as a segment on the show "Race Central TV" which can be seen on the Altitude Sports & Entertainment Network. Showtimes are 7:00PM Tonight, 12:00 Noon Friday, 5:30AM and 3:30PM Saturday, all times Eastern. The Altitude Sports & Entertainment Network is DISH Network Channel 410 and DirecTV Channel 644, or check your local cable listings for program availability. Monster fans, be sure to set your TV to see highlights of Dragon Slayer, Spiderman, Jurassic Attack, Maniac, and Reaper and interviews with the drivers on Altitude!! (12/7/06)

Live Nation Motorsports Introduces Wheel Tethers!!:  Three Live Nation Motorsports-owned trucks arrived in Minneapolis this past weekend proudly showing off their newly designed wheel tethers. Grave Digger, Pastrana 199 and Blue Thunder had the custom tethers installed on each wheel for use in Saturday night's Monster Jam competition.
     In combination with the new wheel tethers, Live Nation is very pleased so far with a stronger spindle they've recently started using. The spindle gets specially heat treated before being put into action. Since the introduction of the new spindle, they haven't lost a wheel.
     Because of this success, they haven't exactly been able to prove the tether concept yet. The tether is made up of half inch braided steel cable. An extra flange has been welded to the planetary housing to keep the tether from slipping off should something break.
     Word is that eventually all of the Live Nation Motorsports-owned trucks will have them, and once they are proven Live Nation will most likely require all of the trucks that run for them to have them installed. Like all safety innovations, the wheel tethers may not be 100% effective all of the time, but Live Nation is confident that it will significantly decrease the risk of an incident.
     Thanks to Eric Stern of Motorsports Photography Unlimited and MonsterTruckRacing.com for sharing this news and the photos below with us and congratulations to Live Nation for stepping up and taking driver and spectator safety to the next level!!  (12/04/06)

New Gun Slinger Chassis Debuts!!:  Trucks Gone Wild hosted their big year-end event, the "Muddy Muddy Christmas", yesterday at the Lakeland Motorsports Park in Lakeland, FL and th event saw the debut of Scott Hartsock's brand new Gun Slinger chassis!!  Monster Blog Special Contributor Bryan Wagner was on hand for all the muddy action and has submitted a full gallery of photos which can now be seen in the Blog Photo Gallery in the Coverages section.
     According to Bryan, Scott's new chassis is simply gorgeous, with every piece or metal on the truck smooth and straight, and every weld meticulous and perfect. The biggest change on the new truck is the dual king coilover shock setup on the rear of the truck and the addition of a rear sway-bar. The new chassis performed well during the car crushing exhibition and appears to be ready for its competition debut at the Southern Monster Truck Showdown event in Brooksville FL this coming Friday and Saturday at the Hernando County Fairgrounds.
     The Muddy Muddy Christmas was also a special return to the seat for Glen Logan Jr, Scott's nephew. Glen piloted the Cowboy/Obsession truck at a few events from 04-06, before being severly injured in a motorcycle accident in April of 06. Glen was given only a 10% chance of survival, with almost guranteed brain damage. Eight months later it is a miracle that only a few minor scars are all that is wrong with Glen, as he has made a miraculous 100% recovery. His first time back in the truck was very emotional for all who know Glen and he did an outstanding job piloting the Cowboy truck with the Gun Slinger body on it.
     The "old" Gun Slinger truck was taken apart for parts for the new truck after the wreck in Lebanon, MO back in September. Plans are to keep the team at a 2 truck race team for now.
     Thanks to Bryan Wagner for the news update and be sure to head over to the Photo Gallery or use the link below to check out pictures of all the Gun Slinger team's car crushing action, and from the Trucks Gone Wild "Mega Truck Freestyle", "Warehouse Car Racing", "Firedrill Mud Race", and of trucks just playin' in the mud. Thanks & Enjoy!! (12/04/06)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE MUDDY MUDDY CHRISTMAS PHOTO GALLERY!!

(PHOTO GALLERY)

AMP Live Events Invades Michigan!!:  AMP Live Events took Michigan by storm this past weekend, with shows Friday and Saturday night in Grand Rapids and two shows on Saturday at the Palace of Auburn Hills in the Detroit area.
     Grand Rapids fans packed into the DeltaPlex to see a lineup including Digger's Destruction, Holman's Beast, Bearfoot, Venom, and Playn' 4 Keeps. Don King would take Freestyle wins both nights in Digger's Destruction, while Bobby Holman drove his Beast to both Racing victories.
     Detroit-area monster truck diehards would be treated to two shows on Saturday featuring an all-star lineup including Jim Kohler and Chris Bergeron sporting the Wrecking Crew and Spike bodies for the first time since the Indianapolis Thunder Drags at the end of 2005. Racing would be dominated by Sean Duhon in T-Maxx, as he took the victories in both shows, while Freestyle belonged to Jim Kohler in Wrecking Crew, who also took both victories in that category. Also competing were Equalizer and Hot Tamale, who experienced a roll-over during the late show.
     Be watching for the release of the 2007 AMP Tour dates later this month!!  (12/04/06)

Natural High Launches Online Store!!:  Jump on over to NaturalHighMonsterTruck.com and check out the Merchandise section where you can now pick up your favorite items from one of the premiere West Coast monster trucks and the World's First SSR Monster Truck...Don't wait, order before January 1, 2007 and get free shipping on your purchase!!
     The team is proud to introduce their new custom made Key Chains of the Natural High Monster Truck. These keychains were made by "Rat Rod" famed sculpture Larry "Speedo" Henley. Don't wait, only a limited supply is available!! (12/04/06)

Steven Hill Drives Wild Thang!!:  Eighteen-year-old Owner/Driver Steven Hill of Monkey'n Around got a call from Kirk Dabney early this week to come across the state to Samsula, FL (outside of New Smyrna Beach, and just down the road from the site of last year's Shafer World Finals) to do a car crush exhibition in the Wild Thang monster truck along with Kirk in Monster Patrol. The car crush was part of the year-end event for the Bandit Mud Racing series. Stock and Modified trucks ran down the pit all night long.
     Sadly, an electrical problem with the lights kept shutting down the entire lighting system for the track during the show. The monster truck exhibition was delayed to the end of the program. Steven Hill strapped in Wild Thang for the first time and launched the Wild Thang truck over a concrete wall with a ramp and jumped into the mud pit shut down area.
     Steven was just starting to feel the truck out, getting progressively more aggressive, until suddenly the lights went out again during his freestyle run. Steven was able to maneuver the truck to safe stop in the pitch black conditions, and unfortunately due to curfew rules the
event had to be ended.
     Steven Hill and the Monkey'n Around team would like to thank Kirk Dabney for allowing him the opportunity to romp around in his equipment!  Thanks to Monster Blog Special Contributor Bryan Wagner for the news update and the photo below!! (12/04/06)

TheMonsterBlog.com Welcomes Sturges Motorsports!!:  We are very happy to announce Sturges Motorsports as the newest partner of TheMonsterBlog.com!!  Sturges Motorsports is the home of the fan favorite Unnamed & Untamed and Nasty Boy monster trucks, as well as the Boogie Monster ride truck, and the Mad Trax tank, and we are proud to welcome them aboard. The Monster Blog's Ross Z. Bonar will be the new webmaster for the Sturges website, which has gone through an extensive redesign and has launched today!!  Head on over to the new site, SturgesMotorsports.com, check out the tons of photos and videos of the team's 2006 efforts, and keep up with all the exciting news out of the team!!  Thanks to Sam, Peggy, & Ronnie for their support of The Monster Blog and watch for great things out of the Sturges Motorsports team in 2007!! (12/04/06)

Maximum Destruction Sweeps Minny!!:  The stars of the USHRA Monster Jam invaded the Metrodome tonight in Minneapolis, MN and Tom Meents in Maximum Destruction dominated the evening's competitions!!
     The evening started off wild with Tony Farrell in Blue Thunder rolling and Dennis Anderson in Grave Digger also taking a hard hit during Qualifying. Anderson walked away under his own power, but would be replaced by Chad Tingler when Grave Digger returned for Freestyle later in the evening. Tom Meents defeated Hot Wheels in the Semi-Finals, while Monster Mutt driven by Mike Wine took out Blue Thunder to setup the Final Round pairing. Meents and Max D would prevail, taking the first racing victory of the new season!!
     Freestyle would see lots more intense action, including roll-overs by Courtney Jolly in Pastrana 199, and Tony Farrell in Blue Thunder for the second time during the show. In the end it would be Meents on top again, winning Freestyle with a score of 24!!
     In other notes, former pro-arenacross and motocross star Damon Bradshaw has taken the seat of Air Force Afterburner, replacing previous driver Paul Cohen. Thanks to Josh Kirscher, a great friend of The Monster Blog, for calling in the results from tonight's show, and be watching for some of Josh's photos here on the site in the coming days!!  (12/02/06)

New Videos From Durant, OK!!:  Well, its been a while since we've had any new video to bring you here on the site, but thanks to our good friend Kaedon Berry, we have some awesome new footage posted today!!  Back on August 12th, 2006, the Extreme Monster Truck Nationals rolled into the new Choctaw Coliseum in Durant, OK with a star-studded lineup including Equalizer, Hot Tamale, Avenger, Brutus, and T-Maxx!!  Featuring wild action from the Wheelie, Racing, and Freestyle contests, this video is sure to get you pumped up for the 2007 season!!  A huge thanks to Kaedon Berry for providing this footage, and be looking for more from Kaedon in the coming weeks. Head on over to the Videos section or click the link below to check out the great new videos!!  (12/02/06)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE DURANT, OK EXTREME MT NATIONALS VIDEOS!!

(VIDEO GALLERY)

Welcome Chris Arel Motorsports!!:  TheMonsterBlog.com is proud to welcome Chris Arel Motorsports as our newest sponsor!! Chris Arel Motorsports is Canada's leading promoter, and is coming off yet another huge success with their Olympic Stadium show in Montreal, Quebec a couple weeks ago. CAM is also the first organization to come aboard under The Monster Blog's new "Premium" sponsorship package which includes the new advertising space seen below the day's top news right here on the main page. For more information on The Monster Blog's 2007 Sponsorship Packages, email site owner Ross Z. Bonar. Again, a huge thanks to Chris Arel Motorsports for their support of the site, and be sure to head on over and check out their awesome new website. The 2007 season is fast approaching, and If you are lucky enough to have a CAM Monster Spectacular coming to your area, don't miss it!!  (12/02/06)

New Reaper Scheme Completed!!:  Last week, we brought you an exclusive first look at the new design for Larry Quick's Reaper monster truck, and we now bring you the first pictures of the freshly wrapped body!!  Larry and wife Valerie brought Reaper to Vinyl Images, Inc. in Fenton, MO earlier this week to have the work completed, and they couldn't be happier with the results. Larry said, "While we were at Vinyl Images, we were treated extremely well and they did a superb job at detailing the new body. I would recommend Vinyl Images to anyone!!" Check out ReaperRacing4x4.com for more pictures of the entire vinyl application process and more photos of the new design. Thanks to Destiney Conley at Vinyl Images for providing the photos, and be sure to stop by and check out their website!! (12/01/06)

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