3/27/10

- World Finals Updates!!

- Highland Heights, KY Monster Nationals
Video Highlights!!
- TMB Video Vault
Clip #3!!

3/26/10

- World Finals XI Qualifying Results!!
- TheMonsterBlog.com World Finals Preview!!
- TheMonsterBlog.com Welcomes AA Speed
& Custom!!

3/24/10

- Activision Announces Monster Jam 2011 To Be Released This Fall!!

- Truk Wurks Welcomes Spies Hecker Paints & NGK Spark Plugs!!

3/23/10

- Fort Wayne, IN Monster Truck
Thunder Slam Photos!!

3/22/10

- Meents Finishes #1 on 2010 "Road to the
World Finals"!!

- TMB TV Video Vault Clip #2!!

3/19/10

- Official Monster Jam World Finals Lineup Released!!
- 2010 Montreal Monster Spectacular Returns April 17th - One More Truck Needed!!

- Hoffman Estates, IL Highlight Video!!

3/18/10

- Pontiac Silverdome Truck Lineup & Event Details Released!!
- Toledo, OH Monster Jam Photo Gallery!!

3/17/10

- World Finals Display Trucks Announced!!

3/15/10

- Meents Retakes Lead on "Road to the World Finals"!!
- CFP Statement on Charlottesville, VA Accident

3/11/10

- Pontiac Silverdome Reopens, Will Host Monster Trucks With Return of BIGFOOT!!

- Introducing Amber Walker, The New Ms. BIGFOOT!!
- TMB Video Vault
Clip #1!!

3/10/10

- Mossy Oak & HBR Announce New Rammunition Design!!

- Jonesboro, AR Photos & Video Coverage!!

- Sedalia, MO MTRSS Highlight Video!!

3/09/10

- Anderson Takes Over Top Spot on "Road to the World Finals"!!

- BIGFOOT's Bob Chandler to Serve as Grand Martial for NHRA Southern Nationals!!

3/05/10

- Youngstown, OH and Wheeling, WV Photos!!

3/01/10

- DuQuoin, IL Monster Nationals Highlight Video!!

- Meents Continues to Lead on "Road to the World Finals"!!

 

Be Sure To Visit

Our Friends At:

 

 

World Finals Updates - Anderson Wins Racing, Pauken Wins Freestyle!!:  Congratulations to Dennis Anderson and Charlie Pauken, your 2010 Monster Jam World Finals Racing and Freestyle Champions!! (03/27/10)

Wild racing in Round One as Chad Tingler, David Smith, Jim Koehler, Steve Sims, Scott Hartsock, Pablo Huffaker, John Seasock, and Jimmy Creten move on to round two to face off against the fast 8 from qualifying. The first round saw two hard rollovers by Debra Miceli in Madusa and Alex Blackwell in Captain's Curse.

Round 1 Racing

Spiderman def. Escalade
King Krunch def. Iron Man
Avenger def. Madusa (Miceli rolls over after finish)
Stone Crusher def. Captain's Curse (Blackwell rolls over after finish)
Gun Slinger def. Nitro Circus
TMNT def. Grinder
Batman def. Superman
Bounty Hunter def. Monster Mutt

----------------------------------------------------------------

Only one of the fast eight falls in round two as David Smith took down Candace Jolly. Adam Anderson took the win over Gunslinger but rolled hard after and may not be able to return. Big names out of the competition include Pablo Huffaker, John Seasock and Jimmy Creten. Onto the quarterfinals!!

Round 2 Racing

El Toro Loco def. Spiderman
King Krunch def. Monster Mutt Dalmation
Grave Digger def. Avenger
Amsoil Shock Therapy def. Stone Crusher
Taz def. Gunslinger (Anderson rolls after finish)
Blue Thunder def. TMNT
Air Force Afterburner def. Batman
Maximum Destruction def. Bounty Hunter

----------------------------------------------------------------

After a great round three, we're down to the all company trucks final four in Vegas as fast qualifier Marc MacDonald, Dennis Anderson, Linsey Weenk and Tom Meents moves on.

Round 3 Racing

El Toro Loco def. King Krunch (Smith rolls after finish)
Grave Digger def. Amsoil Shock Therapy
Blue Thunder def. Gunslinger
Maximum Destruction def. Air Force Afterburner

----------------------------------------------------------------

Well, its down to the most hyped rivalry in Monster Jam for the final round...Dennis Anderson in Grave Digger will take on Tom Meents in Maximum Destruction for the Monster Jam World Racing Championship!!

Semi-Final Round Racing

Grave Digger def. El Toro Loco
Maximum Destruction def. Blue Thunder

----------------------------------------------------------------

Dennis Anderson is the 2010 Monster Jam World Racing Champion after taking down Tom Meents in Maximum Destruction in the finals!!  A big congratulations to Dennis on his 3rd World Racing title and 4th Championship overall!! 

Final Round Racing

Grave Digger def. Maximum Destruction (Anderson makes great pass, Meents bobbles in turn)

----------------------------------------------------------------

Freestyle Results (Possible 45 Points)

1) Monster Mutt - Charlie Pauken - 39 (Biggest air of the night, HUGE run, fills time, huge flip)

2) Air Force Afterburner - Damon Bradshaw - 31 (Strong run, lots of big air, fills time)

3) Escalade - George Balhan - 31 (Fills bonus time with huge air, donuts, strong run)

4) Stone Crusher - Steve Sims - 28 (Big air, great save, hits everything, fills bonus, HUGE run)

5) Grinder - Lupe Soza - 28 (Big air, fills bonus, solid run)

6) Maximum Destruction - Tom Meents - 28 (Some nice hits, but rolled early)

7) Bounty Hunter - Jimmy Creten - 26 (Huge hits, huge momentum, fills time, huge rollover)

8) TMNT - Pablo Huffaker - 26 (Big air, rips body off, strong run, flips it)

9) Avenger - Jim Koehler - 25 (Huge jumps, wild cyclone, fills bonus, great run, goes swimming)

10) Iron Man - Lee O'Donnell - 25 (Crossthreads entire track, huge run, nice save, fills bonus)

11) Blue Thunder - Linsey Weenk - 25 (Nice hits, lands on back of chassis, rolls too early)

12) Superman - Chad Fortune - 15 (First out, few solid hits, early rollover after big wheelie)

13) Madusa - Debra Miceli - 12 (Big air, breaks off tire early, smashes through boat on fountain)

14) Spiderman - Chad Tingler - 12 (Huge air over double and center jump, big crash)

15) Grave Digger - Dennis Anderson - 11 (Strong run going, broke rear wheel off early)

16) Nitro Circus - Cam McQueen - 10 (Hit the double, rolled early)

17) Captain's Curse - Alex Blackwell - 9 (Very early breakage)

18) Gunslinger - Scott Hartsock - 8 (couple big hits, good running going when breakage strikes)

19) Monster Mutt Dalmation - 8 (Couple big hits, pops both front tires on a hard landing)

20) Amsoil Shock Therapy - Jon Zimmer - 4 (Nice donut, rolls on first hit)

21) Batman - John Seasock - 4 (Hits the double jump and the truck shuts off - done)

22) Taz - Adam Anderson - 4 (Started strong, big rollover off the double early)

23) King Krunch - David Smith - Did Not Run

24) El Toro Loco - Marc MacDonald - Did Not Run

----------------------------------------------------------------

Encore Notes: 10 Truck Encore!!  Scarlet Bandit, The Patriot, Cult Energy Activator, Wrecking Crew, Frank Krmel in Blue Thunder, Debra Miceli in a pink Madusa supporting breast cancer foundation, George Balhan in a new truck called Mohawk Warrior - with a giant mohawk on top of it and finally a 3 Grave Digger finale - one with the original red scheme, one with the old school blue/silver scheme and one classic black/green with Dennis, Adam and Ryan on track together.  (03/27/10)

Highland Heights, KY Monster Nationals Video Highlights!!:  The 2010 Monster Nationals tour has seen a lot of great action and we are proud to present our first video coverage from our good friend Chris Parrish from that series!!  Earlier this year the tour returned to Highland Heights, Kentucky where Tail Gator, High Maintenance, American Guardian, Big Dawg and Anger Management battled it out in wheelie, donut, freestyle and racing competitions. Click the link below and a big thanks to Chris for a great job on his first video coverage!!  (03/27/10)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW CHRIS PARRISH'S HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS!!

(VIDEO GALLERY)

TMB Video Vault Clip #3!!:  As a new feature here on the site, we have been combing through our huge 5+ year video archives and begin posting some of the cooler/more unique stuff we've seen as we open up the TMB Video Vault!  A lot of this video you may have seen before as part of a larger coverage, but some will be from second angles that were not used and thus, never before seen. For our third clip, we again travel back to 2006 and take a look at an early freestyle run from a driver who is now one of the best independent freestylers out there. Here we see Devin Jones driving the old style Road Rage truck to a freestyle win in his hometown of Miami, OK against Bigfoot, Nitemare and more - check it out below!!  (03/27/10)

World Finals XI Qualifying Results!!:  Qualifying for tomorrow night's racing championship has just been completed and it was Marc MacDonald in El Toro Loco taking the top spot with an incredible time of 16.00!!  MacDonald actually tied with Tom Meents in Maximum Destruction for the top spot, but the tie breaker went to whichever driver went out first in the qualifying order, giving the top spot to MacDonald. Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter suffered a hard rollover in the turn and Chad Tingler in Spiderman did not run. Congratulations to Marc MacDonald on taking the top spot tonight in Vegas!! 

Driver - Truck - Time

1 - Marc MacDonald - El Toro Loco - 16.00

2 - Tom Meents - Maximum Destruction - 16.00

3 - Adam Anderson - Taz - 16.00

4 - Jon Zimmer - Amsoil Shock Therapy - 16.03

5 - Dennis Anderson - Grave Digger - 16.03

6 - Linsey Weenk - Blue Thunder - 16.19

7 - Damon Bradshaw - Air Force Afterburner - 16.32

8 - Candace Jolly - Monster Mutt Dalmation - 16.44

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The top 8 drivers are automatically seeded into Round 2 of racing while the other 16 trucks battle in Round 1.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

9 - Lee O'Donnell - Iron Man - 16.50

10 - John Seasock - Batman - 16.63

11 - Pablo Huffaker - TMNT - 16.66

12 - Debra Miceli - Madusa - 16.72

13 - Alex Blackwell - Captain's Curse - 16.78

14 - Cam McQueen - Nitro Circus - 16.87

15 - Charlie Pauken - Monster Mutt - 16.88
16 - George Belhan - Escalade - 16.88

17 - David Smith - King Krunch - 16.93

18 - Chad Fortune - Superman - 17.16

19 - Lupe Soza - Grinder - 17.84

20 - Jim Koehler - Avenger - 17.87

21 - Steve Sims - Stone Crusher - 18.25

22 - Scott Hartsock - Gunslinger - 21.43

23 - Jimmy Creten - Bounty Hunter - DNF (rollover)

24 - Chad Tingler - Spiderman - DNF (didn't run)

Check out www.MonsterJam.com for more coverage from this year's World Finals!!  (03/26/10)

TheMonsterBlog.com World Finals Preview!!:  Well fans, its that time of the year again! Here we are on the eve of the 11th edition of our sport's most prestigious event - the Monster Jam World Finals. This one event garners more excitement and attention than any other, both with hardcore and casual monster trucks fans. And with all that excitement comes TMB's Annual World Finals Preview, featuring thoughts and analysis on the 2010 Monster Jam season and tomorrow's championship event. We're going to take a close look at the drivers selected as qualifiers for this year's event, talk about some of the best performers in the regular season this year and talk about our favorites to bring home the titles. Click the link below to check out TMB's World Finals Preview, and be sure to stay tuned to www.MonsterJamOnline.com for up-to-the-minute coverage of all this weekend's excitement!!  (03/26/10)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ROSS Z. BONAR'S MONSTER JAM WORLD FINALS PREVIEW!!

(FEATURES)

TheMonsterBlog.com Welcomes AA Speed & Custom!!:  TheMonsterBlog.com is proud to welcome on board our newest sponsor, AA Speed & Custom out of Woodbridge, Virginia!!  AA Speed & Custom is a family owned and operated business since 1979, specializing in serving the monster truck industry. They carry a huge selection of parts ready to ship to you the same day with free ground shipping and unbeatable next day air prices. A big thanks to Patty Morrow and the gang for their support of the monster truck industry and of TheMonsterBlog.com. If you need parts, give them a call at 703-494-1330 or visit them online at www.aaspeed.com and be sure to tell them thanks for supporting TMB!! (03/26/10)

Activision Announces Monster Jam® 2011 To Be Released This Fall!!:  (Minneapolis, MN) Activision Publishing, Inc. and Feld Motor Sports today announced Monster Jam® 2011 for the Wii™, Nintendo DS™, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systemand PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system. The Monster Jam 2011 video game promises to be the ultimate monster truck experience complete with unprecedented realism, customization, truck handling and all-out destruction. The game is scheduled for release in Fall 2010.
     Monster Jam, the world’s largest and most popular monster truck touring property, remains the leader in family-friendly live motor sports entertainment, selling more than 4 million tickets at 325 performances worldwide in 2009. With the feverishly anticipated Monster Jam World Finals coming this weekend to Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, NV, the 2010 Monster Jam tour is on pace to be another recording-setting year for the brand.
     “Monster Jam fans spoke to us loud and clear - they want to compete in stadium events that feel like the real thing and control monster trucks that handle like the real thing,” said David Oxford at Activision Publishing. “We can’t wait to let them either create their own trucks, or drive one of the 30 authentic trucks from Monster Jam then destroy everything in sight, just like their favorite drivers.”
     Monster Jam 2011 is all about authenticity, personality, and fun, with 30 officially licensed Monster Jam trucks, including fan-favorites Grave Digger®, Maximum Destruction®, and Grinder™. Players can also create and customize their own trucks with thousands of options, unlocking new parts and upgrades as they progress through the game.
     Eight real life stadiums from the Monster Jam circuit help bring the live atmosphere to the living room like never before, with explosive truck introductions, pyrotechnics and lighting, and a roaring crowd. In single player mode the goal is the same as for real life drivers - rise through the ranks of ruthless competitors to ultimately battle against the best at the Monster Jam World Finals! Head-to-head multiplayer modes take the heart-pounding competition to another level.
     “Activision has been a fantastic partner of ours for many years now, and this year they have outdone themselves,” said Charlie Mancuso, President of Feld Motor Sports “Monster Jam 2011 will be theultimate monster truck video game, our fans are going to flip when they get their hands on it!”
     This game is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information visit www.MonsterJam.com or www.Activision.com.

Truk Wurks Welcomes Spies Hecker Paints & NGK Spark Plugs!!:  (Bainbridge, IN) Truk Wurks Off Road would like to welcome their newest sponsors for 2010, Spies Hecker automotive finishes, and NGK Spark Plugs!
     “We are very happy to add both of these fine companies to our growing list of associate sponsors,” said Truk Wurks General Manager Greg Adams. “Our Bar’s Leaks Eliminator and Rislone Defender monster trucks are growing in popularity, and I’m thrilled to report that great companies like Spies Hecker and NGK are seeing the value in working with our team.”

     With over 125 years of experience, Spies Hecker is one of the largest suppliers of refinishing materials and regarded as a benchmark in vehicle refinishing - a true global player with 12 subsidiaries, over 40 importers present in 62 countries around the world. “Although our trucks use vinyl wraps to cover the majority of their body work, I still choose to airbrush by hand the headlight and taillight graphics,” said Adams. “We also plan on running some special one-off paint schemes that will proudly feature Spies Hecker finishes. We even used nearly four gallons of Spies Hecker finishes to repaint our semi tractor that hauls our race trailer, and it is still looking great tens of thousands of miles later.”
     When it comes to spark plugs, NGK is the World Leader. Makers of spark plugs for virtually every automotive, motorcycle, marine and small engine application, NGK dominates. Starting with a single product in 1936, NGK's extraordinary growth can be attributed to a philosophy of manufacturing the product where it is going to be used. For years, NGK has been the top choice of engine builders, mechanics, and drivers in the monster truck industry, and the Truk Wurks team is no exception. The 540ci Jim Oddy-built motor in the Eliminator and the Bill Reichert-built 514ci powerplant in the Defender both count on NGK Plugs to produce the power that the drivers and fans demand.
     For an up-to-date schedule as well as other information on the team, check them out online at
www.trukwurksoffroad.com.  (03/24/10)

Fort Wayne, IN Monster Truck Thunder Slam Photo Gallery!!:  Paul Harry was back at it again this past weekend, this time hitting up the AMP Monster Truck Thunder Slam at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Saturday night in Fort Wayne, Indiana!!  Greg Adams drove the Eliminator truck to the racing victory while Rob French in Twisted Dragon picked up yet another AMP freestyle win. A big thanks to the AMP crew for their hospitality and to Paul for the great shots - check them out by clicking the link below!!  (03/23/10)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PAUL HARRY'S MONSTER TRUCK THUNDER SLAM PHOTOS!!

(PHOTO GALLERY)

Meents Finishes #1 on TMB's "Road to the World Finals"!!:  With both Tom Meents and Dennis Anderson enjoying a week off this weekend before the World Finals, its official - Tom Meents has finished #1 in TMB's "Road to the World Finals" unofficial point standings in 2010!!  Meents narrowly edges out Dennis Anderson by less than 5 points as 2010's best performing driver. Anderson was #1 in our rankings the last two years in a row, but couldn't quite get it done this year. Pablo Huffaker ends the year 3rd best overall, with Randy Brown and Gary Porter rounding out the top 5.
     Tom Meents and Maximum Destruction also finished the season with the most stadium racing and freestyle wins, with a total of 6. Anderson finished with 5, Huffaker with 4 and then Jimmy Creten, Chad Tingler and Adam Anderson getting 3 a piece. Gary Porter had the most wins of any driver this year, dominating the Freestyle Mania tour and picking up an incredible 41 racing and freestyle victories.
     Back around the 24th spot, Chad Fortune and Superman narrowly edged out Jim Koehler and Avenger to earn the last spot based on performance. Cam McQueen, Carl Van Horn, Ryan Anderson and Lee O'Donnell round out the bottom five, while Lupe Soza, Candace Jolly, Darren Migues and Rod Schmidt just barely miss earning their way in.
     The actual lineup for the World Finals was announced late last week, drivers with stars by their names in our standings were the ones selected - see who earned their way in based on performance and who missed out on a chance at this year's title after turning a great season in our final "Road to the World Finals" power rankings for 2010. Watch for our annual World Finals preview article on the eve of the World Finals, it will be out this Friday!!

     For those not familiar with TMB's "Road to the World Finals" unofficial point standings, this is simply our way of trying to see which drivers have earned the right to compete at the World Finals based on their actual performance. These "power rankings" have no bearing on the way Feld Entertainment actually chooses the competitors, its just our way of following along with the Monster Jam season and recognizing outstanding driver performance. Check out the "Road to the World Finals" section for all the results thus far and the current standings and enjoy as we follow the Monster Jam series all the way to the World Finals in March right here on TMB!!  (03/22/10)

TMB Video Vault Clip #2!!:  As a new feature here on the site, we are going to start combing through our huge 5+ year video archives and begin posting some of the cooler stuff we've seen, as we open up the TMB Video Vault!  A lot of this video you may have seen before as part of a larger coverage, but some will be from second angles that were not used and thus, never before seen. For our second clip, we again travel back to 2006 and take a look at a run from the first and only U.S. Smash Nationals at Bolivar Speedway USA in Bolivar, MO. At this event, Doug Noelke filled in as Bigfoot and put on a great freestyle run - check it out below!!  (03/22/10)

Official Monster Jam World Finals Lineup Released!!:  (Las Vegas, NV) Feld Motor Sports announced today the complete line-up of monster trucks and drivers scheduled to compete in the 11th Annual Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam NGK Spark Plugs World Finals on March 27, 2010 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. The 24th and final monster truck named to the starting line-up of this year’s event is Shock Therapy driven by Jon Zimmer.

     Last year, a sell-out crowd of over 37,000 fans with attendees from 9 different countries and all 50 states, witnessed the greatest monster truck racing and freestyle competition in the history of the sport. Unlike at any other sporting event, Monster Jam fans can get up-close-and-personal with the monster trucks and drivers as they are granted more fan access to the stars of the show than any other live event. This year’s line-up of competitors includes:

MONSTER TRUCKS / DRIVERS

1. Grave Digger® - Dennis Anderson
2. Maximum Destruction® - Tom Meents
3. Blue Thunder® - Linsey Weenk
4. Avenger - Jim Koehler
5. Bounty Hunter - Jim Creten
6. Batman™ - John Seasock
7. Captain’s Curse® - Alex Blackwell
8. U.S. Air Force Afterburner® - Damon Bradshaw
9. El Toro Loco® - Marc McDonald
10. Superman™ - Chad Fortune
11. Advance Auto Parts Grinder™ - Lupe Soza
12. Taz - Adam Anderson
13. Monster Mutt® Dalmatian - Candice Jolly
14. Iron Man™ - Lee O’Donnell*
15. An Escalade - George Balhan
16. Monster Mutt® - Charlie Pauken
17. Nitro Circus - Cam McQueen
18. Madusa® - Madusa
19. Gunslinger - Scott Hartsock
20. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle™ - Pablo Huffaker
21. Stone Crusher - Steve Sims
22. King Krunch - David Smith
23. Spider-Man™ - Chad Tingler
24. Amsoil Shock Therapy - Jon Zimmer*

*Denotes first-time Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam NGK Spark Plugs World Finals competitors.

     In addition to this world-class competition, the world’s largest collection of monster trucks (over 60 monster trucks) will be on display at the Built Ford Tough Party in the Pits which takes place Noon-5:30pm prior to the competition on Saturday. Fans with a ticket to the night’s event have the opportunity to meet and get autographs of the star drivers, inspect the monster trucks up close, enjoy live music and other interactive booths and displays.
     Tickets start at just $45 with premium Jackpot seats priced at $50.25 and the exclusive Double Down Package for $130 - all tickets are subject to convenience and handling charges. $5 discount coupons are available at participating Jack in the Box locations (some restrictions apply). Tickets may be purchased at the Thomas and Mack Center box office, UNLV Tickets outlets including the Galleria at Sunset, all Stations Casino and Fiesta properties and UNLVTICKETS.COM. To charge by phone, call 702-739-FANS (local) or 866-4JAM-TIX (national).
     Visit the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam NGK Spark Plugs World Finals XI Lounge at www.MonsterJam.com for event news updates, weekend schedules, exclusive Double Down Packages, host hotel information, driver interviews, photos and more event information. (03/19/10)

2010 Montreal Monster Spectacular Returns April 17th - One More Truck Needed!!: (Montreal, Quebec) Montreal fans get ready, the annual April Monster Spectacular is back again in 2010 with another jaw-dropping 12 truck lineup ready to battle it out at Olympic Stadium!! All the heavy hitters are back as Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter, Rick Long in Bigfoot, Jim Koehler in Avenger, Chris Bergeron in Brutus and Mike Vaters in Black Stallion are ready to go head to head in racing and freestyle on Saturday, April 17th.

     They'll have a new challenger this year though, as the incredible new Crushstation "monstah lobstah" heads north of the border. Maine's Greg Winchenbach has created one of the wildest trucks out there and has been putting the claws to big name competition all year. The event will also see two lady drivers take center stage - veteran Dawn Creten is back with Scarlet Bandit while Shelley Kujat in the Shell Camino makes her debut in Montreal. Other trucks included this year are Iron Warrior, Easyriders and Dominator.
     But wait...that's only 11 trucks! That's right fans and teams - we still have an open spot for one of the sport's biggest events of the year!  Chris Arel Motorsports is looking for a fierce competitor who is looking to challenge the unique Montreal course. With one spot open, we are going to throw open the doors to our friends at Feld Entertainment and openly invite Grave Digger or Maximum Destruction up to challenge our drivers, and we'll guarantee $10,000 for a racing or freestyle victory.
     So fans, email your favorite truck and tell them you want them in Montreal - teams, contact us through www.MonsterSpectacular.com if you want to be a part of the action. More information on the event can be found at the website, we'll see you on the 17th!! (03/19/10)

Hoffman Estates, IL Monster Nationals Highlight Video!!:  The Monster Nationals continued on with a great 2010 season last week at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois and our own Colby Marshall was on hand for all the action Saturday night!!  Jocelyn Perrin continued great performances in wheelie and freestyle competition this year, winning both and cementing her points lead in both categories. Rick Long in Bigfoot has dominated Monster Nationals racing this year and powered his way to another victory Saturday night. Doug Noelke picked up a donut contest win despite a strong effort from Shane Smith in Ironman. A big thanks to the Monster Nationals crew for their hospitality and a great show, and of course to Colby for another fantastic highlight video. Click the link below to check out all the fun!!  (03/19/10)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW COLBY MARSHALL'S HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL HIGHLIGHTS!!

(VIDEO GALLERY)

Pontiac Silverdome "Domination in the Dome" Truck Lineup, Event Details Released!!: Last week we brought you news that the Pontiac Silverdome was re-opening and the first event would be "Domination In The Dome", a huge monster trucks and motorsports event. Well now TMB has got with FMG Events, the organization running the event, and we are excited to bring you all the great details on this historic event.

     A total of 16 trucks will compete including the return of BIGFOOT to the Silverdome with legendary driver Eric Tack behind the wheel. As an opening act for the monster trucks, they will start off by splitting into three groups and compete seperately in sky wheelie, slap wheelie and donut contests. Then the trucks will join back together and go head to head in intense Chicago-style racing and freestyle competitions. The full list of trucks competing includes:

American Guardian - Rick Raab
Anger Management - Aaron Cromer
BIGFOOT - Eric Tack
Brute Force - Jerry Perry
Crashmaster - Jeremy Perry
Excaliber - Chris Ryan
Ground Pounder - Ben Winslow
High Maintenance - Jocelyn Perrin
Ice - Jordan Austin
Lone Eagle - Dale Mitchell
Lucas Oil Stabilizer - Bobby Holman
Michigan Ice Monster - Jon Zimmer
Predator - Allen Pezo
Prowler - Lenny Kuilder
Pouncer - Robert Parker
Sudden Impact - Sean Duhon

Truck Lineup Subject to change. Driver combinations are "to our best knowledge" and may change.

     As if 16 trucks competing wasn't enough, Larry Quick will be on hand with the Ghost Ryder to attempt to become the first driver to ever successfully complete a double backflip. Along with the backflipping monster truck, fans will also see backflips in high flying freestyle motocross and freestyle snowmobile exhibitions. The FMX segment will feature riders including former X Games Gold Medalist "Mad" Mike Jones, Cody Elkins, Keither Slayers, Greg Hartman and Brody Wilson. Performing the snowmobile backflip will be current X Games Gold Medalist Heath Frisby.
     TheMonsterBlog.com will be on hand to cover the event and we're very excited to be in attendance for the re-opening of the Silverdome. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, March 24th at www.SilverdomeTickets.com. For more information on "Domination In The Dome", check out www.SilverdomeEvents.com!!  (03/18/10)

Toledo, OH Monster Jam Photo Gallery!!:  TMB's super photographer Paul Harry visited Toledo, Ohio twice this weekend, attending the Friday and Sunday performances of Monster Jam at the brand new Lucas Country Arena!!  Mike Vaters in Black Stallion picked up wins in racing both Friday and Saturday with Candace Jolly taking her first freestyle win of the year on Friday and hometown boy Charlie Pauken finishing the weekend with a freestyle victory Sunday. A big thanks to Paul for some more incredible shots, check them out below!!  (03/18/10)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PAUL HARRY'S TOLEDO, OH MONSTER JAM PHOTOS!!

(PHOTO GALLERY)

Monster Jam World Finals Display Trucks Announced!!:  The official list of competitors in this year's Monster Jam World Finals are expected to be announced tomorrow but earlier this week, the Built Ford Tough Party In The Pits Map was released. On that map are the names of all the trucks coming out to Las Vegas to display this year - an incredible 37 in total!!

     Check out www.MonsterJam.com for the map, but here is a list of all trucks displaying and participating in the pre-show parade of trucks this year:

Airborne Ranger, Airborne Ranger Too, Brute Force, Crash Master, Cult Energy Activator, El Matador, Excaliber, General Hazzard, Geter Done, Ground Pounder, Heart Breaker, Incinerator, Jurassic Attack, Maniac, Martial Law, Maverik Monster Trakkar, McGruff, Obsession, Obsessed, Pit Bull, Play'n 4 Keeps, RoboMachine, Screamin Demon, Scarlet Bandit, Sheer Insanity, Shell Camino, Shocker, Sin City Crusher, Storm Damage, Terminator, The Patriot, Time Flys, TNT, Triple X, Tropical Thunder, Virginia Giant, Wrecking Crew.  (03/17/10)

Meents Retakes the Lead on TMB's "Road to the World Finals"!!:  The next to last week of the Monster Jam regular season is in the books and Tom Meents and Maximum Destruction has retaken the lead in TMB's "Road to the World Finals" power rankings!!  Tom swept freestyle in Baton Rouge, Lousiana while Dennis Anderson took the week off and that was enough to put Maximum Destruction back on top. Grave Digger drivers round out the top five with Pablo Huffaker, Randy Brown and Gary Porter all having great seasons. Only one change near the all important 24th spot, as a racing win for Chad Fortune in Superman this weekend is enough to jump in and bump out Jim Koehler and Avenger.
     Feld Entertainment has announced 23 of the 24 competitors for this year's World Finals and 17 of those are currently earning their way according to TMB's "Road to the World Finals" power rankings. One driver still to be announced and only one more weekend for drivers to show they earned their invite based on their performance this year by being in our top 24!!

     For those not familiar with TMB's "Road to the World Finals" unofficial point standings, this is simply our way of trying to see which drivers have earned the right to compete at the World Finals based on their actual performance. These "power rankings" have no bearing on the way Feld Entertainment actually chooses the competitors, its just our way of following along with the Monster Jam season and recognizing outstanding driver performance. Check out the "Road to the World Finals" section for all the results thus far and the current standings and enjoy as we follow the Monster Jam series all the way to the World Finals in March right here on TMB!!  (03/15/10)

Checkered Flag Productions Statement on Charlottesville, VA Accident:  (Bridgeport, TX) Veteran announcer and CFP crew member Ken Dickinson was injured in an accident during the Friday night event in Charlottesville, Virginia. Dickinson was attended to immediately by on-site EMTs and was transported to University of Virginia Medical Center. He is currently in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery from his injuries. Ken and his family send their sincere gratitude for all the calls, prayers and well wishes they’ve received and stated that they feel lucky to be involved in an industry full of such great people.
     The entire Checkered Flag Productions family sends our best wishes to our friend Ken for a full and speedy recovery. All event personnel will be undergoing a thorough review of event safety procedures and every effort will be made to ensure that such an accident is prevented in the future. (03/15/10)

Pontiac Silverdome Re-opens, Will Host Monster Trucks With Return of BIGFOOT!!:  (Pontiac, MI) The Silverdome, one of North America's largest stadiums, is returning to operation as a premier sports and entertainment venue after years of inactivity. The Silverdome's ownership group, Triple Investment Group LLC, today announced that the 82,000-seat arena will host six to eight quality and affordable sports and entertainment events in 2010 with an expanded schedule in future years.
     The first event will be "Domination in the Dome," a monster truck and motorsports event on April 17th featuring the iconic monster truck, Bigfoot with legendary driver Eric Tack, plus other monster trucks, freestyle motocross and other exciting high-energy activities. Other events will be announced shortly.
     Tickets for the event, as well as for other events, will be made available at the Silverdome box office and online at www.SilverdomeTickets.com. More information about upcoming events will be available at www.SilverdomeEvents.com and on Twitter@SilverdomeNews.
     Triple Sports & Entertainment LLC, which is a subsidiary of Toronto, Ont.-based Triple Group, has made significant investments in the Silverdome, ranging from tens of thousands of gallons of new paint throughout public spaces and testing and repair of restroom fixtures to major upgrades in Internet access, security systems, ticketing and concessions operations.
     The Silverdome hosted some of the world's largest and best-known events in its initial 30 years of operation, including the Super Bowl, the FIFA World Cup, the NBA's All-Star Game and NBA Finals, Wrestlemania III and concerts by some of the world's biggest names in music. The largest recorded event at the Silverdome was the 1987 Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II for more than 93,000 attendees.
About the Silverdome:
Completed in 1975, the Silverdome is an 82,000-seat domed stadium located in Pontiac, Mich. It is owned by Triple Investment Group LLC, which acquired the facility in 2009. For more information about upcoming events, visit www.SilverdomeEvents.com or follow @SilverdomeNews on Twitter.  (03/11/10)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO FROM THE PRESS CONFERENCE FEATURING
AMSOIL SHOCK THERAPY AND EXCALIBER!!

Introducing Amber Walker, The New Ms. BIGFOOT!!:  (Hazelwood, MO)  Following on the heels of the announcement that Team BIGFOOT would be reviving the legendary "Ms. BIGFOOT" name as part of their 35th Anniversary celebration, comes the announcement of the chosen driver for the re-incarnated machine. At a variety of events across the country this spring, summer, and fall, fans can expect to see 29-year-old monster truck veteran Amber Walker behind the wheel!

     "I am very excited to be joining Team BIGFOOT!" said a beaming Walker. Although her name may be unfamiliar to some monster truck fans, her resume doesn´t disappoint. From 2001 through 2006 Walker spent her time as a driver and crew member for a large monster truck team based out of northern Indiana, campaigning trucks like Boogey Van and Monster Patrol at various events across North America. Interestingly enough, Amber will find some familiar faces at Team BIGFOOT, including Rodney Tweedy and Larry Swim, who both happen to be alumni of the same team for which Amber worked. "I am so very fortunate to be back working with some old colleagues and friends, as well as making new ones along the way," stated Walker. She added that "this opportunity is a wonderful chance for me to get back to doing what I love, and doing it for the best team around."
     "We are very excited to have Amber on board to help re-launch the Ms. BIGFOOT name and identity," said BIGFOOT 4x4 Inc. President Ann Trent. "I think it is going to be a great program on a number of levels, not the least of which encouraging our female fan base to get more involved. They deserve to have a BIGFOOT to root for as well!" Trent no doubt has a heartfelt connection to the Ms. BIGFOOT legacy, as her mother, Marilyn Chandler (wife of BIGFOOT creator Bob Chandler), debuted the original Ms. BIGFOOT in the mid 1980´s to great fanfare, along the way becoming the first female monster truck driver. "I think all of the guys will be gunning for her on-track at the events Ms. BIGFOOT will be competing at, but I feel she [Amber] will do just fine. Aside from her talent behind the wheel, her understanding of the mechanical side of the trucks and the awesome crew standing behind her at BIGFOOT will help propel her toward victory lane."

     "All in all, this is really just a great honor to be asked to drive a BIGFOOT truck, especially carrying on the tradition of the Ms. BIGFOOT name," said Walker. "I´ve loved this sport and its fans for a long time now, and I´m ready to make some new ones behind the wheel of Ms. BIGFOOT. I´m ready to show the boys that I´m not afraid to get my hands dirty and put the pedal to the metal!"
    Amber and Ms. BIGFOOT are currently scheduled to appear at eight events from May through September, including stops on the 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals tour (Springfield, MO; Lima, OH; Bloomsburg, PA: Rochester, MN; and Indianapolis, IN), the BIGFOOT 4X4/Midwest Four Wheel Drive Open House in June, and non-points events in West Valley, UT and Las Vegas, NV. In addition, keep your eyes peeled for some NEW specially-designed Ms. BIGFOOT women’s t-shirts, hats, koozies, and posters!
     For more information on Team BIGFOOT and new driver Amber Walker, head on over to their website at www.Bigfoot4x4.com!!  (03/11/10)

TMB Video Vault Clip #1!!:  As a new feature here on the site, we are going to start combing through our huge 5+ year video archives and begin posting some of the cooler stuff we've seen, as we open up the TMB Video Vault!  A lot of this video you may have seen before as part of a larger coverage, but some will be from second angles that were not used and thus, never before seen. For our very first clip, we travel back in time to the fall of 2006 and feature a great freestyle run from Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter at Firebird International Raceway. Enjoy and stay tuned for more!!  (03/11/10)

Mossy Oak & Hall Brothers Racing Announce New Rammunition Paint Scheme!!:  (Champaign, IL)  Mossy Oak, in a partnership with Ram Trucks and Hall Brothers Racing, is pleased to announce that the new 2010 paint scheme for the Rammunition monster truck will include Mossy Oak’s newest pattern Break-Up Infinity. Rammunition is part of the Monster Truck Racing Association (MTRA), which is made up of many of the top monster truck teams in the industry.

     "We're fired up about Ram and Hall Brothers Racing decorating the Rammunition truck with our new pattern Break-Up Infinity," said Ronnie "Cuz" Strickland. "When these guys say they'll help us 'launch' a pattern they mean for-real launch. Like 20 feet over a school bus launch. We can't wait to see the new Rammunition this year."
     Tim Hall from Hall Brothers Racing said, “We are excited to get to work with the folks from Mossy Oak on our new Rammunition monster truck. Mossy Oak and Ram Trucks are both the best in their fields, and we are proud to be associated with the best!”
     Driver Geremie Dishman added, “As an avid sportsman, I know Mossy Oak is top of the line in the field. I can't wait until the fans get to see our all new Mossy Oak camo Rammunition. It is really cool!”
     For more info on Rammunition and Halls Brothers Racing, log on to www.Raminator.com. For more information on Mossy Oak and Break-Up Infinity, log on to www.MossyOak.com.  (03/10/10)

Jonesboro, AR Monster Truck Thunder Slam Recap & Coverage!!:  The AMP Monster Truck Thunder Slam tour returned to Jonesboro, Arkansas' ASU Convocation Center for the fourth year in a row and TMB was on hand for all the action!!  The Convo is a great place for monster trucks, as every year we've been a capacity crowd has been on hand eating up the action. This year the packed house saw Rob French in Twisted Dragon take both the wheelie and freestyle wins, while Kevin King in Strait Jacket prevailed in the racing finals over Greg Adams in Eliminator. French would suffer a hard rollover after a wild hit in the wheelie contest. Check out the links below for photos from Ross Z. Bonar and two angles of video by Kaedon Berry and Mitch Kiefer. Thanks to AMP for their hospitality, enjoy the coverage!!  (03/10/10)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ROSS Z. BONAR'S JONESBORO, AR PHOTO GALLERY!!

(PHOTO GALLERY)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW KAEDON BERRY'S JONESBORO, AR VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS!!

(VIDEO GALLERY)

Sedalia, MO Monster Truck Racing Super Series Highlight Video!!:  Sedalia, Missouri enjoyed monster trucks this weekend as the Monster Truck Racing Super Series returned for their second stop at the Matthewson Exhibition Center!!  Tail Gator, Big Dawg, Maximum Overkill, Monster Patrol and Grim Reaper would battle it out in wheelie, straight line and Chicago style racing and freestyle Friday and Saturday night, and our own Colby Marshall was there for all the fun. Doug Noelke and Dale Gerding teamed up to sweep both nights of wheelie, freestyle and Chicago-style racing, while Kirk Dabney's Maximum Overkill swept straight line racing. A big thanks to Brad Darnell and Monster Events for their hospitality and to Colby Marshall for another awesome highlight video. Click the link below to check out all the action!!  (03/10/10)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW COLBY MARSHALL'S SEDALIA, MO HIGHLIGHT VIDEO!!

(VIDEO GALLERY)

Anderson Takes Over Top Spot on TMB's "Road to the World Finals"!!:  After a wild weekend in El Paso, Texas, the legend Dennis Anderson has overtaken Tom Meents for the #1 spot in the "Road to the World Finals" power rankings!!  Anderson took both a racing and a freestyle win in the two shows along with other strong performances, while Meents only managed a freestyle win. That great showing from Anderson in the head to head match-up launched him ahead of Meents in the standings with just two weeks of competition left before Vegas. Pablo Huffaker, Gary Porter and Frank Krmel round out the year's top performers thus far. Back in 23rd and 24th Debra Miceli and Jim Koehler are hanging on to those last two spots over Chad Fortune and Lupe Soza. Only two weeks left for drivers to show they've earned their invites by being in the top 24 of our "Road to the World Finals" power rankings - stay tuned!!

     For those not familiar with TMB's "Road to the World Finals" unofficial point standings, this is simply our way of trying to see which drivers have earned the right to compete at the World Finals based on their actual performance. These "power rankings" have no bearing on the way Feld Entertainment actually chooses the competitors, its just our way of following along with the Monster Jam season and recognizing outstanding driver performance. Check out the "Road to the World Finals" section for all the results thus far and the current standings and enjoy as we follow the Monster Jam series all the way to the World Finals in March right here on TMB!!  (03/09/10)

BIGFOOT's Bob Chandler to Serve as Grand Martial for NHRA Southern Nationals!!:  (Hazelwood, MO)  Race fans of all ages will be in for a treat during the 30th Annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals this May, as BIGFOOT #1, The Original Monster Truck®, and its creator, Bob Chandler, will be on-hand all weekend long. Chandler and will serve as the race´s Grand Marshall, while BIGFOOT #1 will be on display for the duration of the weekend (May 14-16), courtesy of Summit Racing Equipment.

     The 30th Annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals will feature top teams and drivers in several classes qualifying and competing in thrilling side-by-side drag racing. Classes in competition include Top Fuel Dragster and Funny Cars, Pro-Mod, Pro-Stock Motorcycle, and Pro-Stock (featuring Summit Racing Equipment-backed drivers Jason Line and Greg Anderson). All of the great action will take place at the legendary Atlanta Dragway, just outside of Atlanta.
     Although he is no doubt more accustomed to the dirt environs of monster truck competition, Chandler is undoubtedly looking forward to the event. "As wild as monster truck racing has become over the last two decades, the basic element of side-by-side drag racing is still there; most of us are drag racers at heart." He went on to explain that "There is nothing quite like the immediacy of seeing two drivers and two vehicles settle things in just a few lightning quick seconds."
     Chandler is credited as being the father of the monster truck industry, as his personal pickup truck eventually became BIGFOOT #1, the world´s first monster truck, 35 years ago. Always one to help push his sport forward, Chandler has helped spearhead a number of advancements in monster truck safety, performance, and competition. Since monster trucks began competing for points championships in 1988, Chandler´s BIGFOOT team, which now has a total of nine vehicles including five race trucks, has amassed 25 National Championships. The BIGFOOT team counts Summit Racing Equipment among their major sponsors, a relationship that has served both organizations quite well.
     "I´m very excited to nose around the pits and to meet all of the great fans that will be attending the race," said Chandler. "What a great honor it is to be asked by the NHRA and Summit Racing to be the Grand Marshal for a national event. It truly is a privilege."
     Fans can visit our Team BIGFOOT page for more information on all the BIGFOOT monster trucks and Bob Chandler, including a live event schedule, truck and driver biographies (including Chandler´s), photos, videos, and much more at www.Bigfoot4x4.com!!  (03/09/10)

Youngstown, OH and Wheeling, WV Photo Galleries!!:  TMB's super photographer Paul Harry continues to criss-cross the country, shooting events everywhere!!  This weekend Paul and his son Michael hit events in Youngstown, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia. Friday night would see Rick Long in Bigfoot continue dominate Monster Nationals' racing in 2010 as he picked up another win, while Joe Sylvester picked up a big win close to home in freestyle. Saturday would bring two great Monster Jam events in Wheeling as Mike Vaters in Black Stallion continued a great season, winning both freestyles and the afternoon racing, with Geremie Dishman in Rammunition getting the evening racing win. Links to both photo galleries can be found below, check out Paul and Michael's great work and stay tuned - you never know where they are headed next!!  (03/05/10)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PAUL AND MICHAEL HARRY'S YOUNGSTOWN, OH PHOTOS!!

(PHOTO GALLERY)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PAUL HARRY'S WHEELING, WV PHOTO GALLERY!!

(PHOTO GALLERY)

DuQuoin, IL Monster Nationals Highlight Video!!:  The Monster Nationals tour made its first ever appearance at DuQuoin's Southern Illinois Center two weeks ago and our very own Colby Marshall was on hand for all the action!!  Click the link below to see Colby's highlight video from the three show weekend featuring Bigfoot, Tail Gator, Lucas Oil Stabilizer, High Maintenance and Ironman battling it out in wheelie, racing and freestyle action. Thanks to Colby for another great highlight video and to the Monster Nationals staff for a great weekend!!  (03/01/10)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW COLBY MARSHALL'S DUQUOIN, IL HIGHLIGHT VIDEO!!

(VIDEO GALLERY)

Meents Continues to Lead on TMB's "Road to the World Finals"!!:  Two months of the Monster Jam season are in the books and Tom Meents and Maximum Destruction are still #1 on TMB's "Road to the World Finals"!!  For Tom it was a strong weekend in Oakland that kept him out front, allowing him to stretch out his lead over Dennis Anderson and Pablo Huffaker. Another huge weekend for Gary Porter in Baltimore moved him up to 4th overall while Linsey Weenk hangs onto the top 5. Back around the 24th spot, lots of moving around this weekend. Huge performances from Carl Van Horn in Excaliber and Ryan Anderson in Monster Mutt moved them up into the top 24 pushing out big names like Jim Koehler and Chad Fortune. Only a few weeks before the World Finals, so not much more time for drivers to EARN their spots at the World Finals. In the meantime, Feld Entertainment has announced 21 of the 24 competitors at this year's World Finals events and they are denoted with a star next to their name in our "Road to the World FInals" power rankings. Stay tuned for another weekend of Monster Jam analysis!!

     For those not familiar with TMB's "Road to the World Finals" unofficial point standings, this is simply our way of trying to see which drivers have earned the right to compete at the World Finals based on their actual performance. These "power rankings" have no bearing on the way Feld Entertainment actually chooses the competitors, its just our way of following along with the Monster Jam season and recognizing outstanding driver performance. Check out the "Road to the World Finals" section for all the results thus far and the current standings and enjoy as we follow the Monster Jam series all the way to the World Finals in March right here on TMB!!  (03/01/10)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All content Copyright Bonar Enterprises' TheMonsterBlog.com 2005-2009.

DO NOT REPRODUCE WITHOUT PERMISSION.