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5/31/08 - TMB TV Episode #2: Firebird Raceway!! - Bigfoot Makes Appearances In Home State This Weekend!! 5/30/08 - KSR Motorsports Press Release!! 5/26/08 - TheMonsterBlog.com Interviews Rich Schaefer! - Monster Truck Challenge Reveals the Stars of Their 2008 Series!! 5/25/08 - O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals Photo Gallery!! 5/24/08 - Lake Havasu Monster Truck Thunder Slam Video Highlights!! 5/23/08 - Monster Spectacular Tour Update!! 5/21/08 - MTC Announces Opening Weekend Lineup, Adds Date!! - Lima 4-Wheel Jambo Photo Gallery & New Blog Entry From KD!! 5/19/08
- In Memory of: - MTC Gateway PR!! 5/18/08 - Hall Brothers Racing Sweeps Lima Weekend!! - Nasty Boy Sweeps In Lake Havusu, AZ!!
- TMB Editor's Note: 5/16/08 - TMB Editor's Note: MLMT Date Change Announcements 5/14/08 - New BIGFOOT Paint Scheme Unveiled!! - New Obsession Hot Wheels Monster Truck!! - MTC Presents The Hall of Fame Race Featuring Monsters & Music!! - Monster Truck Mania Coming to Memphis, TN! - Monster Madness Featured at Rochester-Fest 2008!! - Joe Sylvester Motorsports Welcomes Ethos Fuel Reformulator! 5/12/08 - Minneapolis Becomes MTC Kick-Off Weekend!! 5/11/08 - Saturday Miami, OK Recap!! 5/10/08 - Miami O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals Recap!! - Firebird Monster Truck Nationals Photos!! 5/08/08 - New BIGFOOT Paint Scheme Teaser Photos!!
- Monster Blog 5/07/08 - O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals Returns to Miami This Weekend!! - WHR Motorsports Announces Truck Lineups for Monster Madness 2008!! 5/06/08 - Springfield, MO Monster Truck Thunder Drags Coverage!! - Monster Spectacular Tour Update!! 5/05/08 - Monsters Tour of Destruction Update & South Pacific World Finals Announced!! - New Big Dawg, Tail Gator Diecast Toys Available!! - Sudden Impact Racing Update!! 5/03/08 - Christensen, Krmel Take Headlines In Springfield!! 5/02/08 - Monster Truck Thunder Drags Take Over Springfield, MO This Weekend!! - SIR Owner Lagarde Announces Joint Assoc. Sponsor Program!! - Mad Trax Tank Added To SIR Roster!! 5/01/08 - O'Reilly MTRSS Returns to Ft. Smith, AR This Weekend!! - Erie Monster Nationals Photo Gallery!! - Monster Spectacular 20th Anniversary Tour Update - Red Deer!! -SIR Turns Up the Heat In Georgia, Arizona!! - Bigfoot 4x4 Unveils New Dan Runte & Rick Long Websites!! - Albuquerque Monster Jam Photo Gallery!! |
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TMB TV Episode #2: Monster Truck Nationals - Firebird!!: TheMonsterBlog.com's major event coverage series is back with our second TMB TV episode of the year from Firebird International Raceway!! The 10th Annual Tire Pros Monster Truck Nationals was held April 26th-27th at Firebird, with a stellar eight-truck lineup including Bounty Hunter, Bigfoot, Iron Outlaw, Nasty Boy, Unnamed & Untamed, Sudden Impact, Q Torque Power, and Amsoil T-Maxx. Last year we brought you major events to watch online in their entirety, but this year we're taking it one step further with the new TMB TV, featuring interviews, analysis and much more to go along with the event itself. Episode #2 from Firebird is only a click away, and stay tuned to the site as TMB TV goes back-to-back this weekend, with Episode #3 from Miami, OK premiering here on TheMonsterBlog.com tomorrow afternoon!! (05/31/08)
WATCH TMB TV EPISODE #2: MONSTER TRUCK NATIONALS - FIREBIRD RACEWAY!! BIGFOOT Makes Home State Appearances This Weekend!!: The Bigfoot 4x4 team is making two home-state appearances this weekend and Missouri fans can come out and see the trucks and meet the stars!! Bigfoot #15 was on display just a mile from TMB's suburban St. Louis HQ in Manchester, MO Friday, and will be there until 4PM today with the legendary Jim Kramer on hand. Across the state, Dan Runte and Bigfoot #16 will be on display and crushing cars at Branson Landing for Ridemakerz Saturday and Sunday. Anyone near Branson should come on out today or tomorrow and check out the festivities being put on by Ridemakerz and Bigfoot. Check out www.Bigfoot4x4.com for more information!! (05/31/08)
TMB Contact Info Update: (TMB Editor's Note) Thanks to everyone for your patience this week, as things have been a little slow around here. We've been in the process of moving, but we're all setup now with internet back up and running, and the updates will resume. Please note that our contact information has changed, and if you have been trying to reach us and not heard back, try again as we are all squared away now. Thanks!! - Ross Z. Bonar (05/31/08) KSR Motorsports Press Release!!: (Exton, PA) KSR Motorsports is coming to a venue near you. The 2008 KSR Motorsports Night of Fire and Destruction Tour annually produces some of the highest quality events in the world. Coming off a season with 22 sell outs, KSR is proud to announce its 2008 Schedule. With events from Maine to West Virginia KSR is sure to rock the house with its high flying, car crushing monster truck freestyle action. Upcoming events include:
June 7th – Allentown Fair (Allentown, PA) June 26th-27th – Vermont State Fair (Rutland, VT) July 5th – Tyler County Speedway (Middlebourne, WV) July 6th – Port Royal Speedway (Harrisburg, PA)* July 8th-12th – Penyan Speedway (Pennyan, NY)* July 18th – Penn Can Speedway (Susquehana, PA) July 19th – Barberton Speedway (Norton, OH) July 20th – Delaware State Fair (Harrington, DE) July 24th – Ontario County Fair (Canandaguia, NY) July 26th – Oneida County Fair (Booneville, NY) July 28th – 29th Northern Maine Fair (Presquile, ME) Aug 7th – Reading Fair (Reading, PA) Aug 8th – Gouverneur Fair (Gouverneur, NY) Aug 9th – Wayne County Fair (Honesdale,PA ) Aug 15th – Steuben County Fair (Bath, NY) Aug 25th-30th – (Wattsburg, NY) * Aug 30th-31st – Riverhead Speedway (Riverhead, NY) Sep 4th-7th – Prince George’s County Fair (Upper Marlboro, MD)* Sep 14th – (Goshen, PA)* * Denotes Ride Truck Only
KSR is excited to bring quality thrill attractions to venues never before
having seen such acts. Having three world record holders at some events is
sure to make this a season to remember. Doug Danger is ready to bring his
Evel Knievel Tribute Tour to multiple venues starting in Rutland, VT where
he will perform a 19 car jump. Crash Moreau and Lou “The Rocket” Re are
the other world records holders ready to light it up and provide there
death defying Hollywood stunts to many of KSR’s shows. TheMonsterBlog.com Interviews Rich Schaefer!!: TheMonsterBlog.com's Kyle Doyle recently had the opportunity to sit down for an exclusive interview with the man behind Monster Truck Challenge, Rich Schaefer!! With MTC's major announcement today of their monster truck lineups for 2008, what better time to get inside the mind of Rich Schaefer. He and the Monster Truck Challenge crew stand ready to light a fire under the monster truck industry like it has never before seen. They have the talent. They have the trucks. They have the know-how. Can they do it? Read TheMonsterBlog.com's exclusive 1-on-1 interview with Rich Schaefer to find out. Thanks to KD for another great interview, click the link below to check it out!! (05/26/08) CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE MONSTER BLOG'S INTERVIEW WITH RICH SCHAEFER!! Monster Truck Challenge Reveals the Stars of Their 2008 Series!!: The Monster Truck Challenge series unveiled the stars of their 2008 series today as they announced the monster truck lineups fans can expect to see at their events. The list features some of the heaviest hitters the sport has to offer, from the season opener in Shakopee, MN June 20th-21st, all the way through to Topeka, KS October 11th-12th. All lineups are subject to change. See below for the trucks announced for each event thus far, and make sure to check out www.MonsterTruckChallenge.com for more information!!
.: June 20th-21st - Raceway Park Shakopee - Shakopee, MN (Minneapolis) :.
Barbarian, Bounty Hunter,
Raminator, Rammunition, Samson, Sudden Impact, .: July 19th - Myrtle Beach Speedway - Myrtle Beach, SC :.
Avenger, Bounty Hunter,
Brutus, Equalizer, Hot Tamale, King Krunch, Nitro Fish, .: July 26th - Gateway International Raceway - Madison, IL (St. Louis) :.
Avenger, Barbarian, Bigfoot,
Bonty Hunter, Brutus, Equalizer, Hot Tamale, .: August 2nd - Eldora Speedway - Rossburg, OH :.
Avenger, Barbarian, Bounty
Hunter, Brutus, Iron Outlaw, Mopar Magic, Raminator, .: August 8th-9th - Eagle Raceway - Lincoln, NE :.
Avenger, Barbarian, Bounty
Hunter, Brutus, Raminator, Rammunition, .: August 16th - The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway - Concord, NC :. Avenger, Brutus, Equalizer, Raminator, Samson, Tailgator, War Wagon, & War Wizard. .: August 23rd - Nashville Superspeedway - Lebanon, TN (Nashville) :.
Avenger, Brutus, Equalizer,
Hot Tamale, King Krunch, Mopar Magic, Nitro Fish, .: August 29th-30th - Huset's Speedway - Sioux Falls, SD :. Avenger, Bounty Hunter, Brutus, Iron Outlaw, King Krunch, Nitro Fish, Samson, + more. .: September 13th - Knoxville Raceway - Knoxville, IA (Des Moines) :. Avenger, Barbarian, Bounty Hunter, Brutus, Samson, War Wagon, + more. .: October 11th-12th - Heartland Park Topeka - Topeka, KS :. Avenger, Bounty Hunter, Brutus, Iron Outlaw, Raminator, Rammuntion, Samson, + more. O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals Photo Gallery!!: TheMonsterBlog.com photo gallery from the Miami, OK O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals is now online!! Eight top monster trucks including Bounty Hunter, Tail Gator, Barbarian, War Wagon, Ballistic, Iron Outlaw, Big Dawg and Brute Force competed in racing, wheelie and freestyle competitions. See over 300 photos from Staff Member Ross Z. Bonar by clicking the link below!! Stay tuned for full video coverage from the event coming later this week!! (05/25/08)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ROSS Z. BONAR'S MIAMI, OK OUTLAW NATIONALS PHOTOS!! Lake Havasu Monster Truck Thunder Slam Video Highlights!!: The AMP Tour Monster Truck Thunder Slam returned to Havasu 95 Speedway Saturday, May 17th for one night of monster truck racing and freestyle competition!! TheMonsterBlog.com video highlights from the event are now online, a big thanks to Lynette Bonar for the footage. Nasty Boy, Unnamed & Untamed, Tuff Enuff, and Pit Bull made up the lineup for the evening's events, see them in action now by clicking the link below!! (05/24/08)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LAKE HAVASU MONSTER TRUCK THUNDER SLAM VIDEO!!
Monster Spectacular
Tour Update!!: (By Doug De Nance)
Mike Vaters has etched Black Stallion’s history solidly in concrete.
Actually, that should be…on concrete. Vaters is perhaps
the
most accomplished monster truck driver on the polished, glass-like floors
of indoor arenas all over North America. He certainly has the credentials
to prove it… seven time Thunder Nationals Champion in the U.S. and
currently in hot pursuit of a sixth Monster Spectacular Canadian Tour
title. Vaters has kept his strategies a secret – a secret until one
slipped late on a Saturday night in Moncton, New Brunswick. MTC Announces Opening Weekend Lineup, Adds Another Date!!: The 2008 Monster Truck Challenge series will kick off in style with an all-star lineup of monster trucks set to compete June 20th-21st at Shakopee Raceway Park in suburban Minneapolis, MN!! Bounty Hunter, Raminator, Rammunition, Samson, Amsoil T-Maxx, Sudden Impact, War Wagon, and Barbarian will go head-to-head in the first event of the new Monster Truck Challenge season. As if that wasn't enough big news for today, MTC also added another event to the schedule, set for August 29th-30th at Huset's Speedway in Sioux Falls, SD. Stay tuned to www.MonsterTruckChallenge.com as more announcements are coming, including the release of lineups for July's events on Monday. (05/21/08) Lima 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals Photo Gallery!!: TheMonsterBlog.com photo gallery from this past weekend's Lima, OH 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals is now online!! See nearly 200 of Kyle Doyle's photos from Saturday & Sunday's action by clicking the link below. A huge thanks to Kyle for the great pictures, and be sure to check out his latest Exhaust Fumes Blog entry telling the tale from the Lima Weekend. Enjoy!! (05/21/08)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW KYLE DOYLE'S LIMA 4-WHEEL JAMBOREE NATIONALS PHOTOS!!
Monster Truck
Industry Mourns Loss of a Friend - UPDATE:
Obituary / Service Info - Jesse Eugene Birgy, 49, of Beulah,
died Sunday, May 18, 2008, at his home. He was born February 13, 1959, the
son of James and Rena (Fultz) Birgy. Jesse is survived by: his life
partner of 32 years, Debra Donley of Beulah; their daughter, Ashley Birgy
of Beulah; his parents, Jim and Rena Birgy of Newberry; his brother, Jeff
Birgy of Marysvile; his nephews, Paul (Megan) Burmingham, Greg Burmingham,
and Randy (Christina) Burmingham; their parents, Laura and Greg
Burmingham; and many friends across the United States.
May 18th - We received word this weekend that the monster truck industry has lost another friend as retired monster truck driver Jesse Birgy has passed on. Jesse was one of the originals, campaigning the Play'n For Keeps truck for over 20 years before retiring around the end of 2006. Birgy brought countless numbers of fans to their feet over the years and was a friend to many in the industry. We here at TheMonsterBlog.com would like to send our condolences to the family of Jesse Birgy--you will be in our thoughts & prayers. God speed Jesse, may you rest in peace.
GIR Welcomes Monster Truck
Challenge to Its 2008 Lineup!!:
(Madison, IL) On the heels of one of the most successful NHRA
events in the track’s history, Gateway International Raceway is pleased to
announce the addition of the Monster Truck Challenge to its 2008 schedule
of events. The event is scheduled for July 26th in the GIR oval and adds
to the more than 200 diverse events hosted by the facility.
“It is pretty cool
that finally, on the 20th anniversary of monster truck racing, we bring
MTC to the birthplace of monster trucks, St. Louis,” Schaefer said. “And
that's why we're bringing in the biggest hitters in the sport like
Avenger, Bigfoot, Bounty Hunter, Raminator, and Tailgator. This event is
special to today's big stars because without yesterday's stars from St.
Louis, there would be no monster truck racing.” Lima Weekend Recap--Hall Brothers Racing Sweeps!!: Stop #4 on the 2008 Monster Truck Thunder Drags tour is in the books, and it was all Hall Brothers Racing this weekend at the Lima, OH 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals!! HBR returned to the Special Events series in Lima, after not being present in Springfield, MO, having won all six races held during the tour's first two stops in Baytown, TX and Anderson, SC. They would have to contend against an all-star lineup in Lima including two-time and defending Monster Jam Racing champ John Seasock in Batman, 2008 Monster Nationals Racing champ Doug Noelke in Tail Gator, Dan Runte in Bigfoot, Jim Koehler in Avenger and Charlie Pauken in Monster Mutt, along with Big Dawg and Spike.
Mark Hall in Raminator started the weekend off by defeating teammate Geremie Dishman in Rammunition in Friday night's racing final. Saturday would see some close racing on the long, tricky straight-line race course, with Dishman in Rammunition facing off against John Seasock in Batman in the early show. Rammunition would come out the winner, and go on to make the finals in the late show only to fall to Hall in Raminator. The HBR weekend racing sweep would be completed Sunday, with Dishman taking the win over Hall.
Freestyle saw strong performances from all competitors throughout the weekend, with those from Charlie Pauken in Monster Mutt, Jim Koehler in Avenger, and Doug Noelke in Tail Gator standing out, notable moments including a hard rollover from Koehler Saturday evening.
A big thanks to the Monster Blog team of Kyle Doyle and Paul M. Harry for the reports from Lima, be watching for some great photo galleries from those guys in the next few days. Thanks to KD for the teaser shots above. Also a thanks to the fine folks at Special Events for their hospitality once again in Lima. Congrats to the HBR team on their continued dominance, now 10 for 10 in Monster Truck Thunder Drags racing this year. Stay tuned for more coverage from Lima!! (05/18/08) Nasty Boy Sweeps in Lake Havusu, AZ!!: The AMP Tour Monster Truck Thunder Slam returned to Havusu 95 Speedway in Lake Havusu, AZ Saturday night with four monster trucks competing in straight-line and Chicago-style racing and freestyle!! TheMonsterBlog.com's Lauren & Lynette Bonar were on hand for all the action. Ronnie Sturges in Nasty Boy swept the evening's competitions, first taking down Charles Benns in Pit Bull in straight-line racing and then beating Jack Koberna in Tuff Enuff in Chicago-style, and finally taking a convincing win in the crowd cheer-off for freestyle. Also notable from freestyle was a lost wheel for Benns and Pit Bull and a nice run from first-time driver Rich Rutledge in Unnamed & Untamed. More photos and video coming from the event soon, thanks to Steve Quercio and the AMP Live Events Staff for their hospitality and to all the drivers and team for a good show!! (05/18/08)
TMB Picture of the Week Contest Update: (TMB Editor's Note) As you likely have noticed, the Picture of the Week Contest has not been updated in some time (last winner was chosen for the week of 3/8). Unfortunately we have made the decision to discontinue the Picture of the Week contest. The site continues to grow, and has done so to the point that we simply do not have time to keep up with the contest at this point. We are working on some new things that should allow fans to share their photos and videos in a new Fan Forum format. Please bear with us as there are many things going on behind the scenes here at TMB that should result in an even better online experience for our viewers. We apologize for being unable to continue the contest, however Picture of the Week will still continue, only it will now be a photo chosen from the TMB archive that we think you may enjoy, beginning with the first week of June. We also want to thank everyone who has participated in the contest in the past. Thanks for your continued support! - Ross Z. Bonar (05/18/08)
MLMT Date Change
Announcements:
(TMB Editor's Note) The Major League of Monster Trucks
announced two date changes on their 2008 schedule today. The opening
weekend had been scheduled for June 21st at Texas Motor Speedway, but that
event is being pushed back to October 18th, now making opening weekend the
July 6th event in Atlanta. The event scheduled for August 23rd at
Nashville Superspeedway is being dropped from MLMT's schedule, coinciding
with the addition of that date to the Monster Truck Challenge series
schedule earlier this week. Press releases from MLMT explaining each
change are available at
www.MLMT.com. New BIGFOOT Paint Scheme Unveiled On #10!!: (Hazelwood, MO) We went “Old School” on our new paint scheme for BIGFOOT #10. We took traditional BIGFOOT blue and used it over Hot Rod Black. Our painter, Randy Lenger, along with shop foreman Alan Hartsock, came up with the design! Randy then called our friends at DuPont, and the project was under way. This is a total different look for us! It seems that for the past few years everything we’ve painted was been based on a red, white and blue theme or has been sponsor-specific. BIGFOOT #10 driver, Rodney Tweedy, describes his new ride as “Awesome! I just love the look of the truck. It looks tough!!” For more pictures, check out the www.Bigfoot4x4.com to the 2008 News section, as well as the event schedule to see when Rodney and BIGFOOT will be in your area. (05/14/08)
New Obsession Hot Wheels Monster Truck!!: (Menifee, CA) Obsession Racing is pleased to announce the arrival of the Obsession Hot Wheel toy. As some of you know we have been talking about our newest toy for the last six months. Together with Live Nation and Mattel the new Obsession Hot Wheel is now in stores. They have been spotted in Walmart and Target stores in Central California and Nevada. This probably means that they should be in a store near you now. Thank you for supporting Obsession Racing, check us out at ObsessionRacing.com for more information!! (05/14/08)
MTC Presents The
Hall of Fame Race, Featuring Monsters & Music!!:
(St. Louis, MO) It’s CRUNCH TIME in Saint Louis! On
Saturday July 26th Monster Truck Challenge makes its
inaugural
appearance at Gateway International Raceway with Monsters and Music. The
event will feature 12 of the nation’s greatest monster truck including Jim
Kohler’s Avenger and Jimmy Creten’s CSK Bounty Hunter. Be there to witness
2007 MTC champion, Mark Hall in Raminator defend his title on the largest
racing course ever constructed in the Saint Louis area. The event will
also feature pre and post race concerts by Nashville recording artists
direct from Broken Bow Records.
Event:
Monster Truck Challenge presents the Hall Of Fame Race, featuring Monsters
and Music Tickets go on sale Friday, May 2nd at 10am!! To purchase tickets online, head on over to www.GatewayRaceway.com, order by phone at 1-866-35-SPEED, or purchase in person at the Gateway Box Office. General Admission Ticket Prices
Advance:
$20 for Adults $10 for Children (12 and under) Reserved Ticket Prices
Advance:
$25 for Adults and Children VIP "Hall of Fame" Ticket Prices
$75 Adults and Children includes exclusive
early access to pit party/autograph Featured trucks at the Monster Truck Challenge Hall of Fame Race include BIGFOOT, AVENGER, RAMINATOR, BRUTUS, BOUNTY HUNTER, EQUALIZER, BARBARIAN, TAILGATOR, WAR WAGON, AND MORE!! Don’t miss the most exciting event in Monster Truck Racing! MONSTERS AND MUSIC is one of the amazing values in family entertainment! Come join us!! Check out www.MonsterTruckChallenge.com for more information!! (05/14/08) Monster Truck Mania is Coming To Memphis, TN!!: (Mays Landing, NJ) Are you looking for some heart pounding, adrenaline rushing excitement that is sure to be fun for the whole family? If so, then we have exactly what your looking for! Monster Truck Mania presented by Nationwide Motorsports, LLC is coming to Memphis, TN on June 7th, 2008 and all seats are just $10! That's right, all seats are just $10 and kids 3 and under are FREE. Come on out to the Agri-center Show Place Arena on June 7th to witness two great shows at 2PM and 8PM.
Don't miss your
chance to see some of the biggest names in Monster Trucks for only $10!
The lineup includes Tail Gator, Predator, Big Dawg, Screamin' Demon and
Pouncer. Come see these superstars battle it out in a Wheelie Contest,
Qualifying, Side-by-Side Racing and Monster Truck Freestyle! Introducing the Blown Income Monster Truck!!: New monster truck owner Jeff Champ from Chilliwack, British Columbia was kind enough to send us a couple of photos of his new ride, Blown Income!! Champ purchased the El Toro Diablo truck from Jake Blackwell earlier this year and has given it a sharp-looking makeover. Thanks for the photos Jeff!! (05/14/08)
Monster Madness Featured at Rochesterfest '08!!: (Rochester, MN) The Monsters are coming to Rochester, MN during Rochesterfest 2008. World-renown monster trucks Bounty Hunter and Iron Outlaw will be in Rochester during the afternoon of June 28th to do battle with two more Monster Jam-regulars from right here in Minnesota, Martial Law (Albany, MN) and Rolling Thunder (Fairbault, MN). This is all in addition to The General Hazzard ride truck making its first ever appearance here in the Med City.
Event promoter and
Monster Mojo Live Events founder Ken Navitsky said, “This will be the
biggest Monster Truck to ever come to town!” “We have the Bounty Hunter
slated for the Parade the Friday Night before the show, and Paul Strong of
Martial Law Monster Truck Racing will be at the Ronald McDonald House with
his Monster on Friday during the afternoon as well for all of the kids and
their families here in Rochester”.
Joe Sylvester Motorsports
Welcomes Ethos Fuel Reformulator!!:
(Boardman, OH) Joe Sylvester Motorsports would like to
announce their newest sponsor, Ethos Fuel Reformulator. The BAD HABIT
Monster Truck Team has been using Ethos for some time now and has had
great success. “I use Ethos in all my vehicles from my 18-wheeler to my
street truck. I have noticed huge fuel savings and added power. With
today’s rising fuel costs, Ethos has helped save my operation a lot of
money!” commented team owner and driver Joe Sylvester.
Minneapolis Becomes
MTC Kick-Off Weekend!!:
(St. Louis, MO) The Paducah International Raceway event
scheduled for June 14-15 has been removed from the 2008 schedule. After
first
announcing
the event, the staff of Monster Truck Challenge was contacted by Monster
Jam about a similar event previously scheduled at a nearby location.
“While we fully intended to hold an event in the Western Kentucky area, we
believe in cooperation with our friends at Monster Jam,” stated Rich
Schaefer, General Manager of the Monster Truck Challenge. He continued,
“The situation was discussed by both companies and it was determined that
two separate events can damage the long term success of either event.”
Monster Truck Challenge has a long standing tradition of working together
with their contemporaries at Monster Jam. In 2004, Maximum Destruction
became the only truck in history to capture world championships with the
Monster Truck Challenge as well as Monster Jam. O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals Saturday Results!!: Night two of the O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals almost wasn't to be as severe weather struck all around the fairgrounds just before show time. Tornados struck 10 miles north and 4 miles south of the Miami Fairgrounds, knocking out power to the area and threatening the ability to run the event. But the skies cleared and the power returned, clearing the path for more great monster truck competition. Doug Noelke piloted the Tail Gator to the racing win, taking a close win over Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter in the semi finals and beating teammate Dale Gerding in Big Dawg in the final round. But it was to be all Creten from there on out, as Bounty Hunter dominated the wheelie and freestyle competitions!! Our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the severe weather in the area. A special thanks to John Darnell and MAP Motorsports for a great weekend of action and to all the teams and drivers for their hard work in putting on a good show. Be watching for TMBtv Episode 3 from Miami coming soon, along with a full photo gallery--stay tuned!! (05/11/08)
O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals Night One Recap!!: The O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals returned to the Miami, OK Fairgrounds Friday night with eight top monster trucks competing in racing, wheelie, and freestyle competitions. It was a great first night of action, with Doug Noelke in Tail Gator took down hometown favorite Devin Jones in Barbarian in the racing finals.
The wheelie contest took no time to get wild as Andy Hoffman stood War Wagon up on the nose with a great reverser to lead off the competition. Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter went right for the van stack, going up and over it and catching a small slap wheelie on the landing. Jones piloted Barbarian through a mini-freestyle making several big hits before finishing. But the wheelie contest win and the move of the night went to Mac Plecker in Ballistic who planted the truck on the tailgate and then made a jaw-dropping save to keep it from rolling over!!
Freestyle was all Jimmy Creten and Bounty Hunter who put on a great run that couldn't be topped, despite the best efforts of Jones in Barbarian and Noelke in Tail Gator. The first night of the O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals was a great show and all eight monster trucks will be back in action at the Miami Fairgrounds tonight. Check out www.MAPMotorsports.com for more info and we'll see you there!! (05/10/08)
Firebird Monster Truck Nationals Photo Gallery!!: TheMonsterBlog.com photo gallery from Firebird Raceway's 10th Annual Monster Truck Nationals is now online!! See nearly 300 of Ross Bonar's photos from the Firebird weekend, featuring high-flying action from Bounty Hunter, Iron Outlaw, Bigfoot, Sudden Impact, Unnamed & Untamed, Q Torque Power and Nasty Boy!! Click the link below to see the gallery and keep an eye out for TMB TV Episode #2 from Firebird early next week!! (05/10/08)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ROSS Z. BONAR'S MONSTER TRUCK NATIONALS PHOTOS!! New BIGFOOT Paint Scheme Teaser Photos!!: The folks over at BIGFOOT 4x4 were kind enough to share a few teaser pictures of an ALL NEW paint scheme that is nearing completion. The new paint scheme will be completely different from anything the team has ever done in the past!! Expectations are that the new scheme should be finished in the next couple of weeks, at which time the body will be mounted onto a truck and unveiled. Thanks to the guys at Bigfoot for the preview, be sure to check out www.Bigfoot4x4.com for all the latest team news!! (05/08/08)
O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals Returns to Miami, OK With 8 Trucks - UPDATE!!: (Springfield, MO) The O'Reilly Outlaw National Championship Motor Spectacular is returning to the Miami Fairgrounds in Miami, Oklahoma this Friday & Saturday with eight monster trucks!! The event will feature shows 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, Ballistic, Tail Gator, 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! UPDATE - Monster Blog Weekend Update: We are heading out for the weekend to the O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals in Miami, OK where eight trucks will compete in racing and freestyle Friday and Saturday night!! The Miami event will also be featured in the third episode of TMBtv. The second episode from Firebird Int'l Raceway is expected to be released early next week, with episode three from Miami coming later in the week. Stay tuned, lots of good stuff coming your way right here at TheMonsterBlog.com!! (05/08/08)
O'Reilly Raceway Park
In Indianapolis Added to MLMT Schedule!!:
(Lubbock, TX) It was announced today by the Major League of
Monster Trucks (MLMT) that an event on Saturday
August
2nd at the O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis has been added to the
schedule for the 2008 MLMT season. Qualifying starts at 3pm, the pit party
will run from 5:00pm to 6:30pm and racing starts at 7:00pm. WHR Motorsports Announces 2008 Monster Madness Truck Lineups!!: WHR Motorsports has announced the truck lineups for their upcoming Monster Madness events!! The first event takes place in Monroe, WA May 24th-25th at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, WA. The next weekend the tour stops in Spokane, WA at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, with events May 30th and 31st. The three week tour ends in Missoula, MT at the Western Montana Fairgrounds June 6th-7th. See below for the truck lineups for each event, and for more info on the 2008 Monster Madness tour, check out www.WHRMotorsports.com!! (05/07/08)
Springfield, MO Monster Truck Thunder Drags Coverage!!: TheMonsterBlog.com's full event coverage from this past weekend's Monster Truck Thunder Drags is now online!! Click the links below to see 250 photos from Ross Z. Bonar, along with full event video footage courtesy of Shane Skinner from both of Saturday's shows, and a great weekend highlight video by our good friend Colby Marshall. Thanks to Special Events for their hospitality and a great weekend of monster trucks in Springfield, as well as to all the teams and drivers for their hard work. We hope you enjoy our coverage from Springfield!! (05/06/08)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ROSS BONAR'S MONSTER TRUCK THUNDER DRAGS PHOTOS!! CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SPRINGFIELD, MO EVENT FOOTAGE & HIGHLIGHT VIDEO!!
Monster Spectacular
20th Anniversary Tour Update!!: (By Doug De Nance)
Sheryl Prince was ready to be a winner on the first night of the Monster
Spectacular's two day stand in
Brandon,
Manitoba, Canada. Two previous contestants had already been defeated by
the "Big Question contest, incorrectly answering questions about how “big”
are monster trucks. Now it was time for Sheryl to clinch the prize. Monsters Tour of Destruction Update & South Pacific World Finals Event Announced!!: The KC's Fireworks Monsters Tour of Destruction rolled into the Townsville Showgrounds in Queensland, Australia Saturday, making their second apperance in that area. The prior year's event was held at the now demolished Townsville Speedway. What a show it turned out to be as the USA's two-time Shafer Motorsports Champion driver James Tigue II flew in just 24 hours before the event to pilot the Batman truck. This was the same chassis Tigue drove during his last visit when it was competing under the Monster Patrol name.
James didn't waste
anytime getting back into action with the biggest jumps this truck has
ever seen!! In the sky wheelie competition, James won with three
breath-taking wheelies, one that nearly resulted in Batman ending up on
its side--his final score was a 9 out of 10. A very close second was
16-year-old Billy Featherby driving Scooby Doo with a score of 8--he blew
his chances of a victory by making his last jump a high air jump that
doesn't score under Aussie rules as they must be real sky wheelies. Third
place was 14-year-old Jaye Featherby with a score of 6 driving Bearfoot
and fourth went to Barry Gaunt with a score of 4 driving Aussie Predator.
New Tail Gator, Big Dawg Diecast Toys!!: You've seen the other trucks featured in the new Rough Riders Monster Truck diecast toy series, but check out the new Tail Gator and Big Dawg trucks!! They are now available at any events the Big Dawg 4x4 team is competing at, so keep your eyes peeled for these great new monster truck toys. Check out www.BigDawg4x4.com to see when Big Dawg and Tail Gator are coming to your town!! (05/05/08)
SIR Drivers Do Some
Spring Cleaning at the Track!!:
(Jefferson, LA) While some teams show their strength in racing, and
others show theirs in freestyle, the Sudden Impact Racing
team’s
lineup of drivers have been putting on a show of strength in both
categories in 2008. While it is hard to balance out both, the SIR team
managed to do just that this past weekend. Christensen, Krmel Take Headlines In Springfield!!: Round Three of the 2008 Monster Truck Thunder Drags series is in the books after an action-packed weekend in Springfield, MO!! The annual Ozark 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals featured three events for the monster trucks, with Kreg Christensen in Iron Outlaw taking down Frank Krmel in Bob & Tom in two of the three racing competitions and Krmel beating Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter in the other. Krmel also stole the spotlight in the weekend's freestyle competitions with some great performances, along with strong runs from, most notably, Creten, Christensen, and Doug Noelke in Tail Gator. Lots of coverage coming your way from the weekend's action including a full photo gallery and lots of video too. A huge thanks to the fine folks at Special Events for their hospitality this weekend, be sure to check out www.FamilyEvents.com for more information on the 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals and the Monster Truck Thunder Drags!! (05/03/08)
Monster Truck Thunder Drags Take Over Springfield, MO This Weekend!!: The Special Events Ozark 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals is back at the Missouri Entertainment & Events Center in Springfield this weekend featuring the Monster Truck Thunder Drags!! Missouri trucks Tail Gator and Big Dawg will take on Kansans Bounty Hunter and Iron Outlaw, along with the corporate trucks Bob & Tom and Monster Mutt in three shows Saturday and Sunday. The Monster Blog will be on hand for all the action Saturday, with our good friend Colby Marshall taking over the coverage duties on Sunday. For more information on this weekend's Springfield 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals, head on over to www.FamilyEvents.com. We'll be out on the road this weekend, so stay tuned for updates when we return on Sunday night!! (05/02/08)
SIR Owner Lagarde
Announces Joint Associate Sponsor Program!!:
(Jefferson, LA) Sudden Impact Racing and Brandon Lagarde are
proud to announce their latest contribution to
the
sport of monster truck racing. The Joint Associate Sponsorship Program
(JASP) is a growing membership of monster truck teams that share a number
of associate sponsorships and beneficial sub-programs that are designed to
help member teams advance to higher levels in the sport.
JASP is committed to
increasing sponsor awareness and exposure levels, as well has benefiting
the sport as a whole. To join JASP, teams will be elected into the program
by existing members. “We see this as a means to ensure quality control.
Many sponsors are not up to speed on the current state of the sport, so we
feel that member teams can and will act as a sort of ‘quality control’
that will keep JASP strong and productive,” said Lagarde. Sponsors
currently involved in JASP include Amsoil, a leading manufacturer of
synthetic oil products, and SuperWraps, a state-of-the-art vinyl graphics
supplier. But the benefits of JASP are not limited solely to sponsors.
Lagarde also stated that “Members will also be able to partake in our
Mini-Medical plan, which is a sort of insurance program for teams whom
might otherwise not have coverage. We have a graphic arts department
coming together that will help teams in designing various products and
truck body schemes; we will also be welcoming member input on a number of
product development initiatives that we are undertaking.” What sorts of
new product initiatives can the sport be looking forward to as a result of
the JASP program? “Let’s just put it this way,” said Lagarde. “Tires are
just the beginning. We definitely aren’t stopping there; there’s a whole
lot more to come.” Mad Trax Added to SIR Roster!!: (Jefferson, LA) The newest addition to the Sudden Impact Racing team won’t be wearing blue tires anytime soon. In fact, it won’t be wearing any tires at all. In an effort to increase the versatility and broad appeal of the SIR team, Brandon Lagarde and co. have completed delivery of the Mad Trax monster tank. Fans can expect to see the machine making special appearances later on during the summer, but not before the SIR shop gets their hands on this beast. “Mad Trax will undergo a few changes at our shop to align it with our existing fleet of vehicles, and that includes some changes in the tank’s engine program,” said Lagarde. “The tank will feature the same motor program that our race trucks are currently utilizing, so there shouldn’t be any question as to whether or not it has enough power on tap,” he added.
Once the SIR shop has
completed its work on the Mad Trax machine, fans can expect to see it
hitting the track with the same ferocity that the SIR trucks have become
known for. “There’s a whole generation of monster truck fans who’ve never
witnessed anything like a monster tank in action,” Lagarde noted. “After a
brief bit of popularity in the late 80’s, these things kind of fell off
the radar. We aren’t necessarily looking to re-form a whole class of
vehicle per se, but I think that fans who weren’t watching this stuff back
then will get a real kick out of it. It’s almost like a brand-new type of
vehicle all over again; you just don’t see things like this much anymore.”
As one would expect, a complete servicing of the tank will take place
before it hits the track, and that includes a fresh dosage of Amsoil
products in the Mad Trax.
O'Reilly MTRSS
Returns to Ft. Smith, AR This Weekend!!:
(Springfield, MO) Auto Master & Wendy’s presents the
O’Reilly Monster Truck Racing Super Series as it storms into Harper
Stadium in Fort Smith, AR for one wild, heartstopping weekend Friday &
Saturday, May 2-3 at 7:30 p.m. both nights. Click image to view full event poster!!
From the Jurassic
Age, see the world’s only jet powered dinosaur Transaurus. Standing over 3
stories tall and weighing more than 25 tons, you will witness him burn a
car to the ground and eat it before your eyes. You won’t believe the
destructive power of this metal monster. Plus, you’ll see the Tuff Trux –
Pro Stadium Trucks direct from TV as they fly over the obstacle course in
all out motorized mayhem. Wild & crazy action you have to see to believe!! Erie Monster Nationals Photo Gallery!!: The 2008 Monster Nationals 15th Anniversary Tour was in Erie, PA this past weekend and Monster Blog Staff Member Paul M. Harry was on hand for all the action Saturday night!! Doug Noelke started the night off by taking the wheelie contest win over Shane Smith in Iron Man. Bobby Holman followed by winning the donut contest over Jocelyn Perrin in Lil' Miss Dangerous who rolled during her attempt. That wouldn't stop Perrin from coming back to take the freestyle victory, clinching the 2008 Monster Nationals Freestyle Championship in the process. Doug Noelke would then drive Tail Gator to yet another racing victory over Dan Patrick in Samson, clinching the 2008 Monster Nationals Racing title!! Check out all of Paul's photos from the event by clicking the link below, a big thanks to George Eisenhart and the Monster Nationals staff for their hospitality!! (05/01/08)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PAUL M. HARRY'S ERIE MONSTER NATIONALS PHOTOS!!
Monster Spectacular
20th Anniversary Tour Update!!: (By Doug De Nance)
Twenty-six year veteran Mike Vaters epitomizes the extraordinary monster
truck driver. Each and every night he
rides
Black Stallion to the ragged edge and somehow, miraculously, reins in the
monster before crossing that boundary of disaster. But the competition in
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, who were all driving hard in pursuit of the
coveted Monster Spectacular championship, almost caused Vaters to break
that barrier of destruction and inevitably have to pull the “plug”.
(Photo by www.FlagWorld.com, courtesy Chris Arel Motorsports)
It looked like this would be a requirement for Black
Stallion during Saturday night’s Monster Freestyle. Hitting his signature
“Reverser” reverse wheelie is one thing in the tight confines of a hockey
arena concrete show. But blasting massive air over a double van stack and
landing in a bicycle on two wheels is another. Just when it looked like
Black Stallion was going to go belly up, Vaters somehow drove out of it.
He didn’t stop there, cranking the steering wheel into a whirling cyclone
donut and tossing that very same steering wheel out onto the arena floor
while continuing to spin. SIR Turns Up The Heat In Georgia, Arizona!!: (Jefferson, LA) The Sudden Impact Racing team was at it again this past weekend, with four trucks split evenly between Phoenix, AZ and Woodstock, GA. Sean Duhon in the Amsoil T-Maxx and Kevin King in the Amsoil Sudden Impact took to the drag strip at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix for the 10th Annual Tire Pros Monster Truck Nationals, while Jon Zimmer in the Amsoil T-Maxx2 and John Killinger in the Amsoil Sudden Impact 2 ripped up the Dixie Speedway track in Woodstock. Both pairs of trucks held their own and left a lasting impression on the fans in both places, further proving that the SIR team is on track for one of their most successful years yet.
In Phoenix, Duhon and
King had their work cut out for them, as they squared off in multiple
exhibition and freestyle competitions against a stacked field of
powerhouse trucks and drivers. Among the field of trucks and drivers
looking to top the field in Phoenix were Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter
(along with two other team trucks), Dan Runte in Bigfoot, and the Sturges
Motorsports trucks of Sam and Ronnie Sturges. The majority of the trucks
in Phoenix would be relying on SIR-brand racing tires to carry them
through the weekend of punishing abuse on the dragstrip, a true testament
to the reliability and durability of the SIR-brand racing tires. As
Saturday night’s event kicked off, Duhon and the T-Maxx machine suffered
crippling engine damage in the form of a blown head gasket during
introductions, leaving Kevin King and the Sudden Impact machine to carry
the team’s colors into the night. King would prove to be up to the task,
as he piloted the truck into a three-way tie for first place in the
night’s grueling Freestyle competition, which featured the trucks
performing wheelies, donuts, and grabbing big air off of various
obstacles. Sunday’s event would feature much of the same, as the SIR
trucks again threw down the gauntlet on the confines of the Firebird
Raceway dragstrip. “It is always a good feeling to do well after driving
so far out west here to put on a show for these great Phoenix fans,” said
Kevin King. “I feel bad for Sean that his motor laid down Saturday night,
but all in all we were able to take up some slack with our Amsoil Sudden
Impact. Between the air, the wheelies, and the blue tires, I think SIR has
left its mark on Phoenix!” Bigfoot 4x4 Unveils New Dan Runte & Rick Long Websites!!: (Hazelwood, MO) Dan Runte and Rick Long now have their own websites: www.DanRunte.us and www.RickLong.us!! Go to both sites to see personalized photos, videos, biography, and the new “Question Of The Month” (QOTM). The QOTM is where you can submit a question for Dan or Rick, and, if we choose your question to post on the site, you will receive a personalized, autographed 8x10 photo signed by the driver sent to you, absolutely FREE! Also, check out the “Contributor’s Photo Gallery”. This is where you can submit your very own pictures of either driver, taken from any event that BIGFOOT appears in, and, if approved, get them posted on that site!
Also, this year we have had a lot of new merchandise. Well, it's still coming: check out the www.Bigfoot4x4.com Online Store to see a new t-shirt and a new BIGFOOT Presents: Meteor DVD! (05/01/08) Albuquerque Monster Jam Photo Gallery!!: Catching up on some coverage from earlier this year...Monster Jam returned to the Tingley Coliseum February 15th-17th and Monster Blog Staff Member Lauren Z. Bonar was on hand for all of Saturday and Sunday's competition!! His photo gallery from the two events, featuring Iron Outlaw, Raminator, Rammunition, T-Maxx, Sudden Impact, Pit Bull, Tuff Enuff, and McGruff, is now online!! Click the link below to check out all of the photos--thanks and enjoy!! (05/01/08)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW LAUREN Z. BONAR'S ALBUQUERQUE MONSTER JAM PHOTOS!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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