Article By Kyle Doyle - May 26th, 2008

Although the monster truck industry is never short on hot topics, lately there has been a lot of talk flying around about the Monster Truck Challenge series, which is set to kick off in June in Minneapolis, MN. At the helm of the Monster Truck Challenge series is Rich Schaefer, MTC’s General Manager. Rich’s career in monster trucks is both deep and diverse; most recently, Rich was a part of the highly-controversial MLMT project in 2007. But now, with the help of a crack staff and some key individuals behind the scenes, he is back at the controls of the Monster Truck Challenge series, a namesake that is almost synonymous with the Schaefer name. There are, however, a lot of questions surrounding this year’s MTC series. So with that in mind I went right to the source, Mr. Schaefer himself, to get the facts on what could very well prove to be the biggest series of outdoor events to hit the sport in the last decade.

The first thing you notice when you sit down to talk with Rich is he doesn’t fit the stereotypical monster truck persona. Some promoters I’ve met come off as being shady, or even bombastic, but Rich gives off a vibe akin to that of an experienced, high-level sports marketing guru. But in many ways, he is that person in regards to the monster truck industry. While some people may target an auto parts chain or an automotive manufacturer to sponsor their series, Rich tends to think farther outside of that box than most, exploring avenues that might have otherwise been left untouched by the monster truck industry.

I sat down with Rich earlier this year for lunch at a St. Louis area restaurant, and as I looked across the table I could see that the wheels were constantly turning inside his head. Over a classic lunch of sweet tea, bacon cheeseburgers, and French fries, we discussed how things have changed for him over the last few years, and what he’s gone through to get to the point he is at now. While I’ve had different opinions than Rich on a number of topics over the years, he’s always been one to effectively deliver his point in a professional, well-thought out way. Deep down, I’ve always felt that he has consistently tried to look out for the overall good of the sport, and after our lunchtime huddle in west St. Louis those beliefs of mine were reaffirmed. Although our conversation was of a private nature, I can tell you that I’m more than excited to see the product he and his concise crew at the MTC offices are going to bring to the track this summer. But as I left the restaurant and headed to my next destination, I knew that I needed to pick Rich’s brain some more, so that I could share with The Monster Blog’s readers some of the great ideas and plans that he has. Furthermore, I thought some back info on Rich would go a long way in helping casual monster truck fans and newer industry members learn a bit more about him, and why he may very well be the most underrated and important personality in the area of monster truck promotions today.
 

The new Monster Truck Challenge logo for 2008 and beyond.

Kyle Doyle: What is the status of the Monster Truck Challenge series now? What do you have in store for 2008, and beyond?

Rich Schaefer: We’re still doing what we’ve done for years – putting on the best monster truck event within our means. Our crew of employees, event staff, and volunteers puts on solid events and they treat the sport with integrity. That’s the focus. We believe that if we do quality events, people will keep coming back.

We’re adding great concerts to the events. I just listened to an incredible group called “The Harters” that Broken Bow Records will be bringing to some of our shows this year; we absolutely have to have them at some events this year. They are truly incredible and they’re going to be stars. I think we’re going to add them in Minneapolis next month. We’re going to try to bounce around the concerts a little bit so our fans can go to several events and see several different great performers.

We’re going to add some show-and-shine to several events. And we’ve got a 40’ long Monster Truck Limo being built up at Dan Patrick’s shop right now that should do some cool stuff at the events. It’s a pretty wild show piece. And we’re looking into purchasing our own video screen to take to every show. We want to do bigger tracks. We want to do more teams. Monster Truck Challenge is not just a monster truck event. It’s really becoming so much more.

I’ve personally contacted Jack Willman and Fred Shafer asking them to attend the Gateway event on July 26th so we can pay tribute to them as well as Jim Kramer. They’re the first class of Hall of Fame inductees that we intend to do every year in St. Louis.

I think we should have police cars on the track in Myrtle Beach. We’re going to try to give every event something unique that defines the show.

KD: It looks like the St. Louis event is shaping up to be one of the landmark events of the year. I’m sure many teams and fans (myself, as well) will definitely appreciate the flavor that some live music will add to the events.

Moving right along, tell us more about the innovative track designs that Monster Truck Challenge was involved in laying out at last year’s events. Can we expect more of that in future MTC events?

RS: Innovative track designs have been a part of the Monster Truck Challenge philosophy dating back to the TNT Motorsports events. Figure 8’s in Louisville. Three wide in Texas. The big rollers on the starting line at so many events. We have never strayed away from that approach that was such a strong part of the TNT vision for monster truck racing. In NASCAR, that is part of what makes events like Talladega, Bristol, and Indy stand apart from the other events. The tracks create a unique racing experience for both the drive and the fan.

It’s important to keep the drivers excited about what we’re doing. When a driver like Dan Runte, Doug Noelke, or Dan Patrick approaches you after an event and tells you how much fun they had out there on the track, it means something to us. That’s special. And it translates into the way the drivers act in front of the crowd. That genuine excitement spills over on the microphone and at the autograph sessions with the fans.

We were pretty happy with the way our tracks turned out last year. It’s difficult because the staff at Lowe’s Motor Speedway likes to have all the action up close to the fans. So starting the trucks around the corner behind the school bus was a tough sell. But LMS has always given us a chance to try things there. They know we want to do what is best for the Back To School Bash.
 

Charlotte 2007.

Las Vegas certainly created a reaction when rumors broke that we were building a cross-over. The inspiration was the Race Of Champions event held in Europe each year. And it was something our staff discussed in great detail before we said, “Let’s do it.” That’s part of the reason we’re so selective about the trucks in our events. You have to have strong equipment to run our course designs. It’s not monster truck easy.

Kentucky was such a vast amount of real estate that we had to come up with something that had a lot of “left to right” in it from the fan’s view point. We put a kink in it after every jump to break the speed. That course didn’t turn out exactly like I wanted it. But you can’t win every battle.
 

Kentucky 2007.

Nashville was the track that almost wasn’t. Mother nature gave us a lot of curve balls that week getting the track built. And she took a toll on the venue. All that heavy equipment moving on such soft terrain just beat up Nashville Superspeedway. But the great staff at that venue understood the difficulties we were up against and stuck with it. At the end of it all, Nashville told the teams you better have it all – suspension, horsepower, and driver. There were areas that favored the Hemis and areas that favored the wedge heads. It was a pretty good example of what can be done.

Nashville 2007.

Yes, you can expect to see more of it. It all comes down to the economics of the event. We’ll never quit working on creating racing courses with a personality. But the events have to be able to sustain the cost of constructing and deconstructing the racing surface. We have to work within the means provided to us through ticket sales and sponsorship. This is a high dollar production with a low dollar cost of admission. It is a challenge.

KD: I would definitely say that last year’s tracks really turned some heads and pushed people’s concept of what a monster track could and should be. And who could forget moments like Andy Hoffman in Nitemare leaping over Dan Runte’s Summit Bigfoot?
 

Great tracks like the one in Nashville can produce breathtaking moments in hard-nose racing.

Speaking of trucks, what are some of the things you look for when deciding on potential truck lineups for your events? Do you have a core list of trucks that you seek out first, and then go from there?

RS: What don’t we look for? First of all, there has to be balance. Every truck has to be a contender. We want every driver to feel like he or she was brought there to win, whether that means freestyle or racing. Every event is a title fight. And if you don’t want to go home with the belt, don’t get in the ring. Yes, there is a core list. It has a lot of trucks on it. We wish we could use them all, all the time.

KD: If a team wanted to impress Rich Schaefer and become a part of your events, what are some things that they could work on to get noticed?

RS: You don’t need to impress me. It’s primarily what the ticket buyers think that matters. There are also several trucks we work with that were recommended by someone else in the business. Dan Runte recommended Doug Noelke years ago. Dennis Anderson asked me to put Steve Simms in an event. And thankfully, for 2008, I’ve been blessed to turn over a lot of that responsibility to Ryan Seddon now. He’ll build some great line-ups for the fans this year.
 

The stars of the 2008 Monster Truck Challenge series.

The main thing for a driver is to use common sense. Operate within your means. We love seeing you show up in a nice trailer. But not if you can’t put a decent motor in the truck too. Drive big, but not over your head. Be selective about what other events you participate in. Make good decisions.

Make sure the image of the truck fits the image of the team. American Guardian is a name that fits the Dan Galvis operation very well. It means something personal to them. And the fans can feel that connection. The name Samson fits Dan Patrick’s truck. That truck is strong. Each team and truck is a story. It’s a brand, not just a name.

KD: What are some of the biggest challenges in getting a “new” sponsored series off the ground in the economically challenging world of today? What are some of the biggest hurdles that have to be overcome when trying to land potential series sponsors? Is it tough to overcome the “Why start something new, when I can sponsor something existing?” mentality that some sponsors have?

RS: One issue is brand recognition in a crowded marketplace. There are so many events out there, that we have to rely greatly on word-of-mouth from people that have attended our events to get the word out to the public that they like what we do and it’s worth making the trip to see a Monster Truck Challenge.

We don’t really look at the Monster Truck Challenge as a new series. The original monster truck racing series was TNT Motorsports Monster Truck Challenge that started 20 years ago. I was lucky enough to be a small part of it. The name disappeared for a while. But the philosophy behind it never did. And MTC “version 2” has been around for about 8 years. We’re not new. We’re the original with a few detours along the way.

We also have a different view of who our competition is. It’s not a company that promotes quality indoor monster truck events. We’re in the same business. We’re both successful. And we take different approaches to the events. In our view, we accentuate each other. Indoor events are a little more about freestyle than racing. We put more focus on racing. We do what is best for the venue we’re in. I hope the fans go to both types of events.

KD: I think a lot of fans expect, or even demand, large and challenging racing and freestyle tracks at bigger outdoor venues. But they often tend to underestimate the time and costs of putting together a complex infield track. Can you walk me through the process of putting together a large circuit-style track? By my count, there were over 21 crush vehicles and what? Close to ten dirt ramps of various sorts at the Nashville event. That has to be expensive.

RS: The track construction, removal, and damage repairs on a large scale track like Gateway International Raceway can exceed the entire cost of producing a the typical 6 truck show. It’s that simple. It takes time. And it takes a lot of money. Every day we’re in a facility building a track it’s a day that venue can’t be doing something else. Every day that rental equipment is on the track it costs us thousands. And it is magnified by the increasing cost of fuel. But I want the fans to expect it. I want them to demand it. We’ll give it to them if they will support it. We want to build it. But the fans have to come in person and support it.
 

MTC's Ryan Seddon operates heavy machinery in the construction of the Nashville track.

KD: Let’s hope they do.

Location is important in any aspect of business, so for you, why does St. Louis work out well as opposed to other major cities like Chicago, Dallas, New York City, etc?

RS: We actually have offices in California, Nashville and St. Louis now. For our business, the Midwest has a lot of benefits. One third of the U.S. population is within 500 miles of St. Louis. There are a lot of companies in our around the St. Louis area that are very involved and successful working within the live event industry. We’re a short drive or short flight to almost anywhere we need to be.

You just can’t ignore the historical significance of this city to the monster truck industry. NASCAR would call Charlotte home. Open wheel racing would have to call Indianapolis its home. How can you look at anywhere other than St. Louis as the home of monster trucks? Bigfoot, Bear Foot, Taurus, Wild Hair, and so many other great names from the early days of monster truck racing hail from this area. This is the home. And that’s why we decided it was time to bring the Monster Truck Challenge to Gateway International Raceway.

KD: Many fans would like to see truck and tractor pulling integrated back into some monster truck events. As someone with extensive experience working in both fields, do you feel that pulling and monsters typically operate at different tempos, and that they don’t compliment each other the way they once did, many years ago?

RS: They just don’t always work well together anymore. They have become such different events with such different crowds. I won’t say we’ll never do it. There might be a place and time for it. But in general terms, they don’t create the same effect at the box office that they did 10 years ago as a combo event.

If you love pulling go to Bowling Green, Ohio or Chapel Hill, Tennessee or Tomah, Wisconsin this summer. But only if they’re on a weekend when there is no Monster Truck Challenge!

KD: A press release on the Monster Truck Challenge site mentions businessman Benny Brown and gives readers a brief insight into his background and what he’s involved in. Can you share with us a bit more about how you got hooked up with Benny, as well as some of the plans you’ve been working on with Benny, including the involvement of high-profile country music acts at certain events in 2008?

RS: There is some truth to the saying that every cloud has a silver lining. The short version is simply that this guy went from almost nothing to be very financially successful. And he did it with hard work and integrity. One thing I noticed about Mr. Brown is that people that work for him are happy and have a tendency to stay in his business family for decades. He doesn’t get into anything to quit. He asks you what you need and why. He enjoys helping people grow. And he surrounds himself, and you with people that can help you accomplish the goal. There is a comfort level with this leadership team that is truly exciting for me. He brings credibility and opens doors for us that previously were closed.
 

Broken Bow Records artist Megan Mullins performs before the Kentucky 2007 event.

KD: Let’s step back in time for a bit now. How did you actually get your start in monster trucks? A lot of people know you and your family’s name and associate it with the pulling world and the old TNT series of the late 1980’s, but I think the newer generation of monster truck fans may be a bit in the dark on this topic.

RS: My father was involved with tractor pulling before I was born. He ran an Oliver 88 Super Stock tractor. Eventually, he started building the pulling sleds. We were hooking Bigfoot on the sled at county fairs before anyone knew what a monster truck was. Dad ran pulling sleds for TNT Motorsports and I skipped as much school as I could without sacrificing my grades to get to those events.

Rich Schaefer: "This is one of our old sleds. This was Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, around '84 or '85."

My first payday from a promoter was at TNT’s first event in Cincinnati, Ohio where they paid me for helping the mascot during the show.
 

Rich Schaefer: "I admit it, one of my alter egos was Go Go The Gorilla back when I was in high school."

I continued to work with TNT while I was in high school and college. That eventually turned into a full time position. When TNT sold to the USHRA in 1990, it was a shaky situation for me. I didn’t really know how the transition would work out. But as fate would have it, I found the change ideal. Working for Charlie Mancuso is something I wouldn’t take back for anything. He’s a hell of a teacher.
 

Rich Schaefer: "Charlie Mancuso making fun of my beard. Notice Scott Stephens in the background."

It was a pretty charmed life growing up. I always felt like I had an extended family by growing up with TNT and continuing that with the USHRA. I still feel that way today.
 

Rich Schaefer: "Minutes before this shot was taken, our Choo-Choo Customs Chevrolet was in pristine shape.
And parked inside a building. Then the tornado hit. I was in the truck with Tracy Smart on our way to the
Monster Truck Challenge event in Pueblo, CO in June of 1990."

KD: What are some of your fondest memories from the TNT era of monster truck racing and truck and tractor pulling?

RS: Putting my name in the top of the Astrodome. Bowling Green, Ohio on a Saturday night. A road trip to Salt Lake City, Utah and another one to Burlington, Vermont (the details of which will remain private!).

The 1990 mini-tour that included Weedsport and Middletown, NY will always stick with me. Gary Porter. Mike Wine. Dennis Anderson. You can use your imagination.

How can anyone ever forget one of the most famous crashes of all time? Myrtle Beach. Police cars. King Kong. That was just kind of the icing on the cake that weekend. [At one point during the weekend] a concession stand caught on fire next to our merchandise trailer. Mike Wine hopped in a loader and plowed through some chain link fencing, getting to the trailer and shoving it to safety. He was at the track while the rest of us were at the hotel experimenting with how much laundry detergent we could put in the hot tub.

There are plenty of funny memories and stories. But I can’t explain how special every person and every memory is. Maybe we’ll get together next year for the 30th anniversary of when TNT was started and have a story telling session.
 

Rich Schaefer: "Who in the hell picked out my clothes back then? This is Charlie Mancuso, Bob DeWire, and

myself having some fun at Cleveland Stadium. I remember that show because it was the same weekend as

the O.J. Simpson car chase that made white Ford Broncos a hot ticket. The whole staff watched it together

in the hotel room."

KD: That would definitely be something to witness. I think that the monster truck industry and its, shall we say, “diverse” population (both past and present) make for some of the most entertaining bench racing stories of all time. Anyways…

A surprising amount of monster truck teams and long-time fans feel that the “glory days” of the monster truck industry ended in the early 1990’s when SRO/Pace (now Live Nation) bought out TNT, and the sport’s popularity dropped off for awhile as the 90’s progressed. Do you agree with those sentiments? Likewise, do you feel that the next “golden age of monster trucks” could be just around the corner?

RS: Not at all. I think our sport, like many sports was affected by the economy in the early 90’s. But you can’t look at the attendance numbers of our sport overall and say the glory days are gone.

I don’t know if I would say we’re facing the next “golden age.” But I would say that we’re writing a new chapter. There are a lot of factors in the economy that will change this business. We have to be prepared for the changing needs of our ticket buyers. That’s why we’re trying to add value to the events with the addition of country music concerts to some events. We have to account for the increased operating costs for our teams, primarily fuel costs. It’s probably the most challenging and exciting chapter we’ve written to date.

KD: What involvement did you have in the monster truck industry over the course of the 90’s? How and when did you end up promoting your own events?

RS: After the buyout of TNT, I was working for the USHRA. My first priority at that time was running the Ford/Red Man All American Pulling Series. But it also included involvement in Monster Trucks and a couple Supercross events. I felt the need to be closer to my family so I eventually left the company and moved back to St. Louis where I worked at Bigfoot for a few years up in the office. But once you’ve worked on the promoter side of the business, it’s hard to stay away from it. So I started doing events again around 1999, and the rest is history, as they say.
 

Rich Schaefer: "This is myself, Mike Galloway, and Doc Riley at the Charlotte Coliseum. I believe this was right before the cup of soda hit Mike in the face."

Rich Schaefer: "Video timing in West Lebanon, NY."

KD: That’s great stuff. I’m sure our readers are enjoying the classic and candid photos you’ve been kind enough to share with us. One last question, though:

I know a lot of teams and fans look at you as a guy that has a pretty good handle on where this industry has been, where it is now, and where it needs to go. Many also look at you and think “Here’s a guy who just needs a bit of outside help to really blow up and go big.” How do you react towards feelings like that?

RS: That’s flattering. But I think that would be putting a little too much stock in my role. I have a reputation of being outspoken on my views concerning this business. Most people appreciate that. A few do not.

This industry is already big. It’s just that I’m trying to figure out how to keep it growing. We can learn from other event properties. Believe it or not, PGA Golf has a lot of similarities. And we learn from what the country music industry is doing as well.

The continued growth of this business isn’t based just on outside help. It has to come from within too. It’s a group effort. Teams have to make smart decisions. Everyone has to respect the integrity of the business.

I can honestly say that it feels like I’ve got some quality help around me right now. Great people. So I guess the pressure is on now, huh? Why don’t you hop in a car (or truck) and come to a Monster Truck Challenge and keep an eye on how we’re doing?

KD:  I'll second that. Rich, we'd like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with us. We look forward to seeing what you and the Monster Truck Challenge crew have in store for us this year!

To all of our readers, be sure to check out www.MonsterTruckChallenge.com to keep up with all of the latest news, event information, and get your tickets while they last, you won't be disapointed!!
 

-KD

Photos by Kyle Doyle, Ross Z. Bonar, and courtesy of Rich Schaefer.

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