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Week Ending: December 17th, 2011
Truck(s) Featured: Ballistic (Mac Plecker)
Video Type: Television Promo Spot
Courtesy: www.YouTube.com
Description: Mac Plecker and Ballistic filmed a promo spot for the NBA on TNT back in November. The spot premieres this week and features NBA stars Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. Check it out and a big congrats to Mac and the team on this big time exposure!
(Undisclosed Location, USA – Monster Truck Mafia PR) – The Monster Truck Mafia is opening its membership rolls to one lucky driver in advance of the 2012 season!
We’ve been looking for the perfect driver to join our ranks and we combed the entire monster truck industry searching for someone talented enough, extreme enough and daring enough to be a part of the Monster Truck Mafia. We’ve come up with five drivers that we like, but it’s up to you, our FANS, to pick our newest member!
Who will be the newest member of the Monster Truck Mafia for 2012?
The finalists for the Monster Truck Mafia fan vote are:
Crushstation – Greg Winchenbach
Heavy Hitter – Derick Anson
Razin Kane – JR McNeal
Stinger – Zane Rettew
Titan – Donald Epidendio
Voting begins today, December 16th, and runs through New Year’s Eve. At the stroke of midnight, voting will close and we will tabulate the results and announce our new member on New Year’s Day, January 1st, 2012. Every fan will have the opportunity to vote once. Be sure to Like us on Facebook and tell us who you voted for!
Click here to cast your vote for the newest Monster Truck Mafia member!
For more information on the Monster Truck Mafia and the 2012 Fan Vote, visit www.MonsterTruckMafia.com.
The Monster Truck Mafia is a group of the most talented, most extreme and most daring monster truck drivers in the world. Only a handful of drivers have what it takes to be a part of the Mafia. Being invited to join means that you are one of the best in the sport and that you are wiling to put it all on the line in order to win. Mafia members don’t worry about crashing, broken parts, money or anything else – they only care about finding victory lane and making sure the fans go home satisfied.
The Monster Truck Mafia currently consists of:
Bad Habit – Joe Sylvester
Barbarian – Devin Jones
California Kid – BJ Johnson
Ghost Ryder – Larry Quick
Rock Star – Bill Payne
When you see a member of the Monster Truck Mafia at an event, you know you’re in for one helluva show!
(Article By Ross Z. Bonar) – The final edition of the TMB Leaderboard for 2011 is out following the last weekend of competition this year! Based on all of the information gathered through the TMB Results Tracker, we are able to statistically see who the top performing drivers have been in 2011. A total of 242 drivers have competed in monster truck events this year with an incredible 185 different drivers scoring a competition win. See below for the top 25 drivers in each of our statistical categories:
Jimmy Creten's 27 racing wins were the best in the entire industry in 2011.
1) Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 27
2) Gary Porter – Grave Digger – 24
3) Rick Long – E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 – 23
4) Darren Migues – Bounty Hunter – 19
— Ben Winslow – Bounty Hunter – 19
6) Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 18
— Chad Tingler – Grave Digger – 18
8) Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 17
9) Dan Runte – Summit Bigfoot #16 – 16
10) Jon Zimmer – Amsoil Shock Therapy – 15
— Mac Plecker – Ballistic – 15
— Allen Pezo – Predator – 15
— Scott Hartsock – Gun Slinger – 15
— Donald Epidendio – Titan – 15
15) Mike Vaters – Black Stallion – 14
— Derick Anson – Heavy Hitter – 14
17) Frank Krmel – Advance Auto Parts Grinder – 13
18) John Seasock – Advance Auto Parts Grinder – 12
— Bill Payne – Rock Star – 12
— Daron Basl – El Matador – 12
21) Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 11
— Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 11
— Larry Swim – Bigfoot Bad Boy #14 – 11
— Rob French – Twisted Dragon – 11
— Drew Haygood – Desperado – 11
— Bennett Clark – Outlaw Clydesdale – 11
Rick Long's incredible 74% racing win percentage blew away the competition in 2011.
1) Rick Long – E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 – 74%
2) Donald Epidendio – Titan – 58%
3) Gary Porter – Grave Digger – 56%
4) Dan Runte – Summit Bigfoot #16 – 50%
5) Jimmy Creten Bounty Hunter – 47%
6) Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 45%
7) Chad Tingler – Grave Digger – 44%
— Derick Anson – Heavy Hitter – 44%
9) Larry Swim – Bigfoot Bad Boy #14 – 42%
10) Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 38%
11) Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 37%
12) Nicole Johnson – Tasmanian Devil – 35%
13) Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 33%
14) Scott Hartsock – Gun Slinger – 32%
— Ben Winslow – Bounty Hunter – 32%
— Frank Krmel – Advance Auto Parts Grinder – 32%
17) Mike Vaters – Black Stallion – 31%
— Bennett Clark – Outlaw Clydesdale – 31%
— Allen Pezo – Predator – 31%
20) Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 30%
— Doug Noelke – Tail Gator – 30%
— Darren Migues – Bounty Hunter – 30%
23) Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 29%
24) Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 28%
25) Dan Patrick – Samson – 26%
(A driver must have competed in 25 racing competitions to be listed in this category)
Jimmy Creten's astounding 42 freestyle wins was tops in the 2011 season.
1) Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 42
2) Bill Payne – Rock Star – 38.5
3) Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 35
4) Ben Winslow – Bounty Hunter – 27
5) Mac Plecker – Ballistic – 26
6) Gary Porter – Grave Digger – 25.5
7) Larry Quick – Ghost Ryder – 24.5
8) Randy Brown – Grave Digger – 24
9) Jon Zimmer – Amsoil Shock Therapy – 23.5
10) Rob French – Twisted Dragon – 23
11) Bobby Holman – Lucas Oil Stabilizer – 22.5
12) Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 22
13) Darren Migues – Bounty Hunter – 21
14) Allen Pezo – Predator – 20.5
15) Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 19
16) Rod Schmidt – Grave Digger – 18
17) Jim Koehler – Avenger – 17.5
18) Chad Tingler – Grave Digger – 17
— Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 17
— Devin Jones – Barbarian – 17
21) Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 14
22) Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 13
— Steven Hill – Monkey’N Around – 13
24) Jerry Perry – Brute Force – 12
— Travis Sturges – 1/2 Pint – 12
When he wasn't backflipping, Larry Quick was dominating freestyle, winning at an incredible 74% rate.
1) Larry Quick – Ghost Ryder – 74%
2) Randy Brown – Grave Digger – 69%
3) Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 66%
4) Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 62%
5) Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 59%
— Bill Payne – Rock Star – 59%
7) Gary Porter – Grave Digger – 58%
8) Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 55%
9) Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 52%
10) Rod Schmidt – Grave Digger – 51%
11) Rob French – Twisted Dragon – 50%
12) Devin Jones – Barbarian – 47%
13) Mac Plecker – Ballistic – 46%
14) Chad Tingler – Grave Digger – 44%
15) Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 42%
— Ben Winslow – Bounty Hunter – 42%
17) Allen Pezo – Predator – 40%
— Bobby Holman – Lucas Oil Stabilizer – 40%
19) Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 39%
20) Donald Epidendio – Titan – 38%
21) Jim Koehler – Avenger – 36%
22) Jon Zimmer – Amsoil Shock Therapy – 36%
23) Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 35%
24) Steven Hill – Monkey’N Around – 34%
25) Rick Long – E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 – 32%
— Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 32%
(A driver must have competed in 25 freestyle competitions to be listed in this category)
Jimmy Creten dominated the racing/freestyle combined wins category, winning 17 more events than the next competitor.
1) Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 69
2) Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 52
3) Bill Payne – Rock Star – 50.5
4) Gary Porter – Grave Digger – 49.5
5) Ben Winslow – Bounty Hunter – 46
6) Mac Plecker – Ballistic – 41
7) Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 40
— Darren Migues – Bounty Hunter – 40
9) Jon Zimmer – Amsoil Shock Therapy – 38.5
10) Allen Pezo – Predator – 35.5
11) Chad Tingler – Grave Digger – 35
12) Rob French – Twisted Dragon – 34
13) Rick Long – E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 – 33
14) Randy Brown – Grave Digger – 32
15) Bobby Holman – Lucas Oil Stabilizer – 31.5
16) Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 30
17) Larry Quick – Ghost Ryder – 29.5
18) Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 28
19) Devin Jones – Barbarian – 27
20) Donald Epidendio – Titan – 26.5
21) Rod Schmidt – Grave Digger – 25
22) Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco -23
— John Seasock – Advance Auto Parts Grinder – 23
24) Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 22
25) Dan Runte – Summit Bigfoot #16 – 21
Gary Porter turned in another amazing year and his 57% combined racing/freestyle win percentage was tops in the entire industry.
1) Gary Porter – Grave Digger – 57%
2) Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 55%
3) Rick Long – E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 – 53%
4) Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 52%
5) Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 50%
— Larry Quick – Ghost Ryder – 50%
7) Donald Epidendio – Titan – 47%
8) Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 44%
— Chad Tingler – Grave Digger – 44%
10) Randy Brown – Grave Digger – 43%
11) Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 42%
12) Bill Payne – Rock Star – 39%
13) Ben Winslow – Bounty Hunter – 37%
— Rob French – Twisted Dragon – 37%
15) Allen Pezo – Predator – 36%
— Rod Schmidt – Grave Digger – 36%
17) Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 35%
— Mac Plecker – Ballistic – 35%
19) Dan Runte – Summit Bigfoot #16 – 34%
20) Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 33%
— Larry Swim – Bigfoot Bad Boy #14 – 33%
— Devin Jones – Barbarian – 33%
23) Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 30%
— Bobby Holman – Lucas Oil Stabilizer – 30%
— Jon Zimmer – Amsoil Shock Therapy – 30%
— Darren Migues – Bounty Hunter – 30%
(A driver must have competed in a combination of 50 racing and/or freestyle competitions to be listed in this category)
Bill Payne had one of his best years to date in 2011 and his 33 wheelie/donut/long jump wins were the best in all of monster trucks.
1) Bill Payne – Rock Star – 33
2) Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 29
— Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 28
4) Ben Winslow – Bounty Hunter – 25
— Mac Plecker – Ballistic – 25
6) Gary Porter – Grave Digger – 22
7) Devin Jones – Barbarian – 20.5
— Bobby Holman – Lucas Oil Stabilizer – 20.5
9) Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 20
10) Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 19
— Larry Quick – Ghost Ryder – 19
12) Jon Zimmer – Amsoil Shock Therapy – 17
— Allen Pezo – Predator – 17
— Rod Schmidt – Grave Digger – 17
15) Darren Migues – Bounty Hunter – 16
16) Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 14.5
17) Greg Winchenbach – Crushstation – 14
18) Rob French – Twisted Dragon – 14
19) Alex Blackwell – Captain’s Curse – 13
— Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 13
21) Chad Tingler – Grave Digger – 12
— Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 12
— Jerry Perry – Brute Force – 12
— Tim Missentzis – Storm Damage – 12
— Whit Tarlton – Spiderman – 12
— Jim Jack – Reptoid – 12
Tom Meents is the master of the major stadium event series and he proved that in 2011, racking up an incredible 17 wins in lineups of 10+ trucks.
1) Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 17
2) Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 15.5
3) Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 10
— Dan Runte – Summit Bigfoot #16 – 10
5) Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 8
6) Jim Koehler – Avenger – 7
— Darren Migues – Bounty Hunter – 7
8) Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 6
— Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 6
10) Pablo Huffaker – Grave digger – 5
— Damon Bradshaw – Air Force Afterburner – 5
— George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 5
13) Chad Tingler – Grave Digger – 4
14) Alex Blackwell – Captain’s Curse – 3
— Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 3
— Randy Brown – Grave Digger – 3
— Lee O’Donnell – Iron Man – 3
— Mark Hall – Raminator – 3
— Mat Dishman – Rammunition – 3
20) Ben Winslow – Bounty Hunter – 2
— Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 2
— Morgan Kane – Mopar Magic – 2
— Rich Hilgendorf – Spike – 2
— Sam Sturges – Unnamed & Untamed – 2
Monster Jam World Finals Racing Champion: Tom Meents, Maximum Destruction
Monster Jam World Finals Freestyle Champion: Jim Koehler, Avenger
Monster Nationals Racing Champion: Rick Long, E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15
Monster Nationals Freestyle Champion: Bobby Holman, Lucas Oil Stabilizer
Monster Truck Thunder Drags Champion: Dan Runte, E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #16
Monster Truck Winter Nationals Champion: Devin Jones, Barbarian
Monster Nation Champion: Doug Noelke, Tail Gator
AMP Tour Racing Champion: Rich Blackburne, Viper
AMP Tour Freestyle Champion: Larry Quick, Ghost Ryder
Lone Star Monster Truck Tour Champion – Ben Winslow, Bounty Hunter
Great job to all of the drivers on their outstanding performances in 2011. A special thanks to everyone who helps report in the results each week so these stats can be possible!
The TMB staff will soon begin pouring over stats in search of this year’s standout drivers as we prepare to announce the nominees for the 2011 TMB Industry Awards.
(Photos By Ross Z. Bonar, Chris Parrish, Lauren Z. Bonar and Stephanie Cotnoir)
TMB Contributor Danny Maass stopped by Midwest 4-Wheel Drive on Saturday, December 10th as BIGFOOT #18 was put on display for the first time to the general public. Fans had the chance to come by the shop and see the newly completed monster, and Santa Claus was on hand to greet the kids and hear their Christmas wishes. Special thanks to everyone with BIGFOOT for their hospitality and to Danny for these great shots!
TMB TV’s Original Series is currently scheduled to be on hand for BIGFOOT #18’s debut in Daytona Beach, Florida at the Monster X Tour event at Ocean Center. TMB TV will also be covering Dan Runte’s chase for the Toughest Monster Truck Tour/Monster Nation season championship, with the Original Series filming at the season opener in Southaven, Mississippi and ActionTracks on hand for the Youngstown, Ohio event and the season finale in Huntington, West Virginia.
All content copyright TheMonsterBlog.com 2010.
(Hazelwood, MO – BIGFOOT PR) – When rumors began to spread around the monster truck fan community a few months ago that long-time BIGFOOT® driver Rick Long was hanging up his driving gloves for good, many fans and competitors alike were quick to express their disappointment, often lamenting that Rick should come back for “one more season” in an effort to clinch yet another Monster Nationals racing title. So is Rick really leaving for good?
Word on the street is, not just yet.
With a pair of back-to-back Monster Nationals indoor racing championships behind the wheel of the E-3 Spark Plugs BIGFOOT #15 to his credit, the prospect of capturing a third title in as many years appeals to Long on various levels, not the least of which would be the fact that for the first time in the history of the tour, he will be joined by a team truck for the duration of the season.
Rick Long captured the 2011 Monster Nationals Racing Championship in his E3 Spark Plugs BIGFOOT #15.
So, will having a bit of extra firepower in his corner compel him to return to the seat for one last hurrah?
“I think [for Rick] the addition of Darron [Schnell] and the Vi-COR/Celmanax BIGFOOT #11 to the 2012 Monster Nationals tour roster is a pretty compelling reason to run one more season,” said BIGFOOT VP of Sponsorships & Business Development Bob Trent. “Any chance you get to run with one of your teammates is a bonus, especially for an entire season. Extra help in the pits and the chance to put two BIGFOOT trucks in the finals each time is definitely a good thing. Plus, Rick has always been vocal about wanting to help tutor the next class of drivers working their way up the ranks!”
Since beginning his driving career at BIGFOOT early in the 2000’s after having been a shop mechanic for some time, Long has matured into one of the most consistent and fearless drivers on the team’s roster. However, more than eight years of full-time travel on the road for the 50-year old Grafton, IL resident has taken its toll, as it does for most touring professionals. As Long himself explained “Even though my kids are almost grown up, I still miss spending time with them and the rest of my family, especially my grandson.” Long then added, with a chuckle, “Plus, I have a little bit of boating and motorcycle riding to catch up on!”
Rick Long is a three time champion and will return in 2011 to defend his back to back Monster Nationals Racing Championships.
For the BIGFOOT team, replacing Long behind the wheel of BIGFOOT #15 will not be the easiest of tasks, whenever the time may does actually come. Trent offered some insight as to how the process might take place: “At the moment, we seem to have an abundance of equipment; it’s just a matter of finding the right people to put in the seats. We’ll see how things progress; I think a lot of people look at the truck numbers and think ‘Oh, #15 must be better than #14’. Maybe that was the case at one point, but it definitely isn’t now. For us, the challenge is finding the right personality to represent our team and our sponsors, and the right driving style to keep our fans happy, because across the board I think our fleet is pretty even, regardless of the chassis number!”
BIGFOOT VP of Research, Technology, & Driver Development Jim Kramer shared his thoughts on the issue as well: “Truthfully, I look for Rick to continue driving through the bulk of the first quarter of 2012. I know he wants to try for one more championship before he retires from driving, and I know it means a lot to him to help out Darron in his first run through a full points series.” Kramer went on to explain that “Our driver pool at BIGFOOT is growing deeper every year, especially as we bring our newer guys up through the ranks alongside veterans like Rick, Larry [Swim], andDan [Runte]. But heading into 2012 I think it will be great to have both a veteran driver in Rick and a sophomore driver in Darron running alongside each other. It’s going to be a great cross-section of our driving program for the fans.”
“Even as tough as the road life is, it’s not an easy decision to walk away from putting on a good show for the fans,” said Long. “Making the fans happy is one of my favorite parts of the job. It makes for a late night after a show, but it’s a cool feeling when you know every last fan in that arena got their souvenir autographed or their question answered. Going for it one more time for the fans is definitely at the front of my mind right now.”
So with all that being said, is it safe to assume Rick will be back for a 2012 “farewell tour”? Perhaps the best answer to that question came from Long himself.
“We’ll see how things go between now and January, but I’m definitely not peeling my name off the truck yet!”
For more information on Team BIGFOOT, visit them online at www.BIGFOOT4x4.com.
Event: Bite Me Production Studios 2011 Highlight Video
Videographer: Colby Marshall
Description: From the cameras of Bite Me Production Studios, this is the fourth installment of Colby Marshall’s “Best Of” annual series of highlight videos. For this year, Colby decided to go with a concept of sorts. Video themes run through the songs, helping to visually tell the story, and, in effect, creating the very first “Monster Truck Rock Opera”. Featured this year are monster trucks, mud racing, freestyle motocross, jet cars and tough trucks, as well as some of the most beautiful scenery BMPS has ever had the privilege of shooting. [Read more…]
(Aurora, Illinois – Feld Motorsports PR) – Feld Motor Sports® is honoring the 30th anniversary of Grave Digger® in 2012 with a year-long celebration that Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam® fans will not want to miss. The entire Grave Digger race team, including creator Dennis Anderson, will be commemorating the 30 year history as the most celebrated Monster Jam monster truck of all time. Grave Digger has entertained millions of fans worldwide and has hundreds of racing and freestyle wins – including four Monster Jam World Finals℠ championships.
The black and green 30th Anniversary Grave Digger paint scheme.
Highlighting the Grave Digger 30th Anniversary celebration, which starts in January, will be three specially designed Grave Digger monster trucks, a traveling fan experience, limited edition merchandise, and interactive promotions. Monster Jam fans can get up close to the newly designed versions of Grave Digger and participate in the traveling Grave Digger 30th Anniversary Experience, as part of the Monster Jam pre-show Party in the Pits. The Grave Digger 30th Anniversary Experience, which will tour to all Monster Jam events in which Grave Digger will be performing, features a historical timeline from Grave Digger’s humble beginning to its rise in popularity, exclusive vintage attractions, limited edition merchandise like the Grave Digger 30th Anniversary DVD, broadcasts of thrilling moments from Monster Jam events spanning three decades, and more!
Also part of the celebration is a full line of exclusive limited edition Grave Digger 30th Anniversary merchandise available at mass retail outlets where Monster Jam products are sold.
“It is such an honor and a privilege to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Grave Digger in 2012 with the millions of Monster Jam fans around the globe,” said Dennis Anderson, Grave Digger creator and driver. “The Grave Digger racing team has been bad to the bone for 30 years, and we are excited to show off these special edition 30th Anniversary monster trucks and celebrate with the fans at the Grave Digger 30th Anniversary Experience inside the Monster Jam Party in the Pits.”
The purple Grave Digger 30th Anniversary paint scheme.
Monster Jam partners like K’NEX construction toys also are paying homage to Grave Digger’s 30th anniversary by completing a massive top-secret project with a group of talented builders at Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) based in the United Kingdom. The project dubbed BIG BUILD will be revealed in early 2012. BIG BUILD took the team at RBLI more than 300 hours over the course of three months to construct by hand and used more than 700,000 K’NEX pieces. This week the BIG BUILD began its trans-Atlantic pilgrimage from RBLI headquarters in Kent, on England’s southeastern coast, to the United States in preparation for its official unveiling at the beginning of January.
“Grave Digger has spent 30 year entertaining Monster Jam fans, and we will pay special tribute to its place in the history books by honoring the legendary monster truck throughout the 2012 season,” said Charlie Mancuso, president, Feld Motor Sports. “It’s not only a celebration of Grave Digger, but it’s more importantly a celebration of the millions of Monster Jam fans around the world who have supported Grave Digger through the years.”
The green 30th Anniversary Grave Digger paint scheme.
No stone has been left unturned for fans to join in the celebration and all of the fun and excitement of the 30-year history of Grave Digger. Monster Jam fans can get their first sneak peak of the Grave Digger 30th Anniversary celebration on December 24th with the Monster Jam television special airing on CBS, which will provide highlights of 2011 Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam season along with exclusive Grave Digger 30th Anniversary features. Interactive promotions for Grave Digger fans also can be found on MonsterJam.com and Monster Jam’s Facebook Fan page.
Tickets are available today at www.MonsterJam.com. Stay tuned for upcoming Grave Digger 30th Anniversary announcements at www.facebook.com/mjonline, and www.twitter.com/monsterjam.
Feld Motor Sports®, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Nuclear Cowboyz®, and IHRA® Nitro Jam®. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment. For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.
Founded in 1992, K’NEX Brands, the world’s most innovative construction toy company, was established to make and sell what has become one of the world’s leading integrated construction systems for children. Winner of over 200 international awards and recognitions, K’NEX is America’s building toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love, and encourages youngsters to “imagine, build and play.” Since 1992, The Rodon Group, a subsidiary of K’NEX Brands, L.P., has manufactured over 30 billion parts for the K’NEX building toy system. For more information, please visit www.knex.com or www.rodongroup.com.
Monster Truck Radio With Host Ross Z. Bonar & Co-Host Chris Parrish
Date: Monday, December 12th, 2011
Guest #1: Mike Welch, owner of Mike Welch Motorsports
Guest #2: N/A [Read more…]
Avenger – Jim Koehler
Brutus – Chris Bergeron
El Matador – Daron Basl
El Toro Loco – Marc MacDonald
Grave Digger – Dennis Anderson
Grave Digger The Legend – Adam Anderson
Grinder – Lupe Soza
Iron Man – Scott Buetow
King Krunch – David Smith
Lucas Oil Crusader – Linsey Weenk
Maximum Destruction – Tom Meents
Monster Magic – Morgan Kane
Monster Mutt – Joe Miller
Son Uva Digger – Ryan Anderson
Stone Crusher – Steve Sims
Superman – Chad Fortune
Monster Magic – Morgan Kane
Son Uva Digger – Ryan Anderson
Bounty Hunter – Jimmy Creten (Racing) / Ben Winslow (Freestyle)
Bounty Hunter Black – Darren Migues
Corona – Travis Sturges
Heart Breaker – Kaila Savage
Iron Outlaw – Ben Winslow (Racing) / Jimmy Creten (Freestyle)
Nasty Boy – Ronnie Sturges
Play’n 4 Keeps – Tony Canedo
Red Baron – Matt Brokaw
Tuff Enuff – Jack Koberna
Unnamed & Untamed – Sam Sturges
Bounty Hunter – Jimmy Creten
Iron Outlaw – Ben Winslow
Tie – Bounty Hunter – Jimmy Creten
Tie – Iron Outlaw – Ben Winslow
Corona – Travis Sturges
Nasty Boy – Ronnie Sturges
Tie – Bounty Hunter – Jimmy Creten
Tie – Bounty Hunter Black – Darren Migues
Week Ending: December 10th, 2011
Truck(s) Featured: Bounty Hunter (Ben Winslow), Iron Outlaw (Jimmy Creten)
Video Type: Fan Video
Courtesy: www.YouTube.com
Description: An incredible dual freestyle from 2Xtreme Racing’s Jimmy Creten and Ben Winslow as Winslow in Bounty Hunter jumps Creten in Iron Outlaw, then Creten lines up and nails a picture perfect backflip! Wild way to end the season!
Aurora, Ill (December 8, 2011) – Feld Motor Sports® announced today that they have teamed up with Marvel Entertainment, LLC to expand the line of branded monster trucks for the 2012 Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam® season to five. Joining the likes of the Spider-Man™ and the two Iron Man™ monster trucks will be none other than the First Avenger, Captain America, as well as the most popular member of the X-Men, Wolverine.
The relationship between Marvel and Monster Jam dates back to 2001 when they teamed up on the creation of the original Spider-Man and Wolverine monster trucks. Since the partnership’s inception, Marvel Super Heroes have continued to make their mark on the Monster Jam circuit, culminating in the re-launch of Spider-Man and debut of Iron Man in 2010.
Chad Fortune moves into the seat of the new Captain America ride for 2012.
The 2012 season proves to be a ground-breaking year for the Monster Jam and Marvel partnership as it will mark the first year that five Marvel themed monster trucks will be competing on the Monster Jam tour at one time. Beginning January 6, all five Marvel Super Hero monster trucks will be set to compete at numerous Monster Jam events each weekend throughout the country.
Captain America will make its Monster Jam debut at the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK. New to the scene in 2012, it will sport its trademark shield and red, white, and blue super-soldier theme. The 2003 Monster Jam World Finals℠ Racing Champion, Wolverine, is making its return to Monster Jam after eight seasons and is ready to dominate once again. The driving forces behind these two super heroes are none other than Monster Jam veterans Chad Fortune in Captain America and Alex Blackwell in Wolverine.
Alex Blackwell jumps behind the wheel or Wolverine as it returns to the Monster Jam truck lineup.
In addition to seeing the 10,000lb super hero monster trucks up close, fans will have the opportunity to purchase merchandise of their favorite Marvel-themed monster trucks including Hot Wheels® die casts, apparel, plush toys, and more.
Monster Jam is the largest touring monster truck property in the world, entertaining over 4,000,000 fans at 350 performances in 10 countries. Monster Jam events can be seen on SPEED and CBS Sports. For more information, log on to www.MonsterJam.com for the complete schedule and to purchase tickets for the select cities your favorite super heroes will be in. Also be sure to check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mjonline for all the latest news and photos of your favorite trucks.
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Marvel Super Hero Monster Truck Touring Schedule |
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|
Wolverine |
Captain America |
| Jan 6,7,8 – Council Bluffs, IA – Mid-America Center | Jan 6,7 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center |
| Jan 14,15 – San Antonio, TX – Alamodome | Jan 14 – Atlanta, GA – Georgia Dome |
| Jan 21 – Minneapolis, MN – Metrodome | Jan 21 – Tampa, FL – Raymond James Stadium |
| Jan 27,28 – Louisville, KY – Freedom Hall | Jan 28 – Orlando FL – Florida Citrus Bowl |
| Feb 4 – Houston, TX – Reliant Stadium | Feb 4 – Houston, TX – Reliant Stadium |
| Feb 10,11 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena | Feb 11 – Anaheim, CA – Angel Stadium |
| Feb 17,18,19 – Worcester, MA – DCU Center | Feb 18 – Los Angeles, CA – Dodgers Stadium |
| Feb 24,25 – Salt Lake City, UT – Energy Solutions Arena | Feb 25 – Oakland, CA – O.co Coliseum |
| March 3 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field | March 3 – Indianapolis, IN – Lucas Oil Stadium |
| March 9,10,11 – Reno, NV – Livestock Events Center | March 10 – Syracuse, NY – Carrier Dome |
|
Iron Man |
Spider-Man |
| Jan 7 – Houston, TX – Reliant Stadium | Jan 6,7,8 – Rochester, NY – Blue Cross Arena |
| Jan 6,7 – Evansville, IN – Ford Center | Jan 14 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field |
| Jan 13, 14, 15 – Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome | Jan 20,21,22 – Sacramento, CA – Power Balance Pavilion |
| Jan 14, 15 – San Antonio, TX – Alamodome | Jan 28 – Anaheim, CA – Angel Stadium |
| Jan 21 – Minneapolis, MN – Metrodome | Feb 3,4 – Fargo, ND – Fargo Dome |
| Jan 20,21 – Milwaukee, WI – Bradley Center | Feb 11,12 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center |
| Jan 28 – Anaheim, CA – Angel Stadium | Feb 17,18,19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Consol Energy Center |
| Jan 27, 28 – Little Rock, AR – Verizon Arena | Feb 24,25,26 – Cleveland, OH – Quicken Loans Arena |
| Feb 4 – St. Louis, MO – Edward Jones Dome | March 3 – Indianapolis, IN – Lucas Oil Stadium |
| Feb 3,4,5 – Chattanooga, TN – UTC Arena | March 9,10,11 – Tucson, AZ – Tucson Convention Center |
| Feb 10,11 – Edmonton, Alberta – Rexall Place | March 16,17 – Dayton, OH – Nutter Center |
| Feb 11,12 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center | |
| Feb 18 – Los Angeles, CA – Dodgers Stadium | |
| Feb 17,18,19 – Spokane, WA – Spokane Arena | |
| Feb 25 – Arlington, TX – Cowboy Stadium | |
| Feb 25, 26 – Oklahoma City, OK – Chesapeake Energy Arena | |
| March 3 – Indianapolis, IN – Lucas Oil Stadium | |
| March 3, 4 – El Paso, TX UTEP Sun Bowl | |
| March 10 – Syracuse, NY – Carrier Dome | |
| March 9,10 – Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center | |
| *All schedules subject to change | |
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(Hazelwood, Missouri – BIGFOOT PR) – It has been a long time since legendary BIGFOOT® driver and nine-time National Champion Dan Runte has been this excited about an upcoming racing season, and that is pretty impressive, considering that Runte has been at the forefront of Team BIGFOOT’s racing program for nearly two decades! But, in 2012, while Runte tries to win his TENTH championship, he will be piloting a brand-new BIGFOOT truck, and he can’t wait to get racing!
As frequent followers of the BIGFOOT team can attest, the last two seasons have been banner years for Runte. He posted a pair of top-shelf seasons in the Lucas Oil 4-Wheel Jamboree series, netting a runner-up in 2010 and a Championship in 2011. He also swept every single race for the last two years at Salt Lake City’s Maverik Clash of the Titans Figure-8 Invitational, appeared at numerous Firestone retailers, and won various other races around the country. And, next week, he will, again, make a trip to Germany to visit US military personnel with fellow Summit Racing drivers Jason Line and Greg Anderson.
The incredible new body used on BIGFOOT #18 comes from the world of short course off road racing.
So what exactly has Runte so excited about 2012? He will be driving the all-new BIGFOOT #18. 2012 will mark the first time since 1992 that Runte (or anyone on Team BIGFOOT) has stepped into a new, totally-redesigned BIGFOOT truck! BIGFOOT #18 will be on a totally new chassis and will include a new suspension design and a totally new style of monster truck body. And Runte is way past ready!
“Our current chassis’ have more than proven its worth,” said Runte. “But for this new truck, we wanted and needed to try some new things that our current setup won’t quite let us get away with. I think it will take a little bit of time to get dialed in and it’s going to take me a while to get used to it, but I’m so ready it’s not even funny. This thing’s gonna be an animal.”
Another look at the stunning new ride for Dan Runte in 2012.
The completion of BIGFOOT #18 will mark the culmination of almost a year’s worth of designing, fabrication, and planning. BIGFOOT VP of Sponsorships & Business Development Bob Trent started the whole project late last year when he pointed out that BIGFOOT had been standing still too long with the use of the same chassis for so many years. He then came up with some really different ideas, including a new chassis and a new body style.
“We came to a crossroads last year where it was like ‘Do we keep modifying what we have, or do we start from scratch?’ The chassis design we have used up to now has been one of the most resilient the industry has ever seen, but we hit the point where we needed a clean slate to try some of the new ideas we had.”
Trent went on to explain that “Bryan Bertoletti, our lead mechanic and fabricator, helped make sure the design I found would give us the flexibility to do what we wanted, while still allowing us the ability to add to our fleet in a cost-effective and timely manner. We are just too busy maintaining our current fleet to start something completely from scratch.”
Bertoletti went on to explain: “The chassis design we currently rely on has served us very well since we developed the first one years ago (for BIGFOOT #10), since then we’ve refined that design significantly. Even with all the curve balls we face from tracks, etc., our trucks have consistently met the challenge. But we needed to move forward. We wanted a lower center of gravity, additional reinforcement in various places, and a longer wheelbase.”
Team BIGFOOT had been working around the clock to finish #18 for the 2012 racing season. Pictured left to right, Jim Kramer, Bob Brown, Nick Dvorchak, Dan Runte, Chris Ludwig, Bryan Bertoletti and John Peterson.
BIGFOOT #18 will feature close to 4 ½ inches of additional shock travel in the front, improved driveline restraint systems, nearly 6 inches of additional wheelbase, improved shock mounting angles, and a mass of additional steel tubing in critical areas, all of which will allow the truck to better sustain the abuses it is expected to encounter in its first season of competition. All of this will be topped off with a radical new truck body that can only be described as “extreme.”
Runte is tentatively scheduled to debut his new ride at the Toughest Monster Truck Tour event in Southaven, MS (Memphis) during the second weekend of January, the first stop in his quest to capture the inaugural Toughest Monster Truck/Monster Nation dual-championship. The TMT/MN partnership is the first time the monster truck industry has ever seen two separate series’ combine points for a single title for racing and a single title for freestyle. Following the completion of the indoor tour in March, Runte will head outdoors in May to defend his Lucas Oil 4-Wheel Jamboree championship in Springfield, MO.
But, for now, Runte is just ready to get in his new truck! “I’m stoked about the New Year, but around here its best to take things one day at a time. We’ve got a lot of testing to do with this new truck before we try to win races with it. But I’m pretty optimistic about how testing is going to go, and once we’ve got that under our belt it’s going to be GAME ON. The guys here are ready to see what this thing can do, and so are the fans. They’ve been waiting pretty patiently,” said Runte.
Perhaps Runte summed it best during a break in construction while talking to one of the team’s other drivers: “I’m ready to go hit something big with this thing!”
BIGFOOT would like to thank everyone for their efforts on this project, with a special “THANKS” to Jim Kramer, John Peterson, Chris Ludwig, Nick Dvorchak, and Bob Brown!
For more information on the new BIGFOOT #18 and the rest of the team, check out www.BIGFOOT4x4.com!
(Photos & Video courtesy BIGFOOT 4×4)
(Champaign, Illinois – Hall Brothers Racing PR) – Hall Brothers Racing is pleased to announce that Hotsy Pressure Washers has returned as primary sponsor of the Hotsy RAMINATOR for 2012.
“The Hotsy RAMINATOR monster truck and driver Mark Hall are big draws for us at trade shows throughout the United States, and provide great exposure for the Hotsy brand” said Robin Paul, Hotsy Marketing Manager. “Our pressure washers keep RAMINATOR clean and spotless, so it’s an ideal partnership. RAMINATOR is strong, tough and durable…just like Hotsy pressure washers. It’s a perfect match, and we’re looking forward to another stellar year.”
The Hotsy Raminator will be back for 2012.
Driver Mark Hall added “ We get a lot of compliments on how nice we keep our equipment, and we couldn’t do that without our Hotsy Pressure Washers. They are always ready to go to work and help keep our trucks looking good.” He added “I enjoy visiting the various trade shows we do for Hotsy and talking to the folks that stop by the exhibit. People from all industries use Hotsy equipment…it really is the best. I invite all my fellow monster truck owners to experience the Hotsy advantage for themselves; they offer a discount program to monster truck teams. Don’t mess around with inferior washers…get a Hotsy and get the job done!”
Team co-owner and crew chief Tim Hall said “Time is very important to everyone these days. We are all trying to do more with less. When it is time to clean up the trucks and haulers…or even parts or wash tires…you have to get it done quickly and efficiently. There is just no time to mess around fighting with your equipment trying to get it to work. Hotsy offers a full line of washers and detergents that get your stuff clean quickly and efficiently, so you can get it in the shop, turned around and serviced, and head back out to the next event with a minimum hassle. I wouldn’t use anything else”.
Watch for the 2012 version of the Hotsy RAMINATOR appearing at farm shows, trade shows and events near you!
For more information, check out www.hotsy.com or www.raminator.com.
Monster Truck Radio With Host Ross Z. Bonar & Co-Host Chris Parrish
Date: Monday, December 5th, 2011
Guest #1: George Carpenter, Innovative Entertainment
Guest #2: N/A [Read more…]
(Hazelwood, Missouri – BIGFOOT PR) – The BIGFOOT Online Store will be running a special promotion tomorrow, Tuesday, December 6th, they’re calling BLUE TUESDAY! Fans can get 20% off their online order, but its for ONE DAY ONLY!
It works like this –
* Go the BIGFOOT Online Store anytime on Tuesday, December 6th (12AM – 11:59PM).
* Complete your order as normal!
* Right before payment, enter the coupon code “BLUE“, and a 20% discount will be applied to your order!
Save 20% off tons of great BIGFOOT merchandise on BLUE TUESDAY!
That’s all you have to do! There are no limits on how many items/orders you can purchase/place with the coupon, so take advantage of this one day deal to score all the latest BIGFOOT schwag!
For more information, check out www.BIGFOOT4x4.com.
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