Monster Truck Radio With Host Ross Z. Bonar & Co-Host Chris Parrish
Date: Monday, March 19th, 2012
Guest #1: Jim Koehler, driver of Avenger
Guest #2: Jimmy Creten, driver of Bounty Hunter
Special Guest: Randy Moore, driver of the Aaron’s All-American Dream Machine [Read more…]
Monster Truck Radio 03/19/12 – Jim Koehler & Jimmy Creten
March 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment
TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Final Standings
March 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The 2012 Monster Jam regular season wrapped up this weekend with five arena shows around the country, bringing to a close TMB’s sixth edition of the “Road to the World Finals” unofficial standings. For the first time ever, a driver other than Dennis Anderson or Tom Meents has finished at #1, and that driver is none other than Ryan Anderson and Son Uva Digger!
Ryan Anderson’s incredible season featured 8 stadium event wins, 7 of those coming in freestyle competitions. Add to that an additional 12 racing and freestyle wins in arena shows, along with 5 wheelie contest victories and you have one of the best seasons by any driver in recent Monster Jam history. Many have been predicting Ryan to be the odds on favorite to win the World Freestyle Championship, and he would certainly be deserving of the title as his 7 stadium freestyle wins tower over his next closest competitors at only 4 wins. A big congratulations to Ryan Anderson from all of us here at TMB on such an incredible 2012 season.
Ryan Anderson and Son Uva Digger are the winners of TMB's 2012 "Road to the World Finals"!
While he wasn’t able to come out on top, Dennis Anderson finished at #2 overall by just over 20 points, the equivalence of only one stadium victory. While son Ryan may be the favorite for the freestyle title, there is no question that Dennis Anderson is the man to beat for the racing crown. With 5 stadium racing wins this year (his closest competitors were only able to win 3), and another 3 arena racing wins, Anderson has a great shot at celebrating Grave Digger’s 30th Anniversary with his 4th racing championship.
Anderson edged out Tom Meents by only 2 points for second, as the 9-time World Finals champ finished at #3 this year. Meents turned in another great season, picking up 7 stadium wins overall along with another 16 arena wins. While he may not have finished the year on top, Meents would be a worthy champion in either category and as always in Vegas, if you want to win a World Finals title, you’ll have to beat Tom Meents to do it.
The top 5 is rounded out by two Grave Digger drivers who perennially top the charts in total wins on the Monster Jam tour. Pablo Huffaker and Gary Porter were dominant once again in 2012, with Pablo racking up 67 wins across all competitions, to Gary’s 60. Pablo also mixed in some strong stadium performances to earn another invite to Vegas, while Porter’s accomplishments were once again overlooked as the best performing driver not to receive a World Finals invitation.
Skipping back to the all important cutoff at the 24th position, this is the line all drivers want to be above after the last week of competition on TMB’s “Road to the World Finals”. Being compared on the same scale as every other driver to compete in Monster Jam throughout the season, if you can finish in the top 24, you’ve proved you deserve consideration for a spot at the World Finals, whether you ultimately are lucky enough to get the call, or not.
The action was hot and heavy as it is every year, with drivers jockeying in and out of the top 24 each and every week. Less than 10 points separated 20th from 25th at the finish, with Jimmy Creten, Charles Benns, John Seasock, Morgan Kane and Bari Musawwir making the cut, and Chad Fortune just barely missing it. Cam McQueen, Jon Zimmer and Rod Schmidt all finished within 15 points of the cutoff as well. Of that group of drivers, only Creten, Seasock and McQueen received invites, while Kane and Musawwir were made part of the lineup for the new Young Guns Shootout instead.
Check out the Final 2012 Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings below:
For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2012 Results Tracker March 16th-17th Weekend Results page (drivers earn 5 points for a racing or freestyle win, 2 points for a wheelie or donut win).
We hope you’ve enjoyed following TMB’s “Road to the World Finals” for all the results and current standings every week this season. Keep in mind this is all unofficial and is just for fun, and enjoy the Monster Jam World Finals this weekend in Las Vegas!
About TMB’s Road to the World Finals:
For some time, fans across the country have wondered why the USHRA does not run a public points system of some kind for their Monster Jam series. We are included in the group that would love to be able to follow the standings of such a series each week. We are of the belief that a berth in the Monster Jam World Finals should be earned based on performance throughout the year in both racing and freestyle. Regardless of what portion of the monster truck industry you favor, there is no denying that the Monster Jam World Finals is the biggest and highest profile event our sport has to offer. A chance to compete at this event is a big deal for many drivers out there, and it is our opinion that they should be able to earn their way in. We’re not saying that Feld Motorsports doesn’t pick the World Finalists based on performance currently–we’re simply saying that we don’t know how they make up the field because the process isn’t made public.
So with that in mind, we have created an UNOFFICIAL points system that is simple (although it may seem complicated) and that rewards performance in all Monster Jam events across the country leading up to the World Finals. In our Standings, we will show the cut-off after the 24th truck, indicating that IF entry to the World Finals was based SOLELY on performance, these are the drivers that would be headed to Las Vegas. Keep in mind that this is just for fun and has no actual bearing on the selection of World Finals participants. See below for a breakdown of our points system and our rationale for the decisions we made in creating it.
Elite Level Events
What is an Elite Level event? We define an Elite Monster Jam event as any with a field of 12 of more trucks. We have chosen to award these events the highest amount of points, because these are the highest profile Monster Jam events. These events are the ones held in the major stadiums in front of the biggest crowds, some of which are even televised on SPEED. It is our belief that performance in the highest profile shows should be weighted most heavily toward a World Finals berth because these events are most similar to the World Finals itself. The most points any one driver can score in an Elite Level event (and thus in any event) is 40. If an event meeting all of this criteria holds 3 or more shows over the course of a single weekend, the points for each show are worth half of what is listed below.
Racing Finish – Points Awarded
1st – 20
2nd – 15
Semi-Finals – 7.5
Freestyle Finish – Points Awarded
1st – 20
2nd – 15
3rd – 10
4th – 5
Normal Level Events
What is a Normal Level show? The majority of Monster Jam events held around the country are Normal Level shows. These events are typically held in smaller arenas around the country, consisting of multiple shows held over the course of the weekend (anywhere from 2-5), with fields of anywhere from 5-10 trucks. Looking at the points awarded for these shows, you will notice they are much less than the upper levels. We equate the significance level of an entire 4 show weekend of Normal Level events with the significance of one Elite Level show–thus, the maximum points a driver can earn in racing/freestyle each weekend at a Normal Level event is 40 (this based on the usual maximum # of shows being 4–a couple events being the exception with 5–and an available 10 points per show (10×4=40)). Beginning in 2012, we are also awarding 2 points for wheelie/donut contest wins as that information has become more readily available than when the Road to the World Finals was first started.
Wheelie/Donut Finish – Points Awarded
1st – 2
Racing Finish – Points Awarded
1st – 5
Freestyle Finish – Points Awarded
1st – 5
(Photo courtesy Paul M. Harry)
Aaron’s All-American Dream Machine Sets World Speed Record At zMAX Dragway
March 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment
(Concord, North Carolina – zMAX Dragway PR) – Today at zMAX Dragway, Randy Moore made the fastest quarter-mile pass ever in a monster truck at 96.80 mph.
Moore made several passes during the NOS Energy Test-N-Tune at zMAX Dragway, reaching speeds of nearly 90 mph, before turning in a run at 95.65 mph, then at 96.80 mph. The previous unofficial record was 93 mph, set at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tennessee.
“We’re real excited,” said Moore. “That truck’s running great. We put the motor on kill and obviously it was on kill because we just threw the rods out of it and had a small fire, but that’s part of what it takes to set these records. But today was a big success, we basically ran 97 miles per hour and that bettered our mark from 93. We’re extremely happy.”
Randy Moore & Kirk Dabney's Aaron's All-American Dream Machine at zMAX Dragway.
On the final run of the day, while pushing the truck’s limits in an effort to reach 100 mph, the engine blew, ending the attempt.
“It’s amazing how quick you can get a 10,000 lb monster truck stopped when you’re on fire,” said Moore. “But it’s all good and we’ll come back from it. I really appreciate zMAX Dragway being behind us. We’ll come back here and we’ll get this goal set. We’re too close to it now. There will be another day and it will be real soon.”
The NOS Energy Test-N-Tune continues Saturday, March 24, at zMAX Dragway. Car and driver registration is only $20, spectators are only $5 and kids 13 and under are in free. Gates open at 9 a.m. and racing begins at 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Buy three tickets and get one free, any day, at the greatest spectacle in drag racing, the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, April 13-15, at zMAX Dragway. Tickets are available by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.zmaxdragway.com.
Connect with zMAX Dragway and stay up to speed on all the action at the Bellagio of drag strips on Facebook at www.facebook.com/zmaxdragway and by following on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zMAXDragway.
Monster Photos: Monster Jam – Dayton, OH 2012
March 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Event: Monster Jam
Venue: EJ Nutter Center
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Date: March 16th, 2012
Photographer: Chris Parrish
Lineup: Amsoil Shock Therapy (Jon Zimmer), Bad Habit (Joe Sylvester), El Toro Loco (Becky McDonough), Grave Digger (Chad Tingler), Grinder (John Seasock), High Maintenance (Jocelyn Perrin), Nitemare (Andy Hoffman), Spiderman (Bari Musawwir)
[Read more…]
March 16th-18th Weekend Results
March 18, 2012 by 2 Comments
MONSTER JAM – Feld Entertainment
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Dayton, Ohio – EJ Nutter Center – 03/16-17/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Amsoil Shock Therapy – Jon Zimmer
Bad Habit – Joe Sylvester
El Toro Loco – Becky McDonough
Grave Digger – Chad Tingler
Grinder – John Seasock
High Maintenance – Jocelyn Perrin
Nitemare – Andy Hoffman
Spiderman – Bari MusawwirFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
High Maintenance – Jocelyn Perrin
Friday Night – Racing:
Grave Digger – Chad Tingler
Friday Night – Donut Contest:
High Maintenance – Jocelyn Perrin
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Bad Habit – Joe Sylvester
Saturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Spiderman – Bari Musawwir
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Spiderman – Bari Musawwir
Saturday Afternoon – Donut Contest:
High Maintenance – Jocelyn Perrin
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Bad Habit – Joe Sylvester
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Amsoil Shock Therapy – Jon Zimmer
Saturday Night – Racing:
Grave Digger – Chad Tingler
Saturday Night – Donut Contest:
High Maintenance – Jocelyn Perrin
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Chad Tingler
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Nampa, Idaho – Idaho Center – 03/16-17/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Batman – Michael Christensen
Captain USA – Travis Groth
Grave Digger – Norm Miller
Lucas Oil Crusader – Linsey Weenk
Maverik Monster Trakkar – Ron Duncombe
Metal Mulisha – Todd Leduc
Monster Mutt – Joe Miller
Tasmanian Devil – Nicole JohnsonFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Captain USA – Travis Groth
Friday Night – Racing:
Monster Mutt – Joe Miller
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Monster Mutt – Joe Miller
Saturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Maverik Monster Trakkar – Ron Duncombe
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Grave Digger – Norm Miller
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Metal Mulisha – Todd Leduc
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Tasmanian Devil – Nicole Johnson
Saturday Night – Racing:
Metal Mulisha – Todd Leduc
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Lucas Oil Crusader – Linsey Weenk
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Laredo, Texas – Laredo Energy Arena – 03/16-18/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
El Matador – Daron Basl
El Toro Loco – Aaron Basl
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Grinder – Frank Krmel
King Krunch – David Smith
Superman – Dustin BrownFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Friday Night – Racing:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Friday Night – Donut Contest:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
El Toro Loco – Aaron Basl
Saturday Night – Racing:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Saturday Night – Donut Contest:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Sunday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Sunday Afternoon – Racing:
King Krunch – David Smith
Sunday Afternoon – Donut Contest:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Sunday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
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Huntsville, Alabama – Von Braun Center – 03/16-17/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Full Boar – Ed Eckert
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
Gunslinger – Scott Hartsock
Predator – Allen Pezo
Prowler – Lenny Kuilder
TMNT – Joey ParnellFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
Friday Night – Racing:
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
Friday Night – Donut Contest:
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
Saturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
Saturday Afternoon – Donut Contest:
Predator – Allen Pezo
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
TMNT – Joey Parnell
Saturday Night – Racing:
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
Saturday Night – Donut Contest:
Gunslinger – Scott Hartsock
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
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Charlottesville, Virginia – John Paul Jones Arena – 03/16-17/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Backdraft – Jeremy Slifko
Eradicator – Andy Slifko
Grave Digger – Gary Porter
Monster Mutt – Whit Tarlton
Rap Attack – Dave Rappach
Virginia Giant – Diehl WilsonFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Rap Attack – Dave Rappach
Friday Night – Racing:
Grave Digger – Gary Porter
Friday Night – Donut Contest:
Grave Digger – Gary Porter
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Eradicator – Andy Slifko
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Rap Attack – Dave Rappach
Saturday Night – Racing:
Grave Digger – Gary Porter
Saturday Night – Donut Contest:
Grave Digger – Gary Porter
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Backdraft – Jeremy Slifko
MONSTER TRUCK WINTER NATIONALS – Checkered Flag Productions
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Rio Rancho, New Mexico – Santa Ana Star Center – 03/16-17/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Bigfoot Bad Boy #16 – Larry Swim
Clydesdale – Bennett Clark
Daredevil – Corey Schlichler
Ghost Ryder – Larry Quick
Strait Jacket – Kevin KingFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Ghost Ryder – Larry Quick
Friday Night – Racing:
Clydesdale – Bennett Clark
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Ghost Ryder – Larry Quick
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Bigfoot Bad Boy #16 – Larry Swim
Saturday Night – Racing:
Bigfoot Bad Boy #16 – Larry Swim
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Bigfoot Bad Boy #16 – Larry Swim
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Billings, Montana – Rim Rock Auto Arena – 03/17/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Aftershock – Bob Robbins
Krazy Train – Mark Noto
Martial Law – Kaila Savage
Vi-Cor Bigfoot #11 – Darron Schnell
Xtreme Eagle – Jon AndersonSaturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Vi-Cor Bigfoot #11 – Darron Schnell
Saturday Night – Racing:
Aftershock – Bob Robbins
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Vi-Cor Bigfoot #11 – Darron Schnell
OUTLAW MONSTER TRUCK SPECTACULAR – Outlaw Monster Trucks
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Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex – 03/16-17/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Bounty Hunter – Mike Vaters
Ground Pounder – Chris Ryan
Iron Outlaw – Ben Winslow
Michigan Ice Monster – Chris Lagana
Stinger – Zane Rettew
Viper – Rich BlackburneSaturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Bounty Hunter – Mike Vaters
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Bounty Hunter – Mike Vaters
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Iron Outlaw – Ben Winslow
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Bounty Hunter – Mike Vaters
Saturday Night – Racing:
Bounty Hunter – Mike Vaters
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Bounty Hunter – Mike Vaters
TMB TV: Original Series 5.6 – Monster X Tour – Montgomery, AL 2012
March 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Episode Information
Episode: Original Series 5.4
Event: Monster X Tour
Venue: Garrett Coliseum
Location: Montgomery, Alabama
Date: February 17th-18th, 2012
Host: Ross Z. Bonar
Videographers: Ross Z. Bonar, Rajeana Bonar
[/column]
[column size=”1-3″]
Featured Monster Trucks
California Kid – BJ Johnson
Hurricane Force – Tim Mente
Monster X – Ed Miller
Rock Star – Bill Payne
The General – Dustin Lewis
War Wizard – Robert Parker
[/column]
[column size=”1-3″ last=”1″]
Featured Links
www.E3SparkPlugs.com
www.MonsterXTour.com
www.StormDamageRacing.com
www.StraightUpRacing.com
www.WarWizardRacing.com
[/column] [Read more…]
BIGFOOT Teams Up with Robby Gordon & Speed Energy
March 15, 2012 by 6 Comments
(Charlotte, NC – SPEED Energy PR) – What is another form of racing that Robby Gordon can mark off his impressive list of racing series? If you guessed monster trucks, you guessed correctly. Robby Gordon Motorsports and SPEED Energy have formed a partnership with BIGFOOT 4×4, Inc., owner of the most well -known monster truck in the United States.
NASCAR and Off-Road racer, Robby Gordon, and BIGFOOT 4×4, Inc. have entered into a multi-year agreement beginning with the 2012 season. The addition of the monster truck, built at Gordon’s race shop in Charlotte, NC, will be the nineteenth chassis in the line-up of BIGFOOT trucks.
Artist rendering of the new SPEED Energy Bigfoot #19.
Gordon’s energy drink company, SPEED Energy, will be the co-primary sponsor of the monster truck. “This partnership with BIGFOOT 4×4, Inc. is a big step for our company. It opens the door to market SPEED Energy to a new demographic.” Being featured as a sponsor on the truck is just one element to the relationship, we will also be selling SPEED Energy/BIGFOOT #19 diecasts, t-shirts, hats and other merchandise,” says Gordon. During the first year of the agreement the monster truck will be used primarily for display purposes. From there the truck will participate in events, with the possibility of Gordon being behind the wheel. “I’m excited about the opportunity to drive the SPEED Energy/BIGFOOT #19 monster truck. We built the truck a few years ago and we’ve played around with it, but actually competing in events would be a lot of fun,” Gordon remarks.
“We are really looking forward to teaming up with Robby and Speed Energy! Robby and Bob Chandler go back to the early days when both teams were Ford sponsored. Robby’s dynamic outlook and his racer’s mentality fit right in with the BIGFOOT way of life! Be on the lookout for a whole line of Robby Gordon’s Speed Energy/BIGFOOT #19 merchandise,” says Bob Trent, Vice President of Sponsorships & Business Development at BIGFOOT 4×4, Inc.
About SPEED Energy
SPEED Energy is available in four flavors: Ethanol, Unleaded, Fuel and Octane, which provide the human machine with the fuel it needs to keep up with the SPEED of life. Each drink contains a potent blend of B-vitamins, caffeine, taurine and ginseng. SPEED, packaged in 16 ounce cans, is available in singles, 4 packs, and cases. SPEED Energy is available at major retailers, convenience stores, grocery stores, bars and nightclubs. For a retailer near you, please visit www.speedenergy.com.
About BIGFOOT 4×4 Inc.
Since its inception in 1975, BIGFOOT, The Original Monster Truck®, has gone on to achieve worldwide notoriety, and spawned an entire family of BIGFOOT® monster trucks that have pioneered the growth of the monster truck industry. Created by St. Louis-area contractor Bob Chandler and his wife Marilyn in 1975 as a promotional tool for their Midwest Four Wheel Drive business, the BIGFOOT fleet has captured 30 National Championships, set numerous world records, and travelled to over 26 countries. In 2009, BIGFOOT was named one of the “Top 5 Marketing Vehicles of All Time”. Since 1975 over 20 BIGFOOT vehicles have been constructed, and today the team campaigns eight (soon to be nine) BIGFOOT monster trucks full-time in North America, in addition to one BIGFOOT truck based full-time in England. The team expects to average over 900 appearance days starting in 2012, and will achieve in excess of 30 million impressions each year. Visit the team online at www.bigfoot4x4.com.
Monster Photos: Monster Jam – Cleveland, OH 2012
March 14, 2012 by 2 Comments
Event: Monster Jam
Venue: Quicken Loans Arena
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Date: February 24th & 26th, 2012 (2 shows)
Photographer: Paul M. Harry
Lineup: Bad Habit (Joe Sylvester), Grave Digger (Chad Tingler), Grinder (Lupe Soza), Madusa (Debra Miceli), Rap Attack (Dave Rappach), Samson (Dan Patrick), Spiderman (Bari Musawwir), War Wizard (Randy Moore)
[Read more…]
TMB TV: ActionTracks 3.4 – Monster Nationals – Corbin, KY 2012
March 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Episode Information
Episode: ActionTracks 3.4
Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: The Arena
Location: Corbin, Kentucky
Date: February 17th-18th, 2011
Host: Chris Parrish
Videographer: Chris Parrish
[/column]
[column size=”1-3″]
Featured Monster Trucks
Chalkboard Chuck – Michelle Simpson
E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 – Rick Long
Ironman – Joe Nichter
Lucas Oil Stabilizer – Bobby Holman
Star Marshal – Dave Radzierez
Vi-Cor Bigfoot #11 – Darron Schnell
[/column]
[column size=”1-3″ last=”1″]
Featured Links
www.BIGFOOT4x4.com
www.FamilyEvents.com
www.E3SparkPlugs.com
www.MonsterNationals.com
[/column] [Read more…]
Monster Photos: Monster Jam – Wheeling, WV 2012
March 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Event: Monster Jam
Venue: WesBanco Arena
Location: Wheeling, West Virginia
Date: February 25th, 2012 (2 shows)
Photographer: Paul M. Harry
Lineup: Aftershock (Bob Robbins), Batman (Norm Miller), High Maintenance (Jocelyn Perrin), Instigator (Paul Breaug), Monster Mutt (Joe Miller), Virginia Giant (Diehl Wilson)
[Read more…]
Monster Truck Radio 03/12/12 – Mike Vaters & Jeremy Slifko
March 12, 2012 by 1 Comment
Monster Truck Radio With Host Ross Z. Bonar & Co-Host Chris Parrish
Date: Monday, March 12th, 2011
Guest #1: Mike Vaters, driver of Black Stallion
Guest #2: Jeremy Slifko, driver of Backdraft [Read more…]
TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Week #10
March 12, 2012 by 3 Comments
Only one final weekend of competition remains before the Monster Jam World Finals and Ryan Anderson has all but locked up the #1 spot on the 2012 TMB “Road to the World Finals”! Anderson used a strong weekend in Reno to stay on top despite Dennis Anderson and Tom Meents racking up big points finishing 1-2 in both racing and freestyle in Syracuse. The elder Anderson’s second straight double down performance was enough to put Grave Digger over Maximum Destruction for 2nd place overall. With all three of these drivers taking the week before the World Finals off, the top three are essentially locked in.
Gary Porter and Neil Elliott combined to nearly sweep the weekend in Toledo to round out the top 5. Porter and Pablo Huffaker, in 6th position overall, are the only drivers currently ranked in the top 10 that are competing this upcoming weekend, so they will have one last chance to rack up some wins and improve their position.
While the final Monster Jam World Finals lineup was announced by Feld this week, the action is still incredibly hot and heavy back around the 24th and final spot on the TMB “Road to the World Finals” as drivers vie to see who will be able to say they earned a shot at the World Finals title, whether they ultimately ended up being selected or not.
Several of the drivers competing for that final spot had big weekends and while no drivers fell out or jumped in to the top 24, positions were exchanged leaving Chad Fortune on the hot seat and Bari Musawwir less than 5 points back in 25th. Musawwir, Cam McQueen, Rod Schmidt and Jon Zimmer are mathematically still in contention, while Chad Tingler, Charles Benns, John Seasock, Morgan Kane, and Fortune are just barely hanging on.
How will it all shake out? Only one weekend of competition remains on the TMB “Road to the World Finals”!
Ryan Anderson has all but clinched the top spot on the 2012 TMB "Road to the World Finals" power rankings after a big weekend in Reno!
Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after Week #10 below:
Here is how points were scored in this weekend’s Elite Level events:
3/10 – Syracuse, New York
Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned
1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 15
Semi-Finals – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Jon Zimmer – Amsoil Shock Therapy – 7.5
Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned
1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 15
Tie 3rd – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 7.5
Tie 3rd – John Seasock – Grinder – 7.5
For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2012 Results Tracker March 9th-11th Weekend Results page (drivers earn 5 points for a racing or freestyle win, 2 points for a wheelie or donut win).
Keep following TMB’s “Road to the World Finals” for all the results and current standings each week. Keep in mind this is all unofficial and is just for fun, and enjoy as we track the Monster Jam series all the way to the World Finals in March!
About TMB’s Road to the World Finals:
For some time, fans across the country have wondered why the USHRA does not run a public points system of some kind for their Monster Jam series. We are included in the group that would love to be able to follow the standings of such a series each week. We are of the belief that a berth in the Monster Jam World Finals should be earned based on performance throughout the year in both racing and freestyle. Regardless of what portion of the monster truck industry you favor, there is no denying that the Monster Jam World Finals is the biggest and highest profile event our sport has to offer. A chance to compete at this event is a big deal for many drivers out there, and it is our opinion that they should be able to earn their way in. We’re not saying that Feld Motorsports doesn’t pick the World Finalists based on performance currently–we’re simply saying that we don’t know how they make up the field because the process isn’t made public.
So with that in mind, we have created an UNOFFICIAL points system that is simple (although it may seem complicated) and that rewards performance in all Monster Jam events across the country leading up to the World Finals. In our Standings, we will show the cut-off after the 24th truck, indicating that IF entry to the World Finals was based SOLELY on performance, these are the drivers that would be headed to Las Vegas. Keep in mind that this is just for fun and has no actual bearing on the selection of World Finals participants. See below for a breakdown of our points system and our rationale for the decisions we made in creating it.
Elite Level Events
What is an Elite Level event? We define an Elite Monster Jam event as any with a field of 12 of more trucks. We have chosen to award these events the highest amount of points, because these are the highest profile Monster Jam events. These events are the ones held in the major stadiums in front of the biggest crowds, some of which are even televised on SPEED. It is our belief that performance in the highest profile shows should be weighted most heavily toward a World Finals berth because these events are most similar to the World Finals itself. The most points any one driver can score in an Elite Level event (and thus in any event) is 40. If an event meeting all of this criteria holds 3 or more shows over the course of a single weekend, the points for each show are worth half of what is listed below.
Racing Finish – Points Awarded
1st – 20
2nd – 15
Semi-Finals – 7.5
Freestyle Finish – Points Awarded
1st – 20
2nd – 15
3rd – 10
4th – 5
Normal Level Events
What is a Normal Level show? The majority of Monster Jam events held around the country are Normal Level shows. These events are typically held in smaller arenas around the country, consisting of multiple shows held over the course of the weekend (anywhere from 2-5), with fields of anywhere from 5-10 trucks. Looking at the points awarded for these shows, you will notice they are much less than the upper levels. We equate the significance level of an entire 4 show weekend of Normal Level events with the significance of one Elite Level show–thus, the maximum points a driver can earn in racing/freestyle each weekend at a Normal Level event is 40 (this based on the usual maximum # of shows being 4–a couple events being the exception with 5–and an available 10 points per show (10×4=40)). Beginning in 2012, we are also awarding 2 points for wheelie/donut contest wins as that information has become more readily available than when the Road to the World Finals was first started.
Wheelie/Donut Finish – Points Awarded
1st – 2
Racing Finish – Points Awarded
1st – 5
Freestyle Finish – Points Awarded
1st – 5
(Photo courtesy Jim Allen)
March 9th-11th Weekend Results
March 12, 2012 by 2 Comments
MONSTER JAM – Feld Entertainment
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Syracuse, New York – Carrier Dome – 03/10/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Aftershock – Bob Robbins
Amsoil Shock Therapy – Jon Zimmer
Black Stallion – Mike Vaters
Bounty Hunter – Darren Migues
Captain America – Chad Fortune
El Toro Loco – Becky McDonough
Grave Digger – Dennis Anderson
Grave Digger The Legend – Adam Anderson
Grinder – John Seasock
Iron Man – Scott Buetow
Iron Outlaw – Ben Winslow
Lucas Oil Crusader – Linsey Weenk
Maximum Destruction – Tom Meents
Metal Mulisha – Todd Leduc
Monster Mutt Rottweiler – Charles Benns
War Wizard – Randy MooreSaturday Night – Racing:
Grave Digger – Dennis Anderson
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Dennis Anderson
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Grand Rapids, Michigan – Van Andel Arena – 03/09-11/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Bad Habit – Joe Sylvester
Grave Digger – Charlie Pauken
Grinder – Frank Krmel
High Maintenance – Jocelyn Perrin
Higher Education – Jimmy Tracey
Hot Wheels – Dan Evans
Michigan Ice Monster – Chris Lagana (Saturday/Sunday Only)
Superman – Sean Duhon (Friday Only)Friday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Grave Digger – Charlie Pauken
Friday Night – Racing:
Hot Wheels – Dan Evans
Friday Night – Donut Contest:
High Maintenance – Jocelyn Perrin
Friday Night – Freestyle:
High Maintenance – Jocelyn Perrin
Saturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Grave Digger – Charlie Pauken
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Grave Digger – Charlie Pauken
Saturday Afternoon – Donut Contest:
High Maintenance – Jocelyn Perrin
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Grinder – Frank Krmel
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Grinder – Frank Krmel
Saturday Night – Racing:
Hot Wheels – Dan Evans
Saturday Night – Donut Contest:
High Maintenance – Jocelyn Perrin
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Charlie Pauken
Sunday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Grave Digger – Charlie Pauken
Sunday Afternoon – Racing:
Grave Digger – Charlie Pauken
Sunday Afternoon – Donut Contest:
High Maintenance – Jocelyn Perrin
Sunday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Charlie Pauken
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Toledo, Ohio – Huntington Center – 03/09-11/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
El Toro Loco – Chuck Werner
Grave Digger – Gary Porter
Maximum Destruction – Neil Elliott
Monster Mutt – Whit Tarlton
Raminator – Mark Hall
Rammunition – Mat DishmanFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Maximum Destruction – Neil Elliott
Friday Night – Racing:
Maximum Destruction – Neil Elliott
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Maximum Destruction – Neil Elliott
Saturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Grave Digger – Gary Porter
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Maximum Destruction – Neil Elliott
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Maximum Destruction – Neil Elliott
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Maximum Destruction – Neil Elliott
Saturday Night – Racing:
Maximum Destruction – Neil Elliott
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Gary Porter
Sunday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Maximum Destruction – Neil Elliott
Sunday Afternoon – Racing:
Raminator – Mark Hall
Sunday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Gary Porter
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Reno, Nevada – Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center – 03/09-11/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
El Matador – Daron Basl
El Toro Loco – Marc MacDonald
King Krunch – David Smith
Maximum Destruction – Kreg Christensen
Son Uva Digger – Ryan Anderson
Wolverine – Alex BlackwellFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Maximum Destruction – Kreg Christensen
Friday Night – Racing:
Son Uva Digger – Ryan Anderson
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Maximum Destruction – Kreg Christensen
Saturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Wolverine – Alex Blackwell
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Son Uva Digger – Ryan Anderson
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Maximum Destruction – Kreg Christensen
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Son Uva Digger – Ryan Anderson
Saturday Night – Racing:
Son Uva Digger – Ryan Anderson
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Maximum Destruction – Kreg Christensen
Sunday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Son Uva Digger – Ryan Anderson
Sunday Afternoon – Racing:
Wolverine – Alex Blackwell
Sunday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Son Uva Digger – Ryan Anderson
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Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania – Mohegan Sun Arena – 03/09-11/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Backdraft – Jeremy Slifko
Eradicator – Andy Slifko
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
Mohawk Warrior – George Balhan
Monster Mutt Dalmation – Candace Jolly
TMNT – Joey ParnellFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Eradicator – Andy Slifko
Friday Night – Racing:
Monster Mutt Dalmation – Candace Jolly
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Mohawk Warrior – George Balhan
Saturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Mohawk Warrior – George Balhan
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Monster Mutt Dalmation – Candace Jolly
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Eradicator – Andy Slifko
Saturday Night – Racing:
Mohawk Warrior – George Balhan
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Mohawk Warrior – George Balhan
Sunday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Mohawk Warrior – George Balhan
Sunday Afternoon – Racing:
Monster Mutt Dalmation – Candace Jolly
Sunday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Randy Brown
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Tucson, Arizona – Tucson Convention Center – 03/09-11/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Batman – Norm Miller
Grave Digger – Chad Tingler
McGruff – Rod Wood
Monster Mutt – Joe Miller
Spiderman – Bari Musawwir
The Felon – Mark SchroederFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Monster Mutt – Joe Miller
Friday Night – Racing:
Grave Digger – Chad Tingler
Friday Night – Donut Contest:
Monster Mutt – Joe Miller
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Monster Mutt – Joe Miller
Saturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Monster Mutt – Joe Miller
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Monster Mutt – Joe Miller
Saturday Afternoon – Donut Contest:
Batman – Norm Miller
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Spiderman – Bari Musawwir
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Spiderman – Bari Musawwir
Saturday Night – Racing:
Grave Digger – Chad Tingler
Saturday Night – Donut Contest:
Spiderman – Bari Musawwir
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Chad Tingler
Sunday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
McGruff – Rod Wood
Sunday Afternoon – Racing:
Batman – Norm Miller
Sunday Afternoon – Donut Contest:
Monster Mutt – Joe Miller
Sunday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Chad Tingler
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Winnipeg, Manitoba – MTS Centre – 03/10-11/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Avenger – Jim Koehler
Brutus – Chris Bergeron
Grave Digger – Rod Schmidt
Northern Nightmare – Cam McQueen
Spike – Jeff Anderson
Wrecking Crew – Steve KoehlerSaturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Avenger – Jim Koehler
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Brutus – Chris Bergeron
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Rod Schmidt
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Northern Nightmare – Cam McQueen
Saturday Night – Racing:
Northern Nightmare – Cam McQueen
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Northern Nightmare – Cam McQueen
Sunday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Northern Nightmare – Cam McQueen
Sunday Afternoon – Racing:
Northern Nightmare – Cam McQueen
Sunday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Northern Nightmare – Cam McQueen
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Fresno, California – Save Mart Center – 03/09-10/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Grave Digger – Paul Cohen
Ice Cream Man – Scott Sweat
Iron Man – Lee O’Donnell
Monster Energy – Damon Bradshaw
Razin Kane – JR McNeal
Tasmanian Devil – Nicole JohnsonFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Tasmanian Devil – Nicole Johnson
Friday Night – Racing:
Iron Man – Lee O’Donnell
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Paul Cohen
Saturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Grave Digger – Paul Cohen
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Tasmanian Devil – Nicole Johnson
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Tasmanian Devil – Nicole Johnson
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Ice Cream Man – Scott Sweat
Saturday Night – Racing:
Tasmanian Devil – Nicole Johnson
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Paul Cohen
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Baton Rouge, Louisiana – Baton Rouge River Center – 03/09-10/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
El Toro Loco – Aaron Basl
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Grinder – Lupe Soza
Madusa – Debra Miceli
Mopar Magic – Bryan Wright
Stone Crusher – Steve SimsFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Friday Night – Racing:
Grinder – Lupe Soza
Friday Night – Donut Contest:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Saturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Stone Crusher – Steve Sims
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Saturday Afternoon – Donut Contest:
Grinder – Lupe Soza
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Grinder – Lupe Soza
Saturday Night – Racing:
Grinder – Lupe Soza
Saturday Night – Donut Contest:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Grave Digger – Pablo Huffaker
MONSTER NATIONALS – Family Events
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Hoffman Estates, Illinois – Sears Centre Arena – 03/09-10/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Chalkboard Chuck – Michelle Simpson
E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 – Rick Long
Iron Man – Joe Nichter
Lucas Oil Stabilizer – Bobby Holman
Star Marshal – Dave Radzierez
Vi-Cor Bigfoot #11 – Darron SchnellFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 – Rick Long
Friday Night – Racing:
E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 – Rick Long
Friday Night – Donut Contest:
Lucas Oil Stabilizer – Bobby Holman
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Lucas Oil Stabilizer – Bobby Holman
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Lucas Oil Stabilizer – Bobby Holman
Saturday Night – Racing:
Vi-Cor Bigfoot #11 – Darron Schnell
Saturday Night – Donut Contest:
Star Marshal – Dave Radzierez
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 – Rick Long
MONSTER TRUCK WINTER NATIONALS – Checkered Flag Productions
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Hobbs, New Mexico – Lea County Events Center – 03/10/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Bigfoot Bad Boy #16 – Larry Swim
Clydesdale – Bennett Clark
Daredevil – Corey Schlichler
Ghost Ryder – Larry Quick
Strait Jacket – Kevin KingSaturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Ghost Ryder – Larry Quick
Saturday Night – Racing:
Clydesdale – Bennett Clark
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Ghost Ryder – Larry Quick
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Pasco, Washington – TRAC Arena – 03/09-10/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Captain USA – Travis Groth
Destroyer – Roger Stidell
Double Trouble – Tyler Groth
Martial Law – Kaila Savage
Summit Bigfoot #14 – Kyle DoyleFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Captain USA – Travis Groth
Friday Night – Racing:
Double Trouble – Tyler Groth
Friday Night – Freestyle:
Captain USA – Travis Groth
Saturday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:
Double Trouble – Tyler Groth
Saturday Afternoon – Racing:
Destroyer – Roger Stidell
Saturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Double Trouble – Tyler Groth
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Martial Law – Kaila Savage
Saturday Night – Racing:
Summit Bigfoot #14 – Kyle Doyle
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Double Trouble – Tyler Groth
MONSTER TRUCK THUNDER SLAM – AMP Live Events
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Corinth, Mississippi – Crossroads Arena – 03/09-10/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
1/2 Pint – Travis Sturges
Bounty Hunter – Jimmy Creten
Nasty Boy – Ronnie Sturges
Scarlet Bandit – Matt Brokaw
Unnamed & Untamed – Sam SturgesFriday Night – Wheelie Contest:
1/2 Pint – Travis Sturges
Friday Night – Racing:
Bounty Hunter – Jimmy Creten
Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Bounty Hunter – Jimmy Creten
Saturday Night – Racing:
Bounty Hunter – Jimmy Creten
ROAD 2 DESTRUCTION TOUR – Metal Clash Productions
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Rapid City, South Dakota – Rushmore Plaza Civic Center – 03/10/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
California Kid – BJ Johnson
NameThisTruck.com – Ed Miller
Rock Star – Bill Payne
The General – Bill PayneSaturday Night – Wheelie Contest:
Rock Star – Bill Payne
Saturday Night – Racing:
Rock Star – Bill Payne
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Rock Star – Bill Payne
OUTLAW MONSTER TRUCK SPECTACULAR – Outlaw Monster Trucks
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Santa Maria, California – Santa Maria Fair Park – 03/10/12
Truck/Driver Lineup:
Detour – Rosalee Ramer
Fired Up – Chris Tjernagel
Shocker – Pat Gerber
Time Flys – Kelvin RamerSaturday Afternoon – Freestyle:
Detour – Rosalee Ramer
Saturday Night – Freestyle:
Detour – Rosalee Ramer
Monster Photos: Monster Truck Thunder Slam – Jonesboro, AR 2012
March 7, 2012 by 2 Comments
Event: Monster Truck Thunder Slam
Venue: ASU Convocation Center
Location: Jonesboro, Arkansas
Date: March 2nd-3rd, 2012
Photographer: Ross Z. Bonar
Lineup: 1/2 Pint (Travis Sturges), Bigfoot Bad Boy #16 (Larry Swim), Nasty Boy (Ronnie Sturges), Unnamed & Untamed (Sam Sturges), War Wizard (Robert Parker) [Read more…]
Monster Truck Radio 03/05/12 – Joe Sylvester & Rick Swanson
March 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Monster Truck Radio With Host Ross Z. Bonar & Co-Host “Roller” Jeff Richards
Date: Monday, March 5th, 2011
Guest #1: Joe Sylvester, driver of Bad Habit
Guest #2: Rick Swanson, driver of Obsessed/Obsession [Read more…]
