Monster Jam® Season Preview Show to Air This Saturday on CBS

(Aurora, Illinois – Feld Motor Sports PR) – Feld Motor Sports announced today that CBS Sports will broadcast a one-hour Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam preview show, previewing the upcoming 2012 season, this Saturday, December 24th. Fans should check local listings for the broadcast time in their respective market, or reference the broadcast times listed below.

The 2012 Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam preview show will set the stage for the highly anticipated season, including the year-long Grave Digger 30th Anniversary celebration, and provide a look back at the 2011 season with the crowning of 2011 Monster Jam World Finals champions Maximum Destruction®and Avenger.

The one hour preview show will feature the up-and-coming stars of Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam as well as the unveiling of five new monster trucks which include Captain America, Wolverine, Team Hot Wheels, Metal Mulisha and Northern Nightmare.

“As the Advanced Auto Parts Monster Jam brand continues to grow on a global level entertaining over four-million fans worldwide at over 350 performances, the 2012 season is shaping up to be the best ever with six new monster trucks making their debut,” said Charlie Mancuso, president, Feld Motor Sports. “We will also have a special year-long tribute to a true legend in the sport as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Grave Digger.”

The 2011 Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam season was a banner year for the sport performing in 10 countries at the top stadiums and arenas in addition to a record number of network and cable television hours. Paired with a strong and growing retail licensing program and increased corporate involvement from outside sponsors, Monster Jam is poised for a strong year in 2012 both domestically and internationally.

Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam® Preview Show Air Times

Atlanta 5:00 p.m. local
Boston (Manchester) 5:00 p.m. local
Cleveland-Akron 5:00 p.m. local
Charlotte 3:00 p.m. local
Chicago 2:00 p.m. local
Dallas-Ft. Worth 4:00 p.m. local
Denver 3:00 p.m. local
Detroit 3:00 p.m. local
Hartford & New Haven 5:00 p.m. local
Houston 4:00 p.m. local
Indianapolis 5:00 p.m. local
Los Angeles 12:00 p.m. local
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale 5:00 p.m. local
Minneapolis-St. Paul 2:00 p.m. local
Nashville 4:00 p.m. local
New York 5:00 p.m. local
Orlando-Daytona Beach 5:00 p.m. local
Philadelphia 5:00 p.m. local
Phoenix (Prescott) 1:00 p.m. local
Pittsburgh 3:00 p.m. local
Portland 2:00 p.m. local
Raleigh-Durham 5:00 p.m. local
Sacramento 2:00 p.m. local
San Francisco-Oak San Jose 3:00 p.m. local
San Diego 12:00 p.m. local
Seattle-Tacoma 2:00 p.m. local
St. Louis 2:00 p.m. local
Tampa-St. Pete (Sarasota) 3:00 p.m. local
Washington D.C. 5:00 p.m. local

For more information on Advanced Auto Parts Monster Jam, please log on to www.monsterjam.com.

About Feld Motor Sports

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.

Hot Wheels & Monster Jam Roar Into 2012 Season With New Hot Wheels Monster Truck

(El Segundo, California – Hot Wheels PR) – Hot Wheels and Monster Jam are teaming up in an even bigger way to bring fans the ultimate in thrilling vehicle experiences.  For the first time, a Monster Jam monster truck will be driven by a Team Hot Wheels driver (Dan Evans has been announced as the driver for 2012) and will perform live – electrifying fans in a full line up of Monster Jam scheduled events in the 2012 and 2013 seasons.  To celebrate the Grave Digger 30th Anniversary, Hot Wheels will roll out new Monster Jam inspired toys ready to crunch, race and play.

Fan Voting:

In addition to seeing the newly designed Team Hot Wheels monster truck at Monster Jam events throughout North America, fans also will have a chance to help name the five-ton motorized mammoth.

Beginning today through March 9, 2012, fans can visit www.teamhotwheels.com to vote on one of five names for the truck:

·         Team Hot Wheels™ Firestorm®

·         Team Hot Wheels™ Motor Mauler®

·         Team Hot Wheels™ Jaw Crusher®

·         Team Hot Wheels™ Wrecker Breaker™

·         Team Hot Wheels™ Gasket Case™

The selected name will be announced at the Monster Jam World Finals℠ in Las Vegas, NV, on March 24, 2012.

“Monster Jam embodies what Hot Wheels is all about – over-the-top action, awesome power, showmanship and giving fans the ultimate in fantastical vehicle experiences,” said Simon Waldron, vice president of marketing for Hot Wheels. “We’re ready to take on Monster Jam in a big way with Team Hot Wheels and give fans the opportunity to name our truck.”

A Mattel promotional shot of the new Hot Wheels ride.

Team Hot Wheels Monster Truck:

The Team Hot Wheels Monster Jam monster truck is the first of its kind constructed with state-of-the-art laminate technology. Made of carbon fiber, Kevlar and E-glass (which is used to make some of the parts found on the International Space Station), the body weighs half that of a normal fiberglass body. The monster truck is 17 feet long, 11 feet high, weighs 10,000 lbs. and sports a 1,500 horsepower engine, making it a true monster truck behemoth.

To see how the Team Hot Wheels monster truck was created, fans can check out Hot Wheels YouTube channel for the “making of” footage for this monster truck.

“The newly built Team Hot Wheels monster truck has an extremely unique body style and look which will make it stand out from the other monster trucks in a way that is consistent with the Team Hot Wheels brand,” said Charlie Mancuso, president of Feld Motor Sports®.  “Keep an eye out for some exclusive videos that will be released in a couple months featuring Monster Jam and the Team Hot Wheels monster truck.”

Grave Digger 30th Anniversary Products

Hot Wheels is joining in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Grave Digger, one of the most famous monster trucks of all time with cool new toys, including:

  • Hot Wheels RC Monster Jam Grave Digger 30th Anniversary – Grave Digger in RC toy monster truck form with oversized swamper tires, boosted lift and a fully functional remote control, allowing it to run over rough terrain. (ARP $29.99, available January)
  • Hot Wheels Monster Jam Grave Digger 30th Anniversary Boneyard Bash™ Play Set – The ultimate training stadium for Grave Digger. The play set includes tough obstacles, a breakaway haunted house and adjustable ramps for tons of crashing, smashing action. (ARP $22.99, available January)
  • Hot Wheels Monster Jam Grave Digger die-cast toys in three scales (1:64, 1:43, 1:24)

For decades, Monster Jam has been one of the largest and most successful touring family shows in the world. Over four million passionate fans fill the country’s largest premier stadiums and arenas across the globe to see the spectacle at more than 135 tour stops and 350 live performances each year.

2012 Team Hot Wheels Schedule at Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam®

Engagement

Date

City/State

Venue

1

Jan 6-7

Des Moines, Iowa

Wells Fargo Arena

2

Jan 13-15

Tacoma, Washington

Tacoma Dome

3

Jan 21

Houston, Texas

Reliant Stadium

4

Jan 28

New Orleans, Louisiana

Mercedes-Benz Dome

5

Feb 3-4

Peoria, Illinois

Peoria Civic Center

6

Feb 11

Anaheim, California

Angel Stadium

7

Feb 18

Los Angeles, California

Dodger Stadium

8

Feb 25-26

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Chesapeake Energy Arena

9

Mar 3

Detroit, Michigan

Ford Field

10

Mar 9-11

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Van Andel Arena

*Additional dates to be announced, schedule subject to change.

About the Hot Wheels Brand

Since 1968, Hot Wheels has been passionate about creating thrilling vehicle experiences through innovative product and content. With a fan base of more than 41 million people, Hot Wheels is the No. 1 vehicle property in the United States producing the coolest cars imaginable. The Hot Wheels brand began as a line of 16 1:64-scale die-cast vehicles; today, it has evolved into a true, global lifestyle brand for boys of all ages with segments that range from aftermarket parts to licensed apparel to branded digital content from Team Hot Wheels, a real-life race crew of professional drivers performing over-the-top stunts.  For consumers to learn more, visit www.HotWheels.com and www.Facebook.com/HotWheels.

 About Feld Motor Sports

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.

Monster Truck Radio 12/19/11 – Jimmy Creten

Monster Truck Radio With Host Ross Z. Bonar & Co-Host Chris Parrish
Date: Monday, December 19th, 2011
Guest #1: Jimmy Creten, owner of 2Xtreme Racing, driver of Bounty Hunter
Guest #2: N/A [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Monster X Tour – Reno, NV 2011

Event: Monster X Tour
Venue: Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center
Location: Reno, Nevada
Date: November 11th-12th, 2011
Photographer: Kelly Murphy Migues

Lineup: Bad Habit (Joe Sylvester), Bounty Hunter (Darren Migues), California Kid (Ed Miller), Iron Outlaw (Matt Brokaw), Rock Star (Bill Payne) [Read more…]

Video of the Week – 12/17/11

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!

Monster Photos: BIGFOOT #18 Testing Session – St. Charles, MO 2011

Event: Summit Bigfoot #18 Testing Session
Venue: Midwest Recycling
Location: Saint Charles, Missouri
Date: December 17th, 2011
Photographer: Danny Maass

Lineup: Summit Bigfoot #18 (Dan Runte) [Read more…]

Monster Truck Mafia Holding Fan Vote to Pick New Member for 2012

(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.

About The Monster Truck Mafia

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!

The Insider: TMB Leaderboard 2011 Final Standings

(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:

Total Racing Wins

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

Best Racing Win Percentage

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)

Total Freestyle Wins

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

Best Freestyle Win Percentage

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)

Total Combined Racing/Freestyle Wins

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

Best Combined Racing/Freestyle Win Percentage

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)

Total Wheelie/Donut/Long Jump Wins

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

Most Wins In Fields of 10+ Trucks

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

2011 Series Championships Update

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)

More Photos of The All New BIGFOOT #18

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.

Team BIGFOOT’s Rick Long Not Calling It Quits Just Yet

(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.

TMB TV: Bite Me Production Studios 2011 Highlight Video

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…]

2012 Marks the 30th Anniversary of Monster Jam Icon Grave Digger

(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.

About Feld Motor Sports

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.

About K’NEX Brands

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 12/12/11 – Mike Welch

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…]

December 9th-11th Weekend Results

MONSTER JAM – Feld Entertainment

  • Minneapolis, Minnesota – H.H.H. Metrodome – 12/10/11

    Truck/Driver Lineup:

    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

    Saturday Night – Racing:

    Monster Magic – Morgan Kane

    Saturday Night – Freestyle:

    Son Uva Digger – Ryan Anderson

MONSTER TRUCKS SHOWDOWN – nVivo Live Events

  • Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico – Arena VFG – 12/10-11/11

    Truck/Driver Lineup:

    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

    Saturday Night – Wheelie Contest:

    Bounty Hunter – Jimmy Creten

    Saturday Night – Racing:

    Iron Outlaw – Ben Winslow

    Saturday Night – Freestyle:

    Tie – Bounty Hunter – Jimmy Creten
    Tie – Iron Outlaw – Ben Winslow

    Sunday Afternoon – Wheelie Contest:

    Corona – Travis Sturges

    Sunday Afternoon – Racing:

    Nasty Boy – Ronnie Sturges

    Sunday Afternoon – Freestyle:

    Tie – Bounty Hunter – Jimmy Creten
    Tie – Bounty Hunter Black – Darren Migues

Video of the Week – 12/10/11

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!

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