Monster Photos

The Allen Report: Budweiser Monster Truck Fall Nationals – Turlock, CA 2016

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: October 15th, 2016

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we make a long trek to Turlock, California for the second time in 2016, and third time overall. Upon our arrival, we headed to the Budweiser Monster Truck Fall Nationals at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, presented by our friends at WGAS Motorsports as their last show of the season. Six high flying, ground pounding monster trucks came to the fairgrounds to slug it out in the car munching madness of freestyle.

From just a few hours away in Vacaville, CA was the team of Tony Canedo. Teammate and friend Jeff Souza drove team truck Enforcer while “The Flying Spaniard” Tony himself, as always, got behind the wheel of his bright red Play’n for Keeps. Rosalee Ramer took a weekend off from studying at Georgia Tech to take the wheel of her Wild Flower monster truck. Her father, Kelvin Ramer, took to the track in his trusty 1934 Ford Coupe he calls Time Flys. Finally, husband and wife Jimmy and Dawn Creten arrived, ready to invade the fairgrounds and defeat the competition. Once more, Dawn was behind the wheel of Scarlet Bandit, with the words “You can’t catch me!” displayed with pride on the tailgate. Jimmy Creten was piloting his usual American Sniper Bounty Hunter. With professional judges ready and a perfect score of 100 on the line, every move would count and consistency was crucial. [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Monster Truck Night of Fire and Thrills – Cape Girardeau MO, 2016

Event Information

Event: Monster Truck Night of Fire and Thrills
Venue: A.C. Brase Outdoor Arena
Location: Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Date: October 1st, 2016
Photographer: Danny Maass (Check out Maass Media on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

Dawg Pound (Steven Snellen), Heavy Hitter (Derick Anson) Lone Eagle (Lenny Kuilder) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals – Indianapolis, IN 2016

Event Information

Event: 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals
Venue: Indiana State Fairgrounds
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Date: September 16th-18th, 2016
Photographer: Danny Maass (Check out Maass Media on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

General Tire (Dale Benear), Lucas Oil Bigfoot #21 (Larry Swim), Raminator (Mark Hall), Ramunition (Mat Dishman), Snake Bite (Venny Venom), Tail Gator (Doug Noelke), Venom (Denver Echternkamp) [Read more…]

The Allen Report: 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals – Indianapolis, IN 2016

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: September 16th-18th, 2016

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we go far from home to Indianapolis, Indiana, a city where motorsport has thrived for decades with open wheel racing’s Indy 500, stock car racing’s Brickyard 400 and drag racing’s U.S. Nationals all hugely popular events on the calendar. Another such occasion this past September was the historic 35th Anniversary of the Lucas Oil 4 Wheel Jamboree Fall Nationals at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Seven of the nation’s fastest and most destructive monster trucks were on hand to settle the Monster Truck Thunder Drags Racing and Freestyle Points titles. On the racing side of things, the series returned to its roots with a simple two obstacle drag race track with no turns. Reigning champion Larry Swim pulled in with the Lucas Oil Bigfoot #21. The old rivalry in monster truck competition continued as the mysterious Vinny Venom, nephew of Colt Cobra, arrived in the retro Snake Bite. From Champaign, IL were no less than three different Hall Brothers Racing team trucks. Team co-founder Mark Hall, as usual, drove the sleek black Raminator. Mat Dishman came to town in the bright red Rammunition and Dale Benear completed the Hall Bros team triple threat behind the wheel of the General Tire Monster Truck. Returning to the 4 Wheel Jamboree circuit after a few years elsewhere was Doug Noelke and the Tail Gator monster truck. Finally, series newcomer Denver Echternkamp and his Venom Chevrolet monster rounded out the field. [Read more…]

Monster Photos: All Star Monster Truck Tour – Palmer, AK 2016

Event Information

Event: All Star Monster Truck Tour
Venue: Alaska State Fair
Location: Palmer, Alaska
Date: September 3rd-4th, 2016
Photographer: Danny Maass (Check out Maass Media on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

California Kid (Ezra Wilson), Identity Theft (John Bruce), Rock Star (Bill Payne), Skelator (Robert Brett) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Monster Truck Nationals – Springfield, IL 2016

Event Information

Event: Monster Truck Nationals
Venue: Illinois State Fairgrounds
Location: Springfield, Illinois
Date: June 4th-5th, 2016
Photographer: Danny Maass (Check out Maass Media on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

Bigfoot #19 (Darron Schnell), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), Snake Bite (Vinny Venom), Tail Gator (Doug Noelke) [Read more…]

The Allen Report: Monster Truck Madness – Tucson, AZ 2016

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: August 20th, 2016

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we travel to Tucson Speedway, a three-eighths mile NASCAR Home Track where opportunities abound for motorsport entertainment. And on the third weekend of August, four southwestern, household names arrived to do battle in wheelies, donuts and freestyle Monster Truck competitions.

From Menifee, California, Eric Swanson in his trophy truck bodied Obsessed arrived. Coming the other way from New Mexico was recently announced International Monster Truck Museum 2016 Hall of Fame Nominee Jack Koberna and the Tuff-E-Nuff monster. Making a hometown appearance was Murphy “Werewolf” McCrorey driving for his step-father, Rod Wood, behind the wheel of McGruff. The show was being held at night, so all would find out if Murphy lived up to his nickname. Rounding out the field was former Monster Jam on SPEED announcer, hailing from Lake Havasu, AZ, Mark Schroeder piloting Felon. The show was held on the front straightaway of the speedway, so there was little room for error, but the drivers were undeterred by the tight performance space. [Read more…]

The Allen Report: 2016 Rocky Mountain Raceway Maverik Clash of the Titans

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: August 13th-14th, 2016

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we make our way to West Valley City, Utah, a state full of motorsport history as some of the biggest names in speed have gathered at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats to be the fastest man on wheels. However, on the second weekend of August, Rocky Mountain Raceways holds its traditional Maverik Clash of the Titans monster truck figure-8 race event, this year for the historic twentieth consecutive year. To commemorate the event, a record sixteen monster trucks were invited, the most ever at this event.

Leading the charge were all four members of Jimmy Creten’s 2Xtreme Racing. Jimmy himself drove the American Sniper Bounty Hunter while wife and teammate Dawn, as usual, took the steering wheel of Scarlet Bandit. Tim “Mullet” Missentzis piloted the pickup Iron Outlaw. And the lead guitarist of metal band Five Finger Death Punch himself, Zoltan Bathory from Hungary brought his insane looking 3D-bodied Knucklehead to compete. From just up the road in South Willard, Utah was Kreg Christensen in his hot rod hybrid Wicked on Sunday. On Saturday, Kreg’s stepson Paul Jensen drove Wicked before stepping into the radical trophy truck bodied monster in its first public outing, Kamikaze on Sunday. Twins Travis and Tyler Groth arrived to do battle; Travis in his orange Trouble Maker and Tyler in the bright green Double Trouble.

Another set of twins was in the house this weekend as Aaron Basl filled in for David Smith in King Krunch while brother Daron, as usual, took the helm of the reborn El Matador after several years of the Nitro Hornet identity. Darren Migues (pronounced Me-guess) had both trucks in tow. Darren himself hopped in the driver’s seat of Nitro Menace while his daughter Kaylyn continued her blossoming monster truck career in Jailbird. From West Jordan, Utah was Ron “the Dunc” Duncombe in the Maverik Monster Trakker. Returning to the Raceway for the third straight year were Doug Charles and Wild Thang. Rounding out the field was southwestern monster truck legend Jimmy Lyons stepping in for Rod Wood to drive McGruff and Lake Havasu, Arizona’s Mark Schroeder in the cockpit of Felon. [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Back to School Monster Truck Bash – Concord, NC 2016

Event Information

Event: Back to School Monster Truck Bash
Venue: The Dirt Track At Charlotte Motor Speedway
Location: Concord, North Carolina
Date: August 13th, 2016
Photographer: Danny Maass (Check out Maass Media on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

Avenger (Jim Koehler), Bigfoot (Larry Swim), Brutus (Brad Allen), Dawg Pound (Vern House), Dirt Crew (Jerry Beck), Heavy Hitter (Derick Anson), Hooked (Bryan Wright), Saigon Shaker (Ryan Disharoon), Stone Crusher (Steve Sims), Quad Chaos (Aaron Cain) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Toughest Monster Truck Tour – West Plains, MO 2016

Event Information

Event: Toughest Monster Truck Tour
Venue: Heart of the Ozarks Fairgrounds
Location: West Plains, Missouri
Date: August 5th-6th, 2016
Photographer: Danny Maass (Check out Maass Media on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

Dawg Pound (Vern House), Dirt Crew (Jerry Beck), Heavy Hitter (Derick Anson), Quad Chaos (Aaron Cain), Summit Bigfoot #21 (Larry Swim) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: O’Reilly Outlaw Nationals – Springfield, MO 2016

Event Information

Event: O’Reilly Outlaw Nationals
Venue: Ozark Empire Fairgrounds
Location: Springfield, Missouri
Date: July 30th, 2016
Photographer: Danny Maass (Check out Maass Media on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

Ice Cream Man (Roy Pridgeon), Over Bored (Jamey Garner), Razin Kane (Buddy Tompkins), Tail Gator (Doug Noelke), War Eagle (Devin Jones) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Summer Smash Monster Truck Show – Evansville, IN 2016

Event Information

Event: Summer Smash Monster Truck Show
Venue: Vanderburgh County 4H Center
Location: Evansville, Indiana
Date: July 15th, 2016
Photographer: Danny Maass (Check out Maass Media on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

Avenger (Jim Koehler), Ballistic (Mac Plecker), Brutus (Brad Allen), Firestone Bigfoot #15 (Rick Long), Quadzilla (Scott Brant), Rage (Cory Rummell), USA-1 (Roger Gauger) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Monster Truck Throwdown – Mount Pleasant, MI 2016

Event Information

Event: Monster Truck Throwdown
Venue: Soaring Eagle Casino
Location: Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Date: July 2nd, 2016
Photographer: Danny Maass (Check out Maass Media on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

Avenger (Jim Koehler), Barbarian (Devin Jones), Brutus (Brad Allen), Crushstation (Greg Winchenbach), Heavy Hitter (Derick Anson), Lumberjack (Jeremy Hosman), Over Bored (Travis Groth/Tyler Groth), Rage (Cory Rummell), Wild Side (Jamey Garner), Wrecking Crew (Michael Thompson) [Read more…]

The Allen Report: Kaboom Monster Trucks – Pomona, CA 2016

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: July 4th, 2016

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we make our way to Pomona, California, a town rich in motorsport history as the home of one of the first professional drag strips and that of the official NHRA museum. But on this day, five giant monster trucks took to the Pomona Fairplex to do battle in head to head racing and motor home munching, high flying freestyle.

Jimmy Creten came to town in his slick looking Yellow Stripe Bounty Hunter with East Coast regular Matt Cody behind the wheel of the pickup Iron Outlaw. Rod Wood, piloting McGruff, made the trip from just outside Tucson, Arizona. Rounding out the field was Vacaville, California’s Tony “Flying Spaniard” Canedo driving Play ‘n 4 Keeps with teammate Jeff Souza in tow, who took the wheel of Enforcer. This is a name that garnered legendary status throughout the West Coast under ownership of Terminator’s Gary Schott in the ‘90s before being retired. However, the name was brought back into the public eye at this venue two years ago as the third member of Tony’s trio of monsters. [Read more…]

The Allen Report: San Diego County Fair Monster Trucks – Del Mar, CA 2016

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: July 1st-3rd, 2016

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report” we travel to San Diego, California, a city with no shortage of sport and entertainment venues, from football’s Qualcomm Stadium to baseball’s Petco Park. But on the first few days of July at the San Diego County Fair, the big crowds were inside the Del Mar Arena. Six monster trucks arrived to do head to head battle in roof scraping, dirt slinging freestyle competition.

Making the trip from Tonganoxie, Kansas, were Jimmy Creten piloting Bounty Hunter with wife Dawn Creten right behind in Scarlet Bandit. From just up the road in Watsonville, California, were the father and daughter team of Kelvin and Rosalee Ramer. Kelvin was in his sleek 1934 Ford coupe Time Flys and Rosalee, the 2016 Monster Jam Rookie of the Year, in her usual Wild Flower. Finally, Rick and Eric Swanson arrived looking to bring the title back to their home state. Rick, once more, was driving his 20th Anniversary Obsession with Eric at the wheel of the Baja bodied Obsessed. [Read more…]

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