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Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: Southern Illinois Center
Location: DuQuoin, Illinois
Date: March 1st, 2014
Photographer: Danny Maass
Lucas Oil Bigfoot #14 (Eric Tack), Predator (Allen Pezo), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), Samson (Allison Patrick), War Wizard (Vern House) [Read more…]
Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: State Farm Center
Location: Champaign, Illinois
Date: February 8th, 2014
Photographer: Danny Maass
Lucas Oil Bigfoot #14 (Eric Tack), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), War Wizard (Vern House) [Read more…]
(Indianapolis, IN – Family Events PR)- Families will enjoy a “Monster Nite Out” in seven arenas around the U.S. as the 2014 winter season of the Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals schedule is announced. Tickets go on sale Friday, November 8th for each of the tour stops with complete ticketing information available at www.MonsterNationals.com.
The 2014 “Monster Nite Out” tour will present an all-star high-caliber lineup of the world’s most famous and powerful monster trucks including the “original monster truck”-BIGFOOT. At each tour performance, a pit party with the drivers and their monsters will be held two hours prior to show time. At the pit party, families can get photos, autographs, and get up-close to the ultra-high powered high-jumping machines. Live music from rising country star Brandon Maddox and band will add to the fun.
New for 2014 is the addition of a chance for lucky attendees to walk away with CASH from the Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals “Monster Money Booth”. At intermission, three lucky contestants chosen from qualifiers selected at the pit party and the first half of the show will step inside the booth and grab handfuls of cash from a swirling cash tornado called the “Cash-Nado”.
The top Monster trucks featured on the “Monster Nite Out” tour of the Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals in 2014 will include:
Lucas Oil BIGFOOT® – The original and world’s most famous Monster Truck returns.
RAMINATOR® – The Hemi-powered Ram HD dominating machine from Hall Brothers Racing.
RAMMUNITION® – A Ram 1500 tuned and tricked-out Hemi-powered winner.
WAR WIZARD- Renowned speed-demon debuts on the Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals tour.
Also joining the competition at various tour stops:
HEARTBREAKER – Female driver Kaila Savage is known for her fierce freestyles.
MECHANICAL MISCHIEF – A high-powered Chevy storming out of Rockford, IL
SAMSON – Legendary monster truck builder Dan Patrick’s mechanical marvel.
PREDATOR – Veteran Allen Pezo has been thrilling crowds for decades with his all-out style.
BAD NEWS TRAVELS FAST – Brandon Darrow literally grew up with monster trucks and now is one of its rising young stars.
The dates and venues for the Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals “Monster Nite Out” tour are:
Sioux City, IA- Tyson Events Center January 17 & 18, 2014 (3 shows)
Madison, WI- Alliant Energy Center January 24, 25 and 26, 2014 (3 shows)
Champaign, IL- State Farm Center February 8, 2014 (1 show)
Corbin, KY- The Corbin Arena February 14 & 15, 2014 (2 shows)
DuQuoin, IL- Southern Illinois Center February 28 and March 1, 2014 (3 shows)
Chicago, IL- The Sears Centre March 7 & 8, 2014 (2 shows)
Columbus, OH- Schottenstein Center March 29, 2014 (1 show)
For more information on the 2014 Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals, visit them online at www.MonsterNationals.com.
(Indianapolis, Indiana – Family Events PR) – Monsters & Magic will team up for the Winter and Spring – 2013 tour of the Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals. Eight Midwestern cities will host the Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals where the roar of over 40,000 pounds of rumbling, jumping, car-crushing monster trucks will come to life.
New to the series for 2013 is the addition of a magical theme highlighted by “The Great Escape”, a spectacular mid-air escape in the spirit of Houdini. Returning to the tour are Team Kid KJ and the young stars of the world’s youngest monster truck team. These young daredevils were a crowd favorite for kids and adults alike in their 2012 appearances. At each stop on the tour, attendees will have a chance to see the monster trucks up-close and meet the drivers for photos and autographs at a special pit party before each performance.
The Monster Nationals tour is shifting gears for 2013 – Hall Brothers Racing is back and an all new side act featuring magic will be featured.
Monster trucks featured on the “Monsters & Magic Tour” of the Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals in 2013 will include:
Raminator – The Hemi-powered dominating machine from Hall Brothers Racing.
Lucas Oil Stabilizer – The wild and unpredictable freestyle champ is back.
Star Marshal – From out of the old west to outer space and back…a good truck with a bad attitude.
Chalkboard Chuck – The one-of-a-kind truck that invites kids to sign their names right on the side.
Ironman – A tribute to the men and women of the armed forces
Other trucks may join the show at selected venues.
Hall Brothers Racing’s Raminator has won multiple Monster Nationals titles in the past, the big question is, who will pilot the big RAM on the tour?
East Lansing, MI returns to the schedule for 2013 after a two-year absence. The dates and venues for the Lucas Oil Monster Truck Nationals “Monsters & Magic Tour” are:
Champaign, IL – Assembly Hall – January 19, 2013 (1 show)
Madison, WI – Alliant Energy Center – January 25, 26, and 27, 2013 (3 shows)
East Lansing, MI – Breslin Center – February 9, 2013 (1 show)
Corbin, KY – The Arena – February 15 & 16, 2013 (2 shows)
DuQuoin, IL – Southern Illinois Center – March 1 & 2, 2013 (3 shows)
Chicago, IL – Sears Center Arena – March 15 & 16, 2013 (2 shows)
Sioux City, IA – Tyson Events Center – March 23 & 24, 2013 (3 shows)
Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center – April 6, 2013 (1 show)
(Hazelwood, MO – BIGFOOT PR) – For the third time in three years, Team BIGFOOT driver Rick Long has captured the E3 Spark Plugs Monster Nationals Racing Championship, marking the first time in series history a BIGFOOT driver has delivered back-to-back-to-back title runs! This marks Long’s fourth career championship, and the 32nd for the BIGFOOT team since the first championship racing series was formed in 1988.
Piloting his trusty E3 Spark Plugs BIGFOOT #15, Long delivered knock-out racing performances for virtually the entire indoor racing season, rarely yielding in his quest for victory, even to teammate Darron Schnell in the Vi-Cor/Celmanax BIGFOOT #11. Schnell, in his rookie year of Monster Nationals indoor competition, finished the season in second place in side-by-side racing. Long’s points total of 1150 was followed by Schnell’s 875 and veteran Bobby Holman, in the Lucas Oil Stabilizer, rounding out the top three with 800 points.
Rick Long will finish his full time driving career in style, winning his third straight Monster Nationals Racing Championship.
The Monster Nationals tour began in the mid-1990’s and from the get-go has primarily served as the premiere non-dirt indoor racing league for the monster truck industry. As many venues prefer not to have thousands of cubic yards of dirt brought into their facility, the Monster Nationals tour has thrived in its niche as a non-dirt series. What this means in essence is that the trucks and drivers do not have the luxury of a dirt starting line, dirt ramps to launch off of, or dirt pads on which to land. This translates to some pretty wild racing passes, punctuated with big air launches and exciting landings in the shut-down area, all of which requires a monster truck driver to develop an entirely different skill set than required by a dirt event! And, just for the sake of variety, the series organizers will from time to time include one or more dirt events at some point in the season, just to shake things up a bit for the drivers and crew.
Long, who now stands poised to retire from his full-time driving role at BIGFOOT, was quick to point out that his third successful run at the Monster Nationals racing crown was a team effort first and foremost: “It really was all about operating like a team, from the shop to the shows. Having Darron [Schnell] and his truck running with me all winter was really great. We were able to help each other out in the pits, bouncing ideas off each other and such. That’s a big part of why both BIGFOOT trucks ended up in the finals so many times!”
Long went on to explain that “Every truck on the Monster Nationals tour runs very hard, so in turn we have to run our trucks hard to beat them. And, of course, that makes it hard on Bryan [Bertoletti], John [Peterson], and Chris [Ludwig] in the shop as those guys have to help us get these trucks repaired and back on the road in just a day or two each week between events. Even Nick [Dvorchak] in our paint and body shop had his hands full with us this year, so they all deserve a lot of credit, because, without them, we wouldn’t run or look great at each of the events.”
Speculation about Long’s actual date of retirement from full-time driving has run rampant in the past several weeks, although by all accounts Long’s final event behind the wheel of BIGFOOT #15 may be at the Toughest Monster Truck Tour invitational in Erie, PA April 27th and 28th. Although Rick’s fans will be sorry to see him step out of the seat, they should expect to see him on the road occasionally, filling in for his teammates, and possibly even training new drivers! However, regardless of where his career takes him from here, Long can definitely enjoy the fact that he stepped down on top as a four-time champion behind the wheel of the world’s most famous monster truck, BIGFOOT.
For more information on Team BIGFOOT, visit them online at www.Bigfoot4x4.com.
Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: The Schottenstein Center
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Date: April 14th, 2012
Photographer: Chris Parrish
Lineup: 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)
[Read more…]
Episode: MT Unlimited 3.7
Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: Sears Centre Arena
Location: Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Date: March 9th-10th, 2012
Videographer: Colby Marshall
[/column]
[column size=”1-3″]
Michelle Simpson in Chalkboard Chuck
Rick Long in E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15
Joe Nichter in Ironman
Bobby Holman in Lucas Oil Stabilizer
Dave Radzierez in Star Marshal
Darron Schnell in Vi-Cor Bigfoot #11
[/column]
[column size=”1-3″ last=”1″]
www.Bigfoot4x4.com
www.E3SparkPlugs.com
www.FamilyEvents.com
www.MonsterNationals.com
[/column] [Read more…]
Episode: MT Unlimited 3.6
Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: Southern Illinois Center
Location: DuQuoin, Illinois
Date: March 2nd-3rd, 2012
Videographer: Colby Marshall
[/column]
[column size=”1-3″]
Michelle Simpson in Chalkboard Chuck
Rick Long in E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15
Joe Nichter in Ironman
Bobby Holman in Lucas Oil Stabilizer
Dave Radzierez in Star Marshal
Darron Schnell in Vi-Cor Bigfoot #11
[/column]
[column size=”1-3″ last=”1″]
www.Bigfoot4x4.com
www.E3SparkPlugs.com
www.FamilyEvents.com
www.MonsterNationals.com
[/column] [Read more…]
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″]
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″]
www.BIGFOOT4x4.com
www.FamilyEvents.com
www.E3SparkPlugs.com
www.MonsterNationals.com
[/column] [Read more…]
Week Ending: February 25th, 2012
Truck(s) Featured: 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)
Video Type: Family Events Video
Courtesy: www.YouTube.com
Description: Highlights from the Monster Nationals Saturday night event in Corbin, Kentucky! Look for more from the entire weekend on an upcoming episode of ActionTracks!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_VqoHlvvqA
Week Ending: January 14th, 2012
Truck(s) Featured: 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)
Video Type: Family Events Video
Courtesy: www.YouTube.com
Description: Highlights from the Monster Nationals season opener in Sioux City, Iowa hosted by Doc Riley!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmD2x2lQlMk
(Nashville, Tennesse – Family Events PR) – Toolpusher Records’ artist Jason Sturgeon is partnering with the Monster Truck Nationals for 2012 to perform his revved up live set during the already high-octane event.
“I couldn’t be more excited!” says Jason. “I grew up around engines and cars, working on them with my dad. The Monster Truck Nationals tour is a father-son event so I’m really happy to be part of it.”
Sturgeon is currently working on a new song just for The Monster Truck Tour, which will be the first single from his forthcoming sophomore CD release.
The Monster Truck Nationals is a monster truck thrill show that features two legendary BIGFOOT trucks competing against a field of other top pro monsters at every event. Each event also features the car-crushing, fire-breathing Transaurus and the Lil’ Mighty Monsters – the world’s youngest monster truck team! Jason’s song and others in his live set will be performed as part of the “Party In The Pits” at select Monster Truck Nationals events. The Party In The Pits allow kids and parents to get up close and personal with their favorite Monster Truck and their drivers on the floor of the arena!
Some of the action you'll see on the 2012 Monster Nationals Tour.
The Monster Truck Nationals Tour is produced by Family Events, a family-owned and operated event production company based in Indianapolis, IN. Family Events has specialized in family entertainment and motorsport events since owner C. Bruce Hubley founded the company in 1976. Bruce’s daughters Jessica & Lindsay, along with his wife, Patty are also actively involved in the family business. The company owns and produces The Family Events Performance Series and various automotive events for car and truck enthusiasts nationwide. These weekend events are packed with burn out competitions, Monster Truck Thunder Drags, NMRO Championship Mud Drags, Tough Trucks racing, Rock Crawls, manufacturer’s midway, show-n-shine awards, seminars, awards ceremonies, food and fun for the whole family.
January 13 & 14 – Sioux City, IA / Tyson Events Center
January 27, 28 & 29 – Madison, WI / Alliant Energy Center
February 11 – Champaign, IL / Assembly Hall
February 17 & 18 – Corbin, KY / The Arena
March 2 & 3 – DuQuoin, IL / Southern Illinois Center
March 9 & 10 – Chicago, IL / The Sears Center
March 30 & 31 – State College, PA / Bryce Jordan Center
April 14 – Columbus, OH / Value City Arena
April 27 & 28 Erie, PA / Tullio Arena
June 8 & 9 – Missoula, MT / Western Montana Fairgrounds
June 15 & 16 – Kalispell, MT / Flathead County Fairgrounds
August 4 – Indianapolis, IN / Indiana State Fair
August 18 – Lynden, WA / NW Washington Fairgrounds
November 2 & 3 – Remond, OR / Deschutes County Fairgrounds
Jason Sturgeon’s debut release THAT’S ME is a vivid collection of audio snapshots of Jason’s life. From the hard-driving, unapologetic opening strains of the sexy, growling title track to the scorching heat of “Endless Summer,” you know exactly who he is, where he comes from, and what kind of ride you’re in for…which is not for the faint of heart. A hell-raising country rocker who can tear it up all night long, he also shows he can break it down in the quieter moments on tracks like the seductive “Blankets,” or spend moments in contemplation on what we’re all doing here on tunes like the homespun song “The Cover.” And he sums up his journey so far on the heartland ode “Simple Life,” a three-minute declaration of all that he is and holds dear. To understand Jason, pop in the CD and listen…he lays it out bare for you in three-minute vignettes packed with truth and honesty served str aight up, just the way he likes it.
For more information on the 2012 Monster Truck Nationals Tour, visit www.MonsterNationals.com. For more information on country artist Jason Sturgeon, visit www.jasonsturgeonmusic.com.
Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: Tullio Arena
Location: Erie, Pennsylvania
Date: April 29th-30th, 2011
Photographer: Paul M. Harry
Lineup: Chalkboard Chuck (Ralph Holman/Bobby Holman), E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 (Rick Long), Lucas Oil Stabilizer (Bobby Holman), Star Marshal (Dave Radzierez) [Read more…]
Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: Tullio Arena
Location: Erie, Pennsylvania
Date: April 29th-30th, 2011
Photographer: Michael Harry
Lineup: Chalkboard Chuck (Ralph Holman/Bobby Holman), E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 (Rick Long), Lucas Oil Stabilizer (Bobby Holman), Star Marshal (Dave Radzierez) [Read more…]
The 2011 E3 Spark Plugs Monster Nationals Presented By Lucas Oil series is now complete following this weekend’s competition in Erie, Pennsylvania and this year’s champions are none other than Rick Long and Bobby Holman. The tour ran four long months and from the start in Huntington, West Virginia to the major stadium event in Glendale, Arizona, all the way through the finale in Erie, Pennsylvania, the tour was the Rick and Bobby show.
Rick Long and Bigfoot #15 dominated the 2011 Monster Nationals Racing Championship hunt.
For Rick, the championship is his second in as many years as Team BIGFOOT has made their triumphant return to the Monster Nationals series. The performance this year from Long was purely dominant as he took the championship by an incredible 600 points over 2nd place Bobby Holman and the Lucas Oil Stabilizer.
Official Racing Standings
1) Rick Long, E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 – 2,125 points
2) Bobby Holman, Lucas Oil Stabilizer – 1,525 points
3) Dave Radzierez, Star Marshall – 750 points
“It feels really good to win the championship again,” said Long. “We raced a lot of tough trucks this year from Bobby and the Stabilizer to Dave, who really came on strong in Star Marshal, so it’s a real accomplishment to beat some of the best in the business.”
Bobby Holman picked up 13 wins on his way to the 2011 Monster Nationals Freestyle Championship.
As dominant as Rick Long was in racing, Bobby Holman was similarly dominant in freestyle, picking up an impressive 13 wins in the Lucas Oil Stabilizer. This year’s Freestyle Championship is the fourth title of Holman’s career, as he and Dan Runte and the only three-time champions of the CFP Monster Truck Winter Nationals series.
Official Freestyle Standings
1) Bobby Holman, Lucas Oil Stabilizer – 13 wins
2) Rick Long, E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 – 6 wins
3) Derrick Anson, Heavy Hitter – 4 wins
“We are the champions and it feels great,” exclaimed Holman. “This year was tough competition as Rick and Bigfoot and Dave and Star Marshall were great all season. We couldn’t have done it without our friends at Lucas Oil, so a big thanks to them for their support.”
Now promoter Family Events moves outdoors with its 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals events and that means there is another championship to be won. The 2011 Monster Truck Thunder Drags title will be on the line as the series makes stops in Springfield, Missouri; Lima, Ohio; Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania; and Indianapolis, Indiana.
The big question will be, can anyone stop Mark Hall and the Raminator? Hall has won the title the last four years straight, but 10 other drivers including Dan Runte, Bobby Holman, Jim Koehler and more will look to try and take him down. Incredibly, going into Springfield, Hall has yet to win a single racing competition in 2011 so maybe this is the year.
For more information on the upcoming 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals events, visit www.FamilyEvents.com. A big congratulations from all of us at TMB to Rick Long and Bobby Holman on the championships!
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