Survivor

The Allen Report: WGAS Motorsports Season Finale – Turlock, CA 2017

October 9, 2017 by TheMonsterBlogger Leave a Comment

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: October 7th, 2017

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we make our third and final trip this year to the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock, California. This show was the season finale for our friends at WGAS Motorsports with five high flying, dirt slinging and crowd pleasing monster trucks ready to square off in two rounds of freestyle. A maximum of 100 points per round would be on the line with the highest combined score between the two rounds taking the Overall Championship.

The “Flying Spaniard” Tony Canedo brought all three of his trucks to the fairgrounds. Tony himself took the wheel of Playin’ for Keeps. Local driver Jeff Souza once more got into the seat of Enforcer. Finally, David Tucker climbed back into the Survivor machine. Defending spring event champion Bounty Hunter returned and driver Jimmy Creten was ready to defend his title. Finally, teammate and wife Dawn Creten arrived in her trusty Scarlet Bandit, ready to take the boys head on. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2017 Photos, Feature Articles, Featured News, Monster Photos, News, The Allen Report Tagged With: 2Xtreme Racing, Bounty Hunter, California, David Tucker, Dawn Creten, Enforcer, Jeff Souza, Jimmy Creten, Play'n 4 Keeps, Scarlet Bandit, Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, Survivor, Tony Canedo, Turlock, WGAS Motorsports

The Allen Report: Stanislaus County Fair Monster Trucks – Turlock, CA 2017

July 22, 2017 by TheMonsterBlogger Leave a Comment

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: July 20th-21st, 2017

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we make a familiar trek in a new time of the year. We have covered excellent monster truck action from the FoodMaxx Arena at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in the town of Turlock, California, several times before, but this was our first time doing so during the fair itself. Six ground pounding, crowd pleasing competitive monster trucks and one mini monster came from across the state to compete in the all-or-nothing freestyle competition over the closing days of the fair.

Vacaville, California’s Tony Canedo had all three of his monster trucks ready to storm the track. The team owner nicknamed “The Flying Spaniard” took the helm of Play ‘N for Keeps. Local driver Jeff Souza got back in the saddle of the Enforcer truck. Jeff’s son Hunter was also back in his faithful Wrecking Machine mini monster. Both father and son were eager to put their respective rollovers from this arena a few months ago in the rearview mirror. David Tucker once again tightened the belts of the third member of the team, Survivor. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2017 Photos, Feature Articles, Featured News, Monster Photos, News, The Allen Report Tagged With: California, David Tucker, Enforcer, Jeff Souza, Jonathan Elkins, Kelvin Ramer, Play'n 4 Keeps, Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, Survivor, Terminator, Time Flys, Tony Canedo, Turlock, WGAS Motorsports, Wild Flower

The Allen Report: Budweiser Monster Truck Spring Nationals – Turlock, CA 2017

May 15, 2017 by TheMonsterBlogger Leave a Comment

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: May 12th-13th, 2017

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we travel to the peaceful town of Turlock, CA. It’s a quiet place where most thrills are supplied by the sports teams of nearby big cities. But on the second weekend of May, the thrill seeking crowd was inside the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds ready to experience some thunderous, high flying, high speed monster truck action. Eight competitive monster trucks and one mini monster arrived to do battle in hot and heavy freestyle competition.

Second generation driver Hunter Souza brushed the off season dust off and took the wheel of the Wrecking Machine mini monster. International Monster Truck Hall of Fame member Terry Woodcock was in the house inside the cockpit of the 35th Anniversary Cyclops. All three of the “Flying Spaniard” Tony Canedo’s monsters came to town. Tony himself, as always, drove the new trophy truck bodied Play ‘n For Keeps. David Tucker was the pilot of the Survivor machine and was ready to make thunder around the arena and Jeff Souza, Hunter’s father, was ready to rumble as the driver of Enforcer. Eric Swanson and his beautiful 1968 Ford F-100 bodied Obsessed were locked and loaded. Father Rick Swanson would settle for nothing less than the win in his Top Notch Tee’s sponsored Obsession. Dawn Creten was ready to give the boys a run for their money in Scarlet Bandit. Finally, 2005 World Freestyle Champion Jim Creten had his eyes on first place with American Sniper Bounty Hunter in tow. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2017 Photos, Feature Articles, Featured News, Monster Photos, News, The Allen Report Tagged With: 2Xtreme Racing, Bounty Hunter, Budweiser Monster Truck Spring Nationals, California, Cyclops, David Tucker, Dawn Creten, Enforcer, Eric Swanson, Jeff Souza, Jimmy Creten, Obsessed, Obsession, Obsession Racing, Play'n 4 Keeps, Rick Swanson, Scarlet Bandit, Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, Survivor, Terry Woodcock, Tony Canedo, Turlock, WGAS Motorsports

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

May 16, 2016 by TheMonsterBlogger Leave a Comment

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: May 14th, 2016

Weekend Recap

“The Allen Report” is back and we return to the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock, California, this time in the month of May for the popular Budweiser Monster Truck Spring Nationals. Turlock is a relaxed, peaceful town where the biggest disturbance is normally the frequent freight train. However, there was some additional noise in the air on Friday and Saturday night where seven high flying, car smashing monster trucks arrived to do battle in bus munching, donut spinning freestyle.

Making the trip from Tonganoxie, Kansas were Jimmy Creten and Bounty Hunter. Popular hometown driver Russell Steeley stepped up to drive team truck Iron Outlaw for the final time so he could give his pulling truck his sole attention in the near future. From just down the road in Menifee, California, were the father/son duo of Rick and Eric Swanson. Former Monster Jam Young Guns Shootout competitor Eric was behind the wheel of his pickup bodied Obsessed and Rick continued his 20th anniversary of professional monster trucking in his breathtaking Obsession, complete with a film strip featuring just a fraction of his numerous TV and commercial appearances running down either side. Rounding out the field was Tony Canedo, who brought all three of his trucks, ready to give a good show to the crowd. David Tucker would take the wheel of Survivor and Jeff Souza would pilot Enforcer while Tony himself stuck to his usual Play ‘N for Keeps. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Photos, Feature Articles, Featured News, Monster Photos, News, The Allen Report Tagged With: 2Xtreme Racing, Bounty Hunter, Budweiser Monster Truck Spring Nationals, California, David Tucker, Enforcer, Eric Swanson, Iron Outlaw, Jeff Souza, Jimmy Creten, Obsessed, Obsession, Obsession Racing, Play'n 4 Keeps, Rick Swanson, Russell Steeley, Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, Survivor, Tony Canedo, Turlock, WGAS Motorsports

The Allen Report: Monster Truck Show – Perris, CA 2015

October 5, 2015 by TheMonsterBlogger 2 Comments

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: October 3rd, 2015

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we make our way to Perris, CA, a quiet town which, for fifty-one weeks a year is a quiet, relaxing SoCal town. But on this weekend, WGAS Motorsports brought eight of the best monster trucks in the region to Perris Auto Speedway to open the Southern California fair. Former World Champion Jim Creten and Bounty Hunter lead the charge with wife and teammate Dawn Creten right behind in her typical Scarlet Bandit. Defending the home state turf was Kelvin Ramer in his 1934 Ford Coupe Time Flys. Wild Flower was in the house as well, but with Rosalee Ramer busy attending Georgia Tech, the driver’s seat was occupied by Kelvin’s friend Jeff Souza. Tony Canedo brought his fan favorite Play N’ 4 Keeps to the Speedway, with Roger Stidell in Destroyer right behind. Tony pulled double duty this weekend, also driving Survivor while friend John Northcutt took to the cockpit of Tony’s third truck, Enforcer. When a capacity crowd piled in for the freestyle action, taking place on the front straight-a-way of the Perris Auto Speedway, all signs pointed to a real battle for the championship. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2015 Photos, Feature Articles, Featured News, Monster Photos, News, The Allen Report Tagged With: 2Xtreme Racing, Bounty Hunter, California, Dawn Creten, Destroyer, Enforcer, Jeff Souza, Jimmy Creten, John Northcutt, Kelvin Ramer, Monster Truck Show, Perris, Play'n 4 Keeps, Roger Stidell, Scarlet Bandit, Survivor, Time Flys, Tony Canedo, WGAS Motorsports, Wild Flower

The Allen Report: Monster Truck Show – Del Mar, CA 2015

July 4, 2015 by TheMonsterBlogger 1 Comment

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: July 1st-3rd, 2015

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we travel back to the San Diego County Fair, a place that, for one hundred years, has delivered on fun rides, great food and exciting entertainment. And on the first, second and third of July, the entertainment was in the Del Mar Arena, where seven ground pounding monster trucks arrived to do battle in wheelie contest the first day, freestyle the second and, on the third day, qualifying in the afternoon and racing in the evening. The husband and wife team of Jim and Dawn Creten came to town, Jim in his sleek new black and yellow Bounty Hunter and Dawn in her traditional Scarlet Bandit. The “Flying Spaniard” Tony Canedo drove his newly purchased Survivor and Roger Stidell, as usual, piloted the trophy truck bodied Destroyer. The father-daughter team of Kelvin and Rosalee Ramer were in the house to defend their southern California home turf, Kelvin in his 1934 Ford Coupe Time Flys and Rosalee in her usual Wild Flower. Finally, Rick Swanson and his crowd-amazing Wrongway Rick arrived. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2015 Photos, Feature Articles, Featured News, Monster Photos, News, The Allen Report Tagged With: 2Xtreme Racing, Bounty Hunter, California, Dawn Creten, Del Mar, Destroyer, Jimmy Creten, Kelvin Ramer, Monster Truck Show, Obsession Racing, Rick Swanson, Roger Stidell, Rosalee Ramer, Scarlet Bandit, Survivor, Time Flys, Tony Canedo, WGAS Motorsports, Wild Flower, Wrongway Rick

The Allen Report: Extreme Monster Air – Longview, WA 2014

July 21, 2014 by TheMonsterBlogger Leave a Comment

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

EVENT DATE: July 19th, 2014

Weekend Recap

This time on “The Allen Report”, we go up north to the Cowlitz County Fairgrounds in Longview, Washington to watch six monster trucks do battle in three rounds of freestyle. Promoter and Monster Truck Hall of Famer Mike Welch and his “Freaks of Freestyle” tour brought in Monroe, Washington’s Seth Fisher driving Tow Monster. Also there was veteran Jeff Bainter behind the wheel of Captain USA. Selma, California’s Randy Hoegh had the keys to the brand new, old school built, farming inspired identity Raging Raisin appearing for the very first time. Roger Stidell was in the house with Destroyer. Rounding out the battleground were Tyler Groth in Double Trouble and twin brother Travis Groth piloting Survivor. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Photos, Feature Articles, Featured News, Monster Photos, News, The Allen Report Tagged With: Captain USA, Cowlitz County Fairgrounds, Destroyer, Double Trouble, Extreme Monster Air, Freaks of Freestyle, Jeff Bainter, Longview, Mike Welch Motorsports, Raging Raisin, Randy Hoegh, Roger Stidell, Seth Fisher, Survivor, Tow Monster, Travis Groth, Tyler Groth, Washington