Road to the World Finals

TMB’s 2013 “Road to the World Finals” Power Rankings – February Update

**Disclaimer** – For anyone reading this feature article series for the first time, the TMB “Road to the World Finals” is completely unofficial and just for fun. We assign points based on a driver’s performance using the actual results from events on MonsterJam.com so that we can see who the best performing drivers are throughout the season. See the bottom of this article for the full explanation of how it works.

After two full months of competition on the 2013 Monster Jam Tour, Carl Van Horn and Grave Digger have claimed the top spot on TMB’s “Road to the World Finals” Unofficial Power Rankings! This is easily one of the closest battles we’ve ever seen in the seven years we’ve been doing this feature, as less than 20 points separate the top 4 drivers with only 3 weeks of competition left to go.

Van Horn has earned the #1 ranking overall by not only having more wins than any other driver (42) but also by strong performances in the his stadium events. He holds a slim lead of less than 5 points over fellow Team Grave Digger drivers Charlie Pauken and Jon Zimmer, who sit in 2nd and 3rd respectively. Both Pauken and Zimmer have taken a similar route to the top of the standings, making the most of their stadium events while dominating in their arena shows. Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter is having one of his best Monster Jam seasons in recent memory, as his 4 stadium racing wins are the most of any driver, and when combined with his additional 26 arena wins and other strong stadium performances, he is less than 10 points out of the top spot.

In an incredibly tight battle, Carl Van Horn is leading the way on the "Road to the World Finals"!

In an incredibly tight battle, Carl Van Horn is leading the way on the “Road to the World Finals”!

The Anderson family is within striking distance however as they have been picking up stadium wins left and right. Adam in Grave Digger The Legend and Ryan in Son Uva Digger sit 5th and 6th, each with 6 stadium wins, while Dennis in Grave Digger is ranked 7th with 7 stadium wins, the most of any driver this year. With all three of them less than 30 points out of the lead, a big weekend could vault any one of them to the top.

Gary Porter in Grave Digger, Neil Elliott in Maximum Destruction and Damon Bradshaw in Monster Energy round out the top 10. Two-time “Road to the World Finals” winner Tom Meents sits 14th overall – he has 4 stadium wins to his credit, but has struggled with consistency in 2013.

Looking towards the back of the pack, the battle for the final spot is on. With 28 trucks going to be competing this year, every driver wants to finish in the top 28 so that they can say they earned their invite to the World Finals. Only about 10 points separate 26th place driver Mike Vaters in Black Stallion from 34th place driver Jim Koehler in Avenger, with Dan Evans, Lupe Soza, Chuck Werner, Frank Krmel, Donald Epidendio, Scott Buetow and Greg Winchenbach all in the fight.

Having said all of that, Monster Jam has announced the 27 drivers that WILL be competing in the World Finals this year, and the 12 drivers selected for the Young Guns Shootout. They are marked as such in the standings below and you will be able to see some of the good, and some of the not so good choices that were made when picking this year’s “qualifiers”. The biggest snub for this year will undoubtedly be Carl Van Horn being passed over, especially when he is currently the #1 ranked driver in our standings after nine weeks of competition.

Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after February below:

roadtofinals13_feb

Here is how points were scored in the Elite Level events held in February:

Week Six

2/2 – St. Louis, Missouri

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 20
2nd – Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Alex Blackwell – Captain’s Curse – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 20
Tie – 2nd – Alex Blackwell – Captain’s Curse – 12.5
Tie – 2nd – Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 12.5
4th – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 5

2/2 – Houston, Texas

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Lee O’Donnell – Iron Man – 20
2nd – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 15
Semi-Finals – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Frank Krmel – Grinder – 15
Tie – 3rd – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 7.5
Tie – 3rd – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 7.5

2/2 – Tampa, Florida

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 20
2nd – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 15
Semi-Finals – Chuck Werner – El Toro Loco – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 15
Tie – 3rd – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 5
Tie – 3rd – Dustin Brown – Wolverine – 5
Tie – 3rd – Steve Sims – Stone Crusher – 5

Week Seven

2/9 – Anaheim, California

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Andrew Peckhum – Tropical Thunder – 15
Semi-Finals – Rick Swanson – Obsession – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 15
3rd – Brian Deegan – Metal Mulisha – 10
4th – Dustin Brown – Wolverine – 5

2/9 – Miami, Florida

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 20
2nd – Debra Miceli – Madusa – 15
Semi-Finals – Dan Evans – Blue Thunder – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Lee O’Donnell – Iron Man – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Chad Tingler – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Bari Musawwir – Spiderman – 15
3rd – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 10
4th – Lee O’Donnell – Iron Man – 5

Week Eight

2/16 – Atlanta, Georgia

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Scott Hartsock – Gun Slinger – 15
Semi-Finals – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Debra Miceli – Madusa – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 15
3rd – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 10
4th – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 5

Week Nine

2/23 – Oakland, California

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Chuck Werner – El Toro Loco – 15
Semi-Finals – Donald Epidendio – Titan – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Kelvin Ramer – Time Flys – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 20
2nd – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 15
3rd – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 10
Tie 4th – Dan Rodoni – The Patriot – 2.5
Tie 4th – Scott Buetow – Hot Wheels Firestorm – 2.5

2/23 – Arlington, Texas

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 20
2nd – Ryan Huffaker – El Toro Loco – 15
Semi-Finals – Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jim Koehler – Avenger – 20
Tie 2nd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 12.5
Tie 2nd – Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 12.5
Tie 4th – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 2.5
Tie 4th – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 2.5

2/23 – New Orleans, Louisiana

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 20
2nd – Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Scott Hartsock – Gun Slinger – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 15
3rd – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 10
Tie 4th – Scott Hartsock – Gun Slinger – 2.5
Tie 4th – Sean Duhon – Zombie – 2.5

2/23 – Jacksonville, Florida

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 15
Semi-Finals – Bryan Wright – Hooked – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Alex Blackwell – Captain’s Curse – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
Tie 2nd – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 12.5
Tie 3nd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 12.5
4th – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 5

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2013 Results Tracker 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

TMB’s 2013 “Road to the World Finals” Power Rankings – January Update

One of our most popular features each year on TheMonsterBlog.com is back for 2013, as we once again rank drivers competing in Monster Jam in our “Road to the World Finals” Power Rankings/Unofficial Point Standings. Fans always wonder exactly how USHRA selects its 28 competitors for the annual Monster Jam World Finals, and so do we. We also often wonder just how all the drivers stack up against each other throughout, and at the end of the Monster Jam season. Without some sort of points system for the Monster Jam series, it is awfully hard to do so as they often run events in up to 10-15 different venues in a single weekend. So for the 7th year in a row, TMB will be operating our “Road to the World Finals” power rankings/unofficial point standings for the Monster Jam series based directly on the results available at MonsterJam.com. This is our way of ranking the drivers based on their performance throughout the season and gives us a good idea of which drivers have most earned a spot in the World Finals, whether they ultimately end up being selected or not.

If you didn’t follow along last year, we’re sure that you have many questions about how we put this together: How does it work? Which events are we including? How are the points awarded? etc. At the bottom of each week’s update, you’ll see the detailed rationale and explanation that should answer most of these questions. Last year Ryan Anderson became the first driver other than father Dennis or Tom Meents to prevail on our “Road to the World Finals”! Who will be tops in 2013? Follow along and let’s find out together!

After one month, "the new guy" to Team Grave Digger, Jon Zimmer, is leading the Road to the World Finals!

After one month, “the new guy” to Team Grave Digger, Jon Zimmer, is leading the Road to the World Finals!

Our first rankings for the 2013 season include the early December Minneapolis Monster Jam event and the entire slate of events from the month of January. With all those events in the books, the big surprise is that new Team Grave Digger driver Jon Zimmer is the #1 ranked driver in all of Monster Jam! Zimmer has had a strong start to the season, with a big arena performance to start off the year, two runner-ups in Detroit and freestyle wins in Toronto and Vancouver.

Another driver laying the foundation for one of his best seasons in recent memory is Jimmy Creten in the Bounty Hunter. Creten has put up some big numbers, dominating arena events in Columbus and Uniondale and sweeping two nights of stadium racing in Toronto. The highest Creten has ever finished in our rankings is 3rd back in 2009 – could this be the year that an independent finally manages to finish on top?

Don’t look now however, as the young guns are climbing the rankings. Last year’s Road to the World Finals champ Ryan Anderson has just nailed down two straight double down weekends in Tampa and Orlando, putting Son Uva Digger up to 3rd overall. Former freestyle champs Damon Bradshaw and Adam Anderson have both racked up several stadium wins and they currently round out the top 5.

For the first 5 years we did Road to the World Finals, Dennis Anderson and Tom Meents took the top spot every time. To do it again in 2013, they have some work ahead of them as inconsistency has plagued both drivers to start off the year. Anderson is currently ranked 9th, with Meents in 15th.

With the field expanding to 28 trucks for this year’s World Finals, that opens up a couple more spots for drivers to try and show they merit consideration for an official invite from Feld. Lupe Soza, Chad Fortune and Chuck Werner are currently hanging just inside the top 28, while Steve Sims, Mike Vaters and Norm Miller are just outside. We expect to see some wild competition for those final spots once again this year.

Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after January below:

roadtofinals13_jan

Here is how points were scored in the only Elite Level event held to date:

Week One

12/1 – Minneapolis, Minnesota

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 20
2nd – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 15
Semi-Finals – Bari Musawwir – Batman – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 15
3rd – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 10
4th – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Stadium – 5

Week Two

1/4 – Tacoma, Washington

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 10
2nd – Scott Buetow – Hot Wheels Firestorm – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Ben Winslow – Bounty Hunter – 3.75
Semi-Finals – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 3.75

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 10
Tie 2nd – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 6.25
Tie 2nd – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 6.25
4th – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 2.5

1/5 AM – Tacoma, Washington

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 10
2nd – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 7.5
Semi-Finals – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 3.75
Semi-Finals – Scott Buetow – Hot Wheels Firestorm – 3.75

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 10
2nd – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 7.5
3rd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 5
4th – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 2.5

1/5 PM – Tacoma, Washington

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 10
2nd – Taryn Laskey – Monster Mutt Dalmation – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Travis Groth – Captain USA – 3.75
Semi-Finals – Scott Buetow – Hot Wheels Firestorm – 3.75

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 10
Tie 2nd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 6.25
Tie 2nd – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 6.25
Tie 4th – Travis Groth – Captain USA – 1.25
Tie 4th – Darren Migues – Iron Outlaw – 1.25

1/6 – Tacoma, Washington

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 10
2nd – Jim Lenhertz – Obsession – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Travis Groth – Captain USA – 3.75
Semi-Finals – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 3.75

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 10
Tie 2nd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 6.25
Tie 2nd – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 6.25
Tie 4th – Donald Epidendio – Titan – 1.25
Tie 4th – Darren Migues – Iron Outlaw – 1.25

Week Three

1/12 – Detroit, Michigan

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Jon Zimmer – Grave Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Chris Bergeron – Brutus – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Frank Krmel – Grinder – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Jon Zimmer – Grave Digger – 15
3rd – Jim Koehler – Avenger – 10
4th – Cam McQueen – Northern Nightmare – 5

1/12 – Houston, Texas

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 20
2nd – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Alex Blackwell – Captain’s Curse – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 15
3rd – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 10
Tie 4th – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 2.5
Tie 4th – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 2.5

1/12 – Anaheim, California

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Donald Epidendio – Titan – 20
2nd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 15
Semi-Finals – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Andrew Peckhum – Tropical Thunder – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 20
Tie 2nd – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 12.5
Tie 2nd – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 12.5
Tie 4th – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 2.5
Tie 4th – Scott Buetow – Hot Wheels Firestorm – 2.5

1/12 – San Antonio, Texas

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – John Seasock – Grinder – 20
2nd – Michael Harper – Outlaw – 15
Semi-Finals – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Bari Musawwir – Spiderman – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 20
2nd – John Seasock – Grinder – 15
3rd – Bari Musawwir – Spiderman – 10
4th – Devin Jones – Barbarian – 5

1/13 – San Antonio, Texas

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 20
2nd – John Seasock – Grinder – 15
Semi-Finals – Allen Pezo – Predator – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Darren Migues – Iron Outlaw – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Chad Tingler – Grave Digger – 20
Tie 2nd – David Smith – Nitro Hornet – 12.5
Tie 2nd – Ben Winslow – Bounty Hunter – 12.5
Tie 4th – Darren Migues – Iron Outlaw – 2.5
Tie 4th – Jeremy Slifko – Backdraft – 2.5

Week Four

1/19 – Tampa, Florida

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 15
Semi-Finals – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Morgan Kane – Iron Man – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 15
Tie 3rd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 7.5
Tie 3rd – Rod Schmidt – Grave Digger – 7.5

1/19 – Minneapolis, Minnesota

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Bari Musawwir – Spiderman – 20
2nd – John Seasock – Grinder – 15
Semi-Finals – Mat Dishman – Rammunition – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Chris Bergeron – Brutus – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Chad Tingler – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Bari Musawwir – Spiderman – 15
3rd – Becky McDonough – El Toro Loco – 10
Tie 4th – Chris Bergeron – Brutus – 2.5
Tie 4th – Taryn Laskey – Monster Mutt Dalmation – 2.5

1/19 – Houston, Texas

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 20
2nd – Lee O’Donnell – Iron Man – 15
Semi-Finals – Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 20
2nd – Dan Evans – Rod Ryan Show – 15
Tie 3rd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 7.5
Tie 3rd – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 7.5

1/19 – San Diego, California

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 20
2nd – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 15
Semi-Finals – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Scott Buetow – Hot Wheels Firestorm – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 20
2nd – Alex Blackwell – Captain’s Curse – 15
3rd – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 10
Tie 4th – Scott Buetow – Hot Wheels Firestorm – 2.5
Tie 4th – Candace Jolly – Monster Mutt Dalmation – 2.5

1/19 – Toronto, Ontario

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 20
2nd – Norm Miller – Batman – 15
Semi-Finals – Jon Zimmer – Grave Digger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Cam McQueen – Northern Nightmare – 20
2nd – Jon Zimmer – Grave Digger – 15
3rd – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 10
4th – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 5

1/20 – Toronto, Ontario

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 20
2nd – Jon Zimmer – Grave Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Norm Miller – Batman – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jon Zimmer – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 15
3rd – Cam McQueen – Northern Nightmare – 10
Tie 4th – Dawn Creten – Scarlet Bandit – 2.5
Tie 4th – Chuck Werner – El Toro Loco – 2.5

Week Five

1/26 – Indianapolis, Indiana

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 20
2nd – Chuck Werner – El Toro Loco – 15
Semi-Finals – Chris Bergeron – Brutus – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Jimmy Tracey – Higher Education – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 15
3rd – Chuck Werner – El Toro Loco – 10
4th – Frank Krmel – Grinder – 5

1/26 – Orlando, Florida

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 15
Semi-Finals – Scott Hartsock – Gun Slinger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Steve Sims – Stone Crusher – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Chad Tingler – Grave Digger – 15
3rd – Steve Sims – Stone Crusher – 10
4th – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 5

1/26 – Phoenix, Arizona

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 20
2nd – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 15
Semi-Finals – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Scott Buetow – Hot Wheels Firestorm – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 20
Tie 2nd – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 10
Tie 2nd – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 10
Tie 2nd – Scott Buetow – Hot Wheels Firestorm – 10

1/26 – Anaheim, California

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Donald Epidendio – Titan – 20
2nd – Dan Evans – Blue Thunder – 15
Semi-Finals – Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Andrew Peckhum – Tropical Thunder – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 20
2nd – Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 15
3rd – Dan Evans – Blue Thunder – 10
4th – Dan Rodoni – The Patriot – 5

1/26 – Vancouver, British Columbia

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Alex Blackwell – Captain’s Curse – 15
Semi-Finals – Jon Zimmer – Grave Digger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Cam McQueen – Northern Nightmare – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jon Zimmer – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 15
3rd – Alex Blackwell – Captain’s Curse – 10
4th – Kelvin Ramer – Time Flys – 5

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2013 Results Tracker 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

TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Final Standings

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)

TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Week #10

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)

TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Week #9

The month of March is underway and there are now just two weeks of competition left before the 2012 Monster Jam World Finals. With four stadium events this weekend, a lot was on the line and Ryan Anderson stepped up big in El Paso. Son Uva Digger’s weekend sweep of freestyle has him back out in front over Tom Meents. Meents had a solid weekend in Indianapolis, winning racing and staying within reach of the top spot.

Dennis Anderson had a huge double down performance in Jacksonville to keep the third spot overall, while Gary Porter turned in another strong weekend to stay in fourth. A big double down performance in the motor city has Adam Anderson back into the top 5 overall.

Looking back to the scramble for the top 24, John Seasock used a strong showing Indianapolis as did Joe Miller in Saginaw to make their way IN, knocking Bari Musawwir and Carl Van Horn OUT. Chad Tingler now has the hot seat, a mere 1/2 point ahead of Musawwir who is the first driver on the outside looking in.

Ryan Anderson has re-claimed the top spot on the Road to the World Finals after two big freestyle wins in El Paso.

Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after Week #9 below:

Here is how points were scored in this weekend’s Elite Level events:

3/3 – Jacksonville, Florida

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Mat Dishman – Rammunition – 15
Semi-Finals – Mark Hall – Raminator – 7.5
Semi-Finals – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 15
3rd – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 10
4th – Steve Sims – Stone Crusher – 5

3/3 – Detroit, Michigan

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 20
2nd – Frank Krmel – Grinder – 15
Semi-Finals – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Alex Blackwell – Wolverine – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 20
2nd – Frank Krmel – Grinder – 15
3rd – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 10
4th – Dan Evans – Hot Wheels – 5

3/3 – Indianapolis, Indiana

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 15
Semi-Finals – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 7.5
Semi-Finals – John Seasock – Grinder – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 20
2nd – John Seasock – Grinder – 15
3rd – Bari Musawwir – Spiderman – 10
4th – Jon Zimmer – Amsoil Shock Therapy – 5

3/3 – El Paso, Texas

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 20
2nd – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Devin Jones – Barbarian – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Rick Swanson – Obsessed – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 15
3rd – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 10
Tie – 4th – Dan Rodoni – The Patriot – 2.5
Tie – 4th – David Smith – King Krunch – 2.5

3/4 – El Paso, Texas

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 20
2nd – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Paul Cohen – Grave Digger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 15
Tie – 3rd – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 7.5
Tie – 3rd – Lee O’Donnell – Iron Man – 7.5

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2012 Results Tracker March 2nd-4th 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)

TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Week #8

The month of February is in the books and with only three weeks left on the TMB “Road to the World Finals”, Tom Meents in Maximum Destruction has solidified his hold on the #1 spot. The top 3 in the rankings went head to head this weekend at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas as Meents, Ryan Anderson in Son Uva Digger and Dennis Anderson in Grave Digger were all part of one all-star lineup.

Dennis would actually have the best night in Grave Digger, winning racing and finishing runner-up in freestyle. Meents prevailed in the head to head match-up with Son Uva Digger however, as Max D’s semi-finals in racing and freestyle victory netted far more points than Ryan’s 3rd place in freestyle. The standings are still very close heading into another big weekend to start off March, with Meents up by 19 over Son Uva Digger and 28 over Grave Digger. Gary Porter approaches a jaw-dropping 50 wins while Neil Elliott nearly doubled down again in Oakland, and they round out the top 5 overall.

In the scramble for a spot in the top 24, Feld teammates Chad Tingler and Bari Musawwir used a big weekend in Cleveland to jump IN, knocking Jim Koehler and John Seasock OUT. Seasock, Koehler and Jon Zimmer are all just barely on the outside looking in, all less than 5 points out.

Another big weekend for Tom Meents in Arlington has extended his lead on the TMB Road to the World Finals.

Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after Week #8 below:

Here is how points were scored in this weekend’s Elite Level events:

2/25 – Oakland, California

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 20
2nd – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 15
Semi-Finals – Paul Cohen – Grave Digger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Dan Rodoni – The Patriot – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 20
Tie 2nd – Chuck Werner – El Toro Loco – 12.5
Tie 2nd – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 12.5
4th – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 5

2/25 – Arlington, Texas

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 15
Semi-Finals – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 7.5
Semi-Finals – David Smith – King Krunch – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 15
3rd – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 10
Tie – 4th – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 2.5
Tie – 4th – Frank Krmel – Grinder – 2.5

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2012 Results Tracker February 24th-26th 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)

TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Week #7

After another big weekend of Monster Jam competition, the 2012 TMB “Road to the World Finals” is setting up to be an incredibly exciting battle as Tom Meents has re-assumed the lead over Ryan Anderson by less than 2 points! Meents and Anderson were both strong in Pittsburgh and Tupelo respectively, but Meents came away with a few more wins which has put Max D back on top after Week #7.

Dennis Anderson had a big weekend himself in Worcester, which has launched him back up to 3rd overall, while Gary Porter’s domination in Hampton has him back up to 4th. Adam Anderson used a final round appearance in Los Angeles to keep the 5th spot in the standings in Grave Digger The Legend.

Looking back to the scramble to get in the top 24, Chad Fortune used a semi-final appearance at Dodgers Stadium to jump IN, knocking Chad Tingler OUT. John Seasock remains on the hot seat while Jon Zimmer made the most of a guest appearance in Grave Digger in Spokane, picking up 8 wins and moving to 25th overall, less than 5 points out of the top 24.

Tom Meents is back at #1 after a big weekend in Pittsburgh.

Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after Week #7 below:

Here is how points were scored in this weekend’s Elite Level events:

2/18 – Los Angeles, California

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 15
Semi-Finals – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Lee O’Donnell – Iron Man – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 20
2nd – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 15
3rd – Dan Evans – Hot Wheels – 10
4th – Brian Deegan – Metal Mulisha – 5

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2012 Results Tracker February 17th-19th 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)

TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Week #6

We are at roughly the halfway point on the 2012 “TMB Road to the World Finals” after 6 weeks of Monster Jam competition, and it’s Ryan Anderson and Son Uva Digger still occupying the #1 position. After an OK weekend in Miami, Anderson has seen his lead fall to less than 5 points over Tom Meents. Meents and Maximum Destruction picked up several wins in Nashville to close the gap on the leader.

With a runner-up finishes in racing and freestyle in Anaheim, Adam Anderson has moved Grave Digger The Legend back to third overall. Dennis Anderson is fourth after a solid weekend in Miami, while Neil Elliott’s double down performance in Anaheim has vaulted him into the top 5.

Trying to stay in the top 24 has been the most interesting battle as this week has seen Darren Migues fall out, back to 26th, while John Seasock has moved into a tie for 23rd with Morgan Kane to jump in. Chad Fortune holds the 25th spot overall and is once again just a single point from the cutoff.

Even after a so-so weekend in Miami, Ryan Anderson retains the top spot by less than 5 points over Tom Meents.

Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after Week #6 below:

Here is how points were scored in this weekend’s Elite Level events:

2/11 – Miami, Florida

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 20
2nd – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Jon Zimmer – Amsoil Shock Therapy – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 20
2nd – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 15
Tie 3rd – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 5
Tie 3rd – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 5
Tie 3rd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 5

2/11 – Anaheim, California

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 15
Semi-Finals – Mark Schroeder – The Felon – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 15
3rd – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 10
Tie 4th – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 2.5
Tie 4th – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 2.5

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2012 Results Tracker February 10th-12th 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)

TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Week #5

The first weekend of February is in the books and Ryan Anderson has re-taken the top spot on TMB’s “Road to the World Finals” power rankings! Anderson stepped up with a huge double down performance in Vancouver to leap frog previous leader Tom Meents. Meents had a strong weekend in St. Louis, winning freestyle in Maximum Destruction, but his inability to make it past round two of racing cost him the top spot.

Gary Porter has moved back into the #3 position after another dominating weekend in Charleston, West Virginia. The fact that Porter has stayed in the top 5 without even having had the chance to compete in a stadium show this year speaks to how dominant he has been in the arena events he has run, evidenced by a jaw-dropping 31 wins so far in 2012. Charlie Pauken swept freestyle in Peoria to stay in the top 5, while Dennis Anderson’s racing win in Tampa keeps him in the top 5 overall.

The scramble for a spot in the top 24 continues to be intense, as this week saw Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter and Chad Tingler in Grave Digger move back in, knocking out John Seasock and Rod Schmidt. Morgan Kane currently hangs on to the 24th position by a single point over Chad Fortune in 25th.

Ryan Anderson retakes the #1 spot after a huge double down weekend in Vancouver!

Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after Week #5 below:

Here is how points were scored in this weekend’s Elite Level events:

2/4 – St. Louis, Missouri

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 20
2nd – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 15
Semi-Finals – Bryan Wright – Mopar Magic – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Steve Sims – Stone Crusher – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 15
Tie 3rd – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 7.5
Tie 3rd – Lee O’Donnell – Iron Man – 7.5

2/4 – Tampa, Florida

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 15
Semi-Finals – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Chris Bergeron – Brutus – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jim Koehler – Avenger – 20
2nd – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 15
3rd – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 10
4th – Jeremy Slifko – Backdraft – 5

2/4 – Houston, Texas

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Alex Blackwell – Wolverine – 20
2nd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 15
Semi-Finals – Nicole Johnson – Grinder – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Alex Blackwell – Wolverine – 20
2nd – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 15
Tie 3rd – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 7.5
Tie 3rd – Daron Basl – Rod Ryan Show – 7.5

2/4 – Vancouver, British Columbia

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 15
Semi-Finals – Andrew Peckhum – M2D Camo Thunder – 7.5
Semi-Finals – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Candace Jolly – Monster Mutt Dalmation – 15
Tie 3rd – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 7.5
Tie 3rd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 7.5

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2012 Results Tracker February 3rd-5th 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)

TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Week #4

The first month of 2012 are is in the books and Tom Meents in Maximum Destruction is showing the way on TMB’s “Road to the World Finals”! Meents doubled down for the second week in a row with a huge night in New Orleans. Ryan Anderson isn’t letting Meents get away though as he maintains the 2nd position, less than 10 points back. Anderson nearly doubled down himself in Phoenix, winning freestyle in Son Uva Digger but coming up just short in the racing finals.

The rest of the top 5 is engaged in a great battle as a mere 2 points separates 3rd place from 6th. Digger drivers Charlie Pauken, Gary Porter and Dennis Anderson, along with Adam Anderson in Grave Digger The Legend are the ones fighting it out, with each having another great performance this past weekend to close out the month of January.

As good as the battle for a spot in the top 5 has been, the scramble to get into the top 24 is even wilder. Only 11 points separate 20th place Morgan Kane from 29th place Chad Fortune. Grave Digger driver Rod Schmidt currently holds the hot seat, with Dan Evans in Hot Wheels the first driver on the outside looking in.

After month of competition, Tom Meents is #1 on TMB's "Road to the World Finals".

Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after Week #4 below:

Here is how points were scored in this weekend’s Elite Level events:

1/28 – Anaheim, California

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 20
2nd – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 15
Semi-Finals – Candace Jolly – Monster Mutt Dalmation – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Bari Musawwir – Spiderman – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Grave Digger – Chad Tingler – 20
2nd – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 15
3rd – Lee O’Donnell – Iron Man – 10
4th – Donald Epidendio – Titan – 5

1/28 – Orlando, Florida

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 15
3rd – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 10
Tie 4th – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 2.5
Tie 4th – Steve Sims – Stone Crusher – 2.5

1/28 – New Orleans, Louisiana

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Andy Slifko – Eradicator – 15
Semi-Finals – Chris Bergeron – Brutus – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Dan Evans – Hot Wheels – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 15
3rd – Jim Koehler – Avenger – 10
Tie 4th – Chris Bergeron – Brutus – 2.5
Tie 4th – Dan Evans – Hot Wheels – 2.5

1/28 – Phoenix, Arizona

1st – Allen Pezo – Predator – 20
2nd – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Mark Schroeder – The Felon – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 15
3rd – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 10
4th – Brian Deegan – Metal Mulisha – 5

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2012 Results Tracker January 27th-29th 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

TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Week #3

Three weeks of 2012 are in the books and we have a new leader on TMB’s “Road to the World Finals”! Tom Meents used a huge double down performance in Maximum Destruction in Toronto to snag the lead away from Ryan Anderson in Son Uva Digger. Anderson had a big weekend in San Diego, making the finals in racing and winning freestyle, but he now sits less than 2 points behind Meents as we head into the final week of January.

Charlie Pauken and Grave Digger remains in the top 3 after a strong performance in Houston, Texas, but look out for Adam Anderson, who is now up to 4th in Grave Digger The Legend after doubling down in Tampa. The old man isn’t letting the kids get too far out in front though, as Dennis Anderson makes his way into the top 5, less than 30 points out of the lead.

The battle to earn a spot in the top 24 is heating up after one of the busiest weekends of the year. Positions 17-24 are separated by less than 5 points with Jim Koehler in Avenger currently in the hot seat in position 24. Marc MacDonald and Dan Evans are just outside the cutoff along with a host of other great drivers trying to prove they are deserving of an invite to the World Finals.

Tom Meents has vaulted into the top spot on the "Road to the World Finals" after a Maximum Destruction double down in Toronto.

Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after Week #3 below:

Here is how points were scored in this weekend’s Elite Level events:

1/21 – San Diego, California

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 20
2nd – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 15
3rd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 10
Tie 4th – Todd Leduc – Metal Mulisha – 2.5
Tie 4th – Dan Rodoni – The Patriot – 2.5

1/21 – Tampa, Florida

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 20
2nd – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 20
2nd – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 15
3rd – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 10
4th – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 5

1/21 – Minneapolis, Minnesota

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – John Seasock – Grinder – 20
2nd – Randy Brown – Grave Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Charles Benns – Monster Mutt Rottweiler – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Darren Migues – Bounty Hunter – 20
Tie 2nd – Scott Buetow – Iron Man – 12.5
Tie 2nd – Joey Parnell – TMNT – 12.5
Tie 4th – John Seasock – Grinder – 2.5
Tie 4th – Becky McDonough – El Toro Loco – 2.5

1/21 – Houston, Texas

Wheelie Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – David Smith – King Krunch – 8

Donut Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 8

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – David Smith – King Krunch – 20
2nd – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 15
3rd – Sean Duhon – Superman – 10
4th – Nicole Johnson – Grinder – 5

1/21 – Toronto, Ontario (Saturday)

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 15
Semi-Finals – Jim Koehler – Avenger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Rod Schmidt – Grave Digger – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Candace Jolly – Monster Mutt Dalmation – 15
3rd – Rod Schmidt – Grave Digger – 10
4th – Jim Koehler – Avenger – 5

1/22 – Toronto, Ontario (Sunday)

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 20
2nd – Candace Jolly – Monster Mutt Dalmation – 15
Semi-Finals – Rod Schmidt – Grave Digger – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Cam McQueen – Northern Nightmare – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jim Koehler – Avenger – 20
2nd – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 15
3rd – Rod Schmidt – Grave Digger – 10
4th – Chris Bergeron – Brutus – 5

* The Houston, Texas event is unique in that it includes a wheelie and donut contest at an Elite Level show. The winner of these contests receives 8 points, the Normal Level event points pro-rated to Elite Level (x4).

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2012 Results Tracker January 20th-22nd 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

TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Week #2

The “Road to the World Finals” is through the second week of 2012 and Ryan Anderson and Son Uva Digger remain on top of the “Road to the World Finals” after another major stadium freestyle victory in Anaheim this weekend.

Alex Blackwell and Charlie Pauken have vaulted into a tie for the #2 position, a mere 2 points behind Anderson, after strong performances and big wins in San Antonio and Tacoma. Dennis Anderson has moved into fourth after a huge Double Down performance in Atlanta, while Tom Meents rounds out the top 5 coming off a big weekend in Detroit.

The battle to earn a spot in the top 24 is now starting to take shape with Lupe Soza and Jon Zimmer ranked 23rd and 24th, and Darren Migues a scant 2 points back in 25th overall. The race will only continue to heat up after another week of major stadium events this coming weeekend!

Ryan Anderson continues to lead after Week #2 on the "Road to the World Finals"!

Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after Week #2 below:

Here is how points were scored in this weekend’s Elite Level events:

1/14 – Detroit, Michigan

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 20
2nd – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 15
Semi-Finals – John Seasock – Grinder – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Dan Patrick – Samson – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Randy Brown – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 15
3rd – Jimmy Creten – Bounty Hunter – 10
4th – Jeremy Slifko – Backdraft – 5

1/14 – Atlanta, Georgia

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 15
Semi-Finals – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Lupe Soza – Grinder – 15
3rd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 10
4th – Chad Fortune – Captain America – 5

1/14 – Anaheim, California

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Carl Van Horn – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – George Balhan – Mohawk Warrior – 15
Semi-Finals – Kelvin Ramer – Time Flys – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Mark Schroeder – The Felon – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 15
3rd – Candace Jolly – Monster Mutt Dalmation – 10
4th – Dan Rodoni – The Patriot – 5

1/14 – Houston, Texas

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 20
2nd – Bari Musawwir – Spiderman – 15
Semi-Finals – Daron Basl – Rod Ryan Show – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Chuck Werner – El Toro Loco – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Neil Elliott – Maximum Destruction – 20
2nd – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 15
Tie 3rd – Chris Bergeron – Brutus – 7.5
Tie 3rd – Daron Basl – Rod Ryan Show – 7.5

1/14 – San Antonio, Texas (Saturday)

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Alex Blackwell – Wolverine – 20
2nd – Lee O’Donnell – Iron Man – 15
Semi-Finals – Sean Duhon – Superman – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 20
Tie 2nd – Alex Blackwell – Wolverine – 12.5
Tie 2nd – Lee O’Donnell – Iron Man – 12.5
Tie 4th – Sean Duhon – Superman – 2.5
Tie 4th – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 2.5

1/15 – San Antonio, Texas (Sunday)

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Damon Bradshaw – Monster Energy – 20
2nd – Alex Blackwell – Wolverine – 15
Semi-Finals – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Lee O’Donnell – Iron Man – 20
Tie 2nd – Alex Blackwell – Wolverine – 12.5
Tie 2nd – Kreg Christensen – Maximum Destruction – 12.5
4th – Nicole Johnson – Grinder – 5

1/14 – Tacoma, Washington (Friday)

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dan Evans – Hot Wheels – 10
2nd – Jon Zimmer – Amsoil Shock Therapy – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 3.75
Semi-Finals – Charles Benns – Monster Mutt Rottweiler – 3.75

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 10
2nd – Dan Evans – Hot Wheels – 7.5
Tie 3rd – Charles Benns – Monster Mutt Rottweiler – 3.75
Tie 3rd – Scott Buetow – Iron Man – 3.75

1/15 – Tacoma, Washington (Saturday Afternoon)

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 10
2nd – Charles Benns – Monster Mutt Rottweiler – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Dan Evans – Hot Wheels – 3.75
Semi-Finals – Scott Buetow – Iron Man – 3.75

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 10
2nd – Charles Benns – Monster Mutt Rottweiler – 7.5
Tie 3rd – Jon Zimmer – Amsoil Shock Therapy – 3.75
Tie 3rd – Donald Epidendio – Titan – 3.75

1/15 – Tacoma, Washington (Saturday Night)

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 10
2nd – Dan Evans – Hot Wheels – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Charles Benns – Monster Mutt Rottweiler – 3.75
Semi-Finals – Travis Groth – Captain USA – 3.75

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 10
2nd – Dan Evans – Hot Wheels – 7.5
3rd – Charles Benns – Monster Mutt Rottweiler – 5
4th – Travis Groth – Captain USA – 2.5

1/15 – Tacoma, Washington (Sunday Afternoon)

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 10
2nd – Scott Buetow – Iron Man – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Scott Sweat – Ice Cream Man – 3.75
Semi-Finals – Travis Groth – Captain USA – 3.75

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Jon Zimmer – Amsoil Shock Therapy – 10
Tie 2nd – Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger – 6.25
Tie 2nd – Donald Epidendio – Titan – 6.25
4th – Charles Benns – Monster Mutt Rottweiler – 2.5

* The Tacoma, Washington event is unique in that it includes 4 stadium shows in a single weekend. Thus the event receives half the normal points for each individual event to keep it from being too heavily weighted in the overall season standings.

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2012 Results Tracker January 13th-15th 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

TMB’s “Road to the World Finals” Power Rankings Return for 2012

One of our most popular features each year on TheMonsterBlog.com is back for 2012, as we once again rank drivers competing in Monster Jam week to week in our “Road to the World Finals” Power Rankings/Unofficial Point Standings. Fans always wonder exactly how USHRA selects its 24 competitors for the annual Monster Jam World Finals, and so do we. We also often wonder just how all the drivers stack up against each other throughout, and at the end of the Monster Jam season. Without a national points system for the Monster Jam series, it is awfully hard to do so as they often run events in up to 10-15 different venues in a single weekend. So for the 6th year in a row, TMB will be operating our “Road to the World Finals” power rankings/unofficial point standings for the Monster Jam series based directly on the results available at MonsterJam.com. This is our way of ranking the drivers based on their performance throughout the season and gives us a good idea of which drivers have most earned a spot in the World Finals, whether they ultimately end up being selected or not.

If you didn’t follow along last year, we’re sure that you have many questions about how we put this together: How does it work? Which events are we including? How are the points awarded? etc. At the bottom of each week’s update, you’ll see the detailed rationale and explanation that should answer most of these questions. Last year Dennis Anderson prevailed in one of the wildest “Road to the World Finals” battles ever as he just edged out son Adam and Tom Meents, both by less than 5 points! Who will be tops in 2012? Follow along and let’s find out together!

Ryan Anderson and Son Uva Digger are out front on the "Road to the World Finals" after week one of 2012!

Our first rankings for the 2012 season include the early December Minneapolis Monster Jam event and this past weekend’s action at arenas all around the country. After being sidelined during the 2011 season due to injury, Ryan Anderson is making it known that he will be the driver to beat in the Monster Jam 2012 season. Son Uva Digger is on top of the standings after nearly doubling-down in Minneapolis to start off the new season, and picking up several wins to start off 2012 in Des Moines. Brother Adam Anderson, who was nearly the 2011 Road to the World Finals winner, is in 2nd after strong showings in Minneapolis, and Tulsa this past weekend. Morgan Kane sits third after winning racing in Minneapolis and picking up a couple wins in Evansville to start off 2012. Gary Porter and Tom Meents round out the top 5 after week one.

The battle for the last spot has yet to take shape after only one week of competition as nine drivers are currently tied for the 21st overall position. Once a couple weeks of the season are in the books, we’ll have a better picture of who is most deserving of a shot at the World Finals in 2012.

Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after Week 1 below:

Here is how points were scored in the only Elite Level event held to date:

12/10 – Minneapolis, Minnesota

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Morgan Kane – Monster Magic – 20
2nd – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 15
Semi-Finals – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Ryan Anderson – Son Uva Digger – 20
2nd – Adam Anderson – Grave Digger The Legend – 15
Tie 3rd – Marc MacDonald – El Toro Loco – 7.5
Tie 3rd – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 7.5

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2012 Results Tracker January 6th-8th 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

TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Final Standings

After a long first quarter of Monster Jam action, the regular season is officially over bringing a conclusion to TMB’s Road to the World Finals!  As we announced to you last week, Dennis Anderson has once again prevailed this year, taking the top spot by less than 2 points over son Adam in our closest unofficial power rankings battle ever. Tom Meents follows in third, missing the top spot by less than 5 points. Gary Porter finished another year of arena domination with an incredible 46 racing/freestyle wins to finish fourth overall while Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter rounds out the top five.

The final weekend didn’t disappoint as it produced some drama at the battle for the 24th and final spot. John Seasock picked up three wins to vault himself back into the top 24, knocking out Jim Koehler who had stayed in the top 24 nearly all season before slipping out at the last second. Among the drivers who have been battling it out, the final tally sees Seasock, Lupe Soza and Steve Sims in, while Koehler, Jon Zimmer, Mike Vaters and Jeremy Slifko just missed it.

Overall, it’s been another great year of following along with the Monster Jam series as we have highlighted some of the best performances by drivers this year. Thanks to all of you for following along with another year of TMB’s Road to the World Finals and best of luck to all of this year’s competitors in the Monster Jam World Finals coming up this weekend!

Check out the Road to the World Finals Final unofficial rankings after Week #11 below:

Here is how points were scored in this week’s Elite Level events:

N/A

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2011 Results Tracker March 18th-20th Weekend Results page (drivers earn 5 points for a racing or freestyle win).

If you haven’t followed along with TMB’s Road to the World Finals in the past, we’re sure that you have many questions about how we put this together: How does it work? Which events are we including? How are the points awarded? etc. At the bottom of each week’s update, you’ll see the detailed rationale and explanation that should answer most of these questions.

Stay tuned each week to 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 5-8 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 a weekend at a Normal Level event is 40 (this based on the usual maximum # of shows being 4 (Tacoma being the exception with 5), and an available 10 points per show (10×4=40)).

Racing Finish – Points Awarded

1st – 5

Freestyle Finish – Points Awarded

1st – 5

TMB Road to the World Finals Rankings – Week #10

This past weekend was the big showdown to see who would be the #1 driver in TMB’s 2011 Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings – with the top three contenders all having next weekend off to prepare for the World Finals, it would all come down to Syracuse and Baton Rouge. What resulted is the closest finish for the top spot in all five years we’ve doing these unofficial rankings – the winner is Dennis Anderson by less than two points over son Adam Anderson and only five points over Tom Meents!  Dennis and Tom laid down big performances in Syracuse to gain on Adam who swept freestyle in Baton Rouge, but was shut out in racing as Mike Vaters swept the weekend. What an incredible season it has been for these three drivers as they have far and away established themselves as Monster Jam’s top drivers this season.

Meanwhile there is still one week of competition left on the Road to the World Finals, giving all the other drivers competing this coming weekend a chance to gain spots in the rankings. Jimmy Creten picked up a racing and freestyle win in Winnipeg to stay in the #4 spot overall while Gary Porter had another big weekend in Wilkes-Barre to remain in the top 5 overall.

The action continues to be hot and heavy back around the 24th and final spot as the drivers try to prove that they earned a spot in the World Finals this year, whether they ultimately end up getting the invite from Feld or not. Steve Sims’ final round appearance in Syracuse put him back in the top 24, knocking out John Seasock. Lupe Soza also moved up, knocking Jim Koehler back to the bubble spot. Seasock is less than 2 points out of the top 24 while Jon Zimmer is only 5 points out, with a big gap back to Jeremy Slifko and Nick Owens.

This weekend is the last before the World Finals, so next week we will have the final rankings!  Check out the Road to the World Finals unofficial rankings after Week #10 below:

Here is how points were scored in this week’s Elite Level events:

3/12 – Syracuse, New York

Racing Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger – 20
2nd – Steve Sims – Stone Crusher – 15
Semi-Finals – Chad Fortune – Superman – 7.5
Semi-Finals – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 7.5

Freestyle Finish – Driver – Truck – Points Earned

1st – Alex Blackwell – Captain’s Curse – 20
2nd – Tom Meents – Maximum Destruction – 15
Tie – 3rd – Linsey Weenk – Lucas Oil Crusader – 5
Tie – 3rd – Chris Bergeron – Brutus – 5
Tie – 3rd – Steve Sims – Stone Crusher – 5

For results from Normal Level events, check out the 2011 Results Tracker March 11th-13th Weekend Results page (drivers earn 5 points for a racing or freestyle win).

If you haven’t followed along with TMB’s Road to the World Finals in the past, we’re sure that you have many questions about how we put this together: How does it work? Which events are we including? How are the points awarded? etc. At the bottom of each week’s update, you’ll see the detailed rationale and explanation that should answer most of these questions.

Stay tuned each week to 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 5-8 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 a weekend at a Normal Level event is 40 (this based on the usual maximum # of shows being 4 (Tacoma being the exception with 5), and an available 10 points per show (10×4=40)).

Racing Finish – Points Awarded

1st – 5

Freestyle Finish – Points Awarded

1st – 5