Wow Moments: Monster Nation Title Still Up For Grabs

The Monster Nation tour has been nothing short of spectacular in 2011. Some of the top, independent names in monster trucks including  Equalizer, Tail Gator, and Barbarian have put on impressive performances thus far in Southaven (Rounds 1-2) and Bossier City (Rounds 3-4). That great level of competition has left the points chase up for grabs going into the final weekend in Beaumont, Texas. After the first 4 shows on tour, Devin Jones and Barbarian hold the #1 position going into rounds 5,6, and 7, but Union, Missouri’s “Big” Doug Noelke in Tailgator and rising star J.R. McNeal piloting Razin’ Kane are hot on his heels. With the absence of Barbarian in Beaumont this coming weekend, the door is wide open to steal the title away from Jones.

“There are still a lot of points to be had,” said Monster Nation’s Ryan Seddon. “With three shows left, It comes down to who boasts the best, overall performance. Our point’s system breaks down as follows: a racing or freestyle winner is awarded 5 points while a second place finish in racing earns 3 points. A donut or wheelie contest winner is awarded 3 points. We encourage racing at Monster Nation. The guys will go out and freestyle on their own, but we really like to see them get after it in the racing portion.”, said Seddon. Below is the Monster Nation Point Standings going into the final weekend in Beaumont.

The Chase for the 2011 Monster Nation Title

As you can see, the quest for the 2011 championship is anyone’s game. Barbarian’s 18 points will be in danger as Noelke in Tailgator and McNeal in Razin’ Kane are in the best position to steal the title with 13 and 11 points, respectively. With so many points still left, one cannot rule out Mike Hawkins in Equalizer and Isaiah Morales in Hot Tamale, who both sit tied for 4th with 8 points each. Can Doug Noelke earn another title for the team? Can rookie J.R. McNeal earn his first title among the titans of the monster truck industry? Will it be Isaiah Morales in Hot Tamale making a repeat from 2010 and claiming his second Monster Nation title in a row? We at TMB will be anxious to find out how the weekend shakes down and wish Monster Nation and the competing teams the best of luck.

For those in the Beaumont area, this event will not be one to miss! Beaumont’s Ford Park will host the final 3 shows beginning Friday, February 18 at 8:00 p.m., again on Saturday, February 19 at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday, February 20 at 3:0o p.m. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday Nights and Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. For ticketing information, visit the Ford Arena Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, or charge by phone at (800)-745-3000. For more information regarding Monster Nation or further event information, visit their website at www.Monster-Nation.com.

Monster Photos: Extreme Monster Truck Nationals – Dayton, OH 2011

Event: Extreme Monster Truck Nationals
Venue: Hara Arena
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Date: February 5th, 2011
Photographer: Paul M. Harry

Lineup: Brute Force (Jerry Perry), Crashmaster (Jeremy Perry), Equalizer (Mike Hawkins), Hot Tamale (Isaiah Morales), Ice (Amy Perry) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Extreme Monster Truck Nationals – Dayton, OH 2011

Event: Extreme Monster Truck Nationals
Venue: Hara Arena
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Date: February 5th, 2011
Photographer: Michael Harry

Lineup: Brute Force (Jerry Perry), Crashmaster (Jeremy Perry), Equalizer (Mike Hawkins), Hot Tamale (Isaiah Morales), Ice (Amy Perry) [Read more…]

TMB TV: Original Series Episode 4.1 – Bossier City, LA 2011

Event: Monster Nation
Venue: CenturyTel Center
Location: Bossier City, Louisiana
Date: January 14th-15th, 2010
Host: Ross Z. Bonar
Videographers: Kaedon Berry

Lineup: Barbarian (Devin Jones), Big Dawg (Dale Gerding), Equalizer (Mike Hawkins), Hot Tamale (Isaiah Morales), Razin Kane (JR McNeal), Tail Gator (Doug Noelke) [Read more…]

Monster Photos – Monster Nation – Bossier City, LA 2011

Event: Monster Nation
Venue: CenturyTel Center
Location: Bossier City, Louisiana
Date: January 14th-15th, 2011
Photographer: Ross Z. Bonar

Lineup: Barbarian (Devin Jones), Big Dawg (Dale Gerding), Equalizer (Mike Hawkins), Hot Tamale (Isaiah Morales), Razin Kane (JR McNeal), Tail Gator (Doug Noelke) [Read more…]

Video of the Week – 01/15/11

Week Ending: January 15th, 2011
Truck(s) Featured: Hot Tamale (Isaiah Morales)
Video Type: Fan Video
Courtesy: www.YouTube.com

Description: With Equalizer unable to make Monster Nation freestyle on Saturday night in Bossier City, Lousiana, Isaiah Morales was the man to try the backflip in freestyle. Hot Tamale landed on the nose and Isaiah was able to work the throttle and bring it on around. Best of all, the truck wasn’t broke and he was able to continue on, winning freestyle.

TMB TV: ActionTracks Episode 1.8 – Year In Review

Event: 2010 Year In Review
Host: Chris Parrish
Videographer: Chris Parrish

Lineup: All of the best action you’ve seen on ActionTracks in 2010 featuring some of the best trucks in the world! [Read more…]

Extreme Monster Truck Nationals – Auburn Hills, MI – 12/04/10

Event: Extreme Monster Truck Nationals
Venue: The Palace of Auburn Hills
Location: Auburn Hills, Michigan
Date: December 4th, 2010
Photographer: Paul M. Harry

Lineup:  Brute Force (Jerry Perry), Crashmaster (Jeremy Perry), Equalizer (Mike Hawkins), Ghost Ryder (Larry Quick), Hot Tamale (Isaiah Morales), Ice (Amy Perry) [Read more…]

Extreme Monster Truck Nationals – Auburn Hills, MI – 12/04/10

Event: Extreme Monster Truck Nationals
Venue: The Palace of Auburn Hills
Location: Auburn Hills, Michigan
Date: December 4th, 2010
Photographer: Michael Harry

Lineup: Brute Force (Jerry Perry), Crashmaster (Jeremy Perry), Equalizer (Mike Hawkins), Ghost Ryder (Larry Quick), Hot Tamale (Isaiah Morales), Ice (Amy Perry) [Read more…]

TMB TV: ActionTracks Episode 1.3 – Concord, NC (Freestyle)

Event:  Back to School Monster Truck Bash
Venue:  The Dirt Track @ Charlotte Motor Speedway
Location:  Concord, North Carolina
Date:  August 14th, 2010
Host:  Chris Parrish
Videographer:  Chris Parrish

Lineup: Avenger (Jim Koehler), Backdraft (Jeremy Slifko), Brutus (Chris Bergeron), Equalizer (Mike Hawkins), Hot Tamale (Isaiah Morales), Mopar Magic (Carl Van Horn), Raminator (Mark Hall), Stone Crusher (Steve Sims), Tail Gator (Doug Noelke), War Wizard (Randy Moore) [Read more…]

TMB TV: ActionTracks Episode 1.2 – Concord, NC (Racing)

Event:  Back to School Monster Truck Bash
Venue:  The Dirt Track @ Charlotte Motor Speedway
Location:  Concord, North Carolina
Date:  August 14th, 2010
Host:  Chris Parrish
Videographer:  Chris Parrish

Lineup:  Avenger (Jim Koehler), Backdraft (Jeremy Slifko), Brutus (Chris Bergeron), Equalizer (Mike Hawkins), Hot Tamale (Isaiah Morales), Mopar Magic (Carl Van Horn), Raminator (Mark Hall), Stone Crusher (Steve Sims), Tail Gator (Doug Noelke), War Wizard (Randy Moore) [Read more…]

Profile: Hot Tamale

Truck Name:  Hot Tamale
Driver Name:  Isaiah Morales
Team Name:  Rebel Pride Racing
Hometown:  Catlett, Virginia
Team Website:  http://www.EqualizerRacing.com

2009 TMB Results Tracker Statistics:
– Competed in 40 shows with 7 racing wins and 7 freestyle victories.
[Read more…]

TMB TV Episode 3.5 Featuring Miami, OK O’Reilly Outlaw Nationals

TheMonsterBlog.com’s incredible four straight weeks of TMB TV continues as we premiere our fifth episode of the year featuring the Miami, Oklahoma O’Reilly Outlaw Nationals!! See great racing, wheelie and freestyle action from top names including Equalizer, Barbarian, Hot Tamale, Cult Energy Activator and more! We also feature an awesome modified tractor pulling exhibition, heads up tuff truck racing and a trip to see some famous old monster trucks at their final resting place.

Host Ross Z. Bonar guides you through all the fun with incredible videography from Colby Marshall and Kaedon Berry. All the action is just a click away, hit the link below to enjoy all the fun!!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH TMB TV EPISODE 3.5 FEATURING THE O’REILLY OUTLAW NATIONALS

TMB TV Episode 3.5 – Miami, OK

Event:  O’Reilly Outlaw Nationals
Venue:  Miami Fairgrounds
Location:  Miami, Oklahoma
Date:  May 21st-22nd, 2010
Host:  Ross Z. Bonar
Videographers:  Colby Marshall, Kaedon Berry

Lineup:  Bad News Travels Fast (Bruce Haney), Barbarian (Devin Jones), Bearfoot (Mac Plecker), Cult Energy Activator (Sean Duhon), Equalizer (Mike Hawkins), Ground Pounder (Ben Winslow), Hot Tamale (Isaiah Morales) [Read more…]

Firebird Raceway NAPA Monster Truck Nationals Coverage

TMB coverage has been a staple at Firebird International Raceway over the last 5 years and this year is no different as we present to you coverage from this past April’s NAPA Monster Truck Nationals!! Our awesome contributors Jim and Chris Allen were on hand to provide the great write-ups and amazing photos from each show. In addition, our own Lauren & Lynette Bonar attended the Saturday event to bring you more great video coverage from one of the southwest’s biggest events. So read on below to enjoy Christopher Allen’s great recap from the events:

“There once was a time in the monster truck racing sport when if you broke, you did not bother to try and fix it in time for the next round. Once that happened, you could just load your truck on the trailer and go on home. The fans would have known you with the dreaded words “out for the night”. Then came freestyle and this was less often the case. But, as we will see, the words “out for the night” are not in the dictionary of “Team Scream”, especially when they are competing at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona for the annual NAPA Auto Parts Monster Truck Nationals.

The participants, along with Avenger and Brutus driven by Jim Koehler and Chris Bergeron, were Dan Runte and Bigfoot #16, Jimmy Creten and Bounty Hunter, Firebird regulars Travis Sturges filling in for Uncle Sam Sturges in Unnamed and Untamed, brother Ronnie driving Nasty Boy, and returning to Firebird were Mike Hawkins in Equalizer after a couple years away, along with teammate Isaiah Morales in Hot Tamale.

Following some 300 mph jet car action, exciting introductions and an Independence Day rivaling fireworks show, was the long jump competition. Hot Tamale was the opener and made a nice jump, slightly tagging the freestyle van stack just off the landing. Nasty Boy, more known for wheelies, didn’t quite make the distance. Then came Brutus. He just didn’t make it in the actual jump, but then tried to make up for it by attacking the tire pyramid, but when he did, disaster struck. To find out how, check out the video coverage and photos! Following Brutus’ clearing of the track, Unnamed & Untamed, Equalizer, Avenger and Bigfoot each tried and failed to beat Hot Tamale, but then came Bounty Hunter. He easily made the distance, then ran into the van stack but saved it to take the win.

Freestyle is often the “Main Event” of monster truck shows, and tonight was no different. Each driver put his truck’s major horsepower to the ground to out-perform the next guy. Mr. Runte is always a potential winner at Firebird and got a near-perfect score of 29. Then the shocker of the night came with the return of Brutus, having been fixed just in the nick of time. Showing no mercy, the other half of the loudest interviewees in the sport hit literally every obstacle the track threw at him. With a perfect score of 30, all Mr. Creten could do was tie. And that is exactly what he did.

The announcer then got word that since there cannot be co-winners in the race to get a highest total score for the weekend to become the year’s undisputed champion, it was decided that the showdown Firebird fans long deserved would occur the next day. With one wild, rabid dog in one corner and a hard to beat old west tracker in the other, Sunday might very well see the greatest throw-down in Firebird history.

The NAPA Monster Truck Nationals employs an interesting championship crowning system each year. The distance in the long jump is calculated with the scores in freestyle and whoever has the highest distance-score combination wins, and that driver has been Jimmy Creten and Bounty Hunter several times as of recent memory. But there was another driver, Chris Bergeron and Brutus, who also scored a perfect 30 on Saturday night, making this war arguably Jimmy’s greatest Firebird challenge yet.

Unique to Firebird Raceway is the challenge of having to watch out for swarms of bees around the facility. A slight bee attack delayed the show about half an hour, making the monster truck drivers’ job even harder, but they did not disappoint. Bounty Hunter made the first jump in the jump off contest look easy. Truck after truck came after him only to fall short. Then came a fired up Jim Kohler with Avenger that had two things on his mind: slowing down Brutus and beating Bounty Hunter. After he made the jump that looked almost identical to Jim Creten’s, the fans knew this was going to be close heading into the finale, the winner take all freestyle.

The first freestyle is always a challenge but the Bounty Hunter driver showed he did not fear anyone who followed, if his freestyle, which was worth a 28 point score, said anything. The remaining headliners, Avenger and Bigfoot must have been paying attention, because they showed no mercy, either. But when it was all said and done, Jimmy and Bounty Hunter, with three wins and one tie, overall never finishing out of the top two all weekend, was declared the undisputed monster truck champion of the 2010 NAPA Monster Truck Nationals.

Hopefully, Firebird Raceway fans went away with some new memories and even some new fans of the monster truck racing sport were made. The bee attack notwithstanding, another great show at the historic race track is in the books.” – Coverage By Chris Allen

Thanks again to Christopher for the great write-up of this year’s event. Now click the links below to see Jim Allen’s incredible photos from the event and also Lynette Bonar’s great video coverage. Thanks to all our TMB’ers for the great job out in Firebird this year.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW JIM ALLEN’S FIREBIRD RACEWAY PHOTO GALLERY

CLICK HERE TO VIEW LYNETTE BONAR’S FIREBIRD VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS