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

Event Information

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

Truck Lineup

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

Monster Photos: Monster Nationals – Springfield, MO 2015

Event Information

Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: Ozark Empire Fairgrounds
Location: Springfield, Missouri
Date: June 21st, 2015
Photographer: Danny Maass (Check out Maass Media on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

Alter Ego (Devin Jones), Lucas Oil Bigfoot #15 (Rick Long), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), Retro Bigfoot #14 (Josh Gibson) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Monster Nationals – Columbus, OH 2015

Event Information

Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: The Schottenstein Center
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Date: April 11th, 2015
Photographer: Paul M. Harry

Truck Lineup

Birthday Bigfoot #14 (Josh Gibson), Lucas Oil Bigfoot #15 (Rick Long), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), Retro Bigfoot #11 (Kevin Koszala) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Monster Nationals – Du Quoin, IL 2015

Event Information

Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: Southern Illinois Center
Location: Du Quoin, Illinois
Date: February 27th-28th, 2015
Photographer: Danny Maass (Check out Maass Media on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

Birthday Bigfoot #14 (Josh Gibson), Lucas Oil Bigfoot #15 (Rick Long), Midnight Rider (Tom Herzog), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), Retro Bigfoot #11 (Kevin Koszala), Wild Thang (Doug Charles) [Read more…]

Monster Video: Toughest Monster Truck Tour – Southaven, MS 2015

Details

Event: Toughest Monster Truck Tour
Venue: Landers Center
Location: Southaven, MS
Date: January 9th-10th, 2015
Videographer: Ross Z. Bonar

Description

TheMonsterBlog.com crew made the annual trip to Southaven, Mississippi this past weekend to film the season opener of the Toughest Monster Truck Tour for TMB TV’s Original Series. The event featured the kickoff of the BIGFOOT 4×4 40th Anniversary Tour as the team debuted their brand new Summit Bigfoot #21. Defending champion Dan Runte started his title defense against Walking Tall, Over Bored, Snake Bite, Wild Thang and Quad Chaos. While the full episode is still a little ways away as we finish up the 2014 season of TMB TV, check out some highlights, as well as Dan Runte’s winning freestyle from the Saturday night show. Enjoy!
[Read more…]

Monster Photos: Bigfoot Open House Spooktacular – Granite City, IL 2014

Event Information

Event: Bigfoot Open House Spooktacular
Venue: Tri-City Speedway
Location: Granite City, Illinois
Date: October 11th, 2014
Photographer: Danny Maass

Truck Lineup

Bigfoot #1 (Bob Chandler), Bigfoot #5 (Rick Long), Firestone Bigfoot #19 (Larry Swim), Odyssey Battery Bigfoot #11 (Kevin Koszala), Summit Bigfoot #18 (Dan Runte), Vi-Cor Bigfoot #14 (Josh Gibson), Vi-Cor Bigfoot #15 (Darron Schnell) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals – Indianapolis, IN 2012

Event: 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals
Venue: Indiana State Fairgrounds
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Date: September 14th-16th, 2012
Photographer: Paul M. Harry

Lineup: Chalkboard Chuck (Bobby Holman), E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #16 (Larry Swim), General Tire (Joe Nichter), Lucas Oil Stabilizer (Bobby Holman), Odyssey Batteries Bigfoot #15 (Rick Long), Outback Thunda (Clive Featherby), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), Star Marshal (Cody Holman), Summit Bigfoot #18 (Dan Runte) Vi-Cor Bigfoot #16 (Darron Schnell)
[Read more…]

Monster Photos: 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals – Indianapolis, IN 2012

Event: 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals
Venue: Indiana State Fairgrounds
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Date: September 14th-16th, 2012
Photographer: Michael Harry

Lineup: Chalkboard Chuck (Bobby Holman), E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #16 (Larry Swim), General Tire (Joe Nichter), Lucas Oil Stabilizer (Bobby Holman), Odyssey Batteries Bigfoot #15 (Rick Long), Outback Thunda (Clive Featherby), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), Star Marshal (Cody Holman), Summit Bigfoot #18 (Dan Runte) Vi-Cor Bigfoot #16 (Darron Schnell)
[Read more…]

Monster Photos: 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals – Indianapolis, IN 2012

Event: 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals
Venue: Indiana State Fairgrounds
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Date: September 14th-16th, 2012
Photographer: Danny Maass

Lineup: Chalkboard Chuck (Bobby Holman), E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #16 (Larry Swim), General Tire (Joe Nichter), Lucas Oil Stabilizer (Bobby Holman), Odyssey Batteries Bigfoot #15 (Rick Long), Outback Thunda (Clive Featherby), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), Star Marshal (Cody Holman), Summit Bigfoot #18 (Dan Runte) Vi-Cor Bigfoot #16 (Darron Schnell)
[Read more…]

Monster Photos: 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals – Indianapolis, IN 2012

Event: 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals
Venue: Indiana State Fairgrounds
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Date: September 14th-16th, 2012
Photographer: Candace Marshall

Lineup: Chalkboard Chuck (Bobby Holman), E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #16 (Larry Swim), General Tire (Joe Nichter), Lucas Oil Stabilizer (Bobby Holman), Odyssey Batteries Bigfoot #15 (Rick Long), Outback Thunda (Clive Featherby), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), Star Marshal (Cody Holman), Summit Bigfoot #18 (Dan Runte) Vi-Cor Bigfoot #16 (Darron Schnell)
[Read more…]

Monster Photos: Monster Nationals – Columbus, OH 2012

Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: The Schottenstein Center
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Date: April 14th, 2012
Photographer: Chris Parrish

Lineup: Chalkboard Chuck (Michelle Simpson), E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15 (Rick Long), Ironman (Joe Nichter), Lucas Oil Stabilizer (Bobby Holman), Star Marshal (Dave Radzierez), Vi-Cor Bigfoot #11 (Darron Schnell)
[Read more…]

Monster Photos: Toughest Monster Truck Tour – Erie, PA 2012

Event: Toughest Monster Truck Tour
Venue: Tullio Arena
Location: Erie, Pennsylvania
Date: April 27th-28th, 2012
Photographer: Paul M. Harry

Lineup: Avenger (Jim Koehler), Brutus (Chris Bergeron), Odyssey Batteries Bigfoot #15 (Rick Long), Tail Gator (Doug Noelke), Toxic (Travis Petri) [Read more…]

TMB TV: MT Unlimited 3.8 – Monster Truck Thunder Slam – Terre Haute, IN 2012

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Episode Information

Episode: MT Unlimited 3.8
Event: Monster Truck Thunder Slam
Venue: ISU Hulman Center
Location: Terre Haute, Indiana
Date: March 24th, 2012
Videographer: Colby Marshall
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Featured Monster Trucks

Rick Long in E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15
Bryan Watros in “Mongoose”
Allen Pezo in “Predator”
Lenny Kuilder in “Prowler”
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Featured Links

www.AMPTour.com
www.Bigfoot4x4.com
www.E3SparkPlugs.com
www.MichiganOffRoad.net
www.PredatorRacingInc.com
[/column] [Read more…]

BIGFOOT’s Rick Long Wins Third Straight Monster Nationals Racing Championship

(Hazelwood, MO – BIGFOOT PR) – For the third time in three years, Team BIGFOOT driver Rick Long has captured the E3 Spark Plugs Monster Nationals Racing Championship, marking the first time in series history a BIGFOOT driver has delivered back-to-back-to-back title runs! This marks Long’s fourth career championship, and the 32nd for the BIGFOOT team since the first championship racing series was formed in 1988.

Piloting his trusty E3 Spark Plugs BIGFOOT #15, Long delivered knock-out racing performances for virtually the entire indoor racing season, rarely yielding in his quest for victory, even to teammate Darron Schnell in the Vi-Cor/Celmanax BIGFOOT #11. Schnell, in his rookie year of Monster Nationals indoor competition, finished the season in second place in side-by-side racing. Long’s points total of 1150 was followed by Schnell’s 875 and veteran Bobby Holman, in the Lucas Oil Stabilizer, rounding out the top three with 800 points.

Rick Long will finish his full time driving career in style, winning his third straight Monster Nationals Racing Championship.

The Monster Nationals tour began in the mid-1990’s and from the get-go has primarily served as the premiere non-dirt indoor racing league for the monster truck industry. As many venues prefer not to have thousands of cubic yards of dirt brought into their facility, the Monster Nationals tour has thrived in its niche as a non-dirt series. What this means in essence is that the trucks and drivers do not have the luxury of a dirt starting line, dirt ramps to launch off of, or dirt pads on which to land. This translates to some pretty wild racing passes, punctuated with big air launches and exciting landings in the shut-down area, all of which requires a monster truck driver to develop an entirely different skill set than required by a dirt event! And, just for the sake of variety, the series organizers will from time to time include one or more dirt events at some point in the season, just to shake things up a bit for the drivers and crew.

Long, who now stands poised to retire from his full-time driving role at BIGFOOT, was quick to point out that his third successful run at the Monster Nationals racing crown was a team effort first and foremost: “It really was all about operating like a team, from the shop to the shows. Having Darron [Schnell] and his truck running with me all winter was really great. We were able to help each other out in the pits, bouncing ideas off each other and such. That’s a big part of why both BIGFOOT trucks ended up in the finals so many times!”

Long went on to explain that “Every truck on the Monster Nationals tour runs very hard, so in turn we have to run our trucks hard to beat them. And, of course, that makes it hard on Bryan [Bertoletti], John [Peterson], and Chris [Ludwig] in the shop as those guys have to help us get these trucks repaired and back on the road in just a day or two each week between events. Even Nick [Dvorchak] in our paint and body shop had his hands full with us this year, so they all deserve a lot of credit, because, without them, we wouldn’t run or look great at each of the events.”

Speculation about Long’s actual date of retirement from full-time driving has run rampant in the past several weeks, although by all accounts Long’s final event behind the wheel of BIGFOOT #15 may be at the Toughest Monster Truck Tour invitational in Erie, PA April 27th and 28th. Although Rick’s fans will be sorry to see him step out of the seat, they should expect to see him on the road occasionally, filling in for his teammates, and possibly even training new drivers! However, regardless of where his career takes him from here, Long can definitely enjoy the fact that he stepped down on top as a four-time champion behind the wheel of the world’s most famous monster truck, BIGFOOT.

For more information on Team BIGFOOT, visit them online at www.Bigfoot4x4.com.

TMB TV: MT Unlimited 3.7 – Monster Nationals – Hoffman Estates, IL

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Episode Information

Episode: MT Unlimited 3.7
Event: Monster Nationals
Venue: Sears Centre Arena
Location: Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Date: March 9th-10th, 2012
Videographer: Colby Marshall
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Featured Monster Trucks

Michelle Simpson in Chalkboard Chuck
Rick Long in E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot #15
Joe Nichter in Ironman
Bobby Holman in Lucas Oil Stabilizer
Dave Radzierez in Star Marshal
Darron Schnell in Vi-Cor Bigfoot #11
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Featured Links

www.Bigfoot4x4.com
www.E3SparkPlugs.com
www.FamilyEvents.com
www.MonsterNationals.com
[/column] [Read more…]