TMB TV Episode 3.10 – Pontiac, MI

Event: Monster Truck Fall Shootout
Venue: Pontiac Silverdome
Location: Pontiac, Michigan
Date: November 13th, 2010
Host: Ross Z. Bonar
Videographers: Colby Marshall, Kaedon Berry, Chris Parrish

Lineup: Airborne Ranger (Joe Cypher), Bar’s Leaks Eliminator (Greg Adams), Big Dawg (Dale Gerding), Bounty Hunter (Ben Winslow), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), Rislone Defender (Zach Adams), Shell Camino (Shelley Kujat), Tail Gator (Doug Noelke), Virginia Giant (Diehl Wilson), War Wagon (Andy Hoffman) [Read more…]

Monster Truck Fall Shootout – Pontiac, MI – 11/13/10

Event:  Monster Truck Fall Shootout
Venue:  Pontiac Silverdome
Location:  Pontiac, Michigan
Date:  November 13th, 2010
Photographer:  Paul M. Harry

Lineup: Airborne Ranger (Joe Cypher), Bar’s Leaks Eliminator (Greg Adams), Big Dawg (Dale Gerding), Bounty Hunter (Ben Winslow), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), Rislone Defender (Zach Adams), Shell Camino (Shelley Kujat), Tail Gator (Doug Noelke), Virginia Giant (Diehl Wilson), War Wagon (Andy Hoffman) [Read more…]

Monster Truck Fall Shootout – Pontiac, MI – 11/13/10

Event: Monster Truck Fall Shootout
Venue: Pontiac Silverdome
Location: Pontiac, Michigan
Date:  November 13th, 2010
Photographer: Ross Z. Bonar

Lineup:  Airborne Ranger (Joe Cypher), Bar’s Leaks Eliminator (Greg Adams), Big Dawg (Dale Gerding), Bounty Hunter (Ben Winslow), Raminator (Mark Hall), Rammunition (Mat Dishman), Rislone Defender (Zach Adams), Shell Camino (Shelley Kujat), Tail Gator (Doug Noelke), Virginia Giant (Diehl Wilson), War Wagon (Andy Hoffman) [Read more…]

Dishman, Noelke & Winslow Winners at the Silverdome

Monster trucks returned to the legendary Pontiac Silverdome for the second time in 2010 as Silverdome Events presented the Inaugural Monster Truck Fall Shootout last night. Eleven top trucks competed in racing, obstacle course and freestyle contests as several drivers returned to the Silverdome for the first time in many years and others made their first appearance at one of the most historic venues in monster truck history. The return of the Silverdome has been one of the best stories of the year as Silverdome Events attempts to establish yearly spring and fall monster truck events for hopefully many years to come.

With a lineup of generally more racing-focused teams and drivers, the “Tornado-style” course was sure to produce some great action and did not disappoint. Mark Hall in the Raminator was the odds on favorite going into the weekend and lived up to expectations in his round one bye run, setting a blistering pace. Only Doug Noelke in Tail Gator appeared to be in Hall’s league through the first round. Trouble would strike for Raminator in round two during a defeat of Ben Winslow in Bounty Hunter as the motor gernaded ending Hall’s evening in heartbreaking fashion.

Hall’s exit left Noelke as the favorite and he marched his way to the finals, dispatching Big Dawg, Rammunition and Bar’s Leaks Eliminator along the way. Rookie Mat Dishman in Rammunition would return as the fast loser in the semi-finals and defeated Bounty Hunter, who was replacing Raminator. That setup a re-match from round two as the veteran Noelke would take on the rookie Dishman who had been getting faster every round.

The grand finale of racing saw both trucks neck and neck all the way to the final turn when Noelke bobbled, hitting a turning car and having to do some fancy driving to keep from rolling the Gator. Dishman would have tough to beat even without the missing and he powered Rammunition across the line to capture the huge win in front of the over 100 RAM Trucks represetatives on hand for the event. The win was even more special in that it was Dishman’s first ever racing victory in monster trucks.

Following the big racing competition would be a special timed obstacle course challenge where drivers would follow a set path around the obstacles on the track against the clock. Bounty Hunter and Rammunition were quick and Diehl Wilson in Virginia Giant laid down a great pass, but in the end no one would touch Noelke this time around as he powered Tail Gator to victory.

The evening’s big finish would be the freestyle competition as Shelley Kujat in Shell Camino kicked things off with a solid run to set the bar. Zach Adams highlighted his run in the Rislone Defender with a great slap wheelie while father Greg Adams in Bar’s Leaks Eliminator laid down a solid effort as well. Diehl Wilson had the ground shaking with some incredible donuts and Dale Gerding in Big Dawg walked a couple of slap wheelies across the center of the floor. Mat Dishman looked to follow his racing win with a big freestyle but it wasn’t to be as a hard landing snapped the right front wheel off Rammunition.

One of the first contending runs of the night came from what you would probably say was the top performing truck overall on the evening, that being the Tail Gator. Doug Noelke hit a huge slap wheelie across the center of the floor combined with some big air and a wild, wheel out the window cyclone. The Gator would maintain the lead in freestyle the majority of the night.

One driver who fell short of Noelke’s score was Andy Hoffman and War Wagon. Hoffman had what many thought may have been the best run of the evening as he kept up a great pace, hitting everything on the floor. War Wagon had some of the biggest moves as well as Andy cross-threaded one of the big van stacks for the best vertical launch of freestyle at one point and then finished his run with a huge cross-thread reverse move on the same stack.

Noelke’s score would eventually be tied as Joe Cypher in the Airborne Ranger laid down a great freestyle performance with some of the best moves of the night. Cypher hit a couple big slap wheelies across the center of the floor and was the only driver to cross-thread the big blue stack.

The final truck to compete was none other than Ben Winslow in the Bounty Hunter. “Bobo” as he is often referred to as, has been riding a great hot streak since joining 2Xtreme Racing with a big racing win in Montreal and sweeps of smaller shows in Bounty Hunter. Suprisingly Winslow was having trouble getting a good rhythym going for the majority of the run as he tried to work with well used obstacles. But just as time was coming to a close, Winslow launched Bounty Hunter in some of the most extreme air we’ve seen all year long. The tough landing would end the performance but it was enough for the judges to proclaim the victory for Bounty Hunter in yet another huge success for driver Ben Winslow.

The TMB crew had a great time having the opportunity to return to the Silverdome for the second time in 2010 and the privilege to be able to bring you coverage from this historic venue is one we greatly appreciate. For that we send a big thanks to Ryan Westlake and everyone with Silverdome Events for their hospitality. The final TMB TV episode of 2010 will featured the Monster Truck Fall Shootout and will premiere Wednesday, December 8th at 8PM Eastern. Colby, Kaedon, Chris and Ross did some great work on this episode and also be watching for huge photo galleries from Ross and Paul Harry. Stay tuned as plenty of great coverage from the Silverdome is coming your way right here on TMB!

Video of the Week – 11/13/10

Week Ending:  November 13th, 2010
Truck(s) Featured:  War Wagon (Andy Hoffman)
Video Type:  TMB Preview Video
Courtesy:  www.YouTube.com

Description:  Andy Hoffman rips off an awesome freestyle in the War Wagon at this weekend’s Pontiac Silverdome event.

Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A – Mark Hall

TOMORROW monster trucks will return to one of the most historically significant venues in the history of the sport as the Pontiac Silverdome hosts the 1st Annual Monster Truck Fall Shootout!! 11 trucks are scheduled to compete in racing and freestyle including Bounty Hunter, Raminator, Tail Gator, Virginia Giant, War Wagon, Big Dawg, Rammunition, Shell Camino, Bar’s Leaks Eliminator, Airborne Ranger and Rislone Defender.

The return of the Silverdome has been one of the biggest and best stories of 2010 and TMB is excited to return for our 10th and final episode of TMB TV Season 3. We’ll cover all the action with three camera angles and two huge photo galleries. With tickets at only $13 at www.SilverdomeTickets.com, this event will surely be one of the best values of the year.

Every day we’ve brought you the thoughts of one of the event’s big stars, check out the final one today as we are just over 24 hours away from the big show. Be sure to follow the TMB Twitter feed and the TMB Facebook page for LIVE updates throughout the day on Saturday and during the show. Watch for a full recap when we return on Sunday night!

11/12/10: Q&A w/Mark Hall | Countdown Status: 1 Day to Go!

TMB: Well folks we have brought you unprecedented coverage in our Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A preview series and we have reached our final interview as we are just one day away from the big event. Today we talk to a man who everyone has pointed to as the one to beat in racing and a man whose record of success in monster trucks over the years may very well be unparalled. Mark, before we get started talking about all that, first tell us about some of the history of Hall Brothers Racing and the Silverdome.

MH: I’ve got to start by saying we are absolutely super excited about the chance to run this event, and man, we’ve been going to the Silverdome for a LONG time, so going back now is just awesome. I can remember going there and being too young to be allowed to walk around on the floor of the dome during the event, that’s how long it’s been. We mud raced there, we even ran the old Heavy Metal tank there one year back in the late 80’s, early 90’s. I’d say we were there at least 3-4 times racing the monster truck, the most memorable was when we did the very first event as Raminator. And now all these years later, we’re still Raminator and so it’s great to be going back there.

TMB: There’s some interesting parallels between that first Monster Jam event you ran with Raminator and that was your first year being sponsored by Dodge and now this is the first year of you being back with them through Ram Trucks after some time apart and you’re headed back to the Silverdome. What’s the excitement level at the corporate level about getting the chance to see you guys compete in their backyard?

MH: Well you can practically stand in Chrysler’s corporate office parking lot and throw a rock and hit the Silverdome, so we really will be right in their backyard. I think at last count, we are expecting over 100 people from Dodge and Ram Trucks to be there cheering us on tomorrow. And the thing about that is, all these guys are so busy and to be taking their weekend off and coming out to watch us run is just so cool, we are very thankful for all the support. They turned out in huge numbers to watch us the first time around and we gave them a great showing, made it to the finals I think and they were all happy even though we weren’t able to win for them. We’re really excited to see all of them again this time around and hopefully get a win for them.

TMB: Now Mark, with all those sponsor representatives coming out to watch and with everyone pointing to you as the favorite to win, that’s got to put a lot of pressure on you to go out there and try to live up to those high expectations. Does that make preparing for an event of this magnitude a lot tougher?

MH: I really try not to get caught up in the hype because all you can do is go out there and do the best you can. Of course we want to do good because of all the people watching and the magnitude of the event and yeah that’s added pressure, but it doesn’t really change the way we prepare for it. The thing about our team is, If something happens, it’s definitely not for lack of preparation as we spend countless hours getting ready to race and we always run every round like it’s the last round. I like to think we perform very well under pressure as we’ve been in some championship fights over the years and we hold up to it pretty well.

TMB: That sounds like the response of a confident driver. Would you say having run some of the Monster Jam stadium events this year helps give you a bit of an advantage and who do you rate as your top competition tomorrow night?

MH: Every one of them (laughing). I know that’s kind of the typical response, but when you look at the list, there are no easy match-ups and we have to take every competitor as seriously as the next. These are all good trucks, all good teams and all good drivers so we don’t look past anyone. I do think that having run the Monster Jam stadiums is helpful as it has given us a chance to run some similar courses that maybe the competition hasn’t, or hasn’t in a long time. But you know me, I always love a turning course whether its big Chicago-style or tight courses with a lot of turns like we did outdoors in Indy or back in MLMT.

TMB: Alright Mark, now there’s no secret that HBR’s primary focus is racing and that is definitely what you guys are best known for. But over the years, you’ve shown that you certainly can step up to the plate at times and be formidable in freestyle. After having had the chance to do some big stadium freestyle this winter, what is your strategy for tomorrow night’s freestyle competition.

MH: You know, here’s one thing about freestyle – I can’t really explain this but we made a change to the truck this year and we’re using a 3-speed automatic style Lenco where you don’t have to use the clutch – for whatever reason, that makes it so much more fun to do freestyle with the automatic as the truck moves around easier and it’s just a blast to drive. I always enjoy running freestyle, but I’m going to be completely honest here – I am really looking forward to freestyle at this event, I can’t wait to let it rip and see what the truck will do. We ran Lucas Oil Stadium earlier this year and that had some massive jumps and it really ended up being a lot of fun so like I said, I’m kind of itching to get out there and let it rip tomorrow. The thing is you just cannot believe how fired up I am about this event, and I’m thinking, you know, we’ve got a new body on Raminator and it would be cool to see some pictures of it getting some huge air out there.

TMB: Wow, well after that response I think we’re all going to be a little extra excited when Raminator rolls out for freestyle. Well Mark, a big thanks from all of us here at TMB for the great interview, we’re heading out ourselves now to get on up to Pontiac and we look forward to having you on TMB TV and seeing you run. With all the excitement and anticipation, let’s close this out by having you sum up your thoughts on the experience that will be, the Monster Truck Fall Shootout at the Silverdome.

MH: Hey, this is our last big event of the year, we’ve got lots of family and friends coming out to watch us run so we’re pulling out all the stops. All of our guys have done a great job working on the trucks, now we’ve just got to go get the job done. But it’s going to be a great night, and win, lose or draw, it’s going to be an awesome experience – the fans will be the real winners.

The Monster Truck Fall Shootout is this Saturday, November 13th – 11 of the nation’s top trucks compete in racing and freestyle at the historic Pontiac Silverdome! Advance tickets are only $13, all fees included at www.SilverdomeTickets.com – get yours now!

Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A – Ben Winslow

One week from now monster trucks will return to one of the most historically significant venues in the history of the sport as the Pontiac Silverdome hosts the 1st Annual Monster Truck Fall Shootout!! 11 trucks are scheduled to compete in racing and freestyle including Bounty Hunter, Raminator, Tail Gator, Virginia Giant, War Wagon, Big Dawg, Rammunition, Shell Camino, Bar’s Leaks Eliminator, Airborne Ranger and Rislone Defender.

The return of the Silverdome has been one of the biggest and best stories of 2010 and TMB is excited to return for our 10th and final episode of TMB TV Season 3. We’ll cover all the action with three camera angles and two huge photo galleries. With tickets at only $13 at www.SilverdomeTickets.com, this event will surely be one of the best values of the year.

As we countdown the days of this final week leading up to the big event, we’ll interview one of the big personalities and get their thoughts on the Monster Truck Fall Shootout. Check back every day for another quick Q&A with one of the event’s big stars!

11/11/10: Q&A w/Ben Winslow | Countdown Status: 2 Days to Go!

TMB: The anticipation is building for this weekend’s Monster Truck Fall Shootout as we are less than two days away from the big event!  Another day closer means TMB speaks to another driver in our Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A series. Today that driver is one who is riding an incredible hot streak entering the weekend after being hired on with 2Xtreme Racing – a giant racing win in Montreal and domination of other events driving Bounty Hunter. Bobo, we’ve just premiered the TMB TV episode from Montreal so the fans have just taken in your great racing victory north of the border. Tell us about this new ride with 2Xtreme Racing.

BW: This is an awesome ride and a great opportunity for me to be working for one of the best in the business, Jimmy Creten. The truck he has given me to drive is incredible, it lands great, runs strong and has tons of horsepower. But you know, along with this gig and having that Bounty Hunter name on the side of the truck comes a lot of pressure. But JC keeps telling me, just do your thing man, do your thing and that’s what I’ve been doing – it’s been working out well so far.

TMB: You bring up a great point there about the pressure – this is a big event and there is no doubt that Bounty Hunter is the headliner. Talk about your feelings on the chance to be in the seat of Bounty Hunter for an event of this magnitude, only a couple days out.

BW: People need to remember, I’ve only been in the seat for about a year and a half so I’ve probably got the least experience out of anyone in the lineup. There is a ton of pressure and I’ve been nervous for like two weeks thinking about this weekend. But it’s an excited nervous because I’ve got a lot of good momentum heading to the Silverdome and with this ride and this chassis, the sky is the limit.

TMB: Now let’s talk about a couple advantages you may have over some of the other drivers in the lineup. First, you have had the opportunity to run in two stadium events in just the last month while a lot of the drivers haven’t done a stadium event in several years. After what you saw in Montreal and down in Mexico, stuff at the Silverdome won’t seem quite as intimidating for you as it might for some of the others.

BW: The truck was working great in Canada and in Mexico, made the finals against Jimmy at both so yeah, that may give me a bit of an edge. You saw it in Montreal, ran smooth in racing and was great for big air and slap wheelies in freestyle.

TMB: The other potential advantage I wanted to get your take on is that, you are the only driver in the lineup who participated in the April event here at the Silverdome. You placed in the top half in freestyle there then and really did a great job. What are your thoughts on that?

BW: I think it may work in my favor having been there in April as I had the chance to really be in awe of the place and appreciate the history of just what we were doing there. This time I can focus on running strong and going after a win, while maybe some of the others get caught up in the awe and nostalgia. Ever since that run in Pontiac too, I’ve really tried to step up my freestyle game so hopefully I can improve on that showing.

TMB: Well Bobo, thanks for taking the time to speak with us as you get ready for the big event this weekend. Last question to finish this up, tell us your strategy in racing and freestyle and who you think your top competition will be.

BW: You can’t count out Mark Hall and Doug Noelke in either competition, Shelley Kujat will be one to watch, she is a cool cat and I just had the chance to run with them up in Canada. Jimmy’s trucks always work real well in Chicago-style so I’ve just got focus on being fast and not making mistakes. For freestyle, I just want to be solid and make every hit count. I may try to plan out the first few moves and see how it goes, then really turn it up and go for it towards the end. However it all works out, it’s going to be a lot of fun.

The Monster Truck Fall Shootout is this Saturday, November 13th – 11 of the nation’s top trucks compete in racing and freestyle at the historic Pontiac Silverdome! Advance tickets are only $13, all fees included at www.SilverdomeTickets.com – get yours now!

Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A – Greg Adams

One week from now monster trucks will return to one of the most historically significant venues in the history of the sport as the Pontiac Silverdome hosts the 1st Annual Monster Truck Fall Shootout!! 11 trucks are scheduled to compete in racing and freestyle including Bounty Hunter, Raminator, Tail Gator, Virginia Giant, War Wagon, Big Dawg, Rammunition, Shell Camino, Bar’s Leaks Eliminator, Airborne Ranger and Rislone Defender.

The return of the Silverdome has been one of the biggest and best stories of 2010 and TMB is excited to return for our 10th and final episode of TMB TV Season 3. We’ll cover all the action with three camera angles and two huge photo galleries. With tickets at only $13 at www.SilverdomeTickets.com, this event will surely be one of the best values of the year.

As we countdown the days of this final week leading up to the big event, we’ll interview one of the big personalities and get their thoughts on the Monster Truck Fall Shootout. Check back every day for another quick Q&A with one of the event’s big stars!

11/10/10: Q&A w/Greg Adams | Countdown Status: 3 Days to Go!

TMB: We’re another day closer to this weekend’s big event at the Pontiac Silverdome and that means another great chance to hear from one of the stars of the show in our Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A series. Tonight we speak with one of the most veteran drivers in the lineup for Saturday night, Greg Adams, owner of Truk Wurks Off Road and driver of the Bar’s Leaks Eliminator machine. Greg, you’ve been in the sport for a long time and are yet another driver in this lineup with experience at the Silverdome. Tell us about your past experiences there.

GA: My first experience in Pontiac was probably back around 1992 for SRO with the Krimson Krusher truck. That actually wasn’t long after we first put 66 inch tires on the truck and got our first fiberglass body. We raced there a few times over the years with the last time being in 2003 when we were running the Summit Truck Style body. There’s been some great experiences there over the years, it’s pretty neat to be going back this weekend.

TMB: Like the majority of this weekend’s lineup, this will be your first stadium event in several years. When was the last time you had the chance to do a dome show and how excited are you to have that opportunity again this weekend?

GA: Our last time on the big stadium tour was back in 2007 when we were doing Monster Jam with the Annihilator, I’d say the RCA Dome was the last one we did. For me, I honestly don’t get quite as excited about things as I used to, I still really enjoy the racing but I think I’m at the point where I’m more excited about turning the reigns over to Zach and really turning him loose out there. But you know how it is, I say that but once I get in the truck and the adrenaline starts flowing, something else takes over.

TMB: It looks like your big stadium experience is probably a bit more recent than a lot of the drivers in the lineup. Tell us what you think it will take to make a run at the late rounds of racing and who you think your top competition will be.

GA: All of these guys always run good but I’m not sure there’s any odds on favorite, I really look forward to being competitive. Hall and Noelke will be tough, but the thing about Chicago-style is, the key isn’t always being the fastest, but being consistent is what gives you the chance to win. I’ve always enjoyed running Chicago-style, personally I think its boring to run in a straight line. We’ll see how it goes Saturday, but I do like being the underdog.

TMB: What are you thoughts on freestyle, there’s sure to be some big obstacles out there.

GA: Well, like I said I’m more interested in the racing part of things. I’m more of a finese driver so I try to keep things in my realm – that’s my job and that’s what I do. So I expect you’ll see us be competitive but it may not be as wild as a lot of stadium runs. I think Tail Gator will probably be one to watch in freestyle, Noelke will be tough.

TMB: Well Greg, a big thanks for sitting down with us and offering your thoughts on this weekend’s event, we look forward to seeing what you and Zach have in store for us. For one last question, what do you think of having the chance to run in front of your great sponsors?

GA: That’s the real good thing about this weekend, our sponsor, Bar’s Leaks and Rislone are a Michigan-based company so we are looking forward to running good for them and putting on a good show.

The Monster Truck Fall Shootout is this Saturday, November 13th – 11 of the nation’s top trucks compete in racing and freestyle at the historic Pontiac Silverdome! Advance tickets are only $13, all fees included at www.SilverdomeTickets.com – get yours now!

Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A – Andy Hoffman

One week from now monster trucks will return to one of the most historically significant venues in the history of the sport as the Pontiac Silverdome hosts the 1st Annual Monster Truck Fall Shootout!! 11 trucks are scheduled to compete in racing and freestyle including Bounty Hunter, Raminator, Tail Gator, Virginia Giant, War Wagon, Big Dawg, Rammunition, Shell Camino, Bar’s Leaks Eliminator, Airborne Ranger and Rislone Defender.

The return of the Silverdome has been one of the biggest and best stories of 2010 and TMB is excited to return for our 10th and final episode of TMB TV Season 3. We’ll cover all the action with three camera angles and two huge photo galleries. With tickets at only $13 at www.SilverdomeTickets.com, this event will surely be one of the best values of the year.

As we countdown the days of this final week leading up to the big event, we’ll interview one of the big personalities and get their thoughts on the Monster Truck Fall Shootout. Check back every day for another quick Q&A with one of the event’s big stars!

11/09/10: Q&A w/Andy Hoffman | Countdown Status: 4 Days to Go!

TMB: There’s only 4 days left on TMB’s Countdown to the Silverdome and tonight we continue our Q&A series by talking to Andy Hoffman, two-time Monster Nationals Freestyle Champion and driver of the War Wagon & Nitemare monster trucks. Andy, as we understand it, your history at the Silverdome is almost a little similar to that of Diehl Wilson in that you started there running a pulling truck. Tell us about that and your history with the monster in Pontiac.

AH: We first started running at the Silverdome back in 1988 with our 2WD pulling truck, the Indiana Ranger. It was always a neat experience competing at that venue, the people were always great, really got into it and we always did well there with the puller, probably finished in the top 3 most of the time. We did that into the 90’s and then we bought Nitemare in 1995 and got to run that there a few times. The last time I ran there was probably 12 years ago when I still had the Dodge body on the truck and we were doing a match race against Bearfoot and another truck as an exhibition at a pulling show. It’s been a long time.

TMB: Well, a lot has happened in those 12 years as you’ve won back to back Monster Nationals titles and acquired War Wagon from Jeff Cook and made it into a championship winning truck. After all this time away, how exciting is it to be headed back to the Silverdome?

AH: Running this event is huge, a massive deal for me and my team. I can’t wait to see the place again and see if it still seems as big as it does in your memory. It’s been a while since I’ve done a big stadium event so I’m really excited and looking forward to running hard.

TMB: Quite a few of the drivers in the field are in the same boat, having not run on a major stadium style course in some time. Do you think that puts you all on a similar playing field and how would you rate your chances in each competition?

AH: I think we’ll all have a lot of fun going to a big event again, everyone will be going for it extra hard because of that though. I would really like to make a run at the racing victory, I really think I can run with these guys and have a shot at it. Mark Hall and Doug Noelke are going to be tough to beat there, that’s for sure. I think freestyle will be anyone’s game, that could get interesting.

TMB: Well Andy, some folks are picking you as one of the favorites in freestyle, being the two-time Monster Nationals champ and all. What are the chances we’ll see one of those trademark Andy Hoffman reversers on Saturday?

AH: (laughing) Now don’t you start Ross, you always get me into trouble when I listen to you guys. Seems like every time I try to do something out there you suggest, I always break a lot of parts!  But seriously I’d like to do one of my reversers for the Silverdome fans but it will just depend on how everything’s setup and if I can find a good spot for it.

TMB: Don’t worry folks, we’ll talk him into doing one off the bus stack or something! (laughing) Joking aside though, it’s been great to talk to you Andy and we can’t wait to see War Wagon run on Saturday. To close this thing out, sum up your thoughts on the weekend in one sentence for us.

AH: I’m excited for the chance to finish the year on a high note, at a big show and we’re going to run it hard.

The Monster Truck Fall Shootout is this Saturday, November 13th – 11 of the nation’s top trucks compete in racing and freestyle at the historic Pontiac Silverdome! Advance tickets are only $13, all fees included at www.SilverdomeTickets.com – get yours now!

Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A – Doug Noelke

One week from now monster trucks will return to one of the most historically significant venues in the history of the sport as the Pontiac Silverdome hosts the 1st Annual Monster Truck Fall Shootout!! 11 trucks are scheduled to compete in racing and freestyle including Bounty Hunter, Raminator, Tail Gator, Virginia Giant, War Wagon, Big Dawg, Rammunition, Shell Camino, Bar’s Leaks Eliminator, Airborne Ranger and Rislone Defender.

The return of the Silverdome has been one of the biggest and best stories of 2010 and TMB is excited to return for our 10th and final episode of TMB TV Season 3. We’ll cover all the action with three camera angles and two huge photo galleries. With tickets at only $13 at www.SilverdomeTickets.com, this event will surely be one of the best values of the year.

As we countdown the days of this final week leading up to the big event, we’ll interview one of the big personalities and get their thoughts on the Monster Truck Fall Shootout. Check back every day for another quick Q&A with one of the event’s big stars!

11/08/10: Q&A w/Doug Noelke | Countdown Status: 5 Days to Go!

TMB: TMB’s Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A series continues today as we talk to two-time Monster Nationals Racing Champion Doug Noelke, owner of the Big Dawg 4×4 team out of Union, Missouri and driver of the Tail Gator monster truck. Doug, we’ve been starting off talking to each driver about their past experience at the Silverdome – have you had a chance to run there before?

DN: As a matter of fact we have, and it was actually one of the first few events we ever did when we were first getting started back in 2001. The first year in 2000 when we finished the truck we only ran about 4-5 shows so as we were getting ready to start our first winter season, they had given us a few smaller Monster Jam events. Well two weeks before the first arena show we were scheduled to go to, they called and told us they needed us to go to the Silverdome the week before that – our first ever indoor show! So that whole weekend was the kind of “deer in the headlights” experience as we were there at this historic venue for this huge show right out of the gate. But all in all, it went really well that weekend and it was a great experience.

Doug Noelke runs the Big Dawg at the Silverdome in 2001 – courtesy www.BigDawg4x4.com

TMB: It’s really neat to hear some of these great stories, with Diehl Wilson having won at some of the classic Silverdome events in the past and now hearing that your first ever indoor show was here at the Silverdome. So its 10 years later now and you have built your team into one of the top teams in the industry – how exciting is it to be going back as one of the favorites to win?

DN: Well when the building closed, that was pretty sad to see because of all the history there, so its really exciting to have the chance to go back there when you wouldn’t have thought that was possible. We’ll try not to get too caught up in that though, the key is to try and stay focused, especially in racing, on being consistent and not making mistakes. As good as you may be running, you still need plenty of good luck to get the win.

TMB: One of the things we heard from Ryan Westlake in his interview was that he is excited about giving trucks the opportunity to run in a stadium style setting that may not get that opportunity all that often. When was the last time you ran a stadium and how much more challenging is a stadium course?

DN: I’d say the last time we ran at a big stadium was back in 2005 at the RCA Dome for Family Events. We took the racing win that night and had a pretty good freestyle too. The obstacles will be bigger, that’s for sure, but we still see that kind of stuff outdoors at places like Bristol and Charlotte. We’ve gotten to do a lot of the Monster Truck Challenge and MLMT stuff the past few years, so we do pretty well on big racing courses. With freestyle, you’ve just got to go out there, have some fun, not worrying about tearing things up, run hard and try not to lay an egg.

TMB: Well Doug, it was great to talk to you as we lead up to the big shows and we’re really looking forward to seeing great performances by yourself in Tail Gator and Dale in Big Dawg this weekend. Let’s wrap up by having you sum up what a win at the Silverdome on Saturday would mean to you.

DN: We’re finishing up the year with one of our biggest shows of the year – it’s been a pretty good season, it would be great to cap it off with a big win. Plus all the nostalgia at this place, all the history, that just adds to it even more. Hopefully this event goes great and they can keep the facility open and keep doing these events every year.

The Monster Truck Fall Shootout is this Saturday, November 13th – 11 of the nation’s top trucks compete in racing and freestyle at the historic Pontiac Silverdome! Advance tickets are only $13, all fees included at www.SilverdomeTickets.com – get yours now!

Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A – Diehl Wilson

One week from now monster trucks will return to one of the most historically significant venues in the history of the sport as the Pontiac Silverdome hosts the 1st Annual Monster Truck Fall Shootout!!  11 trucks are scheduled to compete in racing and freestyle including Bounty Hunter, Raminator, Tail Gator, Virginia Giant, War Wagon, Big Dawg, Rammunition, Shell Camino, Bar’s Leaks Eliminator, Airborne Ranger and Rislone Defender.

The return of the Silverdome has been one of the biggest and best stories of 2010 and TMB is excited to return for our 10th and final episode of TMB TV Season 3. We’ll cover all the action with three camera angles and two huge photo galleries. With tickets at only $13 at www.SilverdomeTickets.com, this event will surely be one of the best values of the year.

As we countdown the days of this final week leading up to the big event, we’ll interview one of the big personalities and get their thoughts on the Monster Truck Fall Shootout. Check back every day for another quick Q&A with one of the event’s big stars!

11/07/10: Q&A w/Diehl Wilson | Countdown Status: 6 Days to Go!

TMB: As we continue our Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A, its our great privilege to have the opportunity to speak with a true legend of monster trucks, Diehl Wilson with the Virginia Giant. Diehl, its great to talk with you and very exciting to see a driver with as much history in the sport and in this historic building invited to participate in the Monster Truck Fall Shootout. Let’s start by having you tell us about your history of competing at the Silverdome.

DW: The Silverdome has always been one of my favorite places to compete every since we first went there in 1979 with our pulling truck. It’s amazing how much things have changed since the first time went there with the monster truck – back then pulling was the main event and it was almost like monsters were the side act, cars set longways, 2 rows bumper to bumper on the side of the pulling tracks. There weren’t as many trucks around back then so the events were huge with Bigfoot, Bearfoot, the Starbirds, all those guys at one show. We used to pull a sled with the trucks, unhook and then race over cars. We took a few big wins there over the years, probably got to race there 6-10 times overall. (Click here to check out a cool YouTube video of Diehl beating Fred Shafer in Bearfoot in the finals of racing back in 1987 at the Silverdome)

TMB: After first competing there over 30 years ago and still having one of the top pieces of equipment in the industry today, you’ve got to be excited about the opportunity to race there once again in 2010. Talk about your chances to take a big win Saturday night and tell us how much a win at the Silverdome at this point in your career would mean to you?

DW: I’m really excited about running at the Silverdome again. Its a nice place, the crowds were always good, and there’s a lot of history there. The Silverdome was the first place I met Evel Knievel, that’s how long I’ve been going there!  But I think we should run strong on Saturday, I think we’ve got a 50/50 shot at being able to get a win – racing more so than freestyle, probably. I’ve never really been a turning course guy so that will be the biggest challenge, but we’ll just have to step up and get after it. Freestyle to me – its not really luck I guess, but to win its always seemed like, things have to happen which you may not really plan but end up working out in your favor. It’s pretty important for us to run hard at this show, I’m getting a little closer to retirement so there’s not going to be as many chances to run at major events like this so we need to step up and do really well.

TMB: Along those same lines, looking at the lineup of your competitors who would you say will be the drivers to beat in each competition?

DW: The Hall Brothers will be the ones to beat in racing, they always run every round like its the last round and they will be very tough. But really, everyone will be tough and anyone could end up taking the win, there’s no slackers in this lineup. I think this show will be as good as any Feld show.

TMB: Now over the last couple years of your career, you’ve mostly ran arena and fairgrounds style events. Your team has still performed at a high level, but how do you have to change your approach running a stadium course and when was the last time you had the chance to run one?

DW: The last time ran a big stadium was probably 3-4 years ago when we went up to Montreal for an event. With racing, its the turning course thing and with freestyle you just have to tighten those belts down a little tighter. If you’re going to build a World Finals style course where you pretty much have to trash your truck to win, that’s not really my style but if its the average stadium setup then we should do very well. That’s the thing about this lineup, no one is going to go out there to trash their truck like at some shows so there’s going to be a good competition for the win.

TMB: Diehl, we’d like to thank you for taking the time to talk with us about this weekend’s event, we’re really looking forward to talking to you on TMB TV and seeing the Virginia Giant running at the Silverdome. To wrap this up, tell us how you feel about the chance to run a show of this caliber to finish the season.

DW: I guess it just means we have plenty of time to fix the stuff back up!  We’ve already started getting ready for the new year, we blew a motor at an exhibition a while back so we’ve got a brand new motor in the truck and it’ll be good to get some time on that. The show will also tell us where we’re at with the truck and if everything goes well, we’ll just have a little bit more work to do to get ready for the winter season.

The Monster Truck Fall Shootout is this Saturday, November 13th – 11 of the nation’s top trucks compete in racing and freestyle at the historic Pontiac Silverdome!  Advance tickets are only $13, all fees included at www.SilverdomeTickets.com – get yours now!

Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A – Ryan Westlake

One week from now monster trucks will return to one of the most historically significant venues in the history of the sport as the Pontiac Silverdome hosts the 1st Annual Monster Truck Fall Shootout!!  11 trucks are scheduled to compete in racing and freestyle including Bounty Hunter, Raminator, Tail Gator, Virginia Giant, War Wagon, Big Dawg, Rammunition, Shell Camino, Bar’s Leaks Eliminator, Airborne Ranger and Rislone Defender.

The return of the Silverdome has been one of the biggest and best stories of 2010 and TMB is excited to return for our 10th and final episode of TMB TV Season 3. We’ll cover all the action with three camera angles and two huge photo galleries. With tickets at only $13 at www.SilverdomeTickets.com, this event will surely be one of the best values of the year.

As we countdown the days of this final week leading up to the big event, we’ll interview one of the big personalities and get their thoughts on the Monster Truck Fall Shootout. Check back every day for another quick Q&A with one of the event’s big stars!

11/06/10: Q&A w/Ryan Westlake | Countdown Status: 7 Days to Go

TMB: For our first Countdown to the Silverdome Q&A, we’re talking to Ryan Westlake, the new Assistant General Manager and Event Coordinator for Silverdome Events in charge of event production. Ryan, start by telling us a little bit about the idea and philosophy behind the Monster Truck Fall Shootout event.

RW: Our goal with all the of the events produced by Silverdome Events is to produce affordable, high quality, family friendly entertainment. The key with this event is, it’s starting to get a bit cold outside for the fun, family outdoor events and so the Monster Truck Fall Shootout is a great segway as the entertainment moves indoors. We want to create an opportunity for the family of 4 to be able to come in and have a great time at an affordable price – and what better than monster trucks and tickets for only $13 in advance.

TMB: Sounds great and we are really hoping for a huge turnout for the event. Tell us a bit about the lineup of monster trucks you’ve assembled for the Monster Truck Fall Shootout.

RW: When we assembled the lineup of teams, we kind of went along with the same, family focused philosophy that is behind the show – we wanted to bring in some of the independent, family-run teams and give them the chance to shine at a major stadium event, which is a chance that they may not get as much during the year. Something like 95% of stadium events are done by Feld and consist of mostly Feld-owned trucks, so there aren’t as many chances for the independents to be a part of the big events. We’ve got guys like the Hall Brothers, the Noelkes, Creten’s team, who have all been family-run teams forever, a father-son team in Greg and Zach Adams, and even a husband-wife team in Ron and Shelley Kujat.

TMB: As great as the Monster Jam stadium events are, we definitely agree that a stadium show full of independents is great to see and that is why we at TMB get so excited about being able to cover these events for our fans. Now a lot of our fans may not necessarily know your name, but you have been around monster trucks for a long time – tell us a bit about your work int he monster truck industry.

RW: I’ve been in the business for over 12 years, starting way back in the days of USA Motorsports, on through the various names of what is now Feld Entertainment, and then of course I was the Operations Manager at Route 66 Raceway in Illinois which used to host the yearly Monster Mash events. We took those events from a sparsely attended event at first all the way to an annual 7,000+ sellout. I’m really excited about this opportunity here with the Silverdome to bring monster trucks into this historic venue each summer and fall and be a part of creating fun, family-focused events.

TMB: We at TMB definitely support your efforts as we would love nothing more than to enjoy monster trucks at the Silverdome twice a year, every year. Now tell us a bit about what you’ve got in store for these guys regarding track setup and who you think will be the ones to beat.

RW: We’ll be doing racing and freestyle and the course will feature what we’re calling “Tornado-style” racing where the trucks start facing in opposite directions in the center, race around the outside and then it becomes your standard Chicago-style. Freestyle will feature big obstacles and something for slap wheelies – it will be scored and then there will be a winner when its over. For racing, Mark Hall has got to be one of the favorites, the Hall Brothers are always tough and they’ll be going after it extra hard as I’m sure some folks from RAM Trucks will be in attendance. Diehl Wilson is a classic racer, no one in the field has more experience and even though he’s been doing mostly smaller events in recent years, you can’t count him out. Noelke is strong too. In freestyle, I think Andy Hoffman will be one to watch in War Wagon – he’s a two-time indoor freestyle champion and he’s usually good for some big moves. I haven’t seen Ben Winslow drive before but no matter who Jimmy puts in the truck, Bounty Hunter is always one of the ones to beat in freestyle. And of course guys like Adams and Shelley Kujat are pretty close to home, so they’ll have some family and friends in attendance they’ll want to run strong for.

TMB: Lots of great storylines, should make for an exciting event. We’d like to thank you for taking a few minutes with us Ryan, let’s finish up here by giving you a chance to tell us what we’ll be seeing in addition to the monsters and where fans can go to get their tickets.

RW: The event will also feature some great quad racing – not the scripted “Team Michigan vs. Team Indiana” kind of nonsense, but actual full out, real racing with 18+ guys out there giving it their all on a flat track complete with chicane and a big tabletop. They’ll be plenty of room for them to get a lot of speed, should be fun to watch. Fans should head on over to our website at www.SilverdomeTickets.com for advance tickets at only $13, with all fees included and a free pit pass. They can also order through the box office by calling 248-338-2500. For the local fans, look out for trucks at area businesses on Friday as they’ll be out promoting the show. Thanks in advance to all the fans coming out to support the Monster Truck Fall Shootout!

The Monster Truck Fall Shootout is this Saturday, November 13th – 11 of the nation’s top trucks compete in racing and freestyle at the historic Pontiac Silverdome!  Advance tickets are only $13, all fees included at www.SilverdomeTickets.com – get yours now!

Monster Truck Fall Shootout at the Silverdome

(Pontiac, MI) Monster Trucks return to the Silverdome for an inaugural Monster Truck Fall Shootout!! This event will be a premiere motorsports show featuring monster trucks and quad racing and it’s going to be an annual event for the fans of high energy, high-impact motorsports entertainment. Discounted early bird tickets go on sale Wednesday October 14th. A $2 off discount per ticket will automatically be given for adult and kids tickets when purchased on line by November 12th.

The 1st Annual Fall Shootout is bringing monster trucks back to the Silverdome and includes a superstar lineup featuring Bounty Hunter, Raminator, Tail Gator, Virginia Giant, War Wagon, Big Dawg, Rammunition, Bar’s Leaks Eliminator, Airborne Ranger and Rislone Defender.

“We are very excited to start another motor sports tradition here at the Silverdome as we are filling dates at the dome with renewed life,” said Ryan Westlake, the event coordinator for the event. “In the Silverdome’s past life, monster truck events were second only to the Lions as far as annual attendance. We look forward to bringing things full circle with a fun and entertaining monster truck event that is easy to get to, easy to park at and affordable for the entire family.” Monster Trucks are the ultimate in automotive “Destruction.”

Extreme Air, Colossal Sky-Wheelies, Thundering Pogos and Devastating Crashes which are all part of the show as these 10,000 pound machines will fly through the air and around the stadium in true Silverdome style. The Monster Truck Fall Shootout will take place on November 13th, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale October 14th and will be available at the Silverdome box office, online at www.SilverdomeTickets.com or by calling 248-338-2500. All tickets are general admission. Please call the box office for information regarding Family and Friends Suite Experience rental suites at (248) 338-2500.

All tickets purchased online in advance will include FREE entry into the Fan Appreciation Pit Party, where fans can walk the track, take photos, get autographs from the competitors and have an unforgettable experience before the event at the Pit Party. Fans holding a pit pass and an event ticket will be allowed onto the floor of the Silverdome from 4-6 pm before the event.

Free pit passes will be included with all tickets purchased online through November 12th. Day
of purchases and walk-up Pit Passes will be $5 at the door.

Domination In The Dome – Pontiac, MI – 04/17/10

Event:  Domination In The Dome
Venue:  Pontiac Silverdome
Location:  Pontiac, Michigan
Date:  April 17th, 2010
Photographer:  Ross Z. Bonar

Lineup:  American Guardian (Rick Raab), Anger Management (Aaron Cromer), Bigfoot #11 (Eric Tack), Brute Force (Jerry Perry), Crashmaster (Jeremy Perry), Excaliber (Jon Zimmer), Ghost Ryder (Larry Quick), Ground Pounder (Ben Winslow), High Maintenance (Jocelyn Perrin), Ice (Jordan Austin), Lone Eagle (Dale Mitchell), Lucas Oil Stabilizer (Bobby Holman), Michigan Ice Monster (Chris Ryan), Pouncer (Dave Pezo), Predator (Allen Pezo), Prowler (Lenny Kuilder), Sudden Impact (Sean Duhon) [Read more…]

Pontiac Silverdome “Domination In The Dome” Photos

TheMonsterBlog.com was out in full force a couple months back for Domination In The Dome, easily one of the biggest news stories of the year as monster trucks returned to the Pontiac Silverdome. You’ve seen TMB TV from the big event, now enjoy the amazing event in over 400 photos courtesy of TMB photographers Ross Z. Bonar and Paul M. Harry.

A thanks once again to Brian Sharenow and the FMG Events group for their hospitality and for a great event – stay tuned for an official announcement as it appears the monsters will be returning to the Silverdome once again this year in October!! For now though, click the links below to see all the action from the April event in pictures.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ROSS Z. BONAR’S DOMINATION IN THE DOME PHOTOS

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PAUL M. HARRY’S DOMINATION IN THE DOME PHOTOS