Monster Photos: Monster Truck Nationals – Springfield, IL 2017

Event Information

Event: Monster Truck Nationals
Venue: Illinois State Fairgrounds
Location: Springfield, Illinois
Date: June 11th, 2017
Photographer: Danny Maass (Check out Maass Media on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

Bad News Travels Fast (Brandon Derrow), Basher (John Fitzgerald), Heavy Hitter (Derick Anson), Hurricane Force (Steve Thompson), Lucas Oil Bigfoot #19 (Darron Schnell) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Monster Jam – Detroit, MI 2017

Event Information

Event: Monster Jam
Venue: Ford Field
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Date: January 28th, 2017
Photographer: Paul M. Harry

Truck Lineup

Big Kahuna (Shane England), Dragon (Jon Zimmer), Grave Digger (Charlie Pauken), Hurricane Force (Steve Thompson), Mad Scientist (Lee O’Donnell), Mechanical Mischief (Jim Burns), Metal Mulisha (Matt Buyten), Monster Mutt Dalmation (Candice Jolly), Quad Chaos (Aaron Cain), Raminator (Mark Hall), Samson (Rick Steffens), Soldier Fortune (Chad Fortune), Storm Damage (Tim Mente), Xtreme Diesel (Dave Radzierez) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Monster Jam – Detroit, MI 2016

Event Information

Event: Monster Jam
Venue: Ford Field
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Date: January 30th, 2016
Photographer: Paul M. Harry

Truck Lineup

Alien Invasion (Steve Koehler), Bounty Hunter (Jimmy Creten), Dragon’s Breath (Scott Liddycoat), Grave Digger (Chad Tingler), Gun Slinger (Scott Hartsock), Hurricane Force (Steve Thompson), Ice Cream Man (Roy Pridgeon), Jester (Matt Pagliarulo), Mohawk Warrior (George Balhan), Monster Mutt Rottweiler (Rod Schmidt), Razin Kane (Buddy Tompkins), Scarlet Bandit (Dawn Creten), Scooby Doo (Nicole Johnson), Solider Fortune Black Ops (Tony Ochs), Son Uva Digger (Ryan Anderson), Storm Damage (John Killenger), Xtermigator (JR McNeal) [Read more…]

Monster Photos: Night of Fire & Destruction – Essex Junction, VT 2015

Event Information

Event: Night of Fire & Destruction
Venue: Champlain Valley Fair
Location: Essex Junction, Vermont
Date: August 30th, 2015
Photographer: Katelin White (Check out Katelin White Photography on Facebook)

Truck Lineup

Hurricane Force (Steve Thompson), Jethro Tow (Jeff Bursey), Rislone Defender (Zach Adams), Storm Damage (Mike Thompson), Summit Bigfoot #21 (Dan Runte), XDP (Dave Radzierez) [Read more…]

TMB TV: MT Unlimited 5.12 – Monster Truck Beach Nationals – Wildwood, NJ 2014

tmbtv_mtu

Episode Information

Event: Monster Truck Beach Nationals
Venue: Wildwood Beach
Location: Wildwood, New Jersey
Date: September 26th-28th, 2014
Videographer: Colby Marshall

Featured Monster Trucks

Avenger (Jim Koehler)
Black Stallion (Steve Thompson)
Brutus (Brad Allen)
Equalizer (Mike Hawkins)
Gun Slinger (Scott Hartsock)
Higher Education (Matt Cody)
Snake Bite #14 (Josh Gibson)
Summit Bigfoot #18 (Dan Runte)

Featured Links

www.AvengerRacing.com
www.Bigfoot4x4.com
www.BlackStallion4x4.com
www.EqualizerRacing.com
www.GunSlinger4x4.com
www.WildwoodMotorEvents.com

[Read more…]

The Allen Report: NAPA Final Event Spectacular – Chandler, AZ 2013

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

Weekend Recap

After 30 years of offering a vast variety of motorsports to auto racing fans in the Valley of the Sun, Firebird Raceway in Chandler, AZ, will close. It was decided, however, to put on one more huge show and what better way to close things out on the Saturday before Easter than to do it with monster trucks, jet cars and Robosaurus. The NAPA Auto Parts Final Event Spectacular was a Saturday night only event. The featured monster trucks included: Jimmy Creten in the new Bounty Hunter Silver and wife Dawn Creten, as always, in Scarlet Bandit. Steven Thompson drove Iron Outlaw and Darren Migues flew the Red Baron. Team Bigfoot was in the house courtesy of Dan Runte in Summit Bigfoot #18. Finally, World Finals Young Guns Shootout competitor JR McNeal was in the driver’s seat of Razin Kane and TJ Tripp had Ice Cream Man at the ready.

Before the night’s mayhem began, a tremendous crowd piled in and stood in line to get autographs from their favorite drivers. The sun set and the action on the quarter-mile drag strip heated up. Jet cars versus funny cars started the action with passes down the strip of over 250 mph. This was followed by the finals of the drag racing whose heat races were run earlier in the day. The fans were then treated to Ed “the Outlaw” Jones in his wheel-standing horseless carriage who made a full quarter mile pass in 12 seconds only on his rear wheels.

Then it was time for the Monsters! The competition was to be freestyle and it got bigger and better with each truck. JR McNeal threw down the gauntlet early with a score of 27. Red Baron and Ice Cream Man also gave great efforts, but could only tie the current best score of 27. Scarlet Bandit and Iron Outlaw also excited the crowd with car crushing action but failed to wrestle the lead from the trio holding on to the high score. Dan Runte’s farewell freestyle to one of his favorite places to perform came to an end sooner than expected thanks to a flat tire after hitting the drag strip’s concrete wall. But for years, Jim Creten and The Bounty Hunter had had a lock on the Firebird Champion’s trophy. Over the years, many had tried to take the title from him, but all had failed. This year was no exception as two tremendous jumps threw away the key to that lock. The first jump had bright blue fireworks on either side of him as he entered the drag arena and the second was completely over Iron Outlaw and Red Baron parked side by side. He nailed a perfect 30, making him the Final Champion of Firebird Raceway. An incredible fireworks show followed the Monster Truck action then the stage was set for the car eating, fire breathing madness only Robosaurus can bring.

Up next for us at “The Allen Report” will be a demonstration car crush of the all electric Bigfoot #20 and the unveiling of the Autism Awareness Bigfoot #18 on Tuesday, April 2, which is World Autism Awareness day. Autism is very near to the heart for us at “The Allen Report” and we are very proud to be able to cover this very special event.

We will also be attending the first ever Robby Gordon’s Stadium Super Trucks race just down the road from us in University of Phoenix Stadium. There will be a full field of Monster Trucks providing racing action in addition to the Super Trucks. We will have a report.

Until then, thank you for reading, a very special thanks to Firebird Raceway for 30 years of motorsports action and hosting this great event one more time, enjoy the photos and cheer on!

Photo Gallery

All content copyright TheMonsterBlog.com 2013.

The Allen Report: Maverik Clash of the Titans – West Valley City, UT 2012

(Coverage By Christopher Allen, Photos By Jim Allen)

Weekend Recap

This time on The Allen Report, we come to you from the Rocky Mountain Raceways in West Valley City, Utah where two of the biggest monster truck teams have to fight to get to victory lane. 2Xtreme Racing was represented by the black Bounty Hunter driven by Ben “Bobo” Winslow and, as always, Jimmy Creten in the blue Bounty Hunter. Dawn Creten, with Scarlet Bandit in tow, had embarrassing the boys on her mind and regular Hurricane Force driver Steven Thompson jumped into the Iron Outlaw for the very first time in a substitute role.

Representing Team Bigfoot was Dan Runte coming to RMR in the radical Bigfoot #18 for the very first time with Larry Swim behind the wheel of Vi-Cor Bigfoot “Bessie” #16. As always, the Salt Lake area’s own Maverik Monster Trakker was in the house driven by Ron Duncombe, and rounding out the field were the twin brothers Groth: Travis driving the ever patriotic Captain USA and Tyler driving the truck they had built from the ground up, Double Trouble.

From the start, the world’s only cow themed monster truck was driven to its limit, taking the number one spot as the sole driver to qualify in the 29 second range. Due to the odd number of competitors, Bessie got a bye run in the first round, but from there it only got harder. To face Bessie in the finals, both Bounty Hunters had to race each other, with the ever experienced Jimmy Creten in the Blue Bounty taking the win. Bigfoot #18 tried his hardest against his own teammate, but Larry, who drove Snake Bite to the finals in one race of this event a year ago, was not to be denied.

In the 2 lap grand finale, the event’s perennial racing finalist Bounty Hunter Blue got the matchup he wanted with Larry. But “the cow”, as the announcers called Bessie throughout the weekend, had the corners down better than any other driver, taking the Saturday night racing win, despite being behind at the start of the final lap.

As a prelude to freestyle the next day, a wheelie contest closed the first night. All drivers gave their best efforts, but the two time reigning champion, with now no chance for a three-peat, unleashed his truck’s inner beast, carrying a slap wheelie three-quarters of the length of the front straightaway. Not surprisingly, Dan’s score was an almost perfect 9.4 out of a potential 10.0 to take the win. But the weekend was far from over.

On Sunday, Dan and Bigfoot #18 had their eyes on the prize, and it showed. He was king of the hill once more in qualifying, missing his own track record by just seven-tenths of a second. Things took a turn on the wild side when Maverik Monster Trakker tried to make up for lost time against Bigfoot #18 in the quarter-finals, only to cartwheel hard on its roll cage in a savage crash. While Ron was only rattled, a continuous list of broken parts meant there was no saving the home state monster.

Dan’s march to the finals required him to take out the rising star they call “Bobo” in Bounty Hunter Black, and he delivered. Back in 2010, Jim Creten and Dan Runte had faced each other in the final round both nights, with Dan, at the time driving Retro Bigfoot #16, going two for two in those races. The final race of the weekend this year would mirror that sight, with Bounty Hunter fans watching in bitter disappointment as Runte took another racing trophy.

This time, the grand finale was all out freestyle. The four runner-up finishes in six final round races over the past three years made the former World Freestyle Champion even more determined, hitting everything with tremendous speed, creativity in a class all its own, and unbeatable air on every obstacle and erased all doubt about who the winner was. The Tonganoxie, Kansas native narrowly edged out Larry Swim in Bessie who also had an excellent run with a score of 36.85, stopping the Bigfoot clean sweep and winning freestyle at RMR for the third time in as many years.

As usual, the entire weekend saw Basalt, Idaho’s own Ron Barrows and his ride truck called “Thumper” giving rides to everyone who wanted one. With a different racing winner each night, there was no Undisputed Champion for the first time since “The Allen Report” started representing TMB in West Valley City. But as both racing winners had the name Bigfoot on the sides of their trucks, the overall racing winner was team Bigfoot.

Next up for us is the 2nd Annual International Monster Truck Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, where legends become immortals. Until that time, thank you for reading, a special thanks to everyone at Rocky Mountain Raceways for their wonderful hospitality, enjoy the photos and cheer on!

Photo Gallery

All content copyright TheMonsterBlog.com 2012.