This week we're catching up with Dan Evans, the veteran owner and driver of the popular Destroyer monster truck.

"We started out the first weekend of June and we've run every weekend since" Evans said in recapping the summer of 2004. "We actually had the Fourth of July weekend off, which was fortunate so we could get the truck put back together. We've had a good season. Gosh we've either been in the finals or been winning them. Of course Grave Digger has been our biggest nightmare. It seems like we've been battling them on a regular basis….but overall we've been staying on top throughout the Summer Heat series and we plan on staying there for the rest of the Summer Heat series."

For Evans, competing with the Grave Digger team week in and week out means trying to keep up with the operation off the track as well as on it. "We're trying to stay with their technology. Everybody follows the Grave Digger trucks right now," Evans admitted. "Their technology and their machine department is far superior to what we have available, but we are fortunate enough to be able to buy and use some of the technology that they have. I think our truck is still right there. I'm not getting beat up in the truck, it's landing good, we're still flying it high, we're not breaking a ton of stuff. The technology just keeps getting better and better and we're going to keep flying these things higher and farther."

Like all of the top USHRA Monster Truck teams, the Destroyer group has the plans set to make 2005 the best year ever, hopefully ending up at the World Finals next March in Las Vegas. "Right now our last show on the books (for 2004) is November 4th." Evans explained. "When we finish that show we'll tear the whole truck down, put all new nuts and bolts on it, and we're going to add some new technology. We're not lacking horsepower and we're not lacking experience in the truck or anything like that. When we come out for the winter season we're coming out guns loaded."

"Last year we didn't make it to Vegas and quite honestly I'd say that's probably 90% my fault" Air Man Dan continued. "I didn't run the truck quite as hard as I should have at the beginning of the year. We finished up real strong at the end (of the winter season), but that doesn't cut it. To make it out to Vegas you have to run the truck hard from the very first weekend of the season all the way to the World Finals. We have full intentions of running it hard enough to make it there (in 2005)."

The Destroyer has always been a family operation, and that part of the equation has expanded this year. "We have our son running with us now, operating the Ford corporately sponsored Blue Thunder ride truck," Evans said. "Having an extra hand on the road with the way we drive and the way we break things has been awesome. I believe we get a lot of respect from the other drivers that are out there that we can do with three people what it takes some teams six people to do, and we're able to run with 'em every weekend."

Dan Evans and his family operation continue to battle among the sport's elite, and the entire team is committed to blasting into the fall and winter season at the top of their game in search of another coveted berth at next year's expanded Monster Jam World Finals.