NEW MAJOR PLAYER IN THE MONSTER JAM WORLD Scott Douglass So, was it a one night wonder or have we just witnessed the arrival of a new major player in the monster jam world?
EUROPEAN ADVENTURES Scott Douglass When I walked into Freedom Hall in Louisville, KY, in October of 1988 to announce a monster truck race for the first time in my career as a broadcaster there is just no way I would have ever thought that this sport would eventually take me to Europe for one of the most amazing month’s of my life
THE 2005 SCOTTY AWARDS, PART 2 Scott Douglass Now let’s wrap up the naming of this year’s Scotty Award winners by handing out the honors in several more categories:
THE 2005 SCOTTY AWARDS, PART 1 Scott Douglass With an awesome summer heat season for Monster Jam winding down and the huge European Monster Jam Tour gearing up, and all of this following the greatest winter season of Monster Jam ever it is amazing that we are just around the corner from the launch of the next season in late October.
World Finals Recap Scott Douglass With the spectacular 2005 Monster Jam World Finals now a major new chapter in sport's history, it is time for me to look back at the Las Vegas event with a series of thoughts, reflections, and even a helping of humble pie being served to yours truly.
STRANGE YEAR FOR MAXIMUM DESTRUCTION... Scott Douglass What a strange year 2005 is proving to be for six-time World Champion Tom Meents in Maximum Destruction. It has been the most unusual roller coaster ride of feast or famine that we may have ever seen in the history of Monster Jam.
We're Half Way There... Scott Douglass As we hit the half way point of the 2004-2005 Monster Jam season that will climax with the Monster Jam World Finals March 19th at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas let’s take a look at this season’s statistics to see what trends may be developing and which teams are building the momentum toward a run at the Monster Jam World Championships.
A GREAT START... Scott Douglass Now a month into the 2005 Monster Jam campaign we've seen some surprises, yes, but the dominant theme so far this year is that Tom Meents is back on top, and right now his Maximum Destruction rates as the early favorite to win both the racing and freestyle titles again at the Monster Jam World Finals March 19th in Las Vegas.
A NEW YEAR OF MONSTER JAM Scott Douglass In the USHRA this is the week when we go from "the most wonderful time of the year" to the most exciting time of the year. All of the USHRA monster truck teams are fanning across the North American continent to start the grind of competing virtually every weekend in the first quarter of the year, trying to earn one of the coveted 20 starting positions at the 2005 Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas this March.
MONSTERS IN MINNEAPOLIS Scott Douglass This week a series of random thoughts from yours truly following a night jam packed with monster thrills and excitement in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
ONLY ONE MORE EVENT Scott Douglass There is still one more huge Monster Jam event in 2004, and with the star-studded line-up set to invade the Metrodome in Minneapolis this weekend it promises to be a real showdown for bragging right with the sport’s biggest guns looking to gain the final upper hand of this year, and establish important momentum as we head into the weekly grind for the superstars of monster truck racing that January annually brings in.
Happy Holidays from Speed Scott Douglass Monster Jam fans have a month long holiday gift coming from Speed Channel, a present that should get fans even more fired up and ready for the start of the 2005 portion of the USHRA Monster Jam season.
What To Expect Scott Douglass The first major stadium event of the new season proved to be another example of the parity
currently being witnessed on the USHRA Monster Jam tour, and it was one of
those nights that had plenty of surprises even though at the end of the race
program the World Champion had successfully opened defense of his racing title.
The Real Beginning Scott Douglass Most Monster
Jam fans are well aware that the major portion of the championship season
for the monster truck teams goes from the first weekend of January each year
through the World Finals at Las Vegas in March. Actually, though, the major
stadium event grind gets going in the fall, with a pair of mega events coming
up over the next six weeks.
MONSTER JAM SUMMER HEAT Scott Douglass As a very successful USHRA Monster Jam Summer Heat series draws to a close, looking back at some of the results may give us some insight into what to expect this fall and winter when life in the monster world really gets busy with the major events that lead up to the 2005 Monster Jam World Finals next March in Las Vegas.
Catching Up With Madusa... Scott Douglass Continuing with
our "catching up with" theme here in the summer months, this time
we're catching up with one of the co-World Freestyle Champions: Madusa.
Dan Evans & Destroyer Scott Douglass This week we're
catching up with Dan Evans, the veteran owner and driver of the popular Destroyer
monster truck.
ABOUT GARY PORTER RETIRING... So this is how you retire? “I was planning on retiring a few years ago when I sold my Carolina Crusher to Paul Shafer” legendary monster truck driver Gary Porter explained to me recently. “I had an agreement with him to drive it for a year after he purchased it.”
SCOTT HARTSOCK IS THE MAN! Scott Douglass Scott Hartsock has been as close to the top of the Monster Jam mountain as you can get without reaching the apex, having driven his Gunslinger Ford to the runner-up spot in racing at the 2000 Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas.
Awfully good year... Scott Douglass This 2004 Monster Jam season has been one of the most successful, if not the best ever for veteran Jim Jack in the popular Reptoid. And the good times seem to keep on rolling this year for Jack, witnessed by his upset win over Grave Digger in the racing final last Saturday at the Summer Heat event contested at Oglethorpe Speedway Park near Savannah, GA.
SUMMER HEAT ACTION Scott Douglass We’re off and running with another exciting season of USHRA Summer Heat action all across the United States and Canada. With the support of Advance Auto Parts, the USHRA Summer Heat series is a unique opportunity for fans to see some of the greatest superstars in monster truck racing live at a variety of racetracks, fairgrounds, and arenas.
BREAKING THE TIE Scott Douglass Since we left Las Vegas last March with three World Freestyle co-champions there has been lots of discussion from fans and people involved in the Monster Jam business alike about freestyle scoring.
THE TRIO Scott Douglass There’s an old adage in the sports world: a tie is like kissing your sister. Reading Linda Ardehali’s excellent interviews on this site with Madusa, Tom Meents, and Lupe Soza, it’s pretty clear that the three co-World Freestyle Champions agree with that sentiment.
SCOTTY AWARDS: Part 2 Scott Douglass This week it’s part two of my annual review of the top performances from the just completed USHRA winter Monster Jam season which I call the “Scotty Awards”.
THE SCOTTY AWARDS Scott Douglass With a few weeks to reflect on the sensational, just completed 2004 winter USHRA Monster Jam season it’s time for my annual tribute to the season’s best with the unveiling of the 2004 “Scotty Awards”.
THE FUTURE OF THE FINALS Scott Douglass Every year the anticipation for the next Monster Jam World Finals begins for many of us almost as soon as the previous World Finals ends and the new champions carry their titles off the stage. This year, thanks to some major announcements regarding the expansion of the event in the future, that anticipation is already stronger than ever before.
THE FUTURE OF THE FINALS Scott Douglass Every year the anticipation for the next Monster Jam World Finals begins for many of us almost as soon as the previous World Finals ends and the new champions carry their titles off the stage. This year, thanks to some major announcements regarding the expansion of the event in the future, that anticipation is already stronger than ever before.
THOUGHTS AND IMPRESSIONS FROM LAS VEGAS Scott Douglass With the spectacular moments from the Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas still fresh on mind, this week's column will simply be a series of thoughts and impressions from the biggest event in the sport, an event that you will be able to witness on television when Speed Channel broadcasts its two hour World Finals special Saturday May 15 at 8:00 p.m. eastern time. In no particular order, impressions that are still strongest in my mind after that incredible weekend in Vegas, parity has arrived in Monster Jam.
MONSTER JAM WORLD FINALS: ODDS Scott Douglass As I have done in past years, I will use this space to look ahead to Las Vegas, prepared to end up either a genius or a fool, by putting my amateur handicapping skills to the test, setting odds on the entire field. Before we start, let me remind you as always that these odds are "for recreational purposes only"!
SEE YOU IN PONTIAC... Scott Douglass Fans in the Motor City will be getting a preview of this year's Monster Jam World Finals this Saturday night with a superstar laden line-up of monster trucks set to compete in the Silverdome in suburban Detroit.
THE ROAD TO VEGAS Scott Douglass Like most Monster Jam fans, I'm already looking ahead to the World Finals March 20th in Las Vegas. When you start trying to determine who the favorites are for the "Big One", I think two factors are more important that any others: momentum and history.
WEATHER & MONSTERS Scott Douglass Rambling thoughts on a variety of subjects while trying to get warm again after a cold, damp, but exciting night of monster action in Northern California. Sometimes I am amazed at the toughness of the drivers and teams who compete on the USHRA Monster Jam tour and the hearty souls that make up the incredible fan base that has been turning out in record numbers at so many locales this year.
FIRST OR LAST, WHICH DO YOU PREFER? Scott Douglass My how things are changing these days on the Monster Jam circuit. It wasn't very long ago that most observers considered it an advantage to be the last driver to take the floor in the freestyle competition.
MORE ABOUT BEING BACK ON TV Scott Douglass Since you've made it to this column, you probably saw the lead story on the main page of this site, and/or have heard the good news at one of the USHRA's recent live events: Monster Jam is back on television! After a one-year hiatus due to programming changes at our previous network home, the monster truck superstars in action at their biggest and most challenging venues will now be a regular addition to the Speed Channel's line-up of top-notch motorsports programming.
MONSTER JAM ON TV Scott Douglass With Monster Jam coming regularly to Speed Channel soon, the USHRA has been scheduling the televised events to make sure a wide variety of monster trucks get the opportunity to battle in the major domes and stadiums, and on television.
BAD NEWS FOR USHRA COMPETITORS Scott Douglass I've got some bad news for USHRA Monster Jam competitors. Dennis Anderson is still not happy with the way his new Grave Digger #19 is performing. Yes, I know that Anderson has looked fantastic and has been racking up the wins since he hopped into his new piece, but the most popular star in the sport says it's still not 100% right yet. But it's getting there.
RIVALRY SCOTT DOUGLASS We are about to witness a classic confrontation among monster truck racing's greatest rivals. That seems unavoidable. The only question is where and when it will happen. My bet is that it will happen soon.
HOUSTON & A BRAND NEW YEAR Scott Douglass What a way to start 2004! A full field of 16 of the world's greatest monster trucks opened the New Year in an event full of spectacular moments and surprising results at Houston's Reliant Stadium.
Built Ford Tough Monster Jam Summer Heat Scott Douglass The USHRA's Built Ford Tough Summer Heat series is now in full swing, as evidenced by two awesome nights to begin the month of June at the "World's Fastest 1/3 Mile", Eagle Raceway in Lincoln, NE. It was a weekend of stark contrasts...
Watching It Again...And Again Scott Douglass One of the best things about the Speed Channel coverage of the Monster Jam World Finals this month is all of the chances that we get to watch the greatest event in the sport...
The Busiest Summer For The USHRA Scott Douglass We are heading into what appears to be one of the busiest summers ever for USHRA Monster Jam excitement. The action with the big boys is headed to a wide variety of facilities, mostly outdoor venues, across the country over the next four months.
USHRA Returns To Television Scott Douglass Monster Jam fans get ready! The superstars of the USHRA return to television, as the Speed Channel broadcasts coverage of the year’s biggest event, the 2003 World Finals several times in the month of May, debuting Friday, May 2. For those of you who were not fortunate enough to be on hand live in Vegas, don’t miss your chance to catch the excitement on Speed Channel.
The Scotty Awards - Part 2 Scott Douglass This week this space brings you part two of the annual “Scotty Awards”, my picks as the best performers and performances of the 2003 USHRA winter points season. Last week we saluted the winners in the following categories: Team of the Year – Racing; Team of the Year – Freestyle; Upset of the Year; Freestyle Performance of the Year; Freestyle Move of the Year; and Crash of the Year.
The Scotty Awards Scott Douglass The time has come for my annual tip of the cap to the best performances from the busy winter points season of mega USHRA Monster Jam events with the unveiling of the 2003 winners of the “Scotty Awards”.
THE WORLD FINALS Scott Douglass Did you ever think we would leave Las Vegas saying the new Monster Jam World Champions are Brian Barthel in Wolverine and Jim Koehler in Avenger?
Vegas Odds Scott Douglass The time has arrived. The time for yours truly to risk complete embarrassment by trying to handicap the field for what I expect will be the most wide-open and competitive Monster Jam World Finals ever in Las Vegas.
As The World Finals Near... Scott Douglass With less than three weeks to go until the World Finals, it appears that the battle to claim the USHRA’s monster truck racing and freestyle world championships will be more wide open than ever before. Among the 16 trucks that roll into Las Vegas more of them will have a legitimate shot at taking home championship hardware than in the previous three title tilts held in Sam Boyd Stadium.
Once again in 2003 the exciting USHRA Thunder Nationals series is bringing all of the thrills of big-time monster truck racing to indoor arenas all over the country. The unique format of the Thunder Nationals allows fans to see some of the sport’s biggest superstars in action all night long, actually putting the 10,000-pound monsters through a series of competitions.
The weather certainly played havoc with millions of Americans in the last few days, including many competitors, officials, and fans of the USHRA Monster Jam circuit.
The Monster Truck Food Chain Scott Douglass Tom Meents and Dennis Anderson continue to be at the top of the monster truck driver food chain, but the challenges to their supremacy continue to get tougher as other teams elevate their games.
It has already been quite a year for Lyle Hancock in the Built Ford Tough Blue Thunder, but last week was especially significant. It was last Saturday night at Reliant Stadium in Houston that Hancock pulled off a rare feat: outscoring both Grave Digger and Maximum Destruction to win the Freestyle Competition outright.
Everyone in the monster truck business knows that it is the fans that make the sport, and those of us who have the privilege to work in this industry appreciate the fans very much. That appreciation grew even more last Saturday night when a huge crowd braved conditions that, for central Florida, were frigid during the annual USHRA event at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
Some call it “side surfing”. In the world of monster trucks “side surfing” happens when a truck starts to rollover, but rather than roll onto its roof, the truck continues to move on its side, on two wheels, with the driver continuing to use the throttle to try and power his way out of flipping over.
Following last Saturday’s 2003 debut Monster Jam at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis two things jumped out at me: first, that Dennis Anderson is definitely carrying the momentum from last year’s success into Grave Digger’s New Year, and second, that Lyle Hancock has elevated his game even further in the Built Ford Tough Blue Thunder, and don’t be surprised if this is the team that pushes Grave Digger and World Champion Tom Meents the hardest on the road to Las Vegas.
As the holiday season draws to a close, the busiest time of the year for the USHRA monster truck racing teams is here. Beginning this weekend at various sites across the country the best monster operations go to war on a weekly basis, battling for the right to be a part of the field when the winter points season concludes at World Finals 4 in Las Vegas this March.
During the holiday season, it seems like every newspaper, television station, and radio station has its own review of the highlights and/or lowlights of the past year in news, sports, entertainment and so on. Seizing that theme, we’ll use this space now to take a look...
Any way you look at it, the 20th anniversary season for Dennis Anderson and the Grave Digger was a rousing success. In Dennis’ eyes the interaction with the fans, all the hype and hoopla, the 20th anniversary line of souvenirs, all of it was great. But what made the year more special than anything else was what happened on the track.
In 2002 we witnessed some of the most incredible events in the history of monster truck racing, fittingly capped off with a spectacular year-ending battle last Saturday in the Minneapolis Metrodome. And since 2002 was also the much-celebrated 20th anniversary for Dennis Anderson and the Grave Digger, it seems appropriate that the icon closed the season, one of his best ever, with a victorious, dominating performance.
Getting To Know You Scott Douglass Last week we spent some time with Scarlet Bandit driver Dawn Creten, so this week, in the interest of equality and fair play we’ll use this space as an opportunity to get to know Dawn’s husband, Jimmy Creten, a little better.
It is sure to be a night for memories: nostalgic memories from some of the most spectacular events that have ever been held, and one more chance to create a whole set of new memories that may last a lifetime. It's the final appearance of Monster Jam in the legendary Houston Astrodome this Saturday night.
The final fling in the legendary Houston Astrodome for the USHRA Monster Jam superstars lived up to the pre-event hype. It was a spectacular night that had a near capacity crowd on it's feet screaming throughout, a fitting closing chapter to a book that includes some of the greatest events ever contested in monster truck racing.
HELP WANTED: A driver to pilot a top-flight monster truck. Should have experience driving a monster, preferably against top competition. Must be able to run on the ragged edge, but still take care of the equipment. Must be a team player, able to work on the truck, and have the people skills to deal with thousands of fans each week. Direct all inquiries to Brian Barthel, owner, Little Tiger Monster Truck Team.
When fans attend a USHRA Monster Jam there are always other events for them to enjoy. These days one of the most popular added attractions has to be the highflying Freestyle Motocross competitions.
Last weekend I spent enjoying a spectacular display of awesome horsepower, great fans, and incredible competition. Even the legendary Grave Digger was on hand. But this was not at a USHRA Monster Jam. I was thrilled to take in the IHRA World Finals from Rockingham, NC.
At different times in this column I've had the opportunity to profile top drivers on the USHRA Monster Jam tour, including several members of the Team Grave Digger roster. This week, we'll meet another of the talented shoes behind the wheel of the world's most popular truck - Charlie Pauken.
Innovation and advances in technology continue to improve monster trucks in many ways. Some of the innovators of these new advances in the sport also just happen to be drivers that fans are cheering for each week. One of those well-known innovators is Team Grave Digger's own Pablo Huffaker.
With the major events that make up the USHRA Monster Jam fall and winter season just around the corner, I, like most associated with the sport, am already getting excited about the new campaign and the excitement the new season is sure to bring. Which has led me to think about many of the things I can't wait to see when we return to the country's major venues for the sports biggest events.
As we pass Labor Day, with the official end of summer mere weeks away, the teams set to battle for the next USHRA Monster Jam World Championships are in busy preparation for the new campaign. But before we start to look ahead, here's a look back at a collection of thoughts and memories from spring and summer 2002, getting ready for the big battles to come this fall and winter.
Pablo Huffaker has made his name in monster truck racing mainly as a Team Grave Digger driver, but many who follow the sport on television know Huffaker for a pair of strong performances at the World Finals in Las Vegas in his other truck, the classic looking 1941 Willys named Blacksmith.
A pair of racing wins last weekend in Chatsworth, GA, are just another confidence booster for John Seasock and his Sudden Impact team, building momentum toward a 2003 season that Seasock hopes will be his best ever.
In many ways 2002 has been a year of transition in USHRA Monster Jam competition. Tom Meents did win his third consecutive World Championship last March, but 2002 has been a year in which several new faces graced the TNN winner's stage, a trend that is likely to continue in 2003.
In just it's second year on the USHRA circuit, the Wolverine monster truck has become one of the most successful, and popular in the sport. For driver Brian Barthel, joining the Marvel Comics team and campaigning in such a unique machine has been a tremendous opportunity but the new truck has also posed some challenges for the veteran shoe.
When Brian Barthel joined the Marvel Comics team to pilot the awesome Wolverine, he remained committed to having his Little Tiger truck remain on the USHRA circuit as well. After switching drivers in the Little Tiger several times in his attempt to keep the truck at the top level, earlier this year Barthel switched to a veteran driver who appears to be a perfect fit for the truck and the team - Sky Hartley.
Midway through the 2002 winter USHRA season it appeared, at least in freestyle, that Tom Meents was ripe for the picking, and that the World Championship was up for grabs. But at the season's end in Las Vegas it was Team Meents again winning both the racing and freestyle crowns.
This week we're spending some time catching up with the World Champion, Tom Meents. After winning his third straight racing world title, and his second consecutive freestyle crown last March in Las Vegas, Meents hasn't just been resting on his laurels.
World Champion Tom Meents, Gary Porter, Brian Barthel, Sky Hartley, and Neil Elliot. Some of the greatest stars in Monster Truck racing spent last weekend putting on awesome performances at the USHRA Monster Jam in Springfield, IL.
I'm really looking forward to lots of Monster Jam thrills this coming weekend, getting the opportunity to be back at a live event in Springfield, IL, along with catching and reliving World Finals 3 Saturday on TNN Monster Jam.
As the USHRA continues to thrill fans all over the country with Monster Jam summer events, it's worth noting that while these "grass root" type events may be smaller than the winter extravaganza's, the top stars in the sport are very much a part of the summer schedule.
A couple of years ago I wrote a column called "Anatomy of a Freestyle" in which I broke down, from purely a viewer's perspective, what components made up a great freestyle.
It's the highest profile and most popular team in Monster Truck racing - Team Grave Digger. The team includes some of the most accomplished drivers in the sport's history, including the icon of the sport, Dennis Anderson. The driver roster includes all-time greats like Gary Porter, Pablo Huffaker, and Charlie Paukens. The team also includes an up and coming racing star that is thrilled to be a part of Team Grave Digger - Scott Pontbriand.
When he pulls to the line, he is the one superstar in monster truck racing that every competitor wants to beat more than any other. At the same time, Dennis Anderson and the Grave Digger command more respect from peers than any team in the business. Everyone wants to knock off the Digger, but at the same time, virtually every other appreciates everything the icon has meant to the growth of the sport.
Let's get right back into handing out the accolades, with the second part of the 2002 "Scotty Awards" for excellence in the just completed USHRA winter season: CRASH OF THE YEAR Winner: BULLDOZER, Reliant Astrodome, Houston, TX - Guy Wood caught huge air in the big bull but then, uncharacteristically, the truck nosed down and crashed viciously on the left front.
With the busy USHRA winter season now complete, and the dust settled from the incredible World Finals 3, it's time to look back at the winter's best with the doling out of the 3rd annual "Scotty Awards".
From time to time I receive e-mails from long time monster truck fans asking me about some of the drivers who were popular during the early years of the sport. One of those names that I get asked about often is Bennett Clark. Earlier this season, in Biloxi, MS, I had the pleasure to announce at a non-televised USHRA Monster Jam, and it was great to see Bennett and his Clydesdale in action, still looking as strong as ever.
Several readers responded to my request in last week's column and e-mailed me with their analysis of the USHRA World Finals 3 freestyle competition. After reading their comments, and talking with other fans, I'm convinced that the performances at WF3 were so great and varied that while Tom Meents and Team Meents are very deserving champions, had a couple of different people been on the judging panel Dennis Anderson and Grave Digger, Pablo Huffaker and Black Smith, and even Lyle Hancock in Blue Thunder could have left Vegas as the champ.
Here it is more than a week removed from the World Finals 3, and virtually every person I run in to who wants talk about monster trucks focuses solely on that night, March 23rd in Las Vegas.
It was a fitting climax to an absolutely incredible season of USHRA Monster Jam action. Saturday's World Finals 3 at Sam Boyd Stadium again lived up to the hype. It was a night we'll always remember for sensational high-speed racing and some of the greatest freestyle performances ever. The entire weekend in Vegas was full of great action and several interesting and entertaining stories.
The big moment is just about here, and it's time for this space to once again reveal my amateur handicapping "skills" with my annual odds for the Monster Jam World Finals 3, coming up this Saturday night from Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas live on pay-per-view.
The countdown is on! It is less than two weeks until the premier monster truck racing superstars in the world converge on Las Vegas to battle for ultimate supremacy in World Finals 3 at Sam Boyd Stadium. Now is the time to be making your plans to be a part of the greatest monster event ever, either by joining us live in Vegas, or by bringing the World Finals 3 into your home live Saturday night March 23 on pay-per-view.
Last Saturday's Monster Jam at Jacksonville's Alltel Stadium will go down as a night the fans there, and all of us working the event, will remember for a long, long time. It was a real test battling rain, at times heavy, but the monsters staged an awesome event with surprising results that had the fans on their feet and screaming their approval throughout. Because of that, this column will be more a collection of thoughts and reaction from the Jacksonville event rather than focusing on any one topic.
The month of February has been a very interesting one for many of us who spend most of our time these days at the big stadiums and domes that are part of the TNN Monster Jam series. Without any TNN events in February, except for the Houston stop on the first Saturday of the month, many of us got to spend the rest of the month at events in smaller arenas for Monster Jam and Thunder National events. And boy did we have a blast.
The teams that battle on the USHRA Monster Truck racing series throughout the country have always shown tremendous resiliency. Still, I was amazed to see Guy Wood's rebuilt Bulldozer grab a pair of racing wins over Grave Digger in Biloxi, MS, just two weeks after his devastating crash in Houston.
The 20th anniversary season for Dennis Anderson and the Grave Digger continues along, and it may end up being the Digger's greatest season ever. It's not just Anderson, though, that is chipping away at the huge advantages Tom Meents has had the last two years. It is the entire Grave Digger team, and one of the key pieces that has solidified the return to the top is "new" driver Gary Porter.
The road to Las Vegas and the battle for the 2002 USHRA Monster Truck World Championships is shaping up as the most wide open we've seen. One month into the new year reigning World Champion Tom Meents is still at or near the top each week, but he certainly has not been as dominating as he was in the previous two seasons.
After what turned out to be a simply amazing night in Tampa, I can't wait to get to the RCA Dome in Indianapolis this Saturday night to see what new twists are in store as the 2002 USHRA/TNN Monster Jam season continues.
With the start of a new season there are so many interesting new stories right off the bat, and one that surfaces at the start of every new campaign involves new trucks, teams, and drivers. At the start of the new points season a few weeks ago in Minneapolis we witnessed the impressive debut of Neil Elliott in the High Roller Ford.
The December 1 USHRA Monster Jam at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, the first event of the new points season and the new TNN Monster Jam series for 2002 marked the "debut" of Team Meents. World Champion Tom Meents is driving the same piece that has earned championship honors in each of the past two seasons. It's the same truck, same driver, and same crew.
This week my column is part two of my season preview heading into the opening points battle for the new season, which will kick off on December 1 at the Minneapolis, Metrodome. Last week it was a peek ahead to the racing season. This week, it's predictions on who will top the freestyle standings. So, here are my amateur handicapper's odds on how the season points will shake down in freestyle for 2002.
As we near the first event that will count for championship points toward the 2002 USHRA and TNN Monster Jam series, I pull out the old crystal ball this week, and try to use my good ol' boy Kentucky handicapping skills to preview the contenders for the 2002 USHRA Monster Truck points championship in racing. Remember, the odds listed here are "for recreational purposes only":
As we get closer to the start of the new USHRA & TNN Monster Jam winter points season, it's easy to tab the favorites heading into the points chase. Tom Meents, Dennis Anderson, Brian Barthel, Scott Hartsock, and Lyle Hancock are just a few of the names that have to be rated as pre-season favorites to win events and have a shot to be crowned World Champion in Las Vegas next March.
A couple of weeks ago after two outstanding Monster Jam events at the Barton Coliseum, I found it interesting that drivers John Seasock and Jim Jack both sought me out to ask me the same question - what did I think about the momentum they were able to sustain during their freestyle runs?
It was great to be back in the swing of Monster Jam action after a few months away from the microphone, and last Sunday's pair of USHRA events at the Barton Coliseum in Little Rock gave the fans tons of awesome thrills.
It's back in the saddle again, so to speak, for yours truly this Sunday. For the first time since July, and only the second time since the World Finals II back in March I have the pleasure of being on hand to announce USHRA monsters in action when they invade the Barton Coliseum in Little Rock.
This week there's not a true theme or topic to this column. Nope, this week it's just a collection of Scott's thoughts on the monster truck world, motorsports in general, and other assorted subjects: What ever happened to Andy Brass?…..I'm wondering how Tom Meents and the Goldberg team can get any better.
October is a beautiful time of the year in this country, signaling a change in the seasons and the start of the turn toward winter. For the many facets of the United States Hot Rod Association October is a month that is used for busy preparation as the USHRA staff and the monster truck race teams point toward winter, and the new points season.
As the summer winds down we not only head into fall, but we're also nearing the return of some of the major USHRA Monster Jam events that will begin the new points season and the 2002 year for TNN Monster Jam.
With all of the events that have unfolded over the last month a lot of us have spent a great deal of time considering just how important sports and entertainment are in today's life. On the one hand, they obviously pale in comparison to the serious issues we now face in the wake of the attacks on our great nation.
Before I get into my whole spiel, and boy-oh-boy do I have a lot to tell you this week, take a quick look up top and make sure you click on 'news' for all the details about the newest, big name sports legend to enter the world of USHRA Monster Jam action - "The Mailman" himself, future NBA Hall of Famer Karl Malone.
This week it's part two of our look at one of the fastest rising "new" stars in the Monster Truck world, Madusa. Entering the male dominated world of Monster Truck racing was quite similar for Debra Miceli to starting her career in the testosterone pumped business of professional wrestling. The biggest difference is that when she started driving her Ford monster, she already was a celebrity. But that was as a pro wrestler. She was well aware that to jump onto the Monster Jam circuit she had to pay her dues all over again.
When Debra Miceli was first approached to drive a Monster Truck, she knew full well that the offer came because of the great following she had built in the pro wrestling business as Madusa. But to her it was never a publicity stunt.
Looking back this week at the two action packed days of Monster Jam action at the Louisville Speedway, the freestyle competition during both events had the Kentucky fans on their feet, screaming throughout.
After a few month away from the excitement of live USHRA events, I'm getting real fired up about the USHRA Monster Jam superstars coming back to my home track, Louisville Speedway, to battle on our Figure-8 course Saturday night, July 28th and Sunday afternoon, July 29th.
What a thrill it was watching the World Finals II Freestyle Championships on TNN Monster Jam over the past weekend. I caught the show every time it aired, and it left me thinking a little differently about some of the performances than I did immediately after the event was completed last March in Las Vegas.
When you attend a USHRA Monster Jam live, you know you are in for an awesome time watching the world's greatest Monster Trucks in action…..the greatest racing competition the sport has ever know, and wild freestyle routines that seem to raise the bar to new heights each time out.
As we near the beginning of the hottest part of the summer of 2001, you can be sure that the action for the USHRA Monster Truck racing superstars is ready to be just as hot at a wide variety of venues all across the country.
I sure hope all of you reading this column caught one of the airings of the USHRA Monster Jam World Finals II on TNN Monster Jam over the past weekend. The TNN and Wheeler Television team's coverage of the racing for the world championship was phenomenal, and you can expect it to be just as exciting this weekend when the freestyle world title quest is aired on TNN.
There will be lots of USHRA Monster Jam action across the country this spring and summer as even more fans get the chance to see the superstars of TNN Monster Jam live and in person.
These next two weeks are "must see TV" weeks on TNN Monster Jam. This weekend you'll catch the greatest racing event ever, and the following week the most unbelievable freestyle competition ever as the World Finals II from Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas comes to TNN.
During the 2001 winter Monster Jam season fans were treated to stellar performances throughout the year by the sport's biggest names in familiar, popular 10,000 pound machines.
Even though the World Champions have already been crowned for the 2000-2001 winter season as so many witnessed live and on pay-per-view television in March, it's still build up time to the Las Vegas event each week on TNN Monster Jam.
Last week in this column the 2nd annual "Scotty Awards" were unveiled, but because I added so many categories, they couldn't all fit in one week's space. So this week it's the "Scotty Awards" - Part 2, with more recognition of the top performances of the 2000-2001 winter season in the USHRA and on TNN Monster Jam.
It's that time of year again. Time to salute and pay tribute to the best of the 2001 USHRA & TNN Monster Jam season with the presentation of the "highly coveted", second annual "Scotty Awards".
With some time to recover from the spectacle of the most spectacular night of Monster Jam action ever seen, I'm back with some thoughts and items regarding the just completed winter season of USHRA and TNN Monster Jam racing excitement.
I've always enjoyed the back and forth, give and take, between fans and race teams of the various makes of vehicles in motorsports. It amazes me how fervent and loyal so many are to a specific type of vehicle.
This is the week they've worked all season for…..the Wrenchead.com World Finals II, live on Pay-Per-View this Saturday night from Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.
Random notes from Monster Truck racing's greatest night, the 2001 USHRA World Finals II, Saturday, March 24, 2001 at Sam Boyd Stadium… First, all the accolades for Tom Meents are richly deserved.
Wrenchead.com Monster Jam in Pontiac, Michigan was, as expected, thrill packed. All of the superstars on the USHRA and TNN Monster Jam circuit tried to generate momentum to take to Vegas, and to impress the fans who are voting to select the final six spots in the field for the World Finals (by the way, if you haven't already done so, click on the Pick Six promotion here at USHRA.com and get your vote in).
Less than three weeks to go until Las Vegas, and it appears that the World Championships in both racing and freestyle will be wide open when we hit Sam Boyd Stadium for the Wrenchead.com World Finals II, Saturday, March 24 live on pay-per-view.
As we hit the midway point of the USHRA/TNN Monster Jam winter season, it's clear that while Tom Meents is still the man, several other stars are making up ground.
Before we look back at an awesome weekend of Monster Jam action at the Allstate Arena in Suburban Chicago, I have to begin with some thoughts on the terrible tragedy in Daytona and the loss to the motorsports world of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt.
The way Dennis Anderson has always driven the Grave Digger Monster Truck would probably qualify him as a daredevil, or a stunt man anyway, but now he has made it official.
Well, Tom Meents and Goldberg did it again last Saturday in Indianapolis. Another racing victory on the USHRA/TNN Monster Jam Tour, and another perfect score of 30 in freestyle.
We are only weeks into 2001, but the favorites have already been established for this year's "Scotty" awards in the "Best Event - Indoor" category. That award last year went to Atlanta's Georgia Dome.
As electrifying as the live crowd gets for a Grave Digger vs. Goldberg race in the finals of a USHRA Monster Jam, it was neat to see the Houston crowd really getting into the championship race last Saturday with neither of the legends involved.
As we close out Y2K and enter 2001, it seems appropriate to devote this space to the team that dominated USHRA Monster Truck racing in 2000. The team that intends on doing the same in the new year - Tom Meents and the Goldberg team.
As we head into the next generation of Monster Truck racing, the icon of the first generation, Dennis Anderson, remains a top contender every week, and has his sights set on more championships even as more and more new stars emerge in the sport to challenge him.
The 2000 winter season was one of the most disappointing campaigns in Dennis Anderson's career behind the wheel of the world famous Grave Digger Monster Truck.
Over the next three weeks I'll be using this space to go in depth with the Monster Truck sport's true icon - Dennis Anderson, the original Grave Digger himself.
You'll be able to count them yourself on TNN: Six Monster Truck rollovers and a few Pro Stadium Truck flips, including one where a PST actually smashed into a Monster Truck! Last Saturday night's USHRA Monster Jam at the Metrodome in Minneapolis proved to be one of the wildest nights of action monster fans have ever witnessed.
It's one of the most awesome sights in all of motorsports. A 10,000 pound Monster Truck racing up a ramp and seeming to defy the laws of gravity, flying through the air like a rocket ship, then coming back down to earth with (hopefully) the driver in control and everything in one piece.
If last Saturday night's USHRA Monster Jam action is an indication of what's to come as we head into the 2001 season, then fans should strap in tight, because it is going to be one wild ride. The new season for TNN Motor Madness and USHRA points debuted last
To my knowledge, there's no official Rookie of the Year award in the USHRA. In a way that's understandable, because it's rare that a rookie driver is able to make an impact in the incredibly competitive world of the USHRA Monster Jam series.
It's Showtime!! This weekend launches a brand new season of USHRA Monster Jam action as the superstars of monster truck racing and the TNN Motor Madness cameras head to Houston.
Fans are not only loyal to certain drivers; many are intensely supportive of competitors in motorsports because of the type of vehicle they drive. Ford fans are without question some of the most fervent, getting behind their stars whether it's in NASCAR racing, or on the USHRA Monster Jam circuit.
THIS IS STING!!! When you hear that call in a WCW wrestling arena, you know that one of the most popular superstars in World Championship Wrestling history is about to come down the aisle in front of thousands of screaming fans.
We're only a couple of months away from swinging back into new action with the USHRA and TNN Motor Madness, and the excitement, at least for me, is already building. But it's been quite a summer away from the circuit here at Louisville Speedway.
As the sport of Monster Truck racing continues to explode to new levels of popularity it brings a smile to my face to think back over the years to the many people who told me that this Monster Truck stuff was a fad, and would fade into obscurity after a few years.
Heading into a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Louisville Speedway with the stars of the USHRA for the Monster Truck Figure-8 racing spectacular, you had to believe that Tom Meents and the awesome Goldberg machine were ready to dominate another event.
The stars of the USHRA invaded Louisville Speedway recently to battle on the historic Figure-8 course, and the Louisville area fans were treated to a pair of the most awesome events in a Monster Truck racing history that dates back more than a decade.
While most sports have "seasons" and "off-seasons", there is not a true off-season in Monster Truck racing. Sure, the winter season is the busy stretch and the time of the years where championships are won, but here in the summer at many locations across the country fans still get the opportunity to see the top stars in Monster Truck racing battling in a wide variety of events.
Sitting here at my desk at Louisville Speedway it's easy to feel the excitement building as we head toward the first weekend of August and an event that fans in this area have been pointing toward all year.
One of the things I love most about Monster Truck racing is the way the drivers, no matter how big and popular they become, always make time for the fans.
What a year it has been for Tom Meents, and things just keep rockin' for the popular driver and his Goldberg Monster Truck. The year 2000 goes down not only as far and away the most successful of his young Monster Truck racing career, it was certainly one of the most dominating years ever for any driver in this sport.
Last week, in my "State of the Sport" column, I touched on the money and sponsorship issue. This week, let's take a closer look at that all-important aspect of Monster Truck racing. You may think Monster Trucks and race cars run on gas or alcohol. But what really fuels motorsports is money, and lots of it.
Coming off a tremendously successful winter season I thought now would be a good time to look at the sport of Monster Truck racing, where it's at and where it's going. Kind of my "State of the Sport" column.
For the past several years freestyle has become not only a staple of the USHRA Wrenchead.com Monster Jam events, but one of the most popular parts of the entire PACE Motor Sports Monster Truck experience, both in the arenas and stadiums live, as well as on television.
First, I want to thank everyone who took a few minutes to e-mail me with their thoughts regarding some of their picks as the best of the USHRA Monster Jam world.
A couple of weeks ago in this space I had some fun recapping the 2000 USHRA Wrenchead.com Monster Jam winter season by handing out my own "awards" for the campaign.
What does the future hold for the biggest name in our sport, Dennis Anderson? This week, let's take a look at the current world of the Grave Digger leader and where both he and the team are headed.
With the busiest part of the 2000 racing campaign now complete and the TNN Motor Madness champions crowned, it's time to reflect on the greatest winter season in the sports history.
Looking back a little more at Las Vegas and the Wrenchead.com USHRA Monster Jam World Finals….. When PACE decided in 2000 to create an actual point structure and competition for the freestyle events, it took what was an entertaining end to an event and raised the bar for the competitors.
Simply put, it was the greatest event in the history of the sport. The Wrenchead.com USHRA Monster Jam World Finals at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas absolutely lived up to that billing. Never before have we seen that kind of racing with the highest speeds and supreme test of driver and machine, and never before have we seen such a spectacular top to bottom freestyle competition.
FINALLY….THE MONSTERS….HAVE COME BACK….TO LAS VEGAS!!!!!!!! The time has finally arrived for the biggest event in Monster Jam history, the Wrenchead.com World Finals, available on Pay-Per-View this coming Sunday night, March 26 at 7:00 p.m. eastern time. And I know I speak for every USHRA competitor, official and fan when I say - I CAN'T WAIT!
Last Saturday the TNN Motor Madness cameras went to one of the most famed sites in the country for Monster Truck racing, the Silverdome just north of Detroit for a huge Wrenchead.com Monster Jam.
Just back from Saturday night's mega-show at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville. It is very clear that the excitement, and pressure surrounding the upcoming Wrenchead.com World Finals in Las Vegas on Pay-Per-View March 26 has taken the USHRA Monster Jam competition to new levels.
After almost two months of calling the USHRA action in the country's largest domes and stadiums, it was really neat to be a part of three action packed events last weekend at the Wrenchead.com Monster Jams in the Peoria, Illinois Civic Center.
It's less than six weeks 'til Vegas! After more than a decade of announcing and broadcasting Monster Jam events all over the continent, I've never seen so much excitement among the drivers and fans as there is heading up to the Wrenchead.com World Finals, an In Demand Pay-Per-View event airing on Sunday March 26 from Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.
Just back from a spectacular night under the stars at beautiful Edison International Field in Anaheim, and the dominance of Tom Meents and his Goldberg truck continues. The course at Anaheim, with each truck running a separate oval circuit, was the longest I've seen this year and the Goldberg machine flat took to it.
On the road last Saturday in one of my favorite places to go and be a part of the USHRA Monster Jam and TNN Motor Madness - New Orleans and the fabulous Superdome.
ARTICLE TITLE GOES HERE Scott Douglass, MONSTER JAM ANNOUNCER Please enter a short description of the article here.
The brand new season of USHRA events to be televised on TNN Motor Madness is just around the corner, and the excitement is already building among the competitors gunning for the 2001 World Championship.
Last week in naming my Scotty Award winners for the 2002 season I selected Dan Evans and his Destroyer as the Most Improved Driver (Team). Evans made 2002 a season in which he showed he is truly now one of the sport's best, especially with the elevation of his freestyle program. The improvement is not luck, or a fluke. Rather it's a payoff for lots of hard work and a commitment to excellence by the Destroyer team.
