In the fall of 1981, Michael Vaters bought a black 1982 Ford F250 at a local Hagerstown dealership. Mike envisioned his first monster truck. At that time, a lift kit wasn't available for this truck so he designed and built one. He added 44 inch tires which had recently became available. Mike took it even further by doing the unthinkable, he designed and built rear steering for his street truck. He named his black Ford "Black Stallion."
One year after purchasing the Black Stallion, Mike had transformed his street truck. It boasted a 12' suspension lift with 44" tires. It crabwalked down his hometown streets with never before seen rear steering. The Black Stallion would be announced by it's Alpine Stereo with Bose amplifiers and 12 speaker sound system. As if maneuvering this beast was not enough Mike had a custom fitted in dash television.
Michael not only drove his truck on the streets he mud bogged in it one weekend and would spend the entire week cleaning it to enter a show and shine competition the next weekend typically winning first place or best in show.
After many years, in the fall of 1995, Mike finally decided to build a new Black Stallion monster truck. Mike and his friends thrashed 16 hour days, 7 days a week, for 2 months to build the Black Stallion 2000. Mike named it "Black Stallion 2000" because for years friends and fellow drivers ribbed Mike that it would be the new millennium before he ever got around to building his new truck.
In January of 1996, the Black Stallion 2000 was debuted in Wooster, MA.
In 1997 and 1998, Mike raced Black Stallion for Special Events and in the Thunder National Series.
In 1999, Mike won the Thunder National and Monster National championship.
In 2000, Mike and the Black Stallion were chosen by popular vote from the Thunder National series to attend the Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas but due to prior bookings was unable to attend. When the 2001 Monster Jam Finals came around, Mike made sure that he had that date open in the event he was asked to perform. The Black Stallion was chosen by fans to compete in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Monster Jam World Finals in 2001.
Over the years, Mike has met with different challenges in monster truck engineering and design. He has had difficulty finding parts to take the abuse he subjects the truck to for his spectacular performances. He has had to design and improvise truck parts to accomplish his purpose.
Mike was the first to design and build a bypass tube shock creating 36" of travel. The bypass tubes are externally adjustable allowing him to set them according to track conditions. Mike's shock design enables the Black Stallion to fly higher and farther than ever before. Bypass tubes have recently been appearing on other monster trucks in competition.
The year 2002 marks 20 years for Mike Vaters and the Black Stallion in monster truck racing and performance. Over the years, spectators have been thrilled and awed by Mike's fearless display of high flying leaps, unbounded wheel stands, and whirling donuts. Mike's inherent backwards leap across a line of junk cars, the "reverser" is a classic in his performances. Mike planned a 20th anniversary paint scheme change for the Black Stallion as part of the celebration.
Mike the "wild child," is well known in the monster truck world for always putting on a great show for the fans. His favorite competition is freestyle. He always is thinking of ways to go faster, fly higher, or do it better. Mike is a true kid at heart. He would love to jump a monster truck in reverse. These characteristics pretty much ensure that Mike Vaters and the Black Stallion will be around for years to come to entertain and thrill the fans.
