USHRA official Tommy Mason and Bruce Haney in Bad News Travels Fast helped show fans how the safety and technology of a monster truck works with our Monster Safety Garage.

To honor the nation at the start of the show, we had a little help from the Richmond Emergency Services Honor Guard and the colors were presented by the Manchester Middle School Army ROTC led by 1LT Rachel Ownbee. Leslie Powers sang the National Anthem.

Wheelie contests are always difficult - especially for the first trucks to run. Digger drawing last spot had the advantage and was able to carry the front tires as far as the far side of the last car. The only other truck to come close was American Guardian. Digger had a bunch of height as the nose of the 50's panel truck was lookin' at the sky!

In heat race 1 for Quad Wars, everything seemed to be going along fine for last lap leader Team VA, when visiting Team NY drove turn 2 too deep and slid out and into the leader. Funny thing ... The Team NY rider didn't spin out - but went on for the win. After a stern warning from the competition director, the win was allowed to stick.

Doughnuts are tough enough to do when you're not sure of the dirt. But try it on a tacky concrete floor and it can be even harder! In looking at the results, you'll see that it's not as easy as it looks. Digger - of all trucks - threw down some critical bicycles, but they were all saves from rolling over in a series of ill-fated attempts to break the back end loose. The Virginia Giant only got one and a half revs in before colliding with the white lane of crush cars - another case proving that it's tougher on concrete. Pure Adrenalin was the first to light the hides. But the show stoppers were American Guardian and Bad News - busting out flame-throwing doughnuts (AG) and demonstrating superior control while in no control with hands-off the wheel and wheel off the shaft doughnuts. In a final tie, the cheer-off decided American Guardian as the winner.

Monster truck freestyle - seems to be everyone's favorite. Pure Adrenalin had a unique situation when he tagged the A-Frame USHRA.com banner - fair game. But he got the wood structure stuck in the chassis of the truck and had to stop to have it removed by the officials. Unfortunately, only a 15 for a tough run. Backdraft made good use of the course - using diagonal lines across the stacks of crush cars. Digger threw down and was rewarded with a perfect score. But he had to go up against American Guardian in a cheer-off because of a tie. The Guardian never quit moving, threw down some insane doughnuts and topped it off with a backwards hit on the race lane! The crowd had the tough job of choosing a winner. Though it was close, it came down to Digger.

The Cannon Lady - 20-year old Stephanie Smith - impressed the crowd with a personal-best attempt tonight. Last night, she hit a personal best of 110 fee. Tonight, it was 115' or bust. With her sister Jennifer setting the calculations and seeing to the details of the set-up, she climbed into the cannon to get her game face on for the longest shoot of her life. With a huge 'BOOM', tiny Stephanie rocketed from the cannon at freeway speeds, soared almost 70' above the arena floor, and drilled her goal of 115'. Right out of the cannon, though, Stef knew she was in trouble. She came out of the barrel with too little rotation. Immediately upon taking flight, she started rollin' down the windows - trying to roll herself over on her back in mid-flight. With amazing kinesthetic awareness, a cool head and a perfect sense of timing, she made it around and piked into the net just where she planned to be - at her record mark of 115'!!! Who knows what tomorrow will bring ...

We got a chance to meet Bert Jackson (driver) and Enoch Love (team owner) of Eloveracing.com - one of the hottest new teams to take to the IHRA drag racing circuit this year. The sound of American horsepower never hurts either -  we got a little of that, too.

Monster Truck Racing Finals: In the end - and with round after round of close racing, it was Pure Adrenalin that nipped Digger at the line for the win.

In the second round of Quad Wars, Team NY was put down at the end by a victorious home team. In a post-race interview, Team NY claimed that the track prep wasn't up to snuff. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but if I'm not mistaken, the track was the same for both teams ... I thought so ... 'nuff said ...

Unfortunately for Team VA, in the finals, one of the home team quads wouldn't start just before the toss of the green - finicky 4-strokes don't like to restart hot. With one bike pulled off to the side before the start of the race, and being down one rider; we saw the traditional bone-headed move of the false start - by Team VA. Back to the back HE went. So now it's a NY power play. Didn't matter - because VA had girl power and the only female rider on the floor that night who led a majority of the 8-lap final - up until the point where Team NY set up a pick 'n roll move where a NY teammate looked over his shoulder to find his way to the front bumper of Tracie's bike - how convenient that the 2nd place NY teammate could go around for the win. When it came down to it - after some fisticuffs in VC, arrogant team NY decided that a 4-lap grudge with the girl 'out of the kitchen' and onto the track was the way to settle it. And so it was - that Tracie once again went out to prove who was boss. In a last -lap dive to the inside - which didn't work - Team NY had to settle for second-best. The weekend series is now tied at one apiece - tomorrow will be the decider.

A full house is always a good show. A full house in Richmond at the Thunder Nationals is always an even better show. Catch it if you can!

Wheelie Contest

Grave Digger 30
Virginia Giant 28
Backdraft 27
American Guardian 25
Bad News 15
Pure Adrenalin 13


Doughnut Contest

American Guardian 30 :: No hands - no steering wheel !!!
Bad News 30 :: No hands OR steering wheel - done with more flash than AG
Pure Adrenalin 27:: First to really smoke the hides
Virginia Giant 27 :: Out of bounds - hit crush cars
Grave Digger 24 :: Amazing bicycles - but no doughnuts - too tacky
Backdraft 6 :: Just couldn't hook anything up


Freestyle Contest

Grave Digger 30 :: Still couldn't nail the doughnut, but a solid run
American Guardian 30 :: The doughnut and backwards hit did it!
Backdraft 29 :: Best use of course with diagonal lines across crush cars
Virginia Giant 19
Bad News 17
Pure Adrenalin 15 ::Took out the A-Frame banner

Sunday
USHRA Thunder Nationals Presented by Parts Unlimited
Richmond Coliseum
Richmond, VA
Sunday, March 21st, 2004
Griff Allen - USHRA Announcer

We defined ... "SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!"

A small crowd didn't seem to matter today as we had a house full of heart and southern pride - both on the track and off.

Wheelie contests highlights included Backdraft's and The Virginia Giant's MASSIVE leaps that nearly cleared all of the cars. It was a wild ride for Digger as well as a brilliant save that won it.

After struggling all weekend long with the tacky adhesion characteristics of the track, every driver was eventually able to break the back end loose - though some better than others. Digger struggled all weekend long until now - when he busted out with his trademark demonic cyclone. Virginia Giant again found the crush cars to be shut down early, and American Guardian again busted loose sans steering wheel!

Monster truck freestyle - seems to be everyone's favorite. Guardian and Giant were the class of the field - till Digger showed up - and took top honors with a perfect score.

The Cannon Lady - 20-year old Stephanie Smith - impressed the crowd with a personal-best attempt tonight. Last night, she hit a personal best of 115 feet. Tonight, she was going for 118, but came up a little short at 112'. But still an incredible feat that you have to see in person!

Progressive rounds of monster truck racing followed with the results indicated below. In the end - and with round after round of close racing, it was Pure Adrenalin that nipped Bad News for the win.

We've all heard ads for ... "SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!" What happened here today is exactly what we're talkin' about! Catch it if you can!