In tonight’s Doughnut Competition, we had two of the very best. To start the competition, Iron Warrior posted a 15, Devastator spun a 21, and Stallion picked up a 25 of shear determination to not stop without getting the job done. The competition really lit the place up when American Guardian and Virginia Giant both got the crowd on their feet screaming as the put down rubber circles on the track – both earning a perfect score of 30. Even the crowd’s cheer-off was close. In the end, the crowd cheered Diehl and his Giant to the victory.

The rookie driver in Iron Warrior was the first to run freestyle. His run set the pace with a score of 19. Guardian and Devastator both upped the mark to 24 and 25 with strong runs. Virginia Giant somehow locked up his clutch doing the doughnut, so, was unable to compete. In fact, with no way to tear it down, Diehl had to set out the rest of the evening. Then, came the Black Stallion. Without ever letting up on the gas, and crowd already on their feet, Vaters approached the crush cars from the opposite end. As he crept over the stack, everyone could see that he intended to pull off his signature “Reverser”. Vaters, jumping in reverse, cleared the entire stack of cars on his way to a perfect 30.

The Quad Wars team California wasted no time in getting the crowd to cheer for the home team of Team Illinois. After claiming that they would sweep, it became clear that they would have trouble winning anything at all when Illinois easily won the first race. They would redeem themselves in the second race with the victory, but eventually would leave the track as the big losers. In the captain’s challenge, California couldn’t even keep up.

Aaron “Flip” Smith had the crowd on their feet with his offer to do the back flip on his underpowered motorcycle. The crowd loved it so much, he did it a second time. Something this crowd will not soon forget.

The first round saw Guardian get past Devastator and Black Stallion blow past his former crew chief Trey Meyers in Iron Warrior. The Giant out of racing, the second round ended up seeing both Guardian and Stallion win again, and make their way to the final. It was two drivers, both willing to let it all go to earn the victory, so we knew it would be close. Rick Raab went high and fast, and even with the incredible airtime, he was still able to cross the line first for the victory.

Saturday: Rockford, IL. Sat 8pm

Racing: Black Stallion
Freestyle: American Guardian
Wheelie: Black Stallion
Doughnut: Virginia Giant

When it comes to the Wheelies in a 10,000lb monster truck, Mike Vaters seems to know exactly how to get it done. After Iron Warrior posted a 19, Guardian hit a 24, and Virginia Giant earned a 23, again tonight it would come down to Devastator vs. Stallion. Devastator’s 27 topped all scores, but seemed to fall short of what it would take to bring down last night’s Wheelie Competition winner. Vaters launched the Black Stallion straight into the air, rested the tailgate on the crush cars, and dropped back to all fours with the crowd screaming the perfect score of 30.

Tonight’s Doughnut Competition brought a ton of excitement, but no surprises. Stallion’s 27-came close, but the two dominant doughnut makers were in complete control. Guardian let loose not once, but twice… both times spinning effortlessly with his hands off of the steering wheel. His 29 left little room for a repeat victory by the Giant. But, not to be outdone, Diehl Wilson made two runs himself, unleashing a pair of what must have been 60+ mph cyclones in the center of the track. For the second night, Giant would win over the crowd with a perfect score of 30.

With two drivers that never let off the gas, we knew that we would be in for some great freestyle. After Iron Warrior’s 20, Guardian immediate roared onto the track, and never let up. With sick air from multiple jumps at every angle, Rick Raab’s non-stop performance ended with a reverse jump over the stack that left him parked on the track with a blown valve. The highflying action set the bar high with a perfect 30 score. Devastator’s 22 and Virginia Giant’s 27 were good scores, but not good enough. Last night’s Freestyle Competition winner had the last shot. Black Stallion came out gunning for the leader. Each time he jumped the stack, he cleared it completely – the biggest air we’d seen all weekend. His final jump, just as we figured, would be the Vater’s “Saturday Night Special”. Not only a backwards jump over the stack called the ‘Reverser” but added to it, enough air to clear the entire stack. The landing was so brutal that it knocked out the rear-steer on the monster. The crowd awarded Vaters a 30 as well, which took us to a crowd cheer off. It was nearly too close to call. But, the crowd made it knows that American Guardian was tonight’s freestyle champion.

Quad Wars showed us again tonight that Team California was not only the slower group, but also that they had a tough time riding a fair race. For the second time this weekend, the California captain cut the track, nearly hit a race official, and won the points… only to eventually lose them all to Team Illinois in a captain’s challenge later in the show.

Rockford loves the backflip. At the mere mention of a freestyle backflip on the 50cc minibike, the fans again rose to their feet. Aaron “Flip” Smith not only did it once, but he gave the crowd what they wanted for a second time.

Racing began Giant taking out the rookie Trey Meyers in Iron Warrior, Stallion powering past Devastator, and the news that Raab would not be able to repair the Guarding in time to make the racing. With Iron Warrior back in the next round as the fast loser, and victorious, we had the stage set for the student to face his mentor in the finals. After six years of crewing for, and watching Mike Vaters race, the first year driver would now line up next to him in his own truck. Friends off the track, yes, but on the track… both wanted this victory real bad. Stallion and Warrior stepped on the gas and came off the line strong, each having a chance right down to the very end. It was close…. real close. It may have come down to the twenty three years of experience that made the fraction of the difference… Stallion took the checkered flag.