Weekend Race Recap
Friday-
(Manchester, NH) After a one-year absence, Advance Auto Parts Thunder Nationals action returned to the modern and spacious Verizon Wireless Arena. The motor sports action would prove to be hot and heavy among a talented field of competitors which included Travis Pastrana’s 199 driven by Courtney Jolly, Anger Management (Aaron Cromer), Aftershock (Bob Robbins), Dominator (Kyle Chandler), American Guardian (Rick Raab), and Grave Digger, driven by veteran Chad Tingler.
Monster Jam Officials Kami Killinger, Brian Lane, Danny Barnes, and Traci Barba worked hard preparing the Thunder Nationals course for a very busy night of competition. And with BMX, XSBA, and four elements of Monster Truck competition on the evening card, they would remain plenty occupied throughout the evening.
The Advance Auto Parts Wheelie Competition started things off and Rick Raab in American Guardian took the win with a perfect 30. Second place went to Travis Pastrana’s 199 with a score of 29 points, while Chad Tingler in Grave Digger captured third place with a score of 27. Fourth spot went to rookie Aaron Cromer in Anger Management with 26 points, while fifth place went to Aftershock with a score of 23. The sixth and final position went to Kyle Chandler in Dominator as he wheelied his big Hemi to a score of 17 points.
Thunder Nationals Racing Round One saw Grave Digger defeat Anger Management, Travis Pastrana’s 199 destroy Dominator, and American Guardian dispose of Aftershock in a close race. In the Semi Final, Grave Digger defeated Dominator while American Guardian snuck past Travis Pastrana’s 199.
The Racing Final paired Rick Raab in American Guardian against Chad Tingler in Grave Digger. After watching Raab take the win in the Wheelie Competition, Tingler was anxious to take a win for himself. But it was not to be, as American Guardian was the first truck off the starting line. Raab’s smooth driving style enabled the Perkasie, Pennsylvania veteran to take the win over Grave Digger. This important win made it two for two for a very excited Rick Raab.
Fortunes would change, however, with the arrival of the Thunder Nationals Donut Competition. Lawton, New York’s Bob Robbins took advantage of a flawless donut on route to a winning score of 29 points. Grave Digger earned 26 points, while Travis Pastrana’s 199 scored 24. Fourth place went to American Guardian with 22 points, while Dominator and Anger Management tied for the final spot with 20 points apiece.
XSBA and BMX pleased New Hampshire fans in a big way as the riders put on a great show. The XSBA’s Vertical Outlaws gave fans some awesome Circle Wheelies on their powerful 600 c.c. motorcycles while the BMX riders relied on pedal power to throw several backflips. Riders of both disciplines certainly earned new fans tonight with their top notch performances.
Advance Auto Parts Freestyle Competition ended off the night. Track crews were kept on their toes after Rick Raab in American Guardian experienced mechanical problems leaving hydraulic fluid scattered on the track surface. After a careful cleanup of the course, the competition resumed and fans were treated to an incredible performance by Grave Digger and driver Chad Tingler. The North Carolina native spun the black and green wrecking machine into an intense donut that lasted over 15 seconds. This brought the fans to their feet and prompted the judges to present Tingler with a competition-winning score of 30 points. The final scores tallied as follows:
Dominator 27
Anger Management 29
Aftershock 29
American Guardian 15
Pastrana’s 199 Mechanical Problems
Grave Digger 30
Saturday will be a very busy day for the Thunder Nationals crew here at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester. The day will begin with the Pit Party which runs from 10:30 A.M. until 12:30 P.M. Then we move right into the first action-packed show of the day which is scheduled for 2 P.M. The final Thunder Nationals show is slated for 7:30 P.M.
We’ll see you on Saturday morning!
(Darren Pallen, Thunder Nationals Announcer)
Saturday -
(Manchester, NH) The Advance Auto Parts Thunder Nationals Pit Party began bright and early this morning at Verizon Wireless Arena. Excited fans spoke with the competitors and much of the talk centered on Las Vegas and the World Finals coming up on March 29. Although it is still very early in the season, Vegas is already the primary goal in every driver’s mind. And to get there, their performances will have to be well above average all season long.
The Advance Auto Parts Wheelie Competition was a car-crushing spectacle which saw Chad Tingler in Grave Digger take the win with a score of 21 points. Second place went to rookie Aaron Cromer in Anger Management with 20 points, while American Guardian and Dominator tied for third with a score of 18 points. Aftershock scored 17, while Travis Pastrana’s 199 rounded out scoring with a tally of 16.
Thunder Nationals Racing spelled trouble early for Kyle Chandler in Dominator. His ride suffered mechanical problems, and he was unable to compete in racing. This left a five truck bracket which saw Pastrana’s 199 defeat Anger Management, and American Guardian defeat Grave Digger. Aftershock earned the bye run.
Round Two Racing pitted Fast Loser Grave Digger against Pastrana’s 199, with Grave Digger sneaking in for the win. The other race produced a win for American Guardian, who did a great job disposing of Aftershock.
The Racing Final pitted Grave Digger against American Guardian. After defeating Grave Digger in Round One, Rick Raab in American Guardian certainly had his confidence level at an all time high. But it would take more than just confidence to beat the team from Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. However, Raab managed to put together the ingredients for success including a fast reaction time off the starting line. Raab kept his American Guardian in a nice, straight flight path and crossed the Torco Racing Fuels Finish Line first. He left no doubt about who was the fastest truck in the building this afternoon.
The Thunder Nationals Donut Competition was a time for the female fans in the house to have their moment. Courtney Jolly in Travis Pastrana’s 199 was simply unbelievable in this event as she started her truck into a donut maneuver and never let go of the throttle. After countless revolutions, Jolly let go of her grip on the steering wheel. Manchester fans went wild as the Travis Pastrana’s 199 pilot continued her assault on the rest of the competitors for yet even more revolutions. “Look Ma, No Hands” was the phrase that came to mind as the driver looked like she could continue this insane trick almost forever. When she finally did stop, the judges offered Jolly a competition-winning score of 22 points. Aftershock and Grave Digger tied at 19 points, while American Guardian earned 17. Rounding out Donut scoring were Anger Management with 13 points and Dominator with just 9.
Advance Auto Parts Freestyle was the final event on the afternoon card and the Thunder Nationals stars did not disappoint. The scoring was so close, in fact, that the end of the competition produced a tie between intense rivals American Guardian and Grave Digger at 21 points each. As a result, Thunder Nationals Technical Officials decided that a crowd cheer-off would be used to settle the tie. And although each driver certainly had his supporters, it would be Grave Digger earning the loudest cheer and the Freestyle victory.
The final Freestyle scores ended as follows:
Dominator 15
Anger Management Mechanical Problems
Aftershock 16
American Guardian 21
Pastrana’s 199 19
Grave Digger 21
Freestyle Winner: Grave Digger (Crowd Cheer-Off)
As of this writing, Thunder Nationals crews are extremely busy getting the trucks and track ready for tonight’s final event which gets underway at 7:30 P.M. sharp. Who will rise to the occasion and take home the hardware tonight?
We’ll see you at 7:30 P.M. when we’ll answer the above question and many more!
(Darren Pallen, Thunder Nationals Announcer)
SATURDAY 7:30 P.M.
(Manchester, NH) The third and final Thunder Nationals show of the weekend got underway at 7:30 P.M. sharp on Saturday night. Returning for action was Dominator (Kyle Chandler), Anger Management (Aaron Cromer), Aftershock (Bob Robbins), American Guardian (Rick Raab), Travis Pastrana’s 199 (Courtney Jolly), and Grave Digger, driven by Chad Tingler.
Three year racing veteran Courtney Jolly in Travis Pastrana’s 199 was certainly the hot shoe here tonight in Manchester. Jolly was able to duplicate her marvelous afternoon Donut performance on route to a score of 25 points and the overall win. Jolly, however, was not content with a victory in just the Donut Competition. Her Advance Auto Parts Freestyle Competition run was equally impressive as she earned a score of 22 points. With Grave Digger out due to a broken transmission input shaft, her score was good enough for the Freestyle win. It was no doubt a fantastic night for Jolly and her crew chief Becky as they showed that females are a force to reckon with in this great sport.
The overall Thunder Nationals Freestyle Competition scores tallied as follows:
Dominator 17
Anger Management 16
Aftershock 17
American Guardian Mechanical Problems
Pastrana’s 199 22
Grave Digger Mechanical Problems
Freestyle Winner: Travis Pastrana’s 199
Monster Racing Round One winners included Travis Pastrana’s 199, Dominator, and American Guardian. The Semis were won by American Guardian and Pastrana’s 199.
The Monster Truck Racing Final saw Aftershock take a huge win over Travis Pastrana’s 199. Aftershock driver Bob Robbins was given the opportunity to return to competition after his first round loss due to the fact that American Guardian was unable to make the call. Robbins took full advantage of his good fortune and captured the victory in a very close race.
In other action, Chad Tingler in Grave Digger won the Wheelie Competition with a score of 21 points. Second place ended in a tie between Travis Pastrana’s 199 and Anger Management with 18 points each. American Guardian scored 17 points, while Dominator scored 14 points. Aftershock rounded out scoring with 13 points.
It is without a doubt that New England fans enjoyed a great weekend of Thunder Nationals action here at Verizon Wireless Arena. They remained very vocal throughout the three shows and displayed a genuine appreciation for the unbelievable talent displayed by the drivers. We look forward to returning to this great city in the future for more Thunder Nationals action.
We’ll see you down the road!
(Darren Pallen, Thunder Nationals Announcer)
