Weekend Race Recap

Monster Jam Rocks Rupp

By: Joe Lowe

Monster Jam outsold George Strait in Lexington Kentucky this week. Strait, the legendary Texas Star, performed Friday night with Monster Jam invading the home of the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday. It was a big weekend for Lexington and an even bigger weekend for Monster Jam fans.

Dennis Anderson brought Grave Digger to town for the first time in years. There was even a special meet and greet and autograph session for fans on the main concourse during the built Ford tough Party in the Pits. Grave Digger fans were not disappointed but they did have to wait till the second half before their hero would earn a win.

The Wheelie Contest winner was Dave Rappage in Rap Attack. The truck crawled over the cars on two wheels not once but twice earning the top score of 25. Next was racing with Grave Digger and Full Boar squaring off in the final. Grave Digger went sideways and the race championship went to Ed Ekert in Full Boar.

The second half began with Galactron vs Reptar. This was the first time these two transformers had been to Rupp and the Monster Jam fans loved the action. Next came the Monster Jam Donut contest. Dennis Anderson in Grave Digger and Ed Ekert in Full Boar again locked horns both earning 30 from the judges. With a tie the "silent judge" was left to determine a winner Full Boar got an 8 and Grave Digger a 9. The win went to the black and green wrecking machine Grave Digger. "I finally won something", Anderson told the fans. He then promised Freestyle was going to be no holds barred. He was right.

Freestyle saw the extremely hard but fair judges giving scores in the teens to all trucks. Destroyer lost a drive saft in the first few seconds of his :60 run. This ended his competition and earned a low score of 10. Rap Attack lost a pinion gear and locked up a rear wheel forcing him out of the competition. Grave Digger was last.

Determined to win Freestyle Anderson drove the might Digger hard. He hit the car stacks, the van stacks and went into a full power donut. He then came around going for the Grave Digger sideways jump he is known for. This time the truck came off the jump hard and fast but a bit out of shape. The truck landed on its side with Dennis trying to bring the machine back on all fours. It was too late. The truck went on its side and rolled to a stop. Over 17,000 fans stood and cheered. Judges awarded the Grand Master of Freestyle a top score of 28. For the second week in a row Dennis Anderson did a post event interview with his truck lying in ruins on the track. Monster Jam fans loved it and stayed for over an hour and a half for autographs and to meet the drivers.

Results:

Truck                          Wheelie                 Donut                Freestyle

Full Boar                      13                        30                     16

Rap Attack                   26*                      13                     broke

Devastator                   13                        10                     15

Destroyer                     15                        23                     10 broke

Grave Digger                 25                        30*                    28*

Race Results:

Round One:

Full Boar bye run

Grave Digger beat Rap Attack

Devastator downed Destroyer

Semi-Finals:

Full Boar over round one fast loser Destroyer

Grave Digger won over Devastator

Final:

Full Boar beat Grave Digger

The night also featured Quad Wars with Team Kentucky earnig a win over Team S. Carolina. Each team won a heat with Kentucky dominating the main for the championship.