Weekend Race Recap
Friday - 7:30PM
The snow was piled high around the Dow Event Center during the day, but it melted quickly as the Tuffy Auto Service Center Monster Jam produced hot action inside. The show was loaded with events as we saw wheelies, racing, cyclones and freestyle from our drivers with over 40 years of combined driving experience on the Monster Jam circuit.
The madness began during opening ceremonies when An Escalade came out for introductions and screeched to a halt in the middle of the floor. This was definitely a surprise for all of us and we knew that there had to be some serious mechanical breakage. The crew immediately questioned the tranny and as soon as they were pulled in to the pits they confirmed that was the problem and immediately began thrashing to get that one out and a new one installed.
Our other drivers were lined up in the pits and ready for the Monster Jam Wheelie Competition. Devastator rolled out of the pits to the cars and ramped up for his first attempt skying high and sending the crowd into cheers. His second attempt was even better! The judges rewarded him with 23! Talk about setting the bar high! Monster Mutt barked out of the pits for her two shots at the cars. Good wheelies from the spotted dog, but not good enough to match the mark set by Devastator. She earned a 23. Being so close to his home in Columbus, Avenger was ready to put on a show for his home state. He walked it up to the cars and then walked it out across them. He flipped quick and then headed for the next stack, ramped up and wheelie with the same enthusiasm as his first hit. Scores up, 26! A new leader! One competitor left, the team member of our current leader. Brutus came out of the pits looking to take the win and the bragging rights. As he launched off the cars, it was almost like the big dog stopped in mid air all the way off the cars before it came down and scooted to the Ford Finish Line. Crazy! He was on a roll. His second attempt was even better as he got bigger air and walked it out further across those cars. With the crowd on their feet, the scores were up, 29! Brutus takes the win and the bragging rights for the wheelie competition.
Double elimination racing proved exciting with domination from Monster Mutt and Avenger. In round one, Monster Mutt sent Brutus back to the dog house and Avenger blew by Devastator. Still pumped from making to the racing finals in El Paso last weekend, Candice Jolly was determined to put her Monster Mutt in the finals again. Channeling that energy, Monster Mutt edged out Devastator to head to the finals once again. Our last semi-final match-up paired Team Scream members Avenger and Brutus at the line. Avenger knew that he would hear about Brutus’ wheelie win all the way home so he was determined to take the win. They launched up and over the cars and Avenger made it to the Ford Finish Line first. Avenger was headed to the finals with Monster Mutt. With the crowd behind them, they were off. Both trucks skyed for big air, but Monster Mutt took the win! A landmark win for Candice Jolly! Tonight marks her first career racing win!
If you love cyclones, Saginaw was the place for your this weekend. The Monster Jam Cyclone competition started out slow and was glowing red hot when it ended. Devastator circled for a 19 smoking the tires a little bit towards the end. Monster Mutt turned some good donuts but just couldn’t get it spinning into a cyclone. She earned a respectable 23. Brutus arrived at the cyclone stage with gusto as he quickly turned a few donuts and let her rip and the cyclone developed. The crowd loved it and so did the judges with a 27. Avenger had a tough row to hoe but was up to the challenge.
He didn’t waste any time and immediately spun into a cyclone and the next thing you know his hands were out the window and he was spinning like crazy across the floor. Scores up…….10……10…….10!
After an amazing cyclone contest, everyone was ready for UTI Monster Jam Freestyle. Sticking to the basics, Devastator concentrated on big air and wheelies to earn a 20. Monster Mutt growled to the floor and began with wheelies and then launched into big air. She still had to be pumped from her racing win and it showed. After an amazing performance, she popped out of the roof to she her scores go up for a total of 27. Brutus was due out next, but as he fired up there was back firing and we all knew that he had a cylinder down Avenger barrelled out of the pits and began his run with some hits of the cars and air across the van stack. This continued until he decided that it was cyclone time and he spunt right into it and immediately threw his hands out the window. A fantastic run and a new leader with a score of 28. Then, An Escalade came barrelling out of the tunnell! The tranny was fixed and he immediately flew into a cyclone. He romped across the floor and caught air and wheelies and even when the lights turned red, he continued to put on a show for the fans as they were on their feet. He popped out of the cab to way and saw the scores up for a 28! A tie! Wow! We would have to go to the silent judge to determine the winner. The call came in………Avenger! Avenger takes the win in both cyclones and freestyle!
Saturday 2:00
With a pumped up sellout crowd, everyone was ready to rock for the Tuffy Auto Service Centers Monster Jam presented by Advance Auto Parts and Ford Trucks. The action was endless s and surprises seemed to be the theme of the afternoon.
Devastator jump started the Monster Jam Wheelie competition by hitting the stacks hard and posting a 16. As Monster Mutt made it out to the floor the crowd was pumped and cheering her on. She launched up on the stacks and rocked it out for a 19. An Escalade was up next and we all knew from the Built Ford Tough party in the Pits that he would be ready to rock since he didn’t’ t make it out last night until the freestyle competition. He walked it up to the trucks and reared it way up in the air turning sideways just a bit, completely off the trucks before landing. The judges loved it and scored it for as a 23. A new leader. Avenger, having trouble getting started in the pits, got put on the clock. He had only 60 seconds to get the truck started and onto the competition surface. As the clock ticked and the crew scrambled, they just couldn’t get it started and the bell tolled. Avenger would not make it for the wheelie contest. Brutus was left in the pits and looking to repeat from last night’s victory. That dog was barkin’ and but he didn’t have enough bite to take out our leader. His impressive wheelies landed him a 21 and An Escalade took the victory.
With the victory in wheelies, An Escalade took the number one spot in racing and earned the bye run. Always a showman, An Escalade didn’t lie back in the pits and wait for the fast loser in the semi-finals, he made a stellar run showing these fans just how fast he can run. Brutus paired up against Devastator with Brutus coming out on top. Our final match up had Monster Mutt facing Avenger, a repeat of last night’s racing final. Avenger took revenge on Monster Mutt to move on. Monster Mutt got a second chance at the finals as she came back against her teammate as the fast loser. Still pumped from winning wheelies, An Escalade showed no mercy on his teammate and took her out. Brutus took a beating in racing last night from Avenger and as they lined up, you could tell Brutus was ready to unleash the beast. Unleash he did and moved on to the finals against An Escalade. The power of the black and chrome was too much for the happy dog, as An Escalade cruised to victory.
With one hit a piece, the drivers knew that they had to make their attempt at the Monster Jam cyclone contest their best. Without lockers, Devastator circled up for a 16 and those axles were smokin’ when he finished. Monster Mutt exploded into a cyclone to score an awesome 22. Her lead would hold as Brutus turned it on for a 16 with some backfiring and it sounded like he had a cylinder down. An Escalade cruised out and broke it loose spinning crazily and two of his tires were off the ground for several revolutions. The fruits of his labor were rewarded with a 28! It was going to be tough for Avenger to match that amazing cyclone. As he took his victory lap, Avenger could feel the power of this hometown crowd. He came back around and spun into an amazing cyclone, putting his hands out the window! He was spinning so fast that when he got out of the truck to see his scores he was stumblin’. A perfect 30! Our first one of the afternoon.
Amped from cyclones, the crowd was ready for UTI Monster Jam Freestyle. Devastator busted out and crashed the van stack in the middle of the floor and caught some air for a 20. Brutus found out that he did have a cylinder down and would not be able to make it back out for freestyle. Being the only dog left in this freestyle fight, Monster Mutt exploded over the van stack and upon landing rocked out a slap wheelie. She caught some air and finished up her run to earn a 21. An Escalade was stomping the crush cars after he busted loose a cyclone and decided that he would go for broke and line up for the van stack. He skied across and was a little sideways in mid air and he crashed down and flipped on his lid to end his run. His scores were up for a total of 21. A tie! Avenger was left and looking to repeat from his freestyle win last night and was putting off a lot of smoke as he made his parade lap. He went for a wheelie over the cars but the smoke continued and he was losing horsepower. A cyclone was his next attempt but a few sparks turned into flames and he quickly escaped to safety. Avenger only earned an 11, but safety was the most important ideal hear. Since there was a tie between Monster Mutt and An Escalade, our silent judge made the call for the winner. An Escalade would take the title for freestyle!
Saturday 7:30
What an amazing night! Another sellout crowd here at the Dow Event Center and our Monster Jam fans came prepared with signs held high for their favorite drivers and flags and pennants waving before the show even started. The superstars of Monster Jam provided them with incredible action on the floor that gave them even more to cheer about immediately.
The Monster Jam Wheelie Competition started out with a stout 25 posted by Avenger as he cruised those 66 inch tires way up and kept them up on both hits of the cars. Devastator rolled out of the pits with a crazy first hit to earn a close second with a 24. Monster Mutt was up next, but the spotted dog’s 21 just wasn’t enough. An Escalade, always pumped, rolled up to the blue cars. He sized them up, back up, straightened up, backed up and then started rolling. He goosed the throttle and poured on the Torco at the opportune moment and sailed the black and chrome with the nose up across the stack and barely landed the rear tires on the last car! Unbelievable! Two tens and a nine, almost perfect for that stunning wheelie. Brutus picked up a wheelie win earlier this weekend and as the last truck to go, he approached the cars as if he had it in him to post the perfect score. His first wheelie was hot and the second was equally good, but were they good enough to be perfect? Only the judges could decide. The first card up, 10……………..second card up………………..9……………………….the third………………….9. The suspense was unreal, but Brutus did not have enough to knock off An Escalade who took his second Wheelie win of the day!
With the win in racing, An Escalade took the number one qualifying position in Monster Jam Racing and darted across the Built Ford Truck Finish Line during his bye run. Brutus lined up against Devastator for our second match up. The trucks seemed even in the air, but Brutus nosed out the win. Our final pair pulled out of the pits. Monster Mutt versus Avenger. Both trucks had been tough all weekend so we knew that this would be a tough race. But Monster Mutt cruised to an easy victory moving on to the semis to take on Brutus. These dogs came to the line motors barking, eyes on the prize looking to secure a spot in the finals. Monster Mutt was first off the line and her amazing reaction time helped her take the win and advance. Devastator came back as the fast loser against An Escalade that had been a dominating factor all weekend. Bumpers lined up even stevens across the Advance Auto Parts starting line. The race was so close we couldn’t tell who won. The judges determined that it was Devastator who took the win! Devastator silenced the spinners on An Escalade and set his sights on Monster Mutt who had already taken a racing final this weekend. Two tough trucks, but Devastator was on a roll and even though the race was close, Devastator came out on top as the clear winner!
Serious spinning action was up next as we started the Monster Jam Cyclone contest. Out first, Devastator just couldn’t seem to get it to grab and did some cool donuts, but couldn’t get it turned into a cyclone for a score of 13. Monster Mutt woofed out of the pits and down to the Cyclone area where she started out slow and her turns kept getting tighter and faster until she was in a full blown cyclone! The crowd loved it and so did the judges who awarded her a well deserved 29. Not to be outdone by his teammate, An Escalade didn’t waste any time with donuts and immediately turned it on and we couldn’t tell what was spinning faster, the truck or the spinners. Then, out through the roof comes the steering wheel! Awesome! With the crowd and judges on their feet the cards posted a perfect 10! An Escalade rocked it out for the win!
UTI Freestyle competition followed on the momentum of Cyclones, but proved to be deadly to the motors of two of the competitors. Avenger, battling motor problems all night with two cylinders down, made two brief jumps and as he came around to the double stack of care he launched and landed with a car right between the tires and was stuck. He came out and addressed the crowd about the motor problems and assured them that there was some amazing action coming from his other competitors. Barreling out of the pits, Brutus was making some great jumps and then went for the van in the middle of the cars. As he caught air over the van, the motor backfired a couple of times and indicated that he too had some cylinders down that would end his run quickly. After two shorts performances, Devastator wowed the fans as he hit the first stack and walked out a wheelie. He whipped around the floor and quickly hit the cars with precision and after he attacked the van stack, he landed and popped into a slap wheelie. The judges were wowed just like the fans and he earned a 28. Monster Mutt sent its floppy ears flying as she started off with an amazing wheelie. She hit the car stack and launched for air a matched the slap wheelie of Devastator with one of her own. She kicked out a few donuts another wheelie and some more air. The light was red, but she still had more in store for the fans as she hit the van stack and then another awesome slap wheelie that she rode out until she got very close to the tunnel. She popped out of the top to check out her amazing score of 29 to take the lead. Her teammate, An Escalade would be the final competitor. He too had air and slap wheelies on the brain and whizzed around the track using the rear steering for agility and massive horsepower to earn all those frequent flyer miles. His time was running short when he took his time lining up for the blue crush cars. Even though the light was red, he still continued to line himself up. We were all puzzled as to what he had in store and then he poured on the Torco, wheelied up and skied so high that when he landed he was on the concrete! He completely cleared the cars! He screeched to a halt and jumped out onto the roof to check out his scores. Another 29 and a tie! Our silent judge had to make the call and it was the dazzling slap wheelies of Monster Mutt that prevailed over An Escalade for UTI Freestyle Champion.
By Monster Jam Announcer Leslie Mears
