Monster Jam Quincy Raceways Quincy, IL 06/12-14/2008
Monster Jam Racing Winner
Monster Jam Freestyle Winner
Thursday - Grave Digger
Friday - Safe Auto Minimizer
Saturday -
Thursday - Grave Digger
Friday - Grave Digger
Saturday -
Trucks: USHRA Monster Trucks and more including Grave Digger driven by Pablo Huffaker, Turtle, Safe Auto Minimizer, Escalade, and Instigator. Subject to change without notice.
Weekend Race Recap Thursday Night
With a threat of storms all day, we were in limbo in Quincy, Illinois, whether it was to rain or not to rain. That was the question on everyone's mind all day in the humid heat. With no tricks up our sleeves to ward off the dreaded storms, we crossed our fingers and hoped the energy of the Monster Trucks would be enough to ward off the weather as TNT Action Sports presented Hardee's Monster Jam brought to you by Advance Auto Parts and Ford Trucks.
Excitement brewed as the first Monster Truck rolled out for the Hardee's Wheelie competition. The crowd was in luck tonight, because they would see not one, but two wheelies during each competitor's run. Both hits of the cars would be considered when the Monster Jam judges scored the run. Instigator set the bar high with a total score of 22. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle crept towards the first set of cars, hit them hard, raced around the corner to the next set. After his run, the judges awarded him a 21 leaving Instigator in the lead. Safe Auto Minimizer shot out of the pits and launched into his first wheelie gliding the truck on its year wheels all the way across the cars. His next wheelie was just as impressive, earning him a 24. Escalade was bumpin' as he got air during his two wheelies. His scores posted for a 23. With Grave Digger waiting in the pits, he knew that he had to beat Safe Auto Minimizer's 24. With a promising run, Digger ripped around the track back to the pits to await the scores. It was going to be close. The first card pops for a 9, the second showed a 7 and the third an 8. Wow! A tie! The decision would be up to our secret judge's scores. By a one point decision, Grave Digger takes the win in the Hardee's Wheelie Competition.
Built Ford Tough Monster Jam Racing competition brackets were determined by a blind draw and Grave Digger drew lucky number one for the bye run. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle drew Escalade and in a close race, Escalade edged out the turtle to move on to the semi-finals. Safe Auto Minimizer drew Instigator. Safe Auto Minimizer was pumped up after the amazing Hardee's Wheelie competition and took out his aggression on Instigator to move on to the Semi-Finals. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle came back as the fast loser against Grave Digger and as the first pair. Both trucks were super fast off the start but after cruising over the first set of cars on the Chicago style track, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle slowed to the speed of a regular turtle and it was evident that there was some kind of mechanical breakage that prevented him from running heads up. Grave Digger speeded to the finish and headed to the pits to prepare for the finals. Escalade and Safe Auto Minimizer sized up the track as they staged at the Advance Auto Parts starting line. The light changed from red to green and the Monsters were even as they crossed the first set of cars and headed around the first turn. After crossing the second set of cars it was unclear who the leader was, making the last jump the determining factor. As they crossed the Ford Finish line, it was unclear to the crowd who won and the call came down from the tower that Safe Auto Minimizer edged out Escalade to enter the finals. The crowd was pumped, the trucks were staged, the light turned green and the dust flew. Amazing, another close race. These Monster were really bringing it in the finals. As they headed into the last turn, Safe Auto Minimizer rounded the turn and swung out a little too far getting a little off course. Grave Digger took advantage of that tiny error and skimmed over the last jump to take the win. Two wins so far tonight for Grave Digger!
The amazing action on the track was only a prelude to what we would see in the TNT Action Sports Freestyle competition. With 90 seconds to destroy the track, the competitors were pumped. Instigator got things started by sticking to basics and hitting the car stacks for air and wheelies earning a 17. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle picked up the pace by utilizing the van pyramid in the middle of the course. He sailed through the air and ended his run with a donut in front of the crowd. His score was a 21. With great big air and our first slap wheelie of the night, Safe Auto Minimizer Cruised around the course with wheelies and donuts that were just as impressive as his air. The judges rewarded him with a 24. An Escalade took a victory lap to get some motivation and energy from the crowd before he started his run. He wasted no time in immediately going after the van pyramid in the middle, catching some big air. He doubled back and hit it again with more gusto. He hit it a couple more times even taking his landing to the next level with a slap wheelie where the bumper dragged the ground as he rode it out. His run ended with a donut and he parked An Escalade. The judges loved it and awarded him a 27! An Escalade was so pumped up that he jumped out of the truck, took off his shirt and headed into the crowd! What an awesome keepsake! With the bar set high, Grave Digger took a lap in front of the fans as he plotted his attack on the course. Grave Digger started out with a couple of wheelies making quick agile turns whizzing around the track. The van pyramid was next and he cleared it easily. Taking a lesson from An Escalade, he immediately headed for the van for some more air. He flew threw the air and the truck landed a little off balance sending Grave Digger up on two wheels then wobbling on one, back and forth, looking as if it was going to crash. But, with a last ditch splash of Torco and great steering, he saved it! Grave Digger continued on with donuts and more air before sliding to a stop in front of the crowd. Everyone was on their feet when the scores rose from the crowd slowly, 10, 10, 10! Grave Digger wins the TNT Action Sports Freestyle competition with a perfect 30!
Friday Night
The threat of rain on Thursday became a reality in the middle of the night and the Quincy Raceways were a little slick when the Monster Jam drivers arrived today. The track contained a little bit of moisture adding more excitement for the fans as TNT Action Sports presented Hardee's Monster Jam brought to you by Advance Auto Parts and Ford Trucks.
Slinging mud as he headed to the first set of crush cars, Instigator would be the first competitor in the Hardee's Wheelie Competition. He was spinning a little bit upon take off but once he got rolling and hit the cars, life was good. Instigator's two hits started things off with a 16. We all know that turtles love mud and the mutant monster was no different. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle approached the line and slid to a stop with a quick 180. He pulled the trigger off the line and ripped off a couple sweet wheelies to score a 19. Safe Auto Minimizer was primed from competition last night since that was his first time back in the saddle since the Monster Jam NGK Spark Plug World Finals in Las Vegas. He decided to take a longer approach than the two previous drivers rolling to the cars gaining momentum. Once close to the cars, the petal went to the metal and Safe Auto Minimizer soared through the air. A power slide around the corner had him headed for the other stack with the same approach. More big air!! The judges were impressed and one even awarded him a 10. Safe Auto Minimizer's total score would be 26, a big new mark to beat. An Escalade would try to "Beat That" on his run and brought the 66" tires with spinners blingin' to a halt and really pumped up the crowd. His wheelies were awesome and he earned a 23. Safe Auto Minimizer would stay in the as Grave Digger headed towards the line. Following normal track procedures, the USHRA Tech Officials tried to check his remote ignition interrupter(RII). They kept trying to get it to work without success, even checking things in the cab. No one could get his RII to work so he would have to forfeit his run. It's not the way that he wanted to win it, but Safe Auto Minimizer was proud to win the Hardee's Wheelie Competition to kick off our night.
Built Ford Tough Monster Jam Racing brackets were decided by a blind draw by some lucky young fans of Monster Jam. Grave Digger drew lucky number one and had a great bye run. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle drew An Escalade. With mud flying and spinners spinning, An Escalade left the turtle in the mud and crossed the Ford Finish line first. Safe Auto Minimizer drew Instigator in the final competition of our first round of Built Ford Tough racing. Instigator got caught up in the second turn and was never able to catch back up to Safe Auto Minimizer who took the win. Grave Digger faced fast loser Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle in the first semi-final match up. It almost seemed as if it were a race between a turtle and a hare as Grave Digger eliminated TMNT. The second match up of the semi-finals pitted Safe Auto Minimizer against An Escalade. This was a rematch of last night's semifinal that included an amazing finish that was almost too close to call. Engines revved and the crowd waited for the red lights to go green. Across the cars into the first turn all was even. Then, Safe Auto Minimizer got caught up in turn in the second turn. An Escalade had a clear advantage down the stretch and after the second hit of cars, it was looking like An Escalade all the way. Out of nowhere comes Safe Auto Minimizer, picking up the pace and really pouring it on. The trucks were so close at the finish that it was too close to tell who won, but the call came down from the top and Safe Auto Minimizer was moving on to the finals. He was really on a roll and ready for anything that Grave Digger had saved up for the finals. Once the green light popped, it was clear who was going to win our Built Ford Tough racing finals. It was Safe Auto Minimizer all the way!
The trucks were covered in mud and ready to get down and dirtier during the TNT Action Sports Freestyle competition. Instigator slung a bunch of mud with wheelies and air sticking to basics for a 19. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle barreled out next and impressed the judges by abusing the van pyramid in the middle of the track, flattening the van. They were so impressed that they awarded him a 26. Talk about a tough mark to beat. Safe Auto Minimizer rolled past the stands and then shot to turn one and spun a quick donut before heading to the van pyramid. Soaring through the air and then landing with a soft bounce he continued his run topping each maneuver on the course. Would it be enough to edge out TMNT? Scores popped out of the crowd...27! Another new leader! Safe Auto Minimizer would hold on to the lead through the run of Escalade who got crazy with his truck, but only scored a 25. The crowd was amped as they heard “Bad to the Bone” blare through the PA system. The black and green machine didn’t take a slow lap for the crowd, he immediately started his run with big air over the white cars. The truck slid around the corner and the wrecking machine gave a bump to the light pole in the center. He quickly diverted that energy back to the track sailing over the van pyramid and turning out power slide donuts at each end. Grave Digger dug a deep donut and the marched with authority to the front stretch toward the crows and slid to a stop right at the gate to enter the track. Everyone was going crazy and the judges awarded him a perfect 30! Grave Digger kicked it in high gear to take the TNT Action Sports freestyle title for Friday night.
