The eve of the Monster Jam World Finals is upon us once again, and the ninth edition of the biggest show in monster trucks is right around the corner. While we aren’t in attendance this year, we will still be covering the event from afar and we now offer us some of our thoughts and perspective surrounding this year’s World Finals. We'll talk a bit about the finalist selections, highlight some of the top drivers from the regular season, and then talk about some of the folks we expect to see in the mix for each title tomorrow night.
Let’s start by taking a look at the twenty-four drivers and trucks selected to compete in the World Finals this year. Every year there is controversy surrounding the World Finals selections—who made it in, who didn’t make it in, etc. In all reality, that reaction is here to stay as long as there is no defined, publicly announced method for choosing the World Finals qualifiers.
So for the purposes of the article, we are going to look at who deserves the right to compete for the title of champion this year.
Over the course of three months, there are tons of events held on the Monster Jam tour all over the country and individual driver performances get lost in the noise. At the end of the season, its very difficult to compare one driver’s season to another’s as there is no set scale to compare them on. We understand that Live Nation chooses not to run a point series and we understand that Live Nation does not select World Finals participants based on their performance--and that is certainly their right—however, that isn’t going to stop fans like us from wishing they did. With the "Road to the World Finals" ranking system we created, we are able to see who the top 24 drivers in Monster Jam were this season based purely on performance and, if nothing else, that helps fans to be more informed when looking at the World Finals selections.
Let's take a look at the actual World Finals selections and then the final "Road to the World Finals" Unofficial Point Standings:
In a simple comparison of the two lists, you can see that there are some major snubs and some big free passes into the event (again, assuming that the selections were made based on season-long performance). NINE of the top 24 performing drivers this year were overlooked including the defending freestyle champion while one rookie driver was even selected as a finalist after running only a handful of events this year. Let's look at who got the snubs and free passes, with their "Road to the World Finals" rank by their name:
Snubs
Neil Elliot - 3rd
Randy Brown - 6th
Pablo Huffaker - 7th
Gary Porter - 9th
Carl Van Horn - T-12th
Rod Schmidt - 15th
Tony Farrell - 16th
Nathan Weenk - 19th
Candace Jolly - 21st
Free Passes
Chad Fortune - 27th
David Smith - 28th
Steve Simms - 30th
Bobby Parr - 31st
Dawn Creten - 33rd
Lupe Soza - 35th
Frank Krmel - 36th
Dan Evans - 46th
Cam McQueen - 60th
Here's the deal--there's really not much more to say
because personal opinion takes over at this point, and
really, that's a great thing--we just want to highlight individual accomplishment by the drivers this season. You can check out the "Road to the World Finals" section if you want to see more of the stats and individual event results. At the end of the day, proponents of selection based on performance will argue that the current system is flawed and it takes away from what it really means to be a World Finals Champion. Others will make compelling arguments for the current system, stating the possible reasoning behind the selections that were made such as: "Well, you've got to have Lupe, he's a past champ"; "David Smith has been a strong performer every year he's been in the Finals, he should definitely be there"; "Frank Krmel nearly won the freestyle championship two years ago, he deserves to be there", etc. If nothing else, it certainly makes for a good discussion among monster truck fans.
But just because I can't resist, let's step into
fantasy world for a second and see what the lineup
might have looked like had the top 24 drivers based on
performance been selected:
Air Force Afterburner - Damon Bradshaw (22nd)
Avenger - Jim Koehler (23rd)
Batman - John Seasock (24th)
Black Stallion - Mike Vaters (20th)
Blue Thunder - Linsey Weenk (10th)
Blue Thunder - Tony Farrell (16th)
Bounty Hunter - Jimmy Creten (4th)
Bulldozer - Neil Elliot (3rd)
Captain's Curse - Alex Blackwell (11th)
Donkey Kong - Randy Brown (6th)
El Toro Loco - Nathan Weenk (19th)
Escalade - George Belhan (8th)
Grave Digger - Dennis Anderson (1st)
Iron Outlaw - Kreg Christensen (17th)
Maximum Destruction - Tom Meents (2nd)
Monster Mutt - Charlie Pauken (5th)
Monster Mutt Dalmation - Candace Jolly (21st)
Pastrana 199 - Chad Tingler (18th)
Safe Auto Minimizer - Mark MacDonald (T-12)
Superman - Rod Schmidt (15th)
Taz - Adam Anderson (14th)
Team Suzuki - Gary Porter (9th)
TMNT - Pablo Huffaker (7th)
T-Maxx - Carl Van Horn (T-12)
OK, back to reality. However you feel about the selection process, there really is no denying that the World Finals is probably the biggest and best show in monster trucks at the current time. We definitely congratulate all of the drivers who will compete tomorrow on being selected and wish them the best of luck. Despite my own personal feelings on the selection process, it really boils down to this--as long as everyone stays safe, let's all just sit back and enjoy the show.
But before we talk more about tomorrow night, I would like to take another moment to highlight some of the great stories we saw on the Monster Jam tour during the regular season. The "Road to the World Finals" rankings allow us to look at some statistics that really show some cool stuff. This doesn't really have a ton to do with what will go on tomorrow night, but when the Monster Jam Awards are announced Sunday, some of this might be interesting to read.
- The Regular Season Awards - In other sports, season awards like the MVP and the Cy Young in baseball are presented based on performance in the regular season and post-season performance doesn't really factor in. Let's take a look at who deserves a few of these based on the Monster Jam season to date, without looking at the World Finals results from tomorrow:
Driver of the Year - Racing: Tom Meents, Maximum Destruction.
Meents took an oustanding 4 (Elite Level) major stadium event racing wins. The most anyone else had was 2. Nuff' said. Runner-up goes to Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter with 3 major stadium racing wins (2 Elite Level, 1 Major Level) and 5 Normal Level small arena racing wins.
Driver of the Year - Freestyle: Dennis Anderson, Grave Digger
Anderson brought home freestyle trophies from 5.5 (5 wins, 1 tie) major stadium events (4.5, Elite Level, 1 Major Level) and 7 Normal Level small arena shows. Charlie Pauken edges Meents for runner-up based on 4 major stadium event freestyle wins (2 Elite Level, 2 Major Level) and an awesome 13 Normal Level small arena wins.
Rookie of the Year: Cam McQueen, Pastrana 199
Small crop of rookies this year, most notable being McQueen, Aaron Cromer in Anger Management, and Kristy Edge in Jurassic Attack. McQueen gets the nod despite only running a partial schedule due to being the only one of the three to bring home a win--three of them in fact, all in racing competitions at Normal Level small arena shows.
Comeback Driver of the Year: Dennis Anderson, Grave Digger
In in any other year, this award be all Kreg Christensen's, but there really is no debate here. The best performing driver on the tour this year sat all of last season with the exception of the World Finals due to injury. Anderson is still on top of his game.
Most Improved Driver of the Year: Nathan Weenk, El Toro Loco
Stepping into a Live Nation Motor Sports seat worked out great for Nathan Weenk, as he took two big stadium racing wins (Elite Level), even managing to outperform better known El Toro Loco driver Lupe Soza by a longshot this season. He gets the nod over Andy Slifko who had a great year in Eradicator, ending up ranked 25th overall at the end of the regular season.
Team of the Year: Team Meents
Meents and Elliot ended up 2nd and 3rd in the final unofficial standings. Out of a season total 36 Elite Level major stadium racing and freestyle competitions, Meents and Elliot won 11. Nuff' said.
- The Elevator - Because this is the second year we've done the "Road to the World Finals" unofficial standings, we are able to show who improved and declined the most in the rankings in comparison with 2007. Check it out:
Elevator Up
Kreg Christensen, Iron Outlaw +47
Nathan Weenk, El Toro Loco +35
Andy Slifko, Eradicator +28
Allen Pezo, Predator +25
Aaron Basl, TMNT +22
Steve Simms, Stone Crusher +21
Candace Jolly, Monster Mutt Dalmation +19
Bruce Haney, Bad News Travels Fast +16
Lenny Kuilder, Prowler +16
Carl Van Horn +15
Elevator Down
Lupe Soza, El Toro Loco -28
Courtney Jolly, Pastrana 199 -24
Rick Swanson, Obsession -24
Dan Rodoni, The Patriot -18
Dale Mitchell, Predator -18
Scott Hartsock, Gun Slinger -13
Damon Bradshaw, Air Force Afterburner -13
Chris Bergeron, Brutus -13
Stats are fun!
OK, here we go...let's talk about which drivers we expect to see contend for the championships tomorrow night!!
Racing: The Monster Jam World Finals Racing Championship always sees the cream rise to the top. There typically are very few surprises when you look at the historical semi-finalists through the years. Sure, there's been some upsets such as Madusa and Brian Barthel taking wins in the past. But usually it boils down to the big names at the end. My picks for the top 6 contenders and 4 other drivers to watch for the racing championship tomorrow are as follows:
- Dennis Anderson, Grave Digger - "The Icon" has been on a tear this year and knows the Vegas track like the back of his hand. Last year, he went to the final round in Vegas without competing in a single event leading up to the World Finals. Try this stat on for size: For the last FOUR years, Anderson has been in the finals in Vegas, with two racing championships and two runner-ups to John Seasock and Debra Miceli ("Madusa"). After watching Anderson this year, he is my top pick for the racing competition tomorrow night.
- Kreg Christensen, Iron Outlaw - Kreg Christensen is a great racer and Iron Outlaw is one of top pieces in the field. Christensen took two huge stadium wins this year, including one in Houston against a stacked 16 truck field. Christensen was lightning quick in practice last night, and I expect to see him in the mix tomorrow night.
- Linsey Weenk, Blue Thunder - Weenk is simply one of the best racers in the monster truck industry. He managed a couple of big wins this year, and I really expect to see him take Blue Thunder into the late rounds.
- John Seasock, Batman - Despite a subpar season, the defending champ is incredibly smooth and fast on the Vegas course and had the quickest time in Thursday night practice. He enters Saturday night with a great chance to defend his title and become the first driver since Tom Meents to take back-to-back racing championships.
- Jimmy Creten, Bounty Hunter - Creten is an incredible racer but he just seems snakebit in Vegas. Every year he makes it to the late rounds and every year it seems the smallest of mistakes or breakage take him out of the running. If Creten hits his marks all night and avoids the turning poles, I'm not sure anyone can beat him. "If" being the key word.
- Tom Meents, Maximum Destruction - Its kind of funny that I just mentioned above that Tom was the top racing driver this year, only to turn around and list him sixth on my top contenders list. Ever since winning the first three World Finals Racing Championships, Meents has been unable to duplicate that success in the racing competition. A pure guess is that, while his current Max D chassis may be the greatest freestyle truck ever built, it is more prone to breakage at the end of those long straightaways at such high speeds (think back to all the driveshaft issues from a couple years ago). Meents seemed to be easing off the throttle a little early on the straightaway last year, and didn't last very long in the competition. If the truck holds up and Meents drives it like he drove in other races this season, he has a great chance to grab another racing title.
- Other Drivers to Watch - Mark MacDonald, Safe Auto Minimizer; David Smith, King Krunch; Adam Anderson, Taz; Mike Vaters, Black Stallion
The key to winning the Monster Jam Freestyle Championship is to have a mid-to-late draw, keep up great momentum, and to be able to fill the time with the biggest moves. Anyone who does that has a pretty good chance of taking the win because those huge obstacles usually manage to claim several big name victims before the night is up. Here are my top 6 contenders, with 4 other drivers to watch:
- Tom Meents, Maximum Destruction - Simply put, I have never seen another truck that can hold up to the abuse that Maximum Destruction does. Tom always manages to pull off moves that make you rub your eyes in disbelief. The challenge for Meents will be to try not to go too big too fast--i.e. wait until the time is almost up before you try to clear the triple Tom!!
- Dennis Anderson, Grave Digger - Anderson put on some amazing performances this season in freestyle, and is always a threat in Vegas. If he fills the time and manages to make one of those great saves he did so frequently this season, that could be enough to put him on top.
- Charlie Pauken, Monster Mutt - Charlie Pauken has the distinction of having two of the most memorable moments from the last two World Finals--last year's incredible (and scary) leap over the ice cream truck and the other-worldly save from two years ago. If he can just manage to put it all together this year, he may very well set the score that Dennis and Tom have to shoot for.
- Linsey Weenk, Blue Thunder - Weenk probably would have been higher on the final results list last year had he not been burdened with such an early draw. This year he is sure to have an advantageous draw driving Blue Thunder, and driving for Live Nation, he now has the freedom to bring the truck back in pieces. Weenk will contend for the freestyle title.
- Adam Anderson, Tax - Adam Anderson now has a chassis nearly identical to his father's in which he dominated freestyle performances last year. This year has seen a bit of a learning curve for the Taz team, working out bugs in the new truck. But when everything has been working right, Anderson has performed strong. With a full season of tuning and tweaking, the Taz truck will hold up great to the Vegas course and Adam certainly has the skill to bring home his first title.
- Mark MacDonald, Safe Auto Minimizer - MacDonald pulled off some of the most incredible moves in freestyle last year, but most of them came after the time limit expired (he went on to freestyle for another couple minutes). If MacDonald can pack all of his best stuff into the time limit, he will set the bar very high for those who come after him.
- Other Drivers to Watch - Kreg Christensen, Iron Outlaw; Jim Koehler, Avenger; Damon Bradshaw, Air Force Afterburner; Chad Tingler, Monster Mutt Dalmation
As a final note, I feel like we owe our visitors an explanation for us not being at the World Finals this year. We were planning on being there in force as we were last year, but we were informed in late February that due to some changes in Live Nation corporate policy, no internet sites would be granted media access for the World Finals. Now of course, the alternative route would be to just buy tickets and take pictures from our seats, which we would have certainly done. But the concern for us is that, at many Live Nation events, professional cameras are not allowed and ushers will send you back to your car to put them up if you bring them. I'm not sure how heavily they enforce that policy at Sam Boyd Stadium, but we certainly couldn't risk spending that much money on the trip, only to possibly be told we couldn't take photos.
Additionally, Live Nation is doing an excellent job of providing coverage of this year's finals on www.MonsterJamOnline.com, so there is no worry for all of you as to where to get coverage. Next weekend is the traditionally under-covered CFP Grand Nationals in Pocatello, Idaho. There we can bring you tons of coverage you wouldn't otherwise see, and we will be able to bring you video coverage from that event. So I think the whole situation works out better for all of our visitors. We should have live updates for Saturday night though, so be sure to keep visiting TheMonsterBlog.com tomorrow to follow along with the event.
Well if you've read all of that and weren't ready for the Finals yet, you certainly should be now!! Best of luck to all the drivers and teams tomorrow night, and keep checking back here as bring you whatever we're able to from Vegas!!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
MLMT: Entry Strategy
The Major League of Monster Trucks recently announced the entry list for the first event of the year in Memphis April 26th. Twenty-three trucks registered their intent to attempt to qualify for the sixteen truck field in Memphis. But does that mean that all of those trucks will in fact show up to make a qualifying attempt on race day? Not necessarily.
Open qualifying is a concept that has not seen much execution in the history of the monster truck industry. That is why monster trucks are considered more a part of the entertainment industry rather than a professional motor sport. The majority of team owners today have never run for anything other than a guaranteed paycheck, so the idea of having to qualify and race to earn their paycheck is a risky proposition.
Registration for MLMT events opened at the beginning of January, well before many teams had even began booking events for late spring / early summer when the series is scheduled to begin. There is no cost to register for an individual event up until 45 days prior to the event date. No penalty has been announced for registering but not actually competing in an event as of this writing. Because of that, many team owners have registered not knowing whether they will end up competing or not.
45 days in the monster truck world is a very long time, and it is not unusual for teams to be booked for shows less than a month in advance. If a team owner is even thinking about competing in an MLMT event, they must register by the 45 day-deadline—otherwise they must pay a $500 entry fee to register after the deadline has passed. As a result, many team owners have signed up for the MLMT events well in advance, but are only now starting to receive their usual booking offers from promoters. This reality is forcing team owners to make some tough decisions regarding their participation in MLMT’s open-qualifying style events.
Open qualifying is a concept that has not seen much execution in the history of the monster truck industry. That is why monster trucks are considered more a part of the entertainment industry rather than a professional motor sport. The majority of team owners today have never run for anything other than a guaranteed paycheck, so the idea of having to qualify and race to earn their paycheck is a risky proposition.
Registration for MLMT events opened at the beginning of January, well before many teams had even began booking events for late spring / early summer when the series is scheduled to begin. There is no cost to register for an individual event up until 45 days prior to the event date. No penalty has been announced for registering but not actually competing in an event as of this writing. Because of that, many team owners have registered not knowing whether they will end up competing or not.
45 days in the monster truck world is a very long time, and it is not unusual for teams to be booked for shows less than a month in advance. If a team owner is even thinking about competing in an MLMT event, they must register by the 45 day-deadline—otherwise they must pay a $500 entry fee to register after the deadline has passed. As a result, many team owners have signed up for the MLMT events well in advance, but are only now starting to receive their usual booking offers from promoters. This reality is forcing team owners to make some tough decisions regarding their participation in MLMT’s open-qualifying style events.
How will teams arrive at these decisions? We’ve talked to a number of teams throughout the industry to get their opinions on MLMT and we’ve attempted to put ourselves in the shoes of an independent team trying to decide whether or not to run MLMT. Based on those observations and assumptions, we believe that teams will fall into the categories below in regard to their participation in the Major League of Monster Trucks:
“We’ll Wait and See . . .” – There are a lot of teams that fall into this first category. The fact is that many folks are still skeptical that the series will survive the first season. Some of these team owners may have always desired an open qualifying series, but they are not sure that MLMT is their dream come true.
Concerns about money lead the way, as many in the industry are uncertain if MLMT has the capital to sustain the series—the worry for team owners is that they will perform in an event and not receive their winnings. How legitimate is this concern? With the amount of money MLMT has committed to individual event purses, the season points fund, and the extreme cost of producing events of this magnitude—all with no major series sponsors or television deal yet announced—one cannot blame those who hold this concern.
So, these teams are content to sit and watch how things play out. Some are just waiting to hear back from teams who do compete in early events at Memphis and Atlanta—did the event run smoothly, was it officiated fairly, were they paid in a reasonable amount of time, etc—and if the response is positive, they might begin running events as soon as Texas in June. Others plan on sitting out the entire first season of MLMT and watching to see how the series fares. If it is a success, these teams may very well be among the first to register to run for the championship in season two.
“When They’re Close . . .” – Some team owners are just not interested in running an event where they risk not qualifying and not getting paid. However, the amount of money that can be won at an MLMT event is too good for even them to pass up—when the event is close. They are willing to take a calculated risk and enter an event that is either a) close to their shop or b) on the way to or from one of their regular bookings that falls the week before or after the MLMT date. This way they mitigate their costs should they fail to qualify for the event. Expect to see several teams appear only once or twice on the MLMT circuit because they fall into this category—especially west coast teams who will come out to the Las Vegas event in September.
“If There’s Nothing Else Going On . . .” – There will be several teams that will register for MLMT events and only show up to compete if they are unable to secure a paid booking for the same date. One prominent team owner put it very simply—“My trucks will always be where the money is guaranteed before they will be at one where it isn’t.” MLMT needs to hope that the majority of teams won’t treat their events in this manner, or else the series will not be able to survive. On the flip side, this practice will give fans the chance to see the regular trucks take on a variety of challengers from week to week, which will provide an interesting twist.
“Depends on Who Else Registers . . .” – Teams falling into this category are truly thinking about their potential participation from a strategy standpoint. Their idea is to register for any events they may like to participate in, and then see who they will be competing against once the entry list is released. At that point they can judge their chances of making the field based on the competition, and then make a decision as to whether or not to compete. It certainly is not a bad idea if you’re a team with concerns about making the field, and any open qualifying series will have this type of strategy involved.
“Let’s Give it a Shot . . .” – Several mid-level teams have made the decision to enter the first couple of MLMT events and see how well they can fare. Based on their performance and standing in the points, they may decide to run the rest of the events, or possibly just run selected events for the rest of the season.
“We’ll Try to Run Them All . . .” – Teams falling into this category are trying to run as many of the events as they possibly can. However, the majority of these teams are in heavy demand by other promoters with whom they have had long-term relationships. These teams have had to make some commitments that will likely interfere with some of the MLMT dates, but whenever they are able to, you will see these teams competing in MLMT.
“We’re All In . . .” – Finally, these are the teams that will be running for the championship. For these teams, having an open qualifying series for monster trucks is important enough that they are willing to take risks to commit to MLMT. They are willing to turn down guaranteed pay bookings in order to run and they are willing to give MLMT a chance to prove itself by supporting the series with their presence. These are the teams currently in the shop working on their trucks, investing in higher performance equipment in preparation for running MLMT. In a word, these teams are serious about MLMT.
Only time will tell how many teams decide to participate in MLMT and for what reasons. But the above is some insight into the decisions facing team owners as they consider their involvement in the 2008 Major League of Monster Trucks Championship. Be watching for the Atlanta entry list to be announced tomorrow right here on TheMonsterBlog.com and over at http://www.mlmt.com/.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Special Events Points System Needs Overhaul
Special Events announced truck lineups for the 2008 Monster Truck Thunder Drags series this past weekend. All of the regulars are back again this year, although the mix of trucks is somewhat scattered. While that does give fans the opportunity to see some different teams at the Jamborees this year, it also leads to an unfortunate situation in the championship hunt once again this season.
Last year, Mark Hall drove Raminator to yet another championship on the Special Events tour. Hall was dominant in the series, regularly knocking off all of the top contenders including Bigfoot drivers Dan Runte and Rick Long, Grave Digger drivers Charlie Pauken and Randy Brown, as well as Avenger and Spike. While teammate Geremie Dishman in Rammunition, along with Doug Noelke in Tail Gator / Big Dawg, managed to triumph multiple times during the season, the real story was Hall’s dominance.
But when Hall clinched the title, his accomplishments during the season were not recognized to the extent deserved due to factors outside the team’s control. The focus was instead placed upon the fact that the Hall Brothers Racing was the only team to run all eight point events, meaning that Hall only had to beat teammate Dishman for the title. The Bigfoot team ran seven point events, while the Grave Digger team only ran five.
While truck booking was to blame for the number of events each truck ran, the teams further diluted the title competition as Bigfoot sent Dan Runte for only 6 of their 7 events, and Live Nation used three different Digger drivers in their 5 events.
Sure, Mark Hall won nearly every time he matched up against Runte or the Digger drivers, but that, unfortunately, is not what many remember about the 2007 Monster Truck Thunder Drags championship chase. And even more unfortunate, it appears this season’s title may be headed toward the same fate.
Let’s take a look at the number of events each truck is booked for this season:
Raminator – 7
Rammunition – 7
Avenger – 6
Spike – 6
Bigfoot – 5
Tail Gator – 4
Batman / Bob & Tom – 4
Monster Mutt – 4
Unless Special Events introduces a different points system than the one currently used, this year’s title chase will once again be decided among teammates. Hall Brothers Racing will again be in a no-win position—even if they dominate the series and earn the championship as they did in 2007, perception will still be that they won only because they were the only team to run all of the events.
So what is the solution? I would like to propose that Special Events utilize a completely new points system for the 2008 season. Here is how it could work:
- The system counts only each driver’s best four events. This opens the title competition to eight different trucks (assuming Team Bigfoot and Live Nation Motorsports utilize the same driver in all of their booked events): Avenger, Bigfoot, Batman / Bob & Tom, Monster Mutt, Raminator, Rammunition, Spike, and Tail Gator.
- The systems counts only each driver’s best two shows from each event. The number of shows varies at each stop on the Special Events schedule, but all feature at least two.
Those changes would eliminate the problem of only one team competing for the overall title, opening it up to eight trucks and making for an exciting point series. But maybe its time for an additional change in the way Special Events crowns its champion. For many years the series was primarily racing-focused, but the tides seem to be gradually changing in that regard. Of the eight championship contenders under the new system listed above, four trucks are known more for racing (Bigfoot, Raminator, Rammunition, Tail Gator), while four are known more for freestyle (Avenger, Batman / Bob & Tom, Monster Mutt, Spike). As such, I believe it is time that Special Events begins awarding accomplishments in freestyle.
At most Jamborees to date, freestyle has been run without a winner even being declared. The standard scoring system (3 judges, scorecards from 1-10) has been utilized at select events in the past, but I propose that Special Events make this practice standardized across all of the point events on their schedule. This will give the freestyle competition actual results that points could be awarded based on.
With those changes made, I propose a point system similar to the following:
Racing:
1st Place: 50 points
2nd Place: 25 points
Semi-Finalist: 10 points
Freestyle:
1st Place: 50 points
2nd Place: 25 points
3rd Place: 15 points
4th Place: 5 points
This new system would make for better competition in each and every event on the Monster Truck Thunder Drags schedule. Racing-oriented teams would have to run harder in freestyle and freestyle-oriented teams would have to run harder in racing because the new system does not favor either competition.
Under this system, Mark Hall, Jim Koehler, Dan Runte, Doug Noelke, Geremie Dishman, Chris Bergeron, and possibly, Charlie Pauken and John Seasock, would be in the hunt for the Monster Truck Thunder Drags championship. Tell me there wouldn’t be plenty of excitement following that points chase in 2008.
Regardless of the points system used though, Monster Truck Thunder Drags events will be "can't-miss" shows this year. Don't believe me? Head back to the main page and check out those lineups. Then get on over to http://www.familyevents.com/ (new site looks great) and get your tickets!
Last year, Mark Hall drove Raminator to yet another championship on the Special Events tour. Hall was dominant in the series, regularly knocking off all of the top contenders including Bigfoot drivers Dan Runte and Rick Long, Grave Digger drivers Charlie Pauken and Randy Brown, as well as Avenger and Spike. While teammate Geremie Dishman in Rammunition, along with Doug Noelke in Tail Gator / Big Dawg, managed to triumph multiple times during the season, the real story was Hall’s dominance.
But when Hall clinched the title, his accomplishments during the season were not recognized to the extent deserved due to factors outside the team’s control. The focus was instead placed upon the fact that the Hall Brothers Racing was the only team to run all eight point events, meaning that Hall only had to beat teammate Dishman for the title. The Bigfoot team ran seven point events, while the Grave Digger team only ran five.While truck booking was to blame for the number of events each truck ran, the teams further diluted the title competition as Bigfoot sent Dan Runte for only 6 of their 7 events, and Live Nation used three different Digger drivers in their 5 events.
Sure, Mark Hall won nearly every time he matched up against Runte or the Digger drivers, but that, unfortunately, is not what many remember about the 2007 Monster Truck Thunder Drags championship chase. And even more unfortunate, it appears this season’s title may be headed toward the same fate.
Let’s take a look at the number of events each truck is booked for this season:
Raminator – 7
Rammunition – 7
Avenger – 6
Spike – 6
Bigfoot – 5
Tail Gator – 4
Batman / Bob & Tom – 4
Monster Mutt – 4
Unless Special Events introduces a different points system than the one currently used, this year’s title chase will once again be decided among teammates. Hall Brothers Racing will again be in a no-win position—even if they dominate the series and earn the championship as they did in 2007, perception will still be that they won only because they were the only team to run all of the events.
So what is the solution? I would like to propose that Special Events utilize a completely new points system for the 2008 season. Here is how it could work:
- The system counts only each driver’s best four events. This opens the title competition to eight different trucks (assuming Team Bigfoot and Live Nation Motorsports utilize the same driver in all of their booked events): Avenger, Bigfoot, Batman / Bob & Tom, Monster Mutt, Raminator, Rammunition, Spike, and Tail Gator.
- The systems counts only each driver’s best two shows from each event. The number of shows varies at each stop on the Special Events schedule, but all feature at least two.
Those changes would eliminate the problem of only one team competing for the overall title, opening it up to eight trucks and making for an exciting point series. But maybe its time for an additional change in the way Special Events crowns its champion. For many years the series was primarily racing-focused, but the tides seem to be gradually changing in that regard. Of the eight championship contenders under the new system listed above, four trucks are known more for racing (Bigfoot, Raminator, Rammunition, Tail Gator), while four are known more for freestyle (Avenger, Batman / Bob & Tom, Monster Mutt, Spike). As such, I believe it is time that Special Events begins awarding accomplishments in freestyle.
At most Jamborees to date, freestyle has been run without a winner even being declared. The standard scoring system (3 judges, scorecards from 1-10) has been utilized at select events in the past, but I propose that Special Events make this practice standardized across all of the point events on their schedule. This will give the freestyle competition actual results that points could be awarded based on.
With those changes made, I propose a point system similar to the following:
Racing:
1st Place: 50 points
2nd Place: 25 points
Semi-Finalist: 10 points
Freestyle:
1st Place: 50 points
2nd Place: 25 points
3rd Place: 15 points
4th Place: 5 points
This new system would make for better competition in each and every event on the Monster Truck Thunder Drags schedule. Racing-oriented teams would have to run harder in freestyle and freestyle-oriented teams would have to run harder in racing because the new system does not favor either competition.
Under this system, Mark Hall, Jim Koehler, Dan Runte, Doug Noelke, Geremie Dishman, Chris Bergeron, and possibly, Charlie Pauken and John Seasock, would be in the hunt for the Monster Truck Thunder Drags championship. Tell me there wouldn’t be plenty of excitement following that points chase in 2008.
Regardless of the points system used though, Monster Truck Thunder Drags events will be "can't-miss" shows this year. Don't believe me? Head back to the main page and check out those lineups. Then get on over to http://www.familyevents.com/ (new site looks great) and get your tickets!
Checkered Flag Winter Nationals Title Chase Heating Up
The Monster Jam World Finals gets the most attention during the winter season, but Checkered Flag Productions has a great championship battle shaping up as the Monster Truck Winter Nationals series races toward Pocatello. The annual Monster Truck Grand Nationals finale at the Holt Arena will be April 5th this year, one week after the finals in Vegas.
Only three events are left until Pocatello and it’s been a great season thus far for Checkered Flag Productions with numerous sold-out events and some great storylines in the battle for the championship. Let’s break down the title chase and see who we can expect to see compete in Pocatello.
The Primary Contenders – The following drivers are still in the hunt for the Monster Truck Winter Nationals championship:
Sean Duhon, Traxxas T-Maxx
Rick Long, Bigfoot
Rob French, Twisted Dragon
Jerry Dalton, Bigfoot
Only three events are left until Pocatello and it’s been a great season thus far for Checkered Flag Productions with numerous sold-out events and some great storylines in the battle for the championship. Let’s break down the title chase and see who we can expect to see compete in Pocatello.
The Primary Contenders – The following drivers are still in the hunt for the Monster Truck Winter Nationals championship:Sean Duhon, Traxxas T-Maxx
Rick Long, Bigfoot
Rob French, Twisted Dragon
Jerry Dalton, Bigfoot
Going to Pocatello – These drivers have earned their invite to the Grand Nationals with solid performances all season:
Mitch Tulachka, Geter Done
Kevin King, Sudden Impact
On the Bubble – These drivers are currently 7th and 8th in points—the final two positions that will receive an invite to Pocatello:
Shelly Kujat, Shell Camino
Bennett Clark, Clydesdale
On the Outside Looking In – The following drivers could conceivably still make their way into the top 8 with solid performances in the final three events:
Mark Foulk, Bulletproof
Keith Sturgeon, Bigfoot
Chris Powell, Bulletproof
Only one final west coast swing remains before Pocatello, featuring stops in Hobbs, NM, Billings, MT, and Pasco, WA. Keith Sturgeon is currently scheduled to be the Bigfoot driver at those three events, which will give him the minimum number of events required to qualify for Pocatello. The likelihood is that Sturgeon will perform well enough to make the top 8 in points, but unless he can raise his point total higher than teammate Jerry Dalton’s, Sturgeon will probably not be in Pocatello. Bigfoot has stated that they will only send two trucks to Pocatello, so they will likely send the two with the best point average, giving themselves the best shot at the title possible.
Bennett Clark is on the hot seat, currently sitting eighth in points. Rookie driver Mark Foulk could knock him out of the final slot with a strong showing in those final three events, all of which Bulletproof is booked for. Another option for Wildfire Motorsports would be to replace Foulk with the more experienced Chris Powell in an attempt to get Bulletproof the final invite to Pocatello. Powell currently needs three shows to meet the minimum 7 race requirement.
In past years, CFP has brought in local trucks such as Dragon Slayer & Spiderman and Arachnophobia & Shattered to add to the event’s entertainment value for the fans. These drivers can also play the role of spoiler to the championship contenders, adding an extra element of intrigue to the championship chase.
But that may not be the case this year however, as rumor has it that the additional trucks will perform encore freestyle performances only. Current word is that Bill Payne will be doing double duty behind the wheel of Rock Star and Deal Breaker, which if true, will no doubt add to the show’s entertainment value! We'll see...in the meantime, check out http://www.checkeredflagproductions.com/ for more info!
MLMT News & Notes
- To all the teams intending on competing in the season opener at Memphis Motorsports Park, sign up now--March 12th (45 days prior to individual event) is the final day to register for free. Teams will still be able to register after the deadline, but will be assessed a $500 entry fee.
- Fans can expect the Memphis entry list to be made public March 13th. This will include all teams who registered their intent to compete before the 45 day deadline, and will give fans a good idea of what trucks they can expect to see in Memphis.
- Registered teams are required to show up at Memphis Motorsports Park no later than midnight Thursday, April 24th. MLMT officials are adamant about this rule and we’ve been told that it is not flexible.
- Technical inspections will begin at 8:00AM Friday morning, April 25th. The MTRA Rulebook is available on the MLMT website, as well as at www.MTRA.us. All trucks will have to pass inspection to be allowed to compete. Teams will be allowed all day Friday to make any necessary changes and pass inspection.
- An MLMT official stated that all dates currently listed on MLMT.com are confirmed and will happen as listed, with two caveats. 1) The Iowa Speedway July 5th date is still pending and subject to change. 2) Additional dates could likely be added as discussions are ongoing with venues.
- The MLMT official also confirmed that the series’ television package is in the final stages of completion and will be announced sometime between now and the season opener in Memphis. The TV deal was described as “impressive”. We’ll be looking forward to that announcement.
- Fans can expect the Memphis entry list to be made public March 13th. This will include all teams who registered their intent to compete before the 45 day deadline, and will give fans a good idea of what trucks they can expect to see in Memphis.
- Registered teams are required to show up at Memphis Motorsports Park no later than midnight Thursday, April 24th. MLMT officials are adamant about this rule and we’ve been told that it is not flexible.
- Technical inspections will begin at 8:00AM Friday morning, April 25th. The MTRA Rulebook is available on the MLMT website, as well as at www.MTRA.us. All trucks will have to pass inspection to be allowed to compete. Teams will be allowed all day Friday to make any necessary changes and pass inspection.
- An MLMT official stated that all dates currently listed on MLMT.com are confirmed and will happen as listed, with two caveats. 1) The Iowa Speedway July 5th date is still pending and subject to change. 2) Additional dates could likely be added as discussions are ongoing with venues.
- The MLMT official also confirmed that the series’ television package is in the final stages of completion and will be announced sometime between now and the season opener in Memphis. The TV deal was described as “impressive”. We’ll be looking forward to that announcement.
Keeping Our Heads Above Water
Whew, what a first two months it has been! Lots of stuff happening, lots of things changing, plenty going on behind the scenes here at the site. I’d like to start by apologizing to our visitors—we are behind on a number of things and we are doing our best to get caught up.
We are still maintaining our “update at least every three days” policy we’ve had for some time now, and I do think we’ve had some great coverage of some of this winter’s events thus far. But some things aren’t getting as much attention as they deserve, and we are working to get caught up.
Here’s an update on some of the items folks are waiting to see here on the site:
- 2007 Picture of the Year / Picture of the Week – We will have a 2007 POY and we should be announcing the winner soon. We have been regularly behind with the Picture of the Week contest in announcing winners for the last few months and honestly, I believe the site is starting to outgrow this feature. Time constraints are making it difficult to give the contest the attention it deserves and so we are looking at phasing it out. I am looking into a new Fan Forum server that would allow everyone to share their photos as part of our little community, if the price is right, we’ll try to add that feature as a replacement.
- 2007 Industry Awards – The awards are decided, the trophies have been handed out and the feature article is very near completion. The intention was to initially run it on New Year’s Day, which became the end of January, and it has still yet to run. We just need to sit down and wrap it up, and it will be out.
- The Insider Blog – Since launching this new feature, a lot has come up and we have yet to be able to update it. So we’re making up for it today by posting all of the updates we had planned for it over the past week. We’ll keep up with it better going forward, and hopefully everyone will enjoy this new feature. Kyle Doyle’s “Exhaust Fumes” feature article is also being converted to a blog, so that he will be able update it as often as he likes as well.
Our web design service has gained two new clients, and both have new sites online for your viewing pleasure:
http://www.straightupracing.com/ – Bill Payne’s new site is up and running, and we are gradually adding more and more to it, keep checking back as the site construction is completed.
http://www.extremeteam4x4.com/ – The new home for Mac and Liz Plecker’s Extreme Team, including the HPI-Savage monster ride truck and the Ballistic race truck. A small temp site is online and we are working on completing the final version of the site, keep watching for that.
One of our very first clients also has a newly re-designed site up, check out our good friends at http://www.wgasmotorsports.com/ to see the new setup.
As if all that wasn’t enough to keep us busy, our first edition of the MTRA Newsletter will be out next week, keep watching over at http://www.mtra.us/ to see that.
The St. Louis Monster Jam event marked the final outing for my trusty Nikon D50 after two years of service. It decided to start acting up about halfway through freestyle, so thankfully Kyle Doyle was there to provide the photo gallery for the site. We’ve got a loaner for use in the interim while the old warhorse is in the shop and we’ll be upgrading to a sparkling new D300 shortly. That camera was an important step forward for the site as it allowed us to bring our coverage to a higher level. Hopefully this next upgrade will do the same!
We’re also working on another project or two that everyone should like, and in the meantime, we’re still keeping up with all the latest news in the industry and covering every event we can. Stay tuned folks, we’ll get caught up on everything!
We are still maintaining our “update at least every three days” policy we’ve had for some time now, and I do think we’ve had some great coverage of some of this winter’s events thus far. But some things aren’t getting as much attention as they deserve, and we are working to get caught up.
Here’s an update on some of the items folks are waiting to see here on the site:
- 2007 Picture of the Year / Picture of the Week – We will have a 2007 POY and we should be announcing the winner soon. We have been regularly behind with the Picture of the Week contest in announcing winners for the last few months and honestly, I believe the site is starting to outgrow this feature. Time constraints are making it difficult to give the contest the attention it deserves and so we are looking at phasing it out. I am looking into a new Fan Forum server that would allow everyone to share their photos as part of our little community, if the price is right, we’ll try to add that feature as a replacement.
- 2007 Industry Awards – The awards are decided, the trophies have been handed out and the feature article is very near completion. The intention was to initially run it on New Year’s Day, which became the end of January, and it has still yet to run. We just need to sit down and wrap it up, and it will be out.
- The Insider Blog – Since launching this new feature, a lot has come up and we have yet to be able to update it. So we’re making up for it today by posting all of the updates we had planned for it over the past week. We’ll keep up with it better going forward, and hopefully everyone will enjoy this new feature. Kyle Doyle’s “Exhaust Fumes” feature article is also being converted to a blog, so that he will be able update it as often as he likes as well.
Our web design service has gained two new clients, and both have new sites online for your viewing pleasure:
http://www.straightupracing.com/ – Bill Payne’s new site is up and running, and we are gradually adding more and more to it, keep checking back as the site construction is completed.
http://www.extremeteam4x4.com/ – The new home for Mac and Liz Plecker’s Extreme Team, including the HPI-Savage monster ride truck and the Ballistic race truck. A small temp site is online and we are working on completing the final version of the site, keep watching for that.
One of our very first clients also has a newly re-designed site up, check out our good friends at http://www.wgasmotorsports.com/ to see the new setup.
As if all that wasn’t enough to keep us busy, our first edition of the MTRA Newsletter will be out next week, keep watching over at http://www.mtra.us/ to see that.
The St. Louis Monster Jam event marked the final outing for my trusty Nikon D50 after two years of service. It decided to start acting up about halfway through freestyle, so thankfully Kyle Doyle was there to provide the photo gallery for the site. We’ve got a loaner for use in the interim while the old warhorse is in the shop and we’ll be upgrading to a sparkling new D300 shortly. That camera was an important step forward for the site as it allowed us to bring our coverage to a higher level. Hopefully this next upgrade will do the same!
We’re also working on another project or two that everyone should like, and in the meantime, we’re still keeping up with all the latest news in the industry and covering every event we can. Stay tuned folks, we’ll get caught up on everything!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Welcome to the Insider Blog!
We figured it was about time TheMonsterBlog.com had an actual blog in the more traditional sense, so we've developed the new "Insider Blog" to serve this purpose. Often times we run across interesting stories or news bits that aren't quite significant enough to warrant a full story on the site, and the new blog will give us an opportunity to share these with all of our loyal visitors.
We'll also use this space to share thoughts and opinions on current news and events in the industry, and maybe even to share amusing anecdotes or photos that don't always make it into the normal coverage. The Insider Blog will be a place for us to give kudos to the outstanding performances, on the track and off, that make our sport so great. You'll also find here the story behind the story on the site itself...why we make some of the coverage decisions we make.
The idea is to use this to provide a more personal touch to TheMonsterBlog.com. As we've grown, the site has transitioned from what was originally more of a traditional blog into a full on news and coverage site. Hopefully adding the Insider Blog as our newest feature will help bring back more personality to the site.
And the best part of all this? You, the fans, will be able to comment on our blog entries and share your feedback on the work we're doing here on TheMonsterBlog.com. We're here to serve you and we're always interested in what you have to say about the direction of the site.
So here's the bottom line...nothing on the main site will change, that will still be the best place to find all of your monster truck news and coverage. But here on the Insider Blog, you'll get the behind the scenes story. Tell us what you think about the new idea, and welcome all to the newest feature on TheMonsterBlog.com!
- Ross Z. Bonar, TheMonsterBlog.com
We'll also use this space to share thoughts and opinions on current news and events in the industry, and maybe even to share amusing anecdotes or photos that don't always make it into the normal coverage. The Insider Blog will be a place for us to give kudos to the outstanding performances, on the track and off, that make our sport so great. You'll also find here the story behind the story on the site itself...why we make some of the coverage decisions we make.
The idea is to use this to provide a more personal touch to TheMonsterBlog.com. As we've grown, the site has transitioned from what was originally more of a traditional blog into a full on news and coverage site. Hopefully adding the Insider Blog as our newest feature will help bring back more personality to the site.
And the best part of all this? You, the fans, will be able to comment on our blog entries and share your feedback on the work we're doing here on TheMonsterBlog.com. We're here to serve you and we're always interested in what you have to say about the direction of the site.
So here's the bottom line...nothing on the main site will change, that will still be the best place to find all of your monster truck news and coverage. But here on the Insider Blog, you'll get the behind the scenes story. Tell us what you think about the new idea, and welcome all to the newest feature on TheMonsterBlog.com!
- Ross Z. Bonar, TheMonsterBlog.com
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