Macon, GA - Macon Centreplex

Tweet




Trucks: Reptoid,Storm Damage,Bad News Travels Fast,War Wizard,Monster Mutt Dalmatian,Grave Digger

Weekend Race Recap

 

Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam Macon Friday

By: Joe Lowe

 

The folks in Macon waited a full year for the excitement of The Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam to return. Friday night it returned with Monsters, Quad Wars and XSBA.

The Extreme Sports Bikes were amazing as they ran the bikes thru their paces with ease on the sometimes troubling concrete floor. If it could be done on a bike these boys could do it and make it look easy. The “don’t try this at home rule applies”.

Quad Wars, the only team sanctioned event in Monster Jam, brought two rivals together. Team Florida and Team Georgia had met before and this weekend is for bragging rights.

The Florida team is a bit stronger with experience on their side but the Georgia team is younger and deeper in ability.

The superstars of the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam are the big 10,000 pound car crushing machines who were featured in four events. Wheelies, Racing, Donut and Freestyle competitions highlighted the night.

The Wheelie Contest was first and Candice Jolly drover Monster Mutt Dalmatian to the win over the other trucks in the field. All except Grave Digger, it seems Digger lost oil pressure right before the event began forcing crews to work in the pits to revive the ailing motor. As Grave Diggers crew worked on the truck the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam went on without the black and green wrecking machine.

Bruce Haney and his Bad News truck have long been a crowd favorite. Bruce showed why with wins in racing and the Donut contest. The truck is fast and the driver is cool calm and capable that can be a dangerous combination to try to beat. With two win for the night for Bad News and one for Monster Mutt Dalmatian Freestyle was next.

Randy Moore’s War Wizard truck, like Grave Digger, suffered motor problems after racing. Randy and his crew worked hard thru the intermission and during the donut contest to get ready for freestyle. He was and came out running hard. After the first five trucks ran Candice Jolly had the lead with 24 over War Wizards 23. Suddenly, Grave Digger came to life and Charlie Pauken drove the truck hard to earn the win and a flat tire.

The night also featured the presentation of an NGK Sparkplugs World Qualifier flag to Candice Jolly and Monster Mutt Dalmatian.

Results:

Truck                                                       Wheelie                   Donut                      Freestyle

Reptoid                                                    10                                            10                            10

Storm Damage                                         13                                            14                            15

Bad News                                                 13                                            19                            18

War Wizard                                             16                                            broke                       23

Dalmatian                                               19                                            17                            24

Grave Digger                                            broke                                       broke                       27

Racing:

Round One:

War Wizard over Storm Damage

Bad News over Monster Mutt

Reptoid bye run

Semi-Final:

Bad News over War Wizard

Monster Mutt Dalmatian beat Reptoid

UTI Finals:

Bad News beat Monster Mutt Dalmatian.

The night was full of drama and excitement with two events planned for Saturday. Crews began  working on the trucks almost immediately to prepare for the next days action. While the crews worked the drivers spent time with the fans for pictures and autographs. 

                   

Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam Macon Saturday Afternoon

By: Joe Lowe

 

Hard racing from start to finish, a donut contest that left everyone spinning and freestyle so close only 2 points separated the first and second place trucks. That is a summary of the second event of the weekend in Macon Georgia .

The day began early with a Built Ford Tough party in the pits with the superstars and their trucks all on display. Also in the pit party was the U.S. Air Force featuring a turbine engine from one of their F-16’s, the XSBA bikes, and Quad Wars competitors.

When the action began at 2pm the crowd was ready. Bruce Haney drove his Bad News truck to a win in the wheelie contest, Haney also dominated in the donut contest. In racing Grave Digger beat Reptoid in the UTI Championship. Freestyle also went to Charlie Pauken and Grave Digger.

Problems began early when Storm Damage took a hard hit in the wheelie contest. Driver Tim Mente hit his head and was checked out by medical authorities. His return to action was delayed until Freestyle. War Wizard was another truck that experienced problems. Wizard was set for round one racing against Reptoid when the starter went out on the truck and had to be replaced. He returned for the donut and freestyle competitions.

Fans cheered for all the trucks as the afternoon continued with a Grave Digger Double Down for the event.

Results:

Truck                                     Wheelie                 Donut                     Freestyle

Reptoid                                    11                            10                            12

Storm Damage                         9                              out                           10

Bad News                               20                            24                            15

War Wizard                             14                            15                            18

M.M.Dalmatian                         did not compete       17                            21

Grave Digger                           did not compete       out                           23

Race Results:

Round One :

Grave Digger bye Run

Reptoid wins when War Wizard would not start

M.M. Dalmatian beat Bad News

Semi Finals:

Grave Digger over Round One fast loser Bad News

Reptoid beat M.M. Dalmatian

UTI Championship

Grave Digger edged out Reptoid.

 

Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam Macon Saturday Night

By: Joe Lowe

 

Many Monster Jam fans believe that the final event of the weekend is the best. Saturday night in Macon proved that to be true. From start to finish it was non-stop action and excitement.

The questions were asked: would Grave Diggers motor hold together? After all, they had found metal pieces in the oil pan after Friday nights show. What about War Wizard, was a starter the only problem with the truck during the afternoon event? Others who had been running hard were Monster Mutt Dalmatian, Bad News, Storm Damage and Reptoid. Could all those trucks take the intense beating without problems? Those questions were all answered and a few more.

In fact, the only problem of the night was when Storm Damage lost an inner axle in racing forcing him out of the donut contest. With the help of his crew and several others things were changed out and Tim was able to bring the truck out for Freestyle. His score of 16 was right in the middle of the pack. Again the lesson learned was that Advance Auto Parts Drivers and Crews will all work together as a team in the pits in order to compete on the track.

A Quad Wars battle between Team Florida and Team Georgia continued with a bit of bad blood between the two teams. In the end it was Team Georgia earning the win and vowing to continue the rivalry in Pensacola next weekend.

XSBA riders Rodney Sargent, John Risconsin and David Boyd again thrilled the fans with their tricks on street legal bikes. If you have never seen these guys it is something to check out if you get the chance. While the sport is still young, it is gaining in popularity every day.

While Quads and XSBA were fun the sold out crowd came to see the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam trucks. The got what they came for.  Action and competition rivaled only by the NGK Sparkplugs World Finals in Las Vegas March 26 and 27.

The nights results tell it all:

Truck                                                     Wheelie                 Donut                                     Freestyle

Reptoid                                                    12                            8                                              16

Storm Damage                                         11                            broke                                       16

Bad News                                               16                            24                                            15

War Wizard                                             11                            14                                            21

MM Dalmatian                                          20                            21                                            18

Grave Digger                                           26                            did not compete                       25

Racing:

Round One:

Reptoid defeated War Wizard

Grave Digger beat Monster Mutt Dalmatian

Bad News over Storm Damage (Storm Damage Broke)

Semi-Finals:

Reptoid defeated round one fast loser Monster Mutt Dalmatian

Grave Digger over Bad News

UTI Championship

Grave Digger beat Reptoid.

It was a great weekend for Candice Jolly who was awarded the Qualifier Flag to drive Monster Mutt Dalmatian in the NGK World Finals, and  Grave Digger with two double down event wins in one day.

It was also thrilling for Jim Jack who is finally getting Reptiod dialed in for the new season, and  Storm Damage driven by Tim Mente who also is breaking in a new truck.

Bruce Haney is the King of Donuts but also proved he is a force to be reckoned with in racing this weekend he went head to head with Charlie Pauken in Grave Digger several times and never looked back.

Another great truck is War Wizard. Randy Moore had his share of challenges in Macon but his cool and easy manner kept things under control as his team worked thru them.

It is easy to see why fans continue to buy tickets and support the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam. It is a combination of drama, action and team work that cant be found anywhere else.

Many fans in Macon said they would see the drivers and trucks at another event in the future. Several told us during the autograph session they were bringing the family out to the World Finals in Vegas. Where ever there is Monster Jam you can be sure to see the fans and the number is growing every day.