Sacramento, CA - Power Balance Pavilion

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Trucks: USHRA Monster Trucks including Grave Digger® driven by Chad Tingler, Spider-Man driven by Bari Musawwir, Shock Therapy driven by Jon Zimmer, Excaliber driven by Kevin Kasala, Predator, Prowler, and Titan driven by Donald Epindendio!


Friday Night

Big names may have ended up the winners during the nights competition, but the wow factor had to be from Donald Epidendio and Titan. The California based team was the number one draw for the 1st round of racing, giving Titan a single lane bye run. During the single, Donald could have just taken an easy run, but that does not seem to be in the DNA makeup of Don Epidendio. He flat footed the loud pedal, as he would in all of his runs tonight, launching all the way to the Big O Tire finish line. Titan ended up loosing to eventual runner up Spider-Man in the semi final, and then came out and set the bar in freestyle. In a run that if it had included a BIG launch off of the FMX ramp, would have been a winning performance. Donald and Titan did all that was possible in the Power Balance Pavilion, they did hit the FMX ramp, but a little timidly, and I bet that changes on Saturday!!!

Bari Musawwir, driving Spider-Man also had a stellar night. Winning the sky wheelie contest, after a spooky hit number one. Bari romped on the throttle at the base of the backside of the racing lanes of crush cars, stood completely vertical, and rotated to the left. The time spent running RC cars has been a big help to the throttle timing and confidence level in this young driver. Bari and Spidey came back and had a great showing during the drag race portion of the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam. Bari raced his way to the UTI Championship round of racing only to meet and be beaten by Jon Zimmer and Shock Therapy. Jon is running the wheels off of the Amsoil entry in 2012, trying desperately to get a 3rd invite to the WF's. Shock Therapy, running the Scorpion racing Engines race motor, a power plant that dyno's out at 1750 horse, gives Jon every advantage on the track. Alan Pezo and Predator as well as Dale Mitchell and Pouncer had RII issues during the course of the evenings event. They worked the bugs out and put on vintage runs. Alan Pezo always charges hard and seems to be on the raggedd edge while staying in control. Chad Tingler, driving Grave Digger, won freestyle in typical Digger fashion. Going last, and having the advantage of seeing the other drivers and scores, but at the disadvantage of everything being smashed flat, Chad is one of the best in the business when it comes to making a killer show with not much to work with. With reckless abandon, Chad blasted around the track, launching, not one or twice over the FMX ramp, but 3 times, each time going bigger and bigger.

Wheelie Scores
Excaliber 15
Prowler 11
Titan 21
Predator DNS RII issue
Shock Therapy 22
Spider-Man 25
Grave Digger 20

Racing Bracket
Round 1
Titan bye run
Spider-Man tied up Pouncer
Shock Therapy jolted Predator
Grave Digger dispatched Excaliber

Semi Final
Spider-Man edged out Titan
Shock Therapy won against Digger

UTI Championship Round
Shock Therapy in victory lane after beating Spider-Man

Freestyle Scores:
Pouncer 12
Excaliber 16
Titan 20
Predator 22
Shock Therapy 25
Spider-Man 25
Grave Digger 26

By Scott Heaton

Saturday Night

With some of the best veterans and journeymen in the business in attendance in Sacramento it turned out to be the night of the youngsters. First it was who I believe could be the Rookie of the Year in 2012, Donald Epidendio in Titan taking his first ever Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam event win in the sky wheelie contest. After a near win on Friday, Donald came out and did exactly what it takes to win sky wheelies. He stood the truck straight up and down, drug the bedside and tailgate on the last of the crush cars, after rocket launching nearly a truck length above the roofs of the junkers. Donald backed it up with a 1st round racing win and then lost a photo finish decision to eventual UTI Championship round winner Spider-Man and Bari Musawwir. During the freestyle competition Donald looked to have the victory wrapped up, until Chad Tingler and Grave Digger put on a run that the judges deemed 3 points better. A win in sky wheelies, top 4 in racing and 2nd in freestyle. A very strong showing for the team from Lower Lake, California. With only 6 events scheduled so far for the 2012 Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam tour, Donald is halfway through his schedule and is going to drive the wheels off of the truck for the next three and a third weeks. Bari Musawwir and Spider-Man turned up the heat on the competition as well, coming off of a win in the wheelie contest in Friday, Bari came out and won his way to the UTI Championship Round of Racing and with a killer reaction time was able to take out whiley veteran Kevin Koszala in Excaliber. Keeping the youngsters honest, Allen Pezo and Predator showed why they have been at this for 29 years. Allen is one of the best at a fast pace and hitting every obstacle as if it had personally done something wrong to Allen and his truck. Chad Tingler in Grave Digger, always a threat and always exciting, came out and worked the track as Digger drivers are known to do. With nothing in the way of crush cars left to work with, Chad took to the FMX hill, nearly double jumping the crush car stacks in the racing lane!!! Jon Zimmer, didn't get the Zimmer time we have become accustomed to in Shock Therapy. He was put out in round one of racing by teammate Kevin Kozsala and then suffered a mechanical issue with the front steering ram that kept him from performing up to task in freestyle. The fans in Anaheim should be excited, the Amsoil Shock Therapy team and Zimmer will be down there and is already saying he is going to tear the place down!!!

Wheelie Scores:
Excaliber 19
Pouncer 15
Titan 26
Predator 14
Shock Therapy 19
Spider-Man 20
Grave Digger 24

Racing Bracket
Round 1
Predator bye run
Excaliber beats Shock Therapy
Spider-Man beat Grave Digger
Titan beat Pouncer

Semi Final
Spidey swings past Titan
Excaliber runs through Predator

Final
Spider-Man defeat Excaliber
Freestyle Scores:
Pouncer 21
Excaliber 11
Titan 23
Predator 21
Shock Therapy 19
Spider-Man 22
Grave Digger 26

By Scott Heaton

Sunday 2 PM

Donald Epidendio kept the ball rolling in Sacramento with a win in the wheelie contest, futher cementing my idea that the kid is going to be really good in this biz. He shattered his rear pinion in the semi final of racing and that mechanical issue kept the team out of freestyle. When the Titan team gets to Anaheim, they are going to turn a lot of heads!!
Allen Pezo and Dale Mitchell in Predator and Pouncer also had a tough day with mechanical problems. Predator was done after wheelies with a ruined transmission and Pouncer did not return due to an undisclosed mechanical issue. Bari Musawwir in Spider-Man returned to victory lane, winning the UTI Championship Round of Racing beating out Jon Zimmer and Shock Therapy. Kevin Kozsala in Excaliber had a god day, going to the semi final of racing. Chad Tingler topped off the event with a massive move in freestyle. After nearly jumping from the FMX ramp to the crush car ramp on Saturday night, Chad DID it on Sunday.

Wheelie Scores:
Excaliber 13
Pouncer 16
Titan 23
Predator 8
Shock Therapy 22
Spider-Man 22
Grave Digger 20

Racing Brackets
Round 1
Titan bye run
Shock Therapy beat Digger
Spider-Man beat Pouncer (Pouncer DNS with mechanical)
Excaliber beat Predator (Predator DNS due to tranny)

Semi Final
Shock Therapy zapped Titan
Spidey stuck it to Excaliber

Final
Spider-Man defeats Shock Therapy

Freestyle Scores:
Pouncer DNS
Titan DNS
Predator DNS
Excaliber 15
Shock Therapy 24
Spider-Man 17
Grave Digger 27

By Scott Heaton