Houston, TX - Reliant Stadium

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Trucks: USHRA Monster Trucks including Grave Digger® driven by Charlie Pauken, Advance Auto Parts Grinder℠ driven by Nicole Johnson, Superman driven by Sean Duhon, Predator, Pouncer, King Krunch driven by David Smith, Rod Ryan driven by Daron Basl, Equalizer driven by Mike Hawkins, Hot Tamale, Get R Done driven by Mitch Tulachka, Robo Machine, Eradicator driven by Andy Slifko, Backdraft driven by Jeremy Slifko, XXX driven by Krissy Moler, Mountaineer driven by RB Moler, and Team Hot Wheels® driven by Dan Evans!

Trucks: Robo Machine (Shane Phreed), Mountaineer (R.B. Moler), Hot Tamale (Troy Rose), Superman (Sean Duhon), Prowler (Lenny Kuilder), Equalizer (Mike Hawkins), Get-Er-Done (Mitch Tulachka), XXX State of Destruction (Dana Creech), Predator (Ron Nelson), Fiesta King Krunch (David Smith), Backdraft (Jeremy Slifko), Advance Auto Parts Grinder (Nicole Johnson), Eradicator (Andy Slifko), Hot Wheels (Dan Evans), Thye Rod Ryan Show (Daron Basl), Grave Digger (Charlie Pauken)

The Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam at Reliant Stadium in Houston always has a twist when the show makes its second appearance of the year. There’s no racing and freestyle rules the night. It was a night they will talk about for a while.
The day started with a visit from the fans during the Party in the Pits. Drivers signed hundreds of autographs and met the ones who would be yelling themselves hoarse through the course of the night.

The night opened with wheelie competition, giving the drivers two hits on obstacles of their choice. West Virginia Mountaineer opened the action with a solid 20, but Superman boosted it to 22 in short order. The score would hold until Fiesta King Krunch set out and put up a pair of vertical leaps that bordered on perfection. The score moved to 26 with that maneuver and the first real challenge came from Nicole Johnson and Grinder. Her wheelies were very good and the Grinder crowd held their breath awaiting the score. The 25 was good enough for the runner-up spot. The next three drivers were also in the 20s, leaving only Charlie Pauken and Grave Digger with a shot to steal away the first element. Grave Digger hit the stack, carrying the wheelie until hitting a mogul and flipping the truck. His single effort took points away, but was still enough to score a 25. Fiesta King Krunch claimed the first trophy of the night.

Drivers were called to the floor to pursue the best cyclones with action at both ends of the floor on occasion. Superman again grabbed the early lead, but Equalizer became a force to be reckoned with to grab the top spot. Fiesta King Krunch was poised to double down to add the cyclones to the earlier wheelie win. Advance Auto Parts Grinder again got within a point, but could bypass the leader. Grave Digger was able to launch into a series of cyclones that intrigued the judges to get the 2010 World Freestyle Champion Charlie Pauken a victory in cyclones. His victory also brought free Jumbo Jacks from sponsor Jack in the Box.

The last chance for a trophy came with the Advance Auto Parts Service is Our Best Part freestyle. Eradicator stepped out for the first attempt and put together a solid run that utilized all 90 seconds and the entire 30 second bonus time. His 19 was a stout obstacle to those who tried to take the lead. It wasn’t until Superman, who led every element of the night at one point, came through with a 22. Driver Sean Duhon agonized the competitors’ runs that came close to his effort as Duhon held onto the hot seat. Grinder’s first hit launched the truck high into the air, but Nicole Johnson saved the truck. Another near miss happened when the driver again put the truck back on four wheels. A third time didn’t have a happy ending as the truck turtled onto its roof. Without the benefit of bonus time, Grinder could only get a 21 to the dismay of Grinder fans previous and new. Fiesta King Krunch stood to double down with this effort and left nothing to chance. A spirited freestyle run was composed of mixing in a complete variety of tricks to earn the clear top spot of 26. Grave Digger came to the floor and, for the second time, rolled the truck, but this was ahead of the full 90 seconds. It cost valuable points as Grave Digger’s 23 wasn’t enough and local racer David Smith carted home three trophies – wheelie, Advance Auto Parts Service is Our Best Part freestyle and Double Down.
Mark Noto won the Pro Stadium Trucks main in a race of high attrition. Fans were also treated to freestyle action for motorcycles, quads and even snowmobiles. The run culminated with two backflipping motorcycles, a backflipping quad and a snowmobile performing a backflip.
The Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam returns to Houston on February 4.

Wheelies
Fiesta King Krunch – 9-8-9 = 26
Grave Digger – 8-9-8 = 25
Advance Auto Parts Grinder – 8-9-8 = 25
Hot Wheels – 7-8-8 = 23
The Rod Ryan Show – 7-7-8 = 22
Superman – 6-8-8 = 22
Eradicator – 6-7-7- = 20
Mountaineer – 7-6-7 = 20
Hot Tamale – 6-6-7 = 19
Equalizer – 5-5-7 = 17
XXX – 5-5-4 = 14
Backdraft – 4-5-4 = 13
Predator – 4-4-3 = 11
Get-Er-Done = 3-3-3 = 9

Cyclones
Grave Digger – 25
Fiesta King Krunch – 24
Grinder – 23
Eradicator – 21
Backdraft – 18
Equalizer – 16
Superman – 14
Mountaineer – 12
Hot Wheels – 9
Predator – 8

Advance Auto Parts Service is Our Best Part Freestyle
Fiesta King Krunch – 8-8-8-2 = 26
Grave Digger – 8-8-7 = 23
Superman – 7-7-6-2 = 22
Advance Auto Parts Grinder – 7-7-7 = 21
Eradicator – 6-6-6-1 = 19
Prowler – 6-5-6-2 = 19
Backdraft – 5-6-7 = 18
The Rod Ryan Show – 6-6-6 = 18
Robo Machine – 5-5-5-1 = 16
Mountaineer – 5-5-5-1 = 16
Equalizer – 6-5-5 = 16
Hot Wheels – 5-5-4 = 14
Predator – 5-4-4-1 = 14
XXX – 1-1-1 = 3

By Larry Jewett