Black Stallion - Sat. 2PM Black Stallion - Sat. 8PM Black Stallion - Sun.
Weekend Race Recap
Durham, NH (April 7-8, 2001)
Saturday
Beautiful spring weather and a standing room only crowd greeted the Thunder Nationals superstars at the Whittemore Center Arena in Durham, New Hampshire for the final 3 rounds of the 2001 season. Defending champ Rambo, Black Stallion 2000, Eradicator, and Tom Meents driving Bulldozer all came to Durham to compete.
The monster truck competitions began with the donut contests. Rambo and Bulldozer had no trouble sliding on the concrete floor. Nitzke in Rambo performed his patented donut waving the steering wheel out the window. For the first time since signing on with Team Goldberg 2 years ago, Tom Meents got back behind the wheel of Bulldozer. Tom caught a dry spot in the concrete, sending the truck up on two wheels. But Tom's expertise pulled the big bull down to earth again.
Andy Slifko in the Dodge Eradicator had no trouble standing the truck near straight up and down in the wheelie contest. Thunder Nationals regular Mike Vaters in Black Stallion 2000 did the same and scored just one point ahead of Slifko.
It was interesting to watch the track grow as the Super Trucks took to the floor. What began as nearly an ice skating contest turned into serious racing as the coke syrup stuck to the floor. Each heat, the drivers were able to hook up better and quicker to provide faster racing. In between heats Super Truck drivers groomed the track and added the coke syrup to get the traction they needed to fly around the track.
Mike Nitzke in Rambo had what he considered the biggest vibration he'd felt in his 7 years of racing the Rambo monster truck during his freestyle run. After tearing apart the motor, Nitzke found anti-freeze in his oil, indicating some type of internal engine problem for the New York based Chevy. Nitzke indicated that he will run a dry block at this evening's show to gain those crucial points he needs to repeat as points champion.
Tom Meents in Bulldozer broke a power steering pump on his first airborne freestyle launch. Tom navigated around the small arena floor with only rear steer and made two huge leaps, clearing the cars both times. Despite only making 2 freestyle runs, Meents still scored a 27 in freestyle. Then came Mike Vaters in Black Stallion 2000 who again cleared the cars, using every bit of arena floor space possible. Vaters won freestyle with a near-perfectscore of 29.
With Rambo out of the racing action, Vaters was given a bye run into the finals. Tom Meents just edged out Andy Slifko's Eradicator to face off with Black Stallion 2000 for the title. This would be Vaters' day, taking the racing win to accompany the freestyle and wheelie contest wins.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON RESULTS
Donut Contest - BULLDOZER Rambo 26 Bulldozer 26 Because of the tie, SFX officials dropped the lowest score giving Tom Meents' Bulldozer the donut contest victory.
Wheelie Contest - BLACK STALLION 2000 Eradicator - 23 Black Stallion 2000 - 24
Freestyle - BLACK STALLION 2000 Eradicator - 19 Rambo - 24 Black Stallion 2000 - 29 Bulldozer - 27
Racing - BLACK STALLION 2000 Round 1 Black Stallion 2000 - Bye Bulldozer defeated Eradicator
Finals Black Stallion 2000 defeated Bulldozer
Saturday 8 PM
The Whittemore Center was the place to be on Saturday night as the Thunder Nationals Series rocked the house for the second time this weekend. The show started off with a bang as stuntman Serge Beaulieu blew himself up with the equivalent of two sticks of dynamite.
Baring engine troubles, Mike Nitzke brought the Rambo truck out to begin monster truck festivities for the evening in the donut contest. Once again, Mike performed the donut without the luxury of a steering wheel – he instead waved it out the window. Mike received a 21 for his efforts. Next up was Tom Meents in Bulldozer who had a bit of trouble spinning the truck around. However, once he got it going Tom pulled off an incredible donut to win the contest with a score of 28.
All four trucks competed in the wheelie contest. Eradicator started off with an incredible vertical leap. Rambo was still having motor troubles but still 2nd respectably. Black Stallion 2000 had an amazing launch and tweaked in the air, landing hard on the unforgiving concrete surface. But it was Tom Meents in Bulldozer who cleared all 5 cars to win the wheelie contest.
Andy Slifko started freestyle with awesome skyward and sideways leaps. The big Dodge held together for a score of 22. Nitzke in Rambo made several passes before pulling back into the pits with zero oil pressure. Next out was Tom Meents, who could have very easily punched a hole through the roof with his horns upright and high in the air. Meents did very well, and only one truck remained Black Stallion 2000. Mike Vaters pulled off an incredible freestyle but the judges were torn. Both Vaters and Meents had done exceptional, but about equal. That is, until Vaters lined up for a jump at the cars, in reverse. Vaters cleared 5 cars in reverse and garnered a perfect score of 30 for the freestyle win.
Monster action was hot, and so was Super Truck action. In an early heat race the mole winner announced that, “women had no place on the race track.” Well after finding 1st and 2nd in the final heat, the two engaged in a grudge match which pitted guy vs. Girl, and on this night, the girl won.
All of the incredible freestyle action did not help the racing, as the cars were mangled and torn in different directions. Black Stallion 2000 proved this in the first race of the night as he came down sideways, advancing the Dodge Eradicator to the finals. In the other round 1 match, Tom Meents beat Rambo, advancing Bulldozer to the finals.
The Cerini Harley-Davidson sponsored Eradicator was quick, but it was Tom Meents in Bulldozer who pulled away for the race win.
Saturday night’s show left drama and tension in the pit area. Can Rambo overcome motor problems to defend his title? Can Black Stallion 2000, who represented the Thunder Nationals Series in Las Vegas, take it all? Can Andy Slifko and Eradicator serve as the spoiler? Can Tom Meents claim the Durham title just like he did in Las Vegas two weeks ago? The 2001 Thunder National Series’ final chapter will be written tomorrow.
Sunday
You couldn't have scripted a better ending to the Thunder Nationals Series! Sunday's show inside the Whittemore Center was one that the sellout crowd won't soon forget.
Prior to the race, Mike Nitzke made the decision to withdraw from the day's racing due to engine troubles. To round out the field of 4, Pat Summa's Thrasher was brought in to compete.
In the donut contest, Tom Meents had trouble with no rear wheel drive in Bulldozer. This opened the door for Black Stallion 2000 who won with a score of 23.
Pat Summa stood the Toyota Thrasher straight up and down in the wheelie contest, crumpling the steel tailgate and bedsides. Pat won with a score of 28.
Summa was then first out for freestyle. Unfortunately, Summa injured his thumb and wrist in a hard landing, thus forcing him to bow out of the racing. Tom Meents, with only front wheel drive, amazed the crowd with a donut in reverse! But once again, Black Stallion 2000 perfected the reverse jump to win freestyle with a perfect 30 score.
"Iron Mike" Nitzke pinch drove Thrasher for the injured Summa in racing. In a "do what you gotta do" attitude, Mike Vaters, who threw out his top forward gears, vowed to race...in reverse. He defeated Nitzke in Rambo to earn the right to race Eradicator, who got a 1st round bye based on his 2nd place finish in freestyle. Mike couldn't win another in reverse, as Andy Slifko powered the Eradicator to the final victory on the 2001 Thunder Nationals Series.
