FRIDAY -
Year after year, the fans in Rockford just keeping getting better - tonight's opening show crowd came tonight looking to see some great a

We began tonight's show with the Monster Jam Wheelie Competition. Right out of the gates, we had an incredible competition. Devastator dropped his tailgate on the crush car, while holding his front bumper straight over his head. The truck look like it was going to rock backward for the longest time. But, the veteran driver knew exactly how put the monster back on all four tires safely.

Devastator: 22
Rolling Thunder: 14
Full Boar: 12
Donkey Kong: 7

Grave Digger: 27

Devastator held the lead with only one truck remaining. Charlie knew that he would have to do something really special with Digger to win the competition. Digger launched off the first crush car, and landed on the third car, crushing the hood as Chuckie planted the rear bumper. He held it, then brought it down. It was the leap INTO the wheelie that impressed these judges, and earned him his first win of the night.

The monsters would draw numbers to determine the first round race pairing. Full Boar drew lucky number one, so, he took the first round bye. In round one, Digger beat Rolling Thunder and Donkey Kong took out Devastator.

Jim would earn a trip to the finals when Rolling Thunder came back as the fast loser, and beat Full Boar in the Semi's. In the second semi, Digger took out Kong with a close finish.

The final we began to see Digger's strategy. He won his semi by coming threw the line low and fast, while his opponent went with some big air. Charlie used this same approach in the Finals, with the same result. He took the checkered flag, did a quick freestyle for the fans, then got up on top of digger to do his trademark "Chuckie Dance" while the fans went wild.

In tonight's Monster Jam Donut Competition, every single truck was able get their wheels up off of the track surface, and whip up the cyclone. One performance, though, stood out, and even included a steering wheel that went bouncing across the track.

Donkey Kong: 16
Devastator: 8
Full Boar: 22
Grave Digger: 24

Rolling Thunder: 29

Jim is well known for his Donuts, his truck seems to be made for them. He put Thunder into such a tight spin, and he had nearly every single fan on their feet once they figured out that he just may never stop. It had to be the longer single donut we've ever seen. He even kept it going after his steering wheel came flying onto the track.

In Quad Wars, Team California just couldn't get it going in the cold Illinois weather. While they did win the second heat, Team Illinois clearly demonstrated that they were the better team tonight by easily wining both the first heat, and the all important Finals.

The BMX Jam Session featured three of the top riders around. With a brand new ramp all set and ready to go, they began to put together a great series of tricks. Glenn Salyers and Brett Banasiewicz were just getting started when Danny Rumple pulled out a backflip from nowhere. He landed it a bit short, and the weight of his back tire seemed to have broken one of the boards. He was obviously ok, and the crowd went wild for the backflip.

In Monster Truck Freestyle, the momentum built to an incredible dual between the final two trucks.

Full Boar: 13
Rolling Thunder: 15
Devastator: 17
Donkey Kong: 21

Grave Digger: 24

Every performance was incredible, and had the crowd cheering on their feet. But it was the final two trucks that really went at it. No wonder, too, because these are two of the very best, AND, they travel the country together, building up a bigger and bigger rivalry as they go. Donkey Kong clearly had the bigger air of the night and continually cleared the entire car stack en route to his score of 21. Digger, though, once again, set himself apart by adding a slap wheelie to his landing after jumping the stack. Charlie did it over and over again, and it was enough to earn him a high score, and, the freestyle victory.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON -
You know that you're in a town that loves monster trucks when things just keep getting louder as the weekend rolls on. Rockford fans packed the Metro Center from the moment that we opened the doors at 11am for the Party in the Pits.

The Wheelie Competition today brought the exact same excitement as we had last night.

Devastator: 16
Rolling Thunder: 13
Full Boar: 16
Donkey Kong: 17

Grave Digger: 24

Devastator again showed us exactly how to do a wheel stand, as he put the back bumper on the car stack and held it there. Donkey Kong put up the huge air with his sky-wheelie, and topped all scores at 17. Only Digger remained. Based up last night, we knew that Charlie would again gas it hard, and try to plant the rear axle into the third crush car. Sure enough… he was successful, and this crowd loved it just as much as the fans last night.

Coming off of last night's show, we had a very interesting day of racing. Digger drew the bye in the first round, as Full Boar took out Devastator and Kong beat Thunder. Once again, Rolling Thunder came back as the fastest loser, but was now up against Digger. These are the two trucks that squared off in last night's Final, so we felt that Jim would have his chance for revenge. Not so, at least for today as Digger scored his second win of the weekend over Thunder to advance once again to the finals. With Kong taking out Full Boar in the other Semi, we would now have the two teammates work out their rivalry in the biggest race of the show. It looked like the twenty one years of experience may have been the difference over the seventh year driver. Charlie just seemed to have a feel for the track, and knew how to blow past the finish line low and fast. Frank had tremendous air, but in the end had to watch as Digger took the checkered flag.

The Donut Competition again was something that every fan just had to see. We have five spectacular runs, with one that simply stood out as "perfect".

Donkey Kong: 18
Devastator: 9
Full Boar: 14
Grave Digger: 20

Rolling Thunder: 30

Jim Bendzick must really like that dizzy feeling after spinning in circles. After he got into his "cyclone", we twice thought that he was about to shut it down, but, he just kept going, and going, and…. With every single fan on their feet cheering, Jim finally stopped and staggered out of his truck, still a bit light headed from the ride. The result was perfect, and so too was his score.

Team Illinois would not be denied on their home track. In Quad Wars, the home teams wants nothing more than to win for their fans. IL took the first race, but gave up the second heat to Team California. In the Final, when it all really counts, IL blew their opponents clean off the track.

With a newly re-built ramp, the BMX Jam Session went off with out a hitch, or, any breakage. For the final run, Danny, Glenn, and Brett all lined up for a "Train" with one jumping right after another. The "Train" is somewhat common in events, but, this was no ordinary one - all three riders hit a Backflip to end the performance, and send the fans to their feet.

Every fan loves Freestyle, and it's obvious that this is a set of drivers determined to give them as much to cheer about as possible.

Full Boar: 12
Rolling Thunder: 6
Devastator: 18
Donkey Kong: 23

Grave Digger: 24

Last night, Frank Krmel was trying to hold on to a lead with a single truck remaining - but in the end, lost it. Today, Frank again was holding his breath, hoping that his score would be enough for a Freestyle win. Naturally, Charlie did everything he could to snatch the win away from his teammate. It seems pretty clear that Charlie would get in once he walked a slap wheelie the length of the track, keeping the front end of the truck pointing straight into the air.

SATURDAY NIGHT -
If today's afternoon show could possibly be topped - we did it tonight. The fans were as crazy as any that we've ever seen!

The Monsters kicked it off with another incredible Wheelie Competition, and posted the highest overall points for the weekend.

Devastator: 18
Rolling Thunder: 15
Full Boar: 20
Donkey Kong: 16

Grave Digger: 24

While every truck pulled off a great wheelie, it was Ed in Full Boar that gave Digger a run for his money. Ed put everything that the Boar had into this run, and sat the back end of his truck on the crush cars, before pitching off sideways to the right. Digger again went last, and did that patented wheelstand, where he jumps the first two cars, then plants the truck straight up and down into the third car. This time it looked like he was going to roll over backwards, but not a chance as the veteran had full control the entire time.

In the draw for Racing, Donkey Kong got the bye as Digger had to beat Full Boar, and Devastator had to take down Thunder to earn their ways into the Semis. Once again Thunder came back as the fastest losing time, but was quickly taken back out by Kong. With Digger knocking out Devastator, we had the rematch from earlier today. Even though Krmel really want to take a racing win from Charlie, it would not happen today. It was the closest race of the weekend, with both trucks putting up the huge air. Digger has the jump off of the line, and it was enough to give Pauken his second win of the day over Krmel, and Digger's third straight racing win of the weekend.

In the Donut Competition, this weekend's three time champion threw down the cyclone that proved to be untouchable by any other.

Donkey Kong: 15
Devastator: 7
Full Boar: 20
Grave Digger: 21

Rolling Thunder: 30

It's incredible to see a cyclone like Jim Bendzick's in Rolling Thunder. It's beyond a donut, and beyond what many fans are ever able see live. In each one of our three shows this weekend, Jim did it equally as well for all of the fans here in Rockford. They were all on their feet screaming. It will be something they will never forget.

It's official - Team California is no match for the home state team here in Illinois. After getting DQ'd for jumping the start in the Finals, Team CA was given a final chance to take their first win of the weekend in a Captain's Grudge match. It looked like to Team IL captain was toying with his opponent as he cruised to victory in a weekend sweep.

The BMX Jam Session once again delivered as each of the three rider pulled the awesome backflip for their final jump.

In the Freestyle Competition, Digger was anxious to try to sweep the weekend's three shows. His teammate, Krmel, made it tough once again by posting a score that would really make Charlie work for it.

Full Boar: --
Rolling Thunder: 16
Devastator: 13
Donkey Kong: 21

Grave Digger: 23

Donkey Kong knew exactly how to get this crowd excited. Krmel did the same thing that he's been doing all weekend in Freestyle. Huge air, and huge distance! No question that Frank had jumped the furthest distance of any truck this weekend. When Charlie took to the track, he figured that only a full throttle performance would top Kong. From the start to the finish, the non-stop performance he delivered was the perfect ending to a weekend of great shows. When the judges submitted the winning score total, the fans got their final look at the trademark "Chuckie Dance" on the roof of the legendary black and green machine.

Announcer, Michael Williams