Pittsburgh, PA - Feb. 8-10 - PPG Paints Arena
Authored by Samuel Reiman on February 9, 2019
Hosts: John Saponaro and Abby Baltezar
Tour: Triple Threat Series Central
Truck Lineup: Grave Digger® (Brandon Vinson), Monster Energy® (Coty Saucier), Soldier Fortune™ (Kayla Blood), El Toro Loco® (Mark List), Blue Thunder® (Matt Cody), Monster Mutt® Rottweiler (Cory Snyder), Pirate’s Curse™ (Justin Hicks), Zombie™ (Macey Nichter)
Sunday Afternoon
SEASON STANDINGS
Grave Digger 755
Solider Fortune 668
El Toro Loco 661
Monster Energy 622
Pirate’s Curse 481
Blue Thunder 465
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 284
Zombie 264
EVENT POINTS
Grave Digger 39
Solider Fortune 33
El Toro Loco 32
Blue Thunder 27
Pirate’s Curse 25
Monster Energy 23
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 16
Zombie 9
RACING
Round 1
Grave Digger defeated Monster Energy
Soldier Fortune defeated Monster Mutt Rottweiler
Pirate’s Curse defeated Blue Thunder
El Toro Loco defeated Zombie
Semi-Finals
Grave Digger defeated Soldier Fortune
Pirate’s Curse defeated El Toro Loco
Finals
Grave Digger defeated Pirate’s Curse
ATV RACING
Monster Energy
Soldier Fortune
Grave Digger
Pirate’s Curse
Blue Thunder
Monster Mutt Rottweiler
El Toro Loco
Zombie
2-WHEEL SKILLS CHALLENGE™
El Toro Loco 9.085
Grave Digger 8.918
Blue Thunder 7.536
Soldier Fortune 7.415
Monster Energy 6.518
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 5.025
Pirate’s Curse 4.243
Zombie 3.334
DONUTS
Grave Digger 9.184
Soldier Fortune 8.969
Monster Energy 8.689
El Toro Loco 7.660
Blue Thunder 7.381
Pirate’s Curse 7.144
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 7.120
Zombie 3.810
SPEEDSTER OBSTACLE COURSE
Round 1
El Toro Loco defeated Zombie
Grave Digger defeated Monster Mutt Rottweiler
Blue Thunder defeated Soldier Fortune
Pirate’s Curse defeated Monster Energy
Semi-Finals
El Toro Loco defeated Grave Digger
Blue Thunder defeated Pirate’s Curse
Finals
Blue Thunder defeated El Toro Loco
FREESTYLE
Soldier Fortune 8.912
El Toro Loco 8.145
Grave Digger 7.619
Pirate’s Curse 7.255
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 7.043
Blue Thunder 6.853
Zombie 6.557
Monster Energy 6.436
EVENT NOTES
Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh was a tale of back-to-backs in many ways. The event opened with Grave Digger winning Monster Jam Racing, just as Brandon Vinson had done the night before. That trend would continue later on in the event with Speedster Obstacles and Freestyle — where Blue Thunder and Solider Fortune won each of those competitions respectively. In another noteworthy win, Coty Saucier of Monster Energy captured his first ATV victory of 2019 — making it the first time he has done so since returning to the Triple Threat Series. Once the dust settled however, it was Brandon Vinson and Grave Digger who claimed the Overall Event Championship trophy. The Grave Digger team was able to sweep the weekend, for the second weekend in a row in fact, meaning that Brandon will carry a seven Overall Event Victory streak with him to Cleveland next week.
Saturday Evening
SEASON STANDINGS
Grave Digger 716
Solider Fortune 635
El Toro Loco 629
Monster Energy 599
Pirate’s Curse 456
Blue Thunder 438
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 268
Zombie 255
EVENT POINTS
Grave Digger 37
Solider Fortune 36
Monster Energy 33
El Toro Loco 32
Pirate’s Curse 21
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 17
Blue Thunder 17
Zombie 10
RACING
Round 1
Monster Energy defeated Zombie
Solider Fortune defeated Pirate’s Curse
Grave Digger defeated Blue Thunder
El Toro Loco defeated Monster Mutt Rottweiler
Semi-Finals
Monster Energy defeated Soldier Fortune
Grave Digger defeated El Toro Loco
Finals
Grave Digger defeated Monster Energy
ATV RACING
Pirate’s Curse
Soldier Fortune
Grave Digger
El Toro Loco
Monster Energy
Blue Thunder
Monster Mutt Rottweiler
Zombie
2-WHEEL SKILLS CHALLENGE™
Monster Energy 9.070
Grave Digger 8.690
El Toro Loco 8.263
Soldier Fortune 7.480
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 7.258
Pirate’s Curse 6.004
Zombie 3.595
Blue Thunder DNC
DONUTS
Soldier Fortune 9.144
Grave Digger 8.540
Monster Energy 7.904
El Toro Loco 7.435
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 7.086
Blue Thunder 6.602
Pirate’s Curse 6.255
Zombie 5.825
SPEEDSTER OBSTACLE COURSE
Round 1
El Toro Loco defeated Grave Digger
Monster Energy defeated Zombie
Solider Fortune defeated Monster Mutt Rottweiler
Blue Thunder defeated Pirate’s Curse
Semi-Finals
El Toro Loco defeated Monster Energy
Blue Thunder defeated Soldier Fortune
Finals
Blue Thunder defeated El Toro Loco
FREESTYLE
Soldier Fortune 8.965
Grave Digger 8.666
El Toro Loco 8.262
Monster Energy 7.099
Pirate’s Curse 6.473
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 6.287
Zombie 5.441
Blue Thunder 5.095
EVENT NOTES
Saturday night at the PPG Paints Arena opened with a photo finish in Monster Jam Racing — with Grave Digger narrowly defeating Monster Energy by the tread on his BKT tire. Up next it was the second ATV win of the weekend for Pirate’s Curse. Just before intermission, the Monster Energy team, led by Coty Saucier, took his first 2-Wheel Skills Challenge victory of 2019. The second half opened with a Soldier Fortune Donut win, followed by a Blue Thunder win behind the wheel of the Speedster. Heading into Freestyle, the Overall Event Championship would come down to Grave Digger, Solider Fortune and Monster Energy. And although Solider Fortune secured the Freestyle win, Grave Digger finished in second place, giving Brandon Vinson just enough points for this third Overall Event trophy of the weekend.
Saturday Afternoon
SEASON STANDINGS
Grave Digger 679
Solider Fortune 599
El Toro Loco 597
Monster Energy 566
Pirate’s Curse 435
Blue Thunder 421
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 251
Zombie 245
EVENT POINTS
Grave Digger 41
Solider Fortune 36
El Toro Loco 31
Monster Energy 28
Blue Thunder 25
Pirate’s Curse 19
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 16
Zombie 8
RACING
Round 1
Grave Digger defeated Pirate’s Curse
Monster Energy defeated Monster Mutt Rottweiler
Blue Thunder defeated Zombie
Solider Fortune defeated El Toro Loco
Semi-Finals
Monster Energy defeated Grave Digger
Soldier Fortune defeated Blue Thunder
Finals
Soldier Fortune defeated Monster Energy
ATV RACING
El Toro Loco
Grave Digger
Solider Fortune
Pirate’s Curse
Monster Energy
Blue Thunder
Monster Mutt Rottweiler
Zombie
2-WHEEL SKILLS CHALLENGE™
Grave Digger 9.643
Blue Thunder 8.987
Solider Fortune 7.609
El Toro Loco 6.943
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 5.871
Monster Energy 5.497
Pirate’s Curse 5.197
Zombie 4.316
DONUTS
Grave Digger 9.088
Soldier Fortune 8.632
Monster Energy 7.969
Pirate’s Curse 7.118
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 6.744
Blue Thunder 6.627
El Toro Loco 3.943
Zombie 3.712
SPEEDSTER OBSTACLE COURSE
Round 1
El Toro Loco defeated Pirate’s Curse
Monster Energy defeated Solider Fortune
Blue Thunder defeated Monster Mutt Rottweiler
Grave Digger defeated Zombie
Semi-Finals
El Toro Loco defeated Monster Energy
Blue Thunder defeated Grave Digger
*Blue Thunder suffered a broken Speedster and couldn’t continue, Grave Digger advanced*
Finals
Grave Digger defeated El Toro Loco
FREESTYLE
El Toro Loco 8.642
Soldier Fortune 8.327
Grave Digger 7.755
Monster Energy 7.241
Blue Thunder 6.995
Pirate’s Curse 6.547
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 6.001
Zombie 5.886
EVENT NOTES
Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh kicked off with an assist from Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the action never slowed down. First it was Solider Fortune’s Kayla Blood capturing her third Monster Jam Racing win. Up next, it was Mark List taking yet another ATV victory. Then Brandon Vinson got back to his 2-Wheel Skill Challenge domination to take us to intermission. After the break, the streak continued for Brandon and Grave Digger, as he took both Donuts and Speedster Obstacles. Finally, Mark List capped the night with a Freestyle win, but it proved to be too little, too late because Grave Digger was too far ahead to be caught. Brandon Vinson has taken both Overall Event Championships so far in Pittsburgh.
Friday Evening
SEASON STANDINGS
Grave Digger 638
El Toro Loco 566
Soldier Fortune 563
Monster Energy 538
Pirate’s Curse 416
Blue Thunder 396
Zombie 237
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 235
EVENT POINTS
Grave Digger 36
El Toro Loco 35
Monster Energy 30
Soldier Fortune 29
Pirate’s Curse 27
Blue Thunder 26
Zombie 12
Monster Mutt Rottweiler 6
RACING
Round 1
Pirate’s Curse defeated Zombie
Soldier Fortune defeated Monster Energy
El Toro Loco defeated Grave Digger
Blue Thunder defeated Monster Mutt Rottweiler
Semi-Finals
Soldier Fortune defeated Pirate’s Curse
El Toro Loco defeated Blue Thunder
Finals
El Toro Loco defeated Soldier Fortune
ATV RACING
Pirate’s Curse
Monster Energy
Grave Digger
Soldier Fortune
El Toro Loco
Blue Thunder
Monster Mutt Rottweiler
Zombie
2-WHEEL SKILLS CHALLENGE™
Soldier Fortune 9.222
Monster Energy 7.791
Blue Thunder 7.605
El Toro Loco 7.130
Grave Digger 6.527
Pirate’s Curse 5.981
Zombie 2.665
Monster Mutt Rottweiler DNC
DONUTS
Grave Digger 9.204
El Toro Loco 8.697
Monster Energy 8.260
Pirate’s Curse 7.817
Soldier Fortune 7.512
Zombie 5.709
Blue Thunder DNC
Monster Mutt Rottweiler DNC
SPEEDSTER OBSTACLE COURSE
Round 1
Blue Thunder defeated Zombie
Grave Digger defeated Soldier Fortune
Pirate’s Curse defeated Monster Mutt Rottweiler
El Toro Loco defeated Monster Energy
Semi-Finals
Grave Digger defeated Blue Thunder
El Toro Loco defeated Pirate’s Curse
Finals
Grave Digger defeated El Toro Loco
FREESTYLE
Grave Digger 8.776
Blue Thunder 8.353
Monster Energy 7.735
El Toro Loco 7.597
Soldier Fortune 7.524
Pirate’s Curse 6.435
Zombie 4.993
Monster Mutt Rottweiler DNC
EVENT NOTES
On a cold night in Pittsburgh, things heated up early at the PPG Paints Arena. Monster Jam racing featured several upsets and missteps throughout, but culminated with an El Toro Loco win. Up next, Justin Hicks was able to put Pirate’s Curse back in the winner’s circle in ATV Racing, as he looks to solidify his position at Monster Jam World Finals. Then off the strength of an incredible single-wheel save on the top of the pod, Kayla Blood captured her third 2-Wheel Skills Challenge win of the year for Soldier Fortune. However, things turned on a dime after intermission, as Brandon Vinson swept the remaining three competitions. His domination of the second half lead Grave Digger to yet another Overall Event Championship.