UK Monster Truckers Pulling out all the Stops
as Season Comes to a Close
31
August 2005
As the European Monster Truck Racing Championship
gets close to its finale, the drivers were out to impress, and out
to score points in the penultimate round at the
weekend. Massed ranks of fans lined the sun-drenched arena for both
days of Monster Mania as it made its annual trip to the once-pristine
lawns of Norfolk Showground.
Pushing on an intense three-consecutive-weekends schedule
set to underline
the championship's premier status in the UK, there was a real rivalry
with the US series showing. With the US Monster Jam tour entertaining
crowds in the arenas of
Manchester
and
Birmingham,
these outdoor venues provide an opportunity for the Brits to fight
hard and show what real racing was all about. Leading up to the final
in
Sunderland, the drivers were all after
valuable
points in
a series
where the title
is
still wide open, and the lead was set to change with each of the
weekend's two rounds.
Breakages were to hinder the performance of many of the
key players over the weekend - a result of the punishing schedule.
Ian Batey's Lil' Devil was the first to feel the strain, with a succession
of engine
problems
putting the truck
out for the entire first day.
This wasn't to slow the rest of the field with then leader,
Karl Swallow in Slingshot putting in some outrageous runs on Sunday.
One of his big jumps proved a little over enthusiastic however, with
a hard landing jerking the truck sidewards and taking out the timing
equipment. A disqualification, but a crowd-pleasing one.
The championship's big name, Bigfoot 17, built and driven
by Nigel Morris, also suffered in the racing. A hard landing in the
afternoon sheared the truck's front right wheel clean off and gave
the crew an overnight
mission back to base in Daventry to fix it ready for Bank Holiday Monday.
The second of the LA Supertrux entries, Monstrous driven by Drew Thornton
also had its share of problems, the power-steering belt working its
way off on several runs, but nothing would stop Drew from pulling off
his trademark huge-air jumps.
Local Trevor Stimpson looked unstoppable with controlled
runs in Blown Thunder, the oldest truck on the circuit. Having taken
the race win, a hard landing from a near-vertical wheelie in Freestyle
gave him a severe enough jolt as to end the run and require paramedic
intervention. Dispite finishing short of his allocated 90 second, the
crowd gave the move the thumbs up and Trevor the Freestyle win!
The sunshine didn't let up on Monday and the racing was
as close as ever. A full-power race pitting the now repaired Lil Devil
against Welshman, Rob Williams in Red Dragon was the crowd-pleaser
of the day, both of the high powered trucks running ragged, and
Ian's stuntman origins showing as he threw his truck around the course.
Tony
Dixon put in one of the fastest runs of the weekend in the heats,
but landed hard and in the final, the gently listing truck limped around,
giving Red Dragon the win. An optimistic Tony was quick to talk down
slow run and the metal hanging from the truck, "We've got a bit
of damage on the
suspension, but we had to finish the race for the points. We'll have
it fixed for Freestyle." And true to his word, it was. Another ragged
run by Ian Batey, left Lil Devil
on
the hay
bales
in the decider for third, allowing Bigfoot 17 to romp home to
third place.
With the mix of winners, the championship
remains open for the final round, and as the Monster Mania circus heads
for Herrington Country Park in Sunderland, another weekend of action
is promised. An event not to be missed. The event opens at 10am with
racing starting at 11am, on Saturday and Sunday 3-4th September. Entry
is £12
for adults,
£6
for
children
aged 4-15. Freestyle Motocorss stunts and HPI Mini Monster Trucks,
plus fairground attractions complete a perfect family day out.
Images from Monster Mania events are available online here.
See 2005 series calendar for Monster
Mania, European Truck Racing Series
Related Story 21.08.2005 - Monster
Jam Rocks in Birmingham and Manchester
