1st Place - Jon Zimmer Jr - 2026 Monster Truck Racing Open Championship
Congratulations to Jon Zimmer Jr for winning the 2026 Monster Truck Racing Open Championship! He is the fourth driver and first independent driver to win the Open Championship. He won by a comfortable margin, leading second place Tyler Menninga by 647 points at season’s end.
Zimmer Jr has been a rising star in the sport for several years. He finished 6th in the World last season and won his first Monster Jam Arena Series championship. This season, he defending his Monster Jam championship and now adds an Open Championship to his resume. Zimmer was never ranked below 5th the entire season. He spent From February to July, he spent 20 consecutive weeks in 3rd place before making the jump up to #1. He won with Throwdown in Maple Park, Illinois and Holland, Michigan plus a runner-up finished with Toughest Tour in Lamar, Missouri. In August, Zimmer won both Throwdown races in Fowlerville against 13 other top independent trucks. In September, he added 1 win and 2 runner-ups in Jacksonville, Florida with Monster Jam to extend his lead.
On the first-quarter Monster Jam Arena Series, Zimmer competed on the highly-rated (1.181) Arena East series and posted 14 wins including winning 5 of 8 in Providence and Pittsburgh early in the season. While his Arena Series championship earned Zimmer a spot in the World Finals in Salt Lake City, he was prevented from competing in racing due to a rules violation. Although he missed out on winning that marquee event, his season did include big wins with MAP Motorsports in Wheatland, Missouri in October and Miami, Oklahoma in June.
Jon Zimmer Jr finished the 2026 season with 30 wins, 14774 points, and a 194.39 average, which are all career bests. He competed in 76 racing events this season which was also a career high. His 103 total events was the 2nd most of his career and 2nd year with over 100 events. He was one of only 3 drivers to win 30 races this year. His 14774 points was the most of all drivers this year and the 3rd highest total all-time.
In head-to-head racing, Jon Jr raced his father Jon Sr the most this year and beat the ol’ man 23 out of 31 times. Jon Jr was 17-6 against Montana Robbins, 14-9 against Triton Robbins, 11-10 against then-defending Open Champion Coty Saucier, 8-2 against Loghan Ashline, 7-2 against MJ Solorio, 5-1 against Krysten Anderson, 5-1 against Chuckie Pauken III, 4-0 against Kylie Kent. He finished the season with an estimated record of 129-46 including 10 bye runs. His schedule strength of 1.115 was the 16th-toughest schedule of all drivers.
===== JON ZIMMER JR 2026 SEASON SUMMARY =====
10/4 Sat Aft : All Star @ Sophia, NC = RunnerUp (94 pts)
10/4 Sat Ngt : All Star @ Sophia, NC = *** WINNER *** (188 pts)
10/6 Mon Ngt : All Star @ Winston-Salem, NC = (non-points event)
10/11 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Fall Stadium @ Syracuse, NY = *** WINNER *** (472 pts)
10/25 Sat Ngt : MAP @ Wheatland, MO = *** WINNER *** (340 pts)
11/1 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena @ Hampton, VA = Lost in first round (0 pts)
11/1 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena @ Hampton, VA = Lost in semi-finals (114 pts)
11/2 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena @ Hampton, VA = *** WINNER *** (342 pts)
11/2 Sun Ngt : Monster Jam Arena @ Hampton, VA = *** WINNER *** (342 pts)
11/7 Fri Ngt : All Star @ Amite, LA = RunnerUp (94 pts)
11/8 Sat Aft : All Star @ Amite, LA = *** WINNER *** (188 pts)
11/8 Sat Ngt : All Star @ Amite, LA = *** WINNER *** (188 pts)
11/29 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena @ Omaha, NE = Lost in semi-finals (97 pts)
11/30 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena @ Omaha, NE = *** WINNER *** (291 pts)
1/9 Fri Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Kansas City, MO = RunnerUp (236 pts)
1/10 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Kansas City, MO = Lost in first round (0 pts)
1/10 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Kansas City, MO = RunnerUp (236 pts)
1/11 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Kansas City, MO = Lost in first round (0 pts)
1/16 Fri Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Baltimore, MD = (non-points event)
1/17 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Baltimore, MD = (non-points event)
1/17 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Baltimore, MD = (non-points event)
1/18 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Baltimore, MD = (non-points event)
1/30 Fri Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Providence, RI = *** WINNER *** (369 pts)
1/31 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Providence, RI = RunnerUp (236 pts)
1/31 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Providence, RI = *** WINNER *** (345 pts)
2/1 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Providence, RI = *** WINNER *** (345 pts)
2/6 Fri Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Pittsburgh, PA = RunnerUp (238 pts)
2/7 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Pittsburgh, PA = *** WINNER *** (357 pts)
2/7 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Pittsburgh, PA = *** WINNER *** (357 pts)
2/8 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Pittsburgh, PA = Lost in semi-finals (119 pts)
2/13 Fri Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Cleveland, OH = (non-points event)
2/14 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Cleveland, OH = (non-points event)
2/14 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Cleveland, OH = (non-points event)
2/15 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Cleveland, OH = (non-points event)
2/20 Fri Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Allentown, PA = Lost in first round (0 pts)
2/21 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Allentown, PA = Lost in first round (0 pts)
2/21 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Allentown, PA = RunnerUp (230 pts)
2/22 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Allentown, PA = Lost in semi-finals (118 pts)
2/22 Sun Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Allentown, PA = RunnerUp (236 pts)
2/28 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Little Rock, AR = *** WINNER *** (354 pts)
3/1 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Little Rock, AR = Lost in semi-finals (118 pts)
3/6 Fri Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Hampton, VA = Lost in first round (0 pts)
3/7 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Hampton, VA = Lost in first round (0 pts)
3/7 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Hampton, VA = Lost in first round (0 pts)
3/8 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Hampton, VA = *** WINNER *** (345 pts)
3/14 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Biloxi, MS = (non-points event)
3/14 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Biloxi, MS = (non-points event)
3/15 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Biloxi, MS = (non-points event)
3/21 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Hartford, CT = Lost in semi-finals (118 pts)
3/21 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Hartford, CT = Lost in semi-finals (118 pts)
3/22 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Hartford, CT = Lost in first round (0 pts)
3/27 Fri Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ North Charleston, SC = *** WINNER *** (354 pts)
3/28 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ North Charleston, SC = *** WINNER *** (354 pts)
3/28 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ North Charleston, SC = RunnerUp (236 pts)
3/29 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ North Charleston, SC = RunnerUp (236 pts)
4/3 Fri Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Tupelo, MS = *** WINNER *** (318 pts)
4/4 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Tupelo, MS = *** WINNER *** (327 pts)
4/4 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Tupelo, MS = RunnerUp (212 pts)
4/11 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Florence, SC = Lost in first round (0 pts)
4/11 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Florence, SC = Lost in first round (0 pts)
4/12 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Florence, SC = Lost in semi-finals (106 pts)
4/18 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Columbia, SC = (non-points event)
4/18 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Columbia, SC = (non-points event)
4/19 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Columbia, SC = (non-points event)
4/25 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Greensville, SC = Lost in first round (0 pts)
4/25 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Greensville, SC = *** WINNER *** (354 pts)
4/26 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Greensville, SC = RunnerUp (236 pts)
5/1 Fri Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Macon, GA = Lost in semi-finals (106 pts)
5/2 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Macon, GA = RunnerUp (212 pts)
5/2 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Macon, GA = *** WINNER *** (318 pts)
5/8 Fri Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Worcester, MA = Lost in semi-finals (118 pts)
5/9 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Worcester, MA = *** WINNER *** (354 pts)
5/9 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena East @ Worcester, MA = Lost in first round (0 pts)
5/10 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena East @ Worcester, MA = Lost in first round (0 pts)
5/17 Sun Aft : Throwdown @ Crystal, MI = Lost in semi-finals (95 pts)
5/30 Sat Aft : Throwdown @ Wilmot, WI = *** WINNER *** (282 pts)
6/5 Fri Ngt : MAP @ Miami, OK = Lost in first round (0 pts)
6/6 Sat Ngt : MAP @ Miami, OK = *** WINNER *** (392 pts)
6/13 Sat Aft : Throwdown @ Escanaba, MI = RunnerUp (170 pts)
6/20 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Stadium @ Pittsburgh, PA = Lost in semi-finals (218 pts)
7/4 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam WF25 @ Salt Lake City, UT = (did not compete)
7/10 Fri Ngt : Throwdown @ Maple Park, IL = *** WINNER *** (261 pts)
7/11 Sat Ngt : Throwdown @ Maple Park, IL = (NO REPORT)
7/17 Fri Ngt : Toughest @ Lamar, MO = Lost in semi-finals (104 pts)
7/18 Sat Ngt : Toughest @ Lamar, MO = RunnerUp (216 pts)
7/29 Wed Ngt : Throwdown @ Holland, MI = *** WINNER *** (246 pts)
7/30 Thu Ngt : Throwdown @ Grayslake, IL = (NO REPORT)
8/1 Sat Ngt : Throwdown @ Grayslake, IL = (NO REPORT)
8/7 Fri Ngt : Throwdown @ Fowlerville, MI = *** WINNER *** (376 pts)
8/8 Sat Ngt : Throwdown @ Fowlerville, MI = *** WINNER *** (376 pts)
8/18 Tue Ngt : Throwdown @ Armada, MI = *** WINNER *** (246 pts)
8/22 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena @ Sunrise, FL = (non-points event)
8/22 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena @ Sunrise, FL = (non-points event)
8/23 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena @ Sunrise, FL = (non-points event)
9/5 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena @ Jacksonville, FL = RunnerUp (186 pts)
9/5 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena @ Jacksonville, FL = RunnerUp (186 pts)
9/6 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena @ Jacksonville, FL = *** WINNER *** (279 pts)
9/12 Sat Aft : Monster Jam Arena @ Duluth, GA = (non-points event)
9/12 Sat Ngt : Monster Jam Arena @ Duluth, GA = (non-points event)
9/13 Sun Aft : Monster Jam Arena @ Duluth, GA = (non-points event)
9/13 Sun Ngt : Monster Jam Arena @ Duluth, GA = (non-points event)
9/19 Sat Aft : Throwdown @ Saint Ignace, MI = Lost in semi-finals (75 pts)
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