* John Gordon joins good company in the Top Five
** Steffens and Schnell win rare Hot Wheels brackets in France
*** Coty Saucier enters rankings in 19th after two wins
CURRENT STANDINGS and WEEKEND RESULTS (PDF):http://tinyurl.com/5y8wbcte
BLOG POST RECAP: https://www.mtroc.com/blog
WORLD MAP OF UPCOMING EVENTS (GOOGLE): https://tinyurl.com/yckcxz47
===== WEEKEND RECAP =====
John Gordon was down in the 30s two weeks ago, but now had four consecutive final round appearances on the Monster Jam Stadium Series and has jumped all the way up to 5th place—a career best. The down side is that all four of those final round appearances were losses including two this weekend in Indianapolis to defending Open Champion Tyler Menninga.
Menninga has won 9 of his last 11 events (!) but still trails Ryan Anderson in the standings since Anderson has the better Average. Anderson has won at least once every weekend this season and is doing it on the toughest-rated tour: Monster Jam Stadium West.
Last year’s runner-up Coty Saucier joins the rankings in 19th after several weeks of timed racing prevented him from earning points. He picked up two wins in Providence this past weekend.
The Hot Wheels Live tour finally went racing again at their first stadium event in Paris! Rick Steffens and Darron Schnell each grabbed a win. The last time Hot Wheels went racing was way back in April of 2022.
Also from this weekend: Jimmy Creten returns to the seat and gets win #8 on the season. The old team of Bearfoot and Rampage were back to their winning ways as Logan Tweedy and Tommy Varilone each grabbed a win in Augusta, Georgia. Colt Stephens grabbed a big Stadium win in Anaheim and jumped up into the Top 20. Travis Groth sweeps brother Tyler on the concrete roundy-round course in Madison. And the Monster Jam Arena West series continues to see Brandon Vinson and Dalton Widner going toe-to-toe with Vinson holding a narrow 6-5 lead in their series.
Thank you to everyone who reported results to us this weekend: Nick Davis, Kaden Allen, Dallas Glenn-Rogers, Nick Migues, Celian Durand, Lee Collins, Nick Kraemer, Bryan Wagner, Dillon Fenley, Scott Heaton, Aaron Basl, Devin Jones, Ryan Robinson, Preston Collins, Rob Poutre, Kirk Nagy, Phil Vicinanza, and everyone who posted videos and photos online!
===== CURRENT STANDINGS =====
RANK : DRIVER : PTS/AVG : SCORE : RACES/WINS
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1 ) Ryan Anderson - 4190/322.31 : 2+1=3 : 13/6
2 ) Tyler Menninga - 5657/257.14 : 1+2=3 : 22/17
3 ) Adam Anderson - 3278/252.15 : 4+3=7 : 13/2
4 ) Jimmy Creten - 2142/194.73 : 12+5=17 : 11/8
5 ) John Gordon - 1977/219.67 : 19+4=23 : 9/0
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6 ) Weston Anderson - 2667/148.17 : 8+15=23 : 18/5
7 ) Brandon Vinson - 2956/147.8 : 6+17=23 : 20/10
8 ) Camden Murphy - 2032/184.73 : 17+7=24 : 11/2
9 ) Tristan England - 1929/192.9 : 21+6=27 : 10/1
10) Jon Zimmer Sr - 1992/153.23 : 18+12=30 : 13/6
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11) Armando Castro - 2914/126.7 : 7+24=31 : 23/4
12) Jon Zimmer Jr - 1937/149.00 : 20+14=34 : 13/7
13) Jamie Sullivan - 2374/124.95 : 10+25=35 : 19/5
14) Preston Collins - 2646/120.27 : 9+27=36 : 22/11
15) Bari Musawwir - 3369/112.3 : 3+33=36 : 30/4
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16) Cory Rummell - 1923/147.92 : 22+16=38 : 13/0
17) Colt Stephens - 2045/127.81 : 15+23=38 : 16/1
18) Dalton Widner - 3225/111.21 : 5+34=39 : 29/8
19) Coty Saucier - 1373/171.63 : 31+9=40 : 8/3
20) Michael Vaters II - 1363/170.38 : 33+10=43 : 8/8
===== BIGGEST GAINS =====
+32 – Krysten Anderson (56th)
+15 – Colt Stephens (17th)
+14 – Joe Foley (55th)
+14 – Travis Groth (64th)
+11 – Kayla Blood (72nd)
+11 – Jim Koehler (87th)
+8 – Armando Castro (11th)
+6 – John Gordon (5th
===== AMARILLO, TX =====
2/2 Fri Ngt: We do not have results from this event
2/3 Sat Aft: RYAN ROBINSON [Taurus] defeated Steven Thompson [Overkill Evolution]
2/3 Sat Ngt: We do not have results from this event
Six fast trucks took the track in Amarillo but unfortunately we only have results from Saturday afternoon when Ryan Robinson drove the legendary Taurus truck to another win over Steven Thompson in Overkill. We’re told that Tim Hall Jr beat Joe Urie in the other two events, but we still need at least the semi-finalists from those events to score points.
===== ANAHEIM, CA =====
2/3 Sat Ngt: RYAN ANDERSON [Son-uva Digger] defeated Kayla Blood [Soldier Fortune]
2/4 Sun Aft: COLT STEPHENS [ThunderROARus] defeated Ryan Anderson [Son-uva Digger]
Not a weekend has gone by this year that hasn’t seen Ryan Anderson winning on the Monster Jam Stadium Series (literally) and now he has 4 final round appearances in a row, too. The two-time Open Champion and current world #1 beat Kayla Blood (making her first final round appearance of the season) with a great final turn on Saturday night. On Sunday, it was Colt Stephens beating Anderson for the first time in 4 tries this year. It was Stephen’s first win of the season and moves him up 15 spots inside the Top 20.
===== AUGUSTA, GA =====
2/3 Sat Aft: LOGAN TWEEDY [Bear Foot] defeated Brandon Derrow [Bad News Travels Fast]
2/3 Sat Ngt: TOMMY VARILONE [Rampage] defeated Brandon Derrow [Bad News Travels Fast]
Triple B Motorsports gets a double win with the Nitro Tour in Augusta. The tight U-turn course featured some tall jumps that took out a few trucks, and that partially helped Brandon Derrow get into the final round on Saturday afternoon. He raced his way in on Saturday night, but both times came up a little short. Logan Tweedy in Bearfoot and Tommy Varilone in Rampage got the old Fred Shafer 1-2 combo back together with a win each. It was both drivers’ first win of the season.
===== BELMONT PARK, NY =====
This Monster Jam Arena event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.
===== CHARLESTON, WV =====
This Hot Wheels Live event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.
===== CORDOVA, TN =====
2/3 Sat Aft: MICHAEL HARPER [Outlaw] defeated Allen Pezo [Predator]
Michael Harper—usually a consistent winner on the Monster Truck Wars tour—entered the weekend on an uncharacteristic 4-race winless streak, but he snapped that with a victory over Hall of Famer Allen Pezo. Harper bested Pezo twice on the day, first in the qualifying round and then later in the finals.
===== DRIPPING SPRINGS, TX =====
2/3 Sat Ngt: DILLON FENLEY [King Krunch] defeated Thomas Kimmons [Kicking & Screaming]
Dillon Fenley wins for the first time this year on a short two-jump drag in Dripping Springs with the CFP No Limits tour. Thomas Kimmons in his newly re-branded Kicking & Screaming truck takes second.
===== FARGO, ND =====
2/3 Sat Aft: DALTON WIDNER [Jurassic Attack] defeated Devin Winfield [Velociraptor]
2/3 Sat Ngt: BRANDON VINSON [Grave Digger] defeated Tony Ochs [ThunderROARus]
The usual suspects for the Monster Jam Arena West tour took the wins in Fargo, North Dakota. After a first round loss on Saturday afternoon, Brandon Vinson knocked out Dalton Widner in the evening semi-finals which gives him a narrow 6-5 lead in their head-to-head match-ups this season. Vinson has 10 wins and sits in 7th overall; Widner has 8 wins and is currently 18th.
===== GRAHAM, TX =====
2/3 Sat Aft: ALAN FENSTERMAKER [Equalizer] defeated Devin Jones [T-Rex]
Old school enthusiast Alan Fenstermaker got behind the modern day Equalizer with the Monster Truck Wars in Graham and picked up his first win of the season over Devin Jones in T-Rex. For Jones that’s 11 finals in a row and now 5 consecutive runner-ups, as well.
===== INDIANAPOLIS, IN =====
2/3 Sat Ngt: TYLER MENNINGA [Grave Digger] defeated John Gordon [Bad Company]
2/4 Sun Aft: TYLER MENNINGA [Grave Digger] defeated John Gordon [Bad Company]
Defending champion Tyler Menninga is doing everything he can to catch Ryan Anderson, the latter of whom has a huge lead in Average Points thanks to all of his Stadium Series wins. Menninga leads in total points and even moreso now following a weekend sweep in Indianapolis. The other big story, however, is John Gordon posting FOUR consecutive final round appearances on the Stadium Series. Unfortunately, none of the four have resulted in an event win; but on the bright side, he has rocketed up 28 positions in the past two weeks and joins the Top Five for the first time in his career! We said that Gordon was one of the drivers to watch for this season and so far that prediction appears to be coming true.
===== LAS VEGAS, NV =====
2/3 Sat Aft: JIMMY CRETEN [Bounty Hunter] defeated Michael Brister [Hot Tamale]
Jimmy Creten returned to the wheel of Bounty Hunter to race on a huge R-shaped course at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He defeated Rob Poutre—who had been piloting Bounty Hunter in Creten’s absence—in the first round and then took an easy win in the finals when Brister’s Hot Tamale truck had mechanical problems off the line.
===== LEXINGTON, KY =====
2/3 Sat Aft: MICHAEL HAWKINS [Outlaw] defeated Kaley Engstrom [Shark Attack]
2/3 Sat Ngt: AARON BASL [T-Rex] defeated Kaley Engstrom [Shark Attack]
Some bad luck kept Aaron Basl from continuing his 8-race winning streak on the Monster Truck Wars tour, as he had to watch Michael Hawkins pick up the afternoon racing win. Basl was right back on it starting a new streak in the evening with his 10th win of the season. Kaley Engstrom now also has a 3-race runner-up streak.
===== MADISON, WI =====
2/3 Sat Ngt: TRAVIS GROTH [Maximus] defeated Tyler Groth [Veteran]
2/4 Sun Aft: TRAVIS GROTH [Maximus] defeated Tyler Groth [Veteran]
The Groth brothers stole the spotlight on a challenging concrete Chicago-style course in Madison with the Monsters of Destruction. Travis in Maximus takes both wins this time and is now 3-1 against brother Tyler in head-to-head racing this season.
===== PARIS, FRANCE =====
2/3 Sat Mrn: RICK STEFFENS [Mega Wrex] defeated Darron Schnell [Gunkster]
2/4 Sun Aft: DARRON SCHNELL [Gunkster] defeated Kreg Christensen [5-Alarm]
The Hot Wheels Live tour ran its first stadium event and first dirt event at the Defense Arena in Paris and to make the event even better, they include side-by-side Chicago style racing! This is the first time in literal years that the Hot Wheels Tour has had a scoreable race so we were thrilled to see it!
The morning race had to be cut short due to a surprise curfew from the building management, so it is only scored as a four-truck bracket with Rick Steffens taking the win. The full 8-truck compliment was featured in the evening race with Darron Schnell returning to the finals and this time defeating veteran Kreg Christensen.
For Schnell, it was his first racing win on the Hot Wheels tour since April 3rd, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. Steffen’s last Hot Wheels win was also on Barcelona the day before on April 2nd.
One last surprise from Paris was seeing Hall of Famer Dan Patrick behind the wheel of Demo Derby. This was his first time since 2016 piloting a monster truck and the first time since 2012 that he drove one of his own trucks.
We’re told that racing will not be making a permanent return to the Hot Wheels tour, so next week will be back to an all-exhibition event, but hopefully we’ll see the Hot Wheels teams get more chances to race in the future.
===== PEORIA, IL =====
This Hot Wheels Live event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.
===== PROVIDENCE, RI =====
2/2 Fri Ngt: ZACK GARNER [Wild Side] defeated Krysten Anderson [Grave Digger]
2/3 Sat Aft: COTY SAUCIER [Dragon] defeated Krysten Anderson [Grave Digger]
2/3 Sat Ngt: COTY SAUCIER [Dragon] defeated Chad Tingler [Over Bored]
2/4 Sun Aft: ARMANDO CASTRO [El Toro Loco] defeated Coty Saucier [Dragon]
Coty Saucier joins the rankings in 19th after two wins and a runner-up finish in Providence. Last year’s Open Champion runner-up has been held pointless the past few weeks but not due to this driving: the Monster Jam Arena series has been running timed races until this past weekend in Providence. Saucier was not the only driver making up for lost time as Krysten Anderson’s two final round appearances moved her up 32 spots in the standings which was the most of any driver.
===== QUEANBEYAN, AUSTRALIA =====
This Thrillmasters Live event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.
===== WEST VALLEY CITY, UH =====
This All Star Tour event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.
===== WINNIPEG, MB =====
2/3 Sat Aft: We do not have results from this event
2/3 Sat Ngt: We do not have results from this event
2/4 Sun Aft: BILL PAYNE [Rock Star] defeated Marvin Anderson [Identity Theft]
It was a big 7-truck spectacular in Winnipeg this weekend but we only have results from Sunday when Bill Payne took down Marvin Anderson. If you have more info on the two Saturday racing brackets, please let us know!
===== EVENTS THIS WEEKEND =====
Berlin, Germany (Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live International Tour: Glow Party Arena Event)
Denver, CO (Monster Jam Arena Championship West)
CANCELLED - Farmington, NM (No Limits! Monster Truck Nationals)
Glen Rose, TX (Monster Truck Wars)
Hobbs, NM (Kicker Monster Truck Nationals)
Houston, TX (Monster Jam Stadium Championship West)
Lake City, FL (2Xtreme Monster Trucks Live Tour)
Lethbridge, AB (RAM Motorsports Spectacular)
Mount Olive, AL (All Star Monster Truck Tour)
Pittsburgh, PA (Monster Jam Arena Championship Central)
Tampa, FL (Monster Jam Stadium Championship East)
Trenton, NJ (Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow Party Arena Event)
Wauchope, Australia (Monster Thrillmasters Live)
Wilkes Barre, PA (Monster Jam Arena Championship East)
Williamston, NC (Monster Truck Wars)
Youngstown, OH (Toughest Monster Truck Tour)