This Week in Monster Truck Racing - January 26-28, 2024

* John Gordon up 22 spots with two finals in Saint Louis

** Weston Anderson joins Top Ten on a hot streak

*** Preston Collins is 2nd driver to 10 wins

CURRENT STANDINGS and WEEKEND RESULTS (PDF): http://tinyurl.com/muemtj3w

BLOG POST RECAP: https://www.mtroc.com/blog

WORLD MAP OF UPCOMING EVENTS (GOOGLE): https://tinyurl.com/yckcxz47

===== WEEKEND RECAP =====

The top three racers in the sport (Ryan Anderson, Adam Anderson, and Tyler Menninga) have themselves a nice lead in the rankings as seen in the Rank Score values. Fourth place is about 1600 points back right now. But further down the list, ranks 10 through 20 are separated by only about 300 points! Each round of racing on average is worth about 70-100 points, so that means one event win can gain a driver significant ground, especially this early in the season.

That’s what happened for guys like John Gordon, Camden Murphy, Cory Rummell, Weston Anderson, and Jon Zimmer Sr who all had big weekends and saw big gains in the standings.

Aaron Basl has 8 wins in a row for Team T-Rex on the Monster Truck Wars tour and Devin Jones has yet to miss a final round this calendar year with his T-Rex. Preston Collins in Shark Attack put up 3 wins in a row this weekend which gives him 11 overall. Only Tyler Menninga (15) has more wins this season.

Jon Zimmer Sr has been on a tear recently and just won his 4th consecutive All Star Tour event to move into the Top Ten for the first time. Weston Anderson has been in the final round 9 of the last 11 events and missed a 4-race sweep this weekend only due to a turning pole violation. He has also jumped into the Top Ten. Out west, Dalton Widner stopped Brandon Vinson’s hot streak by winning all 4 events in Sacramento.

We even saw some cameo drivers doing well this weekend as Derick Anson, Kevin Kozala, and Travis Mowery all made the finals in their events. There’s even more news beyond that below so keep reading, and if you enjoy these posts, please make sure to ‘like’ them so we can build our audience.

Thank you to everyone who reported results to us this weekend: Preston Perez, Robbie Williams, Nick Kraemer, Nate Bay, Brock Thomas, Bryan Wagner, Sean Green, Kaley Engstrom, Aaron Basl, Zane Rettew, Kaden Allen, Danny Maass, Michael Brister, Kirk Nagy, Phil Vicinanza, and everyone who posted videos and photos online!

===== CURRENT STANDINGS =====

RANK : DRIVER : PTS/AVG : SCORE : RACES/WINS

-----------------------------------------------------------

1 ) Ryan Anderson - 3406/309.64 : 2+1=3 : 11/5

2 ) Tyler Menninga - 4841/242.05 : 1+3=4 : 20/15

3 ) Adam Anderson - 2942/267.45 : 4+2=6 : 11/2

4 ) Brandon Vinson - 2731/151.72 : 6+15=21 : 18/9

5 ) Camden Murphy - 1808/200.89 : 18+4=22 : 9/2

-----------------------------------------------------------

6 ) Jimmy Creten - 1902/190.2 : 17+6=23 : 10/7

7 ) Weston Anderson - 2667/148.17 : 7+18=25 : 18/5

9 ) Tristan England - 1521/190.13 : 23+7=30 : 8/1

8 ) Jon Zimmer Sr - 1992/153.23 : 15+14=29 : 13/6

10) Preston Collins - 2646/126.00 : 8+23=31 : 21/11

-----------------------------------------------------------

11) John Gordon - 1365/195.00 : 28+5=33 : 7/0

12) Cory Rummell - 1699/154.45 : 20+13=33 : 11/0

13) Jon Zimmer Jr - 1937/149.00 : 16+17=33 : 13/7

14) David Olfert - 2069/129.31 : 13+20=33 : 16/2

15) Bari Musawwir - 3145/112.32 : 3+30=33 : 28/4

-----------------------------------------------------------

17) Ryan Disharoon - 1374/171.75 : 26+9=35 : 8/0

18) Rob Poutre - 2035/127.19 : 14+21=35 : 16/5

16) Jamie Sullivan - 2374/124.95 : 10+24=34 : 19/5

19) Armando Castro - 2427/121.35 : 9+27=36 : 20/3

20) Mikeal Christensen - 1646/149.64 : 21+16=37 : 11/2

===== BIGGEST GAINS =====

+22 – John Gordon (11th)

+16 – Tristan England (9th)

+10 – Cory Rummell (12th)

+10 – Todd LeDuc (38th)

+9 – Weston Anderson (7th)

+9 – Jon Zimmer Sr (8th)

+8 – Camden Murphy (5th)

===== ALBANY, GA =====

1/27 Sat Aft: ZANE RETTEW [Shredder] defeated Tommy Varilone [Rampage]

1/27 Sat Ngt: ZANE RETTEW [Shredder] defeated Tommy Varilone [Rampage]

Zane Rettew debuted his new Shredder truck with a clean sweep in Albany with the Nitro Tour, winning all 6 competitions including both concrete holeshot races. Tommy Varilone was runner-up twice (once by wins and once on the break rule) which gives him 3 second places finishes so far this year.

===== ALEXANDRIA, LA =====

This Extreme Nationals event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.

===== BATTLE CREEK, MI =====

1/27 Sat Aft: AARON BASL [T-Rex] defeated Travis Rife [Psycho Circus]

1/27 Sat Ngt: AARON BASL [T-Rex] defeated Kevin Kozala [Sheriff]

Eight wins in a row now for Aaron Basl and the new T-Rex truck. He won on a short and spongy holeshot track in Battle Creek. Veteran Kevin Kozala made a cameo appearance in Sheriff and scored a final round berth on Saturday night.

===== GOSFORD, AUSTRALIA =====

This Thrillmasters Live event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.

===== HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL =====

This Hot Wheels Live event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.

===== KNOXVILLE, TN =====

This Hot Wheels Live event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.

===== KWINANA BEACH, AUSTRALIA =====

1/27 Sat Aft: JACK MONKHOUSE [Wacky-Doo] defeated Hayden McLeary [Wicked]

Wacky-Doo is two-for-two on the Aussie circuit as Jack Monkhouse dominated the field in Perth. Aussie Rules racing means that each pair of trucks runs a best-of-three series to advance and Monkhouse was a perfect 6-0 in through the three rounds of Chicago-style round.

===== LYON, FRANCE =====

This Hot Wheels Live event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.

===== MARTIN, TN =====

1/27 Sat Aft: DERICK ANSON [Outlaw] defeated Allen Pezo [Predator]

1/27 Sat Ngt: DERICK ANSON [Outlaw] defeated Kaley Engstrom [Shark Attack]

Another retired veteran returns on the Monster Truck Wars tour as Derick Anson raced the Outlaw to two wins in Martin. The tight Chicago-style track gave little room for error and little room for corrections as Allen Pezo found out in his race against Anson. Pezo had to reverse midway through his second turn, but Anson’s big lead meant he was in the air while Pezo was backing up, resulting in the Outlaw landing right next to Predator in what was surely a shocking moment for Anson. Fortunately the trucks only bumped tires and just another small bump on Anson’s road to victory.

===== MOHAVE VALLEY, AZ =====

1/27 Sat Aft: DAN DAHLGREN [Shark Bite] defeated Rob Poutre [Bounty Hunter]

1/28 Sun Aft: MICHAEL BRISTER [Hot Tamale] defeated Dawn Creten [Scarlet Bandit]

Everyone on the 2Xtreme Tour got a chance in the finals in Mohave Valley. Rob Poutre had been cruising the past few weeks but electrical problems had the big motor in Bounty Hunter running ragged and kept Poutre out of victory lane. Instead it was Dan Dahlgren and Michael Brister each taking wins.

===== NEWARK, NJ =====

1/26 Fri Ngt: WESTON ANDERSON [Grave Digger] defeated Jamie Sullivan [Monster Mutt Dalmation]

1/27 Sat Aft: WESTON ANDERSON [Grave Digger] defeated Brianna Mahon [Scooby-Doo!]

1/27 Sat Ngt: BRIANNA MAHON [Scooby-Doo!] defeated Weston Anderson [Grave Digger]

1/28 Sun Aft: WESTON ANDERSON [Grave Digger] defeated Brandan Tulachka [Just Get-Er-Done]

Weston Anderson has started to take over the Monster Jam Arena East tour now with 9 final round appearances in the past 11 races. He won 3 of 4 in Newark this weekend, with his only loss on Saturday night coming from a 5-second penalty on the last turn. He is up 8 spots inside the Top Ten. Jamie Sullivan and Frank Krmel missed the final two events with mechanical problems so they were run as 6-truck brackets instead.

===== PENSACOLA, FL =====

1/27 Sat Ngt: JON ZIMMER SR [Uproar] defeated Jon Zimmer Jr [Terminal Velocity]

1/28 Sun Aft: JON ZIMMER SR [Uproar] defeated Jon Zimmer Jr [Terminal Velocity]

Like son, like father? We spent the first few weeks talking about how no one could beat Jon Zimmer Jr on the All Star Tour, but now Jon Sr has 4 wins in a row and jumps up 9 spots into the Top Ten for the first time. His son is not far behind in 13th. The All Stars will be in Mount Olive, Alabama this weekend.

===== PERRY, GA =====

1/27 Sat Aft: PRESTON COLLINS [Shark Attack] defeated Devin Jones [T-Rex]

1/27 Sat Ngt: PRESTON COLLINS [Shark Attack] defeated Devin Jones [T-Rex]

1/28 Sun Aft: PRESTON COLLINS [Shark Attack] defeated Devin Jones [T-Rex]

Preston Collins also makes it four-in-a-row with a weekend sweep in Perry, Georgia. For Devin Jones that’s four runner-ups in a row, but he has yet to miss a final round this calendar year.

===== REGINA, SK =====

1/27 Sat Aft: BILL PAYNE [Rock Star] defeated Dallas Glenn-Rogers [Spitfire]

1/27 Sat Ngt: BILL PAYNE [Rock Star] defeated Dallas Glenn-Rogers [Spitfire]

1/28 Sun Aft: TRAVIS YBARRA [The Cali Kid] defeated Dallas Glenn-Rogers [Spitfire]

Bill Payne rebounds after a sluggish week in Kelowna with 2 wins in Regina. Dallas Glenn-Rogers moves up 10 spots in the standings with a trio of runner-up finishes.  

===== SACRAMENTO, CA =====

1/26 Fri Ngt: DALTON WIDNER [Jurassic Attack] defeated Ashley Sanford [Megalodon]

1/27 Sat Aft: DALTON WIDNER [Jurassic Attack] defeated Devin Winfield [Velociraptor]

1/27 Sat Ngt: DALTON WIDNER [Jurassic Attack] defeated Ashley Sanford [Megalodon]

1/28 Sun Aft: DALTON WIDNER [Jurassic Attack] defeated Brandon Vinson [Grave Digger]

It is feast or famine on the Monster Jam Arena West series. Dalton Widner started the tour winning 3-of-4 in Salt Lake City. Then Brandon Vinson wins 8-of-10 in Tacoma and Reno. Now the tour moves to Sacramento and it’s all Dalton Widner again who goes 4-for-4. Widner is up 4 spots into 21st while Vinson stays put in 4th. Ashley Sanford posts 2 runner-up finishes and gains 8 spots. She’s be in the final round at least once in each of the past 3 weeks.

===== SAINT LOUIS, MO =====

1/27 Sat Ngt: TYLER MENNINGA [Grave Digger] defeated John Gordon [Bad Company]

1/28 Sun Aft: TRISTAN ENGLAND [JCB DIGatron] defeated John Gordon [Bad Company]

John Gordon rockets up the standings 22 spots to 11th overall and is a mere 9 points outside of the top ten. (One round of racing on average is worth 79 points right now) We mentioned Gordon as one of the stories to watch this season as he is a proven but so far inconsistent winner on the Monster Jam Stadium series. He was very consistent this weekend with two runner-up finishes in Saint Louis, losing out to the three-time and defending Open Champion Tyler Menninga on Saturday and the defending Monster Jam World Finals Racing Champion Tristan England on Sunday. (Which is some pretty good company) Gordon has scored points in all of his events this season. For England, the win moves him up an equally-impressive 16 spots into 9th just ahead of Gordon.

===== SALISBURY, MD =====

1/26 Fri Ngt: JORDAN FISHER [Air Mail] defeated Cliff Vowell [Virginia Giant]

1/27 Sat Aft: CORY SNYDER [Illuminator] defeated Travis Mowery [Toxic]

1/27 Sat Ngt: TRAVIS MOWERY [Toxic] defeated Jordan Fisher [Air Mail]

The CFP No Limits Winter Nationals in Salisbury saw some fast racing on the roundy-round course. Local favorite Jordan Fisher won on Friday night and was runner-up again on Saturday night. Travis Mowery returned to the seat after his retirement last year and grabbed a win and runner-up finish himself with teammate Cory Snyder in Illuminator taking the middle race.

===== SAN DIEGO, CA =====

1/27 Sat Ngt: RYAN ANDERSON [Son-uva Digger] defeated Cory Rummell [Megalodon]

1/28 Sun Aft: CAMDEN MURPHY [Bakugan Dragonoid] defeated Ryan Anderson [Son-uva Digger]

Ryan Anderson maintains his lead in the Open Championship with another win and runner-up finish on the Monster Jam Stadium West tour. He’s been the winner in 4 of his last 7 events and leads all drivers with an insane 309.64 points average. To put that into perspective, the next highest is Adam Anderson with 267.45 points-per-race and only 4 drivers are above 200.

Camden Murphy is one of those four and was also one of the two winners in San Diego as he bested Anderson on Sunday afternoon for the 3rd time this season. He is 3-1 against Anderson head-to-head.

Cory Rummell posted a 2nd place Stadium Series finish for the 2nd time in San Diego this season and was once again one of our big movers as he gained another 10 spots into 12th place.

===== SPRINGFIELD, MO =====

1/26 Fri Ngt: JACK BROWN [Dirt Crew Dozer] defeated Tim Jones [Twisted Addiction]

1/27 Sat Ngt: DARON BASL [Blockhead] defeated RJ Turner [War Wizard]

The monster trucks were racing inside the Wilson Logistics Arena for the first time ever as Main Attraction Promotions brought in six of their top O’Reilly Outlaws for Chicago-style racing on the big floor. Daron Basl was a favorite coming in to Friday night but he was out in the first round due to a turning pole violation. Tim Jones advanced from that heat but lost out to Jack Brown in Dirt Crew Dozer who won his 2nd in a row. On Saturday night, Basl kept clear of the turning poles and posted his 4th win of the season over RJ Turner in War Wizard.

===== WASHINGTON, DC =====

This Monster Jam Arena event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.

===== EVENTS THIS WEEKEND =====

Amarillo, TX (Kicker Monster Truck Nationals)

Anaheim, CA (Monster Jam Stadium Championship West)

Augusta, GA (Monster Truck Nitro Tour)

Belmont Park, NY (Monster Jam Arena Championship Central)

Charleston, WV (Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow Party Arena Event)

Cordova, TN (Monster Truck Wars)

Dripping Springs, TX (No Limits! Monster Truck Nationals)

Fargo, ND (Monster Jam Arena Championship West)

Graham, TX (Monster Truck Wars)

Indianapolis, IN (Monster Jam Stadium Championship East)

Las Vegas, NV (2Xtreme Monster Trucks Live Tour)

Lexington, KY (Monster Truck Wars)

Madison, WI (Monsters of Destruction)

Paris, France (Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live International Tour: Glow Party Arena Event)

Peoria, IL (Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow Party Arena Event)

Providence, RI (Monster Jam Arena Championship East)

Queanbeyan, NSW (Monster Thrillmasters Live)

Winnipeg, MB (RAM Motorsports Spectacular)