This Week in Monster Truck Racing - May 1-3, 2026

=== This Week in Monster Truck Racing ===

* Armando Castro secures Arena West Championship with 8^th-consecutive win

** Pat Paquet takes early lead in Monster Madness points series

*** Chris Mayhem wins in Cleveland

CURRENT STANDINGS and WEEKEND RESULTS (PDF): https://tinyurl.com/mtroc260505

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

===== WEEKEND RECAP FOR MAY 1^st – 3^rd, 2026 =====

Armando Castro’s impressive winning streak ended on Sunday in Lincoln, but not before he extended it two more races to 8-in-a-row against top Monster Jam competition and earning enough points to claim the Monster Jam Arena West championship! He is now up to 11^th in the Open Championship and has 18 wins which is 4^th most in the world.

On the Arena East, Jon Zimmer Jr won for the 21^st time this season and is nearly tied with Coty Saucier for 2^nd place in the Open Championship now. Chris Koehler won for the 2^nd time in the Stadium Series in Cleveland.

In Canada, the Edge Motorsports Tour announced that they are running a points series this summer and Pat Paquet begins the chase on top after week one after his two-race sweep in Orono, Ontario. Jason Court and Jared Vogel also picked up wins indoors in Dawsons Creek. The tour continues next week with events in Orillia, Ontario and Prince George, British Columbia.

Kaley Engstrom came within inches of being the first woman in Open Championship history to win 20 races in a single season, but Brandon Pezo barely bested her in the Allegan night race. She’ll get a chance against next weekend.

Bill Payne took a spin in the Mixed Up cement truck and showed that he can win in any chassis as he split the weekend with Donald Epidendio in Petaluma, California. Paul Craighead won for the 5^th consecutive race in Tulare.

This weekend also saw some former drivers returning to action with Ed Sanderson driving T-Rex in Markham, Ontario and John Seasock driving Roarin’ Rex in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. There’s probably a joke in there about dinosaurs and old drivers but I won’t be the one to make it.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us with reporting events this week: Brett Mason, Preston Perez, Pat Paquet, Andrew Thornton, Dillon Fenley, Phil Vicinanza, Kaley Engstrom, Nick Jones, Stanley Hernandez, Jason Court, Tim Manchester, John Brown, David Rife, Josh Baumgartner, and everyone who posted videos and photos online!

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

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

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1 ) Tyler Menninga - 7229/301.21 : 6+1=7 : 24/11

2 ) Coty Saucier - 8826/210.14 : 5+5=10 : 42/17

3 ) Jon Zimmer Jr - 10594/192.62 : 2+8=10 : 55/21

4 ) Ryan Anderson - 5036/218.96 : 13+4=17 : 23/4

5 ) Blake Granger - 11411/158.49 : 1+16=17 : 72/23

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6 ) Weston Anderson - 5768/180.25 : 10+9=19 : 32/14

7 ) Bill Payne - 6477/179.92 : 8+11=19 : 36/17

8 ) David Olfert - 4521/237.95 : 19+2=21 : 19/13

9 ) Adam Anderson - 5405/180.17 : 11+10=21 : 30/7

10) Camden Murphy - 4930/205.42 : 16+6=22 : 24/8

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11) Armando Castro - 8889/143.37 : 4+19=23 : 62/18

12) Alex Bardin - 9044/137.03 : 3+20=23 : 66/14

13) Zack Garner - 4796/199.83 : 17+7=24 : 24/2

14) Donald Epidendio - 4335/228.16 : 22+3=25 : 19/12

15) Colt Stephens - 4953/176.89 : 15+13=28 : 28/6

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16) Tristan England - 4627/177.96 : 18+12=30 : 26/4

17) Triton Robbins - 6173/131.34 : 9+21=30 : 47/7

18) Dalton Widner - 4382/168.54 : 21+14=35 : 26/2

19) Matt Cody - 6746/108.81 : 7+29=36 : 62/8

20) Jimmy Creten - 3895/162.29 : 26+15=41 : 24/15

===== BIGGEST IMPROVEMENTS =====

+7 - Jamie Sullivan (Sparkle Smash) – 47^th 

+7 - Paul Craighead (Bear Foot) – 60^th  

+6 - Devin Jones (T-Rex) – 28^th 

+3 - Brandon Pezo (Predator) – 63^rd 

===== NEWLY RANKED =====

64^th - Eric Swanson (Obsessed)

77^th - Johnny Davenport (Ghost Ryder)

88^th - Myles Parker (Identity Theft)

===== ALLEGAN, MI =====

5/2 Sat Aft: KALEY ENGSTROM [Shark Attack] defeated Colton Fowler [T-Rex]

5/2 Sat Ngt: BRANDON PEZO [Outlaw] defeated Kaley Engstrom [Shark Attack]

Kaley Engstrom won her 19^th recorded event of the season when Colton Fowler rolled his T-Rex truck in the afternoon final in Allegan. Engstrom was inches away from being the first woman in Open Championship history to win 20 races later that night, but Brandon Pezo squeaked out his 7^th win instead. Engstrom had beaten Pezo in the first round, but Pezo took the rematch when it mattered.

===== BRIDGEPORT, CT =====

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

===== CLEVELAND, OH =====

5/2 Sat Aft: CHRIS KOEHLER [Mayhem] defeated Jamie Sullivan [Sparkle Smash]

Chris Koehler won on the Monster Jam Stadium tour for the second time this season and was in the semi-finals for the 3^rd time in the past 4 races. He is now up to 24^th in the world which is well ahead of his former career best of 45^th.

Jamie Sullivan is still searching for her first win of the season but managed to get into her 2^nd Stadium final round and 4^th overall final. Although she lost out to Camden Murphy in the quarter-finals, she was reinstated on the Break Rule and beat out Tristan England in the semi-finals when England missed the final ramp.

===== CROWNSVILLE, MD =====

This Renegade Tour event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded

===== DAWSON CREEK, BC =====

5/2 Sat Aft: JARED VOGEL [Crude Behavior] defeated Jason Court [Roughneck]

5/2 Sat Ngt: JASON COURT [Roughneck] defeated Jared Vogel [Crude Behavior]

Edge Motorsports kicked off their 2026 points series with events in two cities. Their indoor event was in Dawson Creek, British Columbia where four trucks raced on the concrete holeshot track. Jared Vogel and Jason Court split the day with one win each.

===== GRAND JUNCTION, CO =====

5/2 Sat Aft: ERIC SWANSON [Obsessed] defeated Caden Morris [Dragon Slayer]

5/2 Sat Ngt: JOSH BAUMGARTNER [Bigfoot] defeated Aaron Basl [Night Life]

The Kicker Monster Truck tour moved outdoors in Grand Junction for two races on a Chicago-style course. Eric Swanson lost to Bigfoot in the opening round, but returned as fast loser and had an easy semi-final win when teammate Pretty Obsessed lawn-darted after the first jump and broke the front tie rod. Swanson went on to beat out Caden Morris in Dragon Slayer for his second win of the season.

Josh Baumgartner’s evening race started the same way as the day race with a win over Obsessed, but this time he got past the Dragon Slayer in the semis and then edged out Night Life in the finals for his 4^th win of the season.

===== GRAYSLAKE, IL =====

5/2 Sat Aft: JERRY FURAJTER [Shark Attack] defeated Devin Jones [T-Rex]

5/2 Sat Ngt: DEVIN JONES [T-Rex] defeated Jerry Furajter [Shark Attack]

Another split weekend between Jerry Furajter and Devin Jones in Grayslake with the Monster Truck Wars tour. Furajter now leads the season series with Jones 16-11 based on the events we have reported.

===== HARTFORD, MI =====

5/2 Sat Aft: KYLIE KENT [Frostbite] defeated Charlie Pauken III [The Haymaker]

Kylie Kent got her first win of the season as the season opener for Monster Truck Throwdown in Hartford. The extended Chicago-style track featured an opening jump prior to the center jump and tight turns. Kent lost her opening round race to Psycho Circus, but Mason Rife was unable to return. Kent then upset Jacob Ladwig in Rat Attack in the semi-finals by keeping very tight to the turns and advancing to her first final of the year. In the finals, Chuckie Pauken also tried the tight-turn method, but couldn’t get lined up for the final jump through all the dust which let Kent storm by for the win.

===== KISSIMMEE, FL =====

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

===== LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ =====

5/1 Fri Ngt: JACOB GALLIE [Wicked Strong] defeated Tim Manchester [Hillbilly]

5/2 Sat Ngt: JACOB GALLIE [Wicked Strong] defeated Leroy Latham [Midnight Panic]

Jacob Gallie has been in the final round in all 6 of his events this year and has won 5. He took both with the Insanity Tour this weekend in Lake Havasu.

===== LINCOLN, NE =====

5/2 Sat Aft: ARMANDO CASTRO [El Toro Loco] defeated Alex Bardin [Earth Shaker]

5/2 Sat Ngt: ARMANDO CASTRO [El Toro Loco] defeated Tim Hall Jr [Jurassic Attack]

5/3 Sun Aft: ALEX BARDIN [Earth Shaker] defeated Charlie Pauken [Grave Digger]

Armando Castro extended his Monster Jam winning streak to 8 races by taking both of the Saturday brackets in Lincoln, Nebraska, creating arguably the most impressive winning streak of the season so far. He has won 13 of his last 17 Arena Series events. The streak finally ended on Sunday afternoon when Castro spun out on the final turn and lost to Carson Williams, who was 0-19 against Castro coming into that race. Alex Bardin took advantage of the opening to grab his 14^th win of the season, but Castro remained the big winner of the weekend by securing enough points to clinch the Monster Jam Arena West Championship!

This event also saw a different line-up from usual. Angelina Nock finished the season for Ashley Sanford who has at least partially retired for health reasons. Travis Hall drove Velociraptor in place of Cliff Turner. Charlie Pauken drove Grave Digger in place of Matt Cody who is reportedly serving a one-week suspension for a crash last week in Huntsville. And of course the big news from the week was Geneva Keller replacing Blake Granger in Monster Mutt Dalmatian after Granger’s wild crash last weekend in Huntsville, which saw his truck barrel roll cleanly out of the arena door and into the exterior pits, and also resulted in the termination of Granger’s time as a driver with Monster Jam.

While it sounds like we sadly will not be seeing Blake driving for Monster Jam anymore, that does not affect his rankings in the Open Championship. Our points are awarded to the driver and so Granger is still eligible to earn points in the MTROC if he finds another ride somewhere. He is currently ranked 5^th overall with 23 wins (most in the sport) and 11,411 points (most in the sport).

===== MACON, GA =====

5/1 Fri Ngt: MONTANA ROBBINS [Plane Krazy] defeated Loghan Ashline [Sparkle Smash]

5/2 Sat Aft: TRITON ROBBINS [Krazy Train] defeated Jon Zimmer Jr [Terminal Velocity]

5/2 Sat Ngt: JON ZIMMER JR [Terminal Velocity] defeated Montana Robbins [Plane Krazy]

The competitive Monster Jam Arena East tour was down to 6 of their 8 usual trucks this weekend but still provided the same fast, even racing that we’ve seen all season. Triton (7^th) and Montana (6^th) Robbins started the weekend with wins, but Jon Zimmer Jr ended it with his 21^st win of the season (2^nd most in the sport).

===== MANTI, UT =====

5/2 Sat Ngt: DALTON WIDNER [Shell Shock'ed] defeated Logan Vessels [Black Pearl]

Dalton Widner won for Team Throttle Monster at their event in Manti, Utah. Widner has been steady on the Monster Jam Stadium tour with 2 finals and 9 additional semi-final appearances, but has been even better on the independent tour with 2 wins in 3 races.

===== MARIETTA, OH =====

This Monster Truck Bash Live event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded

===== MARKHAM, ON =====

5/2 Sat Mrn: KEVIN LUBSEN [Bucking Bronco] defeated Mike Worsley [Wadded Up]

5/2 Sat Aft: JIM PIGEON [Outfoxed] defeated Ed Sanderson [T-Rex]

Kevin Lubsen won on Saturday morning in Markham with the All Out Tour to extend his winning streak to 3 before Jimmy Pigeon in Outfoxed ended the streak in the first round of the afternoon race. In addition to the Pigeon cameo, this event also saw veteran Ed Sanderson making his first racing appearance since 2024.

===== MONTERREY, MEXICO =====

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

===== ORONO, ON =====

5/2 Sat Aft: PAT PAQUET [Psycho Pat] defeated Ryan Como [Rat Nasty]

5/2 Sat Ngt: PAT PAQUET [Psycho Pat] defeated Richard Bernier [Hellion]

The second half of the Edge Motorsports Monster Madness opening weekend was outdoors in Orono, Ontario where five trucks competed in an explosive holeshot race. Pat Paquet never lifted as he won all his heats and took both events to end the weekend in first place on the Monster Madness 2026 points series.

===== PETALUMA, CA =====

5/1 Fri Ngt: DONALD EPIDENDIO [Titan] defeated Bill Payne [Mixed Up]

5/2 Sat Ngt: BILL PAYNE [Mixed Up] defeated Donald Epidendio [Titan]

Becky McDonough was back in action driving Rock Star with the Malicious Tour in Petaluma this weekend. With her driving Rock Star, Bill Payne mixed things up by taking the wheel of the Mixed Up cement truck and he showed that he can win in any chassis you give him. Payne and Donald Epidendio met up in the finals both nights and each won once. While the Titan won most of their heats together last season, this year has been much closer with Titan only leading 8-6 right now.

===== POTTSVILLE, PA =====

5/2 Sat Aft: JEREMIAH PARAS [Brutal] defeated Kory Kinal [Jekyll & Hyde]

5/3 Sun Aft: KORY KINAL [Jekyll & Hyde] defeated Jimmy Creten [Bounty Hunter]

The 2X Tour returned to the Big Diamond Speedway in Pottsville, Pennsylvania for a second year and this year hometown hero and former World Finals Champion John Seasock was in the line-up driving the Roarin’ Rex machine. Kory Kinal was in his 5^th consecutive final and won his 7^th of the year on Sunday.

===== SEDALIA, MO =====

5/2 Sat Ngt: DILLON FENLEY [King Krunch] defeated Colton Kiser [American Scout]

Dillon Fenley continues to pick up wins (12 in 14 races). The Monster Trucks Maniac race featured an usual head-to-head drag race where the trucks raced away from each other. Fenley won both heats in the four-truck bracket.

===== TULARE, CA =====

5/2 Sat Aft: PAUL CRAIGHEAD [Bear Foot] defeated Stanley Hernandez [Werewolf]

5/2 Sat Ngt: PAUL CRAIGHEAD [Bear Foot] defeated Stanley Hernandez [Werewolf]

Paul Craighead now has 5 wins-in-a-row with the Monster X Tour after sweeping the J-turn racing in Tulare. He has been in the finals in 8 consecutive races. Stanley Hernandez has been the runner-up in the past 4 races.

===== VICTORVILLE, CA =====

This Monster Truck Thunder event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded

===== WOODWARD, OK =====

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

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

Bossier City, LA (Kicker Monster Truck Nationals)

Coshocton, OH (Monster Truck Bash)

Dallas, TX (Monster Truck Wars)

Denver, CO (Monster Jam Stadium Series West)

Guymon, OK (Mayhem Monster Trucks & Thrill Show)

Helsinki, Finland (Monster Jam International)

Howard Lake, MN (Monster Truck Wars)

Luray, VA (Monster Truck Round-Up)

Manchester, NH (Monster Jam Arena Series Central)

Mansfield, OH (Outlaw Monster Truck Drags)

Milton, ON (Monster Trucks All Out Tour)

Moline, IL (Monster Jam Arena Series West)

Orillia, ON (Monster Madness & FMX World Tour)

Peotone, IL (2X Monster Trucks Live)

Phenix City, AL (Monster X Tour)

Portage, WI (Monster X Tour)

Prince George, BC (Monster Madness & FMX World Tour)

Quarryville, PA (Monster Trucks)

Stockton, CA (Malicious Monster Truck Tour)

Tremonton, UT (Monster Truck Insanity Tour)

Turlock, CA (Monster X Tour)

Wichita Falls, TX (Monster Trucks Maniac)

Worcester, MA (Monster Jam Arena Series East)