This Week in Monster Truck Racing - May 29-June 2, 2025

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

* Dalton Widner wins big Throwdown race in Salinas

** Michael Stratte upsets Monkhouse and wins in Sydney

*** Carson Williams scores high in Show Low

CURRENT STANDINGS and WEEKEND RESULTS (PDF): https://tinyurl.com/mtroc250603

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

===== WEEKEND RECAP FOR MAY 29th – JUNE 2nd, 2025 =====

We’ve had a few weeks with missed results, but this week we have them all! Thank you to everyone who reported results to us and got us back up to 100%!

The big race this weekend was Monster Truck Throwdown taking over the historic Salinas Sports Complex for what was the 2nd biggest independent event; 2nd highest-rated independent event; and 8th-highest rated overall event of this racing season. They filled the floor space with the same four-turn, four-jump track that the Toughest Tour ran in Grand Forks a few months ago. The finals came down to teammates Dalton Widner and Mikeal Christensen with Widner running a smoother lap and picking up the 318 points.

Big news Down Under as Michael Stratte upset the best Aussie racers to claim his first career racing win in 7 years! Stratte was last in the finals back in 2021 but took out this year’s hottest driver Jack Monkhouse in the semi-finals and then won his re-match against Brock Thomas in the finals, winning 2-0 in the best-of-3 series.

Team Throttle Monster teammates all shared the spotlight in Show Low with 4 winners in 4 races, but Carson Williams had the best showing by adding two runner-up finishes to his win. Cliff Turner ended up as the biggest improver this week, gaining 7 spots in the rankings.

This week ahead had got some real top-quality events to watch for: the annual Miami, Oklahoma race with 12 trucks and 340 points on the line each night; Throwdown at Route 66 Speedway; Renegades in Frederick, Maryland; Malicious Tour in Cottage Grove; and the start of the Swedish racing season in Högsäter!

Thank you to everyone who has helped us with reporting events this week: Krystal Carey, Brandon Gallie, Sean Green, Andrew Thornton, Nick Jones, Kory Kinal, Preston Perez, Daniel Clark, John Brown, Connor McNeil, David Rife, Nick Kraemer, Tim Hall Jr, Nick Jones, Max Gillie, Mike Bevacqua, Ryan Robinson, Jack Mcardle, Josh Baumgartner, J.r. Rouse, 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 ) Coty Saucier - 11697/188.66 : 1+3=4 : 62/29

2 ) Tyler Menninga - 6523/210.42 : 5+1=6 : 31/13

3 ) Triton Robbins - 8146/181.02 : 3+4=7 : 45/19

4 ) Ryan Anderson - 6293/209.77 : 6+2=8 : 30/12

5 ) Weston Anderson - 9156/155.19 : 2+10=12 : 59/21

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6 ) Dalton Widner - 5835/171.62 : 8+6=14 : 34/10

7 ) Jon Zimmer Jr - 7425/154.69 : 4+11=15 : 48/14

8 ) Tristan England - 5060/180.71 : 13+5=18 : 28/7

9 ) Bari Musawwir - 5229/168.68 : 11+9=20 : 31/4

10) Jimmy Creten - 5779/134.4 : 9+14=23 : 43/28

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11) Camden Murphy - 4766/170.21 : 17+8=25 : 28/4

12) Bill Payne - 5394/131.56 : 10+15=25 : 41/15

13) Rob Poutre - 4784/144.97 : 16+13=29 : 33/24

14) Blake Granger - 4979/131.03 : 14+16=30 : 38/17

15) Bryce Kenny - 3584/170.67 : 29+7=36 : 21/3

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16) Armando Castro - 4518/125.5 : 18+19=37 : 36/1

17) Daron Basl - 3781/145.42 : 26+12=38 : 26/9

18) Devin Winfield - 5982/89.28 : 7+32=39 : 67/7

19) Colt Stephens - 4428/123.00 : 20+20=40 : 36/3

20) Matt Cody - 5196/96.22 : 12+28=40 : 54/8

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

+7 – Cliff Turner (Kamikaze) – 57th

+3 – Dalton Widner (Jurassic Attack) – 6th

+3 – Jacob Ladwig (Rat Attack) – 32nd

+3 – Cory Snyder (Toxic) – 36th

+3 – Carson Williams (Velociraptor) – 38th 

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

78th – Kaila Savage (USA-1)

===== BALTIMORE, MD =====

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

===== BEREA, OH =====

5/31 Sat Aft: BRETT FALVEY [The Haymaker] defeated Tim Missentzis [Dirt Crew]

5/31 Sat Ngt: BRETT FALVEY [The Haymaker] defeated Tim Missentzis [Dirt Crew]

The Renegade Tour had a narrow Chicago-style track for the drivers in Berea, Ohio, and Brett Falvey ran away with the both brackets. Those two wins earned him some important points after a string of first-round loses for the The Haymaker. Falvey has 10 wins and 20 finals in 30 races this year.

===== BOONSBORO, MD =====

5/31 Sat Aft: BRANDON DERROW [Bad News Travels Fast] defeated Cory Snyder [Toxic]

5/31 Sat Ngt: CORY SNYDER [Toxic] defeated Cliff Vowell [Virginia Giant]

It was a muddy mess in Boonsboro for the Overdrive Tour. Those big Firestones on the back of Bad News Travels Fast helped out for Brandon Derrow who powered past Cory Snyder for his 3rd win of the season. Snyder—who is in semi-retirement from the sport—showed that he still has plenty left in the tank as he came back the following race to add a 5th win to his total for this season.

===== BOZEMAN, MT =====

5/31 Sat Ngt: ANTHONY RITTER [Kamikaze] defeated Caden Morris [American Soldier]

6/1 Sun Aft: TYLER GROTH [Double Trouble] defeated Anthony Ritter [Kamikaze]

Anthony Ritter has been stuck on the no-racing Hot Wheels Tour since August of 2023 but he finally got to cut loose in head-to-head action in Bozeman with the Monsters of Destruction Tour and quickly put up a win and runner-up finish in the Kamikaze truck!

===== BUFFALO, TX =====

5/30 Fri Ngt: DILLON FENLEY [King Krunch] defeated Brandon Pezo [Predator]

5/31 Sat Ngt: ALLEN PEZO [Pouncer] defeated Chris Davis [El Nitro Toro]

A low ceiling at the Leon County Expo Center kept the racing ramps flat but resulted in some fast Chicago-style action for the Monster Trucks Maniac tour. Dillon Fenley extended his winning streak to 3 races with his win over Brandon Pezo on Friday night. However that streak came to an end thanks to veteran Allen Pezo in the first round on Saturday. Pezo continued on to win in the finals against Chris Davis. It was his 5th win of the season in 13 races.

===== BURNSIDE, KY =====

5/31 Sat Ngt: COLTON KISER [High Roller III] defeated Roger Gauger [Bigfoot]

Colton Kiser was heavy on the throttle to beat Roger Gauger in a two-jump drag race on the frontstretch of the Lake Cumberland Speedway. That’s his 5th win of the year for Kiser and evens his head-to-head series with Gauger at 2 wins a piece.

===== CAMPBELLSVILLE, KY =====

6/2 Mon Ngt: BRYANT ROGERS [Relentless] defeated Roger Gauger [Bigfoot]

A rare Monday night race for the Full Throttle crew as the warm-weather fair season starts to pick up steam. Colton Kiser had won the tour’s last race but was out after skills this time. Instead it was Bryant Rogers taking out perennial favorite Roger Gauger in Bigfoot for his 1st win of the season! He’s had one win in each of the last 3 years with previous victories in Leitchfield in 2023 and Rensselaer in 2024.

===== CORNER BROOK, NL =====

5/29 Thu Ngt: PERRY COMO [Loud & Dirty] defeated Ryan Como [Rat Nasty]

The Monster Madness Tour got an early start to the weekend with Thursday night racing in Newfoundland. Perry Como powered to his first win of the season of Ryan in Rat Nasty.

===== EVANSTON, WY =====

5/31 Sat Ngt: JACOB LADWIG [Rat Attack] defeated Brandon Swick [Next Level Tour]

The Insanity Tour switched it up with a J-turn track in Evanston, Wyoming, but the results were the same as usual with Jacob Ladwig winning for the 16th time this season. He moves up 3 spots in the rankings.

===== HARRISONBURG, VA =====

5/31 Sat Aft: DAVID RIFE [Awesome Kong] defeated Ryan Holman [Amped Up]

5/31 Sat Ngt: RYAN HOLMAN [Amped Up] defeated Josh Holman [Godzilla]

Ryan Holman earned a win and runner-up finish with Monster Truck Bash on the drag racing track in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He has won 4 of the 8 tour brackets so far this Open Championship season dating back to last November.

===== HUMBOLDT, KS =====

5/31 Sat Aft: KORY KINAL [Jekyll & Hyde] defeated Austin Minton [Bounty Hunter]

Kory Kinal won for the 14th time this season to maintain his 25th ranking in the Open Championship. Austin Minton filled in for Jimmy Crete in the Bounty Hunter Ford. This was Minton’s first racing since he filled in for Tailgator in South Dakota back in January.

===== PORTAGE, WI =====

5/31 Sat Aft: ROD SCHMIDT [Bearly Tame] defeated Kaila Savage [USA-1]

At the Save The Grandstand event in Portage, Wisconsin, Rod Schmidt was saved by the fast loser position as he returned to the field and eventually beat out Kaila Savage in the finals. The big grass infield let the drivers really open up on the two-jump drag.

===== QUEBEC, PQ =====

5/31 Sat Aft: MICHAEL VATERS II [Overkill Evolution] defeated Pat Paquet [Psycho Pat]

After beating the field on the concrete hole shot tracks, Mikey Vaters proved that he is just as capable on turning courses as he easily took out the big field in Quebec on the concrete Chicago-style track. Pat Paquet ran hard chasing Vaters, but a bad bounce off the cars put the Psycho up against the wall and lost him time.

===== ROCKTON, ON =====

5/31 Sat Aft: TYLER MORCOMBE [Bucking Bronco] defeated Sharon Lubsen [Canadian Crusher]

Two wins in three races for Tyler Morcombe this season as he flew the Bucking Bronco to another win on the All Out Tour.

===== ROSEVILLE, CA =====

5/31 Sat Aft: DONALD EPIDENDIO [Titan] defeated Bill Payne [Rock Star]

5/31 Sat Ngt: DONALD EPIDENDIO [Titan] defeated Bill Payne [Rock Star]

Donald Epidendio does it again with two more wins over Bill Payne on the Malicious Tour. He’s 17-2 against the Rock Star this season. Good news for Payne, however, is that he gained one spot in the Open Championships and is now up to 12th.

===== SAINT JOHN'S, NL =====

5/31 Sat Aft: NO POINTS; The bracket could not be scored

5/31 Sat Ngt: KRYSTAL CAREY [Sabotage] defeated Dale Eve [Hellion]

Krystal Carey had a great day in Saint Johns, going undefeated through 7 heats on the concrete holeshot track. Unfortunately the bracket for the afternoon race was not scoreable, but Krystal does get points for the win on Saturday night and her second recorded win of the season!

===== SALINAS, CA =====

6/1 Sun Aft: DALTON WIDNER [Jurassic Attack] defeated Mikeal Christensen [Vendetta]

Monster Truck Throwdown came to the historic Salinas Sports Complex for the first time this year, and they had big shoes to fill as the local fans had been used to years of Monster Jam events at this venue. The Throwdown crew did not disappoint, as they brought 8 top independent drivers to compete and built a huge track with a long, challenging racing course; huge jumps; and good spacing which allowed for fast races and wild freestyles.

This was the 2nd biggest independent event of the season with 318 points awarded to the winner, just slightly behind the 324 awarded in Wheatland, Missouri last October. That also put it on-par with Monster Jam Stadium events like Saint Louis, Anaheim, and Minneapolis! The competition caliber rating of 1.100 (out of 1.500) was the 2nd highest rated independent event behind the Toughest Tour’s grand finale in Grand Forks (1.170). It also was the 8th highest-rated racing event of the year including Monster Jam events.

You see what we’re saying? This was a big event! So who won?!

Devin Winfield looked on his way to a round one victory but spun in the final turn and let steady veteran Terry Woodcock claw his way back up for the win. However he was quickly disposed of by Dalton Widner in Jurassic Attack who had a bye run in the first round when Unnamed & Untamed could not return after a rollover in skills.

Mike Christensen posted his own easy win over David Olfert who was driving the Dirt Crew body for this one. Christensen had a much harder bout in the semi-finals against Daron Basl in what would be the closest race of the night with Christensen winning by only a truck’s length.

In the finals, both Christensen and Widner were fast but Widner was a bit smoother, expertly drifting his dino truck through the turns and capitalizing when Christensen cased his penultimate jump and had to backpedal before the final turn.  This gave Dalton his 10th win of the year and moved him up 3 spots into 6th place which is his highest ranking since February.

===== SHOW LOW, AZ =====

5/30 Fri Ngt: CLIFF TURNER [Rockwell R.E.D.] defeated Carson Williams [Velociraptor]

5/31 Sat Aft: BERTO TREVINO [Kamikaze] defeated Travis Hall [Jurassic Attack]

5/31 Sat Ngt: TIM HALL JR [Jurassic Attack] defeated Carson Williams [Velociraptor]

6/1 Sun Aft: CARSON WILLIAMS [Velociraptor] defeated Berto Trevino [Kamikaze]

Team Throttle Monster showed their stuff on the Nitro Tour with each of their four drivers earning a win through the long weekend. Carson Williams had the best showing with 1 win and 2 final round appearances on the U-turn track. That gives him 10 wins this season and moves him up 3 spot into the standings—right behind the boss Mike Christensen who sits in 37th.

===== SPOKANE, WA =====

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

===== SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA =====

5/31 Sat Ngt: JACK MONKHOUSE [Wacky-Doo] defeated Hayden Francis [Raptor's Rampage]

6/1 Sun Aft: MICHAEL STRATTE [MisMayhem] defeated Brock Thomas [Buddy]

Jack Monkhouse and Hayden Francis were usual suspects in the final round of racing at Monster Truck Mania Live in Sydney as the Aussies complete their three-city fall tour. Monkhouse won for the fourth time this season. He had advanced to the final round in all 7 racing events this season, but that streak came to an end on Sunday with a surprising final round.

Brock Thomas beat Hayden McLeary in Wicked in the semi-finals, advancing to the final round for the first time since Melbourne in August 2023. Thomas had been the man-to-beat back in 2022 when he won 5 times on tour, but has only 1 win since then.

More surprising was Michael Stratte in MisMayhem who took down Monkhouse in the semi-finals to advance to his first final round since February 2021 in Adelaide. Stratte had lost in the first round to Thomas but returned as fast loser. In the finals, he found some extra speed and swept past Buddy 2-0 to take his first ever Open Championship racing win! What an exciting way to cap off the Aussie indoor tour!

===== UKIAH, CA =====

This Redwood Empire Spring Fair event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded

===== WILMOT, WI =====

6/1 Sun Aft: JON ZIMMER SR [Uproar] defeated Jon Zimmer Jr [Terminal Velocity]

Father and son met for the 14th time this season with Jon Zimmer Sr winning for the 4th time in a close race. The Throwdown track was a tight Chicago-style except that the trucks began facing the grandstands in turns 1 and 4 before racing towards the middle of the front stretch.

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

Austin, TX (Monster Jam)

Bangor, ME (All Star Monster Truck Tour)

Cedar City, UT (Monster Truck Family Tour 2025)

Charlottetown, PEI (Monster Madness)

Cottage Grove, OR (Malicious Monster Truck Tour)

Findlay, OH (Monster Truck Bash)

Frederick, MD (Renegade Monster Truck Tour)

Hogsater, Sweden (Monsterrace)

Joliet, IL (Monster Truck Mayhem)

Lexington, VA (Overdrive Monster Truck Tour)

Miami, OK (MAP Motorsports)

Red Deer, AB (Monster Spectacular)

Shreveport, LA (Monster Trucks Maniac)

Sioux Falls, SD (Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow Party Arena Event)

Swedesboro, NJ (2X Monster Trucks Live)

Sydney, NS (Monster Madness)

Walla Walla, WA (Legends of Monster Trucks)

Walton, KY (Full Throttle Monster Trucks)