=== This Week in Monster Truck Racing ===
* Menninga loses winning streak but gains #1 ranking
** Baumgartner takes Bigfoot to wins in Bossier City
*** Saucier hits high gear with 3 wins in Tacoma
CURRENT STANDINGS and WEEKEND RESULTS (PDF): https://tinyurl.com/2rj9re7y
BLOG POST RECAP: https://www.mtroc.com/blog
===== WEEKEND RECAP FOR JANUARY 17th – 19th, 2025 =====
Tyler Menninga was finally defeated in head-to-head racing after going undefeated since the new year. He spun out and stalled in the first turn of the final round on Sunday and had to watch as Dalton Widner raced around for his first win of the year. But a nice consolation prize for Menninga is that he moves into the #1 ranking in the Open Championship, a spot he has known quite well over the past 6 years.
Coty Saucier got bumped down to second place overall, but not from having a poor weekend. While the first two races in Tacoma were a struggle for Saucier, a gearing change between events on Saturday brought new fire to the Dragon who went on to sweep the remaining three events. He now has 15 wins which is 6 more than his nearest opponent.
Josh Baumgartner and Rob Poutre got the old-school fans some victories this weekend, as Baumgartner swept the weekend in Bossier City for Team Bigfoot and Poutre was 1-for-2 in racing finals with the new all-black USA-1 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Baumgartner’s 19-spot rise was also the biggest increase this weekend.
The Basl Brothers each scored wins, with Daron winning for the 2nd week in a row on the Toughest Tour, and Aaron sweeping Clemson, South Carolina for the 2nd year in a row.
Thank you to everyone who has helped us with reporting events this week: Sean Green, Colby Marshall, Preston Collins, Bryan Wagner, Preston Perez, Aaron Basl, 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 ) Tyler Menninga - 3084/257.00 : 2+1=3 : 12/8
2 ) Coty Saucier - 5122/222.7 : 1+2=3 : 23/15
3 ) Jon Zimmer Jr - 2018/183.45 : 7+3=10 : 11/4
4 ) Weston Anderson - 2103/161.77 : 5+5=10 : 13/4
5 ) Ryan Anderson - 2010/154.62 : 8+6=14 : 13/3
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6 ) Matt Cody - 2630/138.42 : 3+14=17 : 19/5
7 ) Jimmy Creten - 1861/143.15 : 9+10=19 : 13/9
8 ) Rob Poutre - 1845/141.92 : 10+11=21 : 13/9
9 ) Colt Stephens - 2442/128.53 : 4+19=23 : 19/2
10) Preston Pérez - 1632/148.36 : 16+8=24 : 11/7
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11) Dalton Widner - 1827/140.54 : 12+12=24 : 13/3
12) Camden Murphy - 1389/154.33 : 20+7=27 : 9/1
13) Armando Castro - 2025/119.12 : 6+21=27 : 17/1
14) Tristan England - 1166/166.57 : 27+4=31 : 7/3
15) Adam Anderson - 1403/140.3 : 18+13=31 : 10/1
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16) Bari Musawwir - 1806/129.00 : 13+18=31 : 14/0
17) Zack Garner - 1317/146.33 : 24+9=33 : 9/2
18) Tyler Groth - 1485/135.00 : 17+17=34 : 11/2
19) Brianna Mahon - 1842/102.33 : 11+25=36 : 18/2
20) Blake Granger - 1369/136.9 : 22+16=38 : 10/5
===== BIGGEST IMPROVEMENTS =====
+19 – Josh Baumgartner (Bigfoot) – 34th
+13 – Tristan England (JCB DIGatron) – 14th
+12 – Cory Snyder (Illuminator) – 39th
+12 – Jerry Furajter (Outlaw) – 46th
+10 – Todd LeDuc (Megalodon) – 31st
===== NEW THIS WEEK =====
35th – Aaron Basl (T-Rex)
36th – Brett Falvey (The Haymaker)
68th – Mason Rife (Outlaw)
74th – Cory Rummell (EarthShaker)
83rd – Perry Como (Loud & Dirty)
84th – Kevin Crocker (Megalodon)
84th – Joe Foley (Axe)
===== ANAHEIM, CA =====
1/18 Sat Ngt: TYLER MENNINGA [Grave Digger] defeated Bari Musawwir [Zombie]
1/19 Sun Aft: DALTON WIDNER [Jurassic Attack] defeated Tyler Menninga [Grave Digger]
Tyler Menninga extended his undefeated streak to 17 head-to-head matches before a spin-out and stall in the first turn of the final round on Sunday brought it to an end. Nonetheless, the 3-time Open Champion gained enough points with his Saturday night win and Sunday runner-up in Anaheim to take over the #1 ranking from Coty Saucier.
Bari Musawwir fell victim to Menninga twice, first in the Saturday night finals in a photo finish. Musawwir got a 5-second penalty on the run, but minus the penalty and the margin at the line was only 0.020 seconds! On Sunday in the semis, Musawwir was only 0.066 seconds behind Menninga. Bari is 0-4 in final rounds this season but has risen to the 16th rank.
Dalton Widner becomes the first person to beat Tyler Menninga in head-to-head competition this season and he collected his 3rd win of the season. Widner had lost to Menninga in the Saturday semi-finals as the transmission on his Jurassic Attack went away during the race.
Camden Murphy was also in the semi-finals both nights, marking 4 consecutive events in the Final 4 for the new Classroom Crusher truck. He moves up 4 spots into 12th place.
===== ARCADIA, FL =====
1/18 Sat Aft: JIMMY CRETEN [Bounty Hunter] defeated Dan Dahlgren [Brutal]
The 9th win in only 13th races for Jimmy Creten has him stay put in 7th place overall. The 2Xtreme Tour moves to Lake City, Florida for a pair of races this weekend.
===== AUSTIN, TX =====
This Hot Wheels Live event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.
===== BALTIMORE, MD =====
This Monster Jam Arena event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.
===== BOSSIER CITY, LA =====
1/17 Fri Ngt: JOSH BAUMGARTNER [Bigfoot] defeated Brandon Pezo [Predator]
1/18 Sat Ngt: JOSH BAUMGARTNER [Bigfoot] defeated Brandon Pezo [Predator]
Josh Baumgartner swept the racing weekend in Bossier City on the Chicago-style course of the Kicker Nationals. He bested Brandon Pezo in the Predator both times in the finals and 3 times overall. As the sole Bigfoot team driver in racing, Baumgartner is holding down the fort for the Original in 34th place which is a huge 19-spot improvement over last week.
===== CLEMSON, SC =====
1/18 Sat Aft: AARON BASL [T-Rex] defeated Kaley Engstrom [Shark Attack]
1/18 Sat Ngt: AARON BASL [T-Rex] defeated Kaley Engstrom [Shark Attack]
Aaron Basl not only went back-to-back with wins in Clemson this weekend on the Monster Truck Wars tour, but also back-to-back in sweeping the weekend: he did the same thing in 2024. That’s 3 wins in 5 races for Basl who joins the rankings in 35th.
===== DAVIE, FL =====
1/18 Sat Aft: PRESTON PÉREZ [Toxic] defeated Cory Snyder [Illuminator]
1/19 Sun Aft: ELLIOTT MILLER [High Tide] defeated Brett Falvey [The Haymaker]
Another winning streak came to an end this weekend as Preston Perez has his 6-race winning streak behind the wheel of Toxic broken on Sunday against Elliott Miller in the semi-finals. Miller gave Perez a strong race on Saturday, too. Perez stays in the Top Ten with 7 wins in 11 races and he continues to lead the All Star Tour Monster Mashers point series. Miller’s win was his first of the season, first in the new High Tide truck, and first since last July in Ionia. Brett Falvey was runner-up for the 4th time this season on Sunday. He had 10 wins last season with Triple B Motorsports but is still searching for his first with his new team.
===== DUNCAN, OK =====
1/18 Sat Aft: JERRY FURAJTER [Outlaw] defeated Preston Collins [Shark Attack]
1/18 Sat Ngt: PRESTON COLLINS [Shark Attack] defeated Jerry Furajter [Outlaw]
For the third time in a row and fourth time overall this season, Jerry Furajter and Preston Collins met in the finals on the Monster Truck Wars tour. Collins leads that battle 3-to-1 but Furajter got one back on Saturday afternoon. That helped him move up 12 spots in the standings and just ahead of tourmate Devin Jones. Collins meanwhile remains in the Top 25 with 6 wins.
===== MANCHESTER, ENGLAND =====
This Hot Wheels Live event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.
===== SAINT LOUIS, MO =====
1/18 Sat Aft: TRISTAN ENGLAND [JCB DIGatron] defeated Todd LeDuc [Megalodon]
1/19 Sun Aft: RYAN ANDERSON [Son-Uva Digger] defeated Tristan England [JCB DIGatron]
Ryan Anderson has been going toe-to-toe with Tyler Menninga from afar as the two remained undefeated in head-to-head racing coming into Saint Louis. Menninga lost his streak in Anaheim with a spin in the first turn of Sunday’s finals, but Anderson’s is still alive. He missed the Saturday finals due to breakage after besting Tristan England in the semi-finals. He was the only driver to get below 19.200, which he did on both of his laps.
On Sunday, Anderson was again the only driver to dip below the 19.200 mark and this time without any breakage as he raced past Matt Pagliarulo, defending World Finals Racing Champion Zack Garner, and former World Finals Racing Champion Tristan England for his 3rd win of the season. Anderson moves up 5 spots in the rankings into the Top 5.
Cole Venard was the runner-up in both of the previous races on the Stadium West tour, and this time lost to both of the eventual runner-ups. Todd Leduc reached the finals for the first time this season and despite the loss, he gained 10 spots in the rankings.
===== SIOUX FALLS, SD =====
1/17 Fri Ngt: DARON BASL [Block Head] defeated Jerry Beck [Dirt Crew]
1/18 Sat Ngt: JERRY BECK [Dirt Crew] defeated Tyler Groth [The Veteran]
The Toughest Tour continued their winter point series in Sioux Falls this weekend where Daron Basl advanced to his 3rd final round in 3 tries. A double penalty situation there gave him the win over Jerry Beck. Basl could not compete in racing on Saturday night, and it looked like an early exit for defending series champion Beck, as well, when he missed the final jump in his first round race against Smashosaurus. But Beck returned as fast loser and then took out Tyler Groth in the Veteran in a photo finish for his first win of the season. The Toughest Tour has a 3-race weekend coming up in Loveland, Colorado.
===== SPRINGFIELD, MA =====
1/17 Fri Ngt: STANLEY HERNANDEZ [Lone Wolf] defeated Rob Poutre [USA-1]
1/18 Sat Aft: ROB POUTRE [USA-1] defeated Paul Craighead [Carolina Crusher]
Rob Poutre was back in USA-1 this weekend. Back in black, to be specific, as the team debuted a brand-new all-black body for the legendary name. The USA-1 truck gave up half way through the Friday finals which let Stanley Hernandez in Lone Wolf take the win—his first of the year. Poutre was back in the finals on Saturday and this time finished off Carolina Crusher to keep his spot in the Top Ten with 9 wins in 13 races.
===== TACOMA, WA =====
1/17 Fri Ngt: WESTON ANDERSON [Grave Digger] defeated Ashley Sanford [Megalodon]
1/18 Sat Aft: DEVIN WINFIELD [Velociraptor] defeated Brianna Mahon [Scooby Doo]
1/18 Sat Ngt: COTY SAUCIER [Dragon] defeated Weston Anderson [Grave Digger]
1/19 Sun Aft: COTY SAUCIER [Dragon] defeated Brianna Mahon [Scooby Doo]
1/19 Sun Ngt: COTY SAUCIER [Dragon] defeated Devin Winfield [Velociraptor]
After a long 5-race weekend in Reno, the Monster Jam West tour headed far north for another 5-rae weekend at the historic Tacoma Dome. The wet and tacky track in Tacoma caused all sorts of problems for the drivers with plenty of rollovers and several drivers being disqualified for cutting the corner after hooking a rut and heading over the freestyle jumps.
Ashley Sanford was inches away from her first win of the season on Friday, but was disqualified for cutting the final corner in her championship race against Weston Anderson. Those second place points were still enough to get up 7 spots in the rankings.
Weston Anderson stays put in 4th place after his win and runner-up finish. Devin Winfield won for the first time this year on Saturday afternoon, with Brianna Mahon picked up 1 of her 2 runner-up finishes. She is now inside the Top 20 with Winfield just on the outside.
Coty Saucier and his team made a gearing change after two disappointing finishes to open the weekend and was then unstoppable over the final three races. His 15 racing wins are far and away the most of any driver so far this year and he continues to lead in Total Points with 5122 points. But while Saucier can control his gearing, he can’t control Tyler Menninga and his insane winning streak to start the year. (To be fair to Coty, no one on the Stadium East tour could control it either!) So Saucier drops down to 2nd place in the rankings as Menninga claims the #1 spot for the first time this season.
Saucier will have a tough time of it this season running on the Arena Tour. He has the advantage over Menninga of having more events and more total points, but Menninga will have the advantage of larger events and a higher possible average. With Average being the first tie-breaker, Saucier will need help from other drivers to get separation between himself and Menninga in the Total Points category. We know that it’s possible to win the Open Championship on the Arena Tour (Menninga himself has done it twice) and we’re excited to watch this battle continue through the year.
===== UNIONDALE, NY =====
This Hot Wheels Live event did not include side-by-side racing and so points were not awarded.
====== EVENTS THIS WEEKEND =====
Battle Creek, MI (Monster Truck Wars)
Blenheim, New Zealand (Kiwi Steel Rodeo Tour)
Brooksville, FL (All Star Monster Truck Tour)
Cedar Rapids, IA (Monster Truck Nitro Tour)
Gosford, Australia (Extreme Monster War on Wheels)
Hoffman Estates, IL (Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow Party Arena Event)
Lake City, FL (Monster Truck Chaos)
Liverpool, England (Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live International Tour: Glow Party Arena Event)
Loveland, CO (Toughest Monster Truck Tour)
Miami, FL (Monster Jam Stadium Championship Series West)
Newark, NJ (Monster Jam Arena Championship Series Central)
Perry, GA (Monster Truck Wars)
Perth, Australia (Monster Trucks Unleashed)
Sacramento, CA (Monster Jam Arena Championship Series West)
San Antonio, TX (Monster Jam Stadium Championship Series East)
Springfield, MO (MAP O'Reilly Outlaw Nationals)
Trenton, NJ (Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow Party Arena Event)
Washington, DC (Monster Jam Arena Championship Series East)
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