High flying action at Monster

Photo courtesy of Eldora Speedway

Eldora Speedway
High flying action at Monster

In front of a huge crowd of Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam fans on hand for the sport’s first weekend of competition ever at Eldora Speedway both 2013 Monster Jam World Champion drivers grabbed victories, but not in the categories they won at this year’s Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam World Finals presented by NGK Spark Plus in Las Vegas. Reigning freestyle champ Tom Meents won the Eldora racing bracket in his 10th anniversary Max-D, then the current world racing title holder Adam Anderson filled in for his father, who was feeling under the weather, and turned in an amazing freestyle performance in Grave Digger to earn both a long standing ovation from the roaring crowd and the freestyle triumph Saturday night.

The night started with Dennis Anderson in the cockpit and Grave Digger winning the wheelie competition for the second straight night to start the action at the famous dirt track.

The racing competition on a long J-hook course provided thrilling finishes all night and the crowd was buzzing when the eliminations brought a battle in the semifinals between the two most recent World Racing Champions, Adam Anderson in The Legend, this year’s titlist, versus Tom Meents in Max-D who won the previous two world racing crowns in 2011 and 2012 as part of Meents’ record 11 Monster Jam World Finals Championships. The pair showed the huge crowd their championship pedigree and the race was a barn burner with Max-D winning to advance to the Championship Round Race where the opposition would come from Adam’s brother Ryan and Son-uva Digger. That scintillating finale was even closer, an absolute photo finish, and the margin of victory in the range of six inches as Max-D defeated Son-uva Digger.

Getting ready for the Advance Auto Parts Service is our Best Part Freestyle competition Team Grave Digger made driver adjustments to give the fans the best performances with Dennis Anderson feeling ill. Alex Blackwell did double duty first opening the competition with a strong freestyle in Captain’s Curse and then later getting behind the wheel of The Legend to let Adam Anderson get strapped into Grave Digger, and the veteran Blackwell rocked the house in the silver and blue ride for the Grave Digger team. For the second straight night an awesome performance from Ryan Anderson had Son-uva Digger in the lead, but this night he would not hold on for the win because his big brother was up to the challenge. Adam would later tell the appreciative fans that even though his Dad was not feeling well, Dennis told him to get the black and green wrecking machine on the track and thrill the thousands of Grave Digger fans on hand. Adam responded to that pressure big time. His incredible performance, one which many long time observers called the best they’ve ever seen from the 2008 World Freestyle Champion, put Grave Digger in the lead and even though Max-D closed the night with a rocking performance, Meents’ trucked rolled over just as bonus time started and Adam Anderson ended the night in the stands with the fans celebrating Grave Digger’s freestyle victory at Eldora Speedway.

RACING RESULTS

1st Round – Son-uva Digger def. Monster Mutt Dalmatian; Captain’s Curse bye run; Max-D def. Lucas Oil Crusader; The Legend def. El Toro Loco

Semifinals – Son-uva Digger def. Captain’s Curse; Max-D def. The Legend

CHAMPIONSHIP RACE – MAX-D DEFEATED SON-UVA DIGGER

FREESTYLE RESULTS

GRAVE DIGGER 30 (26 + 4 bonus points)

Son-uva Digger 26 (22 + 4)

The Legend 23 (20 + 3)

Max-D 22

Captain’s Curse 21 (29 + 2)

Monster Mutt Dalmatian 20 (17 + 3)

El Toro Loco 18 (17 + 1)