CCE SUPERBOWL OF MOTORSPORTS
Orlando, FL - Citrus Bowl



The big night was here, time for the Superbowl of Motorsports in Orlando! The day started early for me as I met up with Matt Steele of the SPEED TV crew and helped do odds & ends jobs for the SPEED crew as they went around the pit party and the wild tailgate parties outside the track, covering them for the new season of SPEED.

After being on my feet all day long with the crew, I went up into the stands to grab some pictures with the boys from Monster-Style (you'll notice their pictures and mine are at the same angle since we were all together all night).



The night started out with the Ugly Truck contest, the truck nearest the camera won the event. Then the Street Warrior Cars came out, which are basically old junk cars that have suspension modifications to them and they run the Quad Wars course. After that it was the Monsters Eve winners parade, followed by the big boys themselves, the Monster Trucks!

Grave Digger XIX - Dennis Anderson
Maximum Destruction - Phil Foster
Hot Wheels - Kevin Lewis
Madusa - Debra "Madusa" Micelli
Superman - Chad Fortune
Gun Slinger - Scott Hartsock
Obsession - Glen Logan Jr
T-Maxx - John Seasock
Eradicator - Andy Slifko
Destroyer - Dan Evans
War Wizard - Randy Moore
Annihilator - Greg Adams

QUALIFING

Eradicator (Near) Vs. War Wizard (Far) The track was the "Head-To-Head" style course, a first for Orlando. Up first was two independents, who both laid down cautious but consistant passes. However, Randy Moore broke a shock in qualifing and had to thrash to get it back together for Round 1.



Madusa (Near) Vs. Annihilator (Far) The next pair out shadowed the first, another slow but consistant run for both of these trucks placed them into the brackets.



Grave Digger XIX (Near) Vs. Hot Wheels (Far) The rookie versus the 23-year veteran paired off in this qualifing round. No contest, Anderson flies around the course but Lewis pulls off the track and into the pits before completing this run, giving him a DNF.



Maximum Destruction (Near) Vs. Obsession (Far) Phil Foster behind the wheel of the 6-time World Champions truck did not disappoint the Citrus Bowl crowd ripping up the course, ever so slightly slower than Anderson. Logan was impressive in his run qualifing mid pack.



Superman (Near) Vs. T-Maxx (Far) These two trucks were evenly matched in Tampa, and it was more of the same here in Orlando. T-Maxx and Superman mirored each other all around the track but it was Seasock who edged out Fortune at the line and ran quick enough to claim the #1 qualifing spot!



Destroyer (Near) Vs. Gun Slinger (Far) Air Man Dan took on the Gun Slinger in the final qualifing matchup. Evans ran his own race consistant but Scott was smashing on the loud pedal and sailed around the course and was able to claim the #1 qualifing spot on the final pass of the round.



QUALIFING RESULTS
Gun Slinger
T-Maxx
Superman
Grave Digger XIX
Maximum Destruction
Madusa

Obsession
Destroyer
Annihilator
War Wizard
Eradicator
Hot Wheels


ROUND #1

Madusa (Near) Vs. Obsession (Far) World Champion versus rookie in the first pairing of round 1. Madusa jumps out to an early lead over the first pass over the cars, into the second corner and Madusa spins out! Obsession takes the lead but Madusa is making up ground, into the final corner and over the final jump, Obsession holds off a charging Madusa to take an upset first round win!


WINNER: Obsession
Maximum Destruction (Near) Vs. Destroyer (Far) Next up was Phil Foster and Dan Evans. Off the line they were even but Foster was able to dirt track Max D perfectly through all three corners and take a comfortable win over Dan Evans.


WINNER: Maximum Destruction
Annihilator (Near) Vs. Grave Digger XIX (Far) Greg Adams has a decent qualifing run and his reward is that he gets to face Anderson who had a medoicre qualifing run. Once again Anderson laid on the big time horsepower and took the win.


WINNER: Grave Digger XIX
Eradicator (Near) Vs. T-Maxx (Far) The Pennsylvania Posse of Monster Trucks were next to the line. Both trucks were even over the first jump, and stayed even over the second jump. Both trucks running a bit conservative realized they were dead even into the final corner and Seasock was able to drop the hammer first to get across the line first.


WINNER: T-Maxx
War Wizard (Near) Vs. Superman (Far) Randy Moore was unable to fix the broken shock for Round 1, so Fortune got the free pass.
WINNER: Superman
Hot Wheels (Near) Vs. Gun Slinger (Far) Lewis popped a left front tire on his DNF qualifing run and was also unable to answer the bell for Round 1.


WINNER: Gun Slinger
RACING QUARTERS, SEMIS & FINALS