BIGFOOT® 4x4, Inc.

The BIGFOOT Monster Truck organization has many incredible feats and firsts to its credit, but we never dreamed we could out-do an F-18 Harrier jet fighter plane, a wide array of huge military vehicles, skydiving, submarining, and the “Survivor” TV show. But that was the result when the host of The History Channel’s “Tactical to Practical” drove BIGFOOT 15 on December 8^th.

Before retiring to become a TV star, Hunter Ellis did over 400 aircraft carrier landings in his Navy F-18, over 100 of them night landings. He also flew in the Middle East in Operations Southern Watch, Desert Strike and Desert Fox. Then he was really tested as a cast member of “Survivor Marquesa.” Little did he know, it was all leading up to the ultimate challenge: BIGFOOT!

Ellis and the “Tactical to Practical” team were working on an episode to be about trucks. They had huge military trucks. They had outrageously tricked-out semis. And they wanted to finish the episode with a lengthy feature on the greatest truck ever. After spending the better part of a day touring and talking and shooting and learning everything you ever wanted to know about BIGFOOT, it was time for Ellis to get behind the wheel of BIGFOOT 15. After Ellis got a few practice laps around the parking lot at the Home of BIGFOOT, driving instructor Jim Kramer got out of the cab and directed him into line with a set of junk cars.

Let’s Go Back To The Island!

Toys Coming Soon:

They’re huge, and ultra-detailed! They’re the new Muscle Machines 1/24^th scale. Die-cast. Coming soon are BIGFOOT in its original F350 graphics, Raminator, Samson and a red Snake Bite. These are fully assembled pieces. Muscle Machines also has some 1/24^th scale die cast kits coming out soon, including green Snake Bite, Bearfoot, Carolina Crusher and Obsession. Also in the pipeline: new Muscle Machines die-cast of the “UK–BF,” Nigel Morris’ BIGFOOT 17, which is the first-ever ProMT-Europe points champion.

More coming soon:

Look for several new BIGFOOT and Snake Bite toys at mass-market retailers in the next few months. These include 1/64^th scale R/Cs from Planet Toys and NKOK. Planet Toys also will offer BIGFOOT and Snake Bite friction-motor toys. Awesome! Toys will have a line of “Regener8’rs” monster truck vehicle toys out soon. These are about 1/64^th scale and the vehicles’ bodies are made in three parts so they can be turned around to create different appearance combinations. BIGFOOT, several Milestone-represented trucks, and some fantasy trucks are in the Regener8’rs line. Best Pals if releasing a series of 5-inch BIGFOOT trucks that combine a pull-back & go motor with a jumping mechanism. Yes, these toy BIGFOOTs really do zoom on the ground and leap through the air! Look for these new BIGFOOT toys in late January.

New Muscle Machines die-cast at BIGFOOT

For you monster truck die-cast collectors who just can’t get enough, here’s some good news! BIGFOOT has just received a limited amount of new Muscle Machines die-cast monster trucks in 1/64^th scale. They are available in the BIGFOOT store and on the BIGFOOT website now, and if you order by Monday, Dec. 15, you can get them in time for Christmas.

BIGFOOT is offering a very special deal on the new 1/64^th monster trucks. While supplies last, and that won’t be very long, you can order the entire new 12-truck assortment for $69.99 plus shipping. The set consists of six real monster trucks and six fantasy trucks. Real trucks are: BIGFOOT MAC Tools, BIGFOOT lightning, Monster Patrol, Carolina Crusher, Rammunition and Obsession Line-X. Fantasy trucks are: BIGFOOT The Lost World, BIGFOOT Terror Strikes, Monster Patrol Raptor Rage, Monster Patrol Scorpion King, Carolina Crusher Jaw 2 Jaw and Carolina Crusher Mummy Animated. Order by Monday, Dec. 15 to get the entire set delivered before Christmas.

BIGFOOT will receive more of these in late January, but if you want them for Christmas, go to the BIGFOOT Online Store, and order by Monday, Dec. 15.

More Muscle Machines Monsters

The Funline Muscle Machines brand has pretty well gone crazy with new monster truck die-cast, including some new BIGFOOT versions. Arriving in stores now are 1/64^th and 1/43^rd scale BIGFOOT MAC Tools. There are also several fantasy BIGFOOT versions in both sizes. Coming soon are 1/64^th scale BIGFOOT Firestone Destination and BIGFOOT Ghost Flames (Miss BIGFOOT). In 1/43^rd scale, green Snake Bite and red Snake Bite (fantasy version) are in the pipeline. A new size for Muscle Machines is the upcoming 1/24^th scale product, which will be offered as a fully assembled piece, and as die-cast model kits. Due soon are BIGFOOT ChromaLusion, red Snake Bite and green Snake Bite.

Practical Monster Trucks

We know Hunter Ellis is going to have fun at the Home of BIGFOOT when he visits on December 8^th. But he’s also coming to do a job, and that may be the tough part: figuring out the practical aspects of monster trucks.

Hunter is the host of the new History Channel series, “Tactical to Practical,” airing on Tuesday evenings He and a video crew will visit BIGFOOT as part of an episode on “Heavy-Duty Trucks.” The plan is for the former Navy fighter pilot to drive BIGFOOT 1 and 5, and a race truck to be chosen.

Host Hunter is a former aircraft carrier aviator with over 2000 hours in the F/A-18 Hornet, TA-4J Skyhawk, T-2C Buckeye, and T-34C Turbo mentor. Completing two Middle East deployments in support of Operations Southern Watch, Desert Strike and Desert Fox, Hunter made 433 carrier landings, over 100 of them at night. After serving 10 and one-half years with the United States military, he is currently a pilot for Federal Express. Many may recognize Hunter as a contestant from the popular TV series Survivor where he was a tribe member in "Survivor: Marquesas."

"You Gotta See This!"

Some of the goofier BIGFOOT video you’ll ever see turns up in the Fox Sports Net series, “You Gotta See This,” on Tuesday, December 16. This series airs at different times on the day on the various Fox Sports Net regional cable channels. Check your local cable TV listings. Often the show airs two or three times in the same 24-hour period. No, we’re not going to tell you exactly what BIGFOOT footage this is or what makes it, well, kind of goofy.

In a slightly more serious vein, coverage of the Indy Jamboree Monster Trucks will air on ESPN 2, Thursday, Dec. 4 at 4:30 pm EST and again on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 12:00 pm EST.

UPDATE: They're Here!

Follow this link to our Online Store to get your tractor trailer. Remember quantities are very limited.

Collectable Haulers

Eligor, a company that makes very detailed, collector-quality tractor trailer die cast, will do its first ever monster truck hauler, based on the red, white and blue BIGFOOT Firestone rig. It should be available exclusively in the BIGFOOT store and here on this website, just before Thanksgiving.

Eligor is trying to learn if there is a market for this type of product. If so, in the near future, they will produce and offer additional BIGFOOT haulers, and will look into adding other monster truck teams as well.

The first Eligor BIGFOOT hauler is a huge, 1/43rd scale piece that measures 21 inches long from the tractor’s front bumper to the trailer’s rear doors. It is based on the BIGFOOT Firestone Red, White & Blue hauler that currently transports BIGFOOT 8. For the Eligor version, the road tractor is a Kenworth T2000 and the trailer is a 53-foot Featherlite twin axle.

Eligor and BIGFOOT are introducing this to the collector market at a super special low price of $79.99, plus shipping. Eligor has discounted the price from their usual $99.99, and BIGFOOT is taking no royalties on this special offer. This offer is limited to the first 40 orders we receive. After those are received, we will try to get more units from Eligor, but they cannot be promised for pre-Christmas delivery. These will not last long, so if you want to reserve yours, call today: (314) 731-2822 Ext. 101, or check the BIGFOOT Online Store for updates!

BIGFOOT on TV Again

From the (sort of) ridiculous to the (by monster truck standards somewhat) sublime describes the monster truck television offerings this week and next. One of the best monster truck television shows ever made will air again this week on the History Channel, and some pretty goofy footage airs next week on Fox Sports Net.

Tune in to the History Channel this Friday, November 21 at 1 p.m. and again at 7 p.m., Eastern and Pacific times for this rebroadcast of “Modern Marvels” Monster Trucks. This show was taped in fall 2000 and originally aired in May 2001. It was the work of Emmy award winning documentary producer Fred Peabody and Actuality Productions of Los Angeles. BIGFOOT spent a lot of time with Fred; he even rode back from the Indy Jamboree in Bob Chandler’s motorhome. The result was an excellent show that has aired at least four times annually since 2001. Here is the description of the show from the History Channel website:

Ride shotgun in our rollicking history of the Monster Truck, and meet the father of the mythic beast, Bob Chandler, whose "Bigfoot" gave birth to the sport in a cornfield years ago! Weighing10,000 pounds, the behemoths entertain using brute force. Thrill to breathtaking stunts in California, Indiana, and Florida, as mounted cameras demonstrate the shakes, rattles, and rolls drivers experience; and meet the men who race these mechanical mammoths in one of the world's fastest-growing motorsports.

Some of the goofier BIGFOOT video you’ll ever see turns up in the Fox Sports Net series, “You Gotta See This,” Tuesday, November 25 and again on Tuesday, December 16. This series airs at different times on the day on the various Fox Sports Net regional cable channels. Check your local cable TV listings. Often the show airs two or three times in the same 24-hour period.

ProMT + Jamborees = Real Racing Revival!!

The Special Events Performance Series is scheduled to host PROMT (Professional Monster Trucks) sanctioned monster truck races at all seven of the 2004 Jamboree Nationals events. Following a serious discussion at the Indy Jamboree in September, the deal for a points series has been put together. Here are some of the details:

Travel with BIGFOOT

Finally Film!?!

Scott Johnston, BIGFOOT’s VP of marketing and licensing, has been with the BIGFOOT organization 14 years this month. “When I first arrived, Bob and Marilyn Chandler were in Los Angeles, working on a movie deal. Some kind of BIGFOOT movie is something we’ve been chasing one way or another ever since I’ve been here,” Scott explained.

“So I’m really thrilled, both professionally and personally, to be able to announce that it looks like it really is going to happen in 2004!”

For 18 months now, Miramax Films has held an option on “Project BIGFOOT,” a family action-comedy. Several drafts of scripts have been written, and late this summer, Miramax hired a director, Eric Bross. Television viewers will get to see Bross’ work early next year in the limited series, “Traffic,” from USA Networks. The series is inspired by Steven Soderbergh's movie Traffic, as well as the British miniseries Traffik. Stephen Hopkins (24) produced the series. Similar to the movie, the mini-series will explore every angle of drug trafficking. It is due to air in January 2004. Bross’ credits also include the feature film, “On the Line.” Miramax also has contracted a new writer, Scott Fifer, whose credits include 1999’s “Two Cups of Joe” and “Twice Upon A Time.” The movie is based on ideas developed by Scott, Michael Braverman, who has been BIGFOOT’s Hollywood agent/connection since the late 1980s, and Martha Chang, who has produced several family action comedies, including the “3 Ninjas” film series. Present plans are for the movie to be shot next spring.

More info on the BIGFOOT SSX

The BIGFOOT 4X4 Street Series Xtreme (SSX) was launched in June, 2003 at the Ford Centennial Celebration in Dearborn, Michigan. It was there that BIGFOOT first ran the 2004 F-150 body on a monster truck chassis (BIGFOOT 14), and unveiled its F-350 BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX pickup. The F-150 BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX debuted at SEMA.

The BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX street trucks are a project involving BIGFOOT 4X4, Inc. and Potosi (Missouri) Ford. Customers can order a BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX from their local dealer. Potosi Ford does the up fit, then the unit is shipped to the dealer for final delivery to the happy new owner. Various configurations of F-150s, F-350s and Rangers are available. All will have Superlift suspension lifts, upgraded tire and wheel packages, BIGFOOT graphics packages, and other added features.

Superlift Suspension System provided its new 4.5” lift kit utilizing “FIT” (Frame Integrated Technology) for the first-ever BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX F-150. Ford’s new design demands an exact fit, and Superlift’s FIT meets tight Ford manufacturing tolerance levels. The appearance of the BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX F-150 also marks the debut on the new Superlift F-150 kit, offering the following features:

European ProMT Racing Series Ends

The results are in...
The first ever European ProMT Monster Truck Racing Championship is in the bag!!

Lydd International Raceway and MTR Promotions hosted the final rounds of the 2003 championship. It may have been the final rounds of this year's championship, but it had some of the most dramatic incidents and racing seen in Europe this year.

In front of a crowd which made up for in enthusiasm, what it may have lacked in numbers the PROMT racers played out some of the closest racing seen this year. With drama and action at every turn it seemed like the onslaught of the senses would never end.

We had new drivers in old trucks and old drivers in new trucks. Trevor Stimpson was unable to drive Blown Thunder at this event due to family commitments. Instead he asked veteran driver and MTR Promotions head man Ian Batey to step up and have a drive. And Drew Thornton had to get used to talking about a new truck, as Wild Child has been moth balled to make way for the brand new HULK monster truck.

As you can see from the racing results, and in particular the qualifying times all of this years competitors have improved to the point where there is no way to determine prior to the actual racing who will emerge victorious in any given race. Fantastic! To have racing this close in the first year is stunning!

BIGFOOT #17 and driver Nigel Morris have taken the title as the First ever European ProMT champions. Congratulations go to Nigel and his team for their hard work and determination. There can be no better way to celebrate the permanent addition of a BIGFOOT truck to the European scene than for that truck to take the championship.

Second was Tony Dixon with Swamp Thing, who has undoubtedly won as much with his never say die attitude, as he has with his trucks continual improvements. With the happy addition of a new member of the Dixon team, baby George, Tony and Claire have to be happy with this their first years monster truck action.

Third place goes to Tim barks with Thunderfoot, whom having missed the first couple of rounds has made a habit of winning or loosing, with few mid place positions to speak of. Tim also added the more dubious title of having completed the first monster truck roll in competition in Europe. This spectacular roll was all the more embarrassing for Tim, as it occurred when Tim was on a bye run, with only him self to beat! Tim not happy with this as a result then went one better and added the first roll in freestyle to his list. Once may be bad luck, two in one day is surely showing off…

So that's the first one done, 2003 will forever be the year that ProMT racing came the Europe!

We have a huge contingent of European racers coming over to the MTRA banquet in December, and it is there that MTR Promotions will announce the 2004 schedule, so watch this space!!

R/C Team Bigfoot WINS NR/CTPA World Championships!!!

R/C Team Bigfoot driver Tim Powers attended the 15th annual NR/CTPA (National Radio Controlled Truck Pulling Association) World Championships on October 11&12, 2003 in Montepelier, Ohio. Tim competed in 4 different classes of racing remote control Monster trucks. He Won the coveted 4wd Modified title with his SNAKEBITE truck, and placed 2^nd with the BIGFOOT Flag truck. He also finished 10^th with the MAC TOOLS BIGFOOT, and 33^rd with the New BIGFOOT CYCLONE, and that was out of 104 entries. He also raced in the Replica class with T-WRECKS and got 1^st place, raced in the Super Stock class with FIRESTONE CENTENNIAL and got 1^st place, and in the OPEN class with BIGFOOT and got 1^st place. Also at the event was a Long Jump contest which is sponsored by PROGRESSIVE SUSPENSIONS and he got 1^st place in that with a jump of 17' 4" with the BIGFOOT Flag truck. His BIGFOOT CYCLONE truck finished 3^rd for best of show for a Monster Truck.

Thanks to Tim Powers for his continued efforts and in keeping with the BIGFOOT winning tradition! Check out his we site at http://www.tweakedracing.com/

Eric Tack To Retire

We are sad to declare that Eric Tack, eleven year monster truck veteran and long time friend to everyone, has announced his retirement from BIGFOOT. Eric has had many accomplishments and has made many friends along the way. Everyone at BIGFOOT will miss Eric!

For more details please follow this link to Truckworld Online for an article by Eric Stern and Dave Huntoon.

New Toys are Here!

They're here: the newest Muscle Machine BIGFOOT toys. We now have the 1:64 scale "Flag Body" BIGFOOT, ChromaLusion BIGFOOT, red Snake Bite, and green Snake Bite. We also have the 1:43 scale Firestone Destination BIGFOOT and Miss BIGFOOT (as seen in the movie Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle). Follow this link to our online store for these newest BIGFOOT toys.

BIGFOOT in Funkmaster Flex TV premiere Saturday

Yes, that really is BIGFOOT Monster Truck creator Bob Chandler slappin’ hands and jivin’ with New York City DJ and hip-hop artist Funkmaster Flex. Yes, that’s BIGFOOT driver and driving instructor Alan Hartsock teaching Flex to drive the legendary first tube chassis monster truck, BIGFOOT 8.

What’s it all about? You’ll see this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EDT when the cable network TNN undergoes a radical transformation into “Spike TV.” After “The Nashville Network” was acquired by CBS, it became known as “The National Network.” Now, it has become “Spike TV” and it will launch some original programming targeting young adult males. One of those new shows is “Ride with Funkmaster Flex,” wherein Flex will visit some of his many friends in the music business, check out their rides, and sometimes do some wild stuff (like race against rapper Nelly in vintage hot rods). Flex may not be a household name in the monster truck world, but almost all fans of hip hop music know of him. He hosts a red hot, nationally syndicated radio program, owns his own vehicle customization company, and now hosts a new TV series.

At the top of Flex’s list of stories for his new show was to meet Bob Chandler, tour the BIGFOOT shop and drive a real BIGFOOT monster truck. Flex readily admits he’s a gear head and proud of it, and says he had a great time at the Home of BIGFOOT shoot.

Watch BIGFOOT in the series debut of “Ride with Funkmaster Flex” Saturday, August 16 at 7:30 p.m. EDT, and again on Sunday, August 17 at 11 p.m. EDT.

More BIGFOOT TV coming soon:

The Travel Channel will have a BIGFOOT Bonanza of sorts August 17-18 and August 23-24. “Top Ten Monster Trucks” will run Sunday, August 17 at 8 p.m. EDT, followed by “Extreme 4X4” at 9 p.m. Both shows repeat beginning at 11 p.m. Both shows run again on Saturday, August 23 at 8 p.m. EDT and again at 11 p.m.

New Toys COMING SOON!

Keep an eye on our online store for these new BIGFOOT® and Snake Bite® Muscle Machine toys, coming soon:

BIGFOOT® leaves big imprint at Ford Centennial event

DEARBORN, MI -- Record-holding fantasy vehicles, a pair of world premieres, and the people and pickup that founded the entire monster truck industry highlighted BIGFOOT’s presence at Ford Motor Company’s 100th Anniversary Celebration, June 12-16 in Dearborn, Michigan.

The team BIGFOOT brought to the 152-acre grounds of Ford’s world headquarters, including BIGFOOT creators Bob and Marilyn Chandler, took to heart the event’s theme, “THE ROAD IS OURS.” The road monster trucks used definitely belonged to BIGFOOT during the five-day event, which drew almost 250,000 people and thousands of classic and specialty Ford vehicles.

BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX pickup has big launch at Ford Centennial

BIGFOOT 4X4 Inc. and Potosi Ford were excited to launch the newest BIGFOOT® 4X4 street pickup, at the Ford Centennial Celebration June 12-16 at Ford’s headquarters Dearborn, MI.

It’s called the “BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX,” which stands for “Street Series Xtreme.” The pickup on display there was the prototype model for this new 4X4 street truck series themed with the BIGFOOT monster trucks. While previous versions of BIGFOOT street trucks were focused on the street aspect, the new BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX pickups are what Team BIGFOOT affectionately calls “Street Monsters.” These are on- and off-road trucks with lift kits, big tire and wheel packages, and, of course, the hottest new look in real BIGFOOT Monster Truck graphics.

The prototype BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX Ford pickup received an enthusiastic response at the Ford Centennial event, which was attended by nearly 250,000 people and thousands of classic and specialized Ford vehicles. Along with BIGFOOT creators Bob and Marilyn Chandler, four real BIGFOOT monster trucks also were on hand. These included BIGFOOT 1, “The Original Monster Truck®,” BIGFOOT 5, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest pickup truck, and BIGFOOT 14, which debuted a 2004 Ford F150 Super Cab body.

The BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX prototype was built at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant, with up fit and customization by Potosi Ford in Potosi, MO. It has the following specifications and additions:

· BIGFOOT SSX Interior Package, with each truck numbered & autographed on dash plaque by BIGFOOT creator Bob Chandler

BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX Ford pickup trucks will be available primarily in 4-inch lift and 6-inch lift versions with F350 body style options of Regular Cab, Super Cab and Crew Cab, in Ford factory colors of True Blue and Sonic Blue. BIGFOOT and Potosi Ford also plan to offer BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX trucks in 2004 Ford F150 and Ranger versions. All BIGFOOT 4X4 SSX Ford pickups will be individually customized and many options will be available. Lift height availability will depend on the bumper height laws of the applicable state.

The NEW 2004 Ford F-150 BIGFOOT Debuts

Introducing the new 2004 F-150 BIGFOOT! Just completed, this newest design is making it's debut at Ford's 100th Anniversary show in Detroit, Michigan from June 13-15, along with BIGFOOT 1, 5 and 8. As soon as pictures of the show are available, we will post them right here.

U.K. BIGFOOT DEBUTS

BIGFOOT has teamed up with Nigel Morris of England to make a BIGFOOT truck that will be running full-time in the United Kingdom. For more details on this exciting venture, follow this link.

The Mac Tools BIGFOOT Franklin Mint Body is here!!

It's finally here! The new Mac Tools BIGFOOT Franklin Mint body is now available. This body is a replica of Eric Tack's Mac Tools BIGFOOT #15 as seen in the ProMT Racing Series.

LEARN TO DRIVE A REAL BIGFOOT RACE TRUCK AT THE SPRINGFIELD, MO JAMBOREE MAY 3-4!!

More than a quarter-century after founding the monster truck industry, BIGFOOT creator/owner Bob Chandler is preparing to give the public a chance to drive one of his high-tech, tubular chassis monster trucks, during the O'Reilly Auto Parts 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds Springfield, MO, May 3 and 4.

You can really drive BIGFOOT 8 and handle all the controls yourself. There is a short driving school first and then you will start the engine and steer BIGFOOT 8 with front and rear steering while driving around obstacles. A professional BIGFOOT driver will be next to you, in the passenger seat. He has a brake pedal and a shut-off switch and a BIGFOOT crew person on the ground has a Remote Ignition Interrupter (RII) so student drivers cannot get seriously out of control.

You will even crush cars! BIGFOOT 8 has a supercharged 460 c.i. engine, so there will be plenty of power at your feet. After you show the BIGFOOT driver that you can handle the controls, you will get the chance to do a real car crush!

Please remember, there is a limited number of people who can attend the class and drive BIGFOOT, so act quickly!

This could be you!!

Bob Chandler invites you to drive BIGFOOT 8. BIGFOOT 4x4 will be having a Monster Truck driving school at the Special Events Jamboree in Springfield, MO., on May 3rd and 4th, 2003.

You can drive BIGFOOT 8 and handle all the controls yourself. There is a short driving school first and then you will start the engine and steer BIGFOOT 8 with front and rear steering while driving around obstacles. You will even crush cars! BIGFOOT 8 has a supercharged 460 c.i. engine, so there will be plenty of power at your feet.

BIGFOOT 8, itself something of a legendary monster truck, has been specially modified in order to teach people how to drive. It was originally built in 1989, and is famous as the first tube-chassis monster truck. Bob Chandler spent hundreds of hours designing BIGFOOT 8 with an Auto-CAD computer program. He also developed the only monster truck-specific technology that holds a U.S. Patent, the truck’s cantilever suspension. It won the 1990 TNT Monster Truck Challenge points racing series. Number 8 is truly the monster truck that revolutionized chassis design and has served as the basis for every tube-chassis monster truck that has been built since.

There will be a limited number of people who can participate, so as soon as more details become available on how to sign up, we will post them right here.

Bridgestone/Firestone Promotes New Destination Tires with Bigfoot Monster Truck

Bridgestone/Firestone Promotes New Destination Tires with Bigfoot Monster Truck Posted on aftermarketnews.com - the aftermarket's only Internet-based, comprehensive, up-to-the-minute news source.: March 12, 2003, 9:00 a.m., EST.

NASHVILLE, TN -- Bridgestone/Firestone is teaming with the Bigfoot Monster Truck organization to field the new Bigfoot Destination Monster Truck and promote the company's new line of light truck and SUV tires.

The Bigfoot Destination is hitting the road on an extensive tour and race schedule with an all new body based on the Bigfoot 14 chassis. The truck features an new orange and green paint scheme as well.

Phil Pasci, executive director of North American consumer tire brand marketing for Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, said the partnership is a key component of the company's marketing plans for the new tire line.

"This promotional sponsorship of the Bigfoot Destination is integral to our marketing plans for the new Firestone Destination family of light truck and SUV tires for 2003 and beyond," said Pacsi. "We have had a wonderful working relationship with Bigfoot for the past 11 years, and we are very excited about this new project."

The relationship is beneficial for Bigfoot 4x4 as well, said the company's vice president for marketing, Scott Johnston.

"There is no question that Firestone tires have played a huge role in helping Bigfoot win more than 10 years of championships in the Monster Truck Racing Series," said Johnston. "Firestone tires are the most competitive tires and they help us win."

Aside from the race and tour vehicle, the Bigfoot organization also runs a dedicated display truck that visits Firestone's retail stores throughout the year to promote the Bigfoot/Firestone relationship.

Company founder Bob Chandler created the first monster truck, christening it "Bigfoot," in the mid 1970s. Through the years, it has remained perhaps the best-known of the monster trucks, Johnston said.

For more information on Bridgestone/Firestone, visit the company's web site: www.bridgestonetire.com.

Watch BIGFOOT on the Travel Channel Sunday 2/16

Feb 12, 2003 – An inside look at BIGFOOT and the world of real monster truck racing will roar into America’s living rooms as the Travel Channel broadcasts “Monster Truck Race Day,” premiering Sunday, February 16 at 9 p.m. EST.

This brand new show is part of a monster truck and off-road triple-header airing on the Travel Channel that Sunday evening. It begins at 8 p.m. EST with an encore airing of “Top Ten Monster Trucks,” which includes a nice feature on BIGFOOT 5 at the World’s Number One Monster Truck. Monster Truck Race Day debuts at 9, then the off-road extravaganza concludes with “Extreme 4X4” at 10 p.m. The three shows repeat again in sequence at 11 p.m., 12 a.m. and 1 a.m.

If you miss any of the monstrous motorized madness on Sunday, February 16, the whole thing airs again on Saturday, February 22, with Top Ten Monster Trucks at 8 and 11 p.m., Monster Truck Race Day at 9 p.m. and midnight and Extreme 4X4 at 10 p.m. and 1 a.m.

Monster Truck Race Day was filmed mainly at the ProMT Truxpo Tour event at Daytona International Speedway last April. It includes extensive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, as well as plenty of racing action. It was produced by Film Garden Entertainment of Los Angeles, which is the same company that produced “The Secret World of Monster Trucks,’ which has aired dozens of times on several cable channels since 1999.

BIGFOOT helped with the production planning and logistics. From its vast video vault, BIGFOOT also provided a large amount of footage with images from the history of monster trucks and unusual action scenes such as BIGFOOT’s world record setting jump over a 727 jet airliner.

BIGFOOT in NYC Toy Fair Centennial Parade Sunday

BIGFOOT 10 will participate in a parade honoring the 100^th Anniversary of the American International Toy Fair, this Sunday in New York City. The “International Toy Parade of Stars” features children's entertainment characters such as Barbie, Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head, Clifford and Thomas the Tank Engine, parading through the heart of Manhattan and concluding at the International Toy Center at Fifth Avenue and Broadway.

BIGFOOT to appear in the

sequel to Charlie's Angels

A “Miss BIGFOOT” body has been painted for an appearance in the upcoming movie sequel, “Charlie’s Angels Full Throttle.” The plan is to shoot Miss BIGFOOT, with an Angel behind the wheel, racing against another BIGFOOT truck. The shoot will be in early February in the Los Angeles area. The film, starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu, is due out in June 2003.

NEW Franklin Mint Bodies

Franklin Mint is releasing new bodies to fit on the Bigfoot #14 replica model. The new ones should include the BIGFOOT flag truck, Mac Tools BIGFOOT, and Snake Bite. Keep checking back to see when they are available.

MTRA "Monster Talk"

The MTRA (Monster Truck Racing Association) has just given birth to a new membership program just for our younger enthusiasts. The MTRA now has a Jr. Associate program that is for kids 17 years old and younger. With your paid membership, you will receive your very own Membership Card, MTRA Sticker, Monster Talk Newsletters and any special mailings. The MTRA is in the process of developing an award, The Monster Truck of the Year Award. This award will be voted on ONLY by the Jr. Associates and will be presented at the banquet at the end of each year. For more information, or to sign up please do not hesitate to e-mail them at CLICK HERE.

-- 2002 News --

Bigfoot on The Travel Channel

Bigfoot will be appearing on a new show called "Monster Truck Race Day" on The Travel Channel in January. The show will be documenting the ProMT (Professional Monster Trucks) racing series taped from Nascar's Daytona Superspeedway. The show will air Sunday, February 16, 2003 at 9 pm EST. This will be the first television show done on the new monster truck racing series. The ProMT series is being hailed as the best new way for people to see REAL monster truck racing. They use professional NHRA-style timing equipment, which tells the driver's reaction times, ET (estimated time), & numerous other new things. For information on where this spring/summer racing series will be traveling to, click here.

Watch BIGFOOT on The Learning Channel

Nov. 20, 2002 -- The BIGFOOT monster trucks make yet another television appearance, this weekend in a new series, “Monster Machines,” on The Learning Channel (TLC). The show will premiere at 9 p.m. EST this Sunday, November 24, and will run again at Midnight, EST.

The BIGFOOT episode of “Monster Machines” will also air at the following dates and times, all EST: Sunday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m.; Thursday, Dec. 12, 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Jim Kramer, who has more than 20 years experience with BIGFOOT, and Eddie Smith, a rookie driver, were in the Los Angeles area in March with BIGFOOT 8 to tape the segment of “Monster Machines.” The shoot took place as part of a BIGFOOT display at a Firestone Tires store in Thousand Oaks, CA.

KAOS Entertainment of Los Angeles is producing the series, and put a cameraman on board to get an up close and personal view of the performance element that BIGFOOT pioneered, the car crush. Jim spoke on camera about BIGFOOT’s history of innovations and firsts, while Eddie was interviewed to get the perspective of a driver still new to the monster truck sport.

More BIGFOOT TV upcoming: BIGFOOT’s top two teams of drivers and trucks are heavily featured on an upcoming hour on the Travel Channel, “Monster Truck Race Day.” The show will air on Sunday, February 2 at 9 p.m. EST.

“Monster Truck Race Day” was filmed primarily at the ProMT monster truck race at NASCAR’s Daytona Superspeedway, where the trucks raced in the infield. The two-day race was contested in April 2002 and was the season opener for the ProMT points series.

Representing BIGFOOT were the defending ProMT champion, Dan Runte and BIGFOOT ChromaLusion, number 14 chassis; and the 2000 ProMT champion, Eric Tack and the MAC Tools BIGFOOT, chassis number 15.

The producer of “Monster Truck Race Day” is Film Garden Entertainment, which produced the widely seen “Secret World of Monster Trucks” in 1999. That hour-long documentary has aired dozens of times on The Learning Channel, Discovery Channel and Travel Channel.

Bigfoot on NBC's "Fear Factor"

On Monday, September 23 at 8:00pm EST, Bigfoot will be appearing on NBC on the television show Fear Factor. This will be their 90 minute premiere episode using all celebrities as contestants. The details of the stunt are being kept under wraps. Tune in to see what happens.

Franklin Mint Releases Bigfoot #14 Replica.

BIGFOOT 4X4, Inc. adds another distinction to its long list of monster truck “firsts” with the release this month of a 1/24^th scale die-cast re-creation of BIGFOOT 14 from Franklin Mint Precision Models. This is the only highly detailed, collector-quality, die-cast and fiberglass precision model ever made of any monster truck.

The world-wide leader in precision die-cast replicas, The Franklin Mint has been working on the BIGFOOT model since early 2001. One of the unique features of this model is its removable fiberglass body, which lifts off to provide an up-close look at the driver’s compartment, engine, transmission and functional suspension. The removable body also makes possible the next step in the project: The people at “The Mint” are in the process of developing an assortment of interchangeable bodies, custom-designed to fit securely on the original chassis. In the works are bodies such as Snake Bite and the new Red-White & Blue “Flag Truck.” Additional bodies are still being determined. Franklin Mint Bigfoot

BIGFOOT creator and owner Bob Chandler was thrilled when he examined the finished model. He shot a series of close-up photos of different parts of the model, then compared them with photos of the real BIGFOOT 14. “In most of them,” Chandler exclaimed, “you can’t tell which is the model and which is the real thing! The detail is just unbelievable!”

This model is now available for fans and collectors at Bigfoot 4x4, Inc. in St. Louis, MO, or you can order directly from The Franklin Mint by calling 1-800-THE-MINT.

MORE BIGFOOT NEWS:

MONSTER of FEAR: BIGFOOT recently completed taping of an episode of the hit NBC-TV series, “Fear Factor,” produced by Lock & Key productions of Los Angeles. We’re afraid we can’t reveal too much about the stunt, except to say that it involved BIGFOOT 14, driver Dan Runte, crewman Joe Cangelosi, and BIGFOOT Stunt Master Extraordinaire Jim Kramer, plus more than 100 cars. The producers scared us so badly that we can’t reveal the names of the nationally known celebrities who were also seriously frightened. The one thing we’re not fearful of telling you is that the BIGFOOT Fear Factor episode is tentatively scheduled to air in prime time on NBC in September.

BIGFOOT also recently taped a segment for “Monster Machines,” which will air on The Learning Channel on November 24.

Real racing resumes at Daytona; more TV coming

DAYTONA, FL, April 27, 2002 -- Real monster truck racing resumed over the weekend at the world famous Daytona Super speedway, with the opening event in the 2002 Truxpo Truck Tour and ProMT Racing Series.

Team BIGFOOT came to defend its position as the only champions the series has ever known, with Dan Runte capturing the 2001 title in BIGFOOT 14 and Eric Tack winning the inaugural season in 2000 with BIGFOOT 15. Tack’s monster truck arrived sporting a brand new graphics package that was created for BIGFOOT’s expanded sponsorship with MAC Tools.

Tack has been dominant in previous ProMT races at Daytona, winning three of four contests over the last two years. So when he qualified second Friday night, it looked as though he would pick up where he left off last fall. But it was not to be.

One of ProMT’s founders, Dan Patrick, drove his Samson monster truck past both BIGFOOT's in the second and third rounds Friday night. It marked the first time Patrick has beaten a BIGFOOT truck since the first-ever ProMT race in April 2000.

Another ProMT founder ended up in victory lane as the Raminator Dodge of Tim (crew chief) and Mark (driver) Hall took the win in the season opener.

After both BIGFOOT trucks suffered drive train/rear end problems in the third round Saturday, Hall and Patrick met again in the final round, with the same results as the night before.

BIGFOOT creator and owner Bob Chandler observed that, “It’s good for some others to win sometimes,” but, clearly, he would prefer that be the exception to the rule of BIGFOOT monster trucks winning most of the time. And, of course, he would rather the BIGFOOT trucks don’t both break, especially in the same round. Other BIGFOOT team members suggested that tweaking the race setup on the trucks might have contributed to the problem. All expected to have things resolved before the next ProMT race at Phoenix, AZ.

Whatever the cause, the result is that Team BIGFOOT is currently in third and fourth place in the ProMT points standings. The Hall brothers lead with 235 points, followed by Patrick at 191. Tack and BIGFOOT MAC Tools are third at 152 with Runte and the BIGFOOT ChromaLusion truck fourth with 132.

Two different TV crews were on hand to tape the event. It will air later this year on Speed Channel. Film Garden, producer of “The Secret World of Monster Trucks,” was taping for an upcoming show on the Travel Channel.

MORE BIGFOOT TV: The History Channel will rebroadcast its “Modern Marvels” show on monster trucks this coming weekend, at 10 p.m. EDT Friday, May 3 and 2 a.m. Saturday, May 4. The one-hour show was written and produced by Emmy Award winning documentary producer Fred Peabody.

BIGFOOT #1 in Travel Channel’s ‘Top Ten’ show

ST. LOUIS, MO, April 17, 2002 -- The popular “Top Ten” series on cable TV’s Travel Channel looks at monster trucks this coming Sunday night, April 21, at 8 and 11 p.m. EDT. As viewers will see, the show applies an unusual definition to “Monster Trucks,” but in the end, the result is the same as it’s always been: BIGFOOT heads up the list.

“Travel Channel Presents Top Ten Monster Trucks” includes some vehicles that are truly monstrous in size and could generously be called “trucks” in terms of their being used as land transport for some impressive cargo. Included in the hour-long show are a new U.S. Army assault vehicle, an extremely stretched Excursion SUV limo, a variety of oversized work trucks including massive fire, towing and dump trucks, and even the truly gigantic Space Shuttle launch system ground transporter at Cape Canaveral, FL.

And receiving the honor as the Number One Monster Truck is none other than BIGFOOT 5. Also known as the “Ten-Foot-Tire BIGFOOT,” the huge icon is already in the Guinness Book of Records as the World’s Biggest Pickup Truck.

An F-250 body sits atop a one-of-a-kind, custom-made chassis that was first built in 1986 by BIGFOOT 4X4, Inc. The monster makers added a set of 120x48x68 Firestone Alaska Tundra Tires, and a long list of products from a “Who’s Who” of motor sports sponsors including MAC Tools, DuPont, and the Lawson Family of Businesses. The result is the only functional pickup truck of its size in the world. BIGFOOT has built non-running, display-only versions that can be seen at Race Rock Restaurant in Orlando, FL and the Historic Auto Museum near Rockford, IL, but the one in St. Louis is the only one that anybody can take out for a spin.

And that’s exactly what they did for the Travel Channel. The BIGFOOT 5 segment of the show includes BIGFOOT creator and owner Bob Chandler, with Operations VP and veteran driver Jim Kramer, taking the cameraman and viewers for a once-in-a-lifetime ride in the big blue beast.

The show was produced by Michael Hoff Productions of San Francisco for the Travel Channel. A video crew visited the St. Louis Home of BIGFOOT last summer to tape segments. The show also features various clips of video shot by BIGFOOT over the 15-year history of the World’s Biggest Pickup Truck.

"Travel Channel Presents Top Ten Monster Trucks" will have four initial airings this month: Sunday, April 21 at 8 & 11p.m. EDT & again on Saturday, April 27 at 8 and 11p.m. EDT.

BIGFOOT delivers Warners to Easter Treasure Hunt

ST. LOUIS, MO, April 1, 2002 -- Two sports entertainment icons joined forces Saturday with a community outreach organization to bring a free Easter weekend “treasure hunt” to more than 5,000 inner-city St. Louis area children. The second annual Easter Treasure Hunt, created and sponsored the St. Louis Dream Center, was hosted by BIGFOOT and St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner, at Fairgrounds Park in north St. Louis.

Kurt, his wife, Brenda, Dream Center’s Pastor Terry and the Easter Bunny all rode in BIGFOOT 1 from the Dream Center about six blocks to the event, where a huge crowd of kids awaited. BIGFOOT driver Eric Tack drove the truck, known as “The Original Monster Truck®.” BIGFOOT creator and owner Bob Chandler was on hand to photograph and video tape the occasion.

After hearing a few words from Warner, a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and MVP of Super Bowl 34, the kids, estimated at more than 5,000, were turned loose to hunt for more than one million pieces of candy and various prizes.

The Warners are involved in a number of local and national charities, as are the BIGFOOT monster trucks, which are sponsored by Ford, Firestone, and a who’s who of automotive aftermarket manufacturers. St. Louis Dream Center and its related organization, Dream Building, Inc., are involved in a wide variety of community outreach projects and programs.

MORE BIGFOOT TV: BIGFOOT monster trucks doing events and displays in the Los Angeles area were involved in two TV tapings in late March.

Eddie Smith and Jim Kramer were on hand with BIGFOOT 8 to tape a segment of “Monster Machines,” for The Learning Channel (TLC). The shoot took place as part of a BIGFOOT display at a Firestone Tires store in Thousand Oaks, CA. KAOS Entertainment of Los Angeles is producing the series, and put a cameraman on board to get an up close and personal view of the performance element that BIGFOOT pioneered, the car crush. Jim spoke on camera about BIGFOOT’s history of innovations and firsts, while Eddie was interviewed to get the perspective of a driver still new to the monster truck sport.

Ron Bachmann and Joe Cangelosi worked with independent British television Channel 5 to tape a segment of the series, “Dream Machine.” It was a “beauty and the beast” feature as petite English race car driver Amanda Stratton interviewed the 6-foot-10 Ron, whose nickname is “Lurch.” The story was taped as BIGFOOT 12, with its new American flag graphics, was appearing at a church youth group function in Ventura, CA, on behalf of ARP Fasteners, a BIGFOOT product sponsor. The show will air in the UK this fall and will also air on Discovery Europe. It may eventually run in the US, although nothing is finalized.

SECRET WORLD ENCORE: One of the best documentary-style TV shows ever produced on monster trucks will air again in April on The Learning Channel (TLC). “The Secret World of Monster Trucks,” was produced by Film Garden in 1998, and has run dozens of times on TLC, Discovery and Travel Channel. The show will air again on Thursday, April 11, at 10 p.m. EDT and three hours later, at 1 a.m. that morning, Friday, April 12.

Popular Mechanics test drives BIGFOOT - April

March 25, 2002 - ST. LOUIS, MO -- It is a widely shared belief among many of the people involved in the marketing side of Motor sports that racing fans enjoy the thrill of vicarious participation. As they watch they like to imagine themselves behind the wheel of the high-powered-fantasy-machine-brought-to-life.

Here at BIGFOOT, we understand the feeling. Certainly, monster trucks are fantasy vehicles. And we’re pretty darn sure that more than a few fans have imagined themselves driving over a traffic jam rather than merely sitting in one. So we were excited when Popular Mechanics magazine called to ask about doing a test-drive feature on a BIGFOOT race chassis monster truck.

Popular Mechanics West Coast Editor Ben Stewart details his turn behind the wheel of BIGFOOT 10 in the April issue of Popular Mechanics, on newsstands now. The story, called “Monster Mash,” begins on page 100. The story will go up on the magazine’s website, popularmechanics.com, in mid-April.

In the magazine’s “Editor’s Notes” section, on page 8, the editorial thinking behind the story is revealed. Writes PM Editor-in-Chief, Joe Oldham:

“Each April, our automotive staff goes to great lengths to bring you a very special drive report on some special vehicle. In years past, we’ve road tested such breakthrough vehicles as limousines, earthmovers, roller coasters and even police cars…. This year, not only did we go to great lengths, we also went to great heights. About 10 ft. high, to be exact, as West Coast editor Ben Stewart drove a monster truck. If there is a star monster truck, Bigfoot is it.”

Stewart visited the St. Louis, Missouri Home of BIGFOOT last year for a day of monster truck driving theory and practice. His report notes the connection between testosterone and trucks:

“Nothing struts your machismo like a big, bold American 4x4 truck….You can craw over a boulder the size of a Volkswagen, or yank a house right off its foundation.” Stewart then laments that…“Recently, trucks have become sissified. They’re loaded with girlie stuff like lighted running boards and dual vanity mirrors….Just when we were thinking that there wasn’t a vehicle worthy of driving anymore, we bumped into what might be the last great bastion of wheeled manliness – Bigfoot. This truck doesn’t crawl over VW-size rocks, it crushes VWs. It won’t just tow a house, it’ll flatten one.”

BIGFOOT Flag Truck

The events of September 11 impacted all Americans. But amid all the tragedy, one positive effect was an up swelling of patriotism, of pride in our country, in ourselves and in each other as Americans. Like almost everyone, the people of BIGFOOT experienced these feelings. With so many Americans "flying the colors" at their homes and on their vehicles and "wearing the colors" on pins, hats, shirts and more, the people of BIGFOOT felt strongly compelled to start looking for a way to add our voices to the growing chorus. Ultimately, we decided to follow the course that has been a big part of BIGFOOT's success for more than a quarter-century: we chose to let the BIGFOOT truck do the talking. Graphic design artist Dan Patterson, who has created almost all of the BIGFOOT paint jobs, came up with the red, white & blue, American flag design. Patterson and BIGFOOT paint and body man Jim Aiello did the actual painting. The new design is our way of telling everyone that we love our country and we're proud to be Americans!

-- 2001 News --

Runte wins 3rd championship,
Tack finishes 2nd, in ProMT finale

DARLINGTON, SC, Oct. 29, 2001 -- Driver Dan Runte and BIGFOOT ChromaLusion captured their third monster truck racing points series championship as the 2001 ProMT/Truxpo Tour series came to an exciting conclusion October 27 and 28 at NASCAR's "Track Too Tough To Tame," the famed Darlington Raceway.
Defending points champion Eric Tack won the Sunday race to finish second to Runte in the overall season points standings. Last year, their roles were reversed as Tack drove BIGFOOT Firestone to his first championship and Runte was the runner-up.

"It's neat to be back on top," said Runte, whose last points championship came in the 1996 Special Events/Penda Series. "The guys that are showing up to run at these ProMT things are incredible," Runte said. "It's real racing again."

His comment refers to the fact that 1997 was the final year of the Special Events points series. For the past two years, ProMT and NASCAR's International Speedway Corp. (ISC) have been developing a serious monster truck racing points series. So far, races have been based at ISC tracks, but ProMT plans to add additional venues next year.

"We really appreciate ProMT and ISC giving us the privilege to get back to real racing," Runte said.
Comparing this championship to his last one, Runte said the trucks keep getting faster and added, "The (drivers') reaction times are better, too. It's just a LOT tougher." The race results over the two seasons, '96 and '01, back that up. In '96, Runte and BIGFOOT 14 won the first eight of a 13-race series. This year, in a seven-race series, they won only two. Radar records the speed of each truck at the finish line of each run, and only half of the top 20 race speeds belonged to the BIGFOOT trucks. A BIGFOOT truck was the fastest qualifier in only one of the seven races.

But in the two most important aspects of the race series, elapsed times and consistently high finishes, the BIGFOOT trucks were dominant.

After taking two wins in the first three races, Runte won the series by making it to the final round of three other races, including the last two at Darlington. Not surprisingly, the second-most-consistent driver finished second in the points. Driving the BIGFOOT 15 chassis with the BIGFOOT Firestone body, Tack also won two races and lost two other final rounds, both to teammate Runte. Team BIGFOOT occupied nine of the 14 possible spaces in the final rounds of the seven races. They logged eight out of the 10 fastest actual race elapsed times on 350-foot tracks and seven of 10 on 300-foot tracks.

BIGFOOT creator and owner Bob Chandler praised his company's teamwork, as BIGFOOT captured its 11th points series championship since 1990.

"Whether its Dan and Eric finishing first and second, like they did this year, or Eric winning the championship and Dan being the runner-up, like last year, these two guys are the best monster truck drivers out there, period, " Chandler exclaimed. "And we've always had the best support team in the business, with all our people in the shop, the office and the store," he said. "I'm grateful to everyone at BIGFOOT, and also to ProMT and ISC, for making this success possible and for really believing in our sport and helping move it forward." -end-

Runte leads, Tack's back with third win at Daytona

DAYTONA, FL, Oct. 8, 2001 -- Any serious racing fan will tell you that once a driver builds a lead in a points series, it can be very difficult for those in pursuit to catch up. Just ask BIGFOOT/Firestone monster truck driver Eric Tack.

The defending champion of the ProMT/Truxpo Tour race series, Tack has been trying to catch this year's points leader, BIGFOOT teammate Dan Runte, since the season opener. Last weekend at the Daytona Superspeedway, Tack became the series' fourth different winner in five races, set a new track record, and achieved the first "perfect day" in the 2001 campaign. And he gained one point in his pursuit of Runte and the BIGFOOT ChromaLusion monster truck. Both trucks are sponsored by Ford, Firestone, DuPont, MAC Tools, Lawson Products, Pure Power and others.

With the season finale coming up Oct. 27-28 at Darlington, SC, Runte leads with 461 points to Tack's 421. Two others remain in contention for the championship: Randy Brown in the Pure Adrenalin at 394 points and Mark Hall in the Executioner Dodge with 365. With two races remaining at Darlington, and a possible 118 points per race, the 2001 points champion will likely be decided on the final day of the season.

Two more drivers are still mathematically in contention, but need terrible races from the three trucks in front of them to advance. David Morris and the Equalizer Chevy are currently fourth with 292 points and Dan Patrick's Samson Chevy is fifth with 290 points. Morris was thrilled to beat Runte in the final round of the Friday race in Daytona. But a first round DQ the next day left him with a huge hill to climb in the points race.

Tack's win in the Saturday race was his first of the current ProMT season, and his third out of four Daytona races in 2000 and 2001. His perfect day consisted of being the fastest qualifier, plus winning all the way through the final round. He also became the first monster truck driver to post a "sub-six" elapsed time on a 350-foot ProMT track. In the final, he ran a 5.993. "It's awesome," said Tack. "It won't sink in until tomorrow. I've been having a rough year, having my own problems and not playing the right games with the trucks. I don't know what to say. I'm speechless."

Runte, meanwhile, continues the quest for his third monster truck racing points championship. He is the only multiple winner in this year's series with victories in the season opener and at Kansas City in July. Saturday at Daytona he came within inches of being in the third all-BIGFOOT final of the season, as Brown's Pure Adrenalin nosed out the BIGFOOT by about four inches.

And, as if the championship chase going down to the wire later this month isn't enough excitement, the day after Darlington, Runte will fly to Sydney, Australia for a month of monster truck races "down under." -end-

Bigfoot ‘Junkyard’ airs Sept. 12

MonsterTrucks head down under

ST. LOUIS, MO -- The hit TV series “Junkyard Wars” kicks off its second season on The Learning Channel (TLC) next Wednesday at 9 p.m. EDT, with an episode inspired by, and really made possible by, the BIGFOOT monster trucks, the BIGFOOT company and BIGFOOT creator Bob Chandler. Meanwhile, as the show airs, BIGFOOT and several other monster trucks are deep into preparations for a November tour of Australia.

In the past year, Junkyard Wars has become a serious hit for the cable TV network, even receiving an Emmy nomination. The show gives two teams 10 hours to see who can create the biggest, fastest, or strongest whatever, generally some sort of purpose-specific machine, often involving some sort of vehicle, with parts they scrounge out of a junkyard. At dawn, contestants are informed of their mission and assigned an expert in the field of that day’s challenge. The clock starts ticking and the teams race to design and build a working machine from parts they scavenge.

RDF Media, British producers of Junkyard and the original English version, “Scrapheap Challenge,” contacted BIGFOOT early this year to discuss the feasibility of doing an episode in which the teams compete to each build a monster truck. The resulting episode, “Jumbo Trucks,” opens the new season at 9 p.m. Eastern time, 8 p.m. Central time, Wednesday, September 12. The show repeats three hours later (12 a.m. Eastern, 11 p.m. Central), and airs again Sunday, September 16, at 7 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. Central.

BIGFOOT creator Bob Chandler appears throughout the show in the role of “The Judge,” the all-knowing expert from the field who explains to the shows hosts, and the viewers, just what the heck these people are trying to do and how it might or might not work. Roy Hooser, BIGFOOT’s chief mechanic, was the Expert for the “Ghost Mountain Riders” team. Fellow monster truck racer John Seasock (Sudden Impact) guided the Law Dogs team.

And yes, they really did build two vehicles that somewhat resembled and performed as monster trucks, with some car crushing and obstacle course racing against the clock included. BIGFOOT 11 and driver Dave Harkey were on hand to demonstrate how today’s real, race-ready monster trucks perform.

Chandler and Hooser agreed that the three-day shoot in May near Los Angeles was a tremendous amount of work, even for people who more or less wrote the book on building monster trucks. For Chandler, it was doubly so, because he also helped with a similar three-day shoot in April for the British version, Scrapheap Challenge. BIGFOOT’s Jim Kramer played The Judge in that version, which will premiere in the UK, but eventually air in the US as well.

DARLINGTON, SC (5-12-01) Seven months have passed since the last ProMT points race sent pair of Team BIGFOOT monster trucks blasting down the track in last season’s final round at the Talladega (Alabama) Super speedway on October 14, 2000. But for the drivers of the Team BIGFOOT monster trucks, the break in points racing action produced no "race rust."

Eric Tack, champion of the 2000 inaugural season of ProMT racing, and runner-up Dan Runte were back in action and in form at this year’s first ProMT race, which was part of a truck racing weekend at NASCAR’s Darlington, South Carolina speedway. The pair of BIGFOOT drivers duplicated their season-ending performance with Runte edging Tack in the final round.

After qualifying third on Friday with the number 14 BIGFOOT chassis running the BIGFOOT ChromaLusion body, Runte ripped off the quickest run of the weekend in the first racing round on Saturday. With the BIGFOOT Firestone body on the number 15 chassis, Tack had the second-lowest elapsed time of the weekend, also in round one.

The monster trucks ran two racing rounds and freestyle, before giving way to the Goody’s Dash Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series. The weekend of racing ended with the final two rounds of ProMT racing. The racing brackets produced the classic result of putting the top four qualifiers into the semi-final round. There, number three qualifier Runte advanced as top qualifier Mark Hall and Executioner broke both rear axles. Second-fastest qualifier Tack narrowly defeated number four Gary Porter, who drove Pure Adrenaline for owner Randy Brown.

Although the starting lights still were used, the electronic timing equipment was shut down for the semi-final and final rounds, due to concern about nearby thunderstorms. Runte and Tack ran a very close final round, with Runte’s margin of victory about the width of one tire. After finishing the 2000 season with Tack the points champion and Runte the runner-up, they find the roles reversed after the first event of the 2001 season, with Runte the points leader at 116, and Tack next at 97.

Runte explained that, despite Team BIGFOOT making it look easy, the ProMT Racing Series is more competitive than ever. "All the trucks ran faster (at Darlington) this year than last year," Runte said. "Everybody’s stepped up their programs. It hasn’t gotten any easier; it’s a lot harder."

Runte thinks his success may be partly due to a pair of new Firestone tires on the front. The Firestone "Ag Flotation All Terrain" tires underwent a radical cutting job at the Home of BIGFOOT. The result was about 150 lbs. less weight per tire than the usual Firestone 23-Degree Flotation tires used. BIGFOOT creator and owner Bob Chandler explained that computer programs that analyze torque suggest that, to increase torque, the best place to remove weight is from the tires and wheels. With the different front tires, BIGFOOT 14 is almost 300 lbs. lighter than number 15.

Runte wouldn’t reveal any other areas in which Team BIGFOOT may have stepped up its program for the 2001 campaign. "Let’s just say, thanks to all the guys in the shop, the BIGFOOT Team pulled out another win. But," he concluded, "it’s gonna be a tough year."

BIGFOOT team members working on another show for The Learning Channel

Several BIGFOOT team members have been working on another show for The Learning Channel. "Junkyard Wars" and the English-TV version, "Scrapheap Challenge," are in production in the Los Angeles area. BIGFOOT creator/owner Bob Chandler, VP Jim Kramer and Driver Dave Harkey were involved in taping a "Scrapheap" episode April 16 through 18, 2001.

The format of both "Scrapheap" and the American-TV version, "Junkyard Wars," involves two teams competing to build something, seemingly out of junk parts. The season premiere this fall for both series will be the most challenging build and perform project yet, as they show two teams competing to build and operate monster trucks! BIGFOOT has provided a great deal of pre-production technical assistance in helping the production company, RDF Media, move the project from wild idea to reality. The "Junkyard" version will shoot May 21-23, 2001.

And, if watching BIGFOOT fly over a flaming jet and watching "home-made" monster truck-wannabees in action don’t deliver enough of a sense of what its really like to drive a monster truck, look for an upcoming issue of Popular Mechanics. West Coast Editor Ben Stewart visited BIGFOOT on April 11, 2001 to research a story, "We Drive BIGFOOT." Stewart had an informal education from Chandler, Kramer and others, and then drove BIGFOOTs 5, 8 and 10. Ken Brubaker, whose monster truck photography has graced the covers of several national magazines, was on hand to shoot Ben’s experience.

BIGFOOT flies again on the Learning Channel

(04/10/01) BIGFOOT returned to prime time television April, 16, 2001 in the premier episode of "Daredevils" on the Learning Channel (TLC).

The BIGFOOT segment of the show focused on driver Dan Runte and his famous jump of BIGFOOT 14 over a 727 jetliner, which was performed in September, 1999 at a Smyrna, TN air show.

The show was produced by Great North Productions of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This company also produced the "Life and Dare" series that aired last year on Canadian television. "Life and Dare" included a very well produced segment on Runte and the jet jump. Great North has re-edited that footage, much of it provided by BIGFOOT, to create the "Daredevils" segment.

Jurassic Park BIGFOOT to debut in Las Vegas!!

The Jurassic Park BIGFOOT "T-Wrecks" monster truck, sporting Tyrannosaurus Rex heads & logos from Universal's Jurassic Park movie series, made it's racing debut at the Extreme Monster Truck Nationals (produced by Milestone Motor sports) at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, March 16, 17, 2001. The new series is to be featured on Fox Sports Network this fall with a minimum of 13 televised events.

More details when available; in the meantime, see the Appearance Schedule for where you can see
the BIGFOOT "T-Wrecks".

-- 2000 News --

TALLADEGA, AL (10-14-00) – The BIGFOOT monster truck team captured its 10^th racing series title in 11 year at the famed Talladega Superspeedway Saturday, October 14, 2000. Eric Tack, driving the BIGFOOT 15 chassis with the #34 Firestone/Tonka Team BIGFOOT body, dominated the inaugural season on the new "Truxpo Tour" series, winning five of the eight races.

Tack went into the season finale needing only to qualify and win his first round race to lock up the title. He ended up winning all the way to the final round, where he lost to team mate Dan Runte, driving the BIGFOOT 14 chassis with the BIGFOOT ChromaLusion body. Runte finished second in the series, and was the only driver besides tack with multiple wins during the season.

Tack has been driving the BIGFOOT trucks for several years, and is no stranger to monster truck racing. But the Truxpo Tour was his first experience at driving in an ongoing points series.

"I’ve been fortunate to have the chance to drive the best monster trucks in the world, the BIGFOOT trucks," Tack said. "It really was a team effort that put me in the position to have a chance to win. It’s a huge honor to be part of the team that brings BIGFOOT another racing championship."

"For the last several years, I’ve had some pretty good luck, and a lot of great help, when it comes to winning races. But a points series is a lot bigger challenge," the new champion said. "At BIGFOOT, you know the guys in the shop are going to send you out in a truck that’s capable of winning. Then it’s up to you, the driver. It feels great to go out there and put it all together!"

BIGFOOT creator and CEO, Bob Chandler, had a lot of confidence in both Tack and Runte. "Dan’s a great drier who’s already won a couple of championships, plus set some incredible long jump records," Chandler said. "This was Eric’s first points series, but he has a log of talent; he’s had a lot of practice racing against the very best; and he’s a very smart driver. I’m not at all surprised that he’s the new champion of monster truck racing!"

The Truxpo Tour was produced by International Speedway Corp. (ISC), owner and operator of several NASCAR tracks. It was sanctioned by ProMT. ISC and ProMT officials expect to soon announce an expanded schedule and a television package for the 2001 monster truck racing points series.

Tack, Tonka truck go on a Truxpo tear as Team BIGFOOT wraps up 1-2 sweep of racing series’ inaugural season

DAYTONA, FL (10-09-00) – With a pair of wins this weekend at the legendary Daytona International Speedway, Eric Tack and Tonka Team BIGFOOT continued their domination of monster truck racing’s elite. They join teammate Dan Runte and BIGFOOT ChromaLusion in virtually wrapping up a sweep of the top two spots in this year’s inaugural "Truxpo Tour" monster truck racing points series.

After reeling off four consecutive wins, two at Daytona and two at the tour’s previous stop in Nazareth, PA, Tack can relax, at least a little bit, going into the series finale this Saturday night at the Talladega, AL, Super Speedway. He can qualify his truck anywhere in the field, plus win in the first round, and claim his first monster truck racing championship. Or, he can be the fastest qualifier, lose in the first round, and still be crowned champion.

Tack’s team mate, Runte, is already a two-time monster truck racing champion, not to mention a four-time holder of the world’s record for monster truck long jump (including the current record of 202 feet, over a 727 jet airliner). Runte has a slim chance to overtake Tack and claim another championship: Tack has to qualify slower than first and lose in the first round; then Runte must qualify faster than Tack and win all the way through the final round.

That looks to be a pretty tall order. Driving the TONKA Team BIGFOOT on the BIGFOOT 15 tubular chassis, Tack has three times defeated Runte and BIGFOOT ChromaLusion, a Super Duty fiberglass body on the BIGFOOT 14 chassis. In all, Tack has won five of the seven Truxpo races so far this season. His first win came on the second day of racing at the season opener in Darlington, SC.

The good news is that Runte has a 111-point lead over third place Mark Hall and the Executioner Dodge. That means all Runte has to do is complete a qualifying run to lock in the runner-up spot for the season.

TONKA sponsors the BIGFOOT Team as part of a licensing program that will bring TONKA-brand BIGFOOT toys to retail next year. Ford Trucks remains the team’s primary sponsor, continuing a relationship that began in 1983.

The event Saturday takes place during the Winston 500/Winn-Dixie 300 NASCAR weekend. In addition to the final Truxpo race of the season, Winston Cup drivers Jimmy Spencer and Elliot Sadler will make exhibition runs in BIGFOOT Firestone Centennial (the BIGFOOT 10 chassis) and Snake Bite (the BIGFOOT 11 chassis).

The race series was developed and is sanctioned by ProMT and is produced by International Speedway Corp. (ISC) at several NASCAR tracks owned by ISC. It has been widely rumored that the series will expand to several more ISC tracks next year. However, no official announcement has been made.

Tack & TONKA Team BIGFOOT take two Truxpo triumphs

NAZARETH, PA (9-17-00) – It wasn’t quite his hometown of Butler, Pennsylvania. Still, the NASCAR track at Nazareth, PA, was as close to home as serious monster truck racing would take driver Eric Tack and his TONKA Team BIGFOOT truck this year. So, even though he didn’t really need it, "E.T" went into the third stop on monster truck racing’s "Truxpo Tour" with that little extra motivation of performing well in front of family and friends.

He came out of the September 16-17 weekend event owning a pair of victories and the lead in the Truxpo points series.

Driving the TONKA Team BIGFOOT fiberglass body on the BIGFOOT 15 tubular chassis, Tack twice defeated teammate Dan Runte and BIGFOOT ChromaLusion, a Super Duty fiberglass body on the BIGFOOT 14 chassis. TONKA sponsors the BIGFOOT Team as part of a licensing program that will bring TONKA-brand BIGFOOT toys to retail next year.

Tack used one of the two fastest trucks on hand (the other being BIGFOOT) and some consistently quick reaction times to take the wins and make a big move in the points. He vaulted from third place in the points standings to first, with a 21-point edge over Runte. Dropping from first to third in the points was Dan Patrick, driver of the Samson Chevrolet, now 88 points off the pace, and only 20 points ahead of fourth place Mark Hall and the Executioner Dodge. Since first driving a BIGFOOT truck in 1993, this marks the first time that Tack has been in the lead of a monster truck racing points series.

"It felt great!" Tack exclaimed. He described the final round Saturday against teammate Runte as "a real nail biter," winning with an elapsed time of 4.810 seconds against Runte’s 4.871. But that was nothing compared with the final round Sunday, when the winning margin was one one-thousandth of a second (.001).

"I actually thought I lost," Tack said, noting that he got off the line first, but that Runte was coming on really fast as they approached the finish. "I looked over at Dan and figured he beat me. But then my crew came on the radio and told me I won. What a way to cap off the weekend!"

Although he lost to Tack in both finals, Runte was actually the fastest qualifier for both racing sessions. A two-time monster truck racing points series champion himself (and monster truck long jump world record holder), Runte had four of the five fastest elapsed times for the weekend. Between them, Runte and Tack accounted for eight of the 10 fastest times.

There are three races remaining in the inaugural Truxpo Tour series, which is produced by International Speedway Corp. and sanctioned by PROMT. The series resumes at the ISC-owned superspeedway at Daytona, FL, October 7 and 8. The final will be a make-up of the postponed June race at ISC’s Talladega, AL, superspeedway on October 14, during the Winston 500/Winn-Dixie 300 NASCAR weekend.

BIGFOOT GOES TO ARUBA

The legendary BIGFOOT monster trucks and their creators, Bob and Marilyn Chandler, will feature a three-day event on the southern Caribbean island of Aruba this fall as part of the official celebration of BIGFOOT’s 25^th anniversary.

On hand for the October 27-29 event will be the top pair of trucks and drivers in the "Foot Fleet." Dan Runte BIGFOOT

will be making his third trip to Aruba, this time driving the DuPont ChromaLusion BIGFOOT. Driving the TONKA Team BIGFOOT monster truck is Tonka

Eric Tack, returning to Aruba for his second event.

Fans can enter a free website contest to win a free weekend for two in Aruba during the monster truck event. The "MonstArubaRama" promotion is sponsored by BIGFOOT 4X4, the trucking website truckntow.com, the Aruba Sonesta Beach Resort at Seaport Village, Thrifty Car Rental and Air Aruba. This will include round trip air travel for two from Miami, Florida to Aruba on Thursday, October 26, returning Monday For contest details and to register, by linking to truckntrow.com, click here.

Click here to visit the Sonesta Resort website to find out more: arubasonesta.com

Joining BIGFOOT and Tonka will be Taurus, McGruff, Executioner and NitroFish, plus a Motorcycle Freestyle competition. The Brute Racing Organization is producing its seventh monster truck show on the island of Aruba. Monster trucks have been an instant hit on the island since first introduced in 1986.

BIGFOOT’s creators and owners, Bob and Marilyn Chandler, will be on hand for the weekend’s excitement. Although their trucks have been coming to Aruba for since the early ‘90s, it will be Bob and Marilyn’s first visit to the island.

"Our drivers and crew members have always loved going to Aruba," Chandler said. "I think they do some of their best racing there, because they like the people and the place so much." Runte and Tack both said Aruba’s monster truck fans are some of the most enthusiastic and excited they have met anywhere.

"It’s a reward for our guys to be able to go to Aruba, so we’re really happy to make it a big part of our 25^th Anniversary Celebration," Chandler explained.

Runte’s ride, the BIGFOOT 14 chassis, is the same one in which he performed the now famous "jet jump," a 202-foot leap over a 727 jetliner. Dan and 14 also did a jump over seven cars and a BIGFOOT tractor-trailer rig for the UPN-TV series, "I Dare You." Most recently, the driver/truck combination flew over BIGFOOT 1 and Snake Bite, at the Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, Special Events 4-Wheel Jamboree. Dan and his truck are two-time monster truck racing points series champions. Tack’s TONKA body is on the BIGFOOT 15 chassis, which is also a two-time points racing champ.

Both trucks will be coming off of the last points series race of the season, October 14 at NASCAR’s Talladega (Alabama) Superspeedway. From Talladega they go directly to the Port of Miami, for shipping to Aruba.

BIGFOOT® dazzles with new DuPont ChromaLusion paint

How do you take what is already the most widely known specialty vehicle in the world and add to its pizzazz? What can you possibly do to add more excitement to a giant flying truck that routinely crushes cars and includes on its resume record-setting jumps over a tractor-trailer rig and a jet airliner?

Among the many challenges for the people who work at BIGFOOT 4X4, Inc. are continually pushing the performance envelope and keeping "The Original Monster Truck®" visually interesting and fresh. Having driver Dan Runte fly BIGFOOT 14 over a semi and a 727 jet airliner, both in fall, 1999, certainly satisfy pushing the performance envelope. Visually, BIGFOOT strives onward and upward with the help of DuPont Automotive Finishes and the most experienced monster truck artist in the business.

Following the daredevil jumping stunts, the BIGFOOT Team wanted to do something with BIGFOOT 14 to make its appearance as exceptional as its exploits. After four years of working with DuPont and Custom Finishes Coordinator Ron Skyrme, BIGFOOT knew where to look. Skyrme

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