2008 News |
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Tamra Harkey was also on hand as a tribute video was played showing highlights of her father, the late Dave Harkey’s, BIGFOOT career. She was then given a memorative plaque by the MTRA. It was hard for the entire BIGFOOT family to watch, but we are very grateful to Kyle Doyle for doing an excellent job speaking about Dave. We’re all pretty sure none of us could have done it! Thanks Kyle.
For more on the 2008 MTRA Banquet and Awards, go to TheMonsterBlog.com.
For 2009, we are happy to welcome back our same drivers. Dan Runte will be driving the Summit Racing Equipment BIGFOOT #16. Rick Long will once again be the pilot of the Firestone BIGFOOT #15. Larry Swim will enjoy his first full season behind the wheel of the Bad Boys of Racing BIGFOOT #14, and Jerry Dalton will try and improve on a wonderful 2008 season in BIGFOOT #11. Rodney “Hot Rod” Tweedy will be competing for Amp Live Events again in 2009 in BIGFOOT #10.
We would like to also give a special thanks to our 2008 UK Champ, Nigel Morris, in BIGFOOT #17 (It was great seeing you this year!!)
Long time employee Ron Bachmann will continue doing his thing in BIGFOOT #12 and, last, but definitely not least, Darron Schnell will continue touring Firestone stores around the country in the Firestone BIGFOOT #8.
Once again, Thanks guys! We’re looking forward
to 2009!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Site Based on Popular TV Series Produced by Endgame Entertainment, Bigfoot 4x4 and Brandissimo!
November 26, 2008 - Los Angeles – Start your Engines! Meteor and his monster truck friends are crushing their way into their new online home this winter. The creators of the Emmy nominated, Discovery Kids hit series “Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks” have retooled the online world of Crushington Park. This new highly interactive online experience for preschoolers, found at www.MeteorTheMonsterTruck.com, will provide loads of educational games, activities, and videos from the show when it is launched today.
The entire world of the show, inspired by automotive pieces and parts, is reflected in the design of the site. The personalities of Meteor and his car crushing friends are embodied into the various games, activities, and web pages. Just like each television episode begins in the schoolyard of the Crushington Park Elementary School, so does the website’s home page, which is full of surprises designed to inspire exploration and reward discovery. From the main page, young visitors and parents can go to the Shop (to purchase Meteor shirts, DVDs, toys and games), watch videos with Meteor and his friends or attend the Crushington Park Training Camp and play games (Racing To School, Crash Ramp, Sarge’s Bowling) and activities (Pony’s Puzzle, Meteor Match, Paint Shop, GunkBusters Car Wash).
Since its September 2006 launch on the “Ready Set Learn!” programming block on Discovery Kids and TLC, “Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks” has engaged young children in the U.S. and worldwide with characters that learn life lessons while playing rough-and-tumble – the same way energetic kids do. In the CGI-animated series, Meteor the moon rover monster truck and his friends live in Crushington Park, an all-American town where they play just like kids and learn valuable life lessons as they navigate the potholes on the road to growing up.
“Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks” has garnered acclaim from both iParenting Media and the Dove Awards. The show is currently in almost 57 million homes on Discovery Kids in the U.S. and Canada.
About Endgame Entertainment:
Endgame Entertainment, under the leadership of CEO James D. Stern, is a
production/financing company with over $100 million in operating capital.
Three films are being readied for release: The Brothers Bloom, starring
Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo, which premiered at the
Toronto International Film Festival and will be distributed by Summit
Entertainment; Easy Virtue, starring Jessica Biel, Colin Firth and Kristin
Scott Thomas, which Sony Pictures Classics will distribute; and Every
Little Step, co-directed by Stern and Adam Del Deo, about the revival of A
Chorus Line, to be released by Sony Pictures Classics. Endgame is in
post-production on An Education, starring Peter Sarsgaard, Dominic Cooper,
Carey Mulligan, Emma Thompson and Alfred Molina; and A Good Old Fashioned
Orgy, a comedy starring Jason Sudeikis, Will Forte and Leslie Bibb. Recent
releases include the Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There, directed by Todd
Haynes, featuring Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale, Richard Gere and the
late Heath Ledger. Since its inception in 2003, Endgame has co-financed
more than 25 features including Hotel Rwanda and Lord of War for Lionsgate;
Proof for Miramax; White Noise for Universal; Stay Alive for Hollywood
Pictures; and the New Line comedy Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.
About Brandissimo!:
Founded by David Snyder and the late Bill Gross, Brandissimo! is quickly
emerging as an industry leader in the creation of casual gaming and online
experiences for kids. Boasting a management team of partners who have deep
entertainment industry experience, Brandissimo! is a developer, creator
and producer of award-winning and content for kids and teens across all
platforms. Brandissimo! helps broadcasters and brand owners access young
audiences by rethinking brands from an online perspective and building
relationships with kids through game play that ignites young imaginations,
swells their minds and inspires creativity, self expression and esteem.
Brandissimo! produces NFLRUSH.com and created the fast growing NFL Rush
Zone, a massive 32 team multiplayer game world for the National Football
League. In addition to their digital production, Brandissimo! executive
produced the international hit TV franchise, Harry and His Bucket Full of
Dinosaurs; Created and produced the Emmy Nominated Discovery Kids
franchise Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks ; and
produces the multi-award winning musical series, Spectrum Connections'
Bounce!, for PBS Sprout.
About BIGFOOT 4X4, Inc.:
Starting its life as a work/play family vehicle for the Chandler family
back in the late 1970s, BIGFOOT®, The Original Monster Truck®, became
the name by which all other monster trucks are compared. Bob
Chandler started the entire monster truck industry, and, along with
his wife, Marilyn, turned BIGFOOT into a household name all over the
world. The BIGFOOT Fleet has two Guinness World
Records, has won over 24 Championships,
and has appeared live in over 15 countries. It has appeared in 7
full-length feature films, hundred of television specials, and is
currently the star of the Emmy-Nominated “BIGFOOT Presents: Meteor and
the Mighty Monster Trucks.”
November 18, 2008 - Go to our Online Store at Bigfoot4x4.com/Store to see some great Holiday gift ideas for the monster truck fan in your life! We have a great selection of BIGFOOT t-shirts, hats, toys, videos and collectibles. We also have a few NEW items! We have redesigned one of our t-shirts to include Summit BIGFOOT and Firestone BIGFOOT. This new T should be available the week of November 24th. The old design will only be available while supplies last. There is a new 1:64 scale die-cast BIGFOOT toy available featuring the black and blue flame design. We also received another shipment of the Firestone BIGFOOT die-cast toy.
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If you know a fan of the popular "BIGFOOT Presents: Meteor and The Mighty Monster Trucks" cartoon on Discovery Kids Channel, we have 3 DVD's, each featuring multiple episodes plus extras. Also, there are "BIGFOOT vs. Chrushmeister" t-shirts!
We have a brand new video game for Nintendo DS and Wii COMING SOON! It's called "BIGFOOT Collision Course" and will be available to ship the week of December 15th. Sorry, we cannot guarantee Christmas delivery unless expedited delivery arranged (extra charges apply). Pre-order yours today, and when the shipment arrives, we'll send your copy to you right away.
Orders must be received by December 11th for guaranteed Christmas delivery. So be sure to visit BIGFOOT's Online Store to see everything that's available and place your order today!
November 13, 2008 - BIGFOOT would like to thank all of our sponsors and partners who helped with this 2008 SEMA BIGFOOT Silverado project. The truck was built in only 15 weeks, while our dedicated employees continued to keep up with all of our normal work, which consists of maintaining our fleet of 7 BIGFOOT Monster Trucks and working on our retail customers’ vehicles. Over the past 3 years, we have helped design and built vehicles for Hasbro, Inc., Ford Motor Company, Monster Energy, and now GM, just to name a few.
We would like to give a special thanks to all of our employees who worked on this project: Bryan Bertoletti, Chris Ludwig, Bob Brown, John Peterson, Randy Lenger, Nick “Pedro” Dvorchek, AJ Stratmann, Alan Hartsock, Jim Kramer, and Bob Trent.
The 2008 BIGFOOT Silverado received the following awards, etc. while in Vegas:
Mothers Choice Award: Excellence in Automotive Design
GM 2008 SEMA Design Award: Best GM Truck
CARandDRIVER.com 2008 SEMA Awards – Auto Shows: Bad-Assest Truck: BIGFOOT 4X4 Chevrolet Silverado: “There were a ton of burly trucks at SEMA, making for a lot of competition for this award, but this massive flat-red Silverado crafted by the Bigfoot bunch takes it.” And, on their Day 3 photo page: “And now it’s time to run stuff over. What kinds of stuff? Oh, anything. Cars, houses, small towns, Himalayan peaks, whatever. This Silverado is in Vegas courtesy of Bigfoot 4x4, the same company that builds those big, blue Ford trucks that are so famous for running things over. This is reportedly their first Chevrolet, and hopefully not their last.”
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November 6, 2008 - The 2008 BIGFOOT 4X4X4 Chevrolet Silverado has had a great SEMA show! The truck is one (1) of only thirteen (13) vehicles to receive the “Mothers Choice Award: Excellence in Automotive Design”. It also received the “2008 SEMA Design Award: Best GM Truck”. Not bad for our first Chevrolet!
We will keep you updated on our SEMA 2008 progress.
November 3, 2008 - BIGFOOT Chevrolet Silverado to appear at SEMA 2008 in Las Vegas the week of November 3rd.
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Suspension & Drivetrain
30+ inches of lift- BIGFOOT & Midwest
4WD
4-link with coil over shocks /2 per corner- Sway
Away
Springs- Eibach Springs
51” Firestone Duraforce AT-R tires- Firestone
Custom heavy duty front and rear drive line with rear steering- BIGFOOT
& Midwest 4WD
GM divorced transfer case- GM
Modified and upgraded transmission- North American Diesel
Engine
Duramax Hi Output Turbo to run on
bio diesel- BIGFOOT & Midwest 4WD
Engine performance modifications- Industrial Injection
4” custom exhaust- Magnaflow
Fuel system- FASS
Fuel tanks- JAZ
Nitrous Oxide System- Summit
Racing Equipment
Cold air intake system- Summit Racing Equipment
Engine Tuning- SoCal Diesel
Exterior
Remove brackets, paint frame and all
hardware- Robinson Enterprises
Front and rear pre runner/wide fender kit- GM/BIGFOOT & Midwest 4WD
Front and rear bumpers- Trail Ready Products
Winches- Warn
Lighting front and rear- KC
Hilites
Custom paint- DuPont/Hot
Hues
Custom bed lining- Xtreme Bedliners
Interior
Paint interior trim pieces- BIGFOOT
& Midwest 4WD
Upgrade audio/video system- Sony/Mach One
Amplifier rack on console- Sony/ Mach One
Monitors located through out- Sony/Mach One
October 7, 2008
COMING SOON: "BIGFOOT Collision Course" video game! The first BIGFOOT monster truck video game in over a decade is set to be released some time in November! The game will be available for the Wii and Nintendo DS gaming consoles. Keep an eye right here for release updates and purchase availability directly through our Online Store.
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NOW AVAILABLE: "BIGFOOT Presents: Meteor" t-shirts! The shirt features BIGFOOT and Crushmeister. Check the Meteor section of our Online Store for the sizes available. Get yours while they last!
August 25, 2008 - BIGFOOT is doing it again! For the past couple years, we have built trucks that have been featured in the SEMA show in Las Vegas. This year is no different! We are working with a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado HD2500 that we bought from Jim Trenary Chevrolet.
This truck should be one of the biggest trucks at SEMA this year! As you can see by the pictures below, the truck will have a four-link suspension with four wheel steering. We are using Firestone Duraforce AT-R 500/70R24 tires, and the front and rear axles are from a GMC 4500 series truck. We will be using Sway-a-Way shocks and Eibach springs. The front and rear bumpers were supplied by TrailReady Products out of Lynnwood, Washington. They will also be adding bead locks to our custom made wheels.
The truck has fiberglass front and rear fenders and audio/video components supplied by Sony. We had the transmission re-built and beefed up by North American Diesel Performance. There will also be modifications to the engine - we will be installing a Jaz fuel cell in the bed of the truck to supply the Fass Fuel System for the 500 HP bio-diesel motor.
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Please be sure to check back for further updates.
Jim Kramer was inducted into the Monster Truck Challenge Hall of Fame on Saturday, July 26, 2008. Since Jim was in out-of-town, he couldn’t attend the induction ceremony that was held at Gateway Raceway outside of St. Louis, MO. His wife, Julie, his son, Russ, and his daughter, Kate, received the honor in his name.
When asked for quotes, here’s what Jim’s kids had to say:
Kate:
“My dad has been into monster trucks for 30-plus years and is still
doing what he loves to do. He can’t be here tonight because he’s
in Idaho training the next Bigfoot driver. I know he would be proud
and honored by this award, but all he would say is … ‘I’m just doing
my job.’”
Russ:
“In 30 years, dad has touched a lot of people … millions of Bigfoot
fans in lots of countries. He made his fans the old-fashioned way,
by giving them a thrill and something to talk to their friends about.
If dad were here tonight, he would accept this induction with heartfelt
thanks to all of his fans that he loves to perform for.”
July 16, 2008 - We would like to wish Keith Sturgeon a fond farewell and good luck in his next endeavors. Keith was here for 3-1/2 years and did a great job.
We would like to welcome former BIGFOOT painter Nick “Pedro” Dvorchak to his new life as a crew member. Nick will be gaining valuable experience on the road. He’s already spent time in New Jersey, Canada, Utah, and Nebraska.
Also, we have another new driver/crew member, namely, Darron Schnell. Darron previously worked for another monster team, and we look forward to many great things from him. He will be starting out working with Scott Winger and BIGFOOT #8.
Finally, we have yet another new driver on the team: Larry Swim. Larry is an 8 year veteran in the monster truck industry. He will be taking over the driving duties in BIGFOOT #14. Good luck Larry, we will be keeping our eyes out watching for big things from you!
May 14, 2008 - We went “Old School” on our new paint scheme for BIGFOOT #10. We took traditional BIGFOOT blue and used it over Hot Rod Black. Our painter, Randy Lenger, along with shop foreman Alan Hartsock, came up with the design! Randy then called our friends at DuPont, and the project was under way.
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This is a total different look for us! It seems that for the past few years everything we’ve painted was been based on a red, white and blue theme or has been sponsor-specific. BIGFOOT #10 driver, Rodney Tweedy, describes his new ride as “Awesome! I just love the look of the truck. It looks tough!!”
Please be sure to checkout our event schedule to see when Rodney and BIGFOOT #10 will be in your area.
May 14, 2008 - On Tuesday, May 13, 2008, we lost one of our most cherished and long-tenured employees. Marilyn Young was with us for over 24 years. She touched the hearts and souls of every BIGFOOT employee who walked through our doors. There was not a person who works here who did not respect her. She always did the best job she could, and Marilyn’s job was NOT one of the easiest ones! Marilyn did everything from paying the bills to getting all the guys’ paperwork together for each trip. She checked to see when each driver was leaving and when he was due back. She took care of hotel reservations, checked on show dates and times, and made sure to find out if we had displays or radio interviews before each show. When a driver returned from a trip, she made sure all paperwork and receipts were turned in and explained.
I think that most of us will miss Marilyn’s attitude the most! She treated each 1 of us like family, and MAN, we all LOVED her brownies! With Marilyn, you always knew where you stood; she was not shy about getting on you for that “lost gas or hotel receipt”! When Marilyn was in a good mood she was great, but when she was a little crabby she was even BETTER!
We will dearly miss you, Marilyn!!
Bob & Marilyn Chandler, Bob & Ann Trent, Penny & Craig Lopez, Bob & Crystal Chandler, Jim & Julie Kramer, and all the BIGFOOT employees.
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April 30, 2008 – Dan Runte and Rick Long now have their own web sites: DanRunte.us and RickLong.us! Go to both sites to see personalized photos, videos, biography, and the new “Question Of The Month” (QOTM). The QOTM is where you can submit a question for Dan or Rick, and, if we choose your question to post on the site, you will receive a personalized, autographed 8x10 photo signed by the driver sent to you, absolutely FREE! Also, check out the “Contributor’s Photo Gallery”. This is where you can submit your very own pictures of either driver, taken from any event that BIGFOOT appears in, and, if approved, get them posted on that site!
Also, this year we have had a lot of new merchandise. Well, it's still coming: go to our Online Store to see a new t-shirt and a new BIGFOOT Presents: Meteor DVD!
April 21, 2008 - As most of you probably already know, Dave Harkey passed away April 19, 2008. Dave had worked at BIGFOOT 4X4, Inc. on 3 separate occasions for a total of 12 years. He drove just about every vehicle we have. Dave went from giving rides in Safarifoot to racing BIGFOOT #14. He was one of the best monster truck drivers ever. If you ever had the pleasure to meet him, you know he was one of the nicest, most humble men that you could ever meet. Dave was one of those guys who would do anything asked of him, and always with a smile. All of us here at BIGFOOT were sad to see Dave retire last year. We lost a great employee but still had a good friend.
The monster truck industry is a close-knit group for the most part. Behind the scenes, you can always find guys on opposing teams helping each other. Dave was no exception; he was always willing to give a helping hand.
Here at BIGFOOT we are even closer than that. We all spend so much time with each other, whether it’s during working hours or after hours. It’s often the case that most of our guys don’t have a “normal” life. Our schedule is so full, and they often spend weeks on the road at a time. When the guys are in town, it’s not uncommon for everyone to hang out after work in the shop or all meet somewhere for dinner and drinks. Being part of BIGFOOT is somewhat like being part of a rather large family. It is not unusual for one of us to have to give up our only weekend off for a couple of months in order to give one of our brothers time off for personal reasons. This last week, we lost one of our brothers.
We will miss you, Dave! You will always be remembered and will always be part of our family.
From: Bob & Marilyn Chandler, Bob & Ann Trent, Jim Kramer, and the entire BIGFOOT Family.
CLICK HERE for Dave's driver profile.
April 7, 2008 - A brand new BIGFOOT DVD is now available! The DVD features BIGFOOT # 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, and 16. This along with some other great new items are now available in our Online Store.
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Also, coming soon:
- A new black BIGFOOT t-shirt
featuring the Firestone BIGFOOT and the 30th Anniversary BIGFOOT trucks!
- 3 new BIGFOOT hats - 1 kids featuring the Star BIGFOOT, 1 adult
featuring the Firestone BIGFOOT, and one adult with an "Inferno"
design.
- A new "BIGFOOT Presents: Meteor" DVD, titled "Shifting
Gears"!
So, be sure to go to our Online Store and check out all of our new items, and check back soon for the other new things that will be available in the very near future!
March 26, 2008 - BIGFOOT® 4x4 will be doing displays and car crushes for Ridemakerz®, makers of customizable monster trucks. For more details CLICK HERE.
March 6, 2008 - We have posted a one-of-a-kind, actual used BIGFOOT Racing helmet for sale on eBay. The item number is 110231017775 (CLICK HERE for a link). There are other angles available of the helmet on the eBay site.
This helmet was worn by world famous, and long time, BIGFOOT driver Dan Runte. It is signed by BIGFOOT owner and creator Bob Chandler, former driver Jim Kramer, and current drivers Dan Runte and Keith Sturgeon.
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Remember, this is a one-of-a-kind helmet and opportunity to own actual racing helmet used by BIGFOOT. So, if you're interested, place your bid today!
March 5, 2008 - The new Firestone BIGFOOT and Summit BIGFOOT die-cast toys are here! Go to our Online Store today and get yours.
Also, we have a new Summit BIGFOOT t-shirt available. It is a great new design that shows both the blue and white Summit BIGFOOT designs. A new Snapfast model is available too, with the very popular 30th Anniversary BIGFOOT design.
COMING SOON:
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... and a brand new video, featuring almost an hour of BIGFOOT doing what it does best, crushing the competition! The new title will be called "BIGFOOT In Action 3"!
Please visit www.esabna.com for all of your welding needs!
February 27, 2008 - COMING SOON: New die-cast BIGFOOT toys! Smart Bean Inc. has manufactured 2 new BIGFOOT 1:64 scale die-cast toys. The new Firestone BIGFOOT and the Summit Racing BIGFOOT toy trucks will be available soon.
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Be sure to check back soon as these toys will be available in our Online Store in the "Toys" section. Also, watch out for Star BIGFOOT and Snake Bite versions to be available later this year.
"Make-A-Wish Foundation hooks middle-schooler up with lift home"
February 25, 2008 - "School buses are so last year — at least for Zander Newton.
This 14-year-old would prefer to see a monster truck waiting for him outside of school.
And Thursday afternoon, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, he found just that.
Zander, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, was greeted by Bigfoot: a red, white and blue giant truck that towers on 66-inch-tall tires."
For the rest of the story CLICK HERE.
January 10, 2008 - From the desk of Ralph Moore, the President of Edge Motorsports:
Monster Madness debuted in May 2007 in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. The Line-up was huge: BIGFOOT®, Predator, Prowler, T-Maxx and Sudden Impact. All the trucks and their experienced drivers came out to win the first race of the 2007 Season! When the smoke cleared, it was Rick Long and BIGFOOT taking the wins in racing AND freestyle. The tour then moved down east, where Rick and Team BIGFOOT were pushed hard by the other drivers. However, Rick still managed to drive BIGFOOT to wins both nights in Saint John. He won both freestyle and racing both Friday and Saturday nights. Rick and BIGFOOT were on a roll.
The tour moved to the beautiful province of Prince Edward Island. BIGFOOT had not ventured here before; could Rick keep up the winning streak? The answer: yes. Predator, Prowler and others gave it their all, but “Foot: came out on top again in both racing and freestyle. Another win! The next stop: Sydney, Nova Scotia, and yes, Long and BIGFOOT won freestyle and racing again. What would it take to stop this American-born legend? Could BIGFOOT and Rick win all the races and freestyle in Canada in 2007?
After a week off, the tour headed across the ocean via an 8 hour ferry ride and a 4 hour drive to Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Rick Long came out of the gate strong and again won both racing and freestyle. In freestyle he was getting huge air, some saying he was higher than the FMX riders. When asked why he was driving so hard, he commented that “The people of Newfoundland put so much energy in the air with the cheers and screams when my truck was announced at intros that I had to tear up the place!” Could he do the same in St John’s NL? YES! Rick won both racing and freestyle again. What was it going to take to stop this guy?
The next event (battle) was a long drive and a boat ride away in Oshawa, Ontario, where two shows awaited us all in one day. In show #1, Long won qualifying, but, in the finals, Kyle Chandler, driving Dominator, was declared the winner by the line judge. After about 5 minutes of reviewing the video replay, however, it was clear that BIGFOOT and Rick Long had crossed the finish line first!! BIGFOOT’s streak stayed alive as Long won freestyle also.
Show #2 in the motor city showed that there was no question who the winner was, as Long clearly won both racing and freestyle. Boy, was this guy on-fire or what?
Next came the outdoors for a huge track and huge competition with Jim Kohler, the 2003 World Champion, Predator, Prowler and Kohler’s brother Steve, driving Spike. We had two shows in two days. Day 1 saw BIGFOOT winning both freestyle and facing again. Rick drove hard and did some huge slap wheelies and flew over the large bus. He also beat Jim.
Conclusion: Rick Long takes the 2007 Monster Madness Canadian Championship!
Ralph Moore
President, Edge-Motorsports
BIGFOOT would like thank all of our sponsors for their continued support.
For a complete list of Team BIGFOOT Championships, CLICK HERE.
"BIGFOOT"®, "Snake Bite"® and
"The Original Monster Truck"®
are all registered trademarks of BIGFOOT 4x4, Inc.,
St. Louis, Missouri USA
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