2007 Road Updates22nd Points Championship for BIGFOOT!
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We would like to thank the following people for helping make this happen:
• Joe Froome and the entire MLMT
staff for making racing real again
• Every BIGFOOT employee for believing in what we do and working the
long days and hours to make it happen
• Every BIGFOOT sponsors - we could not race without all of your
support!
In addition, a special “thanks” goes out to Bryan Bertoletti, Scott Winger, Debrah Miceli, John Peterson, Spike Clapper and Tim Trent for all of your help on the road.
And, last, but definitely not least, we offer our heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Dan Runte for winning both the Checkered Flag Productions 2007 Winter Series and the Major League of Monster Trucks 2007 Series. Dan, you make it look easy!!
CLICK HERE for a complete list of Team BIGFOOT Championships.
Dan Runte & BIGFOOT #16: Dan appeared at the Las Vegas Motorspeedway for the Major League of Monster Trucks series & had a great weekend! He won the racing portion and came in 2nd in freestyle. Dan has been to all four finals in the series, winning two of them. Great Job Dan!! Be sure to look for Dan in Red Bluff, CA October 5-7.
Rick Long & BIGFOOT #15: Rick just finished his first Special Events Jamboree. After having some shock issues on Friday night he had a pretty good weekend. With the help of BIGFOOT guru Bryan Bertoletti (Shop, Crew, Machinist, Ex-Painter…), Rick made it to the finals on Sunday. Good job guys! Rick will be in Wildwood, NJ this weekend looking to keep the “King of the Beach” title alive, and Bryan will be joining Dan in Red Bluff.
Keith Sturgeon & BIGFOOT #14: Keith was in Millington, TN at the Mid-South Air Show. He was to do 4 exhibitions during this event, but the truck got the better of him. The engine in his truck gave way after the first exhibition! But don’t worry; the truck is getting a new engine this week and Keith will be traveling to Lebanon, MO for a Saturday night show. Good Luck Keith!
Ron Bachmann & BIGFOOT #12: Ron just returned from Summit Racing Equipment’s Ohio headquarters via a farm show in London, OH. Believe it or not, Ron will actually be off this coming weekend. Have a great weekend Lurch!
Madusa & BIGFOOT #11: Madusa was in Las Vegas with Dan Runte and crew member Scott Winger. Debra had a pretty good weekend, especially considering the competition. She made a good run in the first round, but lost to veteran driver Dan Patrick. In freestyle, she did an awesome job, and is definitely getting more and more comfortable as a BIGFOOT driver! Be sure to see how she does Red Bluff, CA on October 5-7.
Rodney Tweedy & BIGFOOT #10: Rodney has been in California visiting our friends at a bunch of Firestone dealers. He will be in California at various locations for the next 3-weeks. Be sure to CLICK HERE for Rodney’s schedule.
Jerry Dalton & BIGFOOT #8: Jerry has been in Minnesota visiting more Firestone dealers. He will be heading to Valley Springs, SD at Manly Tire this weekend.
Be sure to check out our friends at The Monster Blog for any show updates and pictures. Thanks Ross and friends for your great coverage!
20 September 2007 - In 2007 the BIGFOOT® #17 team achieved something no team has ever been able to before. BIGFOOT #17 has just become the first European Monster Truck Racing Team to retain the EMTRC title. In 2006 the #17 team enjoyed another first when they became the first team ever in Europe to regain a title, having won in 2003, placed second in 2004 and joint third in 2005.
The 2007 season was a stellar year; just take a look at the numbers:
Six Racing Rounds – Five Final Round Appearances – Four Event Wins – One Second Place – One DNF: Quite a year!
Owner and driver Nigel Morris said “ this has been a huge team effort, I have to mention Paul Parsons my crew chief in particular, because he is always with me working hard and doing the jobs I don’t have time to. Thank you Paul. The rest of the team have all been important working very hard in their own departments. I would also like to thank the BIGFOOT #17 team sponsors each of whom contribute immeasurably to our racing efforts”.
Following a successful 2006 season and the disaster of the televised roll over late last year, the complete rebuild and the new look paintwork gave the team new impetus and a fresh outlook going into 2007. This was enhanced by the hard work and dedication of the BIGFOOT #17 team, their supporters and sponsors. This was translated in the early rounds into instant success, with Nigel piloting #17 to two straight racing wins. Round three saw Nigel miss the racing win but securing an important second place to maintain the title lead for the return to the UK based racing rounds.
Once back on UK soil Nigel and the team were all looking forward to the Hop Farm event, as traditionally this venue is good for the BIGFOOT #17 team. Sadly for 2007 this was not to be the case with the loss of not one but two planetary gear sets during the first run in qualifying, putting Nigel and BIGFOOT out of action for the day.
Day two saw a rebuilt BIGFOOT and an incredibly determined Nigel at the wheel. The previous days DNF had cost him the EMTRC series lead, and he wanted it back. And get it back he did with a fine racing final win over Tony Dixon, to retake the series lead going into the final round at The Norfolk Arena.
With just ten points between first and second in the EMTRC series the air of tension was palpable in the Arena. Tension that Nigel promptly laid to rest when he beat the only truck that could take the title from him in the first round of racing. From there Nigel was just enjoying the evening, but still taking a win in every race including the final round of the evening to Claim the 2007 EMTRC title.
Team BIGFOOT #17 would once again to publicly thank all of our sponsors and supporters for their help in 2007. Nigel and Lisa would also like to extend a personal thanks to Bob & Marilyn Chandler for believing in us a long time ago, and to the entire BIGFOOT organization for their help and support since 2002.
Roll on 2008………
Nigel Morris
Driver BIGFOOT#17
Dan Runte: Dan has been competing in the Special Events performance series and the Major League of Monster Truck (MLMT) series events. While it’s been a rough start with BIGFOOT #16, it looks like we have most of the bugs finally worked out!! After hurting his back in Lima, OH, we purchased a custom seat from The Joie of Seating, Inc. and it has helped tremendously. We would like to thank Tim and Mark Hall for supplying us with the info and letting us check out their seat. We have run all 3 MLMT events and have been in 3 out of 3 finals!
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Rick Long: Rick is now driving BIGFOOT #15 and doing a great job. He went on an 8 week trip to Canada, winning EVERY SINGLE round in which he raced! Other than Canada, Rick has been racing mainly on the east coast. Rick has come a long way and is moving up to bigger events. Be sure to see Rick in Indianapolis and Wildwood, NJ.
Ron Bachmann: Ron has been busy these last weeks doing some very high profile events. He has been to numerous NHRA events, and just finished with Hot August Nights in Reno, NV. Ron is on his way to the MAC Tools US Nationals in Indy, and will be at Summit Racing Equipment on September 15th in Tallmadge, OH. BIGFOOT #5 will also be in OH, accompanied by world-famous BIGFOOT driver, Jim Kramer.
Keith Sturgeon: Keith has now moved into BIGFOOT#14. He has only done 2 weekends of events with the new truck, but he’s doing a great job. He went to the finals at Rocky Mountain Raceway one night, before losing to his teammate, Dan Runte, and made it to the finals against Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter just two weeks later! We are expecting big things from Keith.
Rodney Tweedy: Rodney has been helping with our massive load of Firestone displays and sneaking some racing time in with BIGFOOT #10. He has the best attitude and outlook on everything and it sets him apart. He is one-of-a-kind! Look for Rodney to do some more racing events in 2007 getting ready for the 2008 season.
Jerry Dalton: Jerry recently did his first car crush in Coshocton, OH. Alan Hartsock was on hand helping out. Jerry did a great job! Alan called him a “natural”. WOW! We look forward to getting Jerry in the seat more and seeing what he can do. Until then, be sure to check to look for Jerry and the Firestone display rig.
Scott Winger: Scott has also received some car crushing seat time. Jim Kramer has been working with him! Look for Scott to be working with the Firestone display truck and helping out Madusa in the MLMT tour.
Madusa: Madusa is finally back in the seat!! Madusa sat down in a BIGFOOT truck again last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway in the MLMT series. Considering she hasn’t driven a monster truck since March, she did an awesome job! Unfortunately, the first night, she was matched-up with eventual race winner and teammate Dan Runte, in the first round. The next night, though, Madusa made it to the semi-finals. Look for more wins for Madusa and #11.
On a sad note, Eric Meagher is no longer at BIGFOOT 4x4, Inc. We wish Eric the best of luck in his next endeavor.
Please be sure and visit www.bigfoot4x4.com and see our sponsor page. Without these companies support we would not be able to do what we do. THANK YOU!!
28 June 2007 - Team BIGFOOT® has been VERY busy this year! We have had numerous changes recently; some good, some not so good. As you probably all know, Roy Hooser and Dave Harkey have both retired. But, on the upside, BIGFOOT #16 will be going into permanent service starting this weekend in Bolivar, MO. We’ve had a few problems with the truck, but it looks like most of them have been worked out. We have our 2nd Abruzzi Racing Transmission, so #16 now has a spare, and we just installed a new seat built specifically to fit Dan Runte, BIGFOOT #16’s designated driver. Dan flew to Randy LaJoies’ seat company, The Joie of Seating, in NC to be fitted, and he really appreciated it last weekend in Springfield, IL! Be sure to see the pictures from the muddy mess below.
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With the absence of Dave Harkey, long-time monster truck driver Rodney Tweedy raced BIGFOOT #14 in a show in Springdale, AR on June 1st and 2nd. He did a great job for his first time racing a BIGFOOT truck, even bringing home a couple victories! Great job “Hot Rod”! Look for more of Rodney competing later this summer.
Rick Long (our new resident Canadian) has spent the last 6 weeks competing for Edge Motorsports. He accomplished a feat that not many people have done: Rick won every single round of racing in which he competed! Great job, Rick, and keep up the good work. On another note, Rick has just moved into BIGFOOT #15, and will be competing with it in Garden City, KS for CFP Racing on June 29th and 30th.
Keith Sturgeon has been all over lately. He raced in WA for WHR Motorsports, and then traveled all the way to Peterborough, Ontario for Edge Motorsports. Keith is currently in Middletown, NY, and is doing a great job. He will be moving up to BIGFOOT #14 soon.
Ron Bachmann has been doing lots of Firestone and Summit Racing Equipment displays. He is currently at the NHRA races in Norwalk, OH at the Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park. If you’re in the area, be sure to stop by, say “Hi,” and pick up a free Summit catalog. Ron will be traveling to the east coast soon, so check our schedule for locations.
Jerry Dalton has been traveling with BIGFOOT #8 to Firestone stores all over the country, doing an awesome job. The dealers and the fans absolutely love him! Jerry will soon be doing some car crushes, too. We’re sure he will do a great job!
Scott Winger, our newest BIGFOOT crew member, and Jim Kramer are currently with BIGFOOT #14 doing displays and car crushes in WA, ID and UT. Scott has just started doing car crushes, and is being trained by none other than the world famous Jim Kramer! Good luck guys.
For great monster truck coverage, go to The Monster Blog:
23 May 2007 - We have finally finished BIGFOOT #16 and it has a couple of shows under its belt. Summit Racing Equipment BIGFOOT #16 was debuted in Springfield, MO on May 5th and 6th, 2007. We were all pretty impressed with how the truck handled and how well it performed!
We are trying some different things
on this most recent addition to Team BIGFOOT:
• New 2-speed transmission built and supplied by Abruzzi Racing
Transmissions; because it shifts backward, it will really take some
practice for the drivers to get used to it.
• New 565 cubic inch Ford
C-head engine which we have never used before.
• New shock settings; new PRP racing seat; new sway bars of a different
material.
Dan Runte drove #16, and did a great job considering all the changes made and the competition at the show. He had to get used to the new shifter (tough to do after shifting a certain way for 18+ years!) Considering we didn’t have time to take BIGFOOT #16 to a test track before the Springfield event, we were all proud of how well the truck did. Thanks to Bryan Bertoletti and John Peterson for making the whole weekend run as smoothly as possible.
BIGFOOT #16 and Dan’s next race was in Lima, OH at the Allen County Fairgrounds on May 18th, 19th and 20th. We were all really pumped about the truck and the weather was fantastic! During the first round of racing, Dan laid down a pretty good pass and won his round. Then he faced Rammunition of Hall Brothers Racing. The race was extremely close, coming down to the last corner, with Dan trailing by half a truck. Then that new 565 Ford engine really kicked in and the big Ford raced right by the Dodge to take the win, putting us in the finals feeling very confident and knowing that the truck was EXTREMELY fast! In the finals, Dan got loose in the first corner, pretty much wiping him out of the race.
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THIS is when all of the fun really started!! The next day, during the first round, Dan was ahead of his opponent by about 100’ coming out of the last corner, so he let out of the throttle a little, trying not to abuse his equipment. Unfortunately, Dan took an unusual hit on the last ramp and hurt his back, which put him out for the weekend! Crewmember Bryan Bertoletti took over the driving duties for the remainder of the weekend. This was, of course, Bryan’s first time in BIGFOOT #16, but also his first time back in a truck in 3 years. To try to get a feel for driving again, the first thing he did when he drove out for freestyle was to drive around the racecourse. Then he hit a ramp and did a great wheelie! Heading towards the car stack, Bryan had a little too much speed, sending the truck high in the air. He came down on the right wheel and hit the throttle to try and bring the truck under control. It was too late: BIGFOOT #16 was over on its lid. CLICK HERE for video of the roll. That ended BIGFOOT #16’s weekend. The good part was that both Dan and Bryan were OK. The truck just needs a new body, and BIGFOOT #15 was at the event as a backup truck. Bryan drove #15 the rest of the weekend, making it to the semi-final round and putting on a good freestyle run to wrap the weekend up.
WOW! What a weekend!
Also, don't forget to check out BIGFOOT on "Modern Marvels" on The History Channel tonight, May 23rd!
17 April 2007 - We sent Dan Runte and Dave Harkey to Pocatello, ID to bring back the CFP Championship and the boys did it! Dan was the number one qualifier, followed by Dave in the number three spot, which kept them from being scheduled to race each other until the finals! Unfortunately, Dave ended up with torque converter problems and was not able to compete.
With the help of Ed Duckinfield, Tim Trent and Dave Harkey, Dan was able to bring home the Championship! It had been a long winter season and the BIGFOOT team had put in a lot of hard work, but things finally paid off. Dan went to the racing finals Saturday night and came in third place with 27 of 30 points in freestyle. This was enough to put him at the top of the heap!
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The pit party before the show in Pocatello, ID. |
Dan in the Summit Racing BIGFOOT. |
Dave in the Star BIGFOOT. |
Dan at the starting line. |
BIGFOOT would like to thank all of our employees and sponsors for making this Team BIGFOOT’s 20th CHAMPIONSHIP. In addition, here’s a big THANKS to Ed Beckley of Checkered Flag Productions for having us participate in his series.
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15 March 2007 - It’s been a very busy 1st quarter here at BIGFOOT, but we’re finally getting a break. The trucks have all made it back to the shop and are getting some much needed attention.
Dave Harkey, in the Star BIGFOOT #14, is getting ready to head to Billings, Montana and then on to Salinas, Kansas, both for Checkered Flag Productions. He is gearing up to increase his points before the CFP Championship in Pocatello, ID. GO DAVE!
Keith Sturgeon, in the 30th Anniversary BIGFOOT #10, is leaving for Pasco, Washington, followed by Ft. Wayne, Indiana. He has been gaining valuable seat time in the truck this year and is doing a great job. Keith, keep up the good work! (As you can see from his schedule (Bigfoot4x4.com/events), he is also gaining a lot of time behind the wheel of his semi as well!)
In the Summit Racing BIGFOOT #15, Dan Runte has his work cut out for him. He is getting ready to start the Special Events Performance Series and is running in 2nd place in the CFP Series. The Special Events outdoor series begins in Fredericksburg, Texas the weekend of March 31st. Then Dan will be heading straight to Pocatello, Idaho for the CFP Championship weekend. Good Luck, Dan!
Rick Long has had a great first quarter, so far! Last year, in BIGFOOT #11, Rick ran for Edge Motorsports in Canada for a limited number of shows. They loved him so much they’ve asked him back for the whole 2007 Edge monster truck racing series. Let’s take home the Championship, Rick!
Ron Bachmann has been in Nashville for Mac Tools and Detroit and Cleveland for Summit Racing Equipment with BIGFOOT #12. Next he’s going to the NHRA races in Las Vegas and Atlanta.
Rodney Tweedy has been working here at the shop getting the NEW Firestone Transporter ready for his upcoming Firestone dealer tour. The truck and trailer are lookin’ good!
Firestone BIGFOOT #8 and Jerry Dalton have been touring Texas, and will soon be heading for Louisville, Kentucky to attend the Mid American Trucking Show.
Madusa is getting ready for the Truckin’ Nationals in Chandler, Arizona at Firebird Raceway. She will be racing against Dan, and Dave will be crewing for her!
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BIGFOOT 4X4, Inc. is going back to our roots! We are installing lift kits and upgrades to customer’s vehicles again. CLICK HERE for more details. Check back for the date of our Open House!
February 20, 2007
RACING: It’s mid February and we’ve already competed in 50 races! That’s not even counting the 20 display days. The year has been pretty successful to this point. We have four BIGFOOT trucks in the top five in points of the Checkered Flag Productions winter series. Dave Harkey and Dan Runte have completed enough races to qualify for the Pocatello, ID finals, with Rick Long needing just one more to be eligible. Keith Sturgeon still needs five more races, but more importantly he is gaining valuable racing experience. Two BIGFOOT trucks will compete in Pocatello to bring this championship home!
SHOP WORK: We have just completed the new Firestone Destination BIGFOOT truck and transporter paint job. It is a more traditional design than in the past, but we think it’s great! We’ve also been helping Summit Racing Equipment to update the look of their corporate transporter. Be sure to check out the latest in high performance parts for your hot rod or 4x4 truck at www.summitracing.com.
CARTOON: As most of you have heard, our cartoon, “BIGFOOT presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks” is a huge success. The Emmy nomination is still unbelievable!
FUTURE PLANS: We are gearing up for the 2007 Special Events outdoor racing series which begins in Fredericksburg, TX on March 31st. BIGFOOT did not run the whole series last year, so we are really looking forward to competing for the Points Championship! Our R&D department has been very busy working on a couple of things we hope to have ready by then. With Dan Runte behind the wheel, our experienced shop and crew members keeping everything in tip-top shape, and our sponsors and fans cheering us on, we expect very BIG things to happen this season!
CLICK HERE to see our new, improved BIGFOOT appearance schedule to see if we have a truck coming to your area!
Click the logo below for all of your tire needs:
12 January 2007 - It’s hard to believe its 2007 and our first weekend is in the books. The first weekend went pretty well, but we are looking for better ones to come!
Dan Runte competed in the Summit Racing BIGFOOT #15 in Cape Girardeau, MO. He won both of the racing portions and was runner up in freestyle on Friday and winner on Saturday. He will be competing in Salem, VA at the Civic Center January 12th and 13th.
Dave Harkey had his 2007 start in Trenton, NJ. Dave, in the NEW Star Design BIGFOOT #14, went to the finals in all 3 races and had won 2 out of 3 freestyle events. He will be competing in Dayton, OH on January 12th and 13th at Hara Arena.
Rick Long, in the American Flag BIGFOOT #11, competed in Fayetteville, NC for his 2007 start. He had a great weekend going to the finals in racing both nights and winning on Saturday night. Rick also went on to win both freestyle sessions. He will be competing in Lake Charles, LA at the Civic Center on January 12th and 13th.
Keith Sturgeon will be competing in his first race of 2007 with the 30th Anniversary BIGFOOT #10 in Las Vegas, NV at the South Point Casino on January 12th and 13th for four shows. Offering valuable advice and helping crew will be none other than Jim Kramer. Stop by and see them!
Ron Bachmann, in the American Flag BIGFOOT #12, will be in San Francisco, CA at the Cow Palace for the Custom Rod Show on January 12th, 13th, and 14th. Ron will there all weekend talking to fans and signing autographs.
Rodney Tweedy starts off his year in Midland, TX on January 26th and 27th at Bill Williams Tire sporting a brand new Firestone paint scheme on BIGFOOT #8!
We are looking to have one of our best years ever. Please be sure to check the schedule page: CLICK HERE.
Check out www.summitracing.com for all of your racing needs!
"BIGFOOT"®, "Snake Bite"® and
"The Original Monster Truck"®
are all registered trademarks of BIGFOOT 4x4, Inc.,
St. Louis, Missouri USA
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