NTNT RACE 1-East Coast Monster Jam
Hello and welcome to the first-ever NTNT race at the East Coast Monster Jam! An amazing number of trucks showed up for this event, 15 in all. Let's meet our field of trucks:
-Robby Haught (Skitso 4)
-Bill Haught (Freak of Nature)
-Eddie Carmichael (Bigfoot 10)
-Mike Alston (Team Meents [WF3])
-Dan Defalco (Grave Digger XIV)
-Josh Rhodes (Half Breed 3)
-Corey Davis (Reptoid)
-Joe Smith (High Roller)
-John Everett (Blue Thunder)
-Dustin Hart (Pure Adrenalin)
-Alex Weber (Monster Patrol [BFT's Custom])
-Halid Kurtic (Bulldozer)
-Zachary Prochera (Whiskey Business)
-Mathew (Grave Digger 20th Ann.)
-Robert Fredericks (Avenger 2002)
Let's get down to the action!
RACING:
The debut of NTNT had the crowd pumped up for the first portion of the show, racing. Before the trucks could race, however, they had to qualify, and some wild runs in qualifying showed that the drivers were holding absolutely nothing back. Rumors before the event that John Everett had gotten some beadlocks for his Blue Thunder turned out to be true, and he was still testing his equipment out during qualifying. He knocked over a turning pole and had to start his day the hard way, at the back of the field. Robby Haught debuted his new Skitso 4 and had some early success, qualifying first in the field with a time 14.92 on the St. Louis-style oval course. Rookie Joe Smith and his High Roller were looking strong as well, as were Corey Davis in Reptoid and Mike Alston in Team Meents. Some drivers took some damage in qualifying, including Halid Kurtic, who flipped after his run spectacularly. He was unhurt and drove the truck off of the track to get ready for racing. All the drivers were competitive and got their feet wet on the course, but next was the real challenge-first-round racing action!
ROUND 1 HIGHLIGHTS
Robby Haught received a bye run for qualifying the fastest in a field with an odd number of trucks. John Everett qualified towards the back of the pack in Blue Thunder while working the bugs out of his new wheels, and had to face Joe Smith in High Roller, who was looking very good in qualifying. John must have thrown some wrenches around in the pits between qualifying and round one, because he was smoking fast in his run against Joe, knocking him out and turning some heads in the process. Blue Thunder was a truck to watch tonight if he could keep doing runs like that. Bill Haught made his online debut tonight in his brand-new truck, Freak of Nature, and he spoke with NTNT right before his first round matchup with Corey Davis in Reptoid:
"I will just do my best. Racing is not really my thing, I love freestyle!"
Corey and Reptoid came in with not much experience on turning courses in his Reptoid, but he skipped the experience part and laid down a very nice, smooth run to beat Bill, who slid wide in the last turn and missed the last set of cars.
. Dan Defalco was running strong as usual, and moved on to the next round as well. Halid Kurtic also took Bulldozer to the next round after beating Team Bigfoot owner Eddie Carmichael's Bigfoot 10. Zachary Prochera, Josh Rhodes, and Mike Alston were able to move on to Round 2 as well.
ROUND 2 HIGHLIGHTS
Very interesting matchups highlighted round 2 action. Robby Haught and Skitso 4 was running well, but this time he didn't get a bye run...he had to face John Everett and Blue Thunder. There may be the beginning of a rivalry here, as this was one of the closest races of the night, but Robby was able to knock off a hard-charging Blue Thunder by a nose and move on to the semi-finals.
NTNT interviewed Robby about his run:
"The truck's running great tonight! John was a tough matchup; he is for anyone out on the track. I got him tonight, but I'm sure he will come after me later in the season. It was a great race, he pushed me to the limit and I wish him well in freestyle."
Corey Davis continued his smooth running, slowly but surely surprising the crowd at East Coast with another close race and victory over Halid and Bulldozer, who ran into Corey's lane and gave him the victory over the final set of cars.
The Reptoid was making some serious horsepower, and moved on to the next round. Dan Defalco and Zachary Prochera each won their matchups as well. Zach may be in an old leaf spring truck, Whiskey Business, but it just didn't seem to matter. He hammered the throttle and beat Mike Alston and Team Meents after Alston missed a jump.
NTNT interviewed Mike after the unlucky turn of events:
"I am very disappointed with how I did tonight in racing, but I will be back next week to show Dixie that one win against me won't matter in the long run."
Dig debuted his Half Breed 3 truck tonight, and what a debut it was turning out to be! He moved on after beating Mathew and Grave Digger 20th Anniversary. This set up these semi-final matchups...
SEMI-FINALS HIGHLIGHTS
Dan Defalco is used to driving his Grave Digger XIV on many different circuits, and he seemed on a mission in NTNT. He was matched up against Robby Haught in Skitso 4, a very similar piece of equipment to Grave Digger. Dan has taken the measure of Robby on most occasions that they matched up, and tonight was no different. Dan was smooth all through the course and made a great final turn, forcing Robby to play catch-up after a bad jump on the straightaway, but it wasn't enough and Dan took the win handily, sending him to the finals. The other semi-final matchup featured Josh Rhodes with Half Breed 3 and Corey Davis in Reptoid. Corey got a great holeshot and held the lead into the final turn...Dig made an incredible comeback and came flying across the finish line! Both seemed to cross at almost the exact same time; it was definitely the closest race of the night. Chilly came out on top by a wheel's length, and both drivers congratulated each other on a great race.
Now, it's time for the FINALS!!!
FINALS
Who will it be? The relative newcomer or the seasoned veteran? Both trucks had been running great all night and the drivers seemed pleased with their performances, but at the end there can be only one.
Both trucks staged, the green light came, and Corey had a slight advantage going across the cars and into the first turn...
Defalco and Digger hit a pole coming into the last turn!! All Corey has to do now is finish the course, AND HE DOES! Your first ever racing winner of NTNT, COREY DAVIS!
NTNT got a chance to talk with Corey after his winning run:
"I thought Dan had me in the final turn, but once he hit that pole I just hammered it and got the win! He's a great competitor and I'm pleased with the victory!"
The crowd at East Coast was treated to some thrilling racing action, and they know one event's left...FREESTYLE!