NTNT RACE 7-Haught Stadium 2
Another record-tying attendance week for the NTNT, this time the event was Haught Stadium 2, where the crew spent hours preparing tonight's unique racing and freestyle setups. SIXTEEN trucks showed up to the outdoor stadium, an amazing show was sure to follow. Let's meet our field of trucks:
-Robby Haught (Skitso 4)
-Bill Haught (Freak of Nature)
-John Everett (Blue Thunder)
-Josh Rhodes (Dig)
-Curtis Wagner (XFA Racer)
-Cory Schwab (Bigfoot T-Wrecks)
-Pure Adrenalin (Dustin Hart)
-Robbie Milburn (Demolition Man)
-Eric Thiele (Grave Digger 20th Anniversary)
-Corey Davis (Reptoid)
-Mike Alston (Team Meents [WF3])
-David Stewart (Hot Shoe)
-Halid Kurtic (The Rock)
-Robbie Milburn (Bear Foot, subbing for Alex Weber)
-John Everett (Grave Digger XIV, subbing for Dan Defalco)
-Robert Fredericks (Avenger 2002)
RACING:
Another long J-drag was the course for racing tonight, but it had an added twist. The trucks had to go over two sets of cars, turn, then go into a steep downward slope and come blasting up the ramp and across ten cars to the finish line. A lot of interesting things were circulating around the pits before the race even started. Curtis Wagner was set to make his NTNT debut in the new XFA Racer, Robert Fredericks returned after a long break with Avenger, and Eric Thiele made his debut in Grave Digger 20th Anniversary. To top it all off, two drivers who had previously attended each NTNT race didn't make it to the show-Mathew Williams and Pure Breed and Eddie Carmichael and Bigfoot X. This left the door open for some big changes in the all-important points battle. Let's get down to the track and round one racing action.
ROUND 1 HIGHLIGHTS
The first matchup of the night pitted Bill Haught and Freak of Nature against Eric Thiele in Grave Digger 20th. Bill is not known for racing, but he picked up the victory when he caught Eric napping at the line and moved on to the next round.
Bill's brother Robby moved on to the next round after facing Dustin Hart, Mike Alston and Cory Schwab both received bye runs and looked to be very strong tonight, Robert Fredericks made his comeback known by defeating Robbie Milburn (subbing for Alex Weber in Bear Foot in addition to piloting Demolition Man), and Corey Davis saw his chance to move up on Mathew Williams in the points and grabbed it, turning in a great run to beat out David Stewart and the Hot Shoe.
ROUND 2 HIGHLIGHTS
David came back as a fast loser and nipped Bill Haught in Freak of Nature at the line in a very close race to move on.
Robby Haught had a good run against Corey Davis and took out his Reptoid, Josh Rhodes and Half Breed 3 took out Robbie Milburn and Demoliton Man, and John Everett had Blue Thunder running great as usual to take out Mike Alston in Team Meents. Other victors included Curtis Wagner in the XFA Racer, making a statement in his debut, and Cory Schwab, having his usual excellent racing runs and looking for his second straight racing win.
SEMI-FINALS HIGHLIGHTS
The field narrowed to the semi-finals, and four trucks were left-Josh Rhodes and Half Breed 3, Robby Haught and Skitso 4, Cory Schwab and Bigfoot T-Wrecks, and John Everett in Blue Thunder.
These guys are no stranger to the final rounds of racing, and it got intense very quickly. It was a battle of teammates in both semi-final matchups, with Cory and John going against other to see which TWC Team member would make an appearance in the final, and Robby and Josh matching up for Team XFA's final appearance. All these trucks ran great all night, and when the dust settled, it would be Cory taking out John, and Robby getting the edge on Josh. This would make an opportunity for both of them to make a move up in points. Who would win in the final? It was anyone's guess...
FINALS
If the final round seemed familiar to these two drivers, it wasn't just a gut feeling. These two both mixed it up last week at Tampa in the finals, with Cory taking the measure of Robby quite handily. Robby was out for revenge, and didn't want to lose again. Both trucks staged, and Cory got a slight holeshot, something he is a master at doing. Both trucks made the turn...and Cory won by two truck lengths...but wait! Cory hopped out of his truck and congratulated Robby on the win?!?! After reviewing the replay we found out why. Cory had taken out a turning pole and given Robby his second racing win of the season and first in his own truck. Congratulations to both final round competitors for making it a good, fair final round, as Robby takes the victory in Skitso 4.
