Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Been to a monster truck show lately? If not, you’re missing out.
The Southern Thunder Monster Truck Shootout at the WNC Ag Center had it all this weekend. First, there are the giant 2,000-horsepower, 575-cubic-inch engines that power the chrome crunchers. With tires that are more than five feet tall, the alcohol-injected behemoths race side-by-side, jumping as high as 25 feet in the air as they rise over the mangled metal below.
The machines are more nimble than ever, sporting names such as Ballistic, Raminator and God, Guts and Glory. When the drivers rev their vehicles, you can literally feel it in your chest. Ear protection is a must. The acrid smell of the burning methanol lingers on your clothing long after the show.
The show has evolved into more than just the trucks. There are four-wheeled ATVs and tiny, dangerous motorcylces called “pocket bikes.” The show also includes “rough trucks,” basically any kind of truck owned and driven by local dudes just dying to show off.
Finally, there’s the “Transtormer,” a wild vehicle operated by a friendly space being out to save us lowly humans. More about that later.
Several hundred fans turned out on a snowy Saturday to cheer on the trucks, their drivers, the jumps and even the dumb clown, Dingus. (“I hurt my knee,” he says. The straight man asks, “Your right knee?” No, says Dingus. “Your left knee?” No. Dingus says, “My hei-ne!”
It was all great fun, topped off by the “freestyle” runs by the monster trucks at the end of the show. Each driver ran the jumps and performed a couple of other tricks just the way they wanted. It really got the crowd pumped, especially when one driver brought her truck back from a nearly 90-degree tip. (Yes, I said “her.”) But more on that later, too.
Next the Southern thunder rolls through, be sure to check it out. If you want to know more, check out these links.
Second sentence–you’re starting to stutter. From excitement?
Nice photos, guy. Just thinking about it makes my ears hurt–and my hei-ne.
You know it’s everything "Le Punnyman" can do to keep himself from ripping off your report on the Monster Truck Ralley and inserting his own craptastic puns for all of us to suffer through.
He probably had plans to go into pun overdrive (get it, overdrive, monster trucks) but they made him stand outside in the non-snow like a goober at 6 and 11 instead.
Kaboom! … rumble, rumble, rumble… Ya’ll know me, I’m the real southern thunder.. white mutha truckin’ lightnin’. Accept no imitators.
-WL-