HARTSOCK DOMINATES TAMPA, BRINGS HOME MONSTER JAM FREESTYLE WIN

Scott Hartsock and Gun Slinger rocked the house that Tampa built this past weekend inside Raymond James Stadium. The impressive monster truck field would be a rather difficult field of trucks to beat, but Hartsock not only ended up in the semi-finals, barely taking a lose to Blue Thunder, but would go into freestyle and walk away with a well deserved and impressive win. Normally Scott dominates Florida events in racing, however the new shock setup for 2010 has proved successful to allow Scott to air it out more and land softer. Next up the team invades the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida on January 30th.

The following text is courtesy of MonsterJam.com.

Saturday 7: 30 p.m. - Native Floridian Scott Hartsock’s high flying performance won freestyle in Gunslinger after Dennis Anderson, who treats Florida like a second home, drove Grave Digger to the racing victory in the first of two Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam events scheduled for this winter at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

With the raucous crowd fired up from the start when Anderson rolled his Digger truck over in introductions, the icon proved that the rollover caused only body damage by flying around the Chicago style oval to post the fastest qualifying time and grab the number one seed in the race bracket. As Anderson marched through the upper part of the bracket into the Championship Race the bottom of the bracket also held true to form with Linsey Weenk, the second fastest in time trials, powering his Built Ford Tough Blue Thunder into the final race to challenge Grave Digger. The high profile pair conducted a classic Championship Race with Anderson beating Weenk by about a truck length for the popular racing victory.

Early on in freestyle rookie Dana Creech had put on the most impressive run in the Monster Mutt, the former Pro Quad champion vaulting into the hot seat with a high flying run, an outstandind show for a driver in only his second week in competition. The youngster held the top spot until Hartsock roared onto the floor in Gunslinger, announcing his presence with a huge leap right out of the gate. Not only did Hartsock fill the regulation :90 with the biggest air of the night, but stayed huge in the bonus time, and even after filling both clocks continued to hit big move after big move for almost another two minutes just for the fans after all the scores were in, a wild slap wheelie into the corner of the stadium ending the run with the crowd giving Hartsock a standing ovation and the Gunslinger knocking Monster Mutt out of the number one position. The Grave Digger team discovered than Anderson’s truck had broken the left rear axle in racing but with not enough time to change it, Anderson came to the floor with only three wheel drive. Even with the truck broken Anderson turned in a fantastic freestyle, the damage limiting his ability to hit huge air but not his intesnity or his ability to rock the crowd. Grave Digger may have had a shot at the win even broken Anderson’s run was that good, but he flipped the truck just as bonus time started, and not getting any bonus points cost him a shot a the Double Down trophy. Reigning World Freestyle Champion Damon Bradshaw came out last in the competition, but had trouble getting through the remnants of a smashed motor home on the floor, something from that wreckage damaging the Air Force Afterburner and ending the champ’s run just half way through regulation, leaving Hartsock and Gunslinger on top as the Tampa freestyle winner.

For the first time in the 26 year history of the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam in Tampa a second show has been added to this season, with the superstars competing again in Raymond James Stadium on February 6th.

RACING RESULTS

Fast qualifier - Grave Digger

1st round - Grave Digger bye run due to Air Force Afterburner’s broken rear end; Predator def Monster Mutt; Ground Pounder def War Wizard; Gunslinger def Instigator; Superman def Cult Energy Activator; Blue Thunder def Pouncer (Monster Mutt advanced to round two due to Predator’s flat tire)

2nd round - Grave Digger def Monster Mutt; Gunslinger def Ground Pounder; Blue Thunder def Superman (Superman advanced to semifinals as fastest 2nd round loser)

Semifinals - Grave Digger def Superman; Blue Thunder def Gunslinger

CHAMPIONSHIP RACE - GRAVE DIGGER DEFEATED BLUE THUNDER

FREESTYLE RESULTS
GUNSLINGER 27 (24 + 3 bonus points)
Superman 23
Blue Thunder 23 (20 + 3)
Grave Digger 23
Monster Mutt 21 (20 + 1)
Cult Energy Activator 19 (17 + 2)
Instigator 17 (16 + 1)
Ground Pounder 14 (13 + 1)
Predator 14 (13 + 1)
Air Force Afterburner 13
Pouncer 11 (10 + 1)