Past, Present, Future

[Hornetguy97]

So it's only been a short time and the advancements have been mind blowing. But things have changed and always will. Love the sport, wish I could be in their shoes, but what's your preference.

Which era do you prefer?:

Why?:

What good do you think will happen in the future?:

Any worries about the future?

Thread inspired MonsterRig90

[lookin4myscooter]

Thanks for the shout out :-D I've never gotten one before!

 

As for monster trucks in general I prefer the 90's. The 80's were cool (even though I wasn't there for them) when it was about crushing and crawling, but I was there for the 90's and lived the moments, so I identify more with that time. I consider both 80's and 90's equally great in their own ways.

 

I Prefer Monster Jam from 2003-2010. Better track color schemes, it didn't "seem" as much like shows were rigged. No to little focus on a video game or other merch, and it had more of a "televised sport" feel like Lucas Oil Off road for example, and not a circus feel. The courses have always been similar throughout the season, with a few that were different, but there was more experimental stuff that they don't do so much anymore. Vehicles were still crushed by trucks, not tractors. Also the DC/Marvel/pop culture takeover is killing it for me.

 

I see a lot of young talented drivers withy a bright future if they stick to it. Safety enhancements are ever growing. Independent's are making a comeback. Ryan Anderson. Need a say more? The fact that drivers are trying these unrealistic moves you only saw in games that we thought would never happen is pretty neat (i.e. backflips, corckscrews, almost a few barrel rolls), as for making it into competition permanently, I don't care one way nor the other.  

 

I fear as the trucks jump higher and further, go faster, and pull more wild stunts, safety will become a major issue, for drivers, spectators, and track/truck crews alike. Once it's in the air, what can you do or build to stop a 10k+ truck (thing)? Sponsorships may run rampant causing who knows what. Finding alternative fuel/power.  

 

No matter where it goes, I will always try to find some light in the sport and will follow it as much as I can (from the stands and internet, I have no intentions of being as driver).

[SS™©®]

Awesome thread. I don't post to often but i feel the need to participate in this one. I'm more than likely one of if not the oldest of the community so i have seen the monster truck evolution from the beginning. Personally my favorite era would have to be from 1989-1991. The Tuff Trax TNT Monster Truck Challenge era. It was really the wildest action for the time. USHRA ran their events more similar to a structed and exhibition based event while TNT really said "boys have at it" and for the time it was really great. Their tracks were the longest of the time durig the spring/summer outside venues. Looking back it was very unsafe but that is what made them the bad boys of monster trucks. Great rivaleries and really the best brodcast team in monster truck history and maybe motorsports period with Army Armstrong and Scott Douglas. On the other side PENDA was doing a great job as well from 1990-1993 with their summer outside veues but from 1994 onward it became a Bigfoot show with Bigfoot having sometimes 4 or more trucks in one event at one time which IMO was major over kill. Another thing i miss is the crative ames of the past which have been replaced with sponsorship names which i personally could do without. It lacks creativity IMO. 

 

Now on to the future of the sport i could talk about the past for days on end but i will end it here. As far as the future i really thik these guys and gals of today have ALOT of major talent also great top of the line equipment. I don't like the circus vibe at all. The sport has a hard enough time trying to be taken seriously as a sport but Feld does not help that in anyway. What monster trucks is to motorsports is what professional wrestling is to cobat athletic sports. Its a show instead of an event. If i could i would love to be involved to help bring new change but that door hasn't opened for me just yet. Everythig is in place the sport just needs a major overhaul on presentation and delivery of the overall product. Also i agree with the last comment from MonsterRig90 i am not i repeat i am not a fan of the DC/Marvel/pop culture takeover. You don't see NASCAR doing that stuff they stick to a structure and monster trucks should to if it is going to be a real sport instead of a spectacle

[Hornetguy97]

Awesome thread. I don't post to often but i feel the need to participate in this one. I'm more than likely one of if not the oldest of the community so i have seen the monster truck evolution from the beginning. Personally my favorite era would have to be from 1989-1991. The Tuff Trax TNT Monster Truck Challenge era. It was really the wildest action for the time. USHRA ran their events more similar to a structed and exhibition based event while TNT really said "boys have at it" and for the time it was really great. Their tracks were the longest of the time durig the spring/summer outside venues. Looking back it was very unsafe but that is what made them the bad boys of monster trucks. Great rivaleries and really the best brodcast team in monster truck history and maybe motorsports period with Army Armstrong and Scott Douglas. On the other side PENDA was doing a great job as well from 1990-1993 with their summer outside veues but from 1994 onward it became a Bigfoot show with Bigfoot having sometimes 4 or more trucks in one event at one time which IMO was major over kill. Another thing i miss is the crative ames of the past which have been replaced with sponsorship names which i personally could do without. It lacks creativity IMO. 

 

Now on to the future of the sport i could talk about the past for days on end but i will end it here. As far as the future i really thik these guys and gals of today have ALOT of major talent also great top of the line equipment. I don't like the circus vibe at all. The sport has a hard enough time trying to be taken seriously as a sport but Feld does not help that in anyway. What monster trucks is to motorsports is what professional wrestling is to cobat athletic sports. Its a show instead of an event. If i could i would love to be involved to help bring new change but that door hasn't opened for me just yet. Everythig is in place the sport just needs a major overhaul on presentation and delivery of the overall product. Also i agree with the last comment from MonsterRig90 i am not i repeat i am not a fan of the DC/Marvel/pop culture takeover. You don't see NASCAR doing that stuff they stick to a structure and monster trucks should to if it is going to be a real sport instead of a spectacle

I do get that circus vibe too. Love the sport to death. Love some of the drivers.

My era would be from 99-2008. After world finals 9, it seemed to change slowly to what it is now. Less destruction and more dirt. Max-D can't be Max-D if it's only dirt. I still enjoy watching the shows today. I wish I could go to more and meet drivers. They do have a lot of talent today. But like others say, they actually need to be invited to the world finals. The 2 day format this year, I didn't like. When I judge a freestyle I judge it by how the truck held up and what the driver could do. If the truck can withstand racing and freestyle in the same night and win both. It said a great deal about the driver and the crew. 2 different nights isn't right for me. The track design was cool yes, but it wasn't for monsters. When I think of a monster truck, I think of crushing cars, busses being demolished with rv's. Not dirt everywhere.

I don't know what good could come of the future.

Worried about an incident that could lose the sport for good.

[mdemko]

Late 90's-mid 2000's when monster jam was Motor Madness and on TNN.

[Tom P.]

Late 90's-mid 2000's when monster jam was Motor Madness and on TNN.

+1

[Tylinater]

My favorite era: Any era that does not involve FELD.

[Double.D ッ]

Don't care about the era, promoter, name, or what channel they're on.

 

Monster trucks are monster trucks. They're always entertaining.

[Jon Cannon]

My Favorite Time was the transition from Leaf Springs to Tube Frame, (Modern Day) Monster Trucks. Not saying I don't like Leaf Sprung Trucks, but it is cool to see the progression from crawling over the cars with the Leaf Sprung Trucks, into flying over the cars and landing like a pillow with the Tube Frame Trucks.

 

 

The original Tube Frame Monster Truck, built by Jack Wilman Sr.

[MonsterJam2008]

so that's where the name Wilman comes from

[bkelly]

Which era do you prefer?:
2007-2010
Why?:
The tracks weren't overdone, and the only back flips were either an encore or something actually amazing (Cam McQueen's back flip in Jacksonville was cool until FELD put the back flip jump into the track). Speed was had different set-ups for MJ each year. It could also just be the fact of me watching MJ during those seasons. I think the first time I watched MJ on a TV was the 2007 World Finals. And the blue tarp. I liked the blue tarp, not the red and yellow and purple.
What good do you think will happen in the future?:
More safety and innovation.

Any worries about the future?

Insane tracks that are overdone. I don't think back flip jumps are necessary. And an incident where many people are killed. We saw what happened in the course of a year, more than 10 spectators died because of a truck.

[dd908]

Which era do you prefer?:

2007-2010

Why?:

The tracks weren't overdone, and the only back flips were either an encore or something actually amazing (Cam McQueen's back flip in Jacksonville was cool until FELD put the back flip jump into the track). Speed was had different set-ups for MJ each year. It could also just be the fact of me watching MJ during those seasons. I think the first time I watched MJ on a TV was the 2007 World Finals. And the blue tarp. I liked the blue tarp, not the red and yellow and purple.

What good do you think will happen in the future?:

More safety and innovation.

Any worries about the future?

Insane tracks that are overdone. I don't think back flip jumps are necessary. And an incident where many people are killed. We saw what happened in the course of a year, more than 10 spectators died because of a truck.

Backflip jumps are cool, and backflips are still cool to watch and execute. I still don't see why everyone is pooting a brick over a backflip jump. It's optional for drivers to do, so it's not like Feld or any promoter is PUSHING them to do backflips. Yes, Feld will say it trucks are "backflip approved", but that doesn't mean that a driver is required to do one. 

 

But that's just my opinion, of course. 

[BoomBaby]

My only problem with backflips are the amount of ramps they have for it at the WF, if they just had them at the end of the WF track i would like them more.

[NavySonicShell]

Yeah, that smash-through trailer jumps were one of the best parts of the World Finals, but now it's all backflip ramps that get ruined after 1-3 uses. A trailer jump would remain in use for the whole night, even if Jimmy Creten says not to.

[lookin4myscooter]

This thread is slowly going from it's original topic to a Feld/MJ/MJWF/backflip hate thread. Careful now. It would be sad that the one time I inspire something to be made, it's a thread that gets locked (and if it goes that direction, I wouldn't blame the moderators for doing so).