Photo credited to Rajeana Bonar of TheMonsterBlog.com.
When momentum is on your side, it is extremely difficult to get rid of it. After last weekend's opening rounds of the General Tire Monster Truck Thunder Drags, part of the Lucas Oil 4-Wheel Jamboree Series, it was hard to pick a true favorite as to who would win the title.
With back-to-back weekends of competition on the horizon, a better picture of who would be the toughest to beat on the year would become clear after the second series of events.
The Allen County Fairgrounds in Lima, OH, provided the next step in determining a winner. Throughout the course of the weekend, Mother Nature decided to play a key role. The track crew constructed a unique S-shaped track, which is the second straight weekend they went away from the straight-line setup that has been seen the last several years.
But, Friday night the track was shortened to the straight line because of the mud in the infield, and Saturday night's race was cut off due to rain in the afternoon.
However, one truck stood tall when the curtain fell on the second event in the Jamboree season.
That truck was the E3 Spark Plugs Bigfoot, driven by Dan Runte. He took the win in the second event at Springfield, but came to Lima prepared not only for the competition, but also the weather. Inside the trailer were the big cleat Firestone tires he debuted in 2008 for the rear axle, and up front were the unique diamond-cut Firestone all-terrain tires.
Friday night, with the shortened course and the muddy conditions, the tires hooked up perfectly as he became the first two-time winner on the season. He would go on to freestyle the truck to the delight of the crowd.
Runte got the opportunity to flex the Ford muscle as the track dried out enough to run the S-course on Saturday afternoon. It didn't seem to phase the Bigfoot truck as he powered his way to his second-straight victory.
Sunday afternoon, Runte and Team Bigfoot were looking to take a complete sweep of the races. But in a 10-truck field, the competition level to win the last event was escalated as everyone brought the best they had.
The only truck that finally beat Runte all weekend was Dan Patrick in Samson, who was making one of his final show appearances before he retires. Patrick managed to beat Runte in the final round, ending Team Bigfoot's streak of wins over the Lima weekend.
Runte now has a big lead on the competition this year, but now the Jamboree season has over a month break in preparation for the next show.
The third event of the Lucas Oil 4-Wheel Jamboree Series will be July 8-10 at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. It's historically been one of the most popular events on the season for many teams, including Bigfoot. Runte actually calls Bloomsburg one of his favorite places to perform and race because of his track record of wins at the fairgrounds, and because the infield has so much room.
Runte struck out last year in Bloomsburg, going to just two final rounds and losing each to Mark Hall in the Raminator. But, unlike last year, he enters Bloomsburg with the lead and is not planning to lose it.
I will be on-hand in the grandstands and in the pits as AA Auto Stores will present the Summer 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals in Bloomsburg.
For more information on tickets to Bloomsburg and the Jamborees, go to FamilyEvents.com or 4WheelJamboree.com.
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