Coming off an extremely successful 35th anniversary tour, the Bigfoot 4x4 monster truck team looked to continue the momentum the entire team had in 2010. With one new driver, new looks, and some other changes, the entire Bigfoot team was poised to start the indoor season with many victories.
The team responded quickly, and often. Here's a look at how the team has faired through the first month of the year, plus a look at some of the changes coming in the future.
Rodney "Hot Rod" Tweedy (Bigfoot #10): Tweedy has the task of handling Bigfoot's oldest current race truck, and has done so extremely well through the month of January. After starting out the year on the Monster X-Tour, Tweedy moved to the AMP Live Events schedule.
The truck had some issues in Daytona Beach, but the team recovered nicely as they won four of the six events over the weekend. Tweedy continued his run in Ft. Myers as he won three wheelie contests and a pair of racing victories. He then pulled off a complete weekend sweep in Louisiana with two racing, two wheelie and two freestyle victories.
To close out the month, Tweedy had a pair of racing victories in Lubbock, TX. He will continue to run the AMP Tour to start out the month of February.
Darron Schnell (Firestone Bigfoot #11): After getting his feet wet through 2010 doing displays and crewing, Bigfoot's newest driver made his racing debut at the beginning of January.
It was quite the debut for Schnell as his first weekend out in Fayetteville, NC, he sent the truck skyward in a racing pass, then had the rebound send the truck onto the sidewalls of the tires, blowing both right-side Firestone's off the rim. Somehow, the rims got enough of a grip and brought the truck back to the ground.
He would then head onto El Paso, TX, where he took eight victories over the course of the next weekend. Schnell finished the month driving alongside teammate Rick Long, doing away with the Firestone body and donning the black and red Snake Bite.
To start February, Schell will be back in the Firestone look to make his debut with Checkered Flag Racing in Grand Island, NY. Tickets and info for the event can be found at badboysofracing.com.
Eric Tack/Larry Swim (Bad Boy BIGFOOT #14): Former champion Bigfoot driver, Eric Tack, made his return to driving after nearly a year out performing some substitute duties. Regular Bigfoot 14 driver, Larry Swim, has been out of the driver's seat since July when he suffered a back injury while performing.
Meanwhile, the entire Bad Boy BIGFOOT truck got a new look as gone is the blue body, and in comes a flat black, "rat rod" style look that was a fan design.
Tack debuted the new truck at the beginning of the month, and won an impressive six of nine events. To date, Tack has won over 20 competitions in his fill-in role with the team.
But, Swim has been eager to get back behind the wheel of his truck, and it seems as though he's ready to make his return. This coming weekend, in Loveland, OH, Swim will be stepping out of his crewing role and will be back at the wheel of his truck. If the last two years have been any indication, Team Bigfoot will need some spare bedsides for the truck.
Rick Long (E3 Spark Plugs BIGFOOT #15): Last year's Monster Nationals champion, Rick Long, returned to the seat of his E3 designed Bigfoot truck and has been on a tear trying to repeat.
Through the first month of the year, Long has captured 15 wins on the indoor tour. One weekend he shed his normal body for that of Snake Bite, but even with the fangs hanging off the front, Long drove the truck hard and smooth.
February looks to be a very tough month for Long as he continues his pursuit of another Monster Nationals title. But, he's well on his way.
Dan Runte (Summit Racing BIGFOOT #16): After having not been behind the wheel since November, Team Bigfoot's lead driver was back at it at the beginning of January.
Runte debuted an all-new Summit Racing Equipment body in Fresno, CA, where he captured two racing victories on the Monster X-Tour. Runte moved onto Bakersfield after that and picked up another racing victory.
He will continue his west coast swing entering February in Oregon, but is expected to return to the midwest shortly after that.
In the Bigfoot shop in Hazelwood, MO, the team is adding to the family as two new chassis have been shipped over from England, as they were built by Bigfoot 17 driver Nigel Morris, who campaigns his Bigfoot truck exclusively in Europe.
Also, Bigfoot has stepped out of their norm and have also purchased a chassis from Concussion Motorsports, who also built Jocelyn Perrin's new High Maintenance. Who will drive the new trucks, or when they will debut is yet to be determined.
One driver that has not been mentioned is Amber Walker, who drove the extremely popular Ms. Bigfoot last summer. Walker's last show for 2010 came in Montreal at the Monster Spectacular. That show has been remembered for the unique X-Shaped course, and the first round race between Walker and Bill Payne of Rockstar. The reason being is because of the two colliding in the first corner, with Walker nearly going over but throttling out to save the truck.
That was her last contracted show with Bigfoot, but she has been pushing to return to the team, as have her fans. Walker also came up with an idea to run a "Bad Girl" Bigfoot alongside Swim for a few shows; an idea that has been widely favored by her fans.
Whether she will drive one of the new Bigfoot trucks, or if she will return at all, is yet to be determined. But Walker is confident she will get back behind the wheel of a Bigfoot truck and show that she can handle being a girl in a man's world.
For more information on Team Bigfoot's drivers, schedule, trucks, or news, visit their website, bigfoot4x4.com.
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