The latest versions of the MTRA Safety Rule book (ver. 22.1) and Inspection/Certification sheet (ver. 22.1) are now available for download in our Rule Book page.

Auburn Hills, Mich. –  The Ram Truck Brand today announced that it would renew its monster truck racing partnership with Hall Brothers Racing. Today’s news brings back a partnership that began in 2002 with the debut of the Ram-based “Raminator” monster truck.

“More than a million people attend monster truck events each year, and audience demographics match the consumers who buy pickup trucks,” said Fred Diaz, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ram Truck Brand. “We’re launching a brand new Ram Heavy Duty truck and having a monster truck modeled after the 2011 Ram Heavy Duty gets our dealers and customers very excited.”

Raminator is owned by Champaign, Illinois-based Hall Brothers Racing, who have been competing in monster truck racing since 1987.

“We are proud to renew our association with the Ram Truck brand,” said Hall Brothers Racing President and Crew Chief Tim Hall. “The new Ram trucks are simply amazing! The team is excited about getting them on the race track.”

“We intend to give the Ram 1500, which is already the most award-winning new Ram ever, and the new Ram H.D., the Motor Trend Truck of the Year, some more awards . . . some monster truck championships,” added driver Mark Hall.

Hall Brothers Racing has won 14 monster truck championships. Tim Hall is a three-time Monster Truck Racing Association (MTRA) Mechanic of the Year, while brother Mark Hall has earned MTRA Driver of the Year six times in Raminator.  Tim Hall also builds the engines and electrical systems for the truck, while Mark Hall serves as the shop foreman, fabricator and welder in addition to his driving duties.

Raminator made its competitive debut Jan. 19, 2002 at the U.S. Hot Rod Association’s Monster Jam at the Pontiac (Mich.) Silverdome and went on to win Truck of the Year six times.

The truck’s “Raminator” name was selected in 2001 from more than 1,500 Chrysler Group employee entries. The contest to name the monster truck drew submissions from all over the world, some including drawings or photographs.

Raminator is powered by a 565 cubic-inch supercharged HEMI® engine that runs on methanol alcohol and produces more than 2,000 horsepower. The 10-foot tall Raminator weighs in at a car-crushing 10,300 lbs., and features crowd-pleasing special effects like smoke-snorting nostrils and strobing red eyes.

The 2011 Dodge Ram 2500 Heavy Duty, by comparison comes standard with a 383 horsepower, 343 cubic-inch fuel-injected HEMI stands 6 feet, one inch tall and weighs 5,769 lbs. The new Ram Heavy Duty comes with owner-pleasing special effects such as premium interior with numerous storage options, integrated trailer brake controller and fluid-filled hydromounts for improved ride.

Raminator competes primarily in MTRA and U.S. Hot Rod Association Monster Jam events. The vehicles typically race over a 350-foot dirt track that includes climbing over piles of junked cars.

When not racing, Raminator appears at trade shows, farm shows and other events. Dealers also use Raminator at their dealerships for sales and other promotions. Raminator makes more than 100 dealer appearances every year.

Jefferson, Louisiana – Sudden Impact Racing, LLC., today reported that it has been awarded a U.S. patent on its innovative and lightweight monster truck tire.

U.S. Patent D607,401 was issued January 5, 2010, to Sudden Impact Racing, LLC, by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. CEO Brandon Lagarde commented, “We are very proud, as this marks the culmination of our efforts to bring a quality, lightweight tire to this industry.” The issuance of US Patent D607,401 complements Sudden Impact Racing’s Copyright on the tire’s design, already issued November 28, 2007. “With the patent in place, we now have cemented our rights as the exclusive producer of this effective product in America,” Lagarde continued.

Sudden Impact’s procurement of this intellectual property protection is critical, as several would-be competitors have been reported to be dumping grey market knock-off goods on the worldwide market of Monster Truck tires at cut-rate pricing since Sudden Impact’s filing for protection in 2007. “Unfortunately, the tires that we’ve seen on the market that are infringing our design are substandard, both in terms of workmanship and design. They’ve attempted to copy our look, but are far from being of the same quality,” lamented Lagarde. “Unfortunately, most people don’t even know they are purchasing illicit products, and have wound up with an inferior tire. We have real concerns about the safety of these drivers who utilize these unapproved tires, as well as the other implications this may mean for those who have purchased these tires.”

The “other implications” to which Lagarde refers are the additional reality that unsuspecting customers who have purchased these illicit products may find themselves unwittingly responsible for large amounts of taxes and fees not included in the purchase price of the tires that were not paid by these surreptitious infringers and may end up the responsibility of the customer. “Our tires include all the fees and taxes, prepaid by Sudden Impact, that are required by the legal, ethical production and importation of these tires so that our customers don’t get any nasty surprises later,” explained Lagarde. “We want to ensure our customer’s interests are looked after, so we take those steps. That may mean a more expensive product, but as they say, ‘you get what you pay for.’”

In furtherance of Sudden Impact Racing’s ideology in protecting their customers, it intends to launch a complete policing effort to quash the several sources of these infringing, and potentially hazardous products. “This Patent and Copyright protection issued by the Federal Government will now also enable us to prosecute infringers in the marketplace to the fullest extent of the law, who have, for far too long now, been polluting the market with substandard products that have attempted, unsuccessfully, to mimic our original tire.” Sudden Impact Racing encourages any customers who believe they may have purchased infringing tires to contact their office, so that potentially affected customers can ensure any grey-market products are replaced with factory-fresh, authorized products for the best interests of the consumer and the drivers.

Lagarde concluded, “We are excited and encouraged that the U.S. Government has recognized our enterprising efforts in this field and awarded our innovation, and look forward to continuing to serve our customers by supplying exciting products to this industry.”

About Sudden Impact Racing, LLC – Sudden Impact Racing, LLC was formed over fifteen years ago. Sudden Impact Racing has since been competitively participating in various racing series and promotion venues. In 2004, current CEO Brandon Lagarde acquired the full rights to Sudden Impact, LLC., and was promptly named one of the top five monster truck companies in the Clear Channel Entertainment Monster Jam points series. Sudden Impact, LLC, has also been the recipient of the Monster Jam Innovation Award. Sudden Impact, LLC, has designed several products for the players and purveyors of this sport and ancillary activities, and also design, build, supply, and run their own vehicles and components in shows and races across the Country.