Visit the Livorsi Automotive website:

http://www.livorsi.com/auto/

and Livorsi Marine website:

http://www.livorsi.com/

The MTRAE has seen its membership dwindle since the end of the EMTRC racing series in 2009, and the remaining truck owner members along with any previous and or new members will receive a warm welcome from the international membership team in the USA home office. Nigel Morris (a director of the MTRAE from day one) said “whilst it might bee seen as sad that the MTRAE is gone, it is clear that with the global reach of monster trucks reverting to central control in the USA rally is the only way forward”.

(The Board of Directors of the MTRA would like to offer sincere thanks to Nigel Morris for his years of dedication to the MTRAE and his promotion of safety within the monster truck industry. We look forward to his continued contribution to our efforts.)

Dan Runte grabs his 7th MTRA Driver of the Year Award. Photo Courtesy of TheMonsterBlog.com

Runte, who has been the team’s lead driver since the mid-1990′s, captured his first of seven MTRA Driver of the Year awards in 1993, behind the wheel of BIGFOOT #8. Since then, he has claimed the same honor as the pilot of BIGFOOT #14 (1994, 1995, 1998, and 1999) and BIGFOOT #16 (2008 and 2011). Notable highlights in Runte’s year included his 2011 Lucas Oil 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals championship, his domination of the Rocky Mountain Raceway Clash of the Titans figure-8 race invitational, and his Thanksgiving-time visit to US troops stationed in Germany.

“I’m definitely flattered, and very grateful to win Driver of the Year honors again,” said Runte. “There’s no respect quite like that of your peers, so it means a lot coming from a group of people who really know what the monster truck business is all about and what it takes to be competitive day in and day out. It’s a great morale boost heading into January, for sure!”

Runte’s teammate and long-time on-track crew chief John Peterson snagged his second career “Mechanic of the Year” title, an award that recognizes many of the un-sung heroes that work behind the scenes to keep the industry’s top trucks and drivers running. While at the shop in St. Louis, Peterson oversees the engine and transmission maintenance and tuning for the entire fleet of eight BIGFOOT trucks, in addition to assisting with chassis, drivetrain, and electrical maintenance on the trucks. On the road, Peterson frequently can be found serving as the crew chief for Runte at many major national events, in addition to assisting other team drivers at various events including 1/8th mile drag race exhibitions, where Peterson relies on his strong interest and background in drag racing.

“I definitely appreciate the honor,” said Peterson. “There are a lot of very talented wrenches out there, both at BIGFOOT and throughout the industry. So it’s a pretty good feeling when you see your name nominated alongside some other very capable people, and it’s an even better feeling when you receive top honors!”

Peterson and Runte will now put their combined skills to the test yet again this week along with the rest of the team, as they work to break-in Runte’s new ride, the all-new BIGFOOT #18 race truck. The team is scheduled to test the new beast later this week at an undisclosed private location, in hopes of dialing the truck in perfectly for the upcoming 2011 race season.

“John and everyone else down in the shop have done a great job of getting #18 together and running strong,” said Runte. “I’m confident that with a couple of solid days of testing and the brainpower of guys like John, Bryan [Bertoletti], and Jim [Kramer], we should be able to get this thing right where we want it.”

For more information visit: http://bigfoot4x4.com/

Congratulations to all our recipients.

Tim Hall – President

Greg Adams – Vice-President

Marty Garza – Communications Director

Mike Vaters – Membership Director

Mac Plecker – Sponsorship Director

Tech Director – David Smith

Promoter Director – TBA

Congratulations to our 2012 board members.

For immediate release:

Hall Brothers Racing is pleased to announce that Hotsy Pressure Washers has returned as primary sponsor of the Hotsy RAMINATOR for 2012.

“The Hotsy RAMINATOR monster truck and driver Mark Hall are big draws for us at trade shows throughout the United States, and provide great exposure for the Hotsy brand” said Robin Paul, Hotsy Marketing Manager.  “Our pressure washers keep RAMINATOR clean and spotless, so it’s an ideal partnership.  RAMINATOR is strong, tough and durable…just like Hotsy pressure washers. It’s a perfect match, and we’re looking forward to another stellar year.”

Driver Mark Hall added “ We get a lot of compliments on how nice we keep our equipment, and we couldn’t do that without our Hotsy Pressure Washers. They are always ready to go to work and help keep our trucks looking good.” He added “I enjoy visiting the various trade shows we do for Hotsy and talking to the folks that stop by the exhibit. People from all industries use Hotsy equipment…it really is the best. I invite all my fellow monster truck owners to experience the Hotsy advantage for themselves; they offer a discount program to monster truck teams. Don’t mess around with inferior washers…get a Hotsy and get the job done!”

Team co-owner and crew chief Tim Hall said “Time is very important to everyone these days. We are all trying to do more with less. When it is time to clean up the trucks and haulers…or even parts or wash tires…you have to get it done quickly and efficiently. There is just no time to mess around fighting with your equipment trying to get it to work. Hotsy offers a full line of washers and detergents that get your stuff clean quickly and efficiently, so you can get it in the shop, turned around and serviced, and head back out to the next event with a minimum hassle. I wouldn’t use anything else”.

Watch for the 2012 version of the Hotsy RAMINATOR appearing at farm shows, trade shows and events near you!

For more information, check out www.hotsy.com or www.raminator.com

MTRA Tech School

Friday, December 9, 2011
10:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sheraton Westport Hotel St. Louis
900 West Port Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63146

- Hospitality Room
- Free to all MTRA Members

MTRA Meeting

Saturday, December 10, 2011
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sheraton Westport Plaza Hotel

- Lunch will be served to all MTRA members
- Non-members or additional guests – $25.00 each

MTRA Awards Banquet

Saturday, December 10, 2011
Cocktails at 6:00 p.m. – Cash Bar
Buffet Dinner at 7:00 p.m.
Sheraton Westport Plaza Hotel

- Buffet Dinner for each member provided
- Owner/Drivers and Race Team Affiliate membership includes dinner
for member and one guest
- Associate membership includes dinner for member only
- Non-members or additional guests $50.00 each – children $25.00 each
- Dress appropriately – No denim or shorts allowed

Hotel Information

Sheraton Westport Plaza Hotel St. Louis
900 West Port Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63146
314-878-1500
Reservations 800-822-3535 or http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/monstertrucks
Room Rate $69.00 per night
Ask for MTRA Rate

Thanks to all who submitted nominations for the 2012 Board of Directors and the 2011 MTRA Awards. Ballots will be mailed out shortly, see below for a full list of nominees:

Directors

Board of Directors (5 positions)

Greg Adams – Accepted
Marty Garza – Accepted
Tim Hall – Accepted
Mac Plecker – Accepted
Justin Storie – Accepted
Mike Vaters – Accepted
Ross Bonar – Declined
JR McNeal – Declined
Doug Noelke – Declined

Technical Director (1 position)

Dan Patrick – Declined
Mac Plecker – Accepted
David Smith – Accepted
David Storie – Accepted
Mike Vaters – Declined

Awards

The MTRA Board of Directors will implement the same voting procedures that were used the last few years for the Board of Directors and Annual Awards. The procedure is as follows:

Board of Directors

- Nominations will be accepted until October 28 by email to contact@mtra.us or by phone to 636-234-6162.
- Nominations for directors can only be made by Owner/Drivers, Race Team Affiliates and Promoters, you can nominate yourself.
- A ballot listing all nominees will be sent to all Owner/Drivers, Race Team Affiliates and Promoters with an invitation to the MTRA banquet. Please return your completed ballot with your RSVP for the banquet by the date on the response card. ATTN: Ballot must be returned with RSVP card in self addressed envelope provided or it will not count!!
- Only Owner/Drivers, Race Team Affiliates and Promoters are allowed to vote for directors.
- Directors will be elected to the Board, the Officers and staff will be decided by the elected Board.

Awards

The same voting procedures will be in place for the awards as last year.

- All MTRA Certified Trucks will be nominated for “MTRA Truck of the Year”.
- All Class “A” Licensed Drivers will be nominated for “MTRA Driver of the Year.” (Only drivers of certified trucks.)
- All MTRA Promoters will be nominated for “Promoter of the Year”.
- Nominations will be accepted for the following awards (Please provide a brief description of why you believe the nominee should win award for which he/she is being nominated):  Rookie of the Year, Sportsman of the Year, Mechanic of the Year, Most Improved Team, MTRA Safety Award
- Nominations will be accepted until October 28 by email to contact@mtra.us or by phone to 636-234-6162.
- Nominations for awards can be made by all current MTRA members
- A ballot listing all nominees will be sent to all members with an invitation to the MTRA banquet. Please return your completed ballot with your RSVP for the banquet by the date on the response card. ATTN: Ballot must be returned with RSVP card in self addressed envelope provided or it will not count!!

The Board of Directors understands that everyone cannot attend the Annual Banquet in December. This voting process will help voice the opinion of the entire MTRA membership, whether they can attend the banquet or not.

The 2012 Rules will be voted on at the meeting, with the new voting procedures in effect. All Owner/Drivers, Promoters, and Race Team Affiliates can vote by proxy on rules.

On Behalf of the MTRA Board of Directors,

Brenda Noelke
MTRA Secretary
contact@mtra.us

(St. Louis, MO) BIGFOOT 4×4, Inc. proudly announced this week their latest marketing partnership in the form of a two-year agreement with Mason City, IA-based Varied Industries Corporation (Vi-COR®), manufacturer of world-class fermentation products for animal feeds.  This sponsorship stands as yet another ground-breaking achievement by Team BIGFOOT in their quest to introduce non-automotive related sponsors to the monster truck industry.

The crown jewel of this new sponsorship will be the “Vi-COR® The Power of V®” branded BIGFOOT® monster truck, which features Vi-COR and BIGFOOT logos atop a black and white “dairy cow” themed paint scheme that will be sure to turn heads and attract attention, along with a corresponding tractor-trailer transporter.  The Vi-COR/Celmanax BIGFOOT will make its public debut October 4th through the 8th in Madison, WI as part of the Vi-COR display at the World Dairy Expo.  The truck will then go on to make its competition debut in Redmond, OR as part of the E3 Spark Plugs Monster Nationals non-points-invitational event at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds arena.

“We are extremely excited about this new partnership with Vi-COR,” said BIGFOOT VP of Sponsorships & Business Development, Bob Trent.  “We feel that Vi-COR’s history of innovation and quality, and their use of extensive research to achieve successful results, aligns perfectly with those same values for which BIGFOOT has been known for over 35 years!”

Vi-COR President, Mark Holt, was equally enthusiastic about this new venture for the two companies: “Much like Vi-COR, the BIGFOOT operation started off small and through hard work, dedication, and innovation has become truly a global influence in their field.  Our customers and many of BIGFOOT’s fans are the same people, and we feel that working with BIGFOOT is the perfect way to help convey to our customers that using Vi-COR’s Celmanax is the perfect way to flatten their feeding costs!”

Fans can expect to see the Vi-COR/Celmanax BIGFOOT at 20 or more events each year as part of the two-year agreement, along with a full merchandise campaign to support the new truck.  The Vi-COR/Celmanax BIGFOOT is slated to compete in the 2012 Monster Nationals points championship alongside the defending series champ and team truck, the Monster Nationals E3 Spark Plugs BIGFOOT, and is sure to be a hit with fans.

For more information on Vi-COR and Celmanax and to learn more about their world-class lineup of fermentation products for dairy, beef, swine, and poultry, as well as their Milk to the Max® program and user testimonials, visit them online at www.vi-cor.com.

To learn more about Team BIGFOOT’s championship-winning fleet of monster trucks and to find out where you can see the Vi-COR/Celmanax BIGFOOT and the rest of the team in action, head to the online home of BIGFOOT at www.bigfoot4x4.com.  Along with a full live event schedule, you’ll find driver and truck bios, history articles, photos, videos, as well as tons of great monster merchandise for all ages.

About BIGFOOT 4X4 Inc.

Since its inception in 1975, BIGFOOT®, The Original Monster Truck®, has gone on to achieve worldwide notoriety, and spawned an entire family of BIGFOOT monster trucks that have pioneered the growth of the monster truck industry.  Created by St. Louis-area contractor Bob Chandler and his wife Marilyn in 1975 as a promotional tool for their Midwest Four Wheel Drive business, the BIGFOOT fleet has captured 29 National Championships, set numerous world records for monster trucks, and travelled to over 26 countries.  In 2009, BIGFOOT was named one of the “Top 5 Marketing Vehicles of All Time”.  Since 1975 over 20 BIGFOOT vehicles have been constructed, and today the team campaigns seven BIGFOOT monster trucks full-time in North America, in addition to one BIGFOOT truck based in England.  The team averages over 700 appearance days annually, and achieves in excess of 4 million impressions each year.

About Varied Industries Corporation (Vi-COR)

Varied Industries Corporation (Vi-COR®) is a manufacturer of world class fermentation products for animal feeds. Vi-COR is an established global company with 48 years of fermentation research and development located in Mason City, Iowa, USA.

In 1999, Mark Holt, President of Vi-COR, introduced A-Max® yeast culture products for dairy. By applying modern techniques in microbiology and the use of natural enzymes, Celmanax® was developed. This three-in-one product of yeast culture, beta glucans and MOS is a beneficial product for dairy cows. This highly researched product delivers high quality cost effective results to the end user!  Vi-COR is a biotechnology company delivering innovative solutions for improved animal health and increased milk production. Today, Vi-COR has expanded into over 50 countries delivering results around the globe

The power of V® for animal health and nutrition!

For more information about Team BIGFOOT, please visit www.bigfoot4x4.com.