Big Foot

Today, the ultimate test of off road design fab and driving skill. We're off the Hannibal Missouri for the top shop challenge.

Two words describe monster truck racing. Big foot

will dip into the archives and talk to the man who started it all

and we venture to Southern California Johnson Valley where these trail riders love to get hammered

that and more right now on off road action.

Hi, everyone. I'm your host me

twice and this is off road action.

We've got top notch camera crews position on both coasts set to bring you the most intense racing action anywhere

and we're kicking it off with a trip up the Mississippi River to Hannibal, Missouri for the top

challenge

off road shops representing Illinois, Indiana and Missouri came to Hannibal Rocks all for the right to be crowned the top shop.

Well, this is the toughest event in the Midwest. Over two days, the teams competed in five treacherous events.

They put us through some of the hardest courses, lots of carnage, lots of rocks, everything you can expect. It's a real tough.

They had to endure the brutality of a mud bog, a truck pull the nasty metal crunching technical

a

gun it and go time run

and the final event of the competition. A Black Diamond Rock Crawl.

This is really a hard core event. At the end of the second day, the team with the highest score would be crowned champion.

I'd love to be called the top shop. Just

something to brag about first stop

the truck that went the furthest through a foot of mud would win the weekend's dirtiest event

to get through the

bog. You need lots of speed and horsepower. That's about all it takes. Tombs repair was the defending top shop champs

and Brad Beamer wasn't going to let his team down.

I got a lot of confidence should be good. Brad moved to the head of the pack when he nailed a distance of 135 ft.

All you have to do is keep it to the floor and let Jeep do the work. Stan, the man Haines heads Brannock motor sports. He knows anything short of victory is failure.

The pressure is pretty intense, gotta perform. It's what I intend to do.

Stan's second place finish, made his team proud.

That's perfect. He sets the bar for the entire event.

We couldn't have asked for anything more of him.

He

be

repair the shop and axle boy racing, rounded out the top five

from the mud to the rocks for the technical trail from 1 to 5. This is a five compared to what we've been on to in the

past, it's called a technical run. And I mean, that's what it is. It's technical. You got to think about it, you got to place rocks, you got to make the right move.

After finishing last in the mud. Axle boy, racing needed to make up some points.

It looks pretty tough and we haven't tested the Jeep

out. So I don't,

we'll see what it does.

Scott Carline didn't do much and Axel Boy ended up with another fifth place finish

when it comes to rocks. Pro Crawler. Chris Andries was the shop's secret weapon.

The technical trail. I got a twin stick transfer case so I can front D

which really helps me maneuver around on the course.

That's exactly what Chris did easily taking the win ahead of tombs repair. And bran

the day's final event wasn't for sissies

this stage. It's a time trial. Get through it as the fastest time possible. Floor it skinny pedal and nail it

to

repair. Put all three rigs in the event as Brad Beamer's 37 2nd run, put them on top of the leaderboard.

Not to be outdone was axel. Boy's Rodney Wer

Kill it

showing no fear he matched the fastest time.

That was awesome, man. I can't believe we tied for first place time trial. That was just awesome though.

Axel Boy also ran three trucks and Rodney's teammates gave the squad the tiebreaker victory

with one win and two second place finishes. Tombs led the event after day one.

Now, the next day of Topshop would prove to be just as exciting as the first with a truck pull of Rock Crawl set to determine the challenge winner

throughout the night. All the teams worked feverishly on their trucks to be ready for day two.

We'll work all night, all day, whatever it takes to get the trucks to get on the trail again. It doesn't matter. We're all in it for the same reason.

With only the pull and Rock Crawl remaining last place. Bevel repair. We're already out of the title hunt.

It

ain't

we come

out here and play with them.

It's all fun.

Starting off day two was the

pull. We've got a 14,000 pound mechanical sled normally used for many rod crackers. What this does? It tests the strength and the durability of these rigs, their ability to recover another rig off of a trail or something

without breaking,

leading the shop by just nine points. John Toombs was not going to crack under the pressure.

I feel real good. We got our repairs done last night. We got a good breakfast this morning and

we're full of energy.

The Wheaties as Tombs hammered out an amazing 191 ft pole

all the

way.

And me,

Nick kept the shops title hopes alive with his 183 ft pole.

Couldn't feel any better. I love it. This is what it's all about right here. Heading into the final event. The title would come down to two heavyweights Tombs Repair and the shop.

This is the Rock Crawl. This is the last stage. This is it. This is the meat potatoes, man. This is what's gonna separate them all the whole week. It comes down to this crawl. Go passenger and keep bringing it. Tombs would have one rig entered in the event while the shop would send three,

they could drop the lowest score,

they could take it all just because the way they played the strategy first up for the shop was Ben Melnick.

He left on the hook.

I wanted to finish that course more than anything.

The shop's Mike Jones was next. It

is

using standard rock crawling rules. He cleared the course with a score of two.

I had a hard time driving this. There's a lot of foot pedals and steering going on for the team. It all came down to a pro crawler. Chris Andres.

I really need the

AIS

course.

I need to give us a, a negative story. So we are in first place and really put a bunch of pressure on the other team.

A hit gate and a couple of backups gave him a score of one

to win the top shop for Tombs. All Alan Grady needed was a 10 or better.

He had a really good score and Tombs are gonna come out first place. Second is just a year.

It wasn't pretty but his score of 10 gave Tombs the slim margin of victory. So we did a good job all weekend.

Our whole team pulled together.

Now, top Shop has gone national and it's been renamed the National off road Shop Team challenge.

It's hosted in Hannibal Rocks each fall

later on championship off road racing resident. That pro for champ Carl run

that.

But up next, you've seen it Ta

Bo

to a single down

the man behind Big Foot. When off road action continues.

Yeah,

welcome back to off-road action.

It doesn't matter how old you are. The one attraction that gets everyone on their feet at a four wheel. Jamboree has got to be the monster trucks,

trucks, trucks and more trucks are what the traveling four wheel jamborees are about.

But when the monster trucks hit the track, the rabbit four wheel Jamboree fans go insane.

Hard to explain. It's just an adrenaline rush out of this world. I mean, we're out there running these 10,000 pound trucks flying over cars, banging gears. I mean, it's awesome. You can hear the crowd

ain't nothing like it and no truck whips them into a frenzy like Bigfoot.

He may look like your average middle age gearhead. But 30 years ago, Bob Chandler had an idea that would change the truck world forever

when the mild mannered Missouri and created the first monster truck a little, did he know world domination? Was only a few car crushes away.

It was an advertising tool for my four wheel drive shop. You know, and I put all kinds of products on it, big tires, robar lights and all that thing. So,

you wanna show off what you have? And that's, that's what it started out as a tool. I'd race it every weekend, come back with it broke. And my general manager called me Bigfoot because I couldn't, a foot out of the throttle. We stuck the name on the truck and it's, it, it fit the truck as Bigfoot's popularity grew. So did the truck. I kept breaking things. So you put bigger axles in it.

Ok. Then you're, you're doing ok for a while. So then you put bigger tires on it so you can go more places, then you have enough power. So you, then you put a bigger engine in it, you know. And so just a vicious cycle car crushing gave way to racing in the late eighties

and like mad scientists, Chandler and crew set out to design the most advanced monster truck the world had ever seen.

This truck is a stage three. It's two chassis, nitrogen gas shocks and we went from, from four inches of suspension travel. Now we're running as much as 30 inches of suspension

and they bypass shocks and that it's just much, much easier on a driver, much easier on a truck.

Dan Runte has been a Bigfoot driver for 15 years.

I've seen a lot of changes,

these trucks with the safety and the suspension and everything that Bob has put into them.

It's just, it's, it's a lot more comfortable to drive, you know, and it's not as hard on a driver in 1999 runty proved to the world that these machines are more a technical marvel than a Frankenstein gimmick. It's in the world's Guinness Book of Records, you know, at 202 ft, we jumped a grounded Boeing 727

10,000 pounds and not supposed to fly.

We had it down where we knew what size ramp, we knew the length of the ramp and we knew what speed he had to go.

And he says, when I saw that plane in front of me, he says, I didn't care about the speed. I just put my foot to the floor. So instead of 60 like we figured he went 70

he was 13 ft over the top of the plane as far as

the highlight of working a big foot. That's probably something I'm pretty proud of from world records to world titles.

Movies, to best selling toys. Bigfoot is more than a truck. It's an American institution.

I didn't have the intention of building a monster truck when I started, just happened.

And, and I really think that if I didn't do it, somebody else would have. It was time. Maybe I'm modest. But that's, that's the way I feel

today there are almost 100 monster trucks competing around the world, but none are as loved as Bob Chandler's. Ford. My cousins lived up by past Bigfoot Shop drive by there when I was a kid. It was like that, you know, it just entice me, you know, just

was something cool. I don't know. Now we're doing it. The truck was, was popular with kids. I knew that from the very beginning and I, and I keep, everybody asked me why. I don't know why, you know, it's, it's their, their brother or their dad's truck only on steroids, something, you know,

kids like big things

with almost 1000 appearances in 2004, Bigfoot's popularity shows no signs of letting up. As for Bob Chandler, his place in motor sports history is secure. I see a crowd and I think, well, maybe that something to do with bringing in here and that I do feel good about that somewhere the other day instead of the father and

called me the grandfather and says, I guess that's, that's the way it happened.

Bob Chandler and his crew have seven Bigfoots traveling North America and they even have one in the UK

if you want to see one in person attend one of the many four wheel jamborees nationwide.

Later on off road action.

They call these the Hammer Trails

reason.

But next, behind the scenes, the poor and the crew who helped bring Carl Renat

are checkered flag. They put as much dedication in this team as you can imagine. You have to love racing. You have to be dedicated and

you have to want to win. That's what this team is all about

here at off road action. A bad day outdoors at a four by four is a heck of a lot better than a good day in any office. And for court champion Carl

Retter,

his day is spent behind the wheel of an 800 horse beast. We're headed a stone's throw away from Tijuana Mexico where truck racing is nothing like this.

Some four by fours are built for a track wheel drive in the woods.

Trucks though, don't do tranquil. It's like 30 minutes of fury

created in 1997. This series is not for the weak or wimpy.

It's all about it. Wheels digging mud, throwing dirt, throwing and just getting with it.

There's no, oh man, you hit me. My five ro has messed up this racing and hey, running is racing. You, you got to get as close as you got to get to get around the guy. This is the off road racing at its best. This is absolutely hardcore racing

at a time when the world needs heroes. One can be found on pit row every race weekend.

Carl Reneer

has been the guy that I've kind of always looked up to and said

that's who I wanna be like he is. Awesome.

He's friendly. He's personal. He's a family man and most of all, he's a great driver

with 44 career victories and titles in the four and two wheel drive classes. Rock and Carl Reneer

is considered one of the best. If I look back, you know, I thought winning a race or two in a season,

you know, was phenomenal for me. It's, it's absolutely just a dream. I mean, we're, we're real excited to where this program's come,

coming into the second to last race weekend. Carl was confident his pro four team wouldn't let him down.

The guys are, are just awesome. They put as much dedication in this team as, as you can imagine, you have to love racing. You have to be dedicated and you're gonna, you have to want to win. That's what this team is all about.

It's Mike

Kaba job to keep the pro four in the title hunt.

I've been with Carl for six years. It's great. We win a lot of races. We have a great time and it's a wonderful job

against a field of newer and lighter trucks. They have four wins this season and sit second in the points dedication and perseverance always seems to breed success. His chariot to success is his finely tuned workhorse.

Ok. This Carl red as enters pro-war trucks, probably the oldest truck out here in this series right now. It's eight years old. It's a truck that most others are copied off of it works great goes fast, goes around corners like nothing. You would believe.

It's a Chevrolet powered. It's 800 plus horsepower. It has like 18 inches of wheel travel in the front 19 in the back

to some. This machine is just a rat race truck

for Carl. He is number 17

and number 17 is Carl.

I actually feel like I'm one with the truck where I'm not really thinking about shifting and, and turning and braking it all, just kind of, it just all kind of blends together as you know, you really feel the truck. You don't really think too much. It just all starts coming second nature after a while

needing wins to overtake John Greaves in the pro four point standings. Mike

Kaba has faith, his man can pull it off. You can give him a truck that is close to being ready to go. He'll bring it home. It usually brings a win home. He adapts to about everything you can give him to drive

King. Carl's title hopes took a hit when he finished second behind Reeves in both main events.

Two seconds aren't bad. You know, it's good. Trucks are very fast. We know we're on our game. So next time we come out here, we just got to have a little better luck. We'll be back in the winner circle soon enough.

Carl has amassed 72 short course wins and core and in the World Series of off road dudes on fire

in a few weeks will show you the next generation of off road racers, including one

that 12 year old daughter Caroline.

These pint size pros race trophy car.

Welcome back to off road action.

My Rhino

off road buggy here looks like it could take on just about any kind of terrain.

We're headed back to southern California this time

to Johnson Valley where you'll find the toughest trails anywhere.

An hour north of Palm Springs sits a collection of trails known as the Hammers.

These trails here, uh, Jack Hammer Claw, Hammer Sledgehammer, wrecking ball, outer limits.

They're, they're not for the meager

hard core. This is what rock crawling is all about. The Hammer trails are

appropriately named Hammers.

Now, the old trail is caught.

I've been up to Moab.

Uh, I've

been to Rubicon and, uh, I would say that these particular trails are, uh, relentless nonstop. They've never quit. It's for hardcore four wheelers that

don't mind coming out and getting some body damage and

aren't afraid to break pretty

gnarly out there.

What keeps it gnarly is the always changing Southern California terrain. We have earthquakes out here, believe it or not. And they've moved some of the big rocks

and, uh, just recently we had flash floods and it, it changed the, uh, trails completely. It's almost like they were

never worked in a trail in the first place.

It's not like he just, oh, I did that.

I, you know,

why do it again?

Because it's something different every time you come back

it's

nerve wracking.

You get a little leg shake going on there.

Since 1991. The Victor Valley Four Wheelers have invited drivers to take on the hammers during their annual fun in the desert event.

People come out here and, and they have no idea

that it's this intense. They come out here. We, we don't

never seen anything like this. Our right, we don't, we can't do this and they don't come prepared for the right equipment.

Right behind me is the only suburban rock crawler you'll ever see

first suburban to go through here.

Don't do it alone.

It's like dragging an elephant up the hill

weight and size,

big and heavy.

Oh,

so he kind of got himself stuck.

Don't want to get stuck. Then the right set up is imperative.

It doesn't take a lot of horsepower, just gears and lockers and suspension to do this stuff.

Charles Dennis, 1951 Willis is more than just a pretty four by four when we were starting off in the morning. A couple of people. Like, oh,

it's too pretty to bring up here. It's gonna come back then and we gonna know you watch, we'll come back unscathed. The body is actually,

is the only thing it's stock and that's actually a two wheel drive car that's,

but now this is the body's been dropped on a truck frame and

it's a four wheeler. Now, it's got a new 350 Chevy small block engine in it. It's got a Dana 20 transfer case. Dana 44 front end, Dana 60 rear end Detroit lockers, front and rear has be locks. We sm 420 transmission

manual. I like it instead of the automatics. The automatics are easier to drive, but it's kind of more fun this way.

It has shackle reversal spring over suspension in the front, spring over in the rear.

There's just Rancho shocks.

It's just a nice well built Jeep that works really good

and every, all the components work real, it's real reliable. I don't break down

unless I laid on the side, which I've done a couple of times. Just been a really good Jeep

on the trail. His truck is a favorite.

I like it.

I like it

nice. It's just that it's different than seeing all the other Jeeps out here. You know, it's a different model looking

but you still know it's old. It still got the flat fenders, it's still got all the squareness to it. I like it for Charles. The accolades are nice but it's the challenge of the trails that puts a smile on his face, believe it or not. It's a, it's a relaxing hobby. I enjoy it.

Why do it?

I like the fact that Charles is out there in his willies tearing up the hammers instead of that pretty Jeep sitting in a garage somewhere.

Well done.

Thanks for checking us out. We'll be here same time next week, bringing you more off road action.

I'm MEREDITH.

We

keeping it off road.