All photos credited to MonsterJam.com
Through the opening month of the Monster Jam season, fans in the major stadiums all were anxious to see the field for the World Finals in Las Vegas begin to fill up.
But as the weekends went on and the events were held, only one driver would get his qualifying flag. That driver was George Balhan of the Mohawk Warrior, who earned his spot in the big event on January 14 at the event in Anaheim, California.
Including Balhan, through the first month of the first quarter of action only five drivers were named to the World Finals. But that all changed in one action-packed night to open the month of February. With nine different events occuring across the U.S. and in Canada, four being in major stadiums, it was expected that at least a couple drivers would earn their spot for the big event.
Turns out, all four major stadium events would see a driver earn their qualifying flag, as now nine of the 24 competitors have been named.
Leading the charge for the weekend were two World Finals champions. The first competitor that had the announcement made got the flag right in front of a home-town crowd. In a matter of a month, Tampa, Florida, had two Monster Jam events, the second consecutive year Raymond James Stadium held two events. But the second event was made extra special as Tampa native Debra Miceli, better known as Madusa, was the first driver to get the qualifying flag.
The former wrestler has been enjoying her time in Monster Jam, especially since her truck changed it's look to the all-pink scheme last season. This year, Madusa has a new chassis that has been working phenomenal and has been on a tear in trying to win events.
She returns to Las Vegas as a two-time champion, winning a share of the freestyle title in 2004 and then a racing title in 2005. She is hoping to get another, and the competitors know she is extremely capable of making that a reality.
The next announced driver came at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, and it's a driver that has finally found his place in a popular truck. Lee O'Donnell for a few years was the "hired gun" in the sport, as when something happened that a driver couldn't run, he was called to take the seat.
He drove Taz in 2007 when Adam Anderson took over driving duties in his dad's Grave Digger due to injury, and a year later he would win an event driving Linsey Weenk's Blue Thunder.
Now, O'Donnell returns to the World Finals for a third straight year in a truck that he can actually call his. Marvel comics will be well represented as the first of their characters to go to the World Finals will be the Iron Man machine.
The former off-road driver has been very comfortable behind the wheel of the red and gold machine, and has put on two impressive performances in his time in Las Vegas. Expect nothing less this year.
Third on the list for the weekend getting a qualifying flag was a driver that for the last few years has not experienced the greatest of luck in Vegas. After winning a championship, things have not gone well for Adam Anderson. His 2008 title came in just his third year, but a year later his night was cut short because of a violent wreck, sending him to the hospital. The last two years, his run in freestyle was cut short early because of breakage or rolls.
Now, the eldest son of Dennis Anderson returns to the World Finals hoping to avenge what has happened the last three years.
Anderson is back behind the wheel of the 1950 Ford Panel Van, Grave Digger The Legend, the original look of the truck that his father has campaigned for 30 years. Anderson wants to not just win a title in Vegas, but he wants to erase memories since 2009 of heartbreak and injury.
His crash into a tree during racing has been a talked-about incident in Vegas, and it wasn't during freestyle.
Anderson was shook up to the point where he decided to make the trip to the hospital to be checked out. It also meant that Anderson was unable to defend his championship he won a year later, as Team Grave Digger driver Chad Tingler stepped into the truck to perform in freestyle.
That is now something that Anderson wants to think about when March 23 and 24 rolls around. His focus will be solely on winning, and he is extremely capable of doing that as he already has a Double Down to his credit in January.
Finally, one driver got his qualifying flag north of the border. Canada's "Maple Leaf" Monster Jam Tour has been a huge hit for the Canadian fans, but the fact that they have a truck that can be called their own has made the tour extra special.
Now, that driver and team is heading back to Las Vegas.
Canadian driver Cam McQueen made his name driving Nitro Circus the last two years, hitting two backflips in the truck extreme sports icon Travis Pastrana debuted in 2009. He nearly won the championship last year but only lost because of a tie-breaker to Jim Koehler in Avenger.
After the Nitro Circus contract expired over the summer, the Canadian fans got to name the new truck for McQueen to campaign. And beginning on January 14, a nightmare ensued.
The last truck over the first weekend of February to earn a spot in Las Vegas was McQueen's new ride, Northern Nightmare.
After taking the complete sweep of the inaugural event on the Maple Leaf tour, McQueen has just been right at home in his maple leaf camouflage truck. The grey and red scheme has been eye-popping and the Canadian fans have just loved having their own tour and their own truck.
Now, the Northern Nightmare is coming to Sin City hoping to bring a championship north of the border.
If McQueen was just that close a year ago to victory, it will be hard to not count on him being a contender this year.
Over a third of the field is set for the World Finals, but there are still 15 spots remaining and almost two months until the main event. Who else will qualify? Will some new faces get the opportunity to compete? Will the field be the most competitive it has ever been?
Find out as the Monster Jam season rolls on with 10 events scheduled for the pre-Valentine's Day weekend.
Visit MonsterJam.com next weekend to find out if more drivers earn the right to join in the biggest event Monster Jam holds every year.
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