BIGFOOT 50x50 Day 42, 1983: “Set It Off”

It was April 9, 1983 and BIGFOOT 2 was scheduled for an appearance at the Pontiac Silverdome. An added bonus to the Spring Nationals Hot Rod Truck Pullers Association’s event.

Not that it’s anything routine, but this was really just another car crush. This wasn’t the first car crush. Not even close. Not for Bob, not for either BIGFOOT, not even for the Silverdome. But for whatever reason, whatever cosmic, mystical, mythical, spiritual reason this night became different than any other before it. The fuse we mentioned a little bit back? This is where it lead to.

The crowd was electric. Bob pilots 2 into position on the floor of the Silverdome. Gonna be up, park, and off, no sweat. But this time, as Bob puts 2 on top of the cars the crowd absolutely ignites with flashbulbs and a thunderous roar of exhilaration. Bob parks 2 on the cars and tilts the hood forward in a salute to the crowd. They’re so rabid that they’ve jumped the guardrails and have swarmed the truck to get a closer look. This moment would be forever known as the “Flash Attack.”

The same year, fortunate kids across the continent were able to create flash attack style moments of their own at home thanks to the release of the Playskool BIGFOOT toy release. Part of the company’s “SST” line of toys based on select famous pulling vehicles in addition to BIGFOOT.

Among the many other important developments that filled ‘83 for Bob and his crew was the discovery that the truck would float in water, due to the high volume of air in its giant tires. Jim Kramer would take BIGFOOT 1 for the organization’s first trip to Canada for a car crush at the Motion Auto Show in Toronto. And if all of that coupled with booming business at Midwest wasn’t enough, construction was underway on a new addition to the BIGFOOT family. An addition that would prove to be the most unique member of the family yet.