BIGFOOT 50x50 Day 28, 1997: “Here, There, Everywhere”

In what would begin another busy year for Team BIGFOOT, USA Motorsports kicked off their first points season in Memphis at the Mid-South Coliseum. Dan Runte and BIGFOOT 14 were able to walk away with 4 wins over the weekend. The series twisted and turned everywhere around North America. From Knoxville to Calgary, Spokane to Buffalo Team BIGFOOT enjoyed many wins across four drivers and three trucks. Beyond Dan and 14, Dave Byers and Lonny Childress both enjoyed success piloting BIGFOOT 10, while Sky Hartley visited victory lane with both BIGFOOT and Snake Bite bodies on BIGFOOT 9. Try as they might, they were no match for David Morris and Equalizer. Morris, who drove for BIGFOOT briefly, most notably at the 1990 Bash, would claim his third career championship.

Between PENDA not renewing their sponsorship, and the Diamond P. Sports/TNN split cancelling the Trucks and Tractor Power TV series, the Special Events Jamboree Series was left without sponsorship or TV coverage. But the Jamborees would press on for the final 1997 series. Now featuring obstacle racing in addition to the straight line races Dan Runte and BIGFOOT 14 would trade wins over the weekend with Eric Meagher and Snake Bite 15 in Lima. Sky Hartley and Snake Bite 9 would take over for the Meagher/15 combo in Canfield, and win two straight lines and one obstacle race. Meagher would return for Indy and edge out Dan and 14 for the 1997 championship.

On June 13, one of the biggest events in the history of monster trucks took place. U.S. Truckfest was hosted by the USHRA at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Representing Team BIGFOOT was Dan Runte in BIGFOOT 14, and Eric Meagher in Snake Bite 15. The massive field of trucks was split into two categories. The up-and-comers would fill up the brackets for the open Monster Truck Challenge, and the IMJ Championship would feature the top ten trucks from the USHRA season. Eric would end up crashing Snake Bite in a freestyle run on day one, sidelining the truck for the weekend. Dan would lose to Tom Meents and Monster Patrol on day one and Fred Shafer and Bear Foot on day two, but would leave the lasting impression by taking the win on day three.

During the second half of October, BIGFOOT 14, Snake Bite 8, Hollywood Hogan 4 And Sting 11 would be taken down to Aruba and Curaçao for a successful series of six shows.