BIGFOOT 50x50 Day 25, 2000: “New Horizons”

Back in 1999, it was announced that ProMT, Professional Monster Trucks, would begin its inaugural season the following year. Based in Ohio, and with former BIGFOOT driver Eric Meagher as its president, ProMT would be teaming with International Speedway Corporation to promote monster truck racing at ISC owned race tracks, touring with their version of the 4-Wheel Jamborees, The TRUXPO Truck Tour. The emphasis was to be on professional monster truck racing. An alternative to the “professional wrestling on wheels” stigma that had been taking shape. The tentative 12-truck field was to all be MTRA certified, and in keeping a professional image, only traditional truck bodies were allowed.

In February of 2000, at the ProMT exhibition at Mesa Park in Fellsmere, Florida, many would argue that all of the professionalism went right out the window. The television network UPN would be on hand to film Monster Trux 2000: The New Thrillenium, the pilot for the first totally scripted monster truck television series. Featuring Dan Runte in BIGFOOT 14, Eric Tack in Firestone Centennial 15, and two of the former WrestleTruck bodies. Rick Petroline and BIGFOOT 8 in the former Dungeon of Doom body, now named Dr. Bonez. And Gene Patterson with BIGFOOT 11 donning the former Sting body, now named Scorpion.

The program, meant to be purely entertainment and not legitimate racing, featured all of the hallmarks of late 90’s professional wrestling. Backstage drama, eye candy, sabotage, team infighting and of course the big bad heel in the form of Big Daddy, and his sidekick, a little person dubbed Itty Bitty. Dan Runte, the perennial babyface for this show, would ultimately come out on top of the eight truck field. The episode would close with a wrench wielding Itty Bitty signing off from inside 14: “We’ll be back..” Ultimately, the series was not picked up after the pilot aired. Reviews within the fan community and monster truck industry varied from liking it to downright disgust.

The ProMT series would kick off in earnest at Darlington Raceway on April 29. Dan Patrick and Samson would take the points lead for the weekend, with Eric Tack in second and Dan Runte in fourth. The next event at Talladega would feature Dan in the new BIGFOOT Chromalusion 14 and Tack in the new TONKA Team BIGFOOT 15 but would be rained out and postponed. The third event at Nazareth Speedway would see Tack and Runte take the points lead away from Patrick, going into what should have been the series finale in Daytona.

In Daytona, Tack would win both races of the weekend, securing the points lead into the season finale, the make up date for Talladega. Dan would take the overall win for the weekend. But the championship would ultimately go to Eric Tack and TONKA 15. On that Saturday, an invitational of sorts would take place where NASCAR's Jimmy Spencer, Elliott Sadler, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt's crew chief Kevin Hamlin would race monster trucks on the ProMT layout, with Stewart taking the overall win. Eric Tack would also receive a victory lap celebration in front of the Talladega fans prior to that weekend's Winston 500. Which would also be the last race won by Dale Earnhardt.

In July, a 25th Anniversary celebration would take place during the Bloomsburg Jamboree. Featuring Bob Chandler with BIGFOOT 1, Jim Kramer with BIGFOOT 5, Bryan Bertoletti in Snake Bite 8, Rick Petroline in Centennial 10, Dan Runte in Chromalusion 14 and Eric Tack in TONKA 15. Events included a car pull-apart with Eric Meagher driving 1 and Kramer in 5, and another spectacular night time leap with Dan jumping over Snake Bite and BIGFOOT 1.