2007
BIGFOOT 50x50 Day 18, 2007: “Doors Close, Doors Open”
After a fifteen year hiatus, 2007 would see the return of Midwest Four-Wheel Drive & Performance Center. A portion of the headquarters would be re-dedicated to installing lift kits, wheels and tires, and a myriad of other services, on private vehicles. An open house and truck show was scheduled for April 21 to commemorate the grand re-opening. BIGFOOTs 1 and 5 were on hand while Dan Runte crushed cars in Summit 15.
On April 26, BIGFOOT 16 would be started for the first time. Construction started in 1997, but due to simply not being needed at the time, was halted and 16 was shelved. Construction resumed in earnest in mid-2005, and nearly two years later, on May 5, Firestone 16 would make its public debut at the Springfield 4-Wheel Jamboree. This would be the first new truck to debut stateside since 14 and 15 in 1994.
June 13 would mark Roy Hoosier's last day with BIGFOOT 4x4. Through his twenty-seven year tenure, Roy was instrumental in every innovation to the BIGFOOT fleet of trucks. The three time MTRA Mechanic of the Year had a hand in building every truck from BIGFOOT 2 onward and was considered the foremost knowledgeable mechanic in the monster truck industry.
August would see a new series enter the realm of monster truck racing. The Major League of Monster Trucks would kick off their inaugural season on August 18 at the dirt track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dan Runte and BIGFOOT 16 would go on to win the inaugural MLMT Championship. And they weren't alone. Rick Long would take BIGFOOT 15 to the Edge Motorsports Monster Madness Canadian Championship, Dan and Summit 15 would also win the Checkered Flag Productions Monster Truck Winter Nationals Championship and Nigel Morris would take BIGFOOT 17 to their third European Monster Truck Racing Promotions Championship.
At the end of the year it was announced that BIGFOOT 4x4 and Ford Motor Company would be ending their twenty-three year relationship. The amount of help both brands did for each other is immeasurable. BIGFOOT helped Ford and the F-Series trucks stay on top as the best selling truck in America, while Ford helped BIGFOOT become multi-time champions and the best known and beloved monster truck.
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