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Change is inevitable in life, in relationships, location and just in everyday moments. It’s when some changes are made that are intended to make things better, but instead go the other direction, mean that perhaps the right choice is going back to where things were. In a sense, that’s what the 4-Wheel Jamboree has done for 2024.
After four seasons as part of Bonnier Corporation, prior to the new year a brand-new deal was struck when a group from Events Inc. that included many of the former owners and operators at Special Events, put forth an offer to Bonnier for the jamborees. Despite introducing new events, from mega truck racing and high-speed mud bog racing, some aspects in the eyes of fans were still not well done, or in a sense seemed unorganized. Last year, the Outlaw Monster Truck Drags provided a revamp of the infield program for both events, something that fans in Pennsylvania and Indiana both said was a spectacular program. Still, it did not seem to make up for the outside items that were being talked about among fans and participants.
The group from Events Inc. included names like Joe Pagano, long-time Monster Nationals announcer, and lead track official Lee Collins, all familiar with what participants and fans of the jamborees have wanted. So, this year, the change made was a reset to what fans knew, and appreciated.
What has been, and likely always will be, the headliner for the 4-Wheel Jamboree is having the monster trucks start and finish the weekend, and for 2024 it was the Monsters of Destruction that would provide the action in the infield of the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds.
The lineup included some new blood competing in Bloomsburg for the first time. DCT Powersports fielded two trucks, with Daron Basl putting the Blockhead block body on the newest chassis for the team, while Jack Brown came to play in the Dirt Crew Dozer, subbing in for team leader Jerry Beck in Dirt Crew who was unable to make the event. A truck that has been to Bloomsburg before, ten years prior, made a return with a new driver, as RJ Turner brought out the War Wizard pro-mod, although a little worse for wear as the body was beat up from a roll earlier in the week. Home-state fans were getting a treat as Pennsylvania native JR Seasock was competing in his Chevrolet named Play’n Hookie, and bowtie fans got a second truck to cheer on as Brandon Derrow made his first appearance in Bloomsburg with Bad News Travels Fast.
Headlining the jamborees this year was a pair of trucks that had not been at the event since the 2020 event that was marred with Covid restrictions, but were welcomed back with smiles, and many brand-loyal followers. Hall Brothers Racing had their top drivers in attendance as Mark Hall brought in the Raminator Ram Heavy Duty, with teammate Kurt Kraehmer at the helm of the blue and grey Rammunition Ram Rebel.
Friday night, after dodging a quick shower in the mid-afternoon, all seven trucks were set to compete on a tight S-course in front of the grandstands. With the Bloomsburg Fair adding in a 3/8-mile dirt track in 2021, the available room to roam changed drastically, but the track crew made it work and with the sun setting over the backstretch, qualifying got under way.
Struggling right away was Seasock as he was still dealing with some motor issues that have plagued him since he began running his new chassis, but the struggle for all was the tight course that was made due to the room available and having an actual building in the center of the infield. Add in the different surfaces, from dirt to gravel, and even a bit of pavement, getting around the course was a struggle for all.
Brown made it look easy as the big bulldozer topped the charts to get an easy pass in the first round, but teammate Basl also got a free ride as Seasock would not make the call, despite many crewman doing their best to get his truck ready, including the Bursey family of Jeff and Gage that were there helping reveal the newest retro body out of the Fowl Play Motorsports camp, the PA Mountain Monster.
The Hall Brothers both made it into the semi-finals, but Kraehmer’s night ended early in the second round against Brown. Off the second jump, his truck took an awkward landing that snapped the champagne on the left front corner. His ride came to a halt in the final corner, with one tire facing straight, and the entire corner almost folded under.
The trackhoe managed to pull the truck off the track long enough for the final round, as teammate Hall would get past Blockhead to go for the title.
Brown got the initial jump in the right lane, getting out to a quick lead, but Hall pulled it back as he had the shorter corner to navigate. However, Brown was coming in hot into the final corner, wanting the win bad for his team. He and Hall came into the final corner almost even, but the tight corner got too tight for the Dozer as Brown hooked the inside tire, sliding out and allowing Hall to cruise past for the opening win of the weekend, and the first win for Hall in Bloomsburg since 2018, as in 2019 it was Mat Dishman driving Raminator at Bloomsburg and in 2020, Bloomsburg only had monster truck freestyle.
FRIDAY RACING
- Round 1: Rammunition def. War Wizard, Raminator def. Bad News Travels Fast, Blockhead BYE RUN (Play’n Hookie unable to make call), Dozer BYE RUN (Fast Qualifier).
- Semi-Finals: Raminator def. Blockhead, Dozer def. Rammunition.
- Finals: Raminator def. Dozer
The track crew maneuvered some of the plastic barriers to allow drivers a bit more room to work, as the Friday slate was concluding with freestyle.
Seasock managed to have his truck running and did a few test runs on the track to see how it handled, something the PA crowd was very happy to see. Turner then followed up after having a quick rear-steer repair in the pits, blasting out and hitting the side of the mud pit so hard that he cleared the gap, and went to work with his 2041 Willy’s machine.
Even with the truck running the heaviest tires of any machine in competition, a full set of Michelin Mega X Bibs, he was still soaring his truck high and often, including a massive hit off the gravel hill at the apex of turns 3 and 4.
Turner pulled into the pits noting to crew chief Allison Turner that he broke a rear axle, so the team was also in need of repairs.
Derrow put on a solid performance in the Bad News Chevrolet, trying a few different times to get the rebound to pull one of the trademark wheelies, but never could get the bounce needed. He did, however, manage a sky shot that put the truck on the wheelie bar on the backside of the big hill.
The DCT team made a major impact as Basl would put the new truck through a clinic, including a pair of block-dragging, wheelie bar scraping wheelstands that brought the crowd to its feet. Brown tried to follow it up in his own way, but could not pull it off as he also lost an axle, which was noticed when he tried to pull a nose wheelie and he never got the pull from one tire.
Hall then came out and put on a strong performance worthy of the hall-of-famer, but kept his run conservative after seeing what other teams were enduring, and knowing he was needed to help get his own teammate back up and running. At night’s end, the cheer-off came down to Basl and Turner, and the momentum that Blockhead kept for the entire run was what made the difference, giving DCT it’s first win in the jamboree since 2020 in Indianapolis.
The weather for the remainder of the Bloomsburg weekend is looking spectacular, and the Saturday slate is going to be the one with the most attendees, the most participants, and possibly the most breakage.
Monsters of Destruction action will begin at 12:30 p.m. with qualifying and the second racing program. No freestyle is noted for the first show, although that could change based on time. Then, at 8:45, the evening will be capped off with the return of the Freestyle Frenzy that has long been a staple in Bloomsburg. All trucks will hit the track and put on a performance to cap off the night, finishing it off with fireworks returning for the first time since 2022.
Tickets to get into the show are available at the gate, which include mud bog competitions, tough trucks, side X side action, and a slew of thousands of custom 4×4 trucks to look at. Sergeant Smash will be giving rides all day long as well.
Get out to the fairgrounds, and see if the Monsters of Destruction continue to live up to the name.
