The Black Stallion team invades Toledo Ohio…..

The Black Stallion team’s last Monster Jam Thunder National for 2010 took place at the Lucas County Arena in Toledo OH.  The team had a long weekend as there were 4 shows so that all the Toledo fans got a chance to see the monsters in action.  The All Ford Powered K&N Black Stallion piloted by the 7 time Thunder National champion Michael Vaters and teammate Trey Myers in the Iron Warrior competed against Monster Mutt Dalmatian “Mutt”, Avenger, Brutus and Grave Digger. Friday night the crowds packed into the stands anxious to hear the engines roar to life, experience the heart pounding action and witness the carnage as these truck competed on the arena floor.  The hometown driver of the Grave Digger, Charlie Pauken had the fans on his side pulling for him and he came out and took the first win of the weekend in the wheelie contest.  The Stallion came in second with a score of 26. Vaters piloting the all Ford Powered Black Stallion was race ready as he quickly eliminated World Finals Champ Avenger in round one and then beat another multi World Finals champ in the semi-finals Grave Digger.  In the racing finals the all Ford Powered Black Stallion was paired up against fast loser Brutus and easily took the racing win as he soared across the Built Ford Tough finish line first. In monster freestyle the action was rowdy and destructive as all the trucks seemed to have their trucks dialed in.  Michael Vaters in the Black Stallion had a fast paced run hitting one obstacle and then sliding around the end of the arena to launch the truck off the next set of cars.  Vaters put on a spectacular demonstration of his 28 years behind the wheel of the Black Stallion.  The crowd loved the non-stop action and the judges gave Vaters a 20 but just not enough for the freestyle win as the Mutt received a score of 21 and the Freestyle win. Saturday afternoon there was a pre-show Pit Party for the fans to get autographs from the drivers and photo opportunities next to the monster trucks.  The show started off with the Wheelie contest Vaters hit the line of cars once and then twice putting the Stallion vertical with impossible air under the rear tires sustaining some serious hang time.  Vaters’ efforts went unrewarded when Grave Digger took the wheelie win. The racing competition was so close that the judges used photo finishes to determine the winners.  In round one Grave Digger defeated Avenger and Brutus defeated Monster Mutt Dalmatian.  Trey Myers in the all Ford Powered K&N Iron Warrior was lined up against his teacher and teammate Mike Vaters in the Black Stallion.  Vaters was sleeping when the light turned and Trey throttled the Iron Warrior to a victory in an upset racing win.  In the semi-finals though Grave Digger took Trey in the Iron Warrior out of competition.  Brutus defeated teammate Avenger who came back as fast loser.  The racing finals saw Grave Digger and Brutus paired up on the start line.  In an upset Brutus beat Digger giving him the racing win. Freestyle competition saw some crazy action.  The all Ford Powered K&N Black Stallion driven by the “King of Concrete” Michael Vaters bulleted out of the pits and shot straight “UP” off the first set of cars.  Vaters’ exhibition was fast paced with huge air and whirling turns as he blasted the throttle to “sky high.”  The fans were on their feet screaming by the time the Stallion slid to a screeching halt.  The competing trucks all poured on the heat during their freestyle’s but in the end the Grave Digger won with a 28 and the Black Stallion came in 3^rd with a 25. On Saturday night the drivers were all competition ready but Grave Digger would take the wins in all three competitions.  The trucks showed the excited crowd just what the word “vertical” meant.  Every truck that came out onto the arena floor got a little more vertical than the one before.  The all Ford Powered Black Stallion ponied up throwing out two gravity defying sky wheelies as the spectators cheered him on.  Brutus put the dog snout in the air and spectators liked it so much that they gave him a standing ovation.  Somehow the judges didn’t agree with the fans that night because they gave the wheelie win to Grave Digger with a score of 29 leaving Brutus in 2^nd giving him a 28.    Vaters in the Black Stallion came in 3^rd with a score of 26 in the wheelie. The round one match up between Michael Vaters in the all Ford Powered K&N Black Stallion and Digger ended with a photo finish and the “judges” awarded the win to the Black & Green machine.  Mutt was beat soundly by the other dog playing in the back yard and Iron Warrior driven by Trey Myers was eliminated by Avenger in round one racing.  The semi-finals saw Brutus eliminate teammate Avenger and Digger take out fast loser Monster Mutt.  This put Brutus and Digger in the finals once again.  The race was close but Digger was awarded the win. Freestyle action was hot as the all Ford Powered K&N Black Stallion busted out of the pits and hit the first pile of cars sending it soaring into the air.  Vaters was on fire as he cross threaded the truck back and forth across the obstacles sliding his rear tires around at the ends of the arena’s concrete floor.  Vaters’ radical exhibition earned him a 26 and three way tie with Digger and Mutt.  The hometown crowd of the driver of Grave Digger, Charlie Pauken won the cheer off and the Freestyle win putting the Black Stallion and Mutt in 2^nd place. Sunday afternoon Lucas County Arena was packed with fans to see their favorite monster truck in action.  The wheelie contest was first up with hometown driver in the Grave Digger taking the win. In monster powered racing all the drivers were jacked up. The All Ford Powered K&N Black Stallion was set on “WIN” and that is just what happened as Vaters used his 28 years of experience and worked his way up through the bracket to take the victory in the racing finals. In round one racing the all Ford Powered K&N Black Stallion beat Grave Digger, Brutus defeated the Warrior and Avenger eliminated the Mutt.  Round two Vaters in the Stallion continued on his winning path by eliminating Brutus.  Grave Digger came back as fast loser and beat Avenger.  In the racing finals Michael Vaters in the ALL Ford Powered K&N Black Stallion left Digger in his dust and took the racing win. The freestyle action was hot as it was the last show of the weekend and there would be time for repairs before the next show.  Each truck came out onto the concrete floor with one thing in mind “monster air…destruction style.”  Michael Vaters behind the wheel of the all Ford Powered K&N Black Stallion meticulously maneuvered the obstacle course of junk cars hitting one after another throwing down some crazy freestyle moves.  The Stallion’s run was fast paced and radical putting impossible air under the rear tires.  The fans were excited by Vaters’ rockin’ freestyle but the judges didn’t feel the same way.  Mike Vaters in the Black Stallion was part of a three way tie for the Freestyle win along with Grave Digger and the Monster Mutt Dalmatian all scoring a 26.  The fans knew who won and cheered their best for Vaters but the judges determined that Digger had won the cheer off and the Freestyle win. The Black Stallion team’s next show is Saturday April 17 in Montreal Quebec Canada at the Olympic Stadium.