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Last year’s Winter X Games sensation – gold medalist in snowboard Big Air – and rising film star joins Monster’s already loaded snowboard roster  
Action photo by Tim Zimmerman, courtesy of DC Shoes
Portrait courtesy of www.dcshoes.com
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 24, 2008) – The winter sports-friendly country of Norway is a pro snowboarder-producing factory and Monster Energy is proud to announce we just got hooked up with one of the country’s top young stars – Torstein Horgmo!
The 19-year-old phenom, who some are calling the ‘air apparent’ to fellow countryman and snowboard legend Terje Hakonsen, will run the Monster Energy M-claw logo this winter as he gets set to defend his ESPN Winter X Games Big Air gold medal from ’07.
“Monster’s everywhere,” says Horgmo, who rides for DC. “A big part of mountain sports all over the world and for sure down with core riders. I’m pumped to be on board with Monster.”
Born and bred to rip & shred in Trondheim, Norway, Horgmo honed his snowboard ‘yumpin’ (jumping) skills at a little ski area just outside the city called Vassfjellet. From there he was selected to train and tend to his schoolwork at sports athlete school – similar to our ski and snowboard academies over here. Horgmo would work hard to make a name for himself and soon showed up on the snowboard industry’s radar – even before he blipped on the mainstream scene and quickly ascended to super-stardom stratosphere when he mined gold at last year’s Winter X while retaining his amateur status.
Those in the know will recognize Horgmo for his video parts in Standard Films’ “Aesthetica” and for his mind-blowing opening segment in “I Ride Park City.” But what’s radder than rad is the fact that Horgmo nearly ended his career in a gnarly wreck in Laax, Switzerland – just months before he landed stateside and won Winter X.
“At 19 Torstein’s already legendary,” says Monster Energy’s John Lee. “To bring a rider of his caliber in with our existing snowboard corps – Kass, MFM, Bang, Vito, Finch and Niemala – Monster’s going to kill it on the slopes this winter. Flat out kill it.”
Also winning the Abominable Snow Jam’ quarter pipe and snowstyle events, the Volvo Tour overall, as well as Style Wars – along with 2nd place finishes at the Honda Sessions @ Vail and the Australian Open – Horgmo put it down with one of the best overall snowboard competition seasons of the year. And with that and filming all over the planet, he’ll definitely been seen as one of Monster Energy’s primary torch carriers on the sledboards this winter.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it snowboards, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, ski, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Torstein Horgmo digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Last big amateur national MX race of 2008 is in full swing and Monster Energy racers are making an impact – daily – against the best young racers in the world
Photo couresty of Max Anstie (www.anstieracing.com)
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 26, 2008) – Monster Energy-backed amateur motocross racers are in the midst of the last big national MX competition of the 2008 season, this entire week putting the power and knobbies to dirt at the famed Gatorback Cycle Park dirt for the 37th annual Winter National Olympics – aka the Mini Os – in Gainesville, Fla.
The beginning of the week has the world’s top amateur racers competing in the Supercross portion of the week-long competition. And later in the week they’ll take to another track on the property for the Motocross portion of the competition.
Monster Energy-backed racers competing this week include:
• Christian Craig
• Justin Bogle
• Malcolm Stewart
• Zach Bell
• Max Anstie
• Blake Baggett
• Thomas Covington
Note: Several top Monster Energy-backed amateur riders are out with injuries, including Adam Cianciarulo, Zach Freeberg and Dean Wilson. Expect full results for all the Monster Energy racers on MonsterArmy.com this coming Monday.
Both Amateur MX Magazine and Moto Playground are doing a great job covering the event. You can check out daily reports on the action, including your favorite Monster Energy-backed amateur racers, at both sites: www.amateurmx.com and www.motoplayground.com
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it MX, rally, insane distance jumping, MotoGP, superbike, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. All the racers running the M-claw logo at the Mini Os dig ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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No surprise as Brown goes bigger than anyone – wins Highest Air – and is the runner-up overall to local hero Bob Burnquist in the Sao Paulo contest
Photo Credit: Eric Lars Bakke
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 25, 2008) – Monster Energy’s Jake Brown just checked in from a beach in Rio de Janerio - chillin’ - after throwing down in Brazil’s Mega Ramp contest where he finished 2nd to local skater Bob Burnquist and 1st overall in the Highest Air portion of the competition.
Gnarly weather greeted the competitors on the equally gnarly ramp and all the guys had to step up and run it without a lot of set up time.
“Yeah, it rained so hard I had little practice,” said Brown.
When the contest did get underway, Brown dug in and was on it – nailing a high-scoring run before suffering a bit of an injury in a wreck. “I hit a 360 ollie to 540 on the 50-foot gap, then a 360 mute to 20-foot air on the quarter,” he said. “On the next run I landed low and blew out, got a bit of whiplash in my neck. But I ended up getting 1st place in the Highest Air at 6.5 meters – around 20-plus feet.”
While there Brown got to witness Mega Ramp pioneer Danny Way’s wreck that earned him a trip to the hospital. “Danny’s fall didn’t look that bad, but he landed awkward and fractured two vertebrae. I talked to him and he’s doing fine, but will be out for a couple months.”
Brown said he’s returning to SoCal on Friday. Until then? “Soaking up the beach life in Rio,” he says.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it Mega Ramp, rally, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, superbike, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. Jake Brown digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Flag’s about to fly on the newly formed AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series (ACSS) this weekend in Hibbert’s home state of Minnesota!
Photo courtesy of Tucker Hibbert
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 25, 2008) – Choo-Choo! T-Train’s a comin’ down the track! So if you’re up there in the 218 (that’s like the 909 to SoCal natives, only in Minnesota) grab a cold one…Monster Energy, of course, and hit up Duluth for Monster Energy-backed Tucker Hibbert’s debut on the new AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series tour!
The world’s raddest two sport extreme powersports athlete (dirt bikes and snowmobiles), Hibbert enters the ACSS as the defending Pro Super Stock champion and, of course, has won the last two straight ESPN Winter X Games Snocross titles.
With all his ducks in a row – including main sponsors Monster Energy and Arctic Cat – Hibbert’s ready to open a can of frozen whoop ass this weekend in Duluth. Monster Energy caught up with Tucker, via his hard working wife, Mandi, and here’s what the Man had to say!
Monster Energy: You guys got snow up in Minnesota?
Tucker Hibbert: “Not much. It's colder than usual so we've been able to make snow. It sounds like they have a ton of man made snow in Duluth and that the track should be bigger than usual. We went out to Wyoming a couple weeks ago and were able to test on real snow. All the tracks are made out of man made snow now so it's nothing new.”
Monster Energy: Pumped for the Snocross season to start?
Tucker Hibbert: “I can't believe it's already here. There is so much planning and organizing that goes into it. It's exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Things are really coming together and we're sitting pretty good right now. I got in some great seat time and feel really comfortable on the sled. It's my third year running my own team so things are falling into place easier now. It was a big learning curve but I'm figuring out how to manage my time better. I have a good group of people I trust to take care of things.”
Monster Energy: New sponsor this year, same organization running it as in the past?
Tucker Hibbert: “It's pretty much the same deal as we have had the past two years. We did add two new sponsors this year, FOX Racing Shox and Shock Doctor.”
Monster Energy: What have the new promoters of the ACSS told you they intend on improving upon this year?
Tucker Hibbert: “It sound like their main objective is to make it a better circuit for the racers/teams and more fan friendly. It was time for a fresh start and I'm really looking forward to the new season.”
Monster Energy: Tell us about your sled set up.
Tucker Hibbert: “I race in two classes so we have two race sleds. The stock sled for the Pro Super Stock class is pretty much stock from the factory. The only changes we can make are to suspension, clutching and jetting. Of course it looks different than other stock sleds. It's all blacked out like usual. Our other race sled is the mod that we run in the Pro Open class. That sled is basically hand built from the ground up. The majority of time and money is in that sled. The mod is what we run at the X Games so it's pretty important that we have the thing dialed.”
Monster Energy: What classes are you running?
Tucker Hibbert: “Pro Super Stock and Pro Open. I am the defending Pro Super Stock Champion, but I’m not running for the championship this year. Instead I'm doing an abbreviated schedule so I'll only be at the first four ACSS events and the Winter X Games.”
Monster Energy: What guys will give you the most heat this winter?
Tucker Hibbert: “I'm not going for the championship, but I think my biggest threat at the regular season races will be Ross Martin, he's pretty consistent. T.J. Gulla is really strong too.”
Monster Energy: What could win a drag race – your sled or your dirt bike?
Tucker Hibbert: “Not sure, I've never tried it! My sled has a lot more horse power than my bike but it weighs twice as much.”
Monster Energy: Which have you jumped farther – a sled or dirt bike?
Tucker Hibbert: “Without a question, my sled - mountain riding.”
Monster Energy: Big mountain powder day or freshly groomed RedBud to yourself?
Tucker Hibbert: “That's a hard one. Both would be awesome. I haven't been able to mountain ride the past few years but already have a trip planned right after the X Games with Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Colorado. I'm really looking forward to it.”
Monster Energy: What’d you ask for for Christmas?
Tucker Hibbert: “I don't need anything. I'm so fortunate, but would like a bike stand for my mountain bike. I did my first mountain bike race this summer and had a blast. I wish I had more time to do more races. I bought a 160 acre farm this year and plan on making a mountain bike trail there. It's all hills, really wooded, full of ponds and actually has a small lake on the property. Of course it will have a motocross track too. That's why I bought it.”
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it snocross, rally, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. Tucker Hibbert digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Gordon hits a rock in the early stages of the race – a BIG rock – and rolls the truck, gets hit, gets going again then blows up the motor trying to catch the leaders
  CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 25, 2008) – “Luck” certainly wasn’t on Robby Gordon and the Monster Energy Off Road Team’s side this past weekend at the annual running of the SCORE International Tecate Baja 1,000 – off roading’s marquee event of the year.
Nope, someone/something just plain had it out for the three-time 1,000 champ. First he picks about the lousiest Trophy Truck starting position he could get his hands on – 28th. The choking their way through the blinding dust behind some 24 other Trophy Trucks at a seemingly safe 20 mph crawl – and using about four of the available 850 horsepower - he and co-driver Andy Grider still managed to clip a giant boulder and roll their Chevy Silverado 1500 onto its side. Then once they got it back upright, someone rear-ended them in the fog of dust there and broke the truck up even more.
Another shunt (fence post) had the Monster Energy Off Road Team hustling to get them parts to fix the wounded Chevy. Then some 90 minutes later and up-and-running again Gordon was on course and pushing it (approaching 130 mph) across a dry lake bed when he blew a cylinder (or two, they’re not sure yet) in the Chevy V8. As they say, game over.
Gordon’s pissed, yeah, but through it all and into this week Gordon was/has been the consummate professional. Focused no doubt on the race, Gordon still took plenty of time to insure the Monster Energy Baja Sweepstakes winners – a whole horde of them – were given the full effect of Baja, courtesy of his team and his Baja Hall of Fame father, Bob Gordon.
Monster Energy caught up with Robby so he could share his take on the eventful week and less-than-desirable race results with the Monster Army members. In true RG fashion he doesn’t hold back, shouldering the blame for wrecking the truck and giving our readers a the true insight on this year’s Baja 1,000.
Monster Energy: Explain how difficult it is to come from the gate pick you had to challenge for the lead at Baja.
Robby Gordon: “You know, we can blame it on the starting pick or we can blame it on the driver. I think this time here you’ve got to blame it on the driver. Maybe the driver and the navigator. We drew 28th and left 24th/25th off the line and didn’t get a much more than a mile into the race where we couldn’t see a thing – and I mean not even the hood of the truck. We were literally just driving off the GPS and I guess I just tried to push a little too hard in the dust and I hit rock and tipped the thing over, and that was about it from that point on.”
Monster Energy: How big was this rock?
Robby Gordon: “We hit a big rock. A very big rock, actually. It was about six foot tall. Had to go left around it – and we didn’t go left, we went straight. Clobbered the thing, tipped the truck up on its side. Ten minutes to get it back on its wheels. Sitting there with out helmets on and a guy rear-ended us. Bent the sway bar, ripped part of the cage apart. Guess if we weren’t there he would have hit the rock too. Then after that we got into a fence post, another thing in the dust we couldn’t see, and that broke a tie rod and broke the heat exchanger to the radiator. And that one put us even further behind.”
Monster Energy: So the race was basically over for you guys before it really got started.
Robby Gordon: “I gotta blame this thing on me. I’ve been going to Baja for a long time now and very seldom do I put the thing off the road there and we drove it off the road two times in the first 15 miles. Starting position was luck of the draw. But I knew better than that.”
Monster Energy: Now there’s definitely some insane stories about you charging from behind at Baja. Did you put on an epic charge after you got things straightened out from the first couple mishaps?
Robby Gordon: “At that point, once we got it durable again, we were going across a dry lake at the 215 mile mark, running it hard and lost the motor…lost compression in one of the cylinders or a couple of the cylinders. Getting the truck cleaned up right now. We’ll get it bore scoped and see what happened. Either burned a piston or burned a valve. Either way we lost compression somehow and that’s the one that put us to our death. Pretty sure I rolled out of the throttle just a little bit and it burnt that piston or that valve.”
Monster Energy: Not all the Monster Army members are familiar with the Baja conditions and how burly they can get. From, say, a snowboarder’s perspective, how would you explain what it was like driving in dust like that?
Robby Gordon: “I think the best way to put it is that it’d be like being in a snowstorm. You can barely, barely see in front of you – boardercross in massive storm. Not knowing where track’s at. And you’re course is like what, a mile long? We’re out there for 1,000 miles and every corner’s different. And in the dust, in a section where I could have been running like 80 (mph), we were running 20.”
Monster Energy: That’s bananas. What’s up next for the Monster Energy Off Road Team?
Robby Gordon: “Wot back on Saturday, Sunday was a bit of relaxation but Monday was big reality check as we’re now wide open getting ready for the Dakar Rally (early Jan., ’09). Gonna happen this year through Argentina and Chile. We’re going to run the Hummer. Getting it stripped and by tomorrow it’ll be a bare frame and we’ll be moving forward.”
Monster Energy: Cool. So we’ll check back in with you before you head down to South America.
Robby Gordon: “Sounds good. Thanks again to everyone at Monster for all their support. Look forward to the upcoming 2009 race season starting out with the Dakar Rally!”
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it rally, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. Robby Gordon digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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JLaw jets to Italy for the Genoa Supercross and was haulin’ until his bike broke  CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 25, 2008) – Monster Energy’s Jason “JLaw” Lawrence took a break from turning heads at tracks here locally in SoCal and hopped a plane to Italy to contest this past weekend’s Genoa Supercross – the final round of the 2008 FIM UEM Supercross Series.
Decked out in the latest Fox gear and running a bike set up for him over in Europe, Lawrence from all reports was on it – tearing into the competition to the tune of around a couple seconds per lap on the tight SX/AX hybrid Genoa track.
In his first heat race Lawrence went down in the whoop section after having already lapped nearly the entire field. JLaw then stepped it up again in the next heat race, winning that one easily. In the main he got out early, but ran into some mechanical problems right away and his night was over. Overall Lawrence was again a couple seconds faster per lap than the other top guys there, namely Ben Coisy and Marvin Musquin.
“Bummed my bike broke, but more than anything I was pumped on the fans there,” said Lawrence. “Definitely plan on coming back again. Italy’s rad.”
Lawrence will get back after it here this week in continuing his preparation for the Monster Energy Supercross season opener at Anaheim’s (Calif.) Angel Stadium, Jan. 3.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it SX, rally, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. Jason Lawrence digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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 The Lutzka has a lot of reasons to celebrate on New Years Eve this year. With the close of the 2008 season he knocked out his second Tampa Pro win, took top honors at the Down Under Slaughter of the Opera, and skated podium-strong all summer at X Games, Maloof Money Cup and AST Dew Tour. An afficionado of all things stylish, Greg also introduced his own “Good Life” clothing and accessory line through Oakley, and designed his second pro model shoe with Globe. If that wasn’t enough for the 23 year old superstar, he broke new ground in TransWorld’s Skate and Create photo feature, and now, Monster’s own Greg Lutzka closes they year with a killer video part in Globe’s United By Fate!
(http://www.unitedbyfate.tv/episode4/)
Some people just seem to have more hours in a day than others. Looking at them and seeing what they accomplish on a regular basis, their demeanor is effortless and enviable. Greg Lutzka is one of those people. Simply finding the time to get as good as Greg is on a skateboard is virtually impossible—unless you’ve got “the gift,” which he clearly does. As easy as it might be… there’s just no sense in hating on it. You gotta just accept it, sit back and go along for the ride with him.
Take the aforementioned United By Fate part, for example. Greg’s part has it all. Ledges, tranny, stairs, gaps, ditches and lest we not forget—effortless rail tricks. Most average skateboarders would surrender an arm, or perhaps, their little brother’s arm, to be able to pull off just a single line that Greg threw down… and that’s not even asking to do them as clean and to not spend years trying it.
On top of all that, in an Indiana Jones-like fashion, Lutzka somehow defies the laws of the universe and never even loses his hat through it all! Besides that, how many dudes do you know who can throw front 360 kickflips down on flat in the middle of a line? Even ‘Lil Jon makes a cameo! I mean, c’mon… what’s not to love?
If you haven’t seen it yet, or need to go watch it again before your next session, you can see Greg’s part, as well as behind-the-scenes footage of Greg and more at unitedbyfate.tv/episode4/. Check out Fuel TV’s “The Daily Habit” during “Skate & Create week” to see Greg throwing down at TransWorld’s Skate & Create!
And no doubt, more of the same from Monster’s man of the streets in 2009.
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Mirra makes huge strides rookie campaign on the Rally America tour, moving up from the Amateur to Open class and definitely turning some heads along the way
Photos by Lars Gange, courtesy of www.subaru.com/rally
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 24, 2008) – Monster Energy’s Dave Mirra just added another award to the trophy wing of his home when he was recently named as the Rally America Championship’s Rookie of the Year for the 2008 competition season.
Mirra, partnered with 21-year-old co-driver Alex Kihurani, raced to a very respectable 20th place finish in last April’s Olympus Rally in Pomeroy, Wash. In just the fifth race of his rookie campaign on the Rally America tour, Mirra had put his under-powered rear wheel drive Subaru Impreza into the top 20 – a feat he first accomplished in Michigan’s Sno*Drift Rally in January – while chasing the pro 300-plus horsepower AWD cars piloted by the likes of Monster Energy’s Ken Block.
Fulfilling Rally America rules that require new drivers to start and finish several rallies in a low horsepower car, Mirra stepped up to the Open class in a Vermont SportsCar-tuned 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI at the July New England Forest Rally held in Bethel, Maine. And once in the Open class car Mirra would continue shine, recording a Rally America Championship tour best 7th place finish on the rugged logging northeast logging roads.
Said Mirra on the event: “We were about midway though the stage when I ran wide and we hit a dirt embankment – which caused the throttle to stick WIDE OPEN. It was crazy. The (gas) pedal got jammed down to the floor and the Subaru was just wailing at full throttle! There was nothing I could do but hold my foot on the brakes and get creative with what gear I was in.”
From there Mirra guided the Subaru through a couple turns with the throttle still pinned – running at speeds with a shrieking engine that had fans no doubt shaking their heads. “I got it fixed and going again, but now we had no brakes at all!,” he added. “It was crazy. But that’s what rallying is all about.”
Mirra’s next conquest was a hard-fought bronze medal at the ESPN Summer X Games 14 – an award he shared with Block as each busted up their cars to the point that they could no longer compete in the semi final round. Mirra had won an impressive two qualifying rounds over more experienced drivers in order to get to medal contention.
“I really had no expectations other than ‘give it your best shot…’ It was a bonus to my first year in a rally car,” said Mirra on the Rally America website. “This award is my reminder that I made a mark in rally and it’s an honor to win anything on a new journey.” Note: Mirra scored more Rally America rookie points than any other driver this year.
Subaru Rally Team USA is proudly supported by Subaru of America, Monster Energy, Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT), DC Shoes, BFGoodrich Tires, Boost Mobile, Recaro, Alpinestars, Motul, Exedy, Greddy, PIAA and Vermont SportsCar. Visit www.subaru.com/rally for Subaru Rally Team USA photo galleries, news and team information.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it rally, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. Dave Mirra digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Last year’s Winter X Games sensation – gold medalist in snowboard Big Air – and rising film star joins Monster’s already loaded snowboard roster
Action photo by Tim Zimmerman, courtesy of DC Shoes
Portrait courtesy of www.dcshoes.com
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 24, 2008) – The winter sports-friendly country of Norway is a pro snowboarder-producing factory and Monster Energy is proud to announce we just got hooked up with one of the country’s top young stars – Torstein Horgmo!
The 19-year-old phenom, who some are calling the ‘air apparent’ to fellow countryman and snowboard legend Terje Hakonsen, will run the Monster Energy M-claw logo this winter as he gets set to defend his ESPN Winter X Games Big Air gold medal from ’07.
“Monster’s everywhere,” says Horgmo, who rides for DC. “A big part of mountain sports all over the world and for sure down with core riders. I’m pumped to be on board with Monster.”
Born and bred to rip & shred in Trondheim, Norway, Horgmo honed his snowboard ‘yumpin’ (jumping) skills at a little ski area just outside the city called Vassfjellet. From there he was selected to train and tend to his schoolwork at sports athlete school – similar to our ski and snowboard academies over here. Horgmo would work hard to make a name for himself and soon showed up on the snowboard industry’s radar – even before he blipped on the mainstream scene and quickly ascended to super-stardom stratosphere when he mined gold at last year’s Winter X while retaining his amateur status.
Those in the know will recognize Horgmo for his video parts in Standard Films’ “Aesthetica” and for his mind-blowing opening segment in “I Ride Park City.” But what’s radder than rad is the fact that Horgmo nearly ended his career in a gnarly wreck in Laax, Switzerland – just months before he landed stateside and won Winter X.
“At 19 Torstein’s already legendary,” says Monster Energy’s John Lee. “To bring a rider of his caliber in with our existing snowboard corps – Kass, MFM, Bang, Vito, Finch and Niemala – Monster’s going to kill it on the slopes this winter. Flat out kill it.”
Also winning the Abominable Snow Jam’ quarter pipe and snowstyle events, the Volvo Tour overall, as well as Style Wars – along with 2nd place finishes at the Honda Sessions @ Vail and the Australian Open – Horgmo put it down with one of the best overall snowboard competition seasons of the year. And with that and filming all over the planet, he’ll definitely been seen as one of Monster Energy’s primary torch carriers on the sledboards this winter.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it snowboards, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, ski, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Torstein Horgmo digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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The Californian takes top overall honors in the AMA Maxxis EnduroCross championship, then wins the AMA’s Racing Athlete of the Year award!
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 24, 2008) – Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Ricky Dietrich came from behind in the last two races to top teammate Damon Huffman for the overall 2008 AMA Maxxis EnduroCross Championship, presented by Lucas Oil, placing 2nd to Huffman at the final event held in front of a sold out crowd at Las Vegas’ Orleans Arena – a title which Dietrich won by a tight five points, 136-131.
And the hits just kept on coming for the Winchester, Calif., resident (by way of Washington) as Dietrich was named the following night as the AMA’s Racing Athlete of the Year, topping such notable stars as Monster Energy’s Ryan Villopoto, Tim Ferry, James Stewart and whole host of other champions in each of American motorcycle racing’s various forms of competition.
“Man, what a weekend,” said Dietrich. “First I’d like to congratulate both Damon and Destry (Abbott, Monster Energy/Kawasaki) on great seasons as well. Damon stepped up and won at the Orleans – which will give him a lot of confidence when the EnduroCross season starts back up next year. And Destry finished up a great year as well, winning the Hare and Hound title and a gold medal with me at the ISDE (International Six Days Enduro) in Greece this summer. It was excellent having those guys as Monster Energy/Kawasaki teammates this year.”
Dietrich continued: “I’m pumped I could deliver the EnduroCross championship to Kawasaki and Monster Energy, along with my other sponsors. And the AMA’s Racing Athlete of the Year award was a big surprise, something a bunch of other guys could have easily won. Definitely pumped with that as well and I’d like to thank the AMA for selecting me.”
On Saturday at the Orleans Dietrich battled early with Columbus (Ohio) EnduroCross round winner Taddy Blazusiak. And while the European great would battle hard against the eventual champion, the course would prove too much for him and Dietrich would take a solid hold onto 2nd place behind Huffman – which is the way they’d finish. Abbott ran strong as well, but was a bit off the podium pace in 7th place.
“You can pretty much trace it all back to what happened in Columbus,” pointed out Dietrich of the turning point of the EnduroCross season when Huffman dislocated his finger in a heat race and failed to transfer to the main in Columbus. “I was trailing by 11 points heading into Columbus, but was able to make the podium and came out with a ten point lead with just Vegas left.”
The AMA Maxxis EnduroCross Championship, presented by Lucas Oil, concludes the 2008 pro competition off road season for the Monster Energy/Kawasaki racers.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it EnduroCross, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Ricky Dietrich, Damon Huffman and Destry Abbott dig ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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http://www.isocracing.com/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=45
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A trip to Jamaica or meet with some dudes who’ve got it rough? Wee Man opts on the latter and stokes out some dudes while finding some inner solace himself
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 24, 2008) – Though he’s only a click over four feet tall, Monster Energy’s Jason “Wee Man” Acuna’s got a heart as big as a Thanksgiving turkey (or in Monster terms, BFH). And this past week it was pumping out a whole ‘lotta love for wounded American troops stuck in military hospitals from D.C. to Maryland and troops stationed in nearby Virginia and North Carolina.
Beginning at D.C.’s Walter Reed Medical Center and traveling to Maryland’s Bethesda Naval Hospital, – with a stops in between to visit Marines at Camp Lejeune (N.C.) and Quantico, Va. – Wee Man’s goodwill tour with Monster Energy really made the day for a bunch of guys, many of whom he spoke with eye-to-eye on account of their legs were blown off fighting the war.
“I was hanging with the dudes that were out with metal detectors looking for mines and other guys that were in vehicles that hit IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices),” explained Wee Man in as sincere a tone as he’s got. “I saw like 20-year-old dudes with no legs, but hearts of gold just going for it man, just living, you know? I mean I’ve been through some stuff in my life, but for me to have to go through what those guys are going through? Man, it’d be tough. Just a gnarly situation to go through.”
With Monster Energy readily available and, according to Wee Man, by far the most popular energy drink at American military bases around the world, Monster’s stable of action sports athletes has built quite a following with our troops. So much so that when called upon to help out, Wee Man gladly bailed on a trip to Jamaica to visit with troops here stateside – both injured and healthy.
“Sign me up, I’m in,” said Wee Man when Monster Army HQ called. “I just went ahead and cancelled another trip I had going during this time.”
In between visiting the injured troops – which can be a heavy trip for those of you who haven’t seen that sort of thing – Wee Man and several Monster Army officials stopped by a number of other ‘on-base’ Marine facilities to make the most out of their time while on the goodwill tour. “Troops are WAY stoked on Monster,” said Wee Man. “At Lejeune and Quantico they had these ‘exchange’ stores where military people can buy stuff they need. Well, I was at one of these places signing some autographs for the dudes living there and I hear this one guy who waiting in line for an autograph telling his buddy ‘This is why Monster’s blowing all the other energy drinks out of the water.’ These dudes were so stoked.”
In the end the trip meant so much more for Wee Man that he’d even thought of before he agreed to go. An ‘epiphany’ of sorts that certainly can’t be found in a bottle of Jamaican rum, Wee Man wanted to make sure we portrayed his visit in a way Monster Army members could relate to.
Said Wee Man: “All these guys at the hospital were stoked that I was there and I kept telling them ‘Dude, I don’t mean nothing. I mess around and have fun. And when I wake up in the morning I don’t have to worry about somebody ‘snipering’ me or whatever. And you guys are to thank for that. You’re out there making sure of that. You wake up and think ‘Holy moly, am I going to get ambushed today?’ And you’re there doing that for all of us. Me getting on a plane to come see you guys? That’s nothing, man.”
Wee Man’s back in SoCal and rolling around the LA parks on his skateboard. Got some top secret stuff cooking that he says is going to be “off the grid” this spring. Until then he’s spreading that Jackass love that we can all relate to – especially our brothers who’ve been busted up overseas.
To stay on top of Wee Man’s escapades, check out his re-vamped website (which is under construction right now) at www.wee-man.com
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it hanging with military troops, skateboarding, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, insane distance jumping, FMX, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Jason “Wee Man” Acuna digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Skater Dyrdek gets a taste of what Block’s been jonesin’ over for some time now and we’ve got the photos – courtesy of Block - to prove what went down  
Photos courtesy of Ken Block
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 20, 2008) – Quick note to all the Monster Army enlistees: If you skate your brains out every day, get real good, turn pro and, of course drink plenty of Monster Energy you might just get the keys to a pro rally car and the green light to mash the accelerator and go all “Dukes of Hazard” over a giant dirt table top jump!
Monster Energy’s Rob Dyrdek got to do just that recently when Ken Block turned over the reins of his Vermont SportsCar-tuned Subaru WRX STI pro rally car to his pro skate buddy for an upcoming episode of Dyrdek’s MTV show “Rob & Big.”
According to those in attendance, Dyrdek was sofa king stoked he was speechless. So Block chimed in: “Basically it’s an episode of him jumping my rally car. And he did great and it’s going to make a really good TV show.”
Here’s a couple photos. Stay tuned to Monster Energy’s websites for more.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Rob Dyrdek digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com renergy.com/>
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Monster Energy presents the Flip Team’s tour of the southwest, desert to highlands, with stops at local hot spots and happenin’ shops in between
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 13, 2008) – Monster Energy and Flip Skateboard Co. will team up on a southwest U.S.A. demo tour this coming week – The Feast Southwest Tour, presented by Monster Energy - featuring a host of top skaters pounding Monsters and skating their brains out from the desert to highlands of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
“We can think of no better way to kick off the holidays than being on tour with the Flip Team,” said Monster Energy’s Director of Sports Marketing, John Lee. “The southwest is a virtual hotbed for skate talent and Monster Energy’s pumped to be fueling the Flip Tour with everything from the Original Monsters (OG & Lo-Carb) to the Java Monster line and latest Juice Monsters - Khaos, M-80 and MIXXD drinks.
“One thing’s for sure, the energy level will be pinned on this tour with Monster and Flip dialing it in together.”
Headlining the Feast Southwest Tour, presented by Monster Energy, will be skaters Geoff Rowley, Lance Mountain, Mark Appleyard, Rune Glifberg, David Gonzalez, Luan De Oliveira, Currren Caples and Louie Lopez. So here’s the dates and what-not:
Date State Happs/Place Time
Sat., Nov. 15 AZ Demo @ Rio Vista/Peoria Skate Park 8 p.m.
Mon., Nov. 17 AZ Signing @ Starr Skate Shop 6 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 18 TX Demo @ Carolina Skate Park 6 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 21 NM Demo @ Los Altos Skate Park 5 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 22 AZ Signing @ Zumiez Flagstaff 3 p.m.
For more information on Flip’s Feast Southwest Tour, presented by Monster Energy, link up to: www.flipskateboards.com
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it skating, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. The guys killin’ it on the Feast Southwest Tour, presented by Monster Energy, will be diggin’ ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Currie one ups his title from last year by going a perfect 12-0, 6-0 in heat races and 6-0 in main events in winning the title this past weekend in Sonoma, Calif.
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 18, 2008) – Monster Energy’s Brandon Currie (Graves/Yamaha) has raced to his second-straight AMA Supermoto Lites class overall championship, this past weekend in Sonoma, Calif., completing the XTRM/AMA Supermoto Championship’s first-ever perfect season; 12-0 (6-0 in heat races, 6-0 Lites class main events).
Currie, 23, from Anaheim, Calif., put it in the books with a dominant performance at Infineon Raceway, winning both his Lites class heats and main events in dominant fashion aboard his Graves Motorsports-prepared Yamaha YZ250F.
With his second title in as many years, along with a 2nd place runner-up finish in 2006, Currie enjoys the status as the AMA all-time leading Lites class winner. But not resting on those laurels, he’s quick to point out he is in fact moving up to the Supermoto class next year. Until then Monster Energy would like to congratulate Currie and the Graves/Yamaha team and re-visit Currie’s amazing perfect season here in 2008.
Monster Energy: Perfect sweep! Heck, yeah! You’re like fellow Monster Energy racers Carmichael and Stewart of AMA Supermoto now!
Brandon Currie: (laughing) “Uh, yeah…I dunno. I look at it a bit different. We don’t have quite as many races as those guys, so what I didn’t is not quite as tough. But all in all I thought it was a good season and something I won’t forget.”
Monster Energy: Still, going 12-0 in heats and main events in any top level pro race season is pretty rad. What were your closest races this year, heat and main?
Brandon Currie: “I’d say my closest heat race for sure was Shawano, Wisconsin. I almost didn’t win. Pretty amazing. Ended up falling early in the race then passing two people on the last lap to win it. The closest main event (pauses) probably Connecticut (New England Supermoto Classic in Hartford). I was racing with Matt Burton. He got the holeshot and it took me a few laps to get around him. He stuck right in there with me basically all the way to the finish.”
Monster Energy: What course gave you the most trouble?
Brandon Currie: “Again, I’d have to say Shawano. It’s a big go-kart track. Really fun course, fast and flowy. The dirt section was a little technical with some big holes in the dirt. Just tying it together fast through the asphalt section made it the most challenging course.”
Monster Energy: With David Pingree moving up to race the 450 class this summer you really didn’t have a rivalry transpire this year like you had the past two seasons. What makes this year different than the others?
Brandon Currie: “I think the difference was I got a trainer and started working hard during the off season, brought my weight down. The whole team worked really well this year. Real fun going to the races and having the best bike out there – everything clicked.”
Monster Energy: Pretty cool having Doug Henry and Mark Burkhart as teammates?
Brandon Currie: “Me and Mark get along great. Whenever he’s in town (SoCal, Anaheim area) we ride and train together. He’s watches me and helps me get faster. And Doug’s always there as well, watching to see what we can do better and giving us inspiration. With that the whole team gets along so well you feel comfortable asking questions and have no problem getting help from Mark and Doug – and not just with racing.”
Monster Energy: Not to foreshadow the upcoming ’09 season, but how close were your times in practice to Burkhart?
Brandon Currie: “Well, when I’m on a 250 and he’s on a 450 I’m usually within about two seconds. On a 450 (Currie smartly pauses) – hard to say. We really don’t get to ride 450s much together.”
Monster Energy: So that’s for sure going to change next year?
Brandon Currie: “Yeah, I plan on moving up. Don’t know exactly where I’m going, but hope to stay with the Graves team. Kind of waiting to hear where the schedule’s going to take us and I hope we can get our contracts going and get everything figured out, start getting ready riding the 450 here soon.”
Monster Energy: Talk about how the finals came together. Did you think they were going to cancel the season after the mess in Austin (Texas)? Note: The original finals, to be held in Austin, were cancelled the week of the race and later re-scheduled for Sonoma last weekend.
Brandon Currie: “That was a big bummer. All of us were ready to race (at Austin) and we’d already had a month off before that. So to take another month off – it was hard to train and stay motivated.”
Monster Energy: “So what’d you do to stay motivated?
Brandon Currie: “The racing’s the highlight and when you don’t get to race it drags everything else on. But getting to the final round, everyone was ready to have the championship decided. I kept working hard and getting my stuff done, what I needed to do in order to have the confidence to win the championship.”
Monster Energy: So what does this second Lites title mean to you?
Brandon Currie: “It means a lot to me, personally, knowing I was able to go undefeated. Knew I had a good shot at the championship, but I wasn’t planning on having a perfect season. Took it race by race, but when we got close to the end there I knew there was a good possibility I could do it. Something you dream about. First of all having an AMA championship, then my second was just as cool. Two championships and moving up on a high note and hopefully leaving my mark of the Lites class for a while.”
Monster Energy: And for your sponsors, what do you perceive it meaning?
Brandon Currie: “For my sponsors I just think it’s great for them, use it for all the publicity they need. Shows them I put in my time. Couldn’t have done it without them. Monster to Yamaha to Dunlop to Alpinestars, Oakley – you can’t do it by yourself. It’s awesome to get it done for them.”
Monster Energy: Speaking of which, do we got you dialed?
Brandon Currie: “Oh, yeah - I’ve got a Monster fridge at home. My favorite’s the blue stuff.” (Editor: Monster Lo-Carb!)
Monster Energy: Finally, we ask this question of a lot of our top athletes. What advice would you give young Monster Army members who are stoked with the sport of supermoto?
Brandon Currie: “I’d just say practice. Practice is the main thing. Get out there and ride, have fun. Don’t specifically just stick to riding supermoto all the time, ride motocross and cross train. Don’t let people discourage you in what you want to do. Ride hard and chase your dreams.”
Monster Energy: Ride on, Brandon! Congrats on your championship and we hope things get put together here soon regarding your 450 class ride.
Brandon Currie: “Thanks again. Look forward to seeing everybody from Monster at the Anaheim Supercross.”
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it AMA Supermoto, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Brandon Currie digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Monster Energy/Thor/Leading Edge Kawasaki team dominates the podium at rounds three and four of the Nex-Trax Canadian Arenacross Series
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 18, 2008) – Monster Energy/Thor/Leading Edge Kawasaki team put all three of its riders – Teddy Maier, Brock Hoyer and Kris Foster – on the podium at one time or another during rounds three and four 2008-’09 Nex-Trax Canadian Arenacross Series held at the Chilliwack Heritage Center in Kamloops, British Columbia, this past Friday and Saturday.
Beginning with Maier, the Iowan and former American AMA Arenacross Series main event winner contested both the Open and Lites classes at Chilliwack. In the Open class, where he was the season points leader heading into rounds three and four, Maier won his heat race on Friday and then battled toe-to-toe with rival Kyle Beaton in the main. Both actually came together and hit the deck, with Maier able to re-mount and hold onto the victory.
From there Maier cruised to another win in the Open class – and added two more in the Lites class – going what was thought to be a perfect 1-1-1-1 on the weekend. But a protest on a questionable “jumping under the yellow flag” call by fellow competitor Ryan Lockhart would erase one of Maier’s wins (Friday’s Open class), moving him back to 4th position. However, Maier still leads the Open class points chase after four rounds. 
“Pumped with the way things turned out,” said Maier. “The team had my Monster Energy/Thor/Leading Edge Kawasakis dialed in both classes and we’ve got the points lead in both classes (Open and Lites) with two rounds left to go in when we get back from the holiday break.”
Hoyer also locked down some solid finishes on the weekend, winning his Open class qualifier and placing second in his Lites heat race. A podium finish (2nd) in the Open class main event on Friday and a 3rd place finish in the Open class on Saturday made this past weekend Hoyer’s best on the year so far.
Finally, Monster Energy/Thor/Leading Edge Kawasaki’s Foster gained some confidence between rounds the first and fourth rounds, locking down a podium 3rd place finish in Friday’s Lites main event, then nearly making the podium (4th) in Saturday’s Open class.
Next up on the 2008-’09 Nex-Trax Canadian Arenacross Series is the final rounds – five and six – held Jan. 9-10 at the Chilliwack Heritage Center in Kamloops, British Columbia. For more info about the Nex-Trax Canadian Arenacross Series link to: www.arenacross.ca And for more info on the Monster Energy/Thor/Leading Edge Kawasaki team, link to: www.leadingedgeonline.ca 
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it AX, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, SX, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Teddy Maier, Brock Hoyer and Kris Foster dig ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Defending 1,000 podium placer Gordon and the Monster Energy Off Road Team have an ax to grind after a rare DNF early this summer in the Baja 500 
Photos courtesy of Toyo Tires (www.toyo.com)
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 17, 2008) – Monster Energy-backed NASCAR and Baja racer Robby Gordon is literally stepping off the NASCAR grid and into the wild west for one more balls-to-the-wall race here in 2008, closing the SCORE International competition season out with a run at an impressive fourth overall victory at the Tecate Baja 1,000.
Gordon, at home at high speeds, finished 2nd overall this year in NASCAR restrictor-plate points races (the super speedways). Baja will be no different for the Baja Hall of Famer who’s coming into the race a bit chapped over his DNF at the 1,000’s sister race – the Baja 500 – earlier this year.
Between planes, trains and automobiles Gordon took a couple minutes to catch up with Monster Army members on this weekend’s big event run down the Baja California peninsula. Like a kid with a new bike, Gordon’s pumped to show off his Monster Energy Off Road Team Chevy Silverado 1500, running the latest off road Toyo Tires and every possible suspension feature available in this grueling test of machine and a guy with a Bozo-sized accelerator foot.
Monster Energy: Robby, talk about the Monster Energy Off Road Team Trophy Truck you’re going to be running this week at Baja.
Robby Gordon: “It’s the same truck we finished 3rd last year and won the race the year before. So it’s got a 1st and a 3rd the last two years. The truck’s a 1500 Silverado with a NASCAR-spec 430 cubic inch V8 Chevrolet, electronic fuel injection and puts out 850 horsepower.”
Monster Energy: Nice. Same truck you’ve done your Baja 1,000 pre-running in?
Robby Gordon: We opted for the Monster Hummer to pre-run, the same Trophy Truck we raced at the Baja 500 (and the Dakar Rally). Had a hub failure at Baja 500, but did do the pre-running for the 1,000 in the Hummer and the new hub showed no signs of failure. We were VERY disappointed with the Baja 500 results (DNF), something I hadn’t done in a long time at Baja. So we’re very hungry for this one, the whole team is.”
Monster Energy: Who’s your co-driver at Baja?
Robby Gordon: “Andy Grider. He won it with me in ’06 and has worked really hard on the pre- runs on our notes, similar to that of how we approached Dakar.”
Monster Energy: You field one of the larger teams when you’re down in Baja on account a bunch of your No. 7 Jim Beam/NASCAR team members join you. Does that give you an advantage over other teams, having that much support for the Monster Energy Off Road Team?
Robby Gordon: “We’re importing about 25 guys from our NASCAR team that will fly out to Baja today out of North Carolina. Fifty guys total on the team. The NASCAR pit crew will work on tires and fueling, bunch of different things. So they’re very involved with the program, just like my off road guys have been involved in the NASCAR program. Been good for both sides and certainly an advantage for me.”
Monster Energy: You’ve won the Baja 1,000 three times. What’s it going to take to win a fourth?
Robby Gordon: “I think consistency, being smooth, not making any mistakes myself or as a team, can’t have any mechanical failures and we can’t make any navigational errors. And I have to have plenty of energy to last the whole race. So having Monster as a sponsor and all that energy in a can is only going to help us. Note: Gordon prefers Monster Khaos, with MIXXD coming in 2nd place. “I’m a Khaos kind of man,” he says.
Monster Energy: How many times have you raced Baja and what was your first experience like?
Robby Gordon: “Since like ‘1986. I was 16 years old when I first raced it, won the 1989 Baja 1,000 overall when I was 18. Won it by myself, driving for Variable Racing and Ford. Beat the motorcycles that year.”
Monster Energy: Great stories always come out of Baja, stories ranging from unspeakable danger to downright comical escapades. What’s your favorite tale to tell around the fire pit?
Robby Gordon: “One of my favorites is when, in 1993, we finished 2nd with Simon & Simon Racing driving a Ford Ranger Trophy Truck. Funniest part was we were leading the race and we got two flat tires at one time – which is almost unheard of. So what I did was basically park in the middle of the race track. Knew there was only one other truck that was running a tire that’d fit my truck (17” wheels). Ironically, the team that was running in 2nd – about a half hour behind us – had a tire/wheel combination that would work on our race truck. We’d driven as long as we could until we were just on the wheel (front right). So we slowed down to almost a stop in the middle of the course and sat and talked (Gordon and co-driver Gregg Till), idling at about 15 mph way – and I mean waaayy out – in the middle of nowhere.”
Monster Energy: So you guys were basically marooned in Baja?
Robby Gordon: “Pretty much. But we had a plan. I’d get them to pull over and we’ll stop and talk to them. When I’m talking to them, he’d (Till) steal the tire off the back of their truck. So basically I stopped, did what I was supposed to do – but they saw Gregg stealing their tire! I’d already asked them, and they said I could take it anyway, but it ended up being pretty funny. They said ‘We’ll race you home.’ So we raced balls-to-the-wall to LaPaz and those guys ended up beating us by like 15 minutes. So that’s one of the better stories I tell from Baja. That’s kind of how Baja is, you just kind of improvise. Bubble gum, bailing wire, duct tape and zip ties and you can get about anything done.”
Monster Energy: We’ve also heard that colorful stickers act like currency down there. Equally crazy tales of how guys have got out of trouble with stickers and T-shirts. What kind of swag do you or your support team carry to appease the locals?
Robby Gordon: “Stickers. I’ve got some really cool Monster Energy/Robby Gordon stickers. Kind of a Monster can with me on there. They love the decals down there. And sweatshirts. Probably get out of ticket with the Federalies with a sweatshirt.”
Monster Energy: Who’s going to be your main competition this year?
Robby Gordon: “I’ve got some really tough competition this year. The Trophy Truck class has kind of exploded and I drew No. 28, which is a huge disadvantage (Gordon starts almost dead last in the Trophy Truck class and has to drive through the dust to catch the other racers). So I’m coming from behind against guys like B.J. Baldwin, Rob MacCachren, Mark Post, Brian Collins – who’s the first car off the line – Ryan Arciaro and Mark Miller, along with Chad and Larry Raglan. There’s legitimately ten plus guys that can win this race in the Trophy Truck class alone.”
Monster Energy: Robby, you’re kind of like motorsports’ Shaun Palmer (Monster Energy’s multi-sport superstar), switching sports and going from asphalt banks to dirt berms. What the toughest part about adjusting from NASCAR to off road, Homestead (Fla.) to Baja, Mexico?
Robby Gordon: “The biggest thing is the organization of the teams. It’s not a driver. We all like to think that, but it takes a whole team to win these races. Same thing with the stock car program as it is with the Baja program. You need guys to put in 70-80 hour weeks. Work all weekend and then head down to Baja Monday. But we’ve got a good team and great sponsors and good equipment. So with those ingredients, and mix me in the middle in the dirt, and we’re a threat to win. And like the Daytona 500, there’s only one Baja 1,000 once a year – and we want to win that race.”
Monster Energy: Here’s one that we’re sure the Monster Army members will dig - and we’ve got video to prove it! What’s the furthest you’ve ever jumped a truck?
Robby Gordon: “Glamis (the famous California sand dunes). It was BIG gap. We measured that gap out and it is, by far, the furthest I’ve ever jumped. If you measure it against all the other 24-foot trucks in the background an I think it’s right around 300 feet. And probably 45-50 feet in the air. Sized it up – McGrath, Kiedrowski were out there on their bikes - and I hit it and we flat landed in the bowl – the NEXT bowl over! Bit of an over jump and we pulled it off and didn’t wreck the truck. Ended up gapping it about 15 times that weekend, but never flew as far as the first time we hit it.”
Note: Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd_2Kj0tFfU&feature=related
Monster Energy: Speaking of Monster Energy-backed Jeremy McGrath, can you still hang on a motocross bike?
Robby Gordon: “Yeah, actually I can. I’ve got a (Honda) CRF450 and was riding a couple weeks ago at Damon Bradshaw’s test track in North Carolina. Did all the doubles, table tops and whoops – I can still hang on a bike pretty well. But not for that many laps. Just reminds you of how athletic and durable young motocrossers are. I’ve got a lot of respect for those guys.”
Monster Energy: Do you pre-run Baja on a bike at all?
Robby Gordon: “You know, I’ve wanted to but I just haven’t been able to figure out the time. When I was down there a few weeks ago we started at noon and ran through when it got dark on Monday night. Then woke up at daylight on Tuesday morning, did the daylight sections, then went to Mike’s (legendary Baja hangout) and took a three hour power nap and then ran to 11:30 p.m. that night. Woke up early again and ran all the way back to Mexicali, which completed the whole group of sections – and we did a couple sections twice. So just because my time is so limited, it’d be difficult to fit in a bike.”
Monster Energy: Lastly, as a Baja Hall of Famer, what advice would you give to young Monster Army members that might be interested in some day racing Baja?
Robby Gordon: “I’ve been very fortunate. I look at the young Monster Army, and these guys are so brave. Then you look at the big gaps at Glamis we’ve jumped, the crazy things we’ve done – you’ve got to remember I’ve always had spotter up there watching for me. And until a couple years ago, never really got hurt. Broke my ankles riding motocross, just play riding. But before that I never really got hurt. So the thing is keep it real. Guys impress me with the bravery and determination they have, but I don’t want to see anybody get hurt. At the same time, size ‘er up, walk ‘er out – make it calculated and realistic. If you do that you can pull off about anything you put your mind to!”
Monster Energy: Thanks, Robby. Good luck this week!
Robby Gordon: “Thanks to everyone at Monster. Look forward to seeing a bunch of you down in Baja this weekend. And if you can make it be sure to check out www.teamgordon.com for updates.”
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it SCORE, CORR, Best in the Desert, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, road racing, MX, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, off-road, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, the new Monster/fruit juice hybrid called “M-80” and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Robby Gordon digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterenergy.com.
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...in Guantanamo Bay Cuba!!!!
That is correct folks, I went on probably the best trip of my life at the end of October. Myself, along with Ian Crocker (swimmer), Megan Jendrick (swimmer), Dave Durante (gymnast) and our lovely friend Michael Fudzinsky (from Octagon) went to Cuba to visit with the troops and do many "firsts" in our lives. First off, the only person I had ever even met before was Dave, but by the time we left our 4 day trip, I considered them all good friends. We had an amazing time snorkling, riding on the "Viper" Coast Guard boat, visiting the "fenceline," and seeing the detainees at the detention center. Seriously, I cannot say all the rad things we did and keep this report short. Most importantly, everyone needs to know that Guantanamo Bay is not even close to what the media portrays it as. There is a whole town, with families and kids and every possible activity you can think of there. And the detainees (who are held aways from the actual city center) are treated way better than most may think they deserve. Great people are protecting our country and handling business in the most humane way possible. One more thing I want to add is I can officially say I've flown an aircraft. Yes ma'am I flew a C-12 Navy aircraft for 10 minutes on the way home from Cuba. I had the headpiece on, sittin' in the cockpit and all that jazz. By the way, the C-12 is like an 8 seater aircraft with no cockpit door and a curtain that hides the hole you poop in. Chill out there are pictures below.
Before I went to Cuba I did a few TV interviews. One of them was for Forbes Sports Money and I guess Shaun White will be on the same episode which is cool and I can't wait to see it. And another I did was for a show called The Real Winning Edge. Such a rad concept of a show The Real Winning Edge and I believe my episode will air Feb. 21-22 2009.
November 4th I went to the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame banquet in Davis, CA. Got to see BMX's Cheri Elliott get inducted and listened to Levi Leipheimer's key note speech. Thanks to ABA's BA Anderson for that night- we had a good time. A.E.G!
On November 5th I went to visit my old elementary school. I came for the Student of the Month ceremony and it was crazy. Many of these kids wrote me congratulatory letters after the Olympics and I have the letters sitting in my room so when I surprised them last week by visiting it was awesome. I hung out for a bit in their classes and couple hundred of them chased me around the playground on my bike.
Also on Nov. 5th I headed to Vegas for the SEMA auto show. Well, not so much for SEMA as much as it was to hang out with Jason Jones and Kicker Audio. Kicker rocks so much. They put on their Big Air Bash every year during SEMA and this year it was at The Palms and was my first year attending. Monster Energy was present, Travis Pastrana was there, music, FMX riders, it was a kick butt party and I for sure want to attend next year. Oh, and as I was walking in to the Kicker compound, UFC fighter Keith Jardin was standing right next to me. I was psyched enough to introduce myself and we talked for a second. They even had a body guard there for Keith and myself (since I had my medal on me), I politely declined and just told Keith I would just follow him around haha. So I told you how much Kicker rocks right? It's mostly because of their Sports Marketing man Jason Jones. I am so psyched on what he did for me and my girlfriend. He took us to hang out with Travis Pastrana. We saw Travis base jump off the 53th floor of The Palms Place. We stood two feet away as he jumped off the balcony. Not only that, I had a 20 minute convo with Travis about base jumping before that. Seriously, the kid is exactly like you'd think he is. He's goofy, but genuinely nice and I appreciated that. So the following day I had another great day because I went to go see the Blue Man Group (whom ex-Powerlite racer Corky Gainsford is a part of) with Jason and Kenny Bartram! Yes, correct again, that's "Cowboy" Kenny Bartram. Now, that guy is a character, but it's sweet hanging around down-to-earth athletes. Listen for a new Kicker product that'll be hitting Target stores soon.
Whew, and to wind down this report, I have been nominated again for the ABA's Golden Crank Award that will be presented in a few weeks at the ABA Grands and I just found out yesterday that I am the US Olympic Committee's Athlete of the Month! USOC | News | Van, Robinson and the U.S. Men’s Speedskating Short Track Relay Team Honored With Athlete and Team of the Month.. This is a great honor for me, as I've been trying to achieve this goal for a year now!!!!
Next up is the ABA Grands in Tulsa, OK over Thanksgiving then on to 2009 and beyond.
PICTURES BELOW!
Thanks
Donny Robinson
*Overall podium in Frejus, France from 2008 Supercross World Cups. USA SWEEP!*
*First picture in Cuba. They captured me, I'm asking for help. Behind me is an old
camp that's long since been abandoned.*
*That's the gate to Cuba, and here's the crew.*
*I see someone in the distance. I will protect us!*
*Whelp, they drafted us. See you guys in about 4 years.*
*Semi-sexy, poser troop.*
*He told us all the secrets.*
*Hangin' with the boys that do us proud.*
*These were actual boats Cubans used to try and get on the base.*
*Besties.*
 *Weapons the detainees made.*
*I told you I flew the plane! We are cruising at 26,000 ft.*
*Go NAVY.*
*I'm tellin' ya that's Cuba. Dont' go past that fence.*
*How many carry on's do we get?*
*That's Cuba. That's a minefield. Cubans forgot where they placed the mines, so don't go out there*
*Viper Boat. Bad boys bad boys whatcha gonna do?..."
*Would you feel protected with us 4 rejects?*
*My elementary school. I ran in the halls, I didn't even care!*
*And this is the beginning of them chasing me.*
*And they caught me.*
*My old 5th grade classroom*
*SEMA*
*And this is where Pastrana jumped from*
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Reporter Chris Palmer, who wrote the biography on Monster’s Jeremy McGrath, sits down with PLG for a discussion on his unreal season on the vert ramp
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 17, 2008) – Monster Energy’s vert skater extraordinaire, Pierre Luc “PLG” Gagnon, who arguably put together the best post-Hawk competition skateboard vert season on record this summer, is featured this week on ESPN The Magazine’s website in a interview with action sports blogger Chris Palmer.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3703040
Monster Army members are no doubt well aware of PLG’s prowess on the vert ramp as he won every big event this summer – from the Tampa Pro and Maloof’s Money Cup to gold and overall wins at ESPN X Games, AST Dew Tour and the LG Action Sports Tour.
Palmer – not to be confused with Monster Energy snowboarder Shaun Palmer – is pretty dialed with action sports already as he’s not only known for writing Monster Energy’s Jeremy McGrath’s biography (Wide Open: A Life in Supercross), but C-Palm also hold it down on a dirt bike himself.
PLG’s pumped on landing vert skating in a mainstream stick and ball sports publication. Read the interview and you’ll also learn some new stuff on Monster Energy’s top vert skater – like he can actually ride a dirt bike himself and what, from a Canadian perspective, what effect Obama will have on the United States.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it vert, street, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. PLG digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Lutzka opens ’08 by winning the Tampa Pro & Slaughter at the Opera, rides strong all summer despite some nagging injuries and closes w/ a killer video part! 
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 14, 2008) – Monster Energy’s Greg Lutzka is in a place that many aspire to reach, but only a few make. In fact, given his street cred with other skaters – a ‘skater’s skater’ if you will – he’s in a position where less than a few skaters reign.
Here’s a quick Lutzka checklist:
• Full on Monster Energy’s top street skater for the last three years
• Rides signature Almost skate decks
• Independent skate trucks – so rad
• Running Ricta wheels and FDK bearings on those Indys
• Got a new hi-top skate shoe coming out soon with Globe, his second pro model shoe
• Dialed with Oakley and scored a lead role in the Oakley video “Our Life”
• Designs a ton of product
• Gave a ton of money back to good causes, namely the “Make A Wish” Foundation
 We could go on and on about how great The Lutzka is. How he skates with an un-matched fluidity and sticks tech tricks more solidly and consistently – in a seemingly effortless fashion – than pretty much anyone. Bottom line is he’s a Monster guy and we’re super proud of him. So better him talk that us. We just brew the stuff, you know?
Monster Energy: Take a brush and paint us a broad stroke picture of your ’08 competition year.
Greg Lutzka: “Overall, the whole year went off really well. Sydney, Australia, started off the season with a win at Globe’s ‘Slaughter at the Opera,’ which was really good to start off the season like that. From there came back to California and filmed for a video part (Almost) – which just came out last week, so I’m psyched on that. After that I was down in Florida and won the Tampa Pro – my second time winning that, which was pretty rad because that’s one of the more core skateboard contests there are out of all the events.”
Monster Energy: That brings us to the AST Dew Tour?
Greg Lutzka: “Yeah, did pretty well in those. Didn’t win any, but came in 2nd in some. So I was cool with that.”
Monster Energy: More so than ever the those in the ‘know’ gotta have Lutzka stuff. Good to see you’re answering that call and giving the people what they want!
Greg Lutzka: “Yeah, I came out with a bunch of signature stuff this year. Signature FDK bearings, signature sunglasses with Oakley, signature hats with New Era, boards, wheels – my first pro shoe came out this year and we’re working on launching the second one here in about a month and a half.”
Monster Energy: Daammmnnn…you’ve been busy, hoss.
Greg Lutzka: “Later in the summer I was on the podium at X Games, think I got third (he did). Then came back and won the Mexico X Games. So it was a good year. Managed to stay pretty healthy, feel I progressed my skating and had fun traveling!”
Monster Energy: You said “pretty healthy” – but we happen to know you were banged up a bit and fought through some pain for much of the summer.
Greg Lutzka: “Yeah, I mean I had little stuff – like a broken toe…fractured wrist. But I mean nothing too crazy, which is good. Been a good season. Some guys come away with some rough stuff, like broken legs where they’re out for six months and stuff. So mine was pretty minor in comparison.”
Monster Energy: Along with guys like P-Rod and Scheckler there were some new names that surfaced on the major skate tour stops (Dew Tour, X, LG Tour) that ended up doing pretty well. Who do you see as the top up-and-coming skater now?
Greg Lutzka: “I mainly judge that on the core market of skateboarding, like the Tampa Pro/Am and the Slaughter contest. That said, Chaz Ortiz is one of the new guys that is killing it. But some of the other contests are all about whether you’re on or off that day, and the designing of the courses is sometimes crazy. So if we get a good course I usually end up doing really well. If we get a shit course I’m not as stoked.”
Monster Energy: In sports like motocross and things going on at the ski areas, tons and we mean TONS of kids are running the Monster M-claw logo. Has that caught on in the skate community?
Greg Lutzka: “The one thing about Monster that skaters appreciate is that they definitely give back to the skate community. And I don’t mean by just throwing money around. Monster’s pretty selective in what they back. So you know when they’re onto something – like Flip’s Feast Southwest Tour coming up here next week – it’s going to be core. Monster’s doing it right, not cheese ball.”
Monster Energy: Nice. So wrap this up.
Greg Lutzka: “Man, I just love to skateboard. More than anything. And I’m enjoying designing product that people want. So winning a contest is a day of fame, but putting out good product and video parts and you’re legendary for years. Just like the guys I watched all the time when I was a kid – (Chad) Muska, (Andrew) Reynolds, (Tom) Penny. Bangin’ ass video parts.”
Monster Energy: Well put, man. Keep the Monster Army posted and we’ll look forward to your new hi-top shoe from Globe coming out here soon!
Greg Lutzka: “Yeah, bruthas!”
Note: Check out Lutzka’s new footage from Globe’s “United By Fate – Episode 4” at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7HZGvv4OYA
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it skate, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Greg Lutzka digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Monster Energy presents the Flip Team’s tour of the southwest, desert to highlands, with stops at local hot spots and happenin’ shops in between
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 13, 2008) – Monster Energy and Flip Skateboard Co. will team up on a southwest U.S.A. demo tour this coming week – The Feast Southwest Tour, presented by Monster Energy - featuring a host of top skaters pounding Monsters and skating their brains out from the desert to highlands of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
“We can think of no better way to kick off the holidays than being on tour with the Flip Team,” said Monster Energy’s Director of Sports Marketing, John Lee. “The southwest is a virtual hotbed for skate talent and Monster Energy’s pumped to be fueling the Flip Tour with everything from the Original Monsters (OG & Lo-Carb) to the Java Monster line and latest Juice Monsters - Khaos, M-80 and MIXXD drinks.
“One thing’s for sure, the energy level will be pinned on this tour with Monster and Flip dialing it in together.”
Headlining the Feast Southwest Tour, presented by Monster Energy, will be skaters Geoff Rowley, Lance Mountain, Mark Appleyard, Rune Glifberg, David Gonzalez, Luan De Oliveira, Currren Caples and Louie Lopez. So here’s the dates and what-not:
Date State Happs/Place Time
Sat., Nov. 15 AZ Demo @ Rio Vista/Peoria Skate Park 8 p.m.
Mon., Nov. 17 AZ Signing @ Starr Skate Shop 6 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 18 TX Demo @ Carolina Skate Park 6 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 21 NM Demo @ Los Altos Skate Park 5 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 22 AZ Signing @ Zumiez Flagstaff 3 p.m.
For more information on Flip’s Feast Southwest Tour, presented by Monster Energy, link up to: www.flipskateboards.com
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it skating, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. The guys killin’ it on the Feast Southwest Tour, presented by Monster Energy, will be diggin’ ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Monster Energy/Thor/Leading Edge Kawasaki team is led by Iowa’s Teddy Maier who goes 1-2-2-2 in the finals at the Chilliwack Heritage Center this past weekend
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 10, 2008) – American Teddy Maier was the top rider this past weekend for the Monster Energy/Thor/Leading Edge Kawasaki team, going 1-2-2-2 in the four feature main events at the opening round of the 2008-’09 Nex-Trax Canadian Arenacross Series held at the Chilliwack Heritage Center in Kamloops, British Columbia.
 Maier, leading a Monster Energy-backed team that also featured Brock Hoyer and Kris Foster, battled from back in the pack all weekend to register his victory and four podium finishes. “I felt really good out there and expected to win every time I went to the line,” said Maier. “Kyle Beaton (overall winner) was riding really well and on a track like this starts were the difference. I'm going to work on my starts this week and come out next weekend ready to put my Monster Energy/Kawasaki back on the top of the box.”
Monster Energy/Thor/Leading Edge Kawasaki’s Hoyer had a productive weekend as well, finishing just off the podium on Friday night in 4th place, then adding two 5th place finishes on Saturday night in the highly competitive field – even eliminating Maier in the head-to-head racing portion of the event on Saturday night.
Foster’s best finish would be a 5th place run in Friday’s Lites class main event.
Action resumes on the Nex-Trax Canadian Arenacross Series tour right back at the Chilliwack Heritage Center Nov. 14-15. For more info about the Nex-Trax Canadian Arenacross Series link to: www.arenacross.ca And for more info on the Monster Energy/Thor/Leading Edge Kawasaki team, link to: www.leadingedgeonline.ca
 Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it AX, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, SX, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Teddy Maier, Brock Hoyer and Kris Foster dig ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Block kicks the tires and lights the fires on his Subaru WRX STI, literally burning the rubber off his rally ride in a several minute ‘No way!’ video clip
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 12, 2008) – Monster Energy’s Ken Block recently took a break from rally racing to show off his mad driving skills - all “Fast & Furious” style - in and around a tight course set up at an old rundown airport, location undisclosed.
Block refers to in this impressive driving display as “gymkhana,” (not to be confused with the 80’s martial arts film “Gymkata” starring American gymnastics great Kurt Thomas) which involves clutch dumping, rear brake grabbing, tire smoking drift driving around various obstacles and in tight quarters – such as an airplane hanger!
Check it out here (and don’t even THINK about trying this with your mom’s Subaru Forrester):
http://video.kenblockracing.com/flash/player/index.php?vendor_id=204&video_id=9183
“Hope you enjoy the video – it was really fun to make,” said Block.
Block, who placed 2nd overall on the 2008 Rally America Championship tour this year, also pulls some dry pavement doughnuts around a guy on a Segway towards the end of the video that is just bananas to watch. Here’s a few photos of that.
Next up for Block on the Rally America circuit is the 2009 season opener – the Sno*Drift Rally – in northern Michigan (Jan. ’09)
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it rally, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Ken Block digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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The longest of the longtime Monster Energy-backed athletes, Hibbert’s about to crack the throttle on another snocross season running the M-claw logo 
Photos courtesy of Cameronj Baird
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 11, 2008) – Monster Energy is pleased to announce that legendary racer/athlete Tucker Hibbert – the world’s most successful dual MX/snocross racer – is set to run the M-claw logo for the upcoming 2009 competition snocross season aboard his Arctic Cat snowmobile.
Hibbert, who hails from Thief River Falls, Minn., is the youngest athlete in the history of the ESPN Winter X Games t o win a gold medal (SnoCross in 2000 at age 15). More recently the Monster Energy-backed extreme powersports industry superstar’s reigned as the two-time defending Winter X SnoCross gold medalist and eight-time Winter X medalist, along with being a staple on the Monster Energy Supercross and AMA Outdoor Nationals MX tours.
Ranked as the nation’s No.1 Pro Super Stock snocross racer by the newly formed AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series (ACSS) - formerly the World PowerSports Association Snowmobile Tour - Hibbert is anxious for the snow to fly and Monster Energy to flow at both the upcoming ACSS and X Games events.
“I’m fired up to be representing again this year with Monster,” said Hibbert, who’s in his fifth year with Monster Energy. “We had a highly successful run with our Monster Energy/Arctic Cat snocross program last year and I’m looking forward to defending both my X Games gold medal and ACSS No. 1 status. Monster and Arctic Cat are an excellent fit with our team and we’ll do our best to put them on top of the podium each and every week.”
Hibbert will contest the 2009 snocross season on the Monster Energy/Arctic Cat SnoPro 600 in both the Pro Super Stock and Pro Open classes, racing the first four rounds of the newly formed AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series (ACSS) and Winter X 13 in Aspen, Colo.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it snocross, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Tucker Hibbert digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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By Eric Johnson
At precisely 10:35 A.M. on Friday morning, November 21, 2008, Monster Energy truck driving man Cameron Steele will roll up to the starting line in his Monster Energy-backed 442-cubic inch, 860-horsepower motivated #16 Desert Assassin Trophy Truck, jam it into gear, take off in a tire melting, asphalt wrinkling wall of sound and billow of spent, racing a long like a bat out of hell to look for sand and dirt and begin the teeth chattering, spine compressing 629.74-mile race known as the 41st Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
Otherworldly tough race trucks with skeletons made around a tube-chassis spine of 4130 chrome-moly steel and fiberglass, Steele will go to war with 28 other Trophy Trucks. The premiere classification in ALL of SCORE off road racing, the Trophy Truck class is the Formula 1 of off road racing, where everyone looks the other way when rules and regulations are brought up. To that end, to make a run at the front in the fiercely fought, money burning, club swinging class requires the tactical planning, man power and technical and equipment resources of a full-on army. And come race time, Steele will have an army at his back — the Monster Army.
Cameron, while many people know you from the TV work you’ve done with the ESPN/ABC/NBC/CBS and Speed TV networks — as well as being heavily involved actions sports — you were actually brought up in desert racing, weren’t you?
I was. I’m actually look at an ad in the Baja 1000 program that shows the start of our family’s history in Baja 38 years ago.
How far back des your family’s history at Baja go?
My dad went the first tome in 1970 and raced the first time in 1971.
So you went down there every year with him?
I started going in 1972.
How old would you have been then?
I was four, I think.
So Baja truly is in your bloodlines…
Yeah, a lot of people don’t really understand that I raced off road for a long time before I raced supercross, rode freestyle and even rode waves for a living. I left off road racing in 1992 because my mom was diagnosed with cancer. So I left off road racing for, really nine years, total. I didn’t come back full-time until 11 years later. So a lot of people thought I was just a television commentator. They didn’t realize I had already won a number of off road racers.
You started off road racing again in 2003, and not long after, started the Desert Assassins, What are the Desert Assassins and what is the group all about?
The Desert Assassins is just for fun. It’s a group of people who are full dedicated to off road racing. It’s a desert family. I hate team names that have their name on it. It just bugs, you know? I thought we’d just come up with something different and Desert Assassins was a little bit offensive and thought people might remember it so off we went.
When did the Desert Assassins actually form?
The Desert Assassins thing didn’t come around until 2005.
When you came back to racing, was it your goal to compete in the Trophy Truck classification?
Actually, you know, I didn’t have a goal to get to Trophy Truck. My goal was just to win races and get back to establishing myself as a threat, which obviously, we were as kids. For me, I wanted to be as good as I ever I was. It was hard for a while for people to realize that we were really a force to be reckoned with.
Cameron, you’re now an established Trophy Truck competitor. Can you explain more about the class? Trophy Truck truly is the Formula 1 of off road racing, isn’t it?
Yeah, I like to call it the Uber Truck. It’s the ultimate off road machine. If you want to go fast and take on any kind of terrain the desert can throw at you. It’s the way to go. It’s totally unlimited. There are very few racing organizations that are truly unlimited other than the safety rules. Nobody tells you what you can or can’t do with the Trophy Truck, so really I guess that’s on-line with Formula 1. If you go to NASCAR or IndyCar or any other racing organization, there are rules you have stay within. It’s the ultimate class.
Technically speaking, what can you tell me about your current trophy truck?
It’s an all tube chassis that the Geiser brothers built. It’s a GM-based motor. It’s a GM Dart block. It’s a 442 cubic inch engine and it puts out 860 horsepower.
That’s about 100 more horsepower than a current NASCAR Sprint Cup car puts out…
Perfect. Those guys are pussies.
What else can you tell me about the truck?
The front wheel travel is 27 inches and suspended by a Fox coil over and a Fox Shock. The rear has 36 inches of available travel, but we run it at 32 inches. It’s all on Fox Racing Shox. The tires are a huge deal. We have a Yokahama special construction racing tire. It’s a 37 inch, 12” x 5”. It’s a 37 1250 with a 17” rim and the tires run on carbon fiber American Racing wheels. The transmission is a Turbo 400. The rear end is all custom built. We run 5.0 gears and top speed 132 miles per hour in Baja format.
Is this a full-time job for you now?
It is. It’s full-time. I’m a full-time racer. The sponsors, from Monster to Yokohama, American racing — due to the people who pay me to go racing — it’s become a full-time commitment. I’m still hosting a ton of television shows, but this is my full-time gig.
Cameron, if you had to put a dollar figure to it, what’s your truck worth?
With the Geiser brother truck I have, you can’t buy one in the configuration that we have for less than $300,000. I would say the street value of my truck is approximately $350,000. My truck, I believe to build, would be $450,000.
The 41st Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 will be 629.74-miles in length and consist of six checkpoints. Now I’m going to go out a limb here and assume that it takes one hell of an effort to make a run at this race. Can you describe what goes into it all?
Well, from my team, we’ll move about 120 people around the northern part of the peninsula this year. We will have 14 pits in 633 miles. We’ll also have 12 moving rovers. So in total, we’ll bring a semi, a box truck, probably around 16 chase trucks and 120 people.
What’s your goal at Baja, dude?
I think that realistically you wouldn’t be a real racecar driver if you didn’t think you were going there to win. And my heart tells me I’m going there to win. I think were capable of winning. We’re bringing the equipment and the people and the infrastructure to be capable of winning. We’re going t there to win. I believe a top three is something I would be happy and I’d be disappointed if we weren’t in the top three. I mean I went out on my own and bought my own truck. I’m one of the very few non-millionaires racing in this class. I’m sponsor-backed 100% That’s why I think I work harder than anybody else. But our day is coming.
Will drive all 633 miles yourself?
I won’t drive the whole thing myself. I have a partner I’ve been partnered up with all year named Rick Geiser. He’s all one of the brothers who engineered and built the truck.
How fast are you going across these 630 miles of radically brutal terrain?
I think the first 120 miles will be a little slower because it’s so technical. The second half of the race will speed way up. Probably an average speed of somewhere 55 miles per hour will win the race. Our truck, in the current desert configuration, will do 131 miles per hour on the pavement. In the dirt, I think our top speed will be somewhere around 125 or 126 miles per hour.
What’s the sensation of going 126 miles per hour across whooped-out dirt like?
The one thing people don’t realize that when the trucks get going that fast, we have big open cabs where NASCAR has windshields to throw the air up and over the car, our trucks give you the sensation that truck is starting float. Once I get over 120 the truck feels like it’s going to take off and fly. And at times you can really and truly be going that fast and be driving sideways and almost floating sideways down the dirt.
Okay, buddy. Best wishes in getting this all pulled together and we’ll talk to you and let everyone know how you and the Monster Energy/Desert Assassin contingent are doing come race day.
Thanks a lot, EJ. Stay in touch. I’d love to let the Monster family know just how gnarly this whole deal is.
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Monster Energy/Babbitt’s/Kawasaki team features two-time and defending AX champion Chad Johnson, multi-time event winner Kelly Smith and a fast new guy!  
Photos courtesy of www.arenacross.com
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 6, 2008) – Monster Energy is aligned with the nation’s top team on the AMA Arenacross Series tour – Monster Energy/Babbitt’s/Kawasaki – and features the defending series champion, Chad Johnson, along with multi-time 2007-’08 AMA Arenacross Series event winner Kelly Smith and promising rookie racer Leighton Lillie.
Beginning with the reigning AX champion Johnson, Monster Energy’s M-claw logo will run on the helmet of one of the sport’s most successful racers of all time. Johnson, who won the national AX title in 2006 as well, also finished on the overall premier class podium two other years (2005 & ’07). A native of Rhinelander, Wisc., this will be Johnson’s first year racing aboard the Monster Energy/Babbitt’s Kawasaki KX250F.
“I’m definitely looking forward to getting the season started at our team’s home track in Grand Rapids (Mich.),” said Johnson. “Kelly’s from close by there and I’ll for sure have some friends and family making the trip over from Wisconsin. So it’ll definitely be an advantage for the Monster Energy/Babbitt’s/Kawasaki team to start the season.”
Pared down from 18 races (including multiple dual race weekends in 2007-’08), the streamlined 2009 AMA Arenacross Series season begins this weekend in Des Moines, Iowa, with what promoters are calling a “prequel” event at Wells Fargo Arena, the traditional home opener for the nation’s premier arenacross series. Note: According to team official Denny Bartz, the Monster Energy/Babbitt’s/Kawasaki team will not contest Des Moines this weekend, which is a non-championship points event.
“I like the fact there’s no regionals now – everybody races against each other all year,” said Bartz of the new schedule. “Eleven rounds and 17 main events. We’ll come out with a true champion, so that’s good.”
Returning to AMA Arenacross running the M-claw logo for the second-straight year will be Michigan’s Kelly Smith. A fierce competitor well schooled in the art of motocross battles at close range – or ‘supercross in a phone booth’ as arenacross can be defined – Smith finished 2nd overall to Johnson last year by 20 points, 268-248.
“I’m pumped to be back on the Kawis this year and working with Monster Energy again,” said Smith. “We had a great team last year and with the addition of Chad it’s only going to be even better.”
Rounding out the Monster Energy/Babbitt’s/Kawasaki team will be Idaho’s Lillie. Running both the AX Lites and AX classes, Lillie saw limited action on the AMA Arenacross Series tour last year (Hampton, Va., being his only race), but caught the eye of Bartz at this year’s U.S. Open in Vegas.
“I’ll tell you what…he’s (Lillie) definitely capable of winning some races,” said Bartz.
Much like last year, Kawasaki delivered the ‘09 KX250Fs to the team early and all three riders have been taking advantage of the new equipment, getting in practice sessions in both Texas (Johnson) and Georgia (Smith) prior to the start of the season.
Opening Jan. 2-3 at Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena, stay tuned to www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com for weekly updates during the race season on the Monster Energy-backed AX team throughout 2009.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it arenacross, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, SX, MX, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Chad Johnson, Kelly Smith and Leighton Lillie dig ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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2008 starts out for rough for Abbott with a gnarly wrist injury, but the five-time champ rallies and puts together and epic summer of racing for Monster/Kawasaki
 
Photos courtesy of Tony Scavo/Maxxis AMA EnduroCross
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 7, 2008) – Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Destry Abbott certainly puts the ‘gnar’ in gnarly. The five-time AMA Hare & Hound Series champion had one of his best competition years on record, again winning his 5th Hare & Hound title and helping lead Team USA to an overall bronze medal – our first podium finish since 1982 – in the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE).
And between all that great stuff Abbott also managed to not only raise the funds in order to travel to Greece for the ISDE, he also cracked off some excellent finishes in the World Off Road Championship Series (WORCS) and the new indoor off road racing phenomenon - the Maxxis AMA EnduroCross Series.
Humble as they come and fast as a shark, Abbott produced all these results with a wrist wrenched well beyond how it’s supposed to bend – doing the damage in on of the first off road races of the season in Nevada. Gutting out the pain, Abbott soldiered on and raced a number of grueling off road contests in order to put up some valuable points towards the overall championship that would eventually become his.
Monster Energy caught up with Abbott at his home in Arizona to get his views on the 2008 competition season for the highly successful Monster Energy/Kawasaki off road race program and what’s in store for the coming year.
Monster Energy: Man, you held that wrist injury card close to your chest. We talked to a couple people ‘in-the-know’ and understand it was a lot worse than reported.
Destry Abbott: “Yeah, my season didn’t start out all that well. Had the wrist injury (note: left wrist) that I was dealing with and was having to wear a CTi wrist brace for the first four months of the year. My goal was to keep plugging along, getting good results racing the Hare & Hound Series – which I was able to do. Started getting better, then at the Lake Havasu WORCS race I over-jumped a jump and injured it again to the point where I actually thought I broke it. Hurt SO bad I ended up coming in, then going back out – ton of pain. One of those frustrating deals because it’s hard to ride up to your potential to the level we’re all at when you have an injury. And a lot of people don’t even know we’re hurt because you try to keep it on the down low.”
Monster Energy: So when did you start getting to where you could ride up to your potential?
Destry Abbott: “When summer started coming around I was feeling better results started showing. The guys at Kawasaki and Monster were really behind me because they knew what I was going through. So I kept at it and the next thing you know I’m in the Hare & Hound points lead and getting better at some of the other race series I was doing.”
Monster Energy: How’d you actually hurt your wrist?
Destry Abbott: “At the Laughlin (Nev.) Hare Scramble in February. Had a big crash there, went over the bars and tore some ligaments. One of those deals where almost a broken bone would have been better. The ligaments take a lot longer to heal and I kept aggravating it. Note: The injury didn’t actually heal until May.
Monster Energy: OK, maybe the biggest news of the year – you win your 5th AMA Hare & Hound title. This puts you in a class with two desert racing legends, Danny Hamel and Dan Smith. Tell us how pumped you are with that.
Destry Abbott: “After the first round didn’t go so well, the next couple rounds I wasn’t 100-percent, but I felt real confident in the desert because it’s what I grew up doing. And knew going into the year I had a shot at winning the championship. So once I started to get back to 100-percent I started pulling off wins like I thought I could and the next thing you know, before the break at the end of May, I had a race lead over everybody. Then it was nice going into the last few rounds with a bit of a cushion and wrapping up the title a race early up in Nevada. And just to be mentioned in the same sentence as those two guys (Hamel and Smith) is pretty awesome. Both are guys I really look up to.”
Monster Energy: Midway through the season you travel to Greece and won your third ISDE gold medal. For many Monster Army members that ‘loosely’ follow motocross, an ISDE gold is huge. Off road motorcycle racing’s Motocross Des Nations if you will. Again, you led Team USA with a gold medal and helped in our nation’s best – and only – overall team podium finish since 1982. But probably the biggest struggle for you guys was just getting there!
Destry Abbott: “Over in Europe, if you went to the event, you’d soon realize how huge it is. All, and I mean ALL of the countries are represented over there. But for some reason the industry over here hasn’t really gotten behind it. This year we went over there with a great team and it was a huge accomplishment – the first time in over 25 years – for us to get on the podium. Our goal was top five, then the first couple days we were like ‘Hey, we actually have a shot at winning this thing.’ Then we lost Kurt Caselli in a big crash, and he was leading it overall. So that set us back a bit. Ricky Dietrich, my Monster/Kawasaki teammate, really stepped up in the Lites class and rode like a champ and finished 2nd overall on a Lites bike – which is pretty amazing in and of itself. But it was a great experience.” Note: Abbott helped pay for his trip over there by holding a big ‘donate & ride’ race/fundraiser and selling T-shirts on his website www.destryabbott.com
Monster Energy: As far as the race (ISDE) went, were you please with how you performed?
Destry Abbott: “My goal going in, and I was in the most competitive class, was to get a top ten overall (8th) - which I did and I was happy with. Started the first couple days pretty slow and then from Day 3 to Day 6 I was finishing pretty well, couple 2nd place overall finishes in some tests and putting in some good scores, so I was happy with that.”
Monster Energy: And in between all this you’re racing the WORCS and EnduroCross series. Do you ever sleep?
Destry Abbott: (laughing) “Who needs sleep when you’ve got a ‘fridge full of Monster! It’s tough having the WORCS and Hare & Hound going, then EnduroCross as well. Those (WORCS and Hare & Hound) are my two main series where the EnduroCross is a fun thing for me. A couple of them I didn’t even get to practice, just showed up and raced. That kind of got me frustrated because my results weren’t quite what I thought they could have been. We’ve got one round (EnduroCross) left in Vegas and that’ll be a good one for me. Riding the 250 (Monster Energy/Kawasaki KX250F) and I’m looking forward to that one. Always a sold out crowd and a real good event.”
Monster Energy: Do you think EnduroCross will play an important role in the future of off road racing?
Destry Abbott: “I think EnduroCross is huge. Eric Perronard (promoter) has made a big step forward with this sport. Everybody that goes to it is like ‘This is some of the best racing I’ve ever watched.’ Just one of those deals where it’ll take a year or two before it grows into something more. The racing’s so unpredictable. One race Damon (Huffman, Abbott’s Monster Energy/Kawasaki teammate) is leading the series, then he ends up not qualifying that night (Columbus, Ohio) and losing the points lead. It’s not like supercross and motocross where you know who’s going to be on the podium. In EnduroCross you can be the fastest guy, win one weekend, then the next weekend you don’t even get into the main event. Then guys go from like 1st to 6th in one lap and you never know who’s going to win. It’s crazy, action-packed and the fans really enjoy it.”
Monster Energy: We’ve got the SCORE Tecate Baja 1,000 coming up here in a couple weeks and, if you ask us, you could show up and just rail that place on your Kawi. How come you don’t compete down there?
Destry Abbott: “Kawasaki Racing stepped out of the SCORE Series in years past and I’ve never really got to pursue that. With WORCS, Hare & Hound, EnduroCross, GNCC – Kawasaki just doesn’t have the budget to put a huge amount of money into the SCORE Series. And a race like that you’ve got to go down there with 100-percent backing. Weeks in advance pre-running, not like the typical race where you show up the day before the event and just run it. Takes a lot of man power from an entire team in order to be successful at Baja. But it’d definitely be a cool thing to do and hopefully some day I’ll be able to run Baja in a truck or something.”
Monster Energy: Before we forget, congrats on your recent showing at the Vet World Championships at Glen Helen (Calif.). Dude, you kicked some serious butt – beating former factory MX racers Ryan Hughes and David Pingree – and coming thisclose to making the podium!
Destry Abbott: “Yeah, just got done with that. Kind of a last-minute deal, but felt like I was 100-percent and have been riding real well and maybe even peaked a little late in the season. Saturday I showed up and rode the 30-plus pro and won that, then on Sunday most of the big boys showed up and it was definitely tough. Lot of guys out there that could finish top five, top ten outdoors (MX). First moto I rode pretty tight (5th). Second moto I finished 4th, and not far behind 3rd. So I was pretty happy with it, being that it was the first motocross I’ve done in over a year. Ended up passing a lot of guys that had factory motocross rides at one time or another. So overall it was a real fun weekend and that’s why I went there, just to have a good time. Lot of ruts and big huge braking bumps, which separates a lot of the riders and happened to be good for me.” Note: Destry finished 4th overall in the premier pro class at the Vet World Championships.
Monster Energy: Dude, you’re doing it all. In regards to the Kawasaki line of bikes, what kind of input to you give back to Kawi on the upcoming model years? Do you work with the engineers in Japan giving them feedback on what works well for you in certain kinds of conditions and such?
Destry Abbott: “Absolutely. We’re year ‘round with the factory race team. Jason Smiegel and Reid Nordeen, who run the program, they get input from us. The Japanese guys find out what we’re doing different with our bike than they’re doing over there. We win and along with that Kawasaki will have us over in Japan to test the new bikes. So I was actually on the ’09 months ago and I knew back then that the bike would be awesome. So I’m really looking forward to getting the new bikes dialed because they’ll be even better than when I first rode them. We all learn from each other and that’s why the Kawasakis are so good these days. Constantly improving. Suspension, motor, chassis – whatever it may be – it’s great to be racing and working with Kawasaki.”
Monster Energy: Last Question. You’re up late on Sunday’s banging out your race report (editor’s note: with the help from his wife!), what’s your Monster Energy drink of choice to keep you sharp?
Destry Abbott: “The Java Monsters are my favorite. OG Monster’s pretty good, but I’m a coffee guy so I drink most of the Java Monster – Nut Up.”
Monster Energy: Outstanding! Thanks for the time, Destry. And congrats from the Monster Army on a kick ass season racing dirt bikes!
Destry Abbott: “Thanks to all the Monster Army members and I’ll see a bunch of you guys soon here in Vegas!”
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it Hare & Hound, GNCC, WORCS, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Destry Abbott digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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The Norway-born Bang, who runs Burton snowboards, is one of the top teenage snowboard talents on the planet and stoked to be running the Monster M-claw logo
 Photo courtesy of Bang’s MySpace.com page!
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 5, 2008) – Monster Army’s already stacked mountain sports roster just blew up even bigger with the addition of snowboarder Mikkel Bang, effective right now.
The 18-year-old regular footer – hailing from Oslo, Norway – is considered by many to be one of the top up-and-coming young talents in the sport. Running Burton product flagged with the iconic Monster Energy M-claw logo, Bang brings with him to the 2009 competition season titles in both the ’08 Nissan X-trail Nippon Open ParkStyle event as well as the ’08 New Zealand Burton Open Slopestyle comp.
“Whether we’re filming or competing, it’s all about chasing snow all over the world,” said Bang. “And it seems wherever we end up, Monster’s already there. So I’m stoked to be aligned with Monster, believe in the product and look forward to representing with them this season.”
Born and bred to rip and shred as a ski racer in his native Norway, Bang was already into skiing when he cruised past a snowboard terrain park and thought “Yeah, that looks like fun.” Age seven at the time, Bang made the quick transition to snowboards and it was, as they say, “On.”
Known as “Miiks” by his buddies, Bang also rips and a skateboard and surfs whenever he gets the chance. And his advice to fellow Monster Army members that are into snowboarding?
“Totally to have fun,” he said. “If it’s fun you can be everything. If you really want it, you really want to be good, have fun and try new tricks. Have fun and ride with your friends.”
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it snowboarding, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, ski, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Mikkel Bang digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Congratulations goes out to last month's Design a Monster Army Surfboard Contest winner Josh Girard. Check out his design below.
Josh is getting hooked up with a sick prize pack from Quiksilver!
Be sure to check out this month's contest: ARE YOU THE ULTIMATE MONSTER FAN?
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Last Month's Winner Congratulations goes out to last month's Design a Monster Army Surfboard Contest winner Josh Girard. Check out his design below.
Josh is getting hooked up with a sick prize pack from Quiksilver!
This Month's Mission Do you Rep Monster more than anyone you know? Does your can collection fill your room? Are you the Ultimate Monster Fan? PROVE IT! Submit your photo and find out. Monster's biggest fan wins Jamie's gear! Good luck Army! 
Check out the CONTEST Page to submit your photo.Featured Solider Spotlight This month's Soldier Spotlight is Sal Giglio, a BMX rider from Elmwood Park, NJ.
Check out the Interview w/ Sal and more photos HERE.
 Featured Monster Army Gear Wash Hoodie
Normal Price: 57.75
Monster Army Price: $35.00 Remember, as a Monster Army Community Member, you get a 35% discount (already applied) on all Apparel. Check out the rest of the gear in the STORE.
Featured Energy Product Here's one of our new flavors, Monster Mixx'd. If you haven't tasted it yet, go pick one up!
PLG, Jones & Bestwick All Win AST Dew Tour Cup Titles!
 
Oh man, did Monster Energy athletes absolutely KILL IT at the final AST Dew Tour stop in Orlando (Fla.). Three Orlando stop wins cemented three overall Dew Cup victories in one of the biggest competitions of the year for Monster Energy athletes. READ MORE
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The Norway-born Bang, who runs Burton snowboards, is one of the top teenage snowboard talents on the planet and stoked to be running the Monster M-claw logo.Photo courtesy of Bang’s MySpace.com page! CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 5, 2008) – Monster Army’s already stacked mountain sports roster just blew up even bigger with the addition of snowboarder Mikkel Bang, effective right now. The 18-year-old regular footer – hailing from Oslo, Norway – is considered by many to be one of the top up-and-coming young talents in the sport. Running Burton product flagged with the iconic Monster Energy M-claw logo, Bang brings with him to the 2009 competition season titles in both the ’08 Nissan X-trail Nippon Open ParkStyle event as well as the ’08 New Zealand Burton Open Slopestyle comp. “Whether we’re filming or competing, it’s all about chasing snow all over the world,” said Bang. “And it seems wherever we end up, Monster’s already there. So I’m stoked to be aligned with Monster, believe in the product and look forward to representing with them this season.” Born and bred to rip and shred as a ski racer in his native Norway, Bang was already into skiing when he cruised past a snowboard terrain park and thought “Yeah, that looks like fun.” Age seven at the time, Bang made the quick transition to snowboards and it was, as they say, “On.” Known as “Miiks” by his buddies, Bang also rips and a skateboard and surfs whenever he gets the chance. And his advice to fellow Monster Army members that are into snowboarding? “Totally to have fun,” he said. “If it’s fun you can be everything. If you really want it, you really want to be good, have fun and try new tricks. Have fun and ride with your friends.” Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it snowboarding, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, ski, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Mikkel Bang digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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“Tune In” to Fuel TV on Wednesday, November 5th, 2008!
Amber Wing, Shawn Watson and music guest Chiodos
Featured On “The Daily Habit” Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Airing Wednesday, November 5, at 9:00 pm Eastern Time (6:00 pm Pacific Time) and telecast three additional times, Amber Wing, Shawn Watson, and music guest Chiodo will appear on The Daily Habit.
Today, two Liquid Force Team riders are taking over the show: Shawn Watson and Amber Wing splash down on The Habit. Plus, you’ll get a sneak peak at the Billabong wakeboarding film that’s going to take the industry by storm in ‘09.
Amber Wing’s sponsors include: Oakley, Liquid Force, Supra Boats, Pro-Tec, The Wakeboard Camp and Wing Wetsuits.
Shawn Watson’s sponsors include: Monster, Dragon, Billabong, Liquid Force, Nautiques, Skull Candy and Performance.
"The Daily Habit" is FUEL TV’s first original daily series, telecast weeknights at 9:00pm ET (6:00pm PT) while re-airing later in the evening at 12:00am ET (9:00pm PT), and the following weekday at 2:30pm ET (11:30am PT) and 5:30pm ET (2:30 pm PT). “The Daily Habit” encompasses the world of the action sports enthusiast, mixing the best in pop culture with today’s top action sports personalities, cutting-edge music, product reviews, and comedy.
About FUEL TV
FUEL TV is the action sports lifestyle network for skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, BMX, freestyle-motocross, and wakeboarding. A unit of Fox Cable Networks, FUEL TV was launched July 1, 2003 and is seen in 25-million U.S. homes. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.
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If you haven’t heard yet, Contestpalooza – the contest fest on the Loop’d Network was just launched. We’re one of the major headliners, so you need to check it out and promote it.
Check it out at http://contests.loopd.com and promote the Contestpalooza Widget on your MySpace and Facebook profiles.
While you’re there, enter our contest or just click here
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Fresh off a win at the Oakley Pro Junior in Bali, Indonesia, the 19-year-old Monster Energy-backed Hawaiian blazes to another win at his home state beach!
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 3, 2008) – For the second time in less than a month Monster Energy Dusty Payne has stepped up and surfed his way to the top spot at a major junior pro surf competition, this past weekend slashing his way across the familiar waves of his home state at Sunset Beach, Hawaii, and wound up gathering up the 1st place bennies again at the Billabong Junior Pro.
With back-to-back wins at major World Qualifying Series (WQS) contests, Payne continues to elevate his rating towards was looks to be a pretty solid chance at a spot on the Association of Pro Surfers World Tour in the not-to-distant future.
At Sunset Payne continued to rip, pulling a floater combo in the closing moments of the competition to post the day’s highest score – a 9.5 – and secure the overall contest win. Said Payne: “I was able to get into the contest last minute so I am really happy that I won. The waves were fun all day and I am stoked to follow up my Bali win with this one. I am taking this momentum into the Xcel event so I can hopefully win that one too.”
The Xcel Pro is a WQS event going on right now at the same location (Sunset Beach) where Payne just won the Billabong Junior Pro. With the effort last weekend Payne also qualified for the ASP World Jr. Championships scheduled for 2009 in Australia.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it surfing, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Dusty Payne digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Leon Haslam, flying the Monster Energy M-claw logo on the WSB Championship tour, places 3rd in race two on the Portimao circuit; teammate Crutchlow is 9th 
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 3, 2008) – Soon-to-be Monster Energy World Superbike Championship (WSB) racer Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda) stepped up from the just completed British Superbike Championships to contest the final two rounds of the WSB in Portugal, racing to a respectable 7th place finish in the first round then scoring a podium 3rd place finish at the second round of the weekend and final round of the WSB season.
“Everyone knows I’m moving to World Superbike in 2009 so I think this podium bodes well for me and 2009,” said Haslam. “I’m staying with the Honda family with Stiggy Honda – which is important to me – and I’m looking forward to next season. I’ve wanted to be back on the World scene for a while, so to podium here at the last race of the season and my final race for HM Plant Honda is just brilliant. It’s a fantastic finish to my season with Monster Energy and HM Plant Honda – they’ve been awesome – and it’s great to finish the season on a high.”
Also running well flying the Monster Energy M-claw logo at the Portugal WSB round was Haslam’s teammate, Cal Crutchlow. Running the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, Crutchlow managed a top ten position (9th) in the second race despite some tire problems – giving Monster Energy two racers in the top ten overall!
“Looking at the results we deserved so much more, really,” said Crutchlow. “I suffered a complete tire delamination in race one. Others used that tire and didn’t have a problem, so why we had an issue is anyone’s guess. I was lucky not to crash and had to pull out for safety reasons. In the second outing the tire spun on the rim and then I had similar problems as in the first race. It’s disappointing as we were capable of two podiums, but congratulations to Leon for the podium. I’m proud that I was up there battling with the world’s best riders and I aim to be doing that in 2009 in the World Supersport Championship.”
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it WSB, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Leon Haslam and Cal Crutchlow dig ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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Skater Pierre Luc Gagnon and BMXer Jamie Bestwick wrap up titles at last big action sports event here in the States; Monster’s Lutzka podiums in skate streetPhotos courtesy of LG Action Sports Championships
CORONA, Calif., (Nov. 3, 2008) – The reigning kings of the vert ramp – Monster Energy’s skater Pierre Luc “PLG” Gagnon and BMXer Jamie Bestwick – capped off epic summers of action sports competition with wins in their respective disciplines at the last big American action sports competition of the year – the LG Action Sports Championship held in Seattle.
The wins for PLG and Bestwick mark an unprecedented year for vert competition with Monster Energy as never before in the history of America’s No. 1 sales-by-volume energy drink company have two athletes risen to the success in the manner that these two have this summer – flying the M-claw banner along the way.
“Double gold medals – Skate and BMX Vert – by PLG and Jamie at the LG Action Sports Championships this past weekend puts an exclamation point on the blockbuster summer of vert competition for Monster Energy,” said John Lee, Director of Sports Marketing for Monster Energy. “Everyone at Monster Energy salutes PLG and Jamie for their efforts and wants them to know how proud we are as a company to be associated with two such truly amazing athletes.”
Bestwick
 Riding what he called the “probably the best ramp I’ve ridden in my life,” Bestwick topped rivals Chad Kagy and Simon Tabron for the overall win at Seattle and the fifth LG Action Sports Championship of his career (he won the other LG round, Cincinnati, earlier this year).
Said Bestwick of his win this past weekend at Seattle’s Key Arena: “The main thing for me is that is that I actually enjoy riding bikes. Not that nobody else does, because we all do, it's just that I gave up everything to ride my bike. I gave up my job, my family, and the country I lived in all my life to come over here and ride my bike, and that's what drives me forward: Just to enjoy riding ramps like this, hang out with the best vert riders in the world, and put on a great show for fans who come to see us.”
Boosting to a level well above that of his fellow competitors on the LG halfpipe, Bestwick mixed a wide variety of technical tricks with his bionic amplitude level in order to pull off the win over competitive friends in Californian Kagy and fellow UK countryman Tabron.
“In our sport we're so driven by the new talent and fresh ideas coming in that everybody lightened up a bit and we all started to have more fun,” said Bestwick as he summed up the 2008 competition season. “Look at the results: we put out great contests and you see some of the best tricks thrown down every time. It's stressful enough what we're doing, riding this huge ramp and trying to beat nine of the best guys in the world. If everybody's at each others' throats mentally and verbally it just doesn't help the cause out. For us to all be great friends and to hang out and do our thing and cheer each other on at these contests, it's a huge positive and it really shows that we're a different breed of athletes.”
PLG
 Monster Energy’s Canadian great vert star has really emerged this summer as the world’s premier skate talent on and above – WELL above – the coping. Taking tricks once exclusive to videos, PLG’s put his face on the announcer-born “he goes all PlayStation” catchphrase with the unbelievable moves he throws in the finals. And this in action sports’ purest form of riding, where nothing’s attached, and it’s just you and your skateboard on the ramp.
“I've been working really hard at this for a long time, and I feel like my turn finally came around this year," said Gagnon, prior to the LG/Seattle skate vert finals. “I skate because it's fun and because I love it, but I also skate to win. I would love to win the LG Action Sports Championship again, and my goal is to really end the year with a great run and pull out a few surprises. There's a lot of pressure with a lot of new guys like Alex Perelson coming into the sport, and then Sandro Dias and Bucky Lasek and my good friend Danny Mayer have been killing it too. When you get to the level like this where everybody skating in a contest could win it, you know it's going to be good.”
Pumped on topping rivals Bucky Lasek and Sandro Dias in the prelims, Monster Energy’s PLG carried the momentum into the final eight where he again laid down the law – pulling off the comp’s highest score and wrapping up skate vert’s four-prong crown (Tampa Pro, X Games, Dew and LG Tours’ overall skate vert titles).
Also noteworthy from the LG Action Sports Championships in Seattle: Monster Energy’s Greg Lutzka placed on the podium in 3rd overall in Skate Street. Joining Lutzka on the podium were Rodolfo Ramon (1st) and Carlos de Andrade (2nd). Monster Energy vert skater Alex Perelson made the Skate Vert finals and placed 8th overall.
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it the LG Action Sports Championship, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Monster Energy guy running the LG Tour this weekend dig ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com
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