How'd We Get Here? Road to Mania Recap!

It's that magical time of year again for everyone involved in the Monster Truck Madness 2 community! For four of the past five years the Past Present Racing League has been putting together one of the largest multi-day format events in the history of online Monster Truck racing, and this year it returns to Ohio! Many top MTM2 superstars plan to invade Shell Stadium tomorrow night through Saturday vying for valuable PPRL Points and a shot at a Monster Mania crown. Let's take a brief look at the months of February and March and see who got hot and whose not so hot heading into Monster Mania weekend.

Topping the charts in our whose hot category is Mark Iron. The North Carolinian started his trek towards a possible Overall Championship in February dominating the Milwaukee Mile, winning the next week in LA in the Circuit Division then consistently placed in the higher points positions in the weeks inbetween. Mark's been so dominant in the Circuit Division he wrapped up the championship last week in Castellar Mountain. Finishing one entire event ahead of second place rival Dave Collard. While Iron has a shot at the Overall title we've learned he has connection issues heading into tomorrow's Circuit Main Event and might miss his chance to race. If that is the case and Tim places well it might be all over for Mark whose admittedly struggled in Modern Racing.

The other driver whose hot and still within Overall Title contention is Dave Collard. While the Rhode Islander hasn't had his fair share of wins this season he's been consistantly apart of final games and a top placing finisher in Circuit Division events. Skull Crusher paces the Freestyle Championship Race with a slim lead over Canadian Jordan Holland using consistent and full freestyle runs every time the Modern Division gets together. Struggles have been abound for Dave in Racing both for Classic and Modern, falling to Austin Grams, Mark Iron and Tim Smith on several occasions.

Finally our last driver who tops the whose Hot list is Austin Grams. Austin may be out of Overall Title contention but a shot at Modern Racing and Freestyle still our within grasp for the Utah native. Austin has put all of his focus on the Modern division and while it does show and he wins quite often it's when the Adrenalizer is not in victory lane that costs him the most. Consistency is the key in PPRL and stringing together final round appearances is what leads to championships. Often Grams finds himself out of the running early if he over drives the course within the first few rounds of racing or the first few seconds of freestyle. However due to winning so often he still finds himself in a position to Modern Racing as he's tied with Timmy Smith for the points lead there and sits ten out of the lead in Freestyle. Grams has admitted that St Louis Style racing isn't his foray and with the Monster Mania Modern Racing Track being just that it might be tough to hold onto the lead.

One driver who walks into Monster Mania on the cool side of our momentum list is Tim Smith. The Overall Point leader has struggled lately to connect to games costing him over one hundred valuable championship points and a chance to wrap things up early heading into the big event this weekend. Tim's been dominant in Racing especially the Classic Division and has been a shoe in for a top four finish in Modern Racing but the last two weeks of missed opportunities have cost the Atlanta native. If connection problems arise for Tim at Mania it might spell the end of a well deserved Overall Championship crown. The pressure is on in the Bigfoot camp and Smith has been known to rebound in a flash so we'll await with bated breath come Thursday night.

Now that we've recapped whose got momentum lets turn our focus quickly to the events that are a little under 24 hours away from happening in Ohio. Shell Stadium was home to PPRL's Second Finale event in May of 2007 and hosted Monster Truck action for over two weeks time. The unique venue with it's downhill "bunny slope" will be playing host for the first time to Circuit Monster Truck action tomorrow night. The course for our Circuit Division is a high paced obstacle course littered with traditional Monster Truck obstacles, mud pit and rock pile. The option lane will be pertinent to race outcomes many drivers are feeling as each has it's unique challenges that a driver can chose to compensate for to improve overall lap times. With the title wrapped up for Mark Iron tomorrow's event is just about bragging rights and having a good time for those who chose to participate. PPRL's expecting a large turnout of curious racers who want to try their hand on the unique indoor stadium course.

Chat time is 7:30 PM EST with the Miller High Life Pre-Show taking place at 8:00 PM EST sharp. Racing will commence at 8:30 PM EST with heat races qualifying participants for the 15 lap main event race! We hope to see you there!

Collard Cruises to Cocoa Beach Win!

Half way through the season is how long it took Dave Collard to find Victory Lane in the Past Present Racing League. Tonight in dominating fashion the President of PPRL picked up the win at Cocoa Beach Speedway setting quick time early on in his main event race and never once being threatened for the top spot on the raceway.

"Tonight the truck was setup on kill. I knew coming into the event a good base setup and after the heat race changed a few things in the transmission and suspension that really made the lap times drop down. I've always performed well in this venue but it's been so long since I've last ran here I was wondering if I'd have a shot at all to win this. It's awesome to finally get back into Victory Lane here in PPRL" spoke a jubilant Collard in victory lane.

Second place went to our National Points leader Overall Tim Smith in Snakebite. Tim had a fast truck in his heat race finishing second place to John Dayhoff in a classic back and forth battle. "Dave did awesome, truly amazing what he was posting in the lap charts. The race was hectic and very intense, bumps were everywhere, it was sheer luck I got to second. Glad I did, we'll see how that helps me in the points" spoke Tim as he walked back to the hauler.

Third place went to cool and consistent Mark Iron in Ground Pounder. Mark who was unable to be reached for comment retains his points lead by ten markers in the circuit division but fell a spot in the Overall standings. Mark's dedication to a racing trophy is unparalleled but he might not be satisfied unless his name is number one in Overall points!

Frustration also ruled the roost tonight as well for one driver. Jordan Holland out of Canada is always bit with bad racing luck and tonight was yet again another example of it. The ca-nook saw his truck flip twice once in heat racing competition and again in the main event. "Another race, another crash and disappointment" lamented the Jet.

With Collard's win he moves to second in National Overall Points 35 markers behind Tim Smith who keeps his strangle hold atop the standings. Tim needs to win a event as we move past the mid-way point in the season to get a firmer grip at the top. With Austin Grams not competing he slipped down again to the top three front runners and closer to Jordan Holland whose resided in fifth position for the past few weeks.

Circuit Divisional Standings see Mark stand high atop the charts by a slim ten points over the tied second place runners Tim Smith and Dave Collard. With point reductions due to consolation round rule stacked onto Mark and Tim this leaves Collard one good finish away from a possible points lead! The circuit standings while not overly crowded is going to be a hotly contested race come Monster Mania time!

Next week the series moves back to the comfort of dry land in Northern California at North Side Stadium. A event date is yet to be determined due to scheduling conflicts with another league's World Finals event and the Nascar Bud Shootout Race. "At this point PPRL is slated for a possible Thursday appearance unless protest occurs" spoke Collard after the race. "A start time will be announced on all major communication platforms."

That's a wrap from the Hawaii Tour for 2010 and the fourth season of PPRL. We hope to be back next year to do it all over again!

Hawaii Follies Week Two! Robson Victorious!

Aiea City Beach, Hawaii -- The second week in a row at the famous sandy shore brought more controversy and surprisingly opportunity then any other week in the fourth Past Present Racing League season. When the sand settled it was Jordan Robson the Fall Madness 5 Racing Champion picking up the win and leap frogging in the standings two positions overall and into the top ten in Classic Racing. A night marred with angry competitors about the tracks steep ramps left officials scratching heads and drivers wondering what might of been.

"I got lucky tonight with this racing victory" touted Robson pilot of Black Stallion. "I never once got an unpredictable amount of air and managed to see many opponents succumb to over driving the track." In the final round of Thunder Trax Robson matched up against dark horse title candidate Mark Iron who was two tenths away from being the fastest truck all evening in qualifying in AM/PM Rocket. Robson was treed by the North Carolina native but saw things swing his way when the Rocket literally became just that over the first set of cars. "I saw him go up and away and knew it was my race then" said Jordan.

"Coming into the event tonight I didn't expect to make it past round one, let alone be P2 on the time sheet and finish second overall" Mark Iron spoke. "I wound up launching way to high on the first set being over anxious. If I could have back peddled the first set that would have been my race" sighed Iron.

One man left not so much retrospective but livid was Tim Smith our Overall points leader who went out early on by launching his truck to hard on the first set of cars. "This is ridiculous. It's a per event thing now where my truck can not adapt to the ramps PPRL provides us in the classic division" lamented Bigfoot's driver. "I'm tired of losing points because of this, I realize PPRL's trying to provide tough tracks that make events unpredictable but it's been this way since the second classic event and I'm tired of it" as he gazed off into the ocean.

League President Dave Collard had little sympathy for the likes of Smith or anyone else bitter about track choice for the classic division. "I realize drivers are ultra competitive but this is the hand they're going to be dealt all season with ramps. Currently the series has run at Aiea for every season with the same course design and ramp angles. We're not changing a thing about this place and look forward to returning in the future. We as a League do not have a giant amount of raceable Classic Tracks available that fit the PPRL criteria and we're doing the best we can with what we got so to speak."

Collard also was questioned by competitors about the lack of turning courses in the classic division and provided the following response: "We get that complaint every season after we run a few turning courses to start things off then hit the drag racing meat and potato's of the year. Classic Racing simply was not conducted on turning courses on a constant basis and we're attempting to depict that to everyone by including a modest amount of both. I would love to have one or two more turning courses but they simply do not exist right now."

Looking at the points standings Tim Smith holds a little over a 40 point lead heading into Cocoa Beach in Overall Standings. Austin Grams and Dave Collard have been suffering the same luck as Smith and haven't gained or lost ground in several weeks. Mark Iron has steadily begun to regain some missed points with his second place finish at the beach (with a 10 point Fast Loser deduction factored in) while Jordan Robson moves within two events of a points lead. Classic Racing points see Ryan "Hot Head" McCauley atop the standings by ten markers over Tim Smith. With both drivers faltering this week it's left things ultra tight at the top of the heap. The entire top ten in the standings have a shot at the title at this point. Jordan Robson with his event win leap frogs two thirds of the pack into 9th spot and with a win at the next classic event he could possibly be sitting tied for the points lead! Classic Racing will go to the wire at Monster Mania's Classic Clash for sure.

As stated the series concludes it's Hawaii Mini-Tour this weekend at Cocoa Beach Off Road Raceway. A special start time has been arranged at 7:30 PM EST to accommodate fans of the Nascar Toyota AllStar Challenge Race held in Irwindale, California at 10PM EST. Racing for Cocoa Beach is slated to start at 8:15 PM EST with the first heat races. The sandy and watery beach track had been labeled track of the year for circuits in season two. It's high speed puddle jumping twisty turns will separate the good from elite of circuit racing! Do not miss it!

Hawaii Mini-Tour Kicks off with Fireworks!

Aiea, Hawaii - The Aiea City Beach has played home to Monster Truck racing for several years now in the MTM2 world and last night the Past Present Racing League kicked off the Hawaii Mini-Tour in grand fashion at the hollowed grounds. Fifteen Modern Day Monster Trucks made the voyage over for week one and the crowd was not disappointed in the on track action. When the sand settled three drivers stood tall in victory lane. Alex Vester in Penumbra picked up his first racing win of the season in a brand new truck while Mike DesRoach and Jordan Holland walked away as Co-Freestyle Winners.

Racing Champion Vester was the fast qualifier with a time of 4.86 and out treed the competition in everyone of his races. The Texan laid down National Points leader Tim Smith in Bigfoot in the quarter finals then did it again when Bigfoot came back as the fast loser! In the finals "The Runt" was matched up against equally fast and competitive Jordan Robson in Hell on Wheels also a brand new truck on the tour. Penumbra got the better launch as the tree turned green and pulled out a victory his first of the season!

Freestyle was marred with early rollovers and breakdowns. Mike DesRoach and Jordan Holland wowed the judges enough in their runs to earn scores of twenty-five. For Mike DesRoach it was his first career PPRL win and major event victory in his young MTM2 career. With many good years ahead of this new hot-shoe he'll be a force to be reckon with for quite some time! Jordan Holland picked up his first PPRL Win as well in BC Lion. Jordan's battled headaches with his connection for months and has had seemingly perfect shots at victory in racing and freestyle not go his way when the internet crashes. For BC Lion tonight was finally a night of retribution!

With the fourth Modern Monster Truck event under our belts we've learned a few things. The points are still wide open and the hardest title to get a hold of is going to be the Freestyle Championship! After four events many drivers are just equaling a full scored run in there point tallies. Travis Sewlio keeps the points lead he's had since week one but if somebody can mount up some good runs heading to Monster Mania he'll easily be passed. Consistency is the key and many drivers are simply not delivering this! In Modern Monster Racing Austin Grams holds onto his lead but loses a little ground to Tim Smith whose been on a abysmal stretch as of late. Jordan Robson the Fall Madness Racing Champion is steadily climbing the ladder and could be a threat before seasons close. Also if Alex Vester can keep a consistent schedule and race week to week he may be a threat with the dominance he showed last night! The Overall title still belongs to Tim Smith who has a little over a 60 point lead heading into week eleven.

Next week we're back at Aiea City Beach but with the Classic Monsters Division. Straight line drag racing is the key and reaction time again will be pertinent to a strong finishing position. Don't miss it next week at 9PM EST it's PPRL Racing at it's finest!

Heart Stopper in St. Paul

The unpredictability of PPRL carried on into the great Midwest and the St.Paul Civic Center Saturday night for Classic Side by Side Monster Truck racing action. St.Paul has been a stop for the PPRL teams since the first season of competition and much like it's previous events the ultra tight side-by-side drag racing course provided many upset finishes and surprise winners. After a lengthy ban from competition Ryan McCauley in Heartbeat took down the big win in his Chevy truck.

Ryan had a tough path to the final round on Thunder Trax qualifying fourth fastest of six trucks in the opening stages. McCauley was matched up against returning veteran Alex Vester in Equalizer and was subsequently beaten by the always fast Texan. Ryan earned his way to a Fast Loser position beating Damien Bowers and then upset the fast Dave Collard in Clodbuster to solidify a spot on Thunder Trax. From there Ryan and Heartbeat faced a relative unknown with Brad Shaw in his "Brad's Bronco" Ford and put down another faster truck handily! Following more races Alex Vester and Ryan eventually crossed paths again not once but twice when the fast loser of the quarter final round Equalizer TIED with the Heartbeat Chevy at the finish line thus requiring a re-race to determine a winner. McCauley proved to be one tough customer taking Vester to school off the line and earning his way to the Monster Finals!

Curtis Wagner in Blown Profits had a quiet evening steadily progressing through the field and brought his vintage Monster Tow-Truck to the final round to face flying Ryan. Both drivers staged and ready left the line at the same time but the unpredictable and wild ramp setup in St.Paul sent Wagner flipping across the finish line with McCauley nabbing the victory.

Media and Reporters attempted to get a quick word with the triumphant Ryan but were shrugged off by the bitter Pennsylvanian after his first week back from a three week ban from competition for unsportsmanlike conduct. Heartbeat drove straight off the arena floor and to his hauler where Ryan resided until late into the night time hours. His win coupled with bad luck by the top three in Classic Racing Points saw him vault to the points lead.

Speaking of bad luck that is what Tim Smith, Dave Collard and Mark Iron experienced in St.Paul. Tim Smith was a non-factor all evening and succumbed to his second weekend in a row of bad luck and not earning maximum points. Collard was snubbed from Thunder Trax by Heartbeat and was left wondering what might have been after he qualified in a top five position. Mark Iron was disqualified from his round one race when he red-lighted against Thunder Beast. With these drivers troubles the top five in overall points remains close with Tim Smith leading by just 35 points over Austin Grams. Collard and Iron sit a mere 40 points behind and Josh Rhodes is nearly within one race of the front runners just being behind by 65 points.

Next week the series moves to Castellar Mountain, Utah for intense circuit racing action. A special start time of 2PM EST has been called due to the first ever live running of real monster truck series Advanced Auto Parts Monster Jam running on SPEED TV that night at 7PM EST! Stay tuned for who just may be in victory lane when new faces come to the afternoon running of the circuit division!

Holiday Events Wrap Up

With the Holiday Season finally coming to a head the Past Present Racing League has just finished off a one month spread of holiday festivities that being Fall Madness and Christmas Mayhem! When all was said and done top players for the fourth seasons championship chase came out on top of the field week after week yet again! With the third Modern Division Event in the record books lets recap what we saw at Fall Madness and Christmas Mayhem!

Rewind to one month ago. The place Fresno, California. The event Fall Madness. Five years of tradition came to a head inside Fresno Municipal Stadium when racer of the year Tim Smith took on his good friend and teammate in other leagues Jordan Robson for the racing crown. The 360 Round-About course was to much for Bigfoot when Tapout Caged and Robson cemented his name in the history books as a winner at Fall Madness! "It's another feather in my cap and another accomplishment in the record books for me" exclaimed a jubilant Robson in victory lane. "This is the big one everyone wanted to win and I'm proud to say that my truck had the power and maneuverability to win Fall Madness!"

Freestyle at Fall Madness featured trouble for many with scores being low and rollovers abound. Two drivers came from the depths of despair to tie for the lead however. Sean Kozak whose always been a solid Freestyler put on the run of his career in Can-Am Extreme taking his truck to the limit with the ultimate in saves including one roll over save! However not to be outdone and avenging his racing loss Timothy Smith piloted Bigfoot at a frantic pace with big moves to tie! We needed a freestyle-off to determine a winner. When Can-Am rolled over early it left the door wide open for Timmy as he took the freestyle crown at Fall Madness! "A win's a win and I'm happy to have done it at the grandest stage of them all today Fall Madness" said Tim Smith.

One holiday event down and one to go fast forward to December 19th and I-95 Speedway for Christmas Mayhem 3! The third installment of Monster Trucks only version of snow racing saw the biggest snowfall of the season land ontop of PPRL Drivers and Teams right as event time was set to begin! A blizzard was upon Bangor and the action on the track was as frantic as the weather. Austin Grams in Adrenalizer goes 2-1 on the season after he dominated racing in his Dodge. Grams who was nearly ten seconds faster then the field for most of the night put down Half Breed and Josh Rhodes who was his only legitimate competition all night. "To pull this off is pretty sweet. We're going to need to cherish this one as its probably the hardest surface to race on all season" said Grams in victory lane. His win vaulted him back into title contention when Timmy Smith, Dave Collard and Mark Iron all had early round losses on the tricky head-to-head St. Louis Style course.

Freestyle was much the same to Fall Madness except this time we had two surprises vying for gold. Curtis Wagner driving Wrecker is definitely a fan of the first "P" in PPRL as he's one of the longest racers in MTM2 today came to I-95 Speedway just looking to have fun and he had more then that when he tied for the lead with a incredible nose slide pirouette off the bus stack. Mark Iron whose been the pleasant surprise on the season was highly disappointed in his racing effort and vowed to go all the way in freestyle. He did just that filling the clock with a solid performance for the first 90 seconds but then he got crazy. Mark put the big Corvette through some intense maneuvers when he sideways hit the bus stack bicycling on two tires right as time expires. Mark then proceeded to do his own pirouette on the bus stack for the fans. Again a 24 tie and a freestyle-off was required.

A coin toss saw Mark go out first and the XFA driver put on a 60 second clinic picking up where his last run left off. For 60 seconds in a blizzard condition Mark rode Iron Man more on two wheels then four and managed to get a high score. Wagner's no stranger to pressure cooker situations and his Wrecker machine started off big but the snow bit the real life tow truck driver pitching him over. Mark Iron took down a impressive freestyle win and solidifies himself as one of the new top contenders on the PPRL tour with a win in two different divisions! "I'm in physical shock right now" exclaimed Mark. "I'm going to need a new set of lungs, a stomach and a heart after that run. I told myself to not get psyched out and I managed to follow that lead with a really incredible performance. Probably my best ever. This one will live on for a long time!"

So what did we learn from these Holiday events? We learned a few things. One Austin Grams and Mark Iron are big players in the championship chase for PPRL. Austin is a dominant Modern racer and Mark is settling into the jack of all trades role. Two Timmy Smith can be beat after having a bad night at I-95 when he flipped in racing and freestyle taking a big point loss. Three Dave Collard continues to fade away with his performances over the past month. What started out as a possible championship bid looks to be souring unless he can turn it around in the new year! We've learned that new-comers to the game can race and compete with the veterans of the past on some of the toughest tracks in the world. Finally we've learned that the excitement and prestige of the PPRL still lives on in the hearts of many as attendance at holiday events has grown from years past!

With that we've concluded the 2009 portion of the Past Present Racing League's season. We've crossed the One-Third distance marker and things are still wide open. What will 2010 bring? Who will be champion? January 2nd we'll find out as the Classic Monster Trucks decend upon St.Paul, Minnesota for a drag racing extravaganza! Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season and a spectacular New Year!

Schedule Alterations

With Monster Jam broadcasting it's first live event ever January 9th, 2010 the Past Present Racing League has been forced to make changes to it's Circuit Event at Castellar Mountain. To accomdate fans of Monster Jam and drivers in PPRL a event start time has been placed at 2PM EST Saturday January 9th rather then the scheduled 9 PM EST start time. "I'm a Monster Jam fan as is nearly every driver in the league is as well. I want to apiece them and myself and enjoy this historic television event" stated Dave Collard from his Rhode Island home. "The new scheduled afternoon start time is something I've always wanted to try in MTM2 and we will go forth with such at Castellar Mountain in a few weeks time."

In other schedule announcements several venues slated for a 2010 race date have been removed and replaced. The drivers of PPRL will be heading to Hawaii a week early for a three week mini tour of PPRL action. Modern Monsters was scheduled to be at a boardwalk venue now we will be at Aiea City Beach where SPHRA and Monster Wars ran in the past. The week following is also on the beach with the Classic Division. The PPRL drivers and teams wrap up their 2010 Hawaii tour with a stop at Cocoa Beach for a Circuit event. Texas Stadium has lost it's Mondern and Classic events in favor of Gillette Stadium and a return trip to Mankato Speedway. Finally Mud Pies Motorsports Park has been removed in favor of Purvis Stadium.

"When originally booking the schedule I knew there would be some dates that would not hold" stated Collard. As many past PPRL drivers know venue changes rule the roost in the later portion of the season. "It's something that winds up happening every year. Sitting down to design a schedule for the most action packed MTM2 league is no easy task so as the competition is gauged the venues wind up changing. It is my firm belief we will see better racing at the above chosen venues then we would have at the originals."

A copy of the PPRL's newly revised schedule maybe accessed on our website by clicking the schedule link!

Three Title Contenders?

At what point can contenders be separated from pretenders? In a season that lasts twenty-one weeks we will reach the one-third distance mark in just six days at Christmas Mayhem. Those who are committed for racing gold need to start showing their hand if they want to catch the front runners. Drivers who are running out front will need to keep applying the pressure and sealing weak spots as we close in on Monster Mania 2010. The time to mount a charge is now!

Timmy Smith picked up his first win of the season at Pine Run Speedway further distancing himself from the pack in the championship chase. The Atlanta native has made no small matter of his quest for a PPRL title and was visibly emotional all evening long as he pours on the coals. When he missed qualifying for the Feature Race and had to go to the Consolation Round he took to task Alex Vester for being a hindrance after having technical difficulties. Those emotions ran over as Tim dominated the field and qualified for the Feature Race but lost ten points he could have earned due to getting a second chance. "These points are important, both times we've ran a circuit event I've had to come from the consolation round and have lost twenty points from my championship lead" spoke Timmy in victory lane. "It's just been bad luck and it's costing me from making maximum points on nights when other contenders have issues!"

Mark Iron who has really turned heads on the circuit courses finished second again. Mark is the master of practice and while he did not have anything for the lightning quick Tim Smith he made sure to make the most points possible vaulting him to the top three in Overall Standings and with Tim Smith's repeated points deductions First Place in Circuit Competition. "I need to just keep focused on doing well and not psyching myself out" spoke Iron. The North Carolina native might just be the sleeper in the Overall Title Run due to his consistency. Mark currently sits in the top ten with every division and continuing his consistency trend coupled with bad luck from other drivers may see him stand tall when its all said and done! "I need to get better at the Modern Racing. The Iron Man truck is constantly being tuned on for every Modern event and I haven't had a ton of time to adapt. If I'm going to be a threat I need to start getting a hold of my Modern Day Truck."

Dave Collard who sits third in the standings is losing ground on the front runners. Bad luck at Pine Run coupled with sub-par finishes since Mankato Speedway has left the Rhode Islander dropping back from Tim Smith in the Overall Title Hunt. "We had awful luck at Pine Run. The fastest truck was ours no doubt about that, but you can not win a ten lap race in the first three turns and by getting aggressive we crashed and had to recover to get fifth. Nobody is going to cut us slack and I know we're a capable bunch but I need to stop making mistakes."

But what happened to other sure bets for the Overall Championship? Josh Rhodes was committed to other obligations and missed a chance to gain ground after winning last week in Glendale. Austin Grams who started with a win in Mouton has not shown the consistency to win a championship yet and seems to be falling farther behind. Travis Sewlio has missed racing again and Ryan McCauley who everyone thought was finally going to make it and become a champion is sitting out on a three week ban. These drivers still have shots at Divisional Title's but the Overall seems to be officially out of grasp as the front three continue to race weekly and collect points.

With goers there are comers though and going further into Pine Run's evening we saw new faces make the Feature Race with the likes of Bert Wojcik and Damien Bowers. Both of these drivers had impressive displays in heat and consolation round appearances and earned respect from peers. "It's good to see new faces finally make a splash in the game" says Dave Collard. "These guys have been racing for awhile and with so many of the older drivers running more a partial schedule it gives guys like them a chance to race for wins and elevate to a higher status in the grand scheme of things." Bowers who finished sixth had a incredible display in his consolation race holding off charges from Alex Vester and Kevin Milloy both of whom knocked on his tail-gate but were unable to waver the Indiana Native. Bert Wojcik of Pennsylvania was strong all evening placing second in his heat and transferring to the feature race where he finished third. These guys might not be title contenders yet but they're finally learning how to get the job done on the race track!

With Pine Run over we shift our attention to next weeks final Holiday Special event Christmas Mayhem. The third running in four years will prove to be another challenge for the Modern Monster Trucks as they've been off for nearly a month. I-95 Speedway in Bangor is snow packed and with a snowstorm predicted for Saturday look out for slippery sliding action at the third mile Oval! More information will be forthcoming later in the week stay tuned!

Titan's Clash Grave Digger Emerges Victorious!

The history book was reopened last night in Glendale, Florida when Grave Digger and Bigfoot waged war in the Monster Final for PPRL's fifth week of competition! Tonight Josh Rhodes piloted the Panel Van to victory over Tim Smith driving Bigfoot Four. A night that was full of heated tempers and bad bounces caused some unexpected drivers to falter early making way for a new face to the final four Sean Kozak driving The Toy. In this weeks taping of Thunder Trax Grave Digger took on the tractor tired Toyota and just edged the win at the line while Bigfoot Four made short work of Clodbuster vaulting to the national points lead!

The final round now being set saw the battle for supremacy not often seen in modern times take place again Bigfoot versus Grave Digger! Both drivers were the fastest trucks of the evening but a bad bounce into the down ramp caused Bigfoot Four to lose valuable time with Grave Digger pulling away for the victory!

"I'm pretty proud about this one" flaunted Rhodes in the winners circle. "The last time I won a classic event it was a (darn) wheelie competition and it didn't have near the meaning that winning on a figure eight does." Josh with his victory vaults to third place in the division's standings just five points out of the lead!

"I knew the ramps would eventually bite me before the night was over" lamented Tim Smith. "It's happened every year we come to this track. I'm pretty disappointed because it cost me a win last time too!" Tim Smith with his second place finish re-assumes the overall point lead and classic division's point lead. Currently Tim Smith leads three of the five points championship races and trails by less then five points in Freestyle and twenty points in circuit racing. Could an unprecedented title sweep be in Smith's cross-hair's bettering inaugural multi-title Chris Kaelin's effort in 2006? We'll have to wait and see in the coming weeks if Timmy can keep it up!

Next week the tour heads to Pine Run Speedway in the foothills of West Virginia. Circuit racing last time provided us with one of the most fantastic finishes in the division's history and this return trip to the high banks of Pine Run leaves many wondering can it happen again? Find out next week as we forge on into week six of competition!

Three Trucks Under a Blanket at Ruach!

One week removed from Fall Madness the stars of PPRL went back to making multiple turns multiple times in the circuit division! Ruach Outdoor Raceway was the challenge that laid ahead for several drivers looking to reach the gold in championship standings at years end. Sixteen drivers made the journey and only six qualified for the A-Main race through heats and last chance qualifying rounds. In the end it was Mark Iron who needed a second chance to get in the race making the most besting Dave Collard by half a truck at the finish line!

"I'm amazed my first PPRL win" exclaimed Mark Iron in Victory Lane. "We we're pretty down last week after a poor performance at Fall Madness with the modern truck but this makes everything so much better!"

"I gave him everything I could there at the end without dumping him, I don't race that way" spoke Dave Collard. "I knew it was going to be close and we beat fenders for sure over the final two laps there. I didn't even realize Tim Smith (third place finisher) was behind us I was so focused on the lead. Congrats to Mark on his first win!"

"I was reeling in the leaders quickly but again didn't have enough time" said Tim Smith in the press room. "I had a run at the end there and gave Collard a shot in the rear in the final turn and it might of helped or hurt him I'm not entirely sure yet."

The action featured above in our finish line shot and the upcoming footage that will debut on Thunder Trax shortly is the reason PPRL runs circuit races. The action was incredible for the lead and for other positions all evening. It separates the men from the boys of MTM2 competition if one can be proficient in both.

Dave Collard has re-assumed the Overall points lead with a second place finish at Ruach. He leads Tim Smith by a scant 10 points and Austin Grams by 25 markers. Four weeks into the season and we're starting to see an emergence of who is and isn't a title threat for season four. Collard has been strong at all events thus far except for a minor slip up at Fall Madness averaging a third place finish per event in racing categories. Tim Smith who is hot on the heels of Collard has also averaged strong performances and had it not been for a ten point deduction for being a Consolation Round participant Smith and Collard would be tied atop the standings! Austin Grams rides in third as the silent assassin on this years series of events. We haven't heard much out of Grams since his week one win but solid performances.

Next week the Classic Monsters take center stage again at Glendale Raceway in Glendale, Florida for side by side Figure Eight Monster Truck racing! Don't miss it!

Fall Madness "The Fifth Anniversary" Tonight!

Tonight 7:30 PM EST is Fall Madness! Presented by Carhartt, Dodge Motorsports, Miller High Life, Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum & Sihl Digital Print Media.

Get the track now:

http://mtm2.com/~tracks/dl.cgi?dl=5380

The Definition of Madness!

The definition of Madness: The quality or condition of being insane. That feeling will be felt in 24 hours time in Fresno when the stars of PPRL return for their fifth consecutive season. Insanity will rule supreme in mad sprints down the racing lanes vying for victory and in move-sets that will be created in freestyle. Every driver attempts to prepare mentality before the big dance but only one can win the gold. Recently we sat down with several star drivers in MTM2 today and the PPRL and asked them several questions concerning this years fifth running of Fall Madness. Some were bold in their statements, others reserved trying to keep the playing cards close, and some doubted they will succeed at all. Let the games begin!

Fall Madness can be described as many things. The mecca of MTM2, the Wrestlemania or Monster Jam World Finals. So many call it different things yet it is truly an enigma all its own. Very few internet Sim Racing events have gone the distance of Fall Madness in calendar years, our drivers reflect.

"This is our Daytona 500. Its probably the biggest event of the season. Fall Madness has produced some of the biggest surprises in the game, not to mention the surprise winners of the event over the years. Its always fun to compete in and i'm looking forward to it" speaks Josh Rhodes driver of Half Breed.

"Pure insanity, you have guys (and gals every now and then too!) come in and run as hard as they can to come out on top and they do not lay back one bit. Last year in qualifying we had some great close races and times and that was only qualifying! It gets closer and closer every year and that much harder to come out on top" said Ryan McCauley who must have looked the definition up before our chat.

Those two drivers haven't come close yet in a victory charge on the grandest stage but Mike Elmendorf has: "The atmosphere is incredible, You smell the methanol, the excitement from both the drivers and fans and you the nervousness from the drivers. A lot of pressure and high expectations to do well and no one wants to disappoint there fans!"

"Fall Madness is one of the biggest shows of the year, no doubt. It is one of the few shows that gets ran on a yearly basis and this will be its 5th time around coming up. The atmosphere leading up to it is pretty awesome. So many activities and people showing interesting and getting into it with pictures and brand new truck schemes and so on really gives it a more "exciting" feel compared to your ordinary MTM2 race. Months of planning go into this kind of show. With it being around for 5 years now, i think your going to see Fall Madness like you've never seen it before. Being around that long is pretty huge for an event and there's already big talk about this event, and its still lil over a month away" says Kevin Payne are event organizer.

Past champion and PPRL Evolution Tour Holiday Event triple champion Alex Pecorelli: "The atmosphere around Fall Madness is that of intense anticipation. It's the first PPRL Special Event, and EVERYONE wants to show up, have their stuff hold together and ESPECIALLY come out with a win. It sets the stage for the upcoming season, and usually separates the rookies from the vets. If you want to make your presence known, Fall Madness is the event to do it!"

"Very intense, because everybody really wants to win this event and everybody really doesn't know how to run it extremely well. People will try really hard to get these points and they have to watch themselves and watch their runs in order to ensure a victory. Besides the intensity there's a general feeling of good-will amongst the racers. It's fall, and everybody enjoys that, so they want to come out and race" exclaims Timmy Smith driver of Bigfoot.

Breakout star in MTM2 Austin Grams: "The atmosphere is pretty big, you can tell that everyone is working their tails off to perform, and you have to be on your game every round and race moment and not make any mistakes, in order to win. You can just fell it in the air that there is anticipation and the will to win, the atmosphere is what drives you to win."

Big, Wild, Intense are just a few words drivers use to describe Fall Madness. So much is at stake. A years worth of bragging rights rides on the line in just 24 hours. Who will walk away champion? Who can rise to the top of the standings? We'll find out soon! Stay tuned for part two of our driver sit down interviews when we ask drivers thoughts on several important matters heading into the event!

Fall Madness Track Shots Unveiled!

The first glimpse of the Fifth Anniversary of Fall Madness's racing course! Check it out!

Fall Madness Festivities Begin

Fresno Municipal Stadium will be rocked to the core in 5 days time by the mighty monster trucks of the Past Present Racing League for the fifth consecutive time! A half decade of tradition and excitement leaves many drivers excited and awe-inspired by what might be to come Saturday the 21st. The process of transferring this stick and ball field is a major task for track architects and builders alike due to the sheer size and the demand for a competitive unique racing track by drivers.

Work began early Sunday morning as dirt crews began trucking in the beach sand and gravel that will construct the base of the race course. In years past this process took up to two weeks as the sand for the four leaf clover racing course needed to cure and compact in cycles so that the monsters would not deteriorate the course in its first few racing passes. This year a third of the amount of material will be brought into the venue but fear not racing fans the track will be just as crazy as years gone by we're told.

"This years racing track is 360 Round About Style" spoke League President Dave Collard. "Three of the four past running's of Fall Madness have been conducted on the four leaf clover style race track and I felt it was time to throw in a curve ball for the drivers and fans with a more stream lined course." The 360 Round About Style is similar to the PPRL Classic Clash track from Monster Mania 2. Trucks will start out drag racing into the stadium before taking the appropriate turn to go down their lane of the course. Upon negotiating obstacles drivers will then make a complete 360 and race over the same obstacle again before drag racing to the finish. "The elapsed times will be about 20 seconds faster then the four leaf clover design but the track is just as much a drivers course as was the previous. The gravel and sand base option we elect to use on a yearly basis levels the playing field as it doesn't hook or slide like any surface we use on other courses thus opening the competition up to whoever can master a line first." The 360 Round About course will feature the traditional Fall Madness grade levels in it that many have been accustomed to in years past. "Trucks will be racing up and down a incline on the near end of the course yes. We did this to add yet another element of treachery while still trying to keep the elapsed times down from years past."

Another reason for the course change was for what many is the favorite competition of the night. "Freestyle this year with the flatter racing course will be much more streamlined and exciting. Kevin Payne and I sat down and outlined what needed to change and that was Freestyle layouts at Fall Madness." In years past with the four leaf clover track it was tough to get a rhythm going with constant mountains of packed sand in the way resulting in early rollovers and lower speeds.
"The new track is guaranteed to produce absolutely thrilling freestyle runs. We will be including a bus stack, semi stack, and multiple box van stacks as our feature elements. Upon racing's conclusion the plan is to move our turning marker cars into different places to provide slap wheelies and more big air." It will be interesting to see how drivers adapt to a higher speed freestyle routine with more room to maneuver. Perhaps we will see more flip saves, slap wheelies, side surfs and maybe a backflip? "You never know what might be possible. We're trying to incorporate the ability to double up in several different directions with the obstacles. The preliminary setup on our bus stack this year will allow for it to be hit both normal and cross ways." Freestyle sounds like a can't miss event this year from the Fresno Municipal Stadium!

While we're not allowed inside the stadium yet to take pictures we can announce that the track is taking shape quickly. Crews have suggested it will be ready for public viewing Wednesday evening to fans and drivers alike. "Our goal is to be done by Wednesday evening so that the sand can settle in and compact. If we get finished later then that we will risk the possibility of a track that can go away over the course of the evening and we do not want that" said Collard. So it seems PPRL fans and drivers will have to wait until Wednesday night for track shots from Fresno. Stay tuned to the website and Facebook for whatever updates we might be able to provide and be sure to not to miss out on the Fall Madness experience Saturday November 21st at 7:30 PM EST!!!

Grave Digger beats the best at Mankato!

Race one for the Past Present Racing League's Classic Division took place last evening under sunny skies in Mankato, MN in rather chilly temperatures for those in attendance. Nineteen Classic Monsters registered to compete and the field was inundated with rookies and veterans alike. The hot story around the pit paddock all day was who was going to master the track first from our 2009 rookie crop. We did not have to wait long to discover that as two PPRL newcomers Mark Iron and Travis Sewlio made their second consecutive appearances on Thunder Trax!

Round one of Thunder Trax saw fast qualifier Grave Digger with driver Robbie Williams take on the rookie Travis Sewlio in Snake Bite. We didn't need to wait long to see who was going to be the truck to beat as the Digger took the Snake to school moving on to the semi-finals. Mark Iron was the opposite end of the spectrum for rookie drivers however as he qualified second in AM/PM Boss and was taking up veteran driver Dave Collard in Clod Buster. For Mark the good fortune continued as he was able to master the turn before Collard could and pick up the win by a truck length. Finally Round One saw Ryan McCauley in Hearbeat take on Bigfoot 4 and Timmy Smith. The two PPRL veterans squared off with McCauley picking up what might be considered the upset win when Smith in Bigfoot missed the first set of cars!

With the Semi-Finals all but set the Fast Loser bracket pitted Clod Buster and Snake Bite together with the Tamiya sponsored Chevy moving on to face Tim Smith in Bigfoot 4 where again the Clod Buster prevailed in a very close race! Sometimes getting the extra track time will help a driver master the course and it looked like Collard was beginning to understand how to negotiate the U-Turn portion of the course. This is why PPRL instituted the fast loser points deduction rule for drivers who place in the top 4 finishing positions.

The Semi-Final Round was shaping up to be a dandy with Grave Digger taking on Clod Buster and AM/PM Boss squaring off against Heartbeat. First was Robbie Williams and Dave Collard's bout. The extra track time definitely helped the current overall points leader Collard as he almost nipped the Grave Digger machine at the line and had to settle for a possible third place run. Mark Iron and Ryan McCauley were next and The Boss's good fortune would finally run out for Iron when he was left sleeping at the starting line and Heartbeat lept to an easy win and a final round berth! The race for third place saw Iron take on Collard with Clod Buster bringing home the bronze from Mankato.

The Final Round now set pitted two rivals Robbie Williams and Ryan McCauley nose to nose for all the glory and bragging rights. The race was fought tooth and nail and had the closest finish of the evening with Grave Digger barely taking home gold. PPRL Officials had to review the replay to make sure the win call was correct. The veterans prevailed liked predicted with Robbie Williams leading the charge to victory lane. Robbie who has run similar style leagues such as IMTRL is now the Classic Divisions points leader over Ryan McCauley, Dave Collard and Mark Iron.

Ryan McCauley who came up just a nose short was happy with his run in comparison to last weeks effort in Mouton where the Frackville, Pennsylvania native rolled early in freestyle and was defeated in racing early on. "To be honest, I didn't expect to make it half as far as I did so that's a win in my eyes even if I came up short at the end" spoke Ryan. "It definitely shows light at the end of the tunnel for us, we put last week behind us and didn't even think about it tonight and we ran great. If we can keep this up we might be a contender for a title at the end of the road." McCauley who has competed in PPRL for all four seasons on a full time basis didn't exactly feel being a veteran on the tour helped him achieve the runner up position this time around. "For some racers like Tim Smith, Dave Collard, Robbie Williams, and a few others I could see that helping them but I've always ran horrible in the leaf sprung trucks, I think this is the best I've run in one for a while." With McCauley's strong second place effort from Mankato it has vaulted him to fourth in the overall championship standings. Perhaps the Heartbeat driver has found his niche in the series? "As a driver and racer you're always looking for a way to improve and go faster and harder and win more then you have before, I know I wouldn't be the only one to answer a simple yes to that question because as racers we all want to win in whatever it is we are racing." Ryan looks to keep the momentum rolling next week entering Fall Madness.

Speaking of Fall Madness next week is the Fifth Anniversary of the event from Fresno California! 20 plus Modern Monster Trucks are expected to be racing this year with all in attendance vying for precious points towards the seasons championships! It is yet to be seen who might be the clear favorite after Mouton's event but with a new course for the fifth running it might just be wide open for anyone! Stay tuned to the website for daily updates from Fresno Municipal Stadium the site of Fall Madness "The Fifth Anniversary"!

Break Out The 80's Tunes Tonight!

Tonight the Past Present Racing League storms into Minnesota and the Mankato Speedway for Classic Monster Truck action! The .333 mile race track will feature intense U-Turn course racing action for the second time in PPRL history at the venue. Mankato Speedway has always been a season opening stop for the PPRL and always proved to be a game changer right off the bat. Tonight with so many new faces who have never participated under PPRL Classic Rules before taking on Veterans could be an insurmountable task when the tree hits green at 9 PM EST!

To further uncover the why Veterans of the PPRL will hold the undeniable advantage tonight let's divulge further into classic racing rules. Monster Trucks of yesteryear were slower, less agile and heavier machines. To accurately depict this style of racing in MTM2 PPRL runs different rule settings then any other series! Rookie Skill levels prevent the Monster Trucks from sliding out in the turns similar to their counter parts in real life over 20 years ago. Hard Suspension stiffens the ride and makes corner-ability challenging while launching the trucks higher in the air making drivers have to calculate how much speed they can approach obstacles with to get the best time possible. Also deep cleat tires keep the Monsters stuck to the ground more so then usual on any surface. Finally all trucks are required to run a 600 gear ratio to keep the speeds to a minimum of 50mph!

With all of these specific rules it favors Veterans who have driven this style before and know the workings of their specific trucks. Drivers will tell anybody that every rule that applies to normal Modern Monster Truck racing doesn't apply here in the Classic Division. Driving deep into a corner will have irreversible effects along with attempting to power slide. Shifting techniques become a premium with many opting to run a manual transmission to better utilize the 600 gear ratio. Knowing when to hit the gas and to let off is another important aspect that many have learned in years gone by with the PPRL as well. For a rookie to come tonight into Mankato and expect to do well is a bit of a stretch one can imagine. Some drivers have stated in the past that it takes two to three events to finally get the rhythm down and be competitive.

Dave Collard currently leads the points chase overall and looks to pad his championship lead early with a potential win at the third mile. Collard a veteran has never quite been the best at classic racing but with the new Tamiya sponsored Clod Buster Chevrolet this year could be much different for the Rhode Island native. Other drivers to watch for tonight will be Jordan Robson who in his rookie season mastered the classic series early on and held the championship lead for the first half of the season. Timmy Smith brings the Bigfoot 4 Racer to Mankato and will be a threat for the crown. Josh Rhodes brings Grave Digger to the Midwest in hopes to find some magic as well!

Who can leave Mankato with the racing gold and the possible point lead? Find out tonight at 9PM EST when PPRL takes over Mankato Speedway Classic Style!! Go find some 80's tunes break out the trucker caps and join us there!

Week One Fireworks in Mouton!

Under sunny skies and high spirits 25 drivers began their journey's to Monster Mania in Mouton, New Hampshire in epic fashion. When the gates opened one would have never expected
to see such a turnout of drivers after nearly a year and a half absence from existence in the Monster Truck Madness 2 World. But the Past Present Racing League has a way of pulling people out of the wood work and Mouton was no exception as everyone settled into their appropriate role in the evenings event. After two hours four drivers were victorious and many more will be heading back to their race shops around the US and Canada for much needed repairs and fine tuning!

Earlier we talked about possible players in this years championship chase and already we're seeing one member come from the darkness with his first PPRL win that being Austin Grams. Austin pilot of Adrenalizer and member of Project Mayhem Racers raced his way to a victory over veteran driver Dave Collard in Skull Crusher in a very close final round race. Austin earned major victories over Travis Sewlio in Snake Bite, Tim Smith in Bigfoot in previous rounds to make his way to the finals on this weeks taping of Thunder Trax. It appeared however Tim Smith was destined for a shot in the final round week one when he beat Adrenalizer but under a penalty review the Retro Bigfoot Ford had been disqualified for taking out a turning pole. Tim who was the fastest qualifier was dejected but confident this small misstep would not be a hindrance in his quest for a title.

Austin Grams who many know for his successful league CFMTS and amazing freestyles really did not appear on anyone's radar for a racing victory but some may want to put him on the most wanted list. "I'm pretty ecstatic about this win, I'm just thinking about moving onto next week and hopefully going out and getting another racing win" spoke the Midwest native in victory lane. "I actually wasn't that happy with the truck during the first few rounds of racing before the final eight, the truck was a bit squirrely and I didn't have the right feel through the first half of racing and qualifying, but when we got to qualifying the truck seemed really good and I was very happy with the performance of the truck. I wanna thank Ryan McCauley for setting up this truck in the first place we've gotten because if he hadn't I would really be lost out there." Austin comes off as a quiet character on tour. He doesn't say much or get to vocal about many things but watch out for this guy when the time arrives and a champion needs to be crowned he knows what needs to be done. "Yeah definately, I think the confidence will be high and I think we can carry this momentum into the following weeks but, we do need to step it up in freestyle to get the overall title."

In Freestyle we saw a three-way tie amongst two veterans and one fairly new comer to PPRL between Josh Rhodes, Dave Collard and Travis Sewlio all with 27's for a final score. Josh Rhodes who didn't make it to the final game had a solid freestyle performance in Half Breed 3 with lot's of wheelies and side surf maneuvers before rolling over backwards. Josh who had been a freestyle slump all summer kicks things off in a positive fashion with this run that will be featured on Thunder Trax in the upcoming weeks. Travis Sewlio had what some may call a spectacular run in a Bigfoot owned truck when he took Snake Bite to the freestyle co-win. Travis got hung up on the box truck like several drivers but managed to wiggle free and balance the Ford powered Snake on it's nose not once but twice. After several large big air moves he wound up baseball sliding on his side into the dirt mound. Dave Collard who isn't always known for Freestyle proved you can not count him out with a incredible display of driving on the car sets. Collard jumped up but got snagged on the final car spun around on the sidewalls doing a complete one-eighty before settling back down on all fours. To top it off the Dodge Motorsports backed Dodge Skull Crusher nearly back flipped off the same carset to close out the run. One may say it was smart the judges kept things spread the same across all three drivers as each run had it's extremely impressive moments!

When the dust settled the points were tallied and currently with his racing win Austin Grams sits atop the Modern Monster Truck standings. Collard, Rhodes and Sewlio sit atop the Modern Monster Freestyle Standings but the real interesting point to make and this is what makes PPRL a real drivers league is the overall standings. With Austin Grams poor freestyle performance he is out of the points lead by one point over Dave Collard in Skull Crusher whose second place effort coupled with the amazing freestyle victory pushed him to the top of the heap for week one. As drivers settle in it will be interesting to see who can be the most consistent across all four divisions of competition and earn the overall crown!

Next week the Classic Monster Trucks will invade Mankato Speedway in Mankato, Minnesota. Two years ago this track was run and provided some of the most epic classic racing we had ever seen in PPRL. Hopefully next week will be just as good! Stay tuned for more information about Thunder Trax and when it will debut on YouTube in the coming weeks!

It's Opening Night!

The time has finally arrived for the drivers in the Past Present Racing League to fire the engines and go racing! Tonight the road to Monster Mania begins at Mouton Stadium where MTM2 Drivers will be looking for a coveted racing and freestyle victory. This venue hosted the first ever PPRL event in 2005 and launched a racing league into MTM2 glory!

Drivers and teams will look to gain early momentum on their quest for the titles. Gaining that first win to launch the season could be a pivotal moment in those title hopes. However with the fruits of victory hanging in the balance there always is the realization of defeat and anguish. Heartbreak and frustration have always dominated the PPRL seasons year after year as it does in every form of the motorsports world. But the thought of defeat is not on anyone's mind the only thing that matters is winning.

Tonight's venue isn't for the weak of heart. Mouton Stadium is a drivers race track. Chicago Style racing on concrete will look to benefit those with higher experience levels at turning courses whereas Freestyle is going to take a veterans approach as obstacles are ramped in such a way that no hit is ever the same twice. Those who can figure out this track faster will be the one's to watch out for.

With so many newcomers to the league it really is impossible to pick a victor. Can a surprise rookie take some early season momentum away from veterans? Or will a respected long time MTM2 driver find that magic again? Find out tonight at 9PM EST! Do not miss the incredible action at Mouton Stadium!

PPRL Season 4 Intro Video

The Past Present Racing League will look to forage into Youtube productions on a weekly basis! Checkout the introduction piece that will kick off every broadcast!

Fifth Anniversary of Fall Madness

Not many traditions last half a decade in online racing. In a world that is never consistent due to everyday life schedules to establish a elite level yearly gathering is next to impossible. Well to some it might be impossible. For the fifth consecutive year the Past Present Racing League will be hosting Fall Madness. A tradition that began in 2005 under retired driver/promoter Alex Weber Fall Madness has evolved from being a special event to the holy grail of MTM2 competitors in rapid succession. What started as a simple get together on Thanksgiving weekend has morphed into a three hour production marathon featuring some of the best racing and freestyle of the calendar year. 2009 will prove to be no exception as Fall Madness returns to Gatorade Stadium in Fresno, California!

Recently we sat down with several potential participants and asked them to describe Fall Madness. Here is what we unearthed from a few of MTM2's stars:

"The atmosphere is incredible, You smell the methonal, the excitement from both the drivers and fans and you the nervousness from the drivers." - Mike Elmendorf 2009 Fall Madness Grand Champion

"Fall Madness is one of the biggest shows of the year, no doubt." - Kevin Payne

"Pure insanity, you have guys (and gals every now and then too!) come in and run as hard as they can to come out on top and they do not lay back one bit." - Ryan McCauley

"This is our Daytona 500. Its probably the biggest event of the season. Fall Madness has produced some of the biggest surprises in the game, not to mention the surprise winners of the event over the years." - Josh Rhodes

This is just a sampling of drivers we poled. Notice a trend? Everyone knows this event is BIG! It is the whose who for MTM2 drivers on a yearly basis. What will be interesting to see this year is who can adapt to a new course layout. The only thing consistent with the layout to previous years is the sandy surface for which the monsters will race on. For three of the soon to be five Fall Madness events have run under the Four-Leaf Clover Over-Under Track Design. The second running ran a inverted Tornado style race track which provided some amazing finishes and even more incredible freestyle. But 2007 and 2008 saw back to back years for the Four-Leaf design. How will this effect the drivers heading into this years running?

With the new course layout comes more room for freestyle obstacles. For two years we saw nearly the same course layout in Freestyle but the rumor is this year's running will feature a whole new array of metal to mash. With a new course layout can a unexpected winner come from the pack for a third consecutive season? Two years ago Tiffany Williams shocked the MTM2 world driving to her only freestyle victory in the game on the Fall Madness stage. And last year Mike Elmendorf unexpectedly swept both crowns with a incredible freestyle. Every year somebody comes from the shadows and steps up big in freestyle. The question is who will this year?

Fall Madness will be run November 21st starting at 7:30 PM EST. Stay tuned to our column and Facebook Fan Page for more information as it becomes available!

Registration Opens to Much Fanfare!

A little less then 24 hours removed from registration opening for season four many big names have returned to the PPRL again! With such a large following in previous years such a positive reaction not even a day into the registration process means big things for those racing this season! Some drivers who have entered their names in the hat to race haven't driven in nearly a year and a half!

Notable names include reigning League Champion Alex Pecorelli, who ran away with the Evolution Tour Title in 2008 clinching before Monster Mania by a wide margin. 2007 Overall Champion Kevin Payne has returned with a vengeance for a possible pursuit for gold. Kyle Seden who enjoyed the most success in his MTM2 career season one has thrown in an entree for 2009/2010! Ten year veteran and drag racing originator Kevin Milloy will pilot monsters to a possible PPRL crown. Josh Rhodes a fifteen time Monster Truck Madness 2 champion returns as well. Finally arguably the best racer in MTM2 today Timothy Smith has entered his name in pursuit for the biggest championship in MTM2 today!

Other names expected to register are Season One's Triple Champion Chris Kaelin. Driving sensation and past PPRL competitor Jordan Robson. Veteran MTM2 driver and fabricator Scott Bergman is expected to enter his name. A major Monster Truck historian in MTM2 today John Brown is expected to return. Legendary driver and promoter Mike Alston is expected to join the fray. The heavy hitters are abound and lined up to get in on the PPRL action for season four!

But let us not forget rookies and relative new comers to the MTM2 world. Can drivers such as Kobi Key, Bert Wojcik, Damien Bowers, Jordan Holland, Matt Demko, Brad Shaw, Austin Grams, and Travis Sewlio write their names in the record book as a Champion of PPRL? Time will tell for our Season Four rookie crop and how they fair. One thing is for sure the uphill battle that awaits them will be most challenging and nothing like they've seen before in MTM2!

So many names have yet to register but have expressed interest that things will grow rapidly over the next few weeks before opening night at Mouton Stadium! Who knows who might decide to drop in at Mouton, New Hampshire in a few weeks time. Could a Season One competitor come back to race again? Perhaps a veteran driver that hasn't competed with the PPRL since Season Two might return? Never say Never as registrations continue to be entered. Keep an eye on the registration sheet and drivers page. For you might never know who will show up!

Welcome back PPRL!

I bet some of you never expected this to happen. I'll be honest I never expected to see it happen again. When the Past Present Racing League closed it's doors in March of 2008 I said never again. At the time I thought I meant it as did many of you. After three straight years and many different forms of competition PPRL had grown into the biggest MTM2 hit since NTNT. It became a burden upon my being as I traversed life's many steps. But things change..

Since it's fell into the shadows new leagues have come and gone and taken there rightful place at the forefront of MTM2 racing until this summer. When SPHRA closed I had lamented to a few members here and there I might bring the blue and gold back. That was May and summer had arrived and I didn't put much thought into things while adapting at my new job. When September hit I began researching old history on the league. All the past topics on Vales and here. I began to remember the FUN each and everyone of us had on Saturday Nights. I had to make a decision to run this again. It was a tough decision but I'm glad I chose yes.

Last night at the US Open in front of many new and old friends in this game it was publicly unveiled that PPRL is returning for it's FOURTH season of competition!

PPRL is my biggest accomplishment in this game. The passion and competitiveness displayed by those who have raced with us even just one time is noticeable. Everyone wants to win! In a era where MTM2 has shifted it's focus to realism and real world management it's time we try grass roots racing again. Show up get into games and run some races then laugh and have fun after the show. Yes we'll be doing large scale events again but interspersed throughout the season not every week. I think many will appreciate not having to endure a marathon to play again!

I want to see rivalries reborn. Teams reinvigorated and driver personalities worn on their sleeves! People should settle disputes on the race track and members trying to get a competitive edge over the competition not the sanctioning body. Politics? Forget those. I choose not to play that game with PPRL. Never have and never will. For those that have ran with me in the past they know how hard-nosed I really am. Here's a story: Once I banned a member for unsportsmanlike conduct AFTER he gave up tickets to his junior prom! That's right. I take no prisoners. Overstep the rulebooks guidelines and you'll find yourself taking a break for a few weeks.

I am also excited to be teaming up with legendary event runner Kevin Payne for Fall Madness. Kevin grew up in the PPRL generation and understands how to organized a killer event. This year with both of us being on the same team for Fall Madness we look to push the 5th annual running to heights never seen before!

Besides teaming up with Kevin Payne for Fall Madness and of course the Monster Mania final weekend I will not be seeking extra help from many. One thing now that I feel personally hampers league events is that 1/3rd of the participants have jobs to conduct during the event itself. It's time we get away from that and leave the management role of things to me. I'll seek out the proper channels with forum posts if I require assistance on a weekly basis.

Obviously there is much to do in a short three week stint but I think with constant updates we can open the season up in grand fashion on the 7th of November!!

For those that have run PPRL before I welcome you all back with open arms. For those who haven't get ready for the best league experience in MTM2 the past half decade!

Obviously there needs to be a few tweaks but we'll cross that bridge when we all get to it concerning the website and other venue's of communication.

Thanks Everyone! I am glad to be back where I belong with the game!!