Photos by MSA Staff: Fred Hanyon & Leon McVay

Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam Update
Georgia Dome - Atlanta, GA
January 14, 2012

Trucks: Grave Digger® driven by Dennis Anderson, Grave Digger The Legend®,  driven by Adam Anderson, Advance Auto Parts Grinder®,  driven by Lupe Soza, El Toro Loco® driven by Morgan Kane, Madusa, Captain America driven by Chad Fortune, Monster Mutt® driven by Joe Miller, Stone Crusher driven by Steve Sims, Gunslinger driven by Scott Hartsock, Batman driven by Norm Miller, Black Stallion driven by Mike Vaters, War Wizard driven by Randy Moore, Iron Warrior driven by Trey Myers, Monster Magic driven by Bryan Wright, Iron Horse driven by Rob French, and Wildfire driven by Chris Rogers!

Dennis Anderson celebrated the first stadium event of Grave Digger's 30th Anniversary and the 20th anniversary of Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam in the Georgia Dome by winning the Double Down trophy, edging Chad Fortune in the new Captain America truck in a close Championship Race and then pulling out a one-point freestyle win over Lupe Soza in the Advance Auto Parts Grinder and Adam Anderson's Legend truck in front of another sold-out Georgia Dome crowd that may have set a record for standing ovations from one of the loudest crowds in the sport  Saturday night in Atlanta. 

Opening the action with qualifying it was Adam's Legend setting the fastest time to take the number one seed and the young Anderson would advance into the semifinals where he was upset by Fortune who had a sensational night in Captain America. Grave Digger came through the bottom of the bracket to set up a Championship Race showdown with the Marvel comics themed ride. The finale was one of the best races of the night but Grave Digger, sporting the new green 30th anniversary body for the first time, had enough power to hold off the charging Captain America by a half truck length. 

The Georgia Dome has been known for legendary freestyle competitions over the years and again the sport-s superstars delivered a series of memorable performances. Madusa had the lead at the midway point of the contest but Fortune continued his fabulous stadium debut of his new truck with a rocking freestyle that pushed the former Superman driver into the lead. Soza would push Fortune out of the hot seat as the 2004 World Freestyle Champion turned in one of his greatest freestyles ever in the Advance Auto Parts Grinder. Soza's run, filled with breathtaking leaps and a series of amazing saves also included the early season leader for the 'WOW Moment of the Year' when a huge air leap landed and went right into another obstacle with the truck losing down and when Grinder blasted into the stack the truck went into an end over end flip but landed back on its wheels, and Soza filled the clock and bonus time and then backed in lengthy standing ovations for his phenomenal run. 

Adam Anderson's Legend was scored with the same total as Grinder but it was The Icon who responded to the challenge of these amazing runs that came before him. Dennis destroyed the brand new body with a classic Digger freestyle and he made the truck last all the way through the regulation and bonus clocks despite pushing the truck harder and harder as the time went on, and with some 70,000 screaming fans on their feet Grave Digger scored the one point freestyle win that earned Anderson the Double Down. 

RACING RESULTS
Fast Qualifier - The Legend 19.15 

1st round - The Legend bye run; Stone Crusher def. Monster Magic; Madusa def. Black Stallion; Captain America def. Iron Warrior; Advance Auto Parts Grinder def. Iron Horse; Gunslinger bye run; El Toro Loco def. Monster Mutt; Grave Digger def. Batman 

2nd round - The Legend def. Stone Crusher; Captain American def. Madusa; Advance Auto Parts Grinder def. Gunslinger; Grave Digger def. El Toro Loco 

Semifinals - Captain America def. The Legend; Grave Digger def. Advance Auto Parts Grinder 

CHAMPIONSHIP RACE -  GRAVE DIGGER DEFEATED CAPTAIN AMERICA   

FREESTYLE RESULTS
GRAVE DIGGER  30 (27 + 3 bonus points)
Advance Auto Parts Grinder  29 (25 + 4)
The Legend 29 (26 + 3)
Captain America 27 (24 + 3)
Madusa 25 (22 + 3)
Stone Crusher 25 (22 + 3)
El Toro Loco 22 (20 + 2)
War Wizard 21 (19 + 2)
Batman 16 (15 +1)
Black Stallion 16 (15 + 1)
Iron Warrior 15 (14  + 1)
Monster Magic 13 (12 + 1)
Gunslinger 13
Monster Mutt 8
Iron Horse 4 

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