2015 Monster Jam Fox Sports 1 Championship Series

Neil Elliott with the championship trophy.

The 2015 Monster Jam Fox Sports 1 Championship Series was the inaugural season of the recently-introduced Fox Sports 1 Championship Series. The series began at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, and would wrap up at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York.

Format

Monster truck qualifying (fastest qualifier gets 1 point)

Monster truck obstacle course (winner gets 1 point)

ATV Heat 1 (no points)

ATV Heat 2 (no points)

Monster truck racing (winner gets 2 points)

ATV Main Heat (no points)

Monster truck freestyle (winner gets 2 points)

• The top 8 qualifiers would compete in racing and the bottom eight would compete in the obstacle course.

• Freestyle was determined by the order the truck placed in the previous event, with first being the lowest scoring truck the last week and last being the highest scoring truck the last week.

Lineup

• Avenger - Jim Koehler
• Bad News Travels Fast - Brandon Derrow
• El Toro Loco - Chuck Werner
• Grave Digger - Charlie Pauken
• Hooked - Steven Sims/Eric Swanson (Anaheim)/Kevin Lewis (Oklahoma City)
• Lucas Oil Crusader - Linsey Weenk
• Madusa - Madusa
• Max D - Neil Elliott/Lupe Soza (Arlington)
• Monster Energy - Damon Bradshaw
• Monster Mutt - Dustin Brown
• Stone Crusher - Steve Sims
• Titan - Donald Epidendio
• Thunder 4X4 - Jim Bendzick
• War Wizard - Darrin Goin
• Wrecking Crew - Steve Koehler
• Zombie - Bari Musawwir

Hosts: Ryan LaCosse, Leslie Mears, Taylor Mock

Events

1. Houston, TX - Jan 3 2015
2. Atlanta, GA - Jan 10 2015
3. Tampa, FL - Jan 17 2015
4. Indianapolis, IN - Jan 24 2015
5. St. Louis, MO - Jan 31 2015
6. Anaheim, CA - Feb 7 2015
7. Oklahoma City, OK - Feb 14-15 (Arena show; no points awarded)
8. Arlington, TX - Feb 21 2015
9. Detroit, MI - Feb 28 2015
10. Syracuse, NY - Mar 7 2015

Results

Hooked in Houston.

Avenger in Atlanta.

Monster Energy in Tampa.

War Wizard in Indianapolis.

Grave Digger in St. Louis.

Zombie in Anaheim.

Wrecking Crew in Arlington.

Zombie in Detroit.

Max-D in Syracuse.

Houston, TX

• Fast qualifier- El Toro Loco
• Obstacle Course winner- Monster Mutt
• Racing winner- Grave Digger
• Freestyle winner- Monster Mutt

Atlanta, GA

• Fast qualifier- Monster Energy
• Obstacle Course winner- Zombie
• Racing winner- Lucas Oil Crusader
• Freestyle winner- Lucas Oil Crusader

Tampa, FL

• Fast qualifier- Monster Energy
• Obstacle Course winner- Monster Mutt
• Racing winner- Lucas Oil Crusader
• Freestyle winner- Hooked

Indianapolis, IN

• Fast qualifier- Max-D
• Obstacle Course winner- Stone Crusher
• Racing winner- Monster Energy
• Freestyle winner- Grave Digger

St. Louis, MO

• Fast qualifier-Monster Energy
• Obstacle Course winner- Zombie
• Racing winner- Max-D
• Freestyle winner- El Toro Loco

Anaheim, CA

• Fast qualifier- Lucas Oil Crusader
• Obstacle Course winner- Zombie
• Racing winner- Max-D
• Freestyle winner- Max-D

Oklahoma City, OK

Saturday afternoon

• Wheelies: Avenger
• Obstacle Course: Zombie
• Racing: Lucas Oil Crusader
• Donuts: Grave Digger
• Freestyle: Grave Digger

Saturday night

• Wheelies: Grave Digger
• Obstacle Course: Lucas Oil Crusader
• Racing: Monster Mutt
• Donuts: Avenger
• Freestyle: Lucas Oil Crusader

Sunday

• Wheelies: Monster Mutt
• Obstacle Course: Grave Digger
• Racing: Zombie
• Donuts: Grave Digger
• Freestyle: Grave Digger

Arlington, TX

• Fast qualifier- Monster Energy
• Obstacle Course winner- Zombie
• Racing winner- Monster Energy
• Freestyle winner- Monster Mutt

Detroit, MI

• Fast qualifier- Monster Energy
• Obstacle Course winner- Zombie
• Racing winner- Max-D
• Freestyle winner- Monster Mutt

Syracuse, NY

• Fast qualifier- Grave Digger
• Obstacle Course winner- Max-D
• Racing winner- Zombie
• Freestyle winner- Grave Digger

Championship & points

The top four in points would be given automatic spots in the World Finals, with the champion being Neil Elliot in Max-D.

1. Max-D- 10
2. Monster Energy- 9
3. Monster Mutt- 8
4. Grave Digger- 8
5. Zombie- 7
6. Lucas Oil Crusader- 6
7. El Toro Loco- 3
8. Hooked- 2
9. Stone Crusher- 1
10. Titan- 0
11. Thunder 4x4- 0
12. Madusa- 0
13. Avenger- 0
14. Bad News Travels Fast- 0
15. War Wizard- 0
16. Wrecking Crew- 0

Trivia

• At the Anaheim event Rob Dyrdek did a special run in a truck called Battlecorn for the series finale of his show Fantasy Factory.
• At the inaugural event in Houston 8 other trucks competed in a freestyle exhibition: Aftershock, Krazy Train, Spike Unleashed, Mega Bite, Outlaw, Barbarian, Rod Ryan Show (on BJ Johnson's Mohawk Warrior) and Metal Mulisha. (Also the Rod Ryan Show did an encore after Digger's wreck).
• Controversy arose as Charlie Pauken won freestyle at Syracuse despite only filling 35 seconds on the clock.
• From the Arlington event onward Jim Koehler had a decal on his roof that said "Rocking Zero Points" and also did his first backflip as an encore in Syracuse.
• In Arlington, Boy Scouts of America and Monster Mutt Rottweiler did a special encore after racing.

  

• Also in Arlington, Lupe Soza, driver of El Toro Loco, filled in for Neil Elliott in Max-D.
• Eric Swanson, driver of Obsessed, filled in for Steven Sims in Hooked during the Anaheim event.
• Steven Sims driving Hooked was able to grab his first win in Tampa

  

  over Thunder 4x4 and Jim Bendzick.
• TV commentary was provided by Scott Douglass and Frank Krmel.

  

• Anaheim was the only event where racing and freestyle had separate episodes.