Dan Runte (nicknamed "Dan the Man") (born May 30th, 1964) is a monster truck driver out of Freeport, Illinois. He has spent his entire career driving for Bigfoot 4X4 and is widely considered to be their best driver.
Career[]
Dan started out with the Bigfoot team as a crew member, before becoming a driver for them in 1989.
In 1992, Runte was named MTRA's Driver of the Year.
In 1993, Runte was named MTRA's Driver of the Year for a second time.
In 1994, Runte finished 2nd in the PENDA Points Championship and was named MTRA's Driver of the Year for a third time.
In 1995, Runte won his first championship with PENDA driving Power Wheels Bigfoot and would be named MTRA's Driver of the Year for the fourth consecutive year.
In 1996, Runte won a second PENDA Points championship.
In 1997, Runte finished 2nd in the PENDA Points Championship again.
In 1998, Runte set a long jump record at 141.1 feet, and was named MTRA's Driver of the Year for a fifth time.
In 1999, Runte broke the record again this time the distance was 144.1 feet. Later that year, he famously jumped a 727 airplane while simultaneously setting a distance world record, jumping 202 feet. Later that year, he was named MTRA's Driver of the Year for a sixth time and he also won the CFP Series Championship.
In 2000, Runte competed and won the Monster Trux 2000 event which was held by ProMT and would finish 2nd in the ProMT Series Championship.
In 2001, Runte won the ProMT championship for the only time in his career.
In 2002, Runte finished 2nd in the ProMT Series Championship for a second time, but would win the CFP Series Championship that year.
In 2003, Runte won the CFP Series Championship for a second year in a row.
In 2004, Runte finished 2nd in the ProMT Series Championship for a third time.
In 2007, Runte won both the MLMT and CFP Series championships.
In 2008, Runte was named MTRA's Driver of the Year for a seventh time.
In 2009, Runte set the 1/8 mile speed record in a monster truck: 86.56 mph.
In 2011, Runte won the 4-Wheel Jamboree Series Championship, and was named MTRA's Driver of the Year for the eighth and final time.
In 2012, Runte retook his distance world record for the fourth and final time, with a jump of over 214 feet and would win his first Toughest Monster Truck Tour Championships and would win every championship until 2016.
In 2018, Runte was absent behind the wheel of the truck, but was present behind the scenes at some shows.
In 2019, Runte returned to drive Bigfoot 21 during the 2019 Toughest Monster Truck Tour for an injured Larry Swim. He was inducted into the International Monster Truck Hall of Fame later that year.
Long jump world records[]
Runte has held the world record for the longest jump in a monster truck four separate times with the latter two being officially recognized by Guinness World Records.
- 1998: 141.1 feet
- 1999: 144.1 feet
- 1999: 202 feet
- 2012: 214.8 feet
Accomplishments[]
- 8x MTRA Driver of the Year (1992-95, 1998-99, 2008, 2011)
- 5x Toughest Monster Truck Tour Series Champion (2012-16)
- 4x CFP Series Champion (1999, 2002, 2003, 2007)
- 3x ProMT Series Championship Runner-up (2000, 2002, 2004)
- 2x Penda Points Champion (1995-96)
- 2x Penda Series Championship Runner-up (1994, 1997)
- 2001 ProMT Series Champion
- 2007 MLMT Series Champion
- 2008 MTRA Driver of the Year
- 2011 4-Wheel Jamboree Series Champion
- 2019 International Monster Truck Hall of Fame inductee
Gallery[]
