Excaliber is a 1983 Chevrolet Silverado monster truck owned by Tomfoolery Motorsports since 2021. Originally created by Dave Marquart and Mike Nickel in 1985, Tim Bush and Charlie Pauken would later acquire the name until Pauken retired in 1998. Bush held the name until 2021, when Tomfoolery Motorsports acquired the name from him and began running their version in 2023. Today, the truck is driven by Michael Pagliarulo.
History[]
1985[]
Dave Marquart and Mike Nickel built Excaliber in 1985. This was the first monster truck designed in a CAD program (Computer Assisted Design) as this was Marquart’s expertise. The truck debuted with a silver body with red lettering.
1987[]
The truck got its first version of the iconic black scheme. Later that same year, the scheme was updated again and the truck received update 1985 sheet metal following a crash with Marquart at the wheel. Marquart had for a time taken over full time driving when Nickell broke his back while competing.
1988[]
Charlie Pauken began to split driving duties with Dave Marquart, after Nickell broke his back driving for the second time at the wheel. There was also an incident when Mike had made a bet that his truck could float like a boat. To demonstrate this, he had driven out to a quarry. Manhood and money on the line, his first strategy was to dive in nose first, but the nose of the truck being heavy, it wouldn't float, so he turned around and tried backing in instead. When he did this, the near weightless bed of the truck began to float immediately. But once the front came off of the ledge, the truck leaned forward on its heavy nose, and rolled on the driver's side until it began floating upside-down. Mike and an unnamed passenger got out safely, but they had to pull out the truck with a crane. Excaliber suffered minor water damage and was fixed within a week.
1990[]
The truck would begin to be slowly stripped for weight. The signature light bar was removed and replaced with a red cab extension. That same year, design and construction of a new Excaliber began. The truck featured a full tube chassis with double shackled leaf springs to help with spring movement and long travel shocks on each corner, as well as a low CG cradle design.
1991[]
The truck debuted along side Excaliber 1 in Fort Wayne, Indiana with Dave Marquart at the wheel. The debut was not what the team had hoped for as Marquart landed sideways on the concrete, blowing the right front tire and bending the rim. The new truck was however quite advanced in its time. The inboard mounted fuel cell was protected completely from outside contact, and the double halo roll cage would prove to be invaluable in the summer of 1991.
At a Thunder Nationals event in Mansfield, Ohio, in the final round race with Willie Weaver in Rambo, the Rambo machine would veer left between jumps and go end over end causing its left rear tire to collide directly with the cockpit of Excaliber. The steel body Rambo was heavily damaged, and Pauken was dazed. Those on the scene recall Pauken’s helmet having black marks on it and a piece of the fiberglass Excaliber body being stuck between the rim and tire of Rambo. Both trucks and drivers would return the following afternoon to compete in show two with Pauken making it to the finals against Lyle Hancock in Grave Digger 5.
Earlier in 1991, with Pauken behind the wheel of Excaliber 1, the plan for the new year was to have Charlie stay at the wheel of the older truck while Marquart would run the new truck at other events. This plan would quickly change at a Thunder Nationals event in Albany, Georgia. The throttle stuck on Excaliber 1 and sent Pauken under the balcony seating and into a brick wall. Pauken was pinned in the cab when the balcony pushed the entire dash section and steering wheel into his lap. He would break one of his toes in the accident. Pauken would be permanently given the seat in the new truck as the original Excaliber was sold.
1993[]
Charlie and Tim Bush would purchase Excaliber 2 and the complete operation, as well as become a multi-champion in Thunder Nationals.
1998-2005[]
Pauken would announce his retirement, only to return the next year to drive Grave Digger. Tim Bush retained ownership of the truck before selling it to Bruce Haney, however Bush would continue to hold the name trademark until 2021.
2006[]
Sudden Impact Racing debuted their own version of Excaliber through Tim Bush’s Michigan based shop using the old Sudden Impact chassis. They would then make a new chassis for an even newer version.
2010[]
Bush debuted a retro themed Excaliber body on an SIR chassis to much fan acclaim, and would win the racing competition in Jacksonville.
2012-2013[]
Dave Marquart passed away on January 16th, 2012. After Bush parted ways with SIR, Jon Zimmer would drive Excaliber on RB Moler’s Mountaineer Motorsports XXX chassis under Bush, until Zimmer went on to drive Grave Digger in 2013. Hot Wheels made the original Excaliber as part of the Then and Now series that same year.
2016-2020[]
Each former driver would be inducted into the International Monster Truck Hall of Fame:
- Charlie Pauken (2016)
- Mike Nickel (2018)
- Dave Marquart (2020)
2021[]
It was announced that the Excaliber name had been acquired by Tomfoolery Motorsports. That same year, Charlie Pauken announced plans to restore the second Excaliber chassis from 1991.
2023[]
The truck made its debut at the Monster Jam World Finals XXII pit party. Later on, the truck made its competition debut in Mansfield, Ohio and made its Monster Jam debut on August 4th, 2023 in Savannah, Georgia under Michael Pagliarulo. During the Duluth events, the truck would switch to gold rims.
Chuckie Pauken III drives the truck in Benson NC.
2024[]
The truck makes its stadium debut in Nashville, driven by Mike Pagliarulo. This was Excaliber's first stadium show since 2012, when it still ran under Sudden Impact Racing. The truck made its first video game appearance in Monster Jam Showdown. The truck would win timed racing in Pensacola at show 1.
2025[]
Charlie Pauken lll leaves the team & is now a crew member for Send It Motorsports. The truck made its full-season return to Monster Jam, competing on Stadium Championship Series West, with Mike behind the wheel. Mike would get his first career overall event championship at a non points event in Kansas City at show 3. He would follow that up two weeks later with a freestyle win in Miami. He would then grab another freestyle win a few events later during one of the Minneapolis shows. The truck would debut new flashback design, that being the 1987 design at the penultimate event of the series in Denver. Mike finished 7th in the final standings. The design is used again at an independent show in Arizona. The truck made its official Monster Jam World Finals debut in July with Mike driving. The original gray design would be used at the Friday show. The body was destroyed in freestyle, so for day 2, the 1987 design was used for racing.
Drivers[]
- Mike Pagliarulo (Since 2023)
Former drivers[]
- Mike Nickel (1985-1991)
- Dave Marquart (1985-1988)
- Charlie Pauken (1988-1998)
- Sean Duhon
- Kristy Edge
- John Killenger
- Carl Van Horn (2010)
- Jon Zimmer Sr.
- David Brown
- Kevin Koszala
- Chris Ryan
- Charlie Pauken III (2023-2024?)
World Finals appearances[]
| Year | Driver | Results |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 (Monster Truck Challenge) | Charlie Pauken | Defeated Bigfoot in the finals |
| 1994 (West Division) | Defeated in the semi-finals by Taurus | |
| 2023 | N/A | Display only |
| 2025 | Michael Pagliarulo | TBA |
Video game appearances[]
Trivia[]
- The truck’s name is based on the famous sword of the same name which King Arthur held, but spelled differently from the original. The owners wanted something different. The original sword was spelled with a 'u'. (Excalibur) There is also a car that is spelled this way, with a 'u'.
- The truck was known for running harder than most other truck in the 1980's. The truck was able to take the hard driving more times than not.
- Excaliber is one of a handful of trucks to do a race backwards. Excaliber did it against Bearfoot in straight line Thunder Nationals race. Black Stallion also did it against Thrasher in Durham, New Hampshire in 2001. Rambo was known to have done this several times in the late 1980's and early 1990's. See Reverse Race.
- The first Excaliber chassis would be turned into a ride truck and is owned by Rick Romanini.
- The second Excaliber built in 1991 is currently owned by Charlie Pauken.
- Charlie would take the steering wheel off, hold it out of the window, then do his donut attempt for donut competitions.
- Tim Bush planned an Excaliber revival in 2004 and intended it to run on the Sandman chassis, however, the plans would fall through.
Gallery[]
