Gunslinger (often structured as "Gun Slinger" or "GunSlinger") is/was a Ford F-150 monster truck owned and driven by Scott Hartsock of Hartsock Racing out of Bushnell, Florida. Gunslinger was a staple and a fan favorite in multiple monster truck leagues, most notably Monster Jam, where the truck competed in six Monster Jam World Finals and has won multiple championships. The truck is known its famous slogan, "Cocked, Locked, and Ready to Rock."
History[]
1992[]
Gunslinger was originally created in 1992 and later debuted on August 24th, with Scott Hartsock behind the wheel. At the time of its creation, the truck featured a leaf spring chassis and a steel body. After the original truck suffered severe damage after performing an endo, a brand-new Gunslinger was constructed as a replacement the same year. While it still featured leaf spring suspension, the truck featured a brand-new fiberglass body style.
1993[]
The second Gunslinger began competition in January and competed until 1994, when Hartsock sold the truck to Steve Woodward, who converted it into Ground Pounder.
1994-1999[]
The third Gunslinger chassis was constructed in late 1994, with the truck being completed in time for its first show by the start of the 1995 season. Unlike the previous two trucks, this one featured a tube chassis and coil-over shocks. The truck would eventually begin competing in Monster Jam, where Hartsock and the truck would rise to stardom. Meanwhile, Gunslinger continued to utilize its original Ford F-150 body style until 1999, when it received a new 1999 Ford F-150 body style.
2000[]
The 2000's were arguably the most successful period for Hartsock in Gunslinger. During the 2000 season, both truck and driver won multiple championships, and were later invited to compete in Monster Jam World Finals I in Las Vegas. During the event, they advanced all the way to the final round of racing only to be defeated by Tom Meents in Goldberg.
2001[]
Hartsock and Gunslinger would again be invited to compete in the Monster Jam World Finals. Although the truck would win its race in round one against Dan Evans in Destroyer, the truck slammed into the wall protection and was unable to compete in freestyle.
2002[]
Gunslinger would be invited to compete in the World Finals yet again. Hartsock and the truck would be eliminated in round two of racing by Tom Meents in Team Meents, but would finish eleventh in freestyle, with a performance that famously involved a massive leap as its final move and broke a shock. This would Scott's last World Finals freestyle until 2010, as he would blow the engine in racing at his next 2 World Finals appearances.
2003[]
In the year following, Hartsock and Gunslinger would become famous for breaking Meents’ fourteen-win racing streak at the World Finals. However, they would be unable to compete in freestyle as the truck suffered a blown engine in its race in the semi-final round against Brian Barthel in Wolverine. Gunslinger had a brief sponsorship with GMC and Mercury during this time.
2005[]
GunSlinger used a 2002 Chevrolet Silverado body style in 2005 and 2006. Gunslinger was invited in the World Finals again in 2005, but once again suffered a blown engine in racing and could not freestyle.
2006[]
Its teammate truck Cowboy debuted and competed until 2009.
2007[]
In 2007, the truck debuted an all-new chassis, body, and paint scheme in Atlanta.
2010[]
Gunslinger received another new chassis and paint scheme, both of which first appeared in Atlanta that year. Hartsock and the truck would later be invited to compete in Monster Jam World Finals XI, which not only would be their first World Finals appearance in five years but would also be their last World Finals appearance altogether.
2012[]
The truck ran as Birdie for a commercial in the Netherlands.
2013[]
Gunslinger received a new design, being a Ford F-150 trophy truck body style featuring a cowboy character on the side, which was first unveiled to the public in Birmingham.
2014[]
Scott's son, Michael Hartsock drives the truck in Ocala, Florida. This is the first recorded time of someone else driving Gunslinger other than Scott himself.
2015[]
Michael Hartsock drives the truck again in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
2017[]
Beginning in late 2016, the promoter of Monster Jam, FELD Entertainment, made the controversial decision to censor firearms, as well as any connections with firearms on monster trucks. As a result, the Gunslinger team created the truck’s alter-ego, Slinger, which began competition in the 2017 FS1 Championship Series East. Meanwhile, the Gunslinger name would continue to be run on and off the truck exclusively in events outside of the Monster Jam circuit.
2018[]
A new chassis would be constructed in October.
2019[]
Gunslinger would win the Full Throttle Monster Trucks Championship.
2021[]
The truck primarily competed in select Monster Jam and Monster Truckz events throughout the season. The truck would also win the racing competition during the fifth show in Biloxi.
Death of Scott Hartsock[]
On July 16th, 2021, Hartsock was killed while on route to a Monster Truckz show in Jackson, Mississippi. The truck was eventually retired after Hartsock's passing.
2022[]
In late 2022, the Hartsock family announced on Facebook that they are in the process of selling the truck and hauler. The hauler has since been sold.
2023[]
The third chassis would be sold to Chris Keyes and become Catty Wampus.
World Finals appearances[]
| Year | Driver | Results | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Scott Hartsock | Racing: defeated Carolina Crusher in round 21 | ||
| 2000 | Qualifying: n/a | Racing: defeated by Goldberg in the finals | Freestyle: 5th (34) | |
| 2001 | Qualifying: 3rd (16.42) | Racing: defeated The Destroyer in round 12 | ||
| 2002 | Qualifying: 9th (18.07) | Racing: defeated in round 2 by Team Meents | Freestyle: 11th (20) | |
| 2003 | Qualifying: 5th (17.47) | Racing: defeated in the semi-finals by Wolverine (dnf)3 | ||
| 2005 | Qualifying: 3rd (17.49) | Racing: defeated in round 2 by King Krunch (dnf)4 | ||
| 2010 | Qualifying: 22nd (21.43) | Racing: defeated in round 3 by Blue Thunder | Freestyle: 18th (8) | |
Notes[]
- 1Crossed the line first however, broke and couldn't return.
- 2Crossed the line first however, crashes head on into the wall protection and couldn't return.
- 3Blew the engine.
- 4Blew the engine.
Video game appearances[]
- Monster Jam: Maximum Destruction
- Monster 4X4: Masters of Metal
- Monster Jam: Path of Destruction
- Monster Jam Showdown (On Bad Company's Tailgate as a tribute to Scott Hartsock)
Trivia[]
- Gunslinger holds the record for having missed the most freestyle competitions at the World Finals (along with Hot Wheels), having missed three in six appearances. Gunslinger missed freestyle at World Finals II, due to the truck crashing head-on into the wall protection. Gunslinger later missed World Finals IV and VI freestyles, due to blowing the engine in racing.
- In a strange coincidence, all these absences came at even-numbered World Finals (2, 4 and 6), while Gunslinger freestyled at all the odd-numbered World Finals in which it appeared (1, 3 and 11).
- Gunslinger is one of three independently owned trucks to have advanced to the championship race at the Monster Jam World Finals, the others being Bounty Hunter & Wild Side
- Although the truck's censorship was made official in 2017, this was not the first time Gunslinger had been renamed "Slinger", as the first instance of this censorship was in 2000 for the Rev N'Go toy release of Gunslinger, 17 years before Gunslinger was officially censored as Slinger.
- Matt Rhoda and Chris Ledford created a song called “High Noon (Gunslinger)” which was a song specifically made as a theme song for the truck. It was used from 2O03 - 2OO5, but was also occasionally used in 2010.
- Jerry Bernardo, the host of Inside Monster Jam in 1997, drove the truck as a test run for volume 3 of the show.
Gallery[]
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