High Roller was a 1999 Ford F-350 Super Duty monster truck owned by Clear Channel Entertainment and competed from 2001-2004. The truck was made to advertise the Monster Jam World Finals throughout the winter season, but despite its theming, the truck never competed at any World Finals events.
History[]
2000[]
A concept drawing of High Roller appears in advertisements for the pay-per view of World Finals II advertised from mid 2000 to March 2001.
2001[]
In December, High Roller officially debuts at the 2002 season opener in Minneapolis on the former Bulldozer chassis from the prior year. Rookie driver and former crew member Neil Elliott pilots High Roller under Team Meents, making it to the final round of racing.
2002[]
The truck debuts its iconic poker chip wheel covers at the second event of the season in Houston.
In March, High Roller's chassis was used to run Hot Wheels under Eldon DePew at World Finals III.
Rob Knell would drive the truck in Virginia Beach.
2003[]
Neil moved to the second Maximum Destruction, leading to rookie driver Phil Foster taking over as the main driver of the original front engine High Roller for the main stadium shows. Meanwhile, a second rear engine High Roller on a PEI chassis was piloted by Ron Nelson for smaller and more local events.
In February, Rob Knell drives the truck again in Tampa 2003 while Phil drives Bulldozer in Toronto.
In March, truck was run on the Ragin' Steel chassis for the second Pontiac 2003 event under Steve Reynolds, while Ron uses the truck's proper chassis for El Toro Loco.
During the summer, Ron was involved in a violent mid-air collision with Grave Digger while driving High Roller in Yakima, Washington. Currently, no footage or photos of this crash has been released to the public, but Charlie Pauken has confirmed this had happened. Meanwhile, Foster drives the truck on the Bulldozer chassis at West Lebanon during the Summer Heat series and drives it for a final time in Montreal, during the 2004 season opener.
2004[]
The primary High Roller truck is converted into Hot Wheels for the 2004 season, under Phil and as such, the PEI High Roller becomes the main full-time truck and Lonny Childress steps in as the new driver for the season. He would win racing in Vancouver. Its chassis is used for Advance Auto Parts Metal Monster for the World Finals V pit party. Afterwards, Lonny retired from driving and High Roller was discontinued.
2005[]
The PEI chassis was then converted into the second Bulldozer truck for the 2005 season under Lonny's brother, Jason Childress.
2010[]
The truck was made into diecast form by Hot Wheels after having been originally cancelled in 2005 for unknown reasons.
Events competed in[]
| 2001 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Driver | Notes |
| December 1st | Minneapolis, MN | Neil Elliott | Debut |
| 2002 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Driver | Notes |
| January 5th | Houston, TX | Neil Elliott | |
| January 12th | Atlanta, GA | ||
| January 19th | Tampa, FL | ||
| January 26th | Indianapolis, IN | ||
| February 2nd | Houston, TX | ||
| February 8-9th | Roanoke, VA | ||
| February 22-23rd | Dayton, OH | ||
| March 2nd | Jacksonville, FL | ||
| March 9th | Pontiac, MI | ||
| March 16th | Minneapolis, MN | ||
| April 19-21st | Fresno, CA | Won Racing, Shows 2 and 3 | |
| April 26-28th | Santa Rosa, CA | ||
| May 19th | Salinas, CA | ||
| July 15-17th | West Lebanon, NY | ||
| July 22-23rd | Springfield, IL | ||
| November 16th | Houston, TX | ||
| December 7th | Minneapolis, MN | ||
| 2003 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Driver | Notes |
| January 4th | Houston, TX | Phil Foster | |
| January 4-5th | Dallas, TX | Ron Nelson | Won:
|
| January 11th | Atlanta, GA | Phil Foster | |
| January 11-12th | San Antonio, TX | Ron Nelson | |
| January 18th | Tampa, FL | Rob Knell | |
| Houston, TX | Ron Nelson | ||
| January 25th | Indianapolis, IN | Phil Foster | |
| February 1st | Orlando, FL | ||
| February 1-2nd | Laredo, TX | Ron Nelson | Won:
|
| February 7-8th | Peoria, IL | Phil Foster | Won Racing, Show 3 |
| February 15th | San Diego, CA | Ron Nelson | |
| February 22-23rd | Baltimore, MD | Phil Foster | Won Racing, Show 3 |
| February 28th | Jacksonville, FL | ||
| March 15th | Minneapolis, MN | ||
| Pontiac, MI | Steve Reynolds | ||
| March 21-22nd | Nampa, ID | Phil Foster | |
| May 31st | Syracuse, NY | ||
| July 14-16th | West Lebanon, NY | ||
| July 18-20th | Hagerstown, MD | ||
| October 25th | Montreal, QB | ||
| 2004 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Driver | Notes |
| January 10-11th | Denver, CO | Lonny Childress | Won Freestyle, Show 1 |
| January 16-18th | Reno, NV | Won Freestyle, Show 4 | |
| January 23-24th | Sacramento, CA | Won Freestyle, Show 1 | |
| January 31st | Vancouver, BC | Won Racing | |
| February 6-7th | Columbia, SC | Won:
| |
| February 13-14th | Oklahoma City, OK | Final event | |
Trivia[]
- Both versions of the Hot Wheels diecast for the truck had the decals on that are on the hood of the truck also placed on the tailgate of the truck, instead of having specific dates for the World Finals of each year, as the real truck runs. This was likely to help in giving the truck a more general design, rather then catering to one particular year.
- In 2003, drivers had their locations based on the theme of the truck, Phil Foster location is Las Vegas, Nevada (despite its true location his Paxton, Illinois) showing how the truck is an advertisement for the World Finals.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Screenshot 20190304-183448(1).jpg (499 KB)")
.jpg "2010 30-High Roller (2).jpg (419 KB)")
.jpg "2010 30-High Roller (5).jpg (401 KB)")
.jpg "2010 30-High Roller (3).jpg (418 KB)")
Video[]
