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Madusa was a 2008 Ford F-150 monster truck owned by FELD Motorsports. It was driven by and themed after WWE kickboxer Debra "Madusa" Miceli. Originally created in 1999 as one of five WCW-sponsored monster trucks for Monster Jam, Madusa would go on to be one of the most famous monster trucks to ever be driven by a woman. The truck was also a staple and fan favorite in Monster Jam, having competed in every Monster Jam World Finals from 2000-05 and from 2009-16, while also winning two world championships in 2004 and 2005.

History[]

Background[]

Madusa was originally created in 1999.

2000[]

The truck made its debut in Birmingham, Alabama with Debra Miceli behind the wheel. At the time of its debut, the truck featured a 1999 Ford F-150 body style. Madusa and the truck would later be invited to compete in the inaugural Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas.

2002[]

Despite every other WCW themed monster truck being retired due to the company being bought out by the WWE the previous year, Madusa was able to continue competing due to Miceli’s direct involvement with the truck and her having trademarked her wrestling name.

In October, the truck competed in Saint-Denis, France where it won the freestyle competition.

2004[]

Madusa received a new design, featuring a 2004 Ford F-150 body style with an updated paint scheme. That same year, Miceli and the truck would be invited to compete at World Finals V, tying for the world freestyle championship with Lupe Soza in El Toro Loco and Tom Meents in Maximum Destruction with a score of 31.

2005[]

Madusa would win another world championship at World Finals VI, this time in racing, defeating reigning world racing champion Dennis Anderson in Grave Digger.

2006[]

After competing in Monster Jam for only a month, Miceli left Monster Jam in February of that year following pay disputes, resulting in Madusa being retired for the time being.

2007-2008[]

While outside of Monster Jam, Miceli would join Bigfoot 4x4, where she drove Bigfoot Madusa in the Major League of Monster Trucks (MLMT). She would later become vice president of MLMT, serving until the company folded by 2009.

2009[]

Miceli returned to Monster Jam at the start of the 2009 season, resulting in Madusa being brought out of retirement with an updated design and a new chassis that could accommodate three seats. Both truck and driver would later be invited to compete at World Finals X.

In June, Kim Crosby would drive the truck in Panama City, while Debra was competing in Cardiff, marking the only time two Madusa trucks competed on the same day.

2010[]

Madusa would receive a special Breast Cancer Awareness-themed paint scheme as part of the encore performances at World Finals XI (while also running on the El Matador chassis). However, the truck would crash after hitting its first obstacle, while breaking off a wheel in the process.

2011[]

The truck received a new pink paint scheme, which stuck for the rest of the truck's lifespan.

2012[]

The truck received a new chassis.

2014[]

In October, Debra was injured during the Australia tour, leading to BJ Johnson filling-in for the rest of the year, even picking up a racing win in Adelaide, becoming the only male competitor to ever drive the truck.

2015[]

Madusa was selected as one of sixteen trucks to compete in the inaugural Fox Sports 1 Championship Series. Debra would be unable to compete at World Finals XVI, as she was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame that same year, leading to Brianna Mahon driving the truck in the Young Guns Shootout at the World Finals. The truck also received a special red, white, and blue paint scheme for the event, which was not only a throwback to the previous Madusa paint scheme, but also to celebrate Miceli’s 15th anniversary of driving monster trucks.

2016[]

Throughout the first quarter, Madusa's chassis would temporarily run as Zombie, under various drivers, as Miceli had suffered an injury in late January of that year.

In March, Mahon returned to driving the truck to cover for her at World Finals XVII.

In April, Mahon would drove the truck again in East Rutherford, before Debra returned in June. Madusa would compete in select European events in the fall, with Mahon driving the truck once again in Frankfurt Germany.

In September, it was announced that 2017 would be Madusa's "Farewell Tour", as Miceli was set to retire by the end of that season. To celebrate Madusa’s “Farewell Tour,” the truck was to be given a new chrome paint scheme for the occasion. However, Miceli suffered another injury that resulted in her being unable to drive for the season. The paint scheme would ultimately be scrapped, and Madusa would ultimately be retired following Miceli’s retirement from competition.

2020[]

Debra would briefly return to driving monster trucks in Australia throughout the first quarter of 2020, driving a brand-new Madusa truck for the occasion, before being cut short again, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Events competed[]

2000
Date Event Driver Notes
January 7-8th Birmingham, AL Debra Miceli
January 14-15th Greensboro, NC
January 21-22nd Greensville, SC
January 29th Houston, TX Won Freestyle
February 5th Anaheim, CA First TV appearance
February 11-12th Oklahoma City, OK
February 18-19th Uniondale, NY
February 26th Minneapolis, MN
March 4th Jacksonville, FL
March 11th Pontiac, MI
March 25th Las Vegas, NV (World Finals I)
May 21st Salinas, CA
December 30th St. Louis, MO
2001
Date Event Driver Notes
January 6th Houston, TX Debra Miceli
January 13-14th San Antonio, TX Won Freestyle, both shows
January 20th Minneapolis, MN Won Freestyle
January 27th Anaheim, CA
February 3rd San Diego, CA
February 9-11th Philadelphia, PA
February 16-18th Uniondale, NY
February 23-25th Baltimore, MD
March 3rd Jacksonville, FL
March 10th Pontiac, MI
March 24th Las Vegas, NV (World Finals II)
August 18th Concord, NC
2002
Date Event Driver Notes
January 3-5th Oakland, CA Debra Miceli
January 12th Anaheim, CA
January 18-20th Reno, NV Won Freestyle, Show 1
January 26th Anaheim, CA
February 1-2nd San Jose, CA Won:
  • Racing, Show 1
  • Freestyle, Shows 1 and 2
February 8-10th Portland, OR
March 9th Pontiac, MI
March 23rd Las Vegas, NV (World Finals III)
June 29th Salt Lake City, UT
October ?? Red Bluff, CA
October 19th Saint-Denis, France Won Freestyle
2003
Date Event Driver Notes
January 4th St. Louis, MO Debra Miceli
January 11th Atlanta, GA
January 18th Pontiac, MI
January 25th Indianapolis, IN
February 1st Houston, TX
February 7-9th Portland, OR
February 28th Jacksonville, FL Won Freestyle
March 15th Pontiac, MI
March 22nd Las Vegas, NV (World Finals IV)
June 12-16th Dearborn, MI (Ford 100th Anniversary event)
October 3-5th Red Bluff, CA
November 29th Minneapolis, MN
2004
Date Event Driver Notes
January 10-11th San Antonio, TX Debra Miceli
January 17th Tampa, FL
January 24th Miami, FL Won Racing
January 31st San Diego, CA
February 6-8th Winnipeg, MB
February 13-15th Rosemont, IL
February 21st San Francisco, CA Won Freestyle
February 28th Jacksonville, FL Won Freestyle
March 6th El Paso, TX
March 20th Las Vegas, NV (World Finals V) Won Freestyle championship
July 12-14th West Lebanon, NY Won Racing, Shows 1 and 3
September 10-12th Antwerp, Belgium
October 22-24th Stockholm, Sweden
October 29-30th Helsinki, Sweden Won:
  • Wheelies, Show 2
  • Freestyle, Show 2
December 4th Minneapolis, MN
2005
Date Event Driver Notes
January 8th Atlanta, GA Debra Miceli
January 15th New Orleans, LA
January 22nd Tampa, FL
January 29th Orlando, FL
February 4-5th Columbia, SC Won:
  • Racing, Show 1
  • Freestyle, both shows
February 11-13th Pittsburgh, PA
February 18-20th Philadelphia, PA Won Freestyle, Show 3
February 25th Jacksonville, FL
March 5th Pontiac, MI
March 19th Las Vegas, NV (World Finals VI) Won Racing championship
May 15th Salinas, CA Won Racing
August 12-14th Manchester, England
August 19-21st Birmingham, England
September 17th Arnhem, Netherlands
September 23-25th Zurich, Switzerland
October 7-9th Antwerp, Belgium
October 21-23rd Milano, Italy Won:
  • Racing, Show 4
  • Donuts, Shows 1 and 4
October 29-30th Prague, Czechia
November 4-6th Helsinki, Finland Won Racing, Show 4
November 11-13th Stockholm, Sweden Won Racing, Show 3
2006
Date Event Driver Notes
January 7th Pontiac, MI Debra Miceli
January 13-14th Washington, D.C. Won:
  • Wheelies, Shows 1 and 2
  • Freestyle, all 3 shows
January 20-21st Manchester, NH Won:
  • Wheelies, Show 2
  • Donuts, Show 3
  • Freestyle, Show 1
January 28th Orlando, FL
February 4th Houston, TX
February 10-12th Uniondale, NY
February 17-18th Raliegh, NC Won:
  • Wheelies, both shows
  • Donuts, Show 1
  • Freestyle, Show 1
February 25th Jacksonville, FL Won Freestyle
2009
Date Event Driver Notes
January 17-18th Toronto, ON Debra Miceli
January 23-24th Washington, D.C. Won Racing, Show 2
January 30-31st East Rutherford, NJ Won Wheelies, Show 3
February 6-7th Knoxville, TN Won:
  • Wheelies, Show 1
  • Donuts, Show 2
February 13-14th Charlotte, NC
February 21st St. Louis, MO
February 28th Jacksonville, FL
March 6-7th El Paso, TX
March 28th Las Vegas, NV (World Finals X)
April 17-18th San Jose, Costa Rica Won Racing, Show 2
May 30th Chorzow, Poland
June 6th Cardiff, Wales
June 6-7th Panama City, Panama Kim Crosby
June 13th Gothenburg, Sweden Debra Miceli
August 14-15th Sunrise, FL
September 26-27th Arnhem, Holland
October 24th Barcelona, Spain
November 7-8th Mexico City, Mexico
December 5th Minneapolis, MN
2010
Date Event Driver Notes
January 8-9th Des Moines, IA Debra Miceli Won Freestyle, Show 3
January 16th Anaheim, CA
January 22-24th Hidalgo, TX
January 29-30th Greenville, SC Won:
  • Racing, Shows 2 and 3
  • Freestyle, Show 1
February 6th Anaheim, CA
February 12-14th Salt Lake City, UT
February 19-21st Spokane, WA Won Freestyle, Show 1
February 27th Oakland, CA
March 6-7th Winnipeg, MB
March 12-14th Reno, NV Won:
  • Wheelies, Show 4
  • Freestyle; Shows 1, 3, and 4
March 27th Las Vegas, NV (World Finals XI)
April 17th San Jose, Costa Rica
May 29-30th Panama City, Panama
November 12-14th Guadalajara, Mexico Won Wheelies, Show 1
November 20-21st Mexico City, Mexico
2011
Date Event Driver Notes
January 7-9th Rochester, NY Debra Miceli Won Racing, Show 2
January 15th Anaheim, CA
January 22nd Tampa, FL
January 29th Phoenix, AZ
February 5th Houston, TX
February 11-12th Rockford, IL
February 19-20th London, ON
February 26th Arlington, TX
March 4-5th Wichita Falls, TX
March 12th Syracuse, NY
March 26th Las Vegas, NV (World Finals XII)
May 28-29th Derby, England
June 11th Madrid, Spain
September 24-25th Arnhem, Holland
October 1st Wroclaw, Poland
November 12th Barcelona, Spain
2012
Date Event Driver Notes
January 6-7th Tulsa, OK Debra Miceli Won Wheelies, Show 2
January 14th Atlanta, GA
January 21st Tampa, FL
January 28th Orlando, FL
February 4th Tampa, FL
February 17-18th Hampton, VA
February 24-26th Cleveland, OH
March 3rd Jacksonville, FL
March 9-10th Baton Rouge, LA
March 25th Las Vegas, NV (World Finals XIII)
June 2nd Baltimore, MD
June 9th Philadelphia, PA
June 16th East Rutherford, NJ
September 28-30th Mexico City, Mexico
October 5-7th Monterrey, Mexico Won Wheelies, Show 2
December 1st Minneapolis, MN
2013
Date Event Driver Notes
January 4-5th Columbus, OH Debra Miceli
January 12th Houston, TX
January 19th Tampa, FL
January 26th Orlando, FL
February 2nd Houston, TX
February 9th Miami, FL
February 16th Atlanta, GA
February 23rd Jacksonville, FL
March 2-3rd Baltimore, MD Won Racing, Show 3
March 8-10th Toledo, OH
March 24th Las Vegas, NV (World Finals XIV)
June 8th Baltimore, MD
June 15th East Rutherford, NJ
October 19th Sydney, Australia
2014
Date Event Driver Notes
January 3-4th Nashville, TN Debra Miceli
January 11th Anaheim, CA
January 18th San Diego, CA
January 25th Phoenix, AZ
February 1st St. Louis, MO
February 7-9th Rosemont, IL
February 14-15th East Rutherford, NJ
February 22nd Jacksonville, FL
Feb. 28-Mar. 2nd Wilkes-Barre, PA
March 7-9th Bridgeport, CT Won Racing, Shows 1 and 4
March 21-22nd Las Vegas, NV (World Finals XV)
April 4-5th Louisville, KY
April 11-12th Raleigh, NC
April 26-27th Austin, TX
May 17-18th Moline, IL
June 14th East Rutherford, NJ
June 21st Foxborough, MA
July 26-27th Stafford Springs, CT
August 1-2nd New Weston, OH
August 14-15th Sunrise, FL
September 27th Brisbane, Australia
October 4th Melbourne, Australia
October 11th Adelaide, Australia BJ Johnson Won Racing
October 18th Sydney, Australia
November 1-2nd Auckland, New Zealand
2015
Date Event Driver Notes
January 3rd Houston, TX Debra Miceli
January 10th Atlanta, GA
January 17th Tampa, FL
January 24th Indianapolis, IN
January 31st St. Louis, MO
February 7th Anaheim, CA
February 13-14th Salt Lake City, UT
February 21st Arlington, TX
February 28th Detroit, MI
March 7th Syracuse, NY
March 13-15th Allentown, PA
March 26th Las Vegas, NV (World Finals XVI) Brianna Mahon Young Gun Shootout only
April 10-11th Rockford, IL Debra Miceli Won Wheelies, Show 1
April 17-18th Wichita Falls, TX
April 25-26th Hamilton, ON
June 13th East Rutherford, NJ
June 20th Foxborough, MA
July 17-19th Hagerstown, MD
July 25-26th Stafford Springs, CT Won Donuts, Shows 1 and 3
August 7-8th Sunrise, FL
October 3rd Brisbane, Australia
October 10th Melbourne, Australia
October 17th Sydney, Australia
October 24th Perth, Australia
2016
Date Event Driver Notes
January 16th Anaheim, CA Debra Miceli
January 23-24th San Diego, CA
January 30th Glendale, AZ
February 20th Oakland, CA
March 18-19th Las Vegas, NV (World Finals XVII) Brianna Mahon
April 23rd East Rutherford, NJ
June 18th Nashville, TN Debra Miceli
June 25th Foxborough, MA
July 2nd Rotterdam, The Netherlands
September 17th Gothenburg, Sweden
October 8th Frankfurt, Germany Brianna Mahon Final event

World Finals appearances[]

Year Driver Results
2000 Debra Miceli Qualifying: N/A Racing: defeated in round 2 by Gunslinger Freestyle: 5th (34)
2001 Qualifying: 9th (17.81) Racing: defeated in round 1 by Predator Freestyle: 6th (33)
2002 Qualifying: 8th (17.84) Racing: defeated in round 1 by Gunslinger Freestyle: 12th (19)
2003 Qualifying: 8th (18.10) Racing: defeated in round 2 by Bounty Hunter Freestyle: 4th (32)
2004 Qualifying: 6th (17.81) Racing: defeated Little Tiger in round 1, however, crashed and couldn't return Freestyle: 1st (31)
2005 Qualifying: 2nd (17.22) Racing: defeated Grave Digger in the finals Freestyle: 18th (13)
2009 Qualifying: 16th (17.37) Racing: defeated in round 3 by Safe Auto Minimizer Freestyle: 19th (16)
2010 Qualifying: 12th (16.72) Racing: defeated in round 1 by Avenger Freestyle: 13th (12)
2011 Qualifying: 18th (17.50) Racing: defeated in round 1 by Spider-Man Freestyle: 11th (22)
2012 Qualifying: 19th (17.456) Racing: defeated in round 1 by Grinder Freestyle: 23rd (11)
2013 Qualifying: 23rd (17.618) Racing: defeated in round 1 by Madusa Freestyle: 21st (16)
2014 Qualifying: 28th (18.137) Racing: defeated in round 1 by Grave Digger the Legend Freestyle: 29th (8.5)
2015 Brianna Mahon Young Guns Shootout: defeated in round 1 by Heavy Hitter
2016 Qualifying: 31st (17.065) Racing: defeated in round 1 by Grave Digger Freestyle: 12th (24.5)

Video game appearances[]

Trivia[]

  • The name Madusa actually stands for "Made in the USA", while also being a play on the name "Medusa."
  • On the Breast Cancer Madusa body, Madusa stood for "Making A Difference in the USA".
  • Despite Madusa being known for its backflip attempts, Miceli was not actually the first female driver to successfully attempt the stunt. Kaila Savage in Heart Breaker performed the stunt in 2011, while Madusa successfully attempted its first backflip in 2013.
  • Although the official Farewell Tour body never came to fruition, there was a special variant of Madusa which featured a special Farewell Tour decal on the roof, which was run exclusively in European events throughout 2016.
  • Throughout its diecast releases, the same Madusa variant has never appeared in more than one year in the Hot Wheels Monster Jam line. In other words, a specific Madusa scheme would only be released for a certain year and never be released again. This is also one reason why Madusa has two of the rarest Hot Wheels diecast releases.
  • After Miceli left Monster Jam in 2006, the SPEED TV intro for the season was edited to remove all references to Madusa. The CGI model of Madusa was replaced with a model of Blue Thunder and the commentary lines of Scott Douglass saying Madusa had won the racing championship were cut out. All footage of Madusa playing in the background was also removed. This also primarily affected Bounty Hunter, as the commentary references to Jimmy Creten winning the freestyle championship were also cut out, though the CGI model of the truck was left in. Blue Thunder replacing Madusa in the intro was likely done in reference to the truck tying Bounty Hunter for the freestyle title, but losing via tiebreaker.

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