The cover of the 1998 USA Motorsports yearbook.
USA Motorsports (United Sports of America) was formed in Kansas City, Missouri in 1980 and sanctioned arena & stadium motorsports events from the early 1980's until 1998, when the company was bought out by PACE Motorsports (Monster Jam). USA Motorsports, much like USHRA, originally focused on tractor pulling and mud racing, but adopted monster truck competition by the mid 1980's and eventually featured them as the main act.
Grave Digger racing Coors Extra Gold at a USA Motorsports event.
For the monster trucks, USA Motorsports would often have very difficult turning courses at their events with sharp turns and sometimes large dirt hills in the turns if it were a Chicago Style track. The 1995 Salt Lake City, Utah event was featured in the home video There Goes A Monster Truck.
Smoke Craft Jerky Maker racing Snake Bite at the 1995 Salt Lake City, Utah event.
The USA Motorsports Monster Truck Challenge began in 1997 as USA Motorsports received their first television series on TNN's Motor Madness with commentators Ralph Sheheen and Mike Galloway. Dusty Rhodes would join them on commentary in 1998, as the program was starting to incorporate scripted drama segments to go with the racing. TNN's Motor Madness featured not only monster truck racing, but pro arena truck racing as well. The very first episode in Des Moines, IA was aired live. The Monster Truck Challenge featured two types of monster truck racing; straight-line drag and obstacle course (Chicago style).
History[]
1980 - The first USA Motorsports event is held in Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
1997 - USA Motorsports Monster Truck Challenge begins airing on TNN's Motor Madness program.
1998 - Former wrestler Dusty Rhodes joins Ralph and Mike and begins to commentate. USA Motorsports is bought out by Pace Motorsports.
Champions[]
1997-David Morris (Equalizer)
USA Motorsports in 1997
Highlight video of the 1997 USA Motorsports Monster Truck Challenge season