There’s nothing as thrilling as watching cars racing. When you add trucks to the mix, it gets even more exciting. But when you take it one step further and go to a monster truck event, like Monster Jam, you have entertainment for the whole family.
Some monster trucks are icons with huge fan bases. So, what makes monster truck rallies so appealing? And is Monster jam rigged or real?
What draws people to monster truck rallies?
Monster Jam in Melbourne, Australia, in October 2014 | Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Several things draw people to Monster Jam events. First are the monster trucks that perform. Each vehicle is usually designed after a vicious monster from cartoons, movies, or even books. Bigfoot and Megalodon are two examples. Some have been around for decades, such as Grave Digger, which has seen several versions over the years.
Then there are the tricks that drivers perform at the events that get the crowds going. Front flips, backflips, and long jumps are a few. According to Monster trucks Wiki, Tom Meents was the first driver to land a backflip during an event in March 2009. And Lee O’Donnell landed the first front flip during the World Finals 18.
Merchandising is another way to keep fans’ appetite for monster trucks going. Products put out by toy giants such as Mattel and Walmart are 24-volt rides on trucks fashioned after some of the vehicles competing at these events. Other products seen on the merchandise circuit are wind chimes, according to How Stuff Works.
Drivers who compete at these events swear that Monster Jam isn’t rigged. Brianna Mahon, Monster Jam’s 2015 Rookie of the Year, says that the events are not scripted and that the competitions are real, How Stuff Works reports.
Though the racing and stunts are real, a few things about the trucks and the events may not quite be what they seem on the surface.
In many cases, the headlights aren’t real. They’re usually just for show and, as with NASCAR, they’re just decals. Some trucks have functioning headlights, but they don’t serve any purpose other than to accentuate the truck’s outward appeal.
These trucks usually don’t have doors, either. Most require entry and exit from underneath, between the chassis and the body.
To keep the trucks’ weight as light as possible, they’re generally built out of fiberglass. This doesn’t usually make the trucks last long, but the material lightens the load to make stunts and speed easier for the drivers.
Also, you won’t see the driver in the typical left-hand seat because most actually drive from the middle.
Who can compete in a Monster Jam event?
Drivers lucky enough to compete in Monster Jam events can win money, but getting there isn’t as easy as you might think. First, drivers usually go through a university course to audition.
If they pass that part, they continue to the training portion of the class. But not all drivers who complete the training get to drive. Some freelance truck pilots might get there, but they would be responsible for their own equipment, which can cost at least $150,000.
Most drivers have connections to join a team or to get sponsorships to help offset the cost of getting a monster truck ready for a Monster Jam competition.
If you’re interested in attending a Monster Jam event, be aware that many of the upcoming dates have been rescheduled due to COVID-19. The Monster Jam website shows the current rescheduled dates for many events.
Eddie Van Halen is synonymous with shredding guitar moves and hard-partying. He also leaned to the wild side when it came to his car collection, and this 1970 Chevy Nova is a prime example. If you’re looking for that bit of Van Halen spark in your life, you can own this orange screamer.
How can I buy Eddie Van Halen’s Nova and how much?
Eddie Van Halen’s 1970 Chevy Nova | BAT
It’s sitting at $60,000 with four days left to snag it for yourself on Bring a Trailer. The Nova features modifications and improvements throughout. From the orange pearl paint to under the hood and inside, nothing has been left untouched.
The 454ci LSX V8 is hooked to a six-speed Tremec T56 manual transmission. That spins a Currie Ford nine-inch rear end with 4.10:1 gears. A Holley Dominator electronic fuel injection feeds through a Big Mouth 102mm throttle body. That is sitting on a FAST LSXR intake manifold. Tube headers exit the spent gasses.
Everything on this Nova has been modified or improved
Eddie Van Halen’s 1970 Chevy Nova | BaT
Bones Fab in Camarillo, California, handled the Nova’s modifications. A Ridetech air suspension smooths out the bumps, and also allows for height adjustments. The front suspension features a Tru Turn steering system and tubular control arms. In the rear, a triangulated four-link and sway bar help keep things planted.
Wilwood cross-drilled disc brakes hide behind staggered 18- and 19-inch KWC wheels. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires hit the road. The rear Pilots are huge 345/30/19 steamrollers.
Inside the Nova is all custom, too
Eddie Van Halen’s 1970 Chevy Nova | BAT
Inside features a roll bar, Sparco seats, and Vintage Air air conditioning. Black synthetic suede covers everything. Matching harnesses for the front with a black roll cage with removable door bars in lieu of a back seat, a drilled shift knob, and an air suspension controller.
A Sparco steering wheel and Covan instrument panel with AutoMeter gauges finish the interior features. Under the carbon fiber trunk lid are a fuel cell and air suspension tank.
That House of Kolor orange pearl flops to a sparkling gold
Eddie Van Halen’s 1970 Chevy Nova | BAT
Paint is from House of Kolor in an orange pearl with a gold flop. Both the hood and trunk lid are carbon fiber. There are also carbon fiber mirror caps and door handles. All of the brightwork has been finished in black, as are the bumpers. There is a crack in one of the taillights.
Speaking of which, the current owner is Eddie’s nephew, who acquired the Nova in October 2020. The Nova was registered to Van Halen before that. Included in the sale is all of that documentation.
Eddie Van Halen’s 1970 Chevy Nova | BAT
The Nova shows around 1,700 miles on the ticker, but the actual mileage is unknown. With but four days left to bid time is running out for you to own Eddie Van Halen’s killer Nova.
https://news.usamotorjobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1970_chevrolet_nova_16275506385ef66e7dff9f98764d1970_chevrolet_nova_1627550637ff9f98764dabf2f9006-f09f-496d-9a9c-0c13242b2a6d-VLwk0B-scaled-1-1024x683-1.jpeg6831024Gabrielle DeSantishttps://news.usamotorjobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/logo-usa-motor-jobs-white.pngGabrielle DeSantis2021-09-07 16:58:242021-09-07 17:27:01Want to Buy Eddie Van Halen’s Custom Nova?
Bugatti is easily the most aspirational of aspirational hypercar brands. There are few production cars that are more powerful or more expensive than what Bugatti will release every few years. Since the Veyron, Bugatti has continued a slow drip of hypercars that constantly push the limits of what can legally be driven on public roads.
With the Chiron, Bugatti took a slightly different approach by utilizing the Chiron’s platform to create limited-edition one-offs or “few-offs” to keep the interest of its billionaire clientele. Some of those limited cars are track-only affairs like the Bugatti Bolide while the Centodieci is something totally different.
The Bugatti Centodieci is an homage to EB110
Bugatti Centodieci wind tunnel test | Bugatti
Some people think that the Bugatti Veyron was the first car from the French brand to utilize four turbochargers. That would be incorrect. The Bugatti EB110 took advantage of quad-turbochargers on its 3.5 liter V12 way back in 1991. In that respect, it could be said that the EB110 was ahead of its time. The EB110’s power and tech earned it poster car status and was likely hung on many walls throughout the 90s.
The Bugatti Centodieci is a limited-edition tribute to the legend of the original EB110 hypercar. The Centodieci’s exterior styling has several visual touchstones that harken back to the EB100. The most noticeable styling cues are the front bumper and the vents that sit just behind the c-pillars. Underneath the bodywork, the Centodieci is essentially a Bugatti Chiron. The same 16-cylinder, quad-turbo engine is mounted to the rear of the cockpit. The chassis underneath is identical to the Chiron as well. The entire point of the Centodieci is its unique aerodynamic package that borrows from the original EB110.
The Centodieci has a successful wind tunnel test
Despite the fact that Bugatti is only going to produce ten examples of the Centodieci, they are still running the car through a full battery of tests that any other mass-production car from their brand would endure. That includes on-track testing at high speeds and laboratory testing such as putting the Centodieci in a giant wind tunnel to test its aerodynamic effectiveness.
“It makes no difference to us engineers whether we are developing a hyper sports car for one, ten or 500 units – the effort is the same, as we have and want to meet, even exceed the quality and safety standards applicable to mass production,” explains André Kullig, Technical Project Manager for one and few-off projects at Bugatti.
What purpose does the wind tunnel serve?
Bugatti Centodieci | Bugatti
The wind tunnel Bugatti used to test the Centodieci is capable of subjecting the hypercar to winds in excess of 300 km per hour (186 mph). The tunnel utilizes a 9,100 horsepower engine to generate those wind speeds.
It is all to ensure that the bodywork of the Bugatti Centodieci not only provides enough downforce but sends enough airflow into the engine bay to help keep the W16 engine cool at high speeds.
“No matter what speed and what driving situation, the Centodieci is sportily neutral and can be managed at all times in spite of its immense power,” says André Kullig.
Each of the ten Bugatti Centodieci hypercars will command a price of $8.9 million so we suppose we can’t blame them for making sure each one is as close to perfect as they can get it.
SpaceX is making headlines for launching its revolutionary reusable rockets, which are great. But all the successful Starship launches they have now are lined with failures throughout the company’s existence. Elon Musk has been a champ about most of them, looking ahead at what the SpaceX Starship can be rather than back at how many times they’ve crashed. But I like to learn from history, Space.com helped outline how things have evolved to get to where we are today.
Starship SN15 Launch | SpaceX
The Starship is slightly different than the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy
Before we get into all the SpaceX Starship crashes, you ought to know what the difference between a Starship and a Falcon is. Sure, SpaceX launches both into space, the rockets are reusable, and they can deliver people and cargo far above the atmosphere. But to put it simply, the Falcon rockets are only designed to get things to orbit. That’s why they’ve been used on deliveries to the International Space Station.
The Starship, however, is a fully reusable ship designed to get people/things into orbit and beyond. They’re geared toward interplanetary missions, or trips back to the moon. And above all else, they’re more complex than even the Falcon Heavy, which can lift a fully loaded 737 into orbit. Because of the added complexity, and larger fuel tank, the Starships were incredibly prone to malfunctions.
So, without further ado, let’s look back at all the big explosions SpaceX has witnessed over the years.
SpaceX’s SN1, SN2, and SN3 were never launched
SpaceX’s Starship Number One, or SN1, was first lined up for a pressure test on February 28th, 2020. If successful, the test would prove that the rocket could be properly “gassed up” with cold fuels. After all, rocket fuel is dense to make sure you can pack as much of it into each tank as possible, and keeping the substance ice-cool is key to keeping it compact.
But rather than filling the rocket with fuel to test it, it’s cheaper to surround it in a cylinder and recreate the same temperatures the metal of the rocket will face. And if the test fails, it’s not a total waste of rocket fuel. While SN2 managed to pass this test, SN1 and SN3 did not, exploding under the extreme pressures of the cold temperature.
All that meant, however, is that engineers needed to build a stronger rocket. And SN4 managed to do just that. But the story doesn’t end here.
SN4 went up in a blaze of glory due to failed rocket tests
Imagine, for a moment, that you’re Elon Musk. Your SN4 rocket has successfully passed the cryo chamber test, and you’re ready to load it with rocket fuel. All this time you’re developing the raptor engines, making them powerful and efficient, and they’re finally ready to test. In fact, you test them five times, for over a minute (a long time in rocket terms), before the whole thing randomly blows up.
That’s about how the SN4’s story went, the most promising of the prototypes that made it the furthest in terms of development. On May 29, 2020, the shell went up in smoke, and the causes were unknown. However, SpaceX engineers kept moving forward and developed the SN5 and SN6, which worked… for the most part
SN5 and SN6 were slightly flawed, and SN7 was destroyed… on purpose?
What’s interesting here is that SN5 and SN6 were fairly identical. They each used the same engines (this time passing the engine testing), and performed the same test. In fact, they each made the 150-meter “hop” from one launchpad to another. It’s like watching a controlled Coke and Mentos experiment, where the bottle perfectly takes off and lands. Those two prototypes never exploded, but they weren’t perfect.
These prototype engines had a tendency to leak. In the 150 meter hops, the engines never faced enough stress to explode. That’s where the SN7 comes into play. The rocket was pushed to the max, and exploded in an exciting fiery ball, as planned. The best thing SpaceX could do moving forward was change the materials to make sure leaks were stopped, and then move on to the exciting part: launching the rockets for real.
SN8 was launched on December 9th, 2020, with the plan to get up to 7.8 miles, perform a “belly flop,” and then land. The belly flop sounds strange, but that’s the position the rocket would be oriented on an actual return from space. Therefore, it needed to be tested if the components could handle being oriented sideways, or if they too would break.
The SN8 achieved every goal, climbing to 7.8 miles and orienting itself into a bellyflop. It didn’t, however, stick the landing, crashing too fast on the landing pad. Elon Musk considered this a massive success, as “putting the crater in the right spot was epic.” The same ended up being true for SN9, which didn’t fly quite as high (6.2 miles), but crashed even harder.
SN10, however, failed the mission with excellent comedic timing. On March 3rd, 2021, it made the 6.2-mile flight, performed the sub-sonic belly flop, flipped upright, and even landed. But a few minutes later, after the dust had settled, the rocket went exploded. Though, from touchdown, it was clear something had gone wrong, as the craft was slightly on fire when it landed.
Right on the edge of greatness, the SN11 was poised to be the one. Unfortunately, it’s crash ended up being the worst out of them all.
SN11’s camera’s cut out above the landing pad
SN11 launched in the fog on March 30th, 2021, but who needs to see anything when the entire process is automated? Well, it would’ve been nice to see the explosion, but after the cameras cut out, the SN11 hit its landing pad. Only issue? It didn’t actually land.
Even before the cameras cut, “Something significant happened shortly after landing burn.” Those are Elon’s words, and they were certainly true. The engines were malfunctioning at takeoff and only got worse as the rocket neared its destination. The SpaceX launch narrator is now famous for his quick-witted quip, “Starship 11 is not coming back, do not wait for the landing.”
It was after SN11 that SpaceX took a step back. They’d crashed a total of eight Starships (one of which was on purpose), and sunk billions of dollars into the program. But after a couple of months, they finally hit the jackpot.
On May 5th, 2021, the 60th anniversary of launching the first American into space, SN15 successfully launched and landed without any explosions. All those previous attempts led up to a reusable, interplanetary rocket. They laid the groundwork, one explosion at a time, and the SN15 delivered on its lofty promise.
To many, it looked like a series of senseless explosions and billions of wasted dollars. And in some ways it was. The Starship has only made four reflown flights in its existence, whereas the Falcon 9 has made 65. But one day, when spaceflights don’t cost millions of dollars, it could pave the way to interplanetary travel just like in the movies. But for now, SpaceX is keeping its feet on the ground, and its eyes on the Starships.
https://news.usamotorjobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Starship-SN15-Launch-1024x508-1.png5081024Gabrielle DeSantishttps://news.usamotorjobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/logo-usa-motor-jobs-white.pngGabrielle DeSantis2021-09-07 16:15:002021-09-07 16:56:32SpaceX Has Crashed a Lot of Starship Rockets: Here’s the Rundown
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for Cincinnati 1⃣ is Team Max-D
#MonsterJam pic.twitter.com/fvJ8TBD9nU
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