Raminator (truck)
Encyclopedia
Raminator and Rammunition are monster truck
s that race on the Special Events, Monster Nationals
, and Checkered Flag Promotions tours. They are primarily driven by Mark Hall and Geremie Dishman. The team is sponsored by Dodge
. Until recently, the team was, along with Team Bigfoot
, one of the most high profile teams to not run in the USHRA, although they will be competing in several Monster Jam
events in 2007.
. The Halls then created the "Big Boss", their first venture into the world of more traditional "rubber tire trucks", a.k.a. monster trucks as they are known today. "Big Boss" was the first monster truck to derive its paint scheme from that of an RC car, as opposed to the other way around. The "Big Boss" was destroyed during a race in 1991, around the time their first true tube-chassis race monster truck was completed. The truck debuted as "USA-1
" as a partnership with Everett Jasmer (with Kyosho and True Value as sponsors), the truck did not run for long with that particular moniker because the Halls wanted to go back out on their own.
"Executioner" would be the new name for the Halls' truck, which went on to campaign very respectably in USHRA (92-Feb 02), Special Events' Penda Series (92-96), USA Motorsports (93-98), and ProMT (00-01). Several custom race chassis built by Hall Brothers Racing carried the "Executioner" nameplate during these years, at first using GMC and Chevrolet
bodies, and eventually switching to Dodge
bodies just prior to the millennium. The truck featured a recognizable black & white (later changed to red & white) checkerboard paint scheme, designed and painted originally by Tim Hall and close friend and associate Darrell Wagner. The truck adopted a far more radical paint scheme in 2000, which featured flames, tribal pinstriping, and detailed airbrushing. This scheme appeared on the Dodge bodies only.
Seeing the success the Halls were having as privateers in the monster truck industry, Dodge decided to return to corporate sponsorship of monster truck racing after a nearly six year hiatus (Dodge had formerly sponsored Fred Shafer's Bear Foot
team from 1992–1996). After a year of scouting and preparations in 2001, the Dodge division of Daimler-Chrysler signed a three year deal with the Halls. Hall Brothers Racing debuted the first Dodge Raminator truck at a USHRA event in the Pontiac Silverdome
in January 2002. The truck ran one more weekend with USHRA, then ceased to compete at any more USHRA events. This would subsequently gain strong support from fans who disagree with Clear Channel Entertainment
's spectacle-oriented shows. The team would return to Monster Jam in 2007.
With Mark Hall driving and brother Tim Hall serving as crew chief, the team won 4 of 7 ProMT races in 2002 on route to earning their first championship. With strong showings at Monster Nationals and Special Events races that year as well, along with the addition of the "Rammunition" race truck piloted by rookie Dale Benear, the team exceeded Dodge's expectations.
In 2003, the Halls entered a streak of dominance that had not been seen since Team Bigfoot
's 4-straight Penda Series championships. That year, the team clinched the Monster Nationals and Special Events titles (the ProMT series took a hiatus). 2004 would see a repeat, as Hall and Raminator clinched yet another Monster Nationals championship and the combined ProMT/Special Events title as well. 2005 proved to be an even further extension of the team's dominance, as Hall would once again claim the Monster Nationals and Special Events championship honors. These feats on-track combined with the team's ever growing fleet of trucks and dealership appearances would incite Dodge to renew the team's sponsorship through 2007, with an option for further invovlement after that.
In 2002 the team started with one truck (HBR004 chassis as "Raminator") and four team members: Mark Hall, Tim Hall, Dale Benear, and James Wheeler. Since that time, two additional race chassis, a display-only chassis, and a ride truck chassis have been completed and put into service. Currently, Mark Hall pilots the HBR007 "Raminator"; Geremie Dishman in the HBR005 "Rammunition"; Tim Hall remains head crew chief, while crew member Mat Dishman round out the team's program. As of March 2008, team members Dale Benear (driver), Kyle Doyle (ride truck driver/crew member/ occasional driver), Travis Howard (crew chief/transporter driver for Dale Benear), and Darrell Wagner (show truck operator) had departed the team for various reasons.
. The team is especially notable for ending Bigfoot's dominance in ProMT and the Special Events series, where the Ford had previously been untouchable.
The horsepower
advantage has also translated into high-flying freestyle
s, although the drivers are markedly more conservative than their Monster Jam
counterparts. However, as the Halls have often criticized the destructive nature of USHRA events, and are quick to point out how few rollovers they have had, their conservativism is a point of pride for the team. As a result, the team is tremendously popular with fans who dislike Monster Jam, particularly those who would like to see a racing-exclusive series.
Monster truck
A monster truck is a pickup truck, typically styled after pickup trucks' bodies, modified or purposely built with extremely large wheels and suspension...
s that race on the Special Events, Monster Nationals
Monster Nationals
Monster Nationals is the name of the monster truck series run by Image Promotions. The series primarily consists of monster truck racing and freestyle in indoor arenas. The events typically have only two parallel sets of cars on an empty concrete floor as a race track...
, and Checkered Flag Promotions tours. They are primarily driven by Mark Hall and Geremie Dishman. The team is sponsored by Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
. Until recently, the team was, along with Team Bigfoot
Bigfoot (truck)
Bigfoot, introduced in 1979, is regarded as the original monster truck. Other trucks with the name "Bigfoot" have been introduced in the years since, and it remains the most well-known monster truck moniker in the United States. Bigfoot 4x4, Inc. is owned and operated by its creator, Bob Chandler.-...
, one of the most high profile teams to not run in the USHRA, although they will be competing in several Monster Jam
Monster Jam
Monster Jam is a live motorsport event tour and television show operated by Feld Entertainment. The series is sanctioned under the umbrella of the United States Hot Rod Association and takes place primarily in the United States and around the world...
events in 2007.
History
In 1986, Tim and Mark Hall of Thomasboro, Illinois officially formed 'Hall Brothers Racing', and began campaigning their first creation: the "Heavy Metal" tracked monster truck. The team soon acquired sponsorship from remote control car manufacturer KyoshoKyosho
is a model car company based in Tokyo, Japan. The brand operates internationally under the name KYOSHO. The company's main office is located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and the production headquarters are located in Atsugi, Kanagawa....
. The Halls then created the "Big Boss", their first venture into the world of more traditional "rubber tire trucks", a.k.a. monster trucks as they are known today. "Big Boss" was the first monster truck to derive its paint scheme from that of an RC car, as opposed to the other way around. The "Big Boss" was destroyed during a race in 1991, around the time their first true tube-chassis race monster truck was completed. The truck debuted as "USA-1
USA-1 (truck)
USA-1 is a monster truck that was competing during the eighties and nineties, named after a Chevrolet ad campaign. It competed against Bigfoot in the first televised monster truck race on the American television show That's Incredible! in 1983. The truck was initially painted blue before it was...
" as a partnership with Everett Jasmer (with Kyosho and True Value as sponsors), the truck did not run for long with that particular moniker because the Halls wanted to go back out on their own.
"Executioner" would be the new name for the Halls' truck, which went on to campaign very respectably in USHRA (92-Feb 02), Special Events' Penda Series (92-96), USA Motorsports (93-98), and ProMT (00-01). Several custom race chassis built by Hall Brothers Racing carried the "Executioner" nameplate during these years, at first using GMC and Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
bodies, and eventually switching to Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
bodies just prior to the millennium. The truck featured a recognizable black & white (later changed to red & white) checkerboard paint scheme, designed and painted originally by Tim Hall and close friend and associate Darrell Wagner. The truck adopted a far more radical paint scheme in 2000, which featured flames, tribal pinstriping, and detailed airbrushing. This scheme appeared on the Dodge bodies only.
Seeing the success the Halls were having as privateers in the monster truck industry, Dodge decided to return to corporate sponsorship of monster truck racing after a nearly six year hiatus (Dodge had formerly sponsored Fred Shafer's Bear Foot
Bear Foot (truck)
Bear Foot is a monster truck currently owned by Paul Shafer. It was originally built by Jack Wilman and Fred Shafer and, along with Bigfoot and USA-1 was one of the first monster trucks. It won the 1990, 1992, and 1993 USHRA Camel Mud and Monsters championships...
team from 1992–1996). After a year of scouting and preparations in 2001, the Dodge division of Daimler-Chrysler signed a three year deal with the Halls. Hall Brothers Racing debuted the first Dodge Raminator truck at a USHRA event in the Pontiac Silverdome
Pontiac Silverdome
The Silverdome is a domed stadium located in the city of Pontiac, Michigan, USA, which sits on . It was the largest stadium in the National Football League until FedEx Field in suburban Washington, D.C...
in January 2002. The truck ran one more weekend with USHRA, then ceased to compete at any more USHRA events. This would subsequently gain strong support from fans who disagree with Clear Channel Entertainment
Live Nation
Live Nation is a live-events company based in Beverly Hills, California, focused on concert promotions. Live Nation formed in 2005 as a spin-off from Clear Channel Communications, which then merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 to become Live Nation Entertainment....
's spectacle-oriented shows. The team would return to Monster Jam in 2007.
With Mark Hall driving and brother Tim Hall serving as crew chief, the team won 4 of 7 ProMT races in 2002 on route to earning their first championship. With strong showings at Monster Nationals and Special Events races that year as well, along with the addition of the "Rammunition" race truck piloted by rookie Dale Benear, the team exceeded Dodge's expectations.
In 2003, the Halls entered a streak of dominance that had not been seen since Team Bigfoot
Bigfoot (truck)
Bigfoot, introduced in 1979, is regarded as the original monster truck. Other trucks with the name "Bigfoot" have been introduced in the years since, and it remains the most well-known monster truck moniker in the United States. Bigfoot 4x4, Inc. is owned and operated by its creator, Bob Chandler.-...
's 4-straight Penda Series championships. That year, the team clinched the Monster Nationals and Special Events titles (the ProMT series took a hiatus). 2004 would see a repeat, as Hall and Raminator clinched yet another Monster Nationals championship and the combined ProMT/Special Events title as well. 2005 proved to be an even further extension of the team's dominance, as Hall would once again claim the Monster Nationals and Special Events championship honors. These feats on-track combined with the team's ever growing fleet of trucks and dealership appearances would incite Dodge to renew the team's sponsorship through 2007, with an option for further invovlement after that.
In 2002 the team started with one truck (HBR004 chassis as "Raminator") and four team members: Mark Hall, Tim Hall, Dale Benear, and James Wheeler. Since that time, two additional race chassis, a display-only chassis, and a ride truck chassis have been completed and put into service. Currently, Mark Hall pilots the HBR007 "Raminator"; Geremie Dishman in the HBR005 "Rammunition"; Tim Hall remains head crew chief, while crew member Mat Dishman round out the team's program. As of March 2008, team members Dale Benear (driver), Kyle Doyle (ride truck driver/crew member/ occasional driver), Travis Howard (crew chief/transporter driver for Dale Benear), and Darrell Wagner (show truck operator) had departed the team for various reasons.
Hallmarks
Raminator and Rammunition are both among the most feared opponents in racing. The factory backing has allowed for significant performance gains, especially concerning the engineEngine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
. The team is especially notable for ending Bigfoot's dominance in ProMT and the Special Events series, where the Ford had previously been untouchable.
The horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
advantage has also translated into high-flying freestyle
Freestyle (monster trucks)
Freestyle, in Monster Truck competition, is an event where the goal is to perform tricks and stunts with the truck in order to demonstrate driver skill and truck capability. Some freestyle events are judged competitions, while others are merely exhibitions....
s, although the drivers are markedly more conservative than their Monster Jam
Monster Jam
Monster Jam is a live motorsport event tour and television show operated by Feld Entertainment. The series is sanctioned under the umbrella of the United States Hot Rod Association and takes place primarily in the United States and around the world...
counterparts. However, as the Halls have often criticized the destructive nature of USHRA events, and are quick to point out how few rollovers they have had, their conservativism is a point of pride for the team. As a result, the team is tremendously popular with fans who dislike Monster Jam, particularly those who would like to see a racing-exclusive series.
Monster Truck Racing Association
- 1996: Driver of the Year, Mark Hall
- 2001: Driver of the Year, Mark Hall; Truck of the Year, Executioner
- 2002: Driver of the Year, Mark Hall; Truck of the Year, Raminator Rookie of the Year, Dale Benear - Rammunition
- 2003: Driver of the Year, Mark Hall; Truck of the Year, Raminator
- 2004: Truck of the Year, Raminator; Rookie of the Year, Geremie Dishman - Rammunition; Mechanic of the Year, Tim Hall; Most Improved, Dale Benear & Travis Howard - Rammunition
- 2005: Driver of the Year, Mark Hall; Truck of the Year, Raminator; Safety Award, Tim Hall
- 2006: Driver of the Year, Mark Hall; Truck of the Year, Raminator; Safety Award, Kyle Doyle; Most Improved Team Award, Rammunition; Mechanic of the Year, Tim Hall;
Monster Nationals
- Series Champion - 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 (fastest clinch of the title in the series history)