It came down to Grave Digger versus Grave Digger when the final round rolled around for Monster Jam World Finals XIX at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. One driver (Adam Anderson) had been a two-time racing champion, the other (Tyler Menninga) was making his second consecutive appearance in a final round.
In the end, Anderson collected the trophy, crossing the finish line ahead of Menninga by .061 seconds.
Anderson found himself in an early hole, qualifying in the 21st position and losing lane choice to first round opponent Cam McQueen (Northern Nightmare). McQueen left early, triggering a red light and handing Anderson the opening round win. From there, Anderson dispatched Bryce Kenny (Great Clips Mohawk Warrior), who turned over his truck on the approach to the ramp. His next opponent would be his brother, defending Monster Jam World Champion Ryan Anderson. Adam had his fastest lap of the night and moved on to the semi-finals.
Anderson still had one formidable obstacle in fast qualifier Todd LeDuc (Mutant), who had run some of the quickest laps of the night. Anderson turned up the heat to knock his lap time down even lower and move to the finals.
Menninga narrowly beat Jim Koehler (Avenger) to open his march through the racing brackets and benefitted from a Cole Venard (Black Pearl) crash in Round Two. The next opponent was a familiar foe as Bari Musawwir (Zombie) had been competing with Menninga on the Triple Threat Series Central and Menninga prevailed to move to the semi-finals. Marc McDonald (FS1 Cleatus) was next to fall, setting up Menninga’s return to the finals.
Anderson becomes the lowest seeded qualifier to win a Monster Jam World Finals Racing Championship and has become second in all-time World Championships with his fifth title.
Cory Rummell (Pirate’s Curse) recorded the victory in the Double Down Showdown earlier in the evening to advance to join the World Finals Racing Championship field. Rummell cruised to the win after Brandon Vinson (Grave Digger) left the starting gate early.
Monster Jam World Finals XIX will continue on Saturday, March 24 with 32 Monster Jam trucks competing in Freestyle competition. The parade and pre-show will be presented live as well as the encore performance on MonsterJam.com.
Double Down Showdown: Pirate’s Curse (Camden Murphy), Bounty Hunter (Austin Minton), Monster Mutt Rottweiler (Brad Allen), Alien Invasion (Bernard Lyght), Soldier Fortune Black Ops (Tony Ochs), Grave Digger (Krysten Anderson), Jester (Matt Pagliarulo), El Toro Loco (Mark List), Grave Digger (Brandon Vinson), Zombie (Ami Houde), Max-D (Jared Eichelberger), Scooby-Doo (Linsey Read), Blue Thunder (Matt Cody), El Toro Loco (Kayla Blood), Pirate’s Curse (Cory Rummell), Wonder Woman (Collete Davis)
ROUND 1
Pirate’s Curse (Murphy) defeated Bounty Hunter, Monster Mutt Rottweiler defeated Alien Invasion, Soldier Fortune Black Ops defeated Grave Digger (Anderson), Grave Digger (Vinson) defeated Jester, Zombie defeated El Toro Loco (List), Max-D defeated Scooby-Doo, El Toro Loco (Blood) defeated Blue Thunder, Pirate’s Curse (Rummell) defeated Wonder Woman
ROUND 2
Pirate’s Curse (Murphy) defeated Monster Mutt Rottweiler, Grave Digger (Vinson) defeated Soldier Fortune Black Ops, Max-D defeated Zombibe, Pirate’s Curse (Rummell) defeated El Toro Loco (Blood)
SEMI-FINALS
Grave Digger (Vinson) defeated Pirate’s Curse (Murphy), Pirate’s Curse (Rummell) defeated Max-D
FINALS
Pirate’s Curse (Rummell) defeated Grave Digger (Vinson)
CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD
Max-D (Tom Meents), Grave Digger (Adam Anderson), Scooby-Doo (Steven Sims), Zombie (Bari Musawwir), Avenger (Jim Koehler), Grave Digger (Tyler Menninga), Whiplash (Brianna Mahon), Black Pearl (Cole Venard), Mutant (Coty Saucier), Grave Digger (Charlie Pauken), Lucas Oil Crusader (Linsey Weenk), FS1 Cleatus (Marc McDonald), Monster Mutt Dalmatian (Candice Jolly), Bounty Hunter (Jimmy Creten), El Toro Loco (Becky McDonough), Grave Digger (Morgan Kane), Wild Flower (Rosalee Ramer), Son-uva Digger (Ryan Anderson), EarthShaker (Tristan England), Megalodon (Justin Sipes), Grave Digger (Adam Anderson), Northern Nightmare (Cam McQueen), Overkill Evolution (Mike Vaters II), Great Clips Mohawk Warrior (Bryce Kenny), Monster Mutt (Cynthia Gauthier), Gas Monkey Garage (B.J. Johnson), Dragon (Jon Zimmer), Max-D (Colton Eichelberger), VP Racing Fuels Mad Scientist (Lee O’Donnell), Pirate’s Curse (Cory Rummell), Team Hot Wheels Firestorm (Scott Buetow), Mutant (Todd LeDuc)
ROUND 1
Mutant (LeDuc) defeated Team Hot Wheels Firestorm, Pirate's Curse defeated VP Racing Fuels Mad Scientist, Dragon defeated Max-D (Eichelberger), Gas Monkey Garage defeated MOnster Mutt, Great Clips Mohawk Warrior bye, Grave Digger (Anderson) defeated Northern Nightmare, Megalodon defeated EarthShaker, Son-uva Digger defeated Wild Flower, Grave Digger (Kane) defeated El Toro Loco, Monster Mutt Dalmatian defeated Bounty Hunter, FS1 Cleatus defeated Lucas Oil Crusader, Mutant (Saucier) defeated Grave Digger (Pauken), Black Pearl defeated Whiplash, Grave Digger (Menninga) defeated Avenger, Zombie defeated Max-D (Meents), Max-D (Elliott) defeated Scooby-Doo
ROUND 2
Mutant (LeDuc) defeated Pirate's Curse, Dragon defeated Gas Monkey Garage, Grave Digger (Anderson) defeated Great Clips Mohawk Warrior, Son-uva Digger defeated Megalodon, Grave Digger (Kane) defeated Monster Mutt Dalmatian, FS1 Cleatus defeated Mutant (Saucier), Grave Digger (Menninga) defetaed Black Pearl, Zombie defeated Max-D Elliott
ROUND 3
Mutant (LeDuc) defeated Dragon, Grave Digger (Anderson) defeated Son-uva Digger, FS1 Cleatus defeated Grave Digger (Kane), Grave Digger (Menninga) defeated Zombie
SEMI-FINALS
Grave Digger (Anderson) defeated Mutant (LeDuc), Grave Digger (Menninga) defeated FS1 Cleatus
FINALS
Grave Digger (Anderson) defeated Grave Digger (Menninga)
