www.supercrosslive.com
INSTAGRAM | @monsterenergy
Year after year, the Monster Energy Cup in Las Vegas, Nevada, is home to all sorts of thrilling motorsports action. The heart of the event is the three, ten lap races featuring a field of professional Supercross and motocross riders competing for their shot at a one-million dollar cash prize. However, there are many events that take place throughout the day, and this year they’ve stepped up the presence of the trophy trucks by adding the 2017 Duels competition. Below is the full press release…
CORONA, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017
Monster Energy is excited to bring the inaugural 2017 Duels competition, a head-to-head truck racing event that brings together the best off-road and short course truck racers in the world. The Duels will take place on October 14 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas during the Monster Energy Cup, and will also feature the Dirt Shark Biggest Whip contest featuring the world’s best whip athletes on a dirt bike, as well as Monster Energy’s European Drift Champion Steve “Baggsy” Biagioni doing drift demos.
“I am super stoked to have the opportunity to head to Las Vegas to not only see and experience the Monster Energy Cup live, but to be putting on a smoke show in my #LSXR35 for all the fans,” said Biagioni. I can’t wait to show everyone the R35 in real life and hopefully get the crowds hyped up with its fire-breathing Chevy V8 engine.
As for the #LSXR35, it is the world’s first – boosting 1200 horsepower and trophies from the British Drift Championship and the Kind of Kings European Championship.
Over the years the Monster Energy Cup has activated the pit party in the parking lot with smoke shows by the Unknowns and Monster Energy athletes such as Ken Block, Liam Doran, Casey Currie, BJ Baldwin, and Kyle LeDuc to name a few. Pit parties have also included Bellator MMA fights, BMX contests featuring the best BMX riders in the world, the FMX High Rollers contest debuting the first-ever quarterpipe competition last year, and concerts. For this year the evolution of thrilling events continues with the Duels hosted by Kenny Bell and off-road racer Cameron Steele.
As a highlight of this year’s Pit Party sideline event, the Duels will take place outside the stadium in the parking lot during Monster Energy Cup practice. Featuring a full day of entertainment including a Monster Energy DJ, rider autographs, Dirt Shark Biggest Whip event, Biagioni’s drift demos, and experiential elements, the Pit Party is free of charge when fans bring a valid Monster Energy Cup ticket and a can of Monster Energy to recycle in the pits. The Pit Party is from 12:00 PM – 6:00PM.
“Monster Energy Cup is an event we look forward to progressing and planning every year,” said Aaron Quesada, Senior Manager, Events/Entertainment. We always bring a good show for the fans during the pit party.”
For the first year, Monster Energy will bring the world’s elite off-road and short course truck racers to compete in a unique truck event that will allow drivers to go head-to-head in Pro Lite race trucks on two identical courses and drive on each side of the course for their best time. But time isn’t all that matters. With the Duels, competitors will be judged on their driving skills in a speed and style match where driving techniques come into play giving the drivers timed bonuses for excellent driving – so it isn’t just the faster driver that wins. Top qualifiers will also be allowed to pick their opponent in the first round creating the Duel: An arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon rules.
“I’m excited to be racing the Duels,” said Casey Currie. The new type of event will be great for our short course off-road trucks, and I’m ready to try something new and challenging. The course has many obstacles that we don’t do too often like a donut box, drifting on pavement and it also has big jumps that the trucks love.”
For the race format, drivers will start the course by going into a wall ride and will have to “bicycle” their truck (drive on two wheels) for as long as they can to the first run, earning them bonus time for how far they can go on two wheels. Next, drivers will have to chicane through the Vegas-themed course featuring a set of dice and complete a 720 around the roulette wheel. There will be several jumps. Racers will cross paths on the back table top and will run the course backward, coming to the finish line where they will have to slide from a drift and parallel park between two water barriers (Ace Ventura style).
“Over the years I’ve wanted to do more exciting demos in my truck at some of the various Monster Energy events, and I’m super excited about this one,” said BJ Baldwin. The course layout is very technical and it looks like a lot of fun.
Competitors include the top off-road and short course racers such as Monster Energy’s Jeremy McGrath, BJ Baldwin, Rodrigo Ampudia, Johnny Greaves, CJ Greaves, Casey Currie, Brian Deegan, and Hailie Deegan, RJ Anderson and Ryan Beat will also be competing. In addition, there will also be a Celebrity Duels race with drivers competing in the new CanAm X3 side-by-side machines. Some of the invited drivers are Monster Energy’s MMA star Quinton Rampage Jackson, skateboarding star Nyjah Huston, and BMX legend Scotty Cranmer and Kevin Peraza.
“I am excited for the Duels event at the Monster Energy Cup, said Jeremy McGrath. It will feel good to be racing trucks at a venue I am really familiar with, and it’s going to be awesome to race with my Monster teammates!”
The Monster Energy Cup will be broadcast live on the FS2 and via the Fox Sports Go app on Saturday, October 14 (9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT). Then, on Sunday, October 15, Fox Broadcast Channel will air a 90-minute encore special following NFL games across the country (check local listings).
For more information on the Monster Energy 4-wheel team visit http://www.monsterenergy.com, and follow Monster Energy on Facebook and Instagram. For Monster Energy Cup tickets visit UNLV ticket outlets at http://www.UNLVtickets.com, http://www.supercrossLive.com, or by phone at (702) 739-FANS.
