Jurassic Attack is a custom triceratops monster truck owned by Team Throttle Monster. Originally owned and created by Don Frankish in 1999, the truck would operate under his ownership with various drivers driving the truck until its initial retirement in 2011. After being placed on hiatus for over a decade, Frankish would partner with Team Throttle Monster to revive the name, where it continues to compete to this day under Paul Jensen and Dalton Widner. Since its debut, the truck has become a staple of multiple monster truck leagues and has become a favorite with fans for its design.
History[]
Jurassic Attack originally debuted in 1999 as the successor to Frankish’s other truck, Young Gun; The truck would be driven by Kevin Weenk in 1999 up until 2000, when he would hand down the driving duties to his brother Linsey Weenk; the truck would receive a new rebuilt chassis in 2000 and Weenk would drive Jurassic Attack until he left the team in 2006 to drive for 2Xtreme Racing. His other brother, Nathan Weenk, would take over the driving duties until his departure the following year.
In 2007, Jurassic Attack would debut a new light blue paint scheme in the middle of the season. Following Nathan’s departure, rookie driver Kristy Edge took over the driving duties. Meanwhile, Frankish and the truck would compete overseas with Monster Jam as part of that year's European tour. Not only would they win a freestyle championship in Cardiff, Wales, but they would also be nominated for the following year’s Save of the Year award, which they would win. Edge would also be nominated for that year’s Rookie of the Year award, which they would also win.
In 2008, Cam McQueen drove the truck in Brussels and Randy Brown drove in Arnhem. Kristy Edge wins Monster Jam's Rookie of the year award.
In 2010, Jurassic Attack’s original chassis would be put up for sale. Meanwhile, the truck would compete under a limited schedule that season with various drivers, including Barry Parkin, Russell Steeley, Garrett Ladelle, Scott Anderson, Kevin Weenk, former crew member Mike Bell, and Gary Schott Jr., who was slated as the main driver for the season.
2011 marked Jurassic Attack’s final year of competition under Frankish’s ownership. The truck would be retired from competition afterward whilst a ride truck was constructed the following year. At the time, the ride truck would be known for being the only Jurassic Attack truck left in existence. Meanwhile, Frankish would lease the chassis to Trent Hickle, where it would be converted into Maniac.
Jurassic Attack would remain absent from competition for less than a decade until 2020 when it was announced that Frankish had partnered up with Team Throttle Monster to revive Jurassic Attack with an all-new design and chassis.
Revival[]
The truck made its official return to competition on January 8, 2021, at Monster Jam’s first event of the season at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City with David Olfert behind the wheel. Olfert would go on to win three freestyle championships that weekend, as well as two donut competition championships. Meanwhile, a second Jurassic Attack would be added to the team in the spring, with Paul Jensen driving. Both trucks would compete in various shows throughout the 2021 season. Former Quad Chaos driver Aaron Cain would also drive the truck in Joliet.
In 2022, a third Jurassic Attack was added to the team, with Dalton Widner as the driver. Widner would compete in the Toughest Monster Truck Tour and would eventually go on to win the series in April, while the other two trucks would enter their first full year of competition in Monster Jam, with Olfert competing in Arena Championship Series West, and Jensen competing in Stadium Championship Series Yellow. During his series, Olfert would win an overall event championship during the final event in Sacramento, followed by a second one during the second Wichita event and a third in the first Nampa event. Olfert finished 3rd on his tour. Meanwhile, Jensen's truck would receive blue eyes to distinguish Jensen's truck from Olfert's, while Widner would compete in select events in Arena Championship Series East in Worcester and Allentown. Paul Jensen suffer a lot of bad luck during the series and would finish 11th in the standings. Olfert would also compete in the Macon event for Arena Championship Series East. Cory Rummell would also drive the truck, filling in for Paul, at the Wilkes-Barre events. Jeff Souza would also drive the truck in many arena events for the first quarter. David would leave the team to pilot the truck's new teammate Velociraptor. Travis Mowery would later drive the truck at the October Houston show, where the truck would win freestyle, earning its first stadium win since Cardiff 2007, fifteen years earlier.
In 2023, Dalton Widner competes on Arena Series East alongside Hunter Souza, driving Earth Shaker on the Wrecking Machine chassis. It would also debut a new green paint scheme based around the original truck's cancelled 2010 concept. Dalton would finish 3rd. Dalton & the truck would compete at the 2023 Circle K Back to School Bash, winning the racing championship. Devin Winfield drives the truck in Nampa, replacing Dalton Widner for unknown reasons. There would also be a sudden reveal on Halloween of 2023, where Team Throttle Monster revealed the new hydrogen-powered chassis, on which a special Jurassic Attack body is ran. This is the first ever hydrogen powered monster truck. It debuted at SEMA 2023. It is unknown when or if it will compete.
In 2024, Dalton competes on the west arena tour & finished 2nd. He would be the highest finishing independent of all the tours. Tim Hall Jr. drives the truck at independent events with his teammates Joe Urie and Logan Tweedy in Kamikaze.
Video game appearances[]
Trivia[]
- As shown in concept art, Jurassic Attack was originally intended to use a body style based on a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
- Jurassic Attack was originally intended to receive a new green paint scheme in 2010. While it was ultimately cancelled, the scheme would be released as a Hot Wheels 1:64 scale diecast in 2017 and would be used for the revived version of the truck starting in 2023.
- For Monster Jam's 2022 October Glendale show, TTM was originally planning to have Paul Jensen and David Olfert switch rides where David would return to Jurassic Attack and Paul would driver Velociraptor. However, the switch-up would eventually be scrapped and they would drive their main trucks.
- Jurassic Attack was featured in the 2001 film Rat Race, with its teammate, Maniac.
- On October 31st, 2023, a hydrogen-powered chassis was revealed to have been developed by Team Throttle Monster for a special Jurassic Attack, making Jurassic Attack the first hydrogen-powered truck in monster truck history.
- The theme Cult of Personality is also used for WWE superstar CM Punk.
- The truck's website is jurassicattack.com, but it hasn't been updated since 2015. The site also features its former teammate, Maniac.
Gallery[]
Main gallery[]
Merchandise gallery/miscellaneous[]
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