Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong was a custom monster truck that competed from 2007-2010 and was based off of the Nintendo character of the same name. The truck was driven by Frank Krmel from 2007-2009, while Kreg Christensen took over in 2010.

History[]

2007 - Donkey Kong debuts at the first show of the 2008 season at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Frank Krmel is chosen as the driver and the truck runs on Alex Blackwell's former Bulldozer chassis. Frank had also previously driven the chassis as El Toro Loco during the European Tour earlier that year. The truck has a solid first appearance, making it to the semi-finals in racing and scoring a 21 in freestyle.
2008 - Donkey Kong competes in the 2008 season under Krmel, eye decals are added to the window in Portland, Oregon and remain a feature for this season only. Donkey Kong is invited to compete at World Finals 9 at the end of the season, marking Krmel's fourth consecutive World Finals appearance. The truck finishes ninth overall in freestyle with a score of 26. During the European Tour later in the year, Donkey Kong pulls off one of the highest jumps in Monster Jam history at the Gelredome in Arnhem. The huge leap earns Frank the Extreme Air award the following year.
2009 - The first ever CRD-built chassis is placed under Donkey Kong. Krmel continues to run Donkey Kong through the 2009 season and its eye decals are removed. The truck is once again invited to the World Finals at the end of the season. Donkey Kong gets the number one spot in qualifying in a huge surprise. Unfortunately, Krmel loses to Madusa in its first race in the second round. The truck has an unusual incident in its freestyle run, as a hard landing breaks the wheel off, but still remains attached to the tie rod, trailing around the back of Donkey Kong and ending its run early. Krmel takes the truck to the European Tour for second straight year, though Lee O'Donnell drives Donkey Kong in Barcelona.
2010 - For its final season, Donkey Kong gets a new driver. Krmel moves to Blue Thunder, with the old Donkey Kong chassis, being converted in Krmel's new Blue Thunder truck. Donkey Kong is run on the former Team Suzuki chassis and former Maximum Destruction driver Kreg Christensen takes over as the new driver, even winning the freestyle competition in Phoenix. Dan Rodoni drives the truck for one show in Anaheim on his The Patriot chassis, and Becky McDonough drives it in Costa Rica. After the World Finals, Donkey Kong continues to compete, with its final show being in Panama later in the year in May. The truck is then retired after the Nintendo sponsorship runs out.

Drivers[]

Events Competed[]

2007[]

Minneapolis, MN, Dec 7

2008[]

Council Bluffs, IA, Jan 4-6
San Antonio, TX, Jan 10-12
Tacoma, WA, Jan 18-20
Anaheim, CA, Jan 26
Oakland, CA, Feb 2
Portland, OR, Feb 8-10
Rosemont, IL, Feb 16-17
Oklahoma City, OK, Feb 22-23
Tucson, AZ, Feb 29-Mar 2
Pensacola, FL, Mar 7-8
Lafayette, LA, Mar 14-15
World Finals IX, Las Vegas, NV, Mar 28-29
Cardiff, Wales, Jun 7
Gothenburg, Sweden, Jun 14-15
Brondby, Denmark, Jun 21
Brussels, Belgium, Jun 29
Arnhem, Netherlands, Sept 28-29
Helsinki, Finland, Nov 1-2
Stockholm, Sweden, Nov 7-9

2009[]

Cincinnati, OH, Jan 3-4
Memphis, TN, Jan 9-10
Tacoma, WA, Jan 16-18
Anaheim, CA, Jan 24
Rockford, IL, Jan 30-31
Denver, CO, Feb 7-8
Philadelphia, PA, Feb 13-15
St. Louis, MO, Feb 21
Providence, RI, Feb 27-Mar 1
Saginaw, MI, Mar 6-7
Grand Rapids, MI, Mar 8 (Sunday Only)
Bridgeport, CT, Mar 14-15
World Finals X, Las Vegas, NV, Mar 27-28
Chorzów, Poland, May 30
Cardiff, Wales, Jun 6
Gothenburg, Sweden, Jun 13
Arnhem, Netherlands, Sept 26-27
Barcelona, Spain, Oct 24

2010[]

Tulsa, OK, Jan 8-9
Tacoma, WA, Jan 15-17
Sacramento, CA, Jan 22-24
Phoenix, AZ, Jan 30
Edmonton, Alberta, Feb 5-6
Anaheim, CA, Feb 6
Portland, OR, Feb 13-14
Calgary, Alberta, Feb 20-21
Fresno, CA, Mar 5-6
San Jose, Costa Rica, Apr 17
Panama City, Panama, May 29-30

World Finals Appearances[]

2008 - Frank Krmel
2009 - Frank Krmel

Theme Songs[]

"Donkey Kong Jungle Beat Credits Music" by Nintendo Music (2007, Anaheim 2008, 2009 & 2010)
"New York City Boy" by Pet Shop Boys (2008)
"Everybody Down" by Nonpoint (Oklahoma City 2008)
"Welcome To The Jungle" by Guns N' Roses (Barcelona 2009 and Saginaw 2009)
"Maneater" by Nelly Furtado (Costa Rica 2010)
"Bark At The Moon”" by Ozzy Osbourne (Panama 2010 Show 2)

Trivia[]

At its debut show, Minneapolis 2007, the truck made its debut by emerging from a gigantic Donkey Kong Barrel. No footage of its emergence from the barrel is known to exist. A similar thing would happen 4 years later with Iron Man emerging from a giant McDonald's box in Costa Rica, this time with it having footage.
The truck rotated between displaying and removing eye decals on the window. It also ran with a tie on the front, just like the original Zombie.
The real life truck was designed with a frown, however the Hot Wheels and plush releases had the truck designed with a smile.
Donkey Kong is the only truck that has competed in Monster Jam to be based on a video game character.
According to Frank Krmel, Donkey Kong had a surprisingly wide field of vision, even with the eye decals on the windscreen, unlike many other custom-bodied trucks that usually had limited visibility. This is because the driver could not see the eye decals from the inside.

Gallery[]

Video[]

Donkey Kong 2010 Freestyle in Phoenix, AZ

Monster Jam Anaheim 2010 Donkey Kong Freestyle

Donkey Kong Freestyle - Monster Jam World Finals IX

Donkey Kong Freestyle - Monster Jam World Finals X

More information of Donkey Kong[]

Donkey Kong on Donkey Kong Wiki