Events Coverage

Not 'all new'... but definitely improved!

The Queensland-based Motor Mayhem show extensively toured around Australia for most of 1999. There was a break during the mid-year (soon after the appearance in Bathurst) when the monster trucks returned to the Sunshine Coast to be rebuilt. The physical appearance of some of the trucks changed drastically at this time, and a few have since been repainted and renamed. This page features pictures of Flying Falcon, Lunatic USA, Nite Thunder, Taurus, and Wild Thing.

The following photos were taken on September 1999 when the Motor Mayhem tour came, for the very first time, to Beenleigh, a large town situated smack-bang between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

This being the first time ever the trucks had appeared at the venue, it wasn't exactly clear what the promoter could expect in terms of crowd attendance. However, the trucks had arrived in town fairly early in the week of the show, and it soon became obvious the show would be a sell out. The gates to the showgrounds were open all week long, giving the locals plenty of time to peruse every inch of the trucks, gaining enthusiasm and a child-like curiosity about what these trucks were capable of.

The early arrival also gave the crew a chance to overhaul their equipment, particularly the high-powered drag race motors of Lunatic and Taurus. Unfortunately, after two days of rebuilding, the motor of Taurus would not cooperate for the crew and engine builders, as on the night of the event the motor completely filled with water, ending any chances of performing that night.

The aquatic theme wouldn't stop there either, as the night before the show, the skies opened up, dumping several inches of rain, leaving the showgrounds an absolute quagmire. This of course wouldn't affect the monster trucks, but did cause the show to forfeit many of the vehicle and motorcycle stunts. The fact that no rain date was set in advance also didn't help the shows cause, leaving the crowd somewhat short-changed of entertainment.

Nobody said show business was always going to be easy… so the show went on, as it must, to the best of Motor Mayhem's ability. Considering the little equipment left to work with that night, they still managed to pull off a show which indeed demonstrated to the crowd what five ton 4X4X4’s were capable, albeit in the wet.

©1999-2008