Seasock Makes Most of Tough Evening in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, LA (January 17) – Despite an ultra-violent crash that kept him from driving the Traxxas T-Maxx™ past the qualifying round, John Seasock was a fan favorite during Saturday’s United States Hot Rod Association’s Monster Jam® in the Louisiana Superdome.

Seasock’s qualifying run against Brutus® was one of the fastest times of the event. Unfortunately, the T-Maxx was severely damaged and lost its left front wheel in the crash that ensued a split-second after he crossed the finish line.

"We were really looking forward to the New Orleans Monster Jam,” Seasock said. “There’s so much history in that event. It’s a huge facility and the field of trucks was World Finals-caliber. Every round could be a final round anywhere; the best of the best were there. We wanted to qualify in the top part of the bracket – preferably #1 – and make a great impression with the T-Maxx truck.

“We came out of the hole and yanked the front tires off the ground. That big engine easily pulled the big, 10,000-pound truck on its back wheels. We got some good air on the first jump and when we came back on the ground, it felt like we were going to have an extremely fast pass. We went around the corner and onto the straightaway and that big horsepower made the truck take off like a shot. We went flying down into the last corner and pitched the truck sideways like a sprint car. We yanked the right front tire a foot or so off the ground and got back on the throttle again. Unfortunately, I didn’t hit the ramp square. The truck went up in the air and pulled to the left. It didn’t seem bad; I’ve made jumps like this before. If you just hit the throttle and time it right when you hit the ground, it makes for a good jump. When it made impact with the ground, I hit the throttle and the truck jacked up on its nose. Again, I’ve been there before, so I pushed on the throttle and when I did I realized the left front tire was missing and we were in a bad position. The truck started cart-wheeling down the track.

“It was a pretty violent wreck; one of the two worst of my 15-year career. As the truck turned over, it didn’t land on the tires or the body. It landed on the cage, so I really felt it. Thank God we go through a thorough safety inspection before each event. The USHRA is very strict on safety. It was a very severe wreck, but I was able to walk away. I have some bruises, but nothing really bad at all. I’m just sore.”

Despite the efforts of his crew, the damage to the T-Maxx was too severe to allow Seasock to advance into the first round of the New Orleans Monster Jam. The impact ripped a spindle from the left front of the truck. It also broke an outer axle and the right axle ball and U-joint on the right side. There was also a broken steering ram, two hydraulic lines and a shock absorber. The roll cage was bent in eight places. Every body part on the truck was damaged except the left rear fender. There was also a broken steering knuckle, a part Seasock had never broken before.

“The only driver I’ve ever known to break a steering knuckle was Dennis Anderson in the Grave Digger®,” said Seasock, who watched Anderson finish second to Maximum Destruction in both the racing and freestyle competition in the New Orleans Monster Jam. “Breaking a steering knuckle isn’t common at all.

“We have to thank everybody who helped us. Several teams came over to see if we were OK. They said if we needed any parts, they would be sure to get us what we needed. We carry a lot of parts in our truck and our crew was really thrashing to get us back into competition. The teams came together and wanted to help us get back out there. That’s what it’s all about. We want to win on the track – not in the pits – so we help each other any way we can. We wanted to get back for the freestyle, but the damage was just too severe. It wouldn’t have been safe to try to patch it together. With the knuckle being cracked like it was, it just wasn’t possible. I thank the other teams a lot; we’re one big family.”

Despite being battered, bruised and sore, Seasock signed autographs for more than two hours following the event. More than 75,000 fans packed the Louisiana Superdome. Among them were representatives from Aggressive Hobbies located in Slidell, LA, and Black Hawk Hobbies located in Metairie, LA.