Donkey Kong (monster truck): Difference between revisions

[[Wikipedia:Donkey Kong#Impact and legacy|'''Donkey Kong''']] is a [[Wikipedia:monster truck|monster truck]] that competes in the [[Wikipedia:Monster Jam|Monster Jam]] racing series, and is designed after the character [[Donkey Kong]], the star of his own [[Donkey Kong (franchise)|franchise]]. The truck is owned by [[Wikipedia:Irvin Feld|Feld Motorsports]], and is currently driven by Frank Krmel (last name pronounced "kerr-mell"). It debuted on December 8, 2007, and later competed in the [[Wikipedia:Monster Jam World Finals|Monster Jam World Finals]] 9 and 10 competitions. Another driver, Kreg Christensen, later took over as driver of the truck before the truck later retired in 2010.

The truck has a custom concept body, designed to look like Donkey Kong. It is colored brown, and features a large mouth on the front hood area, along with two nostrils. On the sides, where the door would be, it sports two large ears. Its most prominent feature is the necktie dangling from the front. Later, two large eyes were added to the windshield. Because of its resemblance to Donkey Kong and its large "facial features" and tie, it is especially popular among children.

In the racing competition's first round, it defeated [[Wikipedia:Chad Fortune|Chad Fortune]] and his Superman truck. Moving on to face perennial powerhouse [[Wikipedia:2Xtreme Racing|Jimmy Creten in Bounty Hunter]], Krmel lost in the second round. The competition was eventually won by Linsey Weenk in [[Wikipedia:Blue Thunder (truck)|Blue Thunder]].

Later that day, in the [[Wikipedia:Freestyle (monster trucks)|freestyle]] competition, Donkey Kong came out and performed first. Scoring an intimidating 21 points out of 30, it sat in first place until bested by racing winner Linsey Weenk in Blue Thunder, who scored a 26. The competition was later won by [[Wikipedia:Dennis Anderson|Dennis Anderson]] and [[Wikipedia:Grave Digger (truck)|Grave Digger]], who scored a perfect 30. Donkey Kong finished fourth, and Krmel began to make a name for himself freestyling in his new truck.

Frank Krmel led Donkey Kong to qualify for the ninth annual Monster Jam World Finals at [[Wikipedia:Sam Boyd Stadium|Sam Boyd Stadium]] in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.  

In the racing competition, Donkey Kong lost in the first round to veteran driver Dennis Anderson and his Grave Digger truck. The competition was eventually won by [[Wikipedia:John Seasock|John Seasock]] in [[Wikipedia:Batman (truck)|Batman]].

 

In freestyle later that night, Donkey Kong scored a mediocre 26 out of 40 points, finishing in ninth place. The competition was eventually won by [[Wikipedia:Adam Anderson (monster truck driver)|Adam Anderson]] in the Taz truck, who scored 37 points.

Again the next year, Krmel lead Donkey Kong to the next world finals competition in Las Vegas.  

 

Donkey Kong was the fastest qualifier for racing, earning a free pass to the second round. There, DK was upset by the truck Madusa. [[Wikipedia:Tom Meents|Tom Meents]] in [[Wikipedia:Maximum Destruction|Maximum Destruction]] was later crowned the racing champion.

In the freestyle competition afterwards, Krmel piloted Donkey Kong to the middle of the pack, tying John Seasock's Batman truck with 21 out of 40 points for twelfth place. Damon Bradshaw's Air Force Afterburner truck eventually won the freestyle title, earning 36 points.