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Roaring sound echoes through Cheyenne County fairgrounds

Roaring sounds echoed through the fairgrounds Thursday when Monster Truck Racing League (MTRL) rolled into town to perform at the Cheyenne County Fair.

This is the second year for the monster truck event, and with stands at the fairgrounds full, seems to be growing in popularity.

Line up for the truck show this year included monster trucks Jailbird, Wicked Sickness and Venom.

Mark Andrew is the driver and owner of three beefed up monster trucks. The one he said he brought to the Sidney show, has the frame of a 2012 Ford Superduty, with a body constructed out of fiberglass.

Andrew said he has been racing with a broken tail bone from landing hard in his seat during a race, but that does not stop him from doing what he loves.

"I have been building and racing monster trucks for twenty five plus years," Andrew said. "The truck here today took five years to build."

Andrew owns a landscaping business and said trucks are a hobby and a business.

"They are too expensive to just be a hobby, I have $150,000 just in parts in one truck," Anadrew said.

MTRL sends trucks to events all across the U.S. This team of three has been to Missouri, Wyoming, Washington, Maryland and Nebraska and has plans to travel to West Virginia in August.

Venom owner and driver Denver Echternkamp has about the same amount of time invested into his truck.

Hailing from Quincey, Illionis where he is a contactor, Echternkamp and his wife travel to shows in their off time.

Echternkamp said racing monster trucks is something that he loves.

"I don't drink, or smoke or dance, I race monster trucks," he said.

His truck "Venom" cost around $250,000. Echternkamp said a lot of the cost is due to the special parts he has on his truck.

"We are like a small family," said Andrew, "I couldn't do this with out these teams, we all help each other."

Thursday night's show included a wheelie competition, chicago style racing, and a freestyle.

"The freestyle gives the driver the opportunity to push boundaries hopefully without breaking anything," Andrew said.

"The biggest thing is safety, we all love to do this and we couldn't if we didn't do it safely," Andrew said.

 

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