The latest group of invited competitors for the 2018 Double Down Showdown® all competed in Triple Threat Series East in 2018. This quartet includes last year’s fast qualifier and an athlete who has never lost a Double Down Showdown race.
Jared Eichelberger (Max-D™) set the pace in the 2017 Double Down Showdown with a 16.697 lap, but fell in the quarter finals for the second straight year. Eichelberger will be hoping “the third time’s the charm” with this 2018 invitation. He scored nine Event Championships and five Racing titles with a 21-14 racing record.
Matt Cody (Blue Thunder®) is understandably anxious to get back to Las Vegas for his second Double Down Showdown appearance. Last year, Cody won his first-round race, but damaged the truck on the finish and could not continue. His mission in 2018 was to perform at a level to get a return invitation. Cody scored a Freestyle win in Hampton as one of the highlights of the 2018 season.
Brandon Vinson (Grave Digger®) made a valiant late season push to narrowly lose out on the Triple Threat Series East champion, but his efforts did not go unnoticed. The former crew chief has secured his first Double Down Showdown invitation and is considered by some to be a strong candidate to win the competition. He scored double digit Championships in Racing (15) and Freestyle (11) in 2018. His racing record, which included a 12-0 run in the series finale at Providence, is 30-9.
Colette Davis (Wonder Woman™) burst onto the Monster Jam scene in 2017, taking an Event Championship in one of her first appearances. This year, Davis continued the Monster Jam learning curve with consistent finishes. Her first Double Down Showdown appearance will also be her first look at Monster Jam Stadium racing competition.
Just four spots remain to fill the field for the March 23 Double Down Showdown. Someone will break from the group to win the championship and secure a spot in Monster Jam World Finals® XIX. The next announcement comes at 3 p.m.