RAMINATOR CHOMPS

Monster truck runs over, crushes line of 10 junk cars for dealership demonstration

The sun, heat and humidity on the afternoon of June 17 beat down on a group of spectators who gathered around the lower automotive lot at Adventure Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Willoughby.

But this kind of beating seemed mild compared with the pounding they gathered to witness. That deed was carried out on 10 junk vehicles by a worldrenowned

monster truck.

The Raminator, which holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest speed for a monster truck, made a special appearance at the Adventure dealership on 36845 Euclid Ave. On this day, though, the truck put on an exhibition featuring brute strength rather than swiftness.

Weighing in at 11,000 pounds

“I love monster trucks. I want to see it actually roll over some cars.” — Angelette Morgan of Willoughby

and measuring 10 feet high by 12 feet wide, with wheels that are 5 feet 6 inches tall, the Raminator ran over and crushed a line of 10 full-size junk vehicles. The truck drove back and forth over the cars for about 10 minutes, leaving more crumpled metal in its wake with every pass.

Showing off its power, speed or good looks is nothing unusual for the Raminator, which appears at about the 300 events a year, such as races, visits to Ram dealerships, displays and farm shows. That’s according to Kurt Kraehmer, driver, crew chief and mechanic for the Hall Brothers Racing team of Champaign, Illinois, which owns and operates the entire line of Ram monster trucks.

The Ram truck brand sponsored monster truck lineup includes the 2018 Ram Heavy Duty Laramie Limited body Raminator and 2018 Ram Power Wagon body Rammunition.

In December 2014, Raminator and driver Mark Hall broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest speed for a monster truck, reaching 99.10 miles per hour.

Kraehmer, who drove the Raminator during the Willoughby exhibition, said the truck is transported to events in the back of a tractor-trailer. Hauling the Raminator is necessary since the truck itself isn’t exactly fuel efficient — it’s powered by methane and burns about a gallon of fuel a minute when idling.

The lifestyle of a Raminator crew member is challenging, yet rewarding, Kraehmer said.

“It’s a lot of time on the road,” he said. “But as long as you have good crewmates, it makes it all worthwhile.”

Prior to the car-crushing show, members of the public got a closer look at the Raminator when it was parked at one of the entrances to the Adventure dealership, close to Euclid Avenue.

Angelette Morgan of Willoughby stopped by with her daughter, Ashley Keene, to check out the Raminator. They took cellphone pictures of one another posing beside the celebrity vehicle.

“I love monster trucks,” Morgan said. “I want to see it actually roll over some cars.”

BILL DEBUS — THE NEWS-HERALD David Folk, of Geneva Township, and his grandson, 3-year-old Logan Folk of Thompson Township, check out the Raminator monster truck when it was on display June 17 at Adventure Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Willoughby.

BILL DEBUS — THE NEWS-HERALD This is what was left of 10 junk cars after the Raminator monster truck ran over and crushed them on June 17 during an exhibition at Adventure Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Willoughby.