Dan Runte Starts 2011 in the Winner's Circle

The 2011 monster truck racing season has begun. And to no one's big surprise, Dan Runte is already on a winning streak.

Runte debuted the updated Summit Racing/BIGFOOT at the Monster X-Tour event in Fresno, CA in early January, notching wins in the freestyle and side-by-side racing contests. The truck is basically Runte's trusty BIGFOOT #16 Ford with an updated Summit Racing paint scheme.

After Fresno, Runte racked up another side-by-side racing win at the Monster X-Tour event in Bakersfield, CA and made a strong showing at the X-Tour event in Medford, OR. Talk about a busy January!

This kind of schedule--and win record--is nothing new for Mr. Runte. This is the man who has probably lost count of the number of races and freestyle contests he's won in a 20-year career racing monster trucks. The man who has won eight national championships. The man who runs monster trucks down the dragstrip for fun. And the man who jumped a 727 jetliner--lengthwise, mind you--to set the world record for longest monster truck jump.

But of everything Dan Runte has done in his career, perhaps the most personal was his trip to Germany as part of Team Summit and the USO's visit to U.S. armed forces personnel stationed at Ramstein Air Force Base and Kaiserslauten Military Hospital.

"I came into this trip a little leery for several reasons," Runte wrote in a blog from Germany. "First, I was the only monster truck driver in a group of drag racers. I’ve also never been to Germany before, so heading into this week I have to admit I was a little nervous. However, as far as coming here, it has been an absolutely awesome experience. Summit Racing and the USO have put this deal together to make it a life experience for each one of us that was fortunate enough to come."

"The one thing that impressed me the most was the incredible attitude displayed by the both the patients and the medical staff (at the hospital)," Runte continued. "These are some awesome people treating some very special folks. It was an extremely humbling day that gave me an even greater appreciation for what those guys do, and the sacrifices they make for our country. I could say my hat is off to those guys, but that would be an understatement. It’s a life changing experience that I’m glad we did, and I would do it again in a heartbeat if the occasion ever arises in the future."

You can read Dan's entire blog entry here. And, you can keep up with his 2011 season right here--stop back for more updates on Dan Runte and the Summit Racing/BiGFOOT #16!