MEET OUR TEAM MEMBERS
SAM STURGES
PEGGY STURGES
JACOB LADWIG
Owner | Operator of Sturges Motorsports
Unnamed & Untamed Monster Truck
Blast from the Past Jet Truck
JACOB LADWIG
PEGGY STURGES
JACOB LADWIG
OTR Logistics | Race Driver
Rat Attack Monster Truck
PEGGY STURGES
PEGGY STURGES
PEGGY STURGES
HQ Logistics | Event Driver
Boogie Monster Ride Truck
ABOUT SAM STURGES
A humble beginning.
A native of the Southwest US, Sam Sturges worked as a mechanic at a GM Dealership for many years, and became interested in dune buggies and mud bogs. After a few months, he built a VW buggy made for the mud and raced consistently around the Western United States. His most profitable buggy was "Spyder II" which could often be seen racing on the USA mud drags circuit in the early eighties. A big move to Arizona to be closer to family, proved to change his life.
Tanks and Mud in the mix.
As time went on, Sam started to see an increase of interest in Monster Tanks and many fans were head over heels for the action. He then started to design and build with Gary Ely, two monster tanks that would make their mark in Monster Truck History. "DADDY'S GIRL" and "GENERAL" blew onto the racing scene in 1989-1990. Paired with the "SUN DEVIL" Jeep Mud Dragster, fans loved the combination. Running from coast to coast, Sam and crew were getting the response they had hoped for; Success.
As the tank era went on, Sam and Gary Ely decided to move on in their careers and sold the tanks to USA Motorsports. USA Motorsports marketed the tanks in Australia, North America, Canada and South America. The tanks were often piloted by Jim & Paula Harbuck and the legend continued.
A School Bus and a Bold, New Idea.
Sam began construction on his first Monster Ride Truck "KOOL BUS" in the early 90's, and received a phone call from the most unlikely place… Hollywood! A Hollywood production company wanted Sam to build a Monster Tank for their made for TV movie. Sam always helpful, thought ‘Sure, why not?’. The tank would feature handfuls of huge steel spikes, integrated into the tank's body. The design was purely Sam's, as the only instruction he was given was, "...as if it were out of a bad dream..." that's all Sam needed.
Lights. Camera. Tank!
Never bowing to the power gods in defeat, Sam also dropped in a 500 cubic inch Blown & Injected Chevrolet engine. Sam's explanation for all this excess, "It's gotta’ sound like a bad dream too. Besides, I don't drive 55." The new tank "Mad Trax", had its debut in "Knight Rider 2000". It tore through fences, and chased KITT down a street, with Sam playing the role of a "Psycho Tank Driver". However, "Mad Trax" was not a one-trick pony. Sam took the tank to various exhibitions around the Western United States, and then parked it, so he could continue operating his "Kool Bus" Monster Ride Truck.