COMMUNITY

PHOTOS: State fair wraps up with Motor Mania

Monster Trucks and their ilk are a family affair for Chelsea Kessler, CEO and founder of Motorsport Production Services. The company put on the Motor Mania event this year at the Oregon State Fair.

In 2020, Kessler took over the reins of the family business from her parents John and Sharlene Borba. She’s become one of the largest promotors of demolition derbies, tuff truck, and monster truck events in California, Oregon, and Washington.

It was somewhat organized chaos behind the scenes before the show on Saturday as drivers prepared their various rigs for entry into the course at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion. Rules were explained, numbers were drawn for entry times, and everything was double checked. Ear protection is a must as the deafening roar of the engines started. 

Chelsea Kessler, CEO of Motorsport Productions, explains the rules to participants in a pre-race meeting before the Motor Mania event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)

Most of the drivers assemble the monster trucks on site from semi-trucks that come pre-loaded with chassis and tires. Some of the tires are over 66 inches in height. The drivers of monster trucks sit over 12 feet from the ground once they climb into the cab. 

Monster trucks originated from modified stock pickup trucks, farm tractor tires, and sport utility vehicles and have evolved into purpose-built vehicles with a tube-frame chassis and fiberglass bodies rather than metal. They all still have 8-cylinder engines. 

The “Tuff Trucks” event has its origins in Australia where teams, made up of a driver and navigator, attempt to complete a number of marked overland courses that have rocks, hills, and water obstacles. Teams lose points for a variety of errors, such as knocking down cones, going into reverse or using a winch. The sport has been modified to a single driver for the arena and an indoor course. Any vehicle can enter so long as it’s “tuff” enough to finish the course.

The show also had the “Quad Wars” which featured a pack of racers on “quads” or 4 wheeled ATV vehicles racing, doing wheelies, and taking the various jumps in the arena to the crowd’s delight. 

The show ended with the big crowd pleaser- the “wolf pack” of monster trucks doing what they do best: freestyle events. Each driver put on a performance consisting of stunts such as awe-inspiring jumps, wheelies, and doughnuts that generated enough dust and dirt to leave any monster truck enthusiast happy. 

It’s a long way up from the ground (12 feet) to where the operator sits on top of a monster truck at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Tony Canedo with his rig at the beginning of the Motor Mania show at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
This Tuff Truck didn’t make it through the course and had to be towed off mid-run at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
The Quad Wars begin at the starting line at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Jason Smolarek draws number 1 for his running order for Tuff Trucks at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
One of the quad riders takes a jump on the course during the Motor Mania show at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
One of the Wolf Pack monster trucks shows how it’s done at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Another member of the Wolf Pack gains some air at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Proper earwear was sported by all ages in the audience at the Motor Mania show at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Playin’ For Keeps leads the way in freestyle jumping at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Playin’ For Keeps enters the pavilion to thunderous applause at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Tony and Laura Canedo, owners of Playin’ For Keeps monster truck, attend the pre-race meeting before the show at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Wicked Strong in flight during the freestyle event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
The driver of Wicked Strong intensely focused on his task during the freestyle event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Chelsea Kessler and her mother, Sharlene Borba, take a quick moment to connect before the show begins at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Marty Hansen takes the course on strong in his Dodge Durango during the Tuff Truck event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. Hansen remarked before the race that there were some races when he was so sore, he couldn’t get out of bed the next morning (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
The audience enjoys the Motor Mania show at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Another entry in Open Class gains some air during the Tuff Truck event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
A minivan takes on the first hill during the Tuff Truck event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
No Motor Mania show is complete without dirt flying donuts and The Enforcer shows how it’s done at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)

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Laura Tesler has lived in Salem, Oregon for 20 years and is originally from Flint, MI. Laura has been an underwater photographer for 15 years, and is an avid scuba diver. Topside, she has been taking photographs since age 12, and currently works on assignment for the Salem Reporter, and full time purchasing land for fish and wildlife habitat in the Willamette Valley. Laura attended Oregon State University, and has traveled extensively all over the world and the United States.