Monster truck
Avenger |
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| Owner | Team Scream Racing |
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| Driver(s) | Jim Koehler |
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| Year created | 1997 |
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| Body style | 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air (Formerly 1996 Chevrolet S-10) |
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| Engine | 540 cubic inch Merlin big block |
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| Transmission | Bewick Turbo 400 |
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| Tires | 66" Terra/BKT |
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The Avenger, piloted by Columbus, Michigan native Jim Koehler, was created in 1997. The original monster truck sported a forest green Chevrolet S10 body style and a teal chassis and rims. With the exception of the design featured at World Finals 14, the Avenger truck has always sported at least three flaming skulls (one on each side and one on the hood) and flowing flames running from the wheel wells. As time passed, the S10 body was replaced by a 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air body with bright green headlights, which is the same body style that is run today by "Mr. Excitement."
Avenger is out of the Team Scream stable, which also features the Brutus, Mega-Bite, Spike, Rage, Axe, and Wrecking Crew trucks. The original Avenger chassis is currently retired, while the second one is currently being run as Axe with young driver Joe Foley behind the wheel.
Body styles
Avenger and Jim Koehler is now the only truck and driver to compete in every Monster Jam World Finals. Tom Meents was the other to compete in all until missing World Finals 18 due to a back injury until he returned for the 2017 Monster Jam Path of Destruction Tour in Foxborough. There are various versions of the Avenger truck, which are:
- Forest Green Chevrolet S10
- Forest Green 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air
- Orange Bel-Air
- Half Forest Green and Half Orange Bel-Air
- Chrome Bel-Air
- Toxic Green Bel-Air
- Neon Green Bel-Air
- "Scuba" Light Blue Bel-Air
- Black "Rat Rod" Bel-Air
- Candy Apple Red "Las Vegas" Bel-Air
- Yellow "Two Time Champion" Bel-Air
- "Garners" Candy Apple Red Bel-Air
- Purple Bel-Air
- Garners Towing Style White Bel-Air
- Junkyard Style Bel-Air
- Bright Green Chevy S-10
- Dark Green "Celebrating 20 years" Chevy S10 with chrome logo
- Lime Green Custom Nomad
- Red, Blue and White Stepp's Towing Bel-Air
- White and Green “Global” Bel-Air
- Silver “Glow in the Dark” 25th Anniversary Bel-Air
- Silver “Nashville” Bel-Air
Monster Jam World Finals accomplishments
Avenger has taken several titles over the years, but none shine brighter than his two Monster Jam World Finals Freestyle Championships. He won his first world championship title in 2003 with the original Forest Green Bel-Air and teal chassis, Jim shocked the Monster Jam World by being the first Freestyle Champion not named Dennis Anderson or Tom Meents. The following year in 2004 Koehler was stopped on him. He bent a 4-link bar that caused the transmission to break after he went over the cars, causing him to be frustrated. In March 2011, with his red "Las Vegas" Avenger, Jim tied with Cam McQueen in the Nitro Circus Monster Truck in the Freestyle competition, edging out McQueen to claim his second Freestyle title, making Jim Koehler one of only three drivers to have more than one Freestyle title at the World Finals, the others being Tom Meents and Adam Anderson (monster truck driver).
In 2009, Avenger went places that it had never ventured before with the debut of Aussie Avenger, built specifically for the Extreme Monster Trucks Australia tour. This truck featured a bright orange chassis as well as canary yellow rims, with a classic 1957 Chevy Bel-Air body. Jim traveled "Down Under" for the South Pacific Finals where he continued the tradition of American drivers bringing home the Australian championships with his Freestyle victory. In 2010, Jim returned to Brisbane for the South Pacific Finals 3 to defend his Freestyle Championship. "Mr. Excitement" held true to his name by taking a second straight championship in freestyle. In 2016, he is driving in the Fox Sports 1 Championship Series.
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