Dawn Creten

When a young Dawn Binstock attended a concert at the North Dakota State Fair back in 1997 she had no idea how much her life would change. She was attending college as pre-med. She was also in the Army Reserve, as a medic. And she knew nothing about monster trucks and a guy from Kansas City named Jimmy Creten.

Earlier that day there was a monster truck race at the main grandstands. Somewhere around 10,000 spectators were on hand as a full field of competitors, including Jimmy Creten's Bounty Hunter put on a great event. Dawn Binstock was not one of those in the crowd. After the matinee session the track was cleared and the debris was removed to make way for a concert to be headlined by the country music act "Alabama." The fairgrounds asked the monster truck drivers to stick around and gave them some VIP passes for the show. Somehow amidst that jam packed crowd Dawn Binstock met the pilot of the Bounty Hunter monster truck.

It didn't take much to talk Dawn into attending a monster truck race a few weeks later. After one event she was hooked. By 1998 she was out of college and behind the wheel of a 10,000-pound monster truck running with the big boys and being trained by one of the best drivers in the country. Although she had 8 years in the reserve as a medic, at this point it was clear that her future was taking a different direction. Within a year of being on the scene, Dawn had become one of the most popular drivers on the circuit. In September of 1998 Dawn showed up at Nashville, Tennessee to take on one of the toughest tracks on the tour - an asphalt oval with a diverse collection of obstacles. The track could test the most seasoned of drivers. While she didn't make it to the finals on that evening it was clear that she was the rising star. Army Armstrong, the voice of monster truck racing was engaged in a conversation trackside the next afternoon and made the observation to other drivers, "Boys, you better watch out. Dawn didn't back down on this track. She's got some natural talent and a lot of guts. With a little more seat time you're all going to have your hands full when she comes to the line."

Along the way, Dawn has had to step out of the seat a few times. The first was for a honeymoon with her team-owner, Jimmy Creten. The second was for the birth of their first child, Hope, now 3 years old. And she left her driving duties once more for the birth of their second child, Faith, now 2 years old.

With Checker Schuck's and Kragen Auto Parts coming on board as a full sponsor for the 2000 season it was pretty clear to everyone that the CSK Scarlet Bandit was a contender. But many of her peers wondered if all the seat time she missed would hurt Dawn's progress as she returned to competition earlier in the year. Dawn dampened that theory in only her second week back by putting one of the best, Grave Digger out of the competition twice in one weekend. And just to show it wasn't a fluke, a week later Dawn Creten backed it up by winning an unprecedented 4 consecutive events in Beaumont, Texas.

2001 was an incredible year for the Bounty Hunter and Scarlet Bandit pair. The team tackled a grueling schedule of over 40 events in one year, along with 30 some static displays at CSK's retail stores. Not only did they complete the schedule, but the husband and wife duo captured several event wins. One highlight of Dawn's season came in Minneapolis, MN. The Metrodome was sold out for the first taping of TNN's Monster Jam television show to air in 2002. Dawn made an excellent qualifying pass and was ready for her first round match up. She drove Scarlet Bandit hard into the turn; the truck rocked up on two wheels and over it went. The crash was not a violent one, but it happened in mere seconds. Dawn emerged from the cab uninjured, with a smile on her face. The surprise in the story is that Dawn returned later that night. Unphased by the crash, she got back into her repaired truck and participated in the freestyle competition where she nearly turned it over again!

After two successful seasons with Checker Schuck's Kragen support, it was time for a change. A bold new look that would draw attention from even the most die hard fans. The 'new look' Scarlet Bandit debuted in

Dallas, TX on January 4th 2002. A professional design firm was hired to produce the new look, after months of scrutiny nearly $20,000; the shiny new Ford Expedition body, completely wrapped with computer designed graphics was unveiled. Fans were drawn to the truck immediately, and it has become a crowd favorite everywhere it has appeared.

Dawn and Scarlet Bandit joined the monster truck 'elite' this year as they were invited to participate in four nationally televised TNN Monster Jam events. The United States Hot Rod Association selects only the top trucks in the nation to appear on TNN each year, and Scarlet Bandit was there among the ranks of Grave Digger, Goldberg, Gunslinger and yes, Jimmy Creten and Bounty Hunter.

For more information: www.bountyhunter4x4.com and www.scarletbandit.com