The Backyard – Bringing Back a Little Madness

Happy Friday and welcome to The Backyard!

Well, it finally happened—I’ve got a 13” wheelbase JConcepts Reactor on the way.

After a couple weeks of going back and forth (and missing the first batch thanks to a bit too much indecision), I was able to get in on the next round. So now the real fun begins.

As you might expect, once it arrives, I’m going to be doing a series of build articles on it. There’s a lot to unpack with this truck, and I want to take my time going through it properly—from the initial build all the way through setup and, eventually, getting it out on the track.

But here’s the thing—those write-ups aren’t going to live here in The Backyard.

Instead, I’m going to bring something back.

Some of you longtime readers might remember a column I used to do called Monster Truck Madness. It’s been dormant for quite a while now, but with the Reactor on the way it feels like the right time to dust it off.

The Backyard has become more of a place for ideas, observations, and the occasional ramble about whatever’s on my mind that week— and I’d rather keep it that versus going all monster truck again for the immediate future.

When the kit lands, I’ll kick off a series over there and walk through the build from start to finish. The Backyard will still be here doing what it does, but if you’re looking for the nuts-and-bolts side of this project, that’s where you’ll find it.

And there’s already a bit of a deadline in mind—I’m planning to have the Reactor ready for its first outing at the Bigfoot Open House in Pacific, Missouri on Saturday, June 13th. More details on that event (and exactly how I plan to run the truck) will be coming soon, but that’s the target.

It’s kind of funny how things come full circle in this hobby. A new truck shows up, and suddenly you’re revisiting not just how you build, but how you write about it too.

Either way, I’m looking forward to it.

And hopefully, it’ll be as fun to follow along as it is for me to put together.

That’s it for me this week. Until next time, keep it on all four’s!