Monster Jam to roll into Royal Farms Arena
Royal Farms Arena’s headliners this weekend won’t be musicians, athletes, Disney skaters or even Jeff Dunham’s crazy puppets – they will be, quite simply, the biggest trucks you’ll ever see.
They’ll be about 12 feet tall, weigh between five and six tons, have 66-inch wheels and 1,500 horsepower, giving each plenty of pop to launch off the dirt hills that will cover the Arena’s floor. They’ll be loud, too – so anyone in the stands at Monster Jam without earplugs will regret it.
Monster Jam is part of a year-long competition in which huge trucks tour the country to compete for points, much like in NASCAR, where drivers vie for points to qualify to compete for the overall title. It’s no different in Monster Jam.
The eight drivers compete in six scoring events using different types of vehicles – the Monster Truck for the wheelie, donut and freestyle competitions; a speedster for head-to-head racing and the obstacle course; and an ATV for group racing. The drivers earn points in each event that are added to their season total, with the top drivers advancing to the Monster Jam World Finals.
“Everyone out there will do whatever it takes to win,” said Cynthia Gauthier, who drives Monster Mutt Dalmatian, which sports a red painted color and a tongue dangling from its hood. “Once the show starts, there’s never any downtime. It’s as much physical as it is mental.”
While NASCAR drivers are the stars of their sport, it’s not the same in Monster Trucks. The constant TV and media exposure have turned NASCAR drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick into household names, Monster Truck drivers take a backseat to what they drive.
Jared Eichelberger’s Max-D (Maximum Destruction) looks like it came straight out of Mad Max, as it features skulls on its doors and is covered with shiny bright spikes. Brianna Mahon’s Scooby-Doo has a blue collar and the cartoon mutt’s iconic floppy ears. Bari Musawwir’s Zombie, however, is much more menacing, as it has arms extending forward from the doors and decaying teeth on its grill. Mark List’s El Toro Loco is orange and yellow, with flames on its doors and bullhorns on the top of the cab. Aaron Basl’s NEA (New Earth Authority) Police is so futuristic it could easily be used in the next RoboCop film. Aaron’s twin brother Daron mans Monster Mutt Rottweiler, which feature snarling teeth, a black nose and of course, a spiked collar.
But the biggest star is Cole Venard’s Grave Digger, the iconic green and black monster that’s transcended generations and looks just as powerful today as it was in the 1980s. Grave Digger is still dominating, too, as it enters Royal Farms Arena atop the season standings with 57.5 points, just ahead of Zombie (55), Scooby-Doo (29), Max-D (24.5) and El Toro Loco (23). NEA is in sixth with 18.5, followed by Monster Mutt Dalmatian (14) and Monster Mutt Rottweiler (3.5).
“Right now, I’d say Grave Digger and Zombie are the most popular,” Gauthier said. “But they are also having great seasons.”
Monster Jam sees each tour stop as two opportunities. First, is competition, as the drivers go head-to-head for the day’s title and to take a step closer to the season crown. Secondly, and maybe just as important to the sport’s future, is each day gives drivers the chance to interact with the fans. Each night, drivers – no matter how they finish – won’t go home until they’ve fulfilled every autograph request. And on Saturday, fans can also purchase an additional ticket to the Pit Party, where they go on the track and mingle with drivers before the event starts.
“What makes the Pit Party special is there isn’t another experience like it out there,” Gauthier said. “It’s something all the drivers enjoy doing.”
Monster Jam
Where: Royal Farms Arena
When: Friday: 7:30 p.m.; Saturday: 2 p.m.*, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday: 2 p.m.*
Tickets: $20, $30, $60, $70 and can be purchased here.
*Get up close and personal with the drivers and Monster Trucks at the Party in the Pit! Tickets are $10. You must have purchased a Saturday, 2 p.m. event ticket or Sunday, 2 p.m. event ticket to enter.
Saturday Pit Party: 12 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Sunday Pit Party: 12 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Pit Party tickets can purchased at the MECU Box Office, located at Royal Farms Arena, here or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.
Jon Gallo is an award-winning journalist and editor with 19 years of experience, including stints as a staff writer at The Washington Post and sports editor at The Baltimore Examiner. He also believes the government should declare federal holidays in honor of the following: the Round of 64 of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament; the Friday of the Sweet 16; the Monday after the Super Bowl; and of course, the day after the release of the latest Madden NFL video game.