Monster Jam is a live motorsport event tour operated by Feld Entertainment. The series began in 1992, and is sanctioned under the umbrella of the United States Hot Rod Association. Events are primarily held in North America, with some additional events in other countries. Although individual event formats can vary greatly based on the "intermission" entertainment, the main attraction is always the racing, two-wheel skills competition, and freestyle competitions by monster trucks.
Grave Digger, one of the most popular monster trucks on the Monster Jam tours
Monster Jam events are held throughout the year in various venues around the U.S. and Canada. Stadium events are generally held in the winter and early spring when professional football and baseball stadiums are generally dormant for their main purpose, with the stadium series operating in cities with warmer winters or with dined stadiums. Events have also been held in other locations around the world, including Europe, Australia, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Singapore.
At Monster Jam events, monster trucks face off in three forms of competition: racing, two-wheel skills, and freestyle.
Racing is traditional heads-up tournament racing, where the first truck to cross the finish line moves onto the next round; the final race of the night is for that particular event's championship.
The two-wheel skills competition was introduced in late 2017. This competition consists of trucks performing their best moves on two wheels for two attempts. They can also choose to perform donuts or cyclones as an alternative. The two-wheel skills winner is determined by attendees voting via a score tracking website. The truck with the highest score at the end of the event wins that particular competition.
The freestyle competition allows drivers two minutes (one-and-a-half minutes for arena shows) on an open floor to show off their skills as they drive the trucks over ramps and junked cars, performing stunts and tricks with their trucks. In 2020, Monster Jam introduced a rule in which a truck must complete 30 seconds to qualify for an eligible score. If they fail to do so, they will receive a score of 0. The freestyle winner is determined by attendees voting via a score tracking website. The truck with the highest score at the end of the event wins the competition.
Each event produces its own winner. This winner is determined by the truck that has the most points gained in that particular event at the end of that event. If the same driver wins all three events in the same night, they are said to have swept the event.
Between the main competitions, other events are held. In the and Arena Series, the "donut" competition is featured, in which a driver tries to spin their truck until the driver or truck is unable to continue, or until the driver thinks they have a high enough score to win. Also presented at Arena Series events are ATV racing, speedster racing, and speedster obstacle course competitions.
In 2019, free-standing crush cars were officially removed from Monster Jam events.[1]
From 2000 to 2018, Monster Jam's competitive season began in January and ended in March, with the World Finals in Las Vegas every year, with exhibition shows continuing into the summer and fall months. Since 2019, the season still begins in January, but now ends in May with the World Finals held in Orlando, with exhibition shows continuing until the end of the year. The tours visit many major cities in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, Central America, South Africa, and Australia.
In 2015, an arena tour debuted. This tour featured 8 drivers driving 3 different vehicles in a points series. The top two finishers received an invitation to Monster Jam World Finals 16. Also in 2015, Monster Jam started its first stadium tour. This tour followed 16 drivers each weekend on Fox Sports 1 competing for points in qualifying, racing, obstacle course racing and freestyle. The top four in the series received invitations to the Monster Jam World Finals 16. In 2016, the arena series was split into two series, east and west, with the winner of each tour getting an invitation to Monster Jam World Finals 17. Since then the number of regional tours has increased, both for stadium and arena tours.
In 2022, the Monster Jam calendar featured three arena tours with 8 drivers each; each tour's winner receives a spot at Monster Jam World Finals XXI in Orlando. The schedule also includes two stadium tours, each with 14 drivers competing for one spot in Monster Jam World Finals XXI.
Following the World Finals, additional exhibition tours are held through much of the rest of the year. These traditionally included stadium tours in northern cities where it is too cold during the main season to hold outdoor events, which were known as the "Path of Destruction" tour. With the expansion of the competitive season to May, these events now comprise the late-season stops of the regular stadium tours.
World Finals
The Monster Jam World Finals are the culmination of the Monster Jam winter season, featuring top drivers from the year. It is often referred to as the "Super Bowl of monster trucks" and features drivers competing for the racing and freestyle championships.
For the first 19 World Finals, the event was held annually at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. On February 15, 2018, a new format was announced where the World Finals would rotate venues annually, beginning with World Finals XX. The original location for World Finals XX was set to be MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, but it was later changed to Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida due to scheduling issues.
World Finals XXI was scheduled for May 2–3, 2020, at Camping World Stadium. The event was later cancelled due to public health concerns regarding the international coronavirus pandemic.[2] This is the first time that a Monster Jam World Finals event has been cancelled. The event would eventually happen in the same venue on May 21-22 2022.
Hall of Fame
On January 8, 2020, Monster Jam announced that they would be establishing a Hall of Fame, dedicated to honor those who, "have made immeasurable contributions to the sport".[3]Dennis Anderson, creator and former driver of Grave Digger, and Scott Douglass, longtime announcer of Monster Jam events, were announced as the inaugural class of the new Hall of Fame at a live event at Raymond James Stadium on January 11, 2020. Originally set to be inducted at a ceremony during the weekend of World Finals XXI,[4] the induction was held on February 27, 2021 during halftime of a show at Camping World Stadium.[5]
On February 28, 2021, it was announced that Gary Porter, creator of Carolina Crusher and former driver of Grave Digger, and Mike Wales, former Senior Director of Fleet Operations,[6] would be inducted as part of the Hall of Fame 2021 Class.[7] Porter and Wales were inducted during a show at NRG Stadium on October 23, 2021.[8]
Mattel's Hot Wheels brand produced officially licensed toy versions of monster trucks under the Monster Jam name. They also sponsored a monster truck that competed in the series in previous years. Monster Jam and Mattel's contract ended in 2018. Monster Jam toys have been produced by Spin Master since January 2019.
Nine officially licensed Monster Jam video games have been produced. The first two, Monster Jam: Maximum Destruction, a vehicular combat game, and Monster 4x4: Masters of Metal, an arcade racing game, were published by Ubisoft. The third, titled simply Monster Jam, was released by Activision on November 13, 2007, and a sequel to it titled Monster Jam: Urban Assault was released on October 28, 2008. A fifth game, Monster Jam: Path of Destruction, was released on November 9, 2010. On June 17, 2015, Monster Jam Battlegrounds was released as a download on Xbox Live and Steam. Monster Jam: Crush It! was released on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on October 25, 2016, and was later released on Nintendo Switch on October 31, 2017. On June 25, 2019, Monster Jam Steel Titans was released on the PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. A sequel, Monster Jam Steel Titans 2, was released on March 2, 2021, for the same platforms as the first game.
In the United States, Monster Jam originally aired on TNN and Speed, with season preview and World Finals recap packages occasionally airing on CBS as part of the CBS Sports Spectacular from 2007 to 2012. From 2014 to 2018, FS1 and FS2 aired events form the series. Beginning in 2019, NBC Sports started airing the show on NBCSN.[9] On February 15, 2023, it was announced that Monster Jam would be moving to MAVTV with a multi-year deal.[10]
Recaps from each event are posted on Monster Jam's official YouTube account the following week. In 2020, during the international coronavirus pandemic, Monster Jam began posting hour-long recaps of previous events recorded in 2019 and 2020, such as the 2019 All-Star Challenge. In 2020, Monster Jam introduced a subscription membership program for YouTube featuring videos of past events. New membership videos are posted each week.
Related Research Articles
Bigfoot is a monster truck. The original Bigfoot began as a 1974 Ford F-250 pickup that was modified by its owner Bob Chandler beginning in 1975. By 1979, the modifications were so extensive, the truck came to be regarded as the first monster truck. Other trucks with the name "Bigfoot" have been introduced in the years since, and it remains a well-known monster truck moniker in the United States.
A monster truck is a specialized off-road vehicle with a heavy duty suspension, four-wheel steering, large-displacement V8 engines and oversized tires constructed for competition and entertainment uses. Originally created by modifying stock pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs), they have evolved into purpose-built vehicles with tube-frame chassis and fiberglass bodies rather than metal. A competition monster truck is typically 12 feet (3.7 m) tall, and equipped with 66-inch (1.7 m) off-road tires.
El Toro Loco is a monster truck currently racing in the Monster Jam series. The truck was created in 2001 as a variant of the 3-D molded body of the Bulldozer design, but as El Toro Loco has increased in popularity, it has become the primary truck for the body style. The truck is commonly known for "snorting" smoke out of its nose, which is toggled by a button inside the truck.
The United States Hot Rod Association (USHRA) was an organization that sanctioned various motorsports. These included the Monster Jam monster truck series as well as motocross, quad racing and others. Having passed through multiple owners, the rights to the group are now owned by Feld Entertainment, which continues to operate the Monster Jam series.
Grave Digger is a monster truck racing team in the Feld Entertainment Monster Jam series founded by original driver Dennis Anderson. Considered one of the most famous and recognized monster trucks of all time, Grave Digger serves as the flagship team of the Monster Jam series, with seven active Grave Digger trucks being driven by different drivers to allow a truck to appear at every Monster Jam event.
2Xtreme Racing is a monster truck owns a National Touring show called the 2 X Monster Truck Live Tour, executing and performing at over 45 shows per year. Trucks include Bounty Hunter, Scarlet Bandit and five finger death punch inspired Knuckle Head, Hot Tamale, and new comer Brutal, all of which compete at the various events on the annual schedule. The team is owned by Jimmy Creten, the two time Monster Jam World Champion and includes Creten, his wife Dawn Creten, who is the longest running female driver in the monster truck industry, Michael Brister, and Rob Poutre and more. Each truck features a different theme, with the headliners featuring an old west theme with a character based on the truck's name. All three vehicles have competed in the Monster Jam World Finals, and Bounty Hunter was the 2005 World Finals Freestyle Champion and the 2019 World Finals Racing Champion. Jimmy Creten and Trent Montgomery currently drive the two Bounty Hunter trucks, Dawn Creten drives the Scarlet Bandit truck, and Todd Morey drives Iron Outlaw.
Maximum Destruction, also known as Max-D, is a monster truck team owned by Feld Entertainment and operated by Tom Meents that runs as part of the Monster Jam circuit.
Blue Thunder is a monster truck that races in the USHRA Monster Jam series. It was originally sponsored by the truck division of Ford Motor Company and Live Nation. The truck has several similarities with the monster truck Bigfoot. Some fans saw Blue Thunder as a replacement for Bigfoot in the Monster Jam series. The truck has been moderately successful and won several major events during its existence. However, it has not yet won a championship. Blue Thunder was used by Ford Motor Company for promotional purposes along with competition. The truck is currently driven by Todd LeDuc. The truck did not compete in 2012 when Todd LeDuc moved to Metal Mulisha after driving Blue Thunder in 2011, but as of 2022, he began driving Blue Thunder again due to the Monster Energy truck not operating anymore. With Ford dropping its sponsorship in 2012, the truck was redesigned and brought back in 2013 with veteran driver Dan Evans; former owner/driver of the Destroyer monster truck.
Thomas William Meents is an American professional monster truck driver. He currently drives Max-D on the Monster Jam circuit. He has won 14 Monster Jam World Finals championships during his career.
Dennis Montague Anderson is an American former professional monster truck driver. He is the creator, team owner, and former driver of "Grave Digger" on the USHRA Monster Jam circuit. Anderson is from Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, where he currently resides.
Gary Porter is an American former monster-truck driver that races on the United States Hot Rod Association circuit. He is a former member of the Grave Digger team but returned to his Carolina Crusher truck in 2015. In July 2017, Gary Porter retired from monster truck driving after spending 32 years in the sport. In 2013 he was inducted in the international monster truck hall of fame. He was inducted again in 2021 in the Monster Jam Hall Of Fame.
Adam Anderson is an American professional monster truck driver. He currently drives Grave Digger on the Monster Jam circuit. Adam is the son of Grave Digger creator Dennis Anderson and the older brother of fellow drivers Ryan, Krysten and Weston Anderson. He is a 5-time Monster Jam World Champion. Adam currently resides in his hometown of Poplar Branch, North Carolina.
Monster Mutt is a monster truck from West Chicago, Illinois, competing in the United States Hot Rod Association (USHRA) Monster Jam series since 2003. Originally styled after a 1950 Mercury, and later a custom body, the truck has a canine motif, complete with big ears, tail and tongue. It is painted in two tones of brown, with a dog mouth drawn in the front. The truck has three spin offs, two of which are currently competing. It is currently driven by Chris Koehler.
Captain's Curse was a monster truck created by Monster Jam and FELD Motorsports, and competed in the Monster Jam series from 2007 through 2016.
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 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."
Carolina Crusher is a monster truck in the Feld Entertainment Monster Jam series. The first version of Carolina Crusher was built in 1985 by Gary Porter. Gary Porter and Carolina Crusher was one of the most popular monster trucks of the 1980s and 1990s. In the Fall of 2014, it was announced that Gary Porter would be returning to the Carolina Crusher in the Monster Jam series to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the truck in 2015.
Camden Murphy is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 30 Toyota Tundra for On Point Motorsports, and in Monster Jam, driving the Bakugan Dragonoid truck.
Great Clips Mohawk Warrior is a monster truck currently racing in the Monster Jam professional monster truck racing series. It is currently driven by Bryce Kenny, and was originally driven by George Balhan, former An Escalade driver, who debuted in 2010 during the Monster Jam World Finals XI Encore in the Obsession Chassis. It features one of the first trucks a decoration on the roof, which is a giant mohawk. The truck is also a successor to An Escalade. It has been sponsored by Great Clips since Bryce Kenny became the new driver of Mohawk Warrior after Balhan retired from Monster Jam.
Lucas Oil Crusader was a monster truck that raced in the Monster Jam professional monster truck racing series. It was driven by Linsey Weenk, former Blue Thunder driver, who debuted in 2011 in Houston, Texas. It featured one of the first trucks to change its roof artwork, which is the medieval knight decal and the truck's logo, and then after a while, it was replaced with the Lucas Oil logo. It also had the Lucas Oil flags at the back of the truck. It was sponsored by Lucas Oil since its debut in Houston, Texas, 2011. The truck was supposedly retired on July 28, 2019, but returned in 2020 to compete in Stadium Championship Series Red.
Ryan Anderson is an American professional monster truck driver. He currently drives Son-Uva Digger on the Monster Jam circuit. A second-generation monster truck driver, Ryan is the son of Grave Digger creator Dennis Anderson and the younger brother of fellow driver Adam, and the older brother of Krysten and Weston Anderson. He is a four-time Monster Jam World Champion. Ryan currently resides in his hometown of Poplar Branch, North Carolina.
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