Ryan Anderson (monster truck driver)

Last updated
Ryan Anderson
Ryan Anderson Son-uva Digger.jpg
Anderson in 2015
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1989-11-16) November 16, 1989 (age 34)
Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
Years active2010–present
Children1
Parent Dennis Anderson (father)
Relative(s)2 brothers and 1 sister (including: Adam and Krysten)
Sport
Country United States
Sport Monster Jam
Team Son-Uva Digger
Achievements and titles
World finals
  • Racing: 2017
  • Freestyle: 2018
  • High Jump: 2022, 2023

Ryan Anderson (born November 16, 1989) 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. [1] Ryan currently resides in his hometown of Poplar Branch, North Carolina.

Contents

Career

Like his brother Adam, Anderson was introduced to monster trucks by his father, Dennis Anderson, at a young age. He would go on tours with him when he was not in school.

He began driving in Monster Jam in 2010, first driving for Monster Mutt. He won Rookie of the Year honors after the season. He occasionally drove for Spider-Man at Mexico City and Cincinnati that year.

Anderson driving Son-Uva Digger in 2015. Son-uva Digger Monster Truck.jpg
Anderson driving Son-Uva Digger in 2015.

He debuted Son-Uva Digger in 2011, and has been competing in that truck ever since.

Anderson made his first Monster Jam World Finals debut in 2012. In racing, Anderson made it to the third round, but was eliminated after losing to Wolverine. In freestyle, Anderson would successfully land a perfect backflip.

In 2014, he won the Save of the Year award, along with the Stadium Freestyle of the Year award. He made his third Monster Jam World Finals debut that season. In racing, he would only made it to the second round, after getting eliminated by Bounty Hunter. In freestyle, he would place 18th with a score of 22.5.

In 2015, at Monster Jam World Finals 16, he was in contention of winning his first racing championship, after making it to the final round. He would lose the race after his truck rolled over while going into the turn. Metal Mulisha would win the championship instead.

In 2017, he would officially get his first Monster Jam World Finals championship in the racing portion, beating out Tyler Menninga in the final round. He would win his second championship next year in the freestyle portion.

In 2020, Anderson drove for Bakugan Dragonoid, after the series was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That same year, he would break the world record for the farthest bicycle (side wheelie) in a monster truck, which was 891 feet and 10.08 inches. [2]

He continued driving for Bakugan Dragonoid in 2021, where he won the Stadium Series championship. He returned to Son-Uva Digger in the summer, and currently competes in the Stadium Series championship as of 2022.

Awards

Personal life

Anderson has one son, Race Anderson, born in September 2014. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monster truck</span> Vehicle modified or purposely built with extremely large wheels and suspension

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Toro Loco</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grave Digger (monster truck)</span> Racing team in Monster Jam

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2Xtreme Racing</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monster Jam</span> Live motorsport event tour and television show

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maximum Destruction</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Thunder (truck)</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Seasock</span>

John Michael Seasock is a retired professional monster truck driver. He competed on the USHRA circuit with his truck, Batman, where it was the 2007 and 2008 Monster Jam World Racing Champion. He last drove Grinder sponsored by Advance Auto Parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Meents</span> American monster truck driver

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Anderson</span> American monster truck driver (born 1960)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Anderson (monster truck driver)</span> American monster truck driver (born 1985)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monster Mutt</span> Specialized competition off-road vehicle

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Captain's Curse</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avenger (truck)</span> Monster truck

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camden Murphy</span> American racing driver

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohawk Warrior</span>

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.

Krysten Anderson is an American professional monster truck driver. Anderson currently drives Grave Digger on the Monster Jam circuit and is the first full-time female driver for the team. She is the daughter of Grave Digger creator Dennis Anderson. She holds the record for the highest ramp jump by a monster truck at 33 ft 9.6 in.

References

  1. "Ryan Anderson - Monster Jam". Monster Jam. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  2. "Farthest bicycle (side wheelie) in a monster truck". Guinness World Records. June 23, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  3. Anderson, Ryan (September 3, 2014). "My son Race Anderson! Son uva, son uva digger haha. #sonuvadigger #futuremonstertruckdriver" . Instagram . Retrieved March 24, 2022.