Monster Jam can be an exciting family experience! However, it may also be somewhat intimidating.

Starting off, this event can be loud; so loud that ear protection may be necessary! But then again, it’s truly amazing seeing some of the world-famous trucks close up and personal! Each competition showcases different types of trucks.

The History of Monster Jam

Monster Jam may seem staged and scripted today, but its roots lie elsewhere. Monster Jam first emerged during the lifted pickup era of the 1970s when owners started outfitting factory four-wheel drive trucks with monster tires to create competitive displays at car shows.

United States Hot Rod Association soon started sanctioned racing events in arenas and stadiums, while Bigfoot was born after its video showing it crushing cars caught the attention of a promoter.

Feld Entertainment expanded this sport by selling tickets to watch drivers like Dennis Anderson’s Grave Digger compete at indoor stadium blowouts and smaller arena shows. Fans enjoy experiencing these 12,000-pound machines competing against one another for speed, skill and freestyle competitions on an arena show floor; during which drivers perform tricks and stunts over an extensive ground area. A team of eight spends 18-20 hours over three days building tracks specifically for each event.

Two-Wheel Skills Challenge

Though racing and freestyle dominate most events, two-wheel skills competition is also an exciting part of the show. Attendees use smartphone apps to rank drivers performing tricks on two wheels as they perform them; those with the highest average score win.

Drivers also face the unique challenge of high jumping during a stadium event (known as the Great Clips Skills Challenge in arenas). To do this, they must run up an almost vertical ramp using their rear tires to propel themselves upward until reaching level flight.

Weston Anderson will attempt to defend his title driving Grave Digger while Brianna Mahon competes for her inaugural Event Championship behind Scooby Dooa. These two drivers will engage in an epic head-to-head battle of speed and skill as they compete for this fierce event championship race of 12,000-pound trucks equipped with powerful Chevrolet engines producing 1,500 HP and 1,100 Lbs of Torque.

Head-to-Head Racing

Monster Jam began in 1995 as an event featuring racing and two-wheel skills competitions as well as freestyle competition. Freestyle competition gives drivers who didn’t make it into the race the opportunity to display their talents, even if they don’t compete head-on against each other for points. Trucks compete head-to-head against one another for points.

HowStuffWorks took an exclusive behind the scenes tour during a recent Monster Jam event, visiting both pits to observe truck crews as they worked to prepare all 83 trucks that would compete on the track.

Monster Jam’s team builds a custom track for every show, which requires significant work but ensures truck teams will experience a fresh new layout every city the tour visits.

Be aware that although trucks are designed with safety in mind, this sport remains potentially risky. There have been rare instances in which something unintentionally launched from one of the trucks–be it dirt, shrapnel or crushed car debris–has struck spectators unknowingly and caused injury.

Freestyle

Freestyle competitions provide drivers two minutes (one and a half in arena shows) to drive their trucks over ramps, junked cars and other obstacles on an open floor surface. The truck that scores the most points in this category will be declared the winner of the event.

Monster Jam shows prior to its incorporation of freestyle into its head-to-head racing format often employed a method known as “cheer off”, in which audience members counted how often each truck received cheers, with those receiving the most applause earning an edge in competition.

Monster Jam’s freestyle competition is one of its most thrilling elements, providing fans a rare opportunity to see massive trucks up close and meet their favorite drivers – an invaluable chance for families looking to take pictures or collect autographs! This competition provides great photo opps!