Monster Jam visits nearly one hundred stadiums and arenas annually, providing entertaining acrobatic shows featuring twelve-thousand pound vehicles like Bulldozer and Devastator with combat names such as Bulldozer.
Before each show, drivers prepare their trucks for freestyle competitions. Judged events allow two minutes for them to perform an array of jumps and tricks; fiberglass bodies break and axles fly – fans love this controlled chaos!
Racing
Monster Jam dazzles audiences with gravity-defying driving of 12,000-pound monster trucks driven by gravity-defying drivers. These monster trucks race, compete in two-wheel skills competitions and freestyle in front of full stadium audiences – owned and sanctioned by Feld Entertainment with USHRA as their official body governing it all. Furthermore, Feld Entertainment has made sure women participate – an uncommon occurrence among motorsports events where men usually hold physical advantages over female competitors.
Bigfoot, Grave Digger and El Toro Loco are some of the many iconic trucks that have become an integral part of world events. At first used as sideshows at events such as mud-bog events, tractor pulls and motocross races; after being noticed by an event promoter they began appearing at arenas as stars of their own events.
Two-Wheel Skills
Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 provides a satisfying gaming experience to fans of its series despite some repetition. Boasting 38 trucks and offering solid progression levels, it is well worth investing in for truck enthusiasts but those seeking a more diverse experience might benefit from waiting until post-launch price reductions occur.
Racing and freestyle competitions in this game provide drivers with opportunities to pit themselves against one another in various events. Racing follows a prescribed course with first trucks crossing the finish line advancing, while freestyle competitions challenge drivers to maneuver their trucks over ramps and junked cars while spectators score them using an app on smartphones.
The game’s world career mode offers a good variety of content, such as head-to-head races and circuit racing against multiple opponents; rallying it from point to point in an attempt to reach all waypoints first; however, various issues from wonky physics to unreliable framerates hinder its potential fulfillment.
Freestyle
At freestyle events, drivers have two minutes (or one and a half for arena shows) to showcase their ability to drive over junked cars, crush them and perform stunts with their trucks. Fans vote on which truck they like best via a score tracking website and the winner is determined by how many points their driver earns – an approach which has led some critics to view freestyle as simply entertainment rather than technical racing; however, recent emphasis on using allotted time and bonuses for avoiding crashes has helped disprove that idea.
Brianna Mahon, who drives Whiplash in Monster Jam events, embodies this trend. A former professional motocross racer, she leverages both aspects of her personality to compete effectively at Monster Jam events.
Monster Jam shows can be extremely loud. Make sure you bring along some form of hearing protection. Also don’t forget about the Monster Jam Pit Party included with your event ticket – it could come in handy!
Safety
Monster truck drivers and spectators both deserve the utmost safety during shows, so all trucks come equipped with kill switches allowing staff to temporarily turn off the engine during performances. Drivers also wear fireproof suits, molded seats, five-point harnesses and helmets for added protection.
Monster Jam trucks are designed to take extreme leaps, so absorbing any sudden shock upon landing is of utmost importance. To do this, their suspension system consists of four-link suspensions in front and back equipped with nitrogen-charged remote reservoir air shocks for smooth landings.
Before each event, all trucks must undergo a comprehensive safety inspection and attend a briefing from USHRA — now owned by Feld Motorsports — the independent sanctioning body for Monster Jam racing that ensures all trucks meet specified safety and performance standards.
At most venues, children two and under attend for free as long as they sit on the lap of an adult. Otherwise, tickets are required. Furthermore, Pit Party activities and all post-show events require tickets as well.