Monster Jam provides something for young and old alike – from 24-volt ride-on trucks to wind chimes – but what really brings crowds together is their freestyle competitions.
Over two minutes, drivers race over ramps and junked cars before packed stadiums and arenas. Fans score, and the best truck wins.
What is Monster Jam?
Monster Jam is an international motorsport competition showcasing world-class driver athletes and iconic monster trucks competing in pit competitions. Each truck consumes three gallons per minute of methanol fuel to power its massive engine and produce 1,500 horsepower of power output.
The event features multiple events and allows fans to interact with drivers and trucks during Pit Parties. Drivers also can sign autographs and take photos with fans after each event.
Monster Jam stands out as an event designed for families, drawing in children in large numbers as audiences. This diverse demographic has contributed greatly to Monster Jam’s rapid development; children are an essential component of its audience and have broadened its appeal beyond speed enthusiasts alone.
Feld Entertainment, the company that manages this franchise, has made strides toward international expansion over recent years and now hosts multiple tours around the globe. They hope this will attract new and wider audiences while supporting the evolution of these trucks into state-of-the-art vehicles which can be used for various motorsport activities.
History of Monster Jam
Before monster trucks became the highly-engineered vehicles they are today, they were initially just hobby projects for off-road enthusiasts. As technology advanced and the fan base expanded, it only made sense to create an official tour for this sport.
Monster Jam stands out as a family-oriented motorsports event, taking pride in drawing crowds of all ages to its events, with children comprising the bulk of its audience.
Since 1993, fans have had the ability to cast votes for their favorite driver during racing competitions. Freestyle racing was added as an additional competition and a championship was presented as part of this process.
Monster Jam first made its move to FS1 for 139 episodes between 2014 and 2015, giving viewers their first opportunity to witness Becky McDonough of El Toro Loco and Diesel Dave of BroDozer perform back-to-back flips within one race.
Competitions at Monster Jam
As fans roar their appreciation of Monster Jam events, hundreds of employees watch carefully to ensure each truck remains safe. They orchestrate entry to the hot pits (where 47 trucks are staged between rounds, with two going in and out at any given time), attend to broken vehicles both on- and off-track, and help drivers perform at their peak potential.
Monster Jam’s Freestyle event draws many spectators, as each driver gets two minutes on the arena floor to execute jumps, stunts, and tricks that fans love watching unfold. There may be fiberglass bodies shed while axles break – all part of its controlled chaos that viewers devour with relish!
Brianna Mahon, who drives Whiplash on the Monster Jam circuit, describes it as having two distinct personalities that reflect both her tomboyish and feminine sides. Being one of 14 female competitors on Monster Jam makes for a welcome change from professional motocross, where gender equality has historically been less welcoming to female competitors.
What to Expect at Monster Jam
Monster Jam can be loud. We recommend wearing hearing protection to the show and getting used to hearing the engines roar and an announcer’s voice.
At every show, two events take place: racing and freestyle. During racing, drivers compete in truck races that follow a prescribed route and the first truck to reach its goal line wins.
Monster Jam stands apart from traditional motorsports by welcoming female drivers on equal terms with men in its competitions. Brianna Mahon of Whiplash Racing says she appreciates being treated on equal footing as men compete for victory.
Monster Jam World Finals traditionally take place each March, featuring both racing and freestyle events. Its competitive season consists of several segments held all throughout North America, Europe and Asia throughout the year in cities all around [source: Feld]. Trucks designed for Monster Jam competition have to be as durable as possible with particular attention paid to safety, reusability of parts and durability; some components may need redesign as stunts become more daring; however they must still handle extreme situations without failing.
