To run with the monsters
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THEY are four-wheeled behemoths buffed up on automotive steroids, built for climbing over sedans parked in the middle of packed stadiums, flashbulbs lighting their way. Like concert big shots who sell out arenas, monster trucks enjoy all the spoils of celebrity.
They have made big-screen appearances for decades, from 1984’s “Cannonball Run II” to last year’s “Herbie: Fully Loaded.” They have appeared in a Kid Rock music video, can be seen on cable TV and have been miniaturized into popular toys.
Their Monster Jam racing series will arrive Saturday at Angel Stadium, where a capacity crowd is expected to cheer on these testaments to marketing and automotive muscle.
In a “Pimp My Ride” world in which customized cars are increasingly common, monster trucks can lay claim to setting the standard in the late 1970s.
Sixty-six-inch tall, 43-inch-wide wheels? Check.
Four-link suspension with four feet of travel? Check.
Supercharged 575-cubic-inch engines? Check.
But looks aren’t everything. On Saturday, bracket racing, in which trucks race one-on-one over symmetrical tracks with the obligatory obstacle, will pare the field down from 12 to determine a racing winner. Fan favorite Grave Digger is one likely winner.
Then they will compete in an artistic freestyle event, in which each truck has 90 seconds to perform a routine that includes jumps and driving over stuff like cars, buses or motor homes.
“You try to get the biggest response out of the crowd, try to get the truck to the edge of disaster without crossing it,” said Frank Krmel, who finished fourth in last year’s World Finals and will drive the Hot Wheels truck Saturday.
Sanctioned by the U.S. Hot Rod Assn., the series has come a long way from its infancy, born out of bogs and truck pulls that catered mostly to adult males.
Today’s fan can be white collar as well as blue, with 35% of the audience 12 and younger (mostly boys). Mainstream sponsors such as Ford, Advance Auto Parts and Mattel have lined up as corporate partners. Mattel’s Monster Jam line has sold millions of toys in 26 countries.
Unlike other racing disciplines, the vehicles, not the drivers, are the stars. “There aren’t a lot of arrogant drivers,” Krmel said. “We know people are there to see the trucks.”
Those trucks looks like dogs, bulls and superheroes, and along with professional wrestlers and bucking bulls, probably have the coolest names in sports. Eradicator. Iron Outlaw. El Toro Loco.
They sell out some of the country’s biggest stadiums on a regular basis.
“From a live-event perspective, Monster Jam is wildly successful,” said Ken Hudgens, vice president of marketing and television for Live Nation, the promoter that owns about 25% of the 130 trucks and hopes to take it more mainstream like its other vehicle property, supercross.
IN many ways, Monster Jam has barely scratched the surface of its licensing potential. There are already die-casts, remote-control toys and holiday ornaments. A video game is likely on the horizon. Back-to-school supplies, backpacks and whatnot have surfaced internationally.
An annual 10-event tour in Europe has been successful, but, Hudgens says, “we certainly have more to do” -- even with turnouts such as 50,000 in Stockholm. And this year 26 original episodes of “Monster Jam” will be shown on the Speed Channel.
In 2006, the company promoted about 300 Monster Jam events and 500 performances, which were seen by more than 4.3 million people; the average ticket is $15, with a kid’s ticket $10 or less. And there’s not just one tour, which means Monster Jams can run in multiple cities on the same night. In fact, there are seven Grave Digger trucks that compete concurrently.
Pre-race pit parties, usually tied to a local promotion that provides free entry, give fans a chance to get close to the drivers and trucks. And after the race, drivers often stay late to ensure no one is denied an autograph.
“Every walk of life will roll through that autograph line at some point,” said Krmel, 28. “Grandmothers with their grandkids tell me they can’t believe they missed out on this for the last 20 years.
“Until you come see it, you can’t believe it. Sometimes I’m in my truck waiting, and I’ll look into the stands and it hits you, ‘Oh my God, this is big.’ ”
