Everyone love monster trucks. This gigantic vehicle turned into one of the most popular types of truck because it features cool and advanced modification. Monster trucks feature maximum endurance, because one of the coolest things that a monster truck needs to do is to crush cars. At a glance, you might think that it’s impossible, but in reality monster trucks have the ability. These trucks even have their own shows and the main attraction of the show is crushing smaller cars.
If you wonder how monster truck was first established and how it became one of the most popular vehicles in America, then you need to stick around. In this article we have collected 15 cool facts about monster trucks that you need to know. So, let’s get started!
Table of Contents
- 1. Monster Truck Was Built in 1975 Using Ford F-250 Pick Up Car
- 2. The First Show of Monster Trucks Was in 1982 With 70,000 Audiences
- 3. The Kids Can Ride Monster Trucks Too! In a Mini Size
- 4. The First Lady Who Drives Monster Truck Was Marilyn Chandler
- 5. Debra Miceli or Madusa Participated in Monster Jam Competition With Her ‘Madusa’
- 6. Bigfoot Appeared in Charlie’s Angels Movie
- 7. Bob Chandler First Crashed the Cars on the Empty Corn Field
- 8. The World First Luxury Monster Truck Named Sin City Hustler
- 9. The Highest Jump of a Monster Truck Is 237 Feet 7 Inches
- 10. The Tire Size of Monster Trucks as High as Adult’s Height
- 11. Adam Anderson Recorder the Longest Track
- 12. Let’s Ride with the Speed of up to 100 Miles per Hour With Monster Trucks!
- 13. Instead of Bigfoot, Grave Digger Becomes the Most Famous Monster Truck
- 14. Bob Chandlers Earned $10,000 for Crushing a Few Cars
- 15. Ford and Chevrolet Are the Common Used Cars for Monster Trucks
1. Monster Truck Was Built in 1975 Using Ford F-250 Pick Up Car
To start our list of the coolest facts about monster trucks, you need to know that it all started unintentionally by Bob Chandler and his wife who love outdoor activities, especially off-road adventures and activities. The history began when Bob, his wife, and his family went camping and off-roading. During their off-road adventure, Bob purchased a Ford F-250 Pick Up Car and decided to modify the car and changed its tires into the bigger ones to have better off-road experience. He changed his car tires’ at the Midwest 4 Wheel Drive Center back in 1975. His decision to change his tires changed his life forever, and officially built the first ever monster truck.
2. The First Show of Monster Trucks Was in 1982 With 70,000 Audiences
The first monster truck show was conducted in 1982, Silverdome, Pontiac. Approximately, 70,000 spectators came to the show. At the show, Bob Chandler got the chance to bring his baby Bigfoot to the show, to crash smaller cars. From that very moment, monster trucks gained more and more popularity with increasing number of spectators and enthusiasts from all around America. Until today, we can find countless monster truck shows and events in the USA every year.
3. The Kids Can Ride Monster Trucks Too! In a Mini Size
Everyone, adults and kids, adore monster trucks and love to see how they can crash smaller cars. Furthermore, they also love to be in charge while monster trucks are performing by driving the huge vehicle themselves.
The applause from all the spectators are some of the things that make them feel even more excited in driving the vehicle. For kids who love monster trucks, they can also experience riding monster trucks, too. However, for safety reasons, they only allowed to drive mini monster trucks. But despite the fact that its mini, smaller monster trucks still offer the same sensation.
4. The First Lady Who Drives Monster Truck Was Marilyn Chandler
Moving on to the next fact ini this list of cool facts about monster trucks, Monster Truck founder’s wife, Marilyn Chandler, became the first lady to drive monster trucks. She drove Ms Bigfoot or known as the Bigfoot Ranger, at the Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, back in 1985. Ms Bigfoot was built by lifting the Ford Ranger. This vehicle became street-legal truck as well, so Marilyn was able to drive it to the national parades and other events, too!
5. Debra Miceli or Madusa Participated in Monster Jam Competition With Her ‘Madusa’
An Italian American wrestler, Debra Miceli, decided to join the 2000 Monster Jam Competition. Her monster truck’s name is Madusa, and later we know that Madusa is actually an acronym of ‘Made in the USA.’ After joining the competition, the reporters, sponsors, and most people started to call her “First Lady of Monster Jam”.
For her, it was not easy to become a winner. Her winning speech was legendary, and the famous quote was, “Being a woman in a man’s world, being a woman in a man’s business… I tell you what, ladies, it isn’t easy!”.
6. Bigfoot Appeared in Charlie’s Angels Movie
After a while, monster trucks became more and more popular, and the popularity reached its point when a monster truck named the Bigfoot appeared in Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003). In the movie, Drew Barrymore who played one of the three angels drove Bigfoot 14. However, in reality her stuntman was actually driving the monster truck. Although it was not a long scene, you can clearly see Bigfoot’s appearance in a blue and orange flame-ish parked at the open festival.
7. Bob Chandler First Crashed the Cars on the Empty Corn Field
Back then, he was using used junk cars to be able to carry out his car crash demonstration. He recorded the demonstration using one rolling camera plus a small crowd of onlookers present. After the record was released and watched by so many people, monster trucks gained more popularity, and we all know what happen to the popularity of monster trucks and the fame, right?
8. The World First Luxury Monster Truck Named Sin City Hustler
As monster trucks become people’s favorite, the show, the appearance, and also the machine also gained more popularity. This condition inspired the Big Toyz Racing (BTR) Motors to create and build the Sin City Hustler, which was the world’s first ‘luxurious’ monster truck. The truck was powered by an 8.5-liter (521 cubic inch) big block Ford motor, which churns out in excess of 700 hp.
The behemoth tips the scales at 6800 kg and can carry 12 passengers in individual racing seats for full back support. By seeing the machine and features of this monster truck, you can state that the Sin City Hustler is the most over-the-top vehicle we have seen for a long, long time.
9. The Highest Jump of a Monster Truck Is 237 Feet 7 Inches
Joe Sylvester with his Bad Habit successfully set the new record for the highest jump of Monster Truck. He drove the monster truck and made it jump and reached 72.42 m (237 ft 7 in) at the 2013 Cornfield 500, Pennsylvania, USA on 1 September, 2013.
For the height and safety he could handle, Sylvester had shifted to the position of Dan Runte, who previously recorded the highest jump of Monster Trucks. His new record has been recognized by the Guinness Book of the Record as well! Ridiculous!
10. The Tire Size of Monster Trucks as High as Adult’s Height
Ever wondered about the height of monster truck tires? Well, you can stand beside the tires and see how you and the tires can have the same height! If your height is 167 cm, then the average measurements of monster truck tires are 66 inches or 167 cm.
Furthermore, the width of the tires is 43 inches. So, once you take a photo next to the monster trucks, and you will look so tiny! The gigantic vehicle will look like a big statue.
11. Adam Anderson Recorder the Longest Track
Adam Anderson driving Grave Digger in Bradenton, Florida, USA, on 22 June 2020. He decided to take the challenge and did the performance by riding the monster truck for a distance of 190.46 m (624 ft 10.44 in).
Adam Anderson is the son of 4-time Monster Jam World Finals Champion and Grave Digger creator Dennis Anderson, and he started competing for Monster Jam in 2005. Therefore, there is no doubt that Grave Digger became more popular since he has always been trying his best to set a new record in any challenge.
12. Let’s Ride with the Speed of up to 100 Miles per Hour With Monster Trucks!
Because it is big, heavy, and safe when the time to crash cars, you can ride the monster truck with high speed as well! The monster trucks can reach a speed up to 100 miles per hour. Although it depends on the driver. Yet, when you want to experience the high adrenaline activity, you can try it, if you dare, of course!
13. Instead of Bigfoot, Grave Digger Becomes the Most Famous Monster Truck
This fact was based on the fact that Grave Digger performed in more shows compared to Bigfoot. Moreover, it can also happened because or perhaps Anderson was very lucky to name his monster truck when he was having a hard time with so much pressure in his life. “I’ll take this old junk and dig you a grave with it.” This is the only response given by Anderson when he introduced his monster trucks for the first time, and back then people underestimated it. From that moment on, the name Grave Digger was born.
Back in 1987, Grave Digger got its first big win by defeating Bigfoot during a show. And the truck has been doing nothing but winning ever since. Grave Digger was able to win championships with great success. It has proven time and time again that it is a winner, both with and without Anderson behind the wheel.
14. Bob Chandlers Earned $10,000 for Crushing a Few Cars
The fame of Bigfoot influenced the wealth of Bob Chandler. Bob successfully earned $10,000 after crushing a few cars in a show. This is, of course, a very big amount since he started the show in 1982! So, no one can deny the fact that his successful life never betrays his effort and process. By earning the money, Bob continued to build another monster trucks due to high demand for more monster trucks. Imagine how much he could earn today!
15. Ford and Chevrolet Are the Common Used Cars for Monster Trucks
The last fact in this list of the coolest facts about monster trucks is one of the most interesting ones. As mentioned earlier, the first monster truck, Bigfoot, was built from a Ford F-250 Pick Up car. Bob Chandler ordered a Ford as the vehicle for his family camping. As he modified and changed its tires into bigger one, the history of his life changed as well.
Then, the next car for monster trucks was using Ford too, even for Ms. Bigfoot using a Ford Ranger. While Chandler’s fellow, Everett Jasmer, used Chevrolet since Anderson was a hardcore Chevy. The first car that was modified as a monster truck is the 1970 Chevy K-10. And after the monster trucks of Jasmer were done, he named it USA-1. This is another history of monster trucks. Ford and Chevrolet created the historical experience for monster truck lovers.