WHAT ARE MONSTER JAM MONSTER TRUCKS?

Approximately 11 feet tall and about 12 feet wide, monster trucks are custom-designed machines that sit atop 66-inch-tall tires and weigh a minimum of 9,000 pounds. Built for short, high-powered bursts of speed, monster trucks generate 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower and are capable of speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. Monster trucks can travel 125 to 130 feet (a distance greater than 14 cars side by side) and up to 25 feet in the air.

Who sanctions monster truck racing?
The United States Hot Rod Association (USHRA) is widely recognized as the premier monster truck organization. The USHRA Monster Jam Series is the most popular monster truck racing series.

What happens at a monster truck event?
At USHRA-sanctioned events, monster trucks face off in two different forms of competition -- side-by-side racing and freestyle. Side-by-side racing is traditional bracket racing, where the first truck (with the least amount of penalties) that crosses the finish line is the winner. The freestyle competition allows drivers a limited amount of time on an open floor to show off their skills. In this category, the fans can serve as the judges.

When do monster trucks compete?
Monster truck events take place all year. The Monster Jam Points Series, however, runs from January through March. During this time, all trucks sanctioned by the USHRA accumulate points to compete in the Monster Jam World Finals.

Who are the stars of the USHRA Monster Jam Series?
There are approximately 300 monster trucks in action in the United States. Many only make appearances at local events and don’t compete on a national basis. The USHRA selects the fastest, safest, and most modern vehicles to compete in the Monster Jam Series. The top name monster trucks, those who run in the USHRA Monster Jam Series, often have duplicate trucks for multiple appearances throughout the country. Top names include: Grave Digger, Maximum Destruction, Avenger, Bounty Hunter, Predator, Gunslinger and Bulldozer.

Do any of the trucks have sponsors?
Almost all monster trucks have some type of product and corporate sponsorship. Ford Motor Company and Warner Brothers are among the companies that support teams at USHRA Monster Jam events.

Where do they get the cars to crush?
Cars, as well as vans, buses, motor homes, airplanes and ambulances, are attained from local junkyards and returned after each event. Full-size steel body cars are the vehicles typically crushed during an event. More than 3,000 cars are crushed each year.

How can I meet a monster truck driver?
In every city prior to one of the monster truck performances, a pit party is held. Pit parties give fans the opportunity to take photographs, get driver autographs and check out the monster trucks on display. Free pit passes are available at local sponsor’s retail locations and also are for sale the day of the event at the venue box office.

Is it expensive to attend a monster truck event?
Monster truck events are designed for the whole family with ticket prices that are affordable. The average ticket price is $13, with a number of discounts available.

Can I watch a monster truck event on television?
SPEED CHANNEL airs Monster Jam events. Check with your local cable provider for more information. Local broadcast information can be found at http://www.ushra.com or http://www.speedtv.com. There also are several USHRA monster truck videos available. Videos are available at all events and online at www.ushra.com.

Where can I find more information about monster trucks?
The official Web site of the USHRA Monster Jam Series, www.ushra.com, features driver profiles and links, along with standings, news, schedules, ticket information, multimedia and more. In addition, a number of drivers maintain their own sites.