Monster truck shows are a popular form of motorsport entertainment that feature modified pickup trucks competing in racing and freestyle competitions. Calgary, Alberta will be hosting its annual monster truck rally this fall, featuring some of the biggest names in monster trucking. Here is a look at the monster trucks and drivers that are scheduled to appear.
Grave Digger
No monster truck lineup would be complete without the legendary Grave Digger. This black and green wrecking machine is a fan favorite at every show it attends. Grave Digger will be driven in Calgary by Adam Anderson, one of the sons of Grave Digger creator Dennis Anderson. Adam took over from his father as a Grave Digger driver in 2017 and has continued the truck’s winning tradition. Grave Digger is known for its wild jumps and often smashes cars as part of its performance.
History of Grave Digger
Grave Digger first appeared in 1982 and was created by Dennis Anderson as a mud racing truck. The name came from a smack-talking session amongst drivers, with Anderson stating “I’ll take this old junk and dig you a grave with it”. Anderson gained popularity for his wild driving style and carved out a niche for monster trucks as a form of motorsport entertainment. Grave Digger is now one of the most famous and successful monster trucks of all time, recognized by its signature black graveyard theme and headstone shaped mudflaps.
Max-D
The Max-D monster truck has been dazzling crowds with its aerial acrobatics ever since it debuted on the scene in 2000. Max-D stands for Maximum Destruction, reflecting this truck’s capability to pull off the biggest jumps and cause maximum carnage with its crushing power. The Max-D competing in Calgary will be driven by veteran Neil Elliott, who has been behind the wheel since 2015. He’ll be looking to impress the crowd with big air and vertical wheelies.
History of Max-D
Max-D was created by Tom Meents and debuted in 2000 on the Monster Jam circuit. It was built around crushing cars and capturing huge air with its ramp jumps. In 2004, Max-D set a world record by jumping over 5 cars stacked on top of one another. Meents drove the truck for 15 years before stepping away, with Elliott taking over in 2015. Elliott has continued the truck’s reputation for jaw-dropping stunts.
El Toro Loco
This bright yellow monster truck designed to look like a raging bull always puts on a show. El Toro Loco is Spanish for “the crazy bull” and this truck definitely lives up to its name. The El Toro Loco charging into Calgary will be driven by Mark List, who made his debut behind the wheel in 2018. List will try and tame this wild bull as he takes on jumps and obstacle courses.
History of El Toro Loco
El Toro Loco first debuted in 2001 on the Monster Jam circuit and was created by FELD Motorsports. Its design features a bull-shaped front end with horns and angry red eyes. The body also has tails that whip around during jumps. It quickly became a fan favorite for its daring stunts and ability to launch into vertical wheelies at a moment’s notice. Several drivers have taken the reins of the bull over the years, with Mark List as the most recent.
Monster Mutt
If a regular monster truck just isn’t wild enough, then Monster Mutt adds some canine chaos. This truck features a huge beastly dog as its design theme, complete with sharp teeth and a drooling tongue. The Monster Mutt Dalmatian that will be in Calgary is driven by Candice Jolly, who first got behind the wheel in 2015. She’ll look to bring some bark and bite to the competition.
History of Monster Mutt
The Monster Mutt made its debut on the monster truck circuit in 2004. There are several different themed trucks under the Monster Mutt name, including a Dalmatian, Rottweiler and Bulldog. The trucks were created and designed by FELD Motorsports to bring a new animal concept to the sport. Monster Mutt is known for its tail-wagging action and ability to launch off jumps at crazy angles. It remains a fan favorite on the circuit.
Whiplash
One of the newest trucks to join the monster circuit is Whiplash, which made its debut in 2014. As its name suggests, this truck generates some snap with its unique spiral paint scheme that looks like a coiled whip. Driving Whiplash in Calgary will be Brianna Mahon, who became the permanent driver in 2018. She will be looking to put down some crushing hits and slap some epic wheelies.
History of Whiplash
Whiplash was created by Tony Ochs and debuted on the monster truck scene in 2014. Its body design features a green and black spiral coil wrapping around the truck. Ochs drove it for the first four years before stepping away. Brianna Mahon took over the driver’s seat in 2018. As one of the only female drivers on the circuit, she has excelled at mastering Whiplash’s power and agility.
Monster Energy
One of the most well-known names in the energy drink world is also a top monster truck. The Monster Energy truck has been competing on the circuit since 2012. Todd LeDuc will be behind the wheel for the Calgary show, bringing his daredevil driving style. He is sure to be chugging down his sponsor’s drinks before some wild stunts.
History of Monster Energy
Monster Energy drink company entered the monster truck world in 2012, sponsoring a custom-designed truck. Its black and green color theme matched the company’s branding. Tom Meents drove the truck until 2016, when Todd LeDuc took over behind the wheel. LeDuc has pushed the truck to new heights, setting a world record for the first truck double backflip in 2015. It continues to be one of the most popular on the circuit.
Lucas Oil Crusader
Representing the Lucas Oil brand will be another top-tier competitor – the Lucas Oil Crusader. This chrome and red truck has been crushing since 2011. Driving the Crusader into Calgary is Linsey Weenk, who first climbed into the monster truck cockpit back in 2017. She’ll be revving the engine hard to put on a show for the crowd.
History of Lucas Oil Crusader
The Lucas Oil Crusader debuted in 2011 on the Monster Jam circuit with Morgan Kane as its inaugural driver. Its sleek chrome body and sponsorship logos for Lucas Oil stand out from the pack. After six years behind the wheel, Kane handed over the reins to Linsey Weeks in 2017. She has quickly become competitive among the male drivers, demonstrating precision control and ramp skills with the Crusader.
VP Racing Fuels’ Mad Scientist
Adding some crazed science to the Monster Jam events is VP Racing Fuels’ Mad Scientist. This eccentric truck features a wild-eyed scientist and bubbling vials of color liquids for its design. Stepping into the wacky role of the mad scientist driver in Calgary is Jim Koehler. He’ll be cooking up some monster insanity for the enjoyment of the crowds.
History of Mad Scientist
The Mad Scientist monster truck was unveiled by VP Racing Fuels in 2013 with then reigning world champion Jim Koehler as its driver. It immediately stood out for its unique design, featuring a mad scientist character with bushy hair and a hand-painted, deranged facial expression. Koehler has remained the Mad Scientist’s sole driver throughout its run, putting on a colorful show with giant jumps and slap wheelies that looks like experiments gone wrong.
Schedules and Tickets
The 2023 Calgary Monster Truck Rally will be taking place at the McMahon Stadium over 2 days in November:
Date | Showtimes |
---|---|
Saturday, November 11 | Afternoon Show 1pm Evening Show 7pm |
Sunday, November 12 | Afternoon Show 1pm |
Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster and are priced as follows:
Seating Type | Price |
---|---|
Floor Seats | $50 |
Lower Bowl | $40 |
Upper Bowl | $30 |
Family 4-Pack | $120 |
This year’s monster truck lineup is sure to provide high-flying stunts and crushing power that will amaze audiences. Calgary fans will not want to miss out on the chance to see these monster trucks live in action at McMahon Stadium!
Conclusion
Monster truck rallies feature big, loud trucks competing in racing and freestyle stunts for cheering crowds. Calgary’s annual rally brings in some of the top names in monster trucks to entertain the fans. Monster trucks like Grave Digger, Max-D, El Toro Loco and Monster Mutt will be roaring into town this November. Their crazy jumping, crushing, and racing will blow away audiences. The Calgary Monster Truck Rally is the perfect event for those seeking adrenaline-pumping motorsport excitement this fall.