Gemopedia
Motor Sports🇺🇸United States21st century

Monster Truck Racing

Officially Monster Jam (Live Nation) + IROK Series

MOTORSPORT + ENTERTAINMENT with GIANT LIFTED PICKUP TRUCKS on 6-FOOT-DIAMETER TIRES (1500+ HP methanol-fueled) racing bracket-style + performing FREESTYLE STUNTS (backflips, wheelies, car crushing) in ARENAS/STADIUMS. Signature event: MONSTER JAM (Feld Entertainment / Live Nation) — global tour, 350+ events/year across USA, Europe, Japan, Australia. Origin: BIGFOOT truck (1975) by Bob Chandler; first crush 1981; boomed 1988 with NBC 'Sunday Night Football' promo. World Finals in Las Vegas Sam Boyd Stadium annually.

📐Dirt-filled stadium / arena floor with dirt jumps + car obstacles⏱~3 min🌤both

Quick facts

Category

Motor Sports

Type

Individual

Players

1–32

Duration

~3 min

Where played

both

Field / court

Dirt-filled stadium / arena floor with dirt jumps + car obstacles

Country of origin

🇺🇸 United States

Estimated origin

First monster truck BIGFOOT built 1975 by Bob Chandler (Ferguson, MO) — 4x4 Ford F250 with 48" tires; first car crush at tractor pull 1981; formalized racing at USHRA (US Hot Rod Association) 1988; Monster Jam brand launched 1992 by Feld Entertainment (now owned by Live Nation Entertainment); 350+ Monster Jam events yearly globally; World Finals since 2000 at Sam Boyd Stadium Las Vegas.

Olympic

No

Popularity

regional

How it works

Objective

WIN RACE (bracket) + WIN FREESTYLE (judged) — total event champion for max championship points.

Rules

Basic rules

  • RACE FORMAT: bracket-style single-elimination — 2 trucks race JUMPS + turns on dirt obstacle course; fastest time wins

    Signature bracket-race format.

  • FREESTYLE: 90-SECOND SOLO ROUTINE where drivers perform TRICKS — wheelies, backflips, car crushes, donuts; judges 0-30 scale

    Signature 90-sec freestyle.

  • SIGNATURE TRICKS: BACKFLIP (invented 2010 by Tom Meents), FRONT FLIP (invented 2014 Krysten Anderson), STOPPIE (nose-wheelie), CYCLONE (spin donuts), CAR CRUSH (roll over cars)

    Signature trick repertoire.

  • ENGINE: 1500+ HP methanol-fueled 540 cubic-inch V8 (Big Block Chevy or Hemi common); RUNS 4-6 seconds full throttle before fuel-depletion + must idle to prevent damage

    Signature 1500hp methanol V8.

  • SAFETY: RII (Remote Ignition Interruption) — external kill-switch operated by track marshal; DRIVER can be immobilized instantly

    Signature RII kill-switch.

  • MONSTER JAM WORLD FINALS: Las Vegas Sam Boyd Stadium annually since 2000; brackets in RACE + FREESTYLE + DONUT competitions

    Signature Monster Jam World Finals.

  • TOURING TRUCKS: Grave Digger (10× Freestyle champion), Bigfoot, Maximum Destruction, El Toro Loco, Zombie, Megalodon — iconic touring trucks

    Signature famous touring trucks.

  • CHAMPIONSHIP: Monster Jam championship points system for driver+truck combos

    Signature championship points.

Scoring

Race: fastest time win; Freestyle: 3 judges score 0-30; overall = points for race + freestyle bracket placement.

Win condition · Highest championship points for driver+truck combo.

Playing area

Called

Dirt-filled stadium / arena floor with dirt jumps + car obstacles

Dimensions

Standard NFL/MLS stadium: 100×50 m field with 8-12 ft dirt jumps

Equipment

  • MONSTER TRUCK: HEAVILY-MODIFIED PICKUP TRUCK CHASSIS with 66-inch (168 cm) TIRES, 1500+ HP methanol-fueled V8 engine, 4-WHEEL STEERING, 4-WHEEL DRIVE, tubular chassis + fiberglass body

    Signature monster truck.

  • DRIVER SUIT + HELMET + HANS DEVICE + FIRESUIT

    Signature driver safety.

  • REMOTE IGNITION KILL (RII — external kill-switch)

    Signature safety RII kill-switch.

  • 5-POINT HARNESS + HALO ROLL CAGE

    Signature 5-point + halo cage.

Terminology

Monster truck
Pickup-style truck with 66" tires + 1500 hp engine.
RII
Remote Ignition Interruption — kill-switch.
Bigfoot
The original monster truck (1975).
Grave Digger
Legendary touring truck — most decorated freestyle champion.
Backflip
Signature trick — first landed 2010 by Tom Meents.
Freestyle
90-sec judged trick routine.
Donut
Spinning circle trick — separate scoring category.
Car crush
Rolling over parked cars — classic signature move.

Major competitions

  • Monster Jam World Finals (Las Vegas Sam Boyd Stadium)

    annual (March) · Las Vegas, USA · since 2000

  • Monster Jam Championship Points Series

    seasonal · Global (350+ events/year) · since 1992

  • IROK Championship

    seasonal · USA · since 2007

Where it is played

Governing bodies

  • Monster Jam (Live Nation Entertainment / Feld Motor Sports)

    Founded 1992 · Ellenton, FL, USA

  • IROK — Monster Truck Racing Championship (independent competitive)

    Founded 2007 · USA

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

  • Tom Meents (US, 11× Monster Jam World Finals Freestyle champion — Maximum Destruction driver)
  • Krysten Anderson (US, first female Freestyle champion 2020)
  • Adam Anderson (US, son of Grave Digger creator Dennis Anderson; 4× World Champion)
  • Dennis Anderson (US, Grave Digger creator + 4× Freestyle champion 1990s)

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-28.verified