The Rise of Monster Truck Shows: A Thriving Entertainment Industry
Amidst the roaring engines and towering vehicles, monster truck rallies have emerged as a booming segment in the family entertainment industry. These events, characterized by their gigantic, ear-splitting trucks, have become a favorite attraction, particularly among young children.
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST: One of the fastest-growing industries in family entertainment is monster truck rallies. These ear-splitting jumbo-tire beasts race around arenas and fly through the air. And the shows are geared to a unique audience in American motorsports – small children. John Burnett has our story.
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UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: Is anybody ready for Monster Truck Wars?
Monster truck events, such as the one at the Civic Arena in Levelland, Texas, draw in crowds of families, all equipped with protective earmuffs. These gatherings feature four massive vehicles – a shark, a dinosaur, a locomotive, and a pickup – each weighing about six tons and burning methyl alcohol.
JOHN BURNETT, BYLINE: Yes, they are. The Civic Arena in Levelland, out on the flatlands of West Texas, is packed with families wearing protective earmuffs on this Saturday in mid-February.
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UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: Three, two, one, fire them up.
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These monster trucks, costing around $300,000 each, feature custom-made components, including 5 1/2-foot-tall tires and engines producing 1,500 horsepower. Jerry Furajter, the driver of Shark Attack, explains the appeal of these behemoths to children.
JERRY FURAJTER: The first thing that makes it a monster truck is the gigantic tires. That’s the first thing kids notice when they walk up to them. They all want to touch the tires. Then, after that, you’ll notice the giant engines in it. They got about 1,500 horsepower. They make a lot of noise. There’s no mufflers on these. I mean, when you start it up, you know it’s coming.
Industry experts estimate around two dozen competitors in the monster truck circuit, with Monster Jam being a dominant force. Monster Jam boasts over 50 trucks, having sold 4.5 million tickets last year alone. Meanwhile, Monster Truck Wars, a mid-range operator, holds 130 shows across 70 cities annually.
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UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: This is Devin Jones in T-Rex.
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The sale of toy trucks linked to these events is a significant revenue stream. As families congregate in the lobby, they eagerly purchase $15 models of trucks like the green T-Rex, which performs wheelies and doughnuts in the arena.
Michael Harper, the owner of Monster Truck Wars, transitioned from a career in NASCAR to monster trucks, now owning 12 performing trucks. Harper notes a demographic shift in sponsorships, from beer and tobacco in his youth to toy companies today.
MICHAEL HARPER: So when I started doing Monster Trucks as a kid, it was sponsored by Budweiser and Red Man Chewing Tobacco. Now we’re sponsored by a toy company called Monster Machines, so it’s a different demographic. Like, if you look out there right now, you see 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds.
For many families, the allure of monster trucks justifies the expense, with some like David McCurry, an engine builder from Lubbock, spending upwards of $600 for a day out with their children.
DAVID: Oh, probably between $300 to $500. Well, actually, no. We’ve already spent over two – wow. It’d probably be closer…to $500 to $600, actually, by the time it’s said and done.
Monster truck shows captivate young fans like 8-year-old Tobias McCurry and 6-year-old Jedediah Kidwell, who has a collection of 200 monster trucks and model cars at home. Jedediah’s mother, Caitlin, shares that he even sleeps with a go-kart tire.
CAITLIN: He sleeps with a tire. It’s a go-kart tire. He has it in his bed.
For NPR News, I’m John Burnett in Levelland, Texas.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
