Monster Jam 2023 Tickets and Information

The Never-Ending Adrenaline Rush of Seeing Monster Jam Live

Horsepower, car-smashing, thematic trucks with bright colors and funky names, and a whole lot of noise coming from the field and the psyched fans on the stands — that’s what Monster Jam is all about. This high-octane motorsport features massive trucks that perform awe-inspiring stunts. The trucks are customized and decorated to resemble popular characters, like Grave Digger and El Toro Loco — there’s even a Scooby-Doo-themed monster truck! It’s been thirty-plus years of Monster Jams all over America, Canada, and Mexico — which is a lot of power, a lot of yelling, and a lot of fun.

Monster Jam events feature three main competitions: freestyle, racing, and two-wheel skills. The trucks also compete in a "Skills Challenge" where they perform stunts like donuts, wheelies, and backflips. It’s just the kind of all-around fun people of all ages can enjoy!

Everything You Need to Know About Monster Jam

Monster Jam might seem a little insane from the outside, but rest assured — it’s far more bonkers on the inside. If you’re new to this adrenaline-driven sport, here’s everything you need to know about this slice of Americana.

So, what is Monster Jam?

It is a live motorsport event tour where eight monster trucks compete in racing, two-wheel skills, and freestyle competitions. Each event showcases the power and fun antics of these trucks, with tricks that include car-crushing and spins.

Here are the three main Monster Jam events:

• Racing: Monster trucks race head-to-head on a dirt track. The first truck to cross the finish line wins.
• Two-wheel skills: Monster trucks attempt to stay on two wheels for as long as possible. They can also perform donuts or cyclones. The truck that stays on two wheels the longest wins.
• Freestyle: Monster trucks perform a variety of tricks and stunts, such as jumping over obstacles and doing donuts. The truck that performs the most impressive tricks wins.

What are the Monster Jam Trucks’ specs and sizes? 

Monster trucks are some of the largest and most powerful vehicles on the planet. They are typically built on a pickup truck chassis, but they are heavily modified with oversized tires, engines, and suspension systems. These are monumental pieces of machinery that have excited audiences of all ages for decades: just the fact that these beasts exist is impressive in itself! 

With some variations, these are the specs for these beastly machines:

• Height: 10.5 feet
• Width: 12.5 feet 
• Length: 17 feet 
• Weight: 12,000 pounds 
• Engine: 540 cubic inches big block V8
• Horsepower: 1,500
• Suspension: Four-link racing suspension with nitrogen-charged shocks

How much power does a Monster Jam truck generate? 

Monster Trucks generate up to 1,500 horsepower, reaching speeds of up to 99 miles per hour. Fun fact: The world record for fastest monster truck speed was set in August 2022 by Joe Sylvester at 101.84 mph, in ohio. Vroom, Vroom!

How tall are the Monster Jam truck tires? 

Monster Truck tires are 66 inches tall by 43 inches wide. The air pressure in these tires is typically around 10 pounds per square inch (psi); this is much lower than regular car tires, which are typically around 30 psi. The low air pressure in monster truck tires helps to absorb the impact when the truck jumps or lands. It also helps to prevent the tires from bursting when the truck is subjected to high forces.

As for weight, each truck tire tips the scales at 645 pounds each. 

What are Monster Jam trucks constructed with? 

The chassis is made of a strong metal like steel or aluminum, while the body (outer shell) is made of fiberglass or carbon fiber. The tires are made of a special rubber compound that is resistant to wear and tear. 

The suspension is designed to provide a smooth ride for the driver and absorb the impact of jumps and landings, with a big block V8 engine that is supercharged or turbocharged to produce up to 1,500 horsepower.

Extra safety features in monster trucks include roll cages, fire suppression systems, and safety harnesses.

How do Monster Jam trucks get transported from stadium to stadium? 

Monster Jam trucks are transported in specially designed trailers, custom-built for the trucks’ specific dimensions. They’re typically around 53 feet long and 10 feet wide, and they can accommodate one or two monster trucks. The trailers are also equipped with ramps so that the trucks can be easily loaded and unloaded. 

The transport of Monster Jam trucks is a complex and carefully coordinated operation, requiring a team of experienced professionals to ensure trucks are moved from venue to venue, safely and efficiently.

Grave Digger, a Monster Jam Legend

Whenever monster trucks are mentioned, one name pops up immediately: Grave Digger. A Monster Jam staple that even predates the official event tour, the first Grave Digger goes all the way back to 1982, when Dennis Anderson took the carcass of a 1952 Ford pickup truck and put mud bog tires and a small block Chevy engine. He famously built the first Grave Digger truck out of parts he found in junkyards; the iconic red headlights, for example, were taken from school buses.

A few years later, in 1985, Anderson replaced the Ford body with a 1951 Panel Wagon Chevrolet. The original coloring was orange, and it took some time until Grave Digger took its current and iconic color scheme consisting of lime green, purple, and black. 

Grave Digger entered the monster truck scene by chance, after another truck had to pull out of a competition. The crowd went wild on that first try, and it’s continued to be a staple at monster truck events in the following decades. Its name also came almost by chance, when another monster truck driver called the scrappy OG Grave Digger a piece of junk, Anderson retorted with: "I'll take this old junk and dig you a grave." 

How many Gravedigger trucks are there? 

There have been a total of 41 Grave Digger monster trucks built since 1982, and six of them currently compete in Monster Jam events. Besides building the first Grave Digger from scraps, Dennis Anderson also started a dynasty, and his children (Adam, Ryan, Krysten, and Weston) have gone on to become monster truck drivers in their own right. 

Here are the six Grave Digger trucks currently competing on the Monster Jam and racing circuit today:

• Grave Digger #35: Driven by Adam Anderson
• Grave Digger #36: Driven by Brandon Vinson
• Grave Digger #37: Driven by Weston Anderson
• Grave Digger #38: Driven by Matt Cody
• Grave Digger #39: Driven by Tyler Menninga
• Grave Digger #41: Driven by Krysten Anderson

What are some of the most memorable moments in Monster Jam history? 

Monster trucks originated in the late 1970s and came into the public eye in the early 1980s as side acts at motocross, tractor-pulling, and mud-bogging events, where they were used in car-crushing demonstrations.

The first proper monster truck show was held in 1982 at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. It was organized by promoter Bob George, who had previously produced motocross events. It featured several trucks, including Bigfoot, which was the most popular truck at the time.

Here are some of the most memorable moments in Monster Jam history:

• The first successful double backflip by Tom Meents in Max-D at the 2009 World Finals. Meents stunned the crowd by landing a perfect 360-degree flip after launching off a ramp.
• The first successful corkscrew by Cam McQueen in Northern Nightmare at the 2016 World Finals. McQueen executed a sideways barrel roll in mid-air, earning him the Freestyle Championship.
• The epic showdown between Dennis Anderson in Grave Digger and Ryan Anderson in Son-uva Digger at the 2017 World Finals. The father-and-son duo battled it out for the Racing Championship, with Ryan edging out Dennis by a fraction of a second.
• The second successful double backflip by Neil Elliott in Max-D at the 2018 World Finals. Elliott matched his teammate's feat from nine years earlier, but with a twist: he did it in reverse.
• The first successful front flip by Lee O'Donnell in VP Racing Fuels' Mad Scientist at the 2017 World Finals. O'Donnell shocked everyone by flipping his truck forward over a bus stack, landing on his wheels, and driving away.

How popular is Monster Jam? 

Monster Jam has a large and loyal fan base, with over 4 million fans on Facebook, over 1.6 million followers on Instagram, and over 1.4 million subscribers on YouTube. Monster Jam events often sell out stadiums and arenas.

Although the USHRA doesn’t release Monster Jam’s attendance figures, some sources suggest that Monster Jam events can attract an average of 10,000 to 15,000 fans per show. Others claim that shows can sell out stadiums and arenas with capacities of 40,000 to 70,000 people.

International tours

While Monster Jam primarily happens in North America, there are also international tours every year. Over 35 countries have hosted Monster Jam, including Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates.

Upcoming international Monster Jam events include stops at:

• Melbourne, Australia (Aami Park — Oct.7, 2023)
• Sydney, Australia (Accor Stadium — Oct. 14, 2023)
• Gold Coast, Australia (CBUS Super Stadium — Oct. 21, 2023)
• Arnhem, Netherlands (Gelredrome — May 11 and May 12, 2024)
• Dresden, Germany (Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion — Jun. 22 and Jun 23, 2024)
• Frankfurt, Germany (Deutsche Bank Park-Entrachr, Jul. 5, 2025)