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1. How Much Do Monster Truck Drivers Make A Year
2. How Much Do Monster Truck Drivers Make A Year

The staccato thrum of eight pistons blasting past top dead center burrows down my ear canal and through my inner ear. It ignites my auditory nerve and burns its way straight into my soul.

Loud doesn't even begin to describe it.

This is 540 cubic inches of supercharged big-block glory. This is the noise that fills arenas, sells stockpiles of merchandise and annihilates more cars than Los Angeles' 405 freeway. This is the undiluted spirit song from the zoomie headers of Grave Digger, the world's most famous monster truck.

We fly through the air, sometimes 40 feet high, and the trucks still survive. C/D: There are 10 Grave Diggers on the circuit. How much driving do you do now? DA: I do 25 hard-core Monster Jam events a season, plus a lot of personal appearances. I used to do 42 to 46 shows a year. Now I do most of the big stadium stuff,.

And I'm way too close.

Conversation here in the pits of the 2010 Monster Jam World Finals is utterly futile. Dennis Anderson, the driver of Grave Digger and the best-known name in the monster truck business, isn't remotely fazed. He simply turns up his volume:

'WE'VE ALWA...'

Whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop. Braaaaaaaah.... The auditory assault continues.

'WE'VE ALWAYS GOT...'

Braap, braap, braap, braap, braap. Big cam in these things.

'WE'VE ALWAYS GOT A BACKUP TRUCK AT THE WORLD FINALS!'

It's a statement that handily summarizes monster truck competition, where the difference between fame and obscurity is all about just making the equipment survive.

The Big Show
The 2010 Monster Jam World Finals — held at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas — is the 11th edition of the monster truck event that produces the year's closest racing, biggest air and most outrageous crashes in monster truck racing. Monster Jam competition is divided into two categories: traditional head-to-head racing and the freestyle competition, where drivers hammer out 2 minutes of jumps and are awarded a score by the judges.

Feld Entertainment produces the show and actually owns about half the trucks on the floor of this arena. The fans either don't know or don't care about this fact. Detractors, however, are less forgiving of the sanctioning body owning both the competitors and the competition itself, claiming the big names - like Grave Digger - are given favor. Is it racing, or is it just WrestleMania on wheels? Either way, the conflict is hardly unprecedented in American motorsport.

Indy Racing League founder and president (at the time) Tony George campaigned a team with reasonable success in the series of his creation from 2005 to 2009. Gerald Forsythe campaigned one of the most competitive teams in the Champ Car World Series, of which he was part owner, from 2004 until its consolidation with the Indy Racing League in 2008.

This notion, of course, assumes you view monster truck competition as worthy of consideration as a legitimate motorsport in the first place. Monster trucks are, after all, just a sideshow as far as traditional racing fans are concerned. Their authenticity and significance — among non-fans at least — fall somewhere between pay-per-view wrestling and a Britney Spears concert.

The bottom line is that the Monster Jam is first and foremost a show. And isn't all racing just a show, an opportunity for the best driver and machine to prove themselves? It can't be said that motorsport of any sort represents a noble cause. When viewed with this perspective, Monster Jam is different from other forms of racing only in that Feld is up front about its potential conflict of interest.

For Real
A show it might be, but Dennis Anderson, driver of Grave Digger, and his rival Tom Meents, driver of Maximum Destruction, both play to win. And they're not the only ones. Races are typically short, between 15 and 30 seconds for a lap on mirror-image courses. One mistake means it's over. This isn't momentum racing where mistakes can be overcome. Instead, it's a sledgehammer-to-the-kidneys motorsport, where it pays to be willing to crash.

Walking the pits before Friday night's qualifying session, there's tension in the air. Crew members walk faster, drivers don't stop to chat and the machines, despite their cartoon and comic-book graphics, get intensive attention. There's a sense of purposefulness here that's no less serious than any open-wheel pit we've experienced, from Long Beach to Indianapolis.

If we suggested to anyone that what we have here is just an exhibition, some kind of sideshow, any one of an army of handlebar-mustached participants would be happy to give us a knuckle sandwich. It matters who wins. And it's obvious.

Hit the Track
Trucks qualify without bodywork in case they roll over; there's no need to destroy the expendable parts before the main event the following night. Drivers are allowed two practice runs and one qualifying run. We've hooked up Grave Digger to our testing equipment so we can review Anderson's driving style in 100-samples-per-second detail.

Anderson and his crew chief Dustin Brown are in lockstep with their approach to the event. 'Dennis doesn't want to change anything before this race,' Brown says. 'We come here every year with the same setup and when he's on, he's hard to beat.'

Anderson's runs are impressive. After repairing a steering vibration that had nearly caused a roll in practice the night before, he lays down three runs within 0.3 second of one another. His top speed during the lap increases progressively in practice from 67.2 mph to 69.1 mph and finally to 70.5 mph on his qualifying run. Braking points are deeper each run as the risk/reward calculus changes from 'preserve the equipment' to 'need to win.'

And the data doesn't lie. In the electronic analysis we witness the calculated risk-taking of an experienced pilot who drives accordingly. It pays off. At the end of qualifying, Anderson and the Digger are among six drivers separated by a mere 0.03 second — a margin that is, on a relative scale, eight times smaller than that covering the top six qualifying drivers at the 2010 Spanish Grand Prix for Formula 1 cars.

All in the Family
Still, the idea that Anderson is concerning himself with hundredths of a second is as laughable as the idea of comparing monster truck racing to Formula 1 in the first place. When you talk to Anderson and his oldest sons Ryan and Adam, what you sense is a genuine desire to give the fans the show they came to see — and to win. Ryan, 24, has been driving monster trucks for several years and Adam, 20, is in his first season.

Among them, the Anderson family holds five world titles — three in racing and two in freestyle — each earned in Vegas at this event. There's another message here, though, one that's as authentic as Anderson's rock-solid handshake. And that is the family's appreciation for its fans. Anderson has been racing monster trucks for 28 years, and he started in the early 1980s with nothing more than his own ingenuity and whatever parts he could scrounge.

Even the Grave Digger brand name comes from Anderson's humble beginnings. He created the iconic identity for his truck when a well-off friend was hassling him about his archaic equipment, then a Chevy-powered Kaiser Jeep military chassis topped with the body of a 1951 Ford truck. His response? 'I'll take this junk and dig your grave with it.' We suspect he did, and though the Grave Digger now wears the body of a 1950 Chevy truck, the attitude endures.

For the Fans
'In 1999 I stopped driving the truck for myself and started driving it for the fans,' Anderson says. It worked, because when the gates of Sam Boyd Stadium open at the pit party on the day of the show, a mob of fans literally runs to get in line in order to get Anderson's autograph and spend 30 seconds with him.

Only one other driver can rival Anderson's popularity and that's Tom Meents, who is pitted right next to Anderson. Known for his all-or-nothing style, the driver of Maximum Destruction actually has more world titles than Anderson, eight all together. To this Anderson says: 'He can have all the trophies he wants, I just don't want him to have all the fans. Tom does respect me and I respect Tom, but out on the track, well, there's no respect there.'

Still, they have to get along. In a sport where competitors might spend 25 weekends a year with each other, there's little room for bitterness. 'You can't live with an enemy like that,' says Anderson.

Finding Fame
The big prize, the one Anderson and every other driver want to win most, is freestyle. Racing is important, but it's the 40-foot-high, 100-foot-long leaps of freestyle that earn prestige. It's here that Anderson and Meents made their names.

'My biggest fear is failing to do it bigger and better than the next guy,' says Anderson. Doing so is where the risk enters the equation. Anderson broke his shoulder several years ago and his son Ryan suffered a concussion after crashing at this event in 2009. The most common injuries are to the dangerously high cervical vertebrae of the neck, according to Mike Wales, Feld's senior director of operations. Just as with any other motorsport, the risks are real.

Anderson notes, 'If you have a crash every week in your street car, you'd be hurt. I have a crash every week and very seldom am I hurt. When I got hurt in the past it was because of a lack of knowledge and pushing too hard without the right equipment.' Fortunately, Feld Entertainment offers health insurance to its drivers, something that few motorsport sanctioning organizations do. Anderson says it isn't cheap.

Monster Preparation
While walking the pits the night of the show, I find Anderson in his trailer. It's clear he shouldn't be bothered, so I seek out another driver, Charlie Pauken. But I'm stopped by a crew member, who says, 'He's getting himself geared up. Best not to bother him now.' I look around and notice there are no drivers to be found.

But there, standing in his trailer, watching his crew make final preparations to his truck, is Tom Meents. He's joking, sucking back a Mountain Dew and eating something out of a bag that looks like donut holes.

Wales, the Feld Entertainment guy, looks at Meents, then looks back at me. Noting the obvious, he makes this profound observation: 'He's a little farm-boy crazy. He'll just go out there and stick his foot in it.'

Meents' pre-event Zen might come from the local 7-Eleven, but his strategy is right out of the all-or-nothing playbook that defines the world's biggest motorsports superstars. It's a tactic that sometimes pays off and sometimes breaks the truck on the first jump. With Meents, either way is spectacular.

How Much Do Monster Truck Drivers Make A Year

'I'm going to do what got me here,' Meents tells me. 'It's going to be two minutes of maximum destruction. I'll roll out on the floor, punch myself in the face — and drive.'

The Grand Finale
As the night progresses, the unlikely unfolds, as Grave Digger and Maximum Destruction face off in the racing finals. ('Is this WrestleMania?' the skeptics ask.) And when the dust clears, Anderson is the victor, a result earned by textbook-perfect driving. This is his fourth world championship and his address to the crowd is as authentic as it is emotional. He recalls a fan who, earlier in the day, gave him his late mother's locket as a good luck charm.

'He told me to ride it to the finals and that's what I did,' Anderson says. 'I drive this truck for you. Thank you for every nut and bolt on my truck and every shingle on my roof.' And then, in tears, he adds, 'I'm gonna screw this truck into the ground tonight.'

But later, in freestyle, both Anderson's Grave Digger and Meents' Maximum Destruction fall short of everyone's expectations. Instead Charlie Pauken wins with a run that repeatedly kisses the sky thanks to equal parts muscle and elegance. It's the best performance of the night and everyone knows it.

The Verdict
At the end of the day, monster truck racing takes the fundamental conventions of a back-woods good time (attitude, dirt and horsepower), infuses them with magnitude (big-block race engines, superchargers and 66-inch tires), then plays out the consequences in front of fan-packed arenas around the world (or in Vegas). After five days of observing Dennis Anderson, his boys, his crew and his competition balance the testosterone-fueled nature of their sport against the physical, legal and logistical constraints in which it must operate, I've come to two realizations.

First, Anderson and company are good at what they do. They're at once first-class showmen, humbly appreciative competitors and deceptively talented drivers.

How Much Do Monster Truck Drivers Make A Year

Second, this is genuine motorsport. The idea that any outcome could be orchestrated amid the unmitigated mechanical chaos of monster truck competition is absurd.

More important, it matters little what you think of the legitimacy of the competition. Monster truck racing is dangerous, unpredictable, difficult, expensive and exclusive. And if these attributes don't make it a real motorsport, then there are no real motorsports.

Grave Digger is a monster truck racing team in the Feld EntertainmentMonster Jam series. There are nine Grave Diggers being driven by different drivers to allow them to make appearances at more events, but their flagship driver is/was creator Dennis Anderson. Grave Digger is considered to be one of the most famous and iconic monster trucks of all time.

• 5Drivers

History[edit]

Grave Digger was originally built in 1982 by Dennis Anderson as a mud bogger. This first truck was originally a red 1957 Ford pickup truck. The truck received its name when Anderson, amicably trash talking with his fellow racers, said, 'I'll take this old junk and dig you a grave with it', a reference to the age of his old pickup in comparison to their relatively modern trucks. Anderson gained a reputation for an all-or-nothing driving style and quickly became popular at local events. At one show, a scheduled monster truck failed to show up and Anderson, who already had large tractor tires on the truck, offered to crush cars in the absence of the full-size monster. The promoter accepted and Grave Digger was an instant success as a car crusher and led Anderson to leave mud bogging and pursue monster trucks instead. In 1984 Anderson rebuilt the truck as a true monster truck using a 1951 Ford panel van body originally sporting a silver and blue paint scheme.

In 1986 Grave Digger first received its famous black graveyard paint scheme. In 1987 and 1988 Anderson drove the truck primarily at TNT Motorsports races and became a crowd favorite for driving hard despite lacking major funding that better-known teams, like Bigfoot, had. In 1987, Anderson beat Bigfoot in Saint Paul, Minnesota on a show taped for ESPN. It was the first major victory for Grave Digger.

Anderson moved to Grave Digger 2 in 1989, with a new 1950 Chevy panel van body. It was during this time that the reputation for wild passes was developed, and the popularity of the truck increased. It was also during this time that 'Bad To The Bone' began to be used as the truck's theme song.^[3] TNT recognised his rising popularity and began promoting Grave Digger heavily, especially for races on the Tuff Trax syndicated television series. This was helped by Bigfoot not racing for points in the 1989 championship, leaving Grave Digger as the most popular truck on the tour.

When TNT became a part of the United States Hot Rod Association in 1991, Anderson began running on the USHRA tour and debuted his first four-link truck, Grave Digger 3. Throughout the 1990s, the popularity of the truck grew and forced Anderson to hire other drivers to run other Grave Digger trucks. Grave Diggers 4, 5 and 8 were built to suit this purpose, and were never driven in any major capacity by Anderson. Anderson drove Grave Digger 7, a direct successor to 3, for most of the decade. It was replaced by Grave Digger 12, well known as the 'long wheelbase Digger', which was also the first Grave Digger with purple in the paint job.

In 1993, Dennis Anderson and Grave Digger #7 were heavily featured on the TV series Monster Wars. Anderson led the beginning of the season until breakages and disqualifications; he finished 5th. That year, Anderson won the 2nd USHRA wreck of the year title after he won and rolled over in Lebanon Valley Speedway, racing UFO. There was footage inside the cab of Anderson uttering his famous catch-saying “Yea we turned er over, she’s over, that’s what the people want, that’s what they got, I got a torn up truck!”

In late 1998, Anderson sold the Grave Digger team to Pace Motorsports (now Feld Entertainment). Anderson continued to drive, being the most visible member of the team, and remained in charge of drivers and of training inexperienced team Grave Digger members.

Anderson competed in his final event on January 14, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. On September 18, 2017, Dennis announced his full retirement from Monster Jam, stating however that he would still be behind the scenes and in the pits.

Accomplishments[edit]

• 1999 Monster Jam Points Champion (Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger #12)
• 2000 Monster Jam World Freestyle Champion (Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger #7)
• 2002 Monster Jam Points Champion (Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger #14)
• 2003 Monster Jam Points Champion (Randy Brown – Grave Digger #18)
• 2004 Monster Jam Points Champion (Gary Porter – Grave Digger #12)
• 2004 Monster Jam World Racing Champion (Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger #19)
• 2006 Monster Jam World Racing Champion (Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger #20)
• 2010 Monster Jam World Racing Champion (Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger #20)
• 2010 Monster Jam Points Champion (Dennis Anderson – Grave Digger #20)
• 2016 Monster Jam Amsoil Series East Champion (Cole Venard – Grave Digger #31)
• 2016 Monster Jam Amsoil Series West Champion (Morgan Kane – Grave Digger #25)
• 2016 Monster Jam FS1 Series Champion (Adam Anderson – Grave Digger #32)
• 2016 Monster Jam World Racing Champion (Morgan Kane – Grave Digger #25)
• 2016 Monster Jam World Freestyle Champion (Adam Anderson – Grave Digger #32)
• 2017 Monster Jam Triple Threat Series East Champion (Tyler Menninga – Grave Digger #23)
• 2017 Monster Jam Triple Threat Series West Champion (Cole Venard – Grave Digger #31)
• 2017 Monster Jam Stadium Tour Champion (Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger #27)
• 2017 Monster Jam Arena Tour Champion (Pablo Huffaker – Grave Digger #28)
• 2017 Monster Jam Arena Tour Champion (Randy Brown – Grave Digger #29)
• 2018 Monster Jam Stadium Championship Series 2 Champion (Charlie Pauken – Grave Digger #27)
• 2018 Monster Jam Stadium Championship Series 3 Champion (Morgan Kane – Grave Digger #33)
• 2018 Monster Jam Triple Threat Series Central Champion (Tyler Menninga – Grave Digger #32)
• 2018 Monster Jam World Racing Champion (Adam Anderson – Grave Digger #35)
• 2019 Monster Jam Triple Threat Series West Champion (Tyler Menninga – Grave Digger #36)
• 2019 Monster Jam Triple Threat Series Central Champion (Brandon Vinson – Grave Digger #31)
• 2019 Monster Jam Stadium Championship Series 2 Champion (Adam Anderson – Grave Digger #35)
• 2019 Monster Jam Arena Championship Series Champion (Randy Brown – Grave Digger #39)

Gary Porter also won the WMTRL Championship in 2004 driving Grave Digger #12.

Many Grave Digger team drivers have won world championships in other trucks. Regular Grave Digger driver Pablo Huffaker won the 2007 Monster Jam Freestyle Championship driving Captain's Curse, and son of Dennis Anderson, Adam Anderson won the freestyle championship in 2008 driving Taz, and Grave Digger driver Charlie Pauken won the 2010 Monster Jam World Finals Freestyle Championship driving Monster Mutt. In 2013-2014, Adam Anderson won back-to-back world championships but this time in racing, driving Grave Digger The Legend. In 2016, it was the year of Grave Digger. Morgan Kane captured the Amsoil Series West Championship behind the wheel of Grave Digger #25, while Cole Venard, driving Grave Digger #31, took the Amsoil Series East Championship. Adam Anderson drove Grave Digger #32 to the FS1 Championship Series title in dominant fashion. At the World Finals, Morgan Kane won the World Racing Championship in 2016 driving Grave Digger #25. Adam Anderson took the World Freestyle Championship the following night driving Grave Digger #32. Charlie Pauken, Adam Anderson, Tyler Menninga, and Morgan Kane all competed in Grave Digger trucks at World Finals 19, with Anderson winning another racing championship.

Trucks[edit]

There have been a total of 38 Grave Digger monster trucks built. There are seven trucks running.

• Grave Digger #1 – Original truck. The truck was taken apart and sat in the back of the Digger's Dungeon shop, until it was reassembled to make an appearance at World Finals 8 (2007) as part of a 25th anniversary celebration of Grave Digger. It is on display at Digger's Dungeon
• Grave Digger #2 – Leaf-sprung race truck was rebuilt with a new frame for the world record sound crossing, now sits out front of the shop to draw in visitors.
• Grave Digger #3 – Race truck. Rebuilt into WCW Nitro Machine in 2000, then Inferno in 2001; and continued to run as Inferno until it was retired in 2007.
• Grave Digger #4 – Jack Koberna built leaf-spring race truck, ran 1990 to 1996.
• Grave Digger #5 – Racesource designed race truck. Originally ran as Jus-Show-N Off/Purina Mainstay from 1992 to 1995. Chassis sold to Mark and Sherry Wheeler formerly of the Terraduster Monster Truck Team and ran as Brett Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin sponsored WWF Wrestle Trucks. When the sponsorship ended, they ran it as Terraduster until they left the industry in 1999. It has been sold many times since, and was last ran as Dave Radzierez's Diesel Monster Truck. The Grave Digger body that the truck ran sat in the team store for children to climb on for some time.
• Grave Digger #6 – Rebuilt as the Son-uva Digger mud bogger. Was originally the 'Street Digger.' Briefly ran as the Bog Hog mud truck, now named Old #Six.
• Grave Digger #7 – Race truck. Retired and displayed at the team's headquarters, Digger's Dungeon.
• Grave Digger #8 – Race truck. Retired from competition, was on display as part of a temporary museum exhibit in Chicago. Now it sits on display around the front of Diggers Dungeon.
• Grave Digger #9 – Ride truck, sold and is now Extinguisher, a ride truck.
• Grave Digger #10 – Racesource designed race truck. It became Radical Rescue. The chassis has been retired and scrapped.
• Grave Digger #11 – Ride truck, ran as the War Wizard ride truck but was then owned by Randy Brown and he turned it into the Pure Adrenaline ride truck in March 2010. Starting at the 2012 World Finals, it ran as a Grave Digger 30th Anniversary ride truck. It was rebuilt in 2013 and currently runs as a Grave Digger Ride truck.
• Grave Digger #12- In-house designed race truck. Originally retired in 2010 as a Grave Digger after a crash in Wildwood, New Jersey, the truck was refurbished for 2011 due to a last minute change where Tony Farrell had to drive the second Grave Digger: The Legend as a field-filler for Son-uva Digger. It is now retired.
• Grave Digger #13 – Skipped per superstitions regarding the number 13.
• Grave Digger #14 – PEI chassis race truck. Retired in 2010.
• Grave Digger #15 – Racesource chassis race truck. Retired in 2008.
• Grave Digger #16 – Racesource chassis race truck. Retired in 2013.
• Grave Digger #17 – Pro Modifieddrag racer sponsored by the team. (The IHRA and USHRA were previously under the same ownership.) No longer racing.
• Grave Digger #18 – PEI chassis race truck. Retired in 2012.
• Grave Digger #19 – In-house chassis race truck. Retired in 2014.
• Grave Digger #20 – In-house chassis race truck. Retired in 2013.
• Grave Digger #21 – PEI chassis display truck. The truck sits in a BKT-sponsored trailer where fans can sit in the cab of the truck.
• Grave Digger #22 – PEI chassis race truck. Originally ran as Batman from 2006 to 2008. Appeared on Conan in 2012. Retired in 2013.
• Grave Digger #23 – Carroll Racing Development (CRD) chassis race truck. Retired in 2017.
• Grave Digger #24 – In-house chassis race truck. Retired in 2015.
• Grave Digger #25 – In-house chassis race truck. Retired from competition in 2016. The truck was used at Monster Jam university in 2017 to train new drivers. The truck is now retired and scrapped.
• Grave Digger #26 – In-house chassis race truck. Retired in 2016.
• Grave Digger #27 – Carroll Racing Development (CRD) chassis race truck. Retired in 2018.
• Grave Digger #28 – Racesource chassis race truck. Retired from competition in May 2018. Now a display truck.
• Grave Digger #29 – In-house chassis race truck. Currently serves as a back-up truck, used mostly for international shows.
• Grave Digger #30 – In-house chassis race truck. Retired in 2018.
• Grave Digger #31 – In-house chassis race truck. Currently driven by Brandon Vinson.
• Grave Digger #32 – In-house chassis race truck. Originally ran as 'Grave Digger: The Legend', a special retro paint scheme, for the 2014–2015 season. Retired in 2018.
• Grave Digger #33 – In-house chassis race truck. Currently driven by Morgan Kane.
• Grave Digger #34 – CRD chassis race truck. Currently driven by Krysten Anderson.
• Grave Digger #35 – In-house chassis race truck. Currently driven by Adam Anderson.
• Grave Digger #36 – CRD chassis race truck. Currently driven by Tyler Menninga.
• Grave Digger #37 – CRD chassis race truck. Currently serves as a back-up truck, used mostly for international shows.
• Grave Digger #38 – CRD chassis race truck. Currently driven by Charlie Pauken.
• Grave Digger #39 – CRD chassis race truck. Currently driven by Randy Brown.
• Grave Digger #40 - CRD Designed Ride Truck - Will be used for the Cedar Point 'Monster Jam Thunder Alley' Experience.

Hallmarks[edit]

Grave Digger's origins, the imagery associated with the truck, and the truck's wild reputation, are all considered part of the mystique of the truck and have contributed to its continued popularity. Although originally a Ford, the 1950 Chevrolet Panel Van body has become the standard body for all trucks. Likewise, the paint scheme, combining green flames, letters dripping blood, a foggy graveyard scene with tombstones bearing names of competitors, a haunted house silhouetted by a full moon, and a giant skull shaped ghost, is considered a part of what Grave Digger is and, although being tweaked over the years, has not strayed far from the first incarnation of the paintwork from 1986.

Perhaps the most visible trademarks are the red headlights which glow menacingly whenever the truck is in competition. The lights were first used when Anderson was building a transporter out of a school bus and removed the red stop lights. After realizing they would fit in the headlights of the van, he installed them and the truck has had them ever since. During the TNT days, announcer Army Armstrong started telling fans that when the red lights were turned on, the truck was 100% ready to run and Anderson was going to go all out. Fans began to take notice and Anderson, who would keep the lights off if something was not working properly, began receiving letters saying that he was not at 100% at certain shows because the lights were not on. To this day, the lights are turned on for every run.

The reputation Grave Digger gained shot the truck to super stardom in the 1980s and continues to draw fans today. In the late 1980s Anderson gained the nickname 'One Run Anderson' for his spectacular but often destructive qualifying passes which entertained the crowd but on many occasions put truck out of competition for the rest of the event. With the advent of freestyle, Anderson gained a means by which he could entertain the crowd with wild stunts while also focusing on winning races. Today, Grave Digger, no matter which driver is appearing, is traditionally the last truck to freestyle at most events, providing the 'grand finale' which caps off the show. These freestyles often end up in crashes, which Grave Digger is known to do much more frequently than other trucks. The crowd typically loves to see the wrecks but some criticize the team for what they feel is the glorification of crashing.

The immense popularity of Grave Digger has made it the poster child for Monster Jam, and in some cases monster trucks in general. There is much debate over whether Grave Digger has taken over the title of 'Most Popular Monster Truck' from Bigfoot. As a result, the Grave Digger vs. Bigfoot rivalry is one of the strongest in the sport, despite the fact that the teams have not raced each other regularly since the late 1990s.

Drivers[edit]

Current drivers[edit]

• Adam Anderson

Hometown: Poplar Branch, North Carolina

Driver Since: 2016

Championships: 2008 (Freestyle Champion driving Taz), 2013 and 2014 (Both Racing Championships driving Grave Digger the Legend), 2016 (Freestyle Champion), 2018 (Racing Champion)

Currently driving Grave Digger #35

Drove the following trucks: 106.7 The Drive, Grave Digger #20, Grave Digger #23, Grave Digger #26, Grave Digger #27, Grave Digger #30, Grave Digger #32, Grave Digger #35, Vette King, Taz, Grave Digger the Legend

• Krysten Anderson

Hometown: Currituck, North Carolina

Driver Since: 2017

Currently driving Grave Digger #34

Drove the following Grave Digger trucks: #34

• Morgan Kane

Hometown: Chesapeake, Virginia

Driver Since: 2016

Championships: 2016 Monster Jam World Racing Champion

Currently driving Grave Digger #33

Drove the following Grave Digger trucks: #25, #33, #38

• Charlie Pauken

Hometown: Maumee, Ohio

Driver Since: 1999

Formerly drove Excaliber from 1988–98

Championships: 2010 Monster Jam World Freestyle Champion (in Monster Mutt)

Currently driving Grave Digger #38

Drove the following Grave Digger trucks: #7, #8, #14, #15, #20, #22, #27, #29, #38

Inducted into the International Monster Truck Hall of Fame in 2016.

• Randy Brown

Hometown: Camden, North Carolina

Driver Since: 2003

Currently driving Grave Digger #39

Drove the following Grave Digger trucks: #18, #19, #29, #30, #31, #37, #39

• Tyler Menninga

Hometown: Oskaloosa, Iowa

Driver Since: 2017

Currently driving Grave Digger #36

Drove the following Grave Digger trucks: #23, #30, #31, #32, #34, #36

• Brandon Vinson

Hometown: Currituck, North Carolina

Driver Since: 2017

Currently driving Grave Digger #31

Drove the following Grave Digger trucks: #31, #30

Former drivers[edit]

• Dennis Anderson

Hometown: Poplar Branch, North Carolina

Drove Grave Digger: 1982–2017 seasons, head of the Grave Digger team

Championships: 2000 Freestyle & 2004, 2006, 2010 Racing Monster Jam Champion

Currently drives: Retired

Drove the following Grave Digger trucks: #1, #2, #3, #7, #8, #12, #14, #15, #16, #19, #20, #24, #25, #30, #32

Inducted into the International Monster Truck Hall of Fame in 2012.

• Pablo Huffaker

Hometown: Tomball, Texas

Driver Since: 1993

Drove Grave Digger: 1993–2018 seasons

Championships: 2007 Monster Jam World Freestyle Champion (in Captain's Curse)

Currently drives: Retired

Drove the following trucks: #5, #10, #16, #28, Blacksmith, Captain's Curse, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (WF10–12), Blue Thunder (WF14), Wolverine (WF15), Dooms Day (WF16)

Inducted into the International Monster Truck Hall of Fame in 2012.

• Jon Zimmer

Hometown: Albany, New York

Drove Grave Digger: 2013–2016 seasons

Currently drives: Dragon

Drove the following trucks: AMZOil Shock Therapy, Grave Digger #23, #26, #30 (subbing for Dennis)

• Carl Van Horn

Hometown: Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Drove Grave Digger: 2011–2017 seasons

Currently drives: Retired

Drove the following trucks: Firemouth, Blacksmith (WF4), Power Forward (WF5), Excaliber, Grave Digger #14, Grave Digger #23, Batman (WF14), Son-uva Digger (Glendale 2016), Grave Digger #30 (Subbing for Dennis), Grave Digger #33 (Tampa 2018 – subbing for Morgan Kane)

• Colton Eichelberger

Hometown: Paxton, Illinois

Drove Grave Digger: 2015 season

Currently drives: Max-D

Drove the following trucks: Monster Energy (Mexico City 2014), Grave Digger #25

• Cole Venard

Hometown: Murdo, South Dakota

Drove Grave Digger: 2016–2017 seasons

Currently drives: The Black Pearl

Drove the following trucks: Grave Digger #31, The Black Pearl

• Chad Tingler

Hometown: Stuarts Draft, Virginia

Drove Grave Digger: 2006–2015 seasons

Currently drives: International shows

Drove the following trucks: Ragin' Steel, Safe Auto Minimizer, Grave Digger #14, Grave Digger #20 (Minneapolis 2006), Grave Digger #24, Taz (MJWF 2009), Monster Mutt Dalmatian (MJWF 2007–08), Alien Invasion, Megalodon

• Gary Porter

Hometown: Wadesboro, North Carolina

Drove Grave Digger: 2001–2014 seasons

Currently drives: Retired

Drove the following trucks: Grave Digger #7, Grave Digger #12, Grave Digger #25, Carolina Crusher

Inducted into the International Monster Truck Hall of Fame in 2013.

• Jason Childress

Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri

Drove Grave Digger: 2003–2005 seasons

Currently drives: Retired

Drove the following trucks: Grave Digger #7, Grave Digger #14, Batman (2006)

• Rod Schmidt

Hometown: Charles City, Iowa

Drove Grave Digger: 2002–2012 seasons.

Currently drives: Retired

Drove the following trucks: Grave Digger #7, Grave Digger #8, Grave Digger #14, Grave Digger #18, Grave Digger #19, Grave Digger #20 (Tampa 2013), Grave Digger #30, Monster Mutt Rottweiler

• Les Anderson

Hometown: North Carolina

Drove Grave Digger: 1992 season

Currently drives: Retired

Drove the following trucks: Texas Toy, Grave Digger #2

• Lyle Hancock

Hometown: Barco, North Carolina

Drove Grave Digger: 1992–1999 seasons

Currently drives: Retired

Drove the following trucks: Grave Digger #3, Grave Digger #7, Wrenchead.com, Blue Thunder, Traxxas T-Maxx, Sudden Impact

• Robert Parker

Hometown: Alabama

Drove Grave Digger: Subbing for a couple of shows

Currently drives: Retired

Drove the following trucks: Grave Digger #8, AM/PM Boss, Samson 1, Pouncer, Predator, Prowler, Hyperactive, War Wizard, Ground Pounder, Lone Eagle

• Scott Pontbriand

Hometown: Sturbridge, Massachusetts

Drove Grave Digger: 2001–2005 seasons

Currently drives: Retired

Drove the following trucks: Grave Digger #7, Grave Digger #8, Grave Digger #14, Undertaker, Bear Foot, Monster Mutt, Monster Patrol, Stone Cold 3:16

• Tony Farrell

Hometown: North Vernon, Indiana

Drove Grave Digger The Legend (2011–only)

Currently drives: Deceased

Drove the following trucks: Blue Ribbon Bandit, Wild Thang, Sting, Blue Thunder (2002–2009), Grave Digger The Legend

• Ron Nelson

Hometown: Conroe, TX.

Currently drives: Bustin Loose 20th anniversary

Drove the following trucks: King Krunch, Bow Tie Bandit, Grave Digger #3, Bustin Loose (1996–2002), El Toro Loco, High Roller, Predator, Prowler, Bustin' Loose Revived (2016–2018)

• Chuck Jordan

Hometown: Forest Grove, OR

Drove Grave Digger #2 at some west coast shows

Currently drivers: Retired

Drove the following trucks: Grave Digger, Survivor, Dirty Dancing, Bi Mart

• Michael Vaters

Hometown: Hagerstown, Maryland

Drove Grave Digger in Atlanta 1992 at the inaugural Georgia Dome show

Currently drives: Black Stallion

Drove the following trucks: Black Stallion, Grave Digger, Iron Warrior, Overkill Evolution, Higher Education, Monster Mutt Rottweiler

Digger's Dungeon[edit]

Digger’s Dungeon,^[4] located in Poplar Branch, North Carolina, is the official home of Grave Digger. Besides the usual gift shop, there are several Grave Diggers located outside on display. There are also various pieces of other Grave Diggers hanging throughout the store, all of which have been damaged from various accidents.

Digger’s Dungeon hosted the 2010 No Limit R/C Monster Truck World Finals, taking place from May 28-May 30. The RC World Finals is the largest RC Monster Truck event in the world.

Digger Block Party[edit]

In 2009, Feld Motor Sports (the company that owns the Grave Digger brand) announced a contest whose winner would win a catered party, including the appearance of Grave Digger and its principal driver, Dennis Anderson.^[5] The winner of the 2009 sweepstakes was Randy Conrad of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. At its height, the party had over 70 people in attendance.

The 2010 Digger Block Party sweepstakes started on October 6, 2009 and ran until July 18, 2010. The winner received a prize package totaling around US $11,850 dollars, including the visit from Grave Digger and Anderson, as well as catering, prizes, a DJ, and party equipment.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'TESS -- Error'. uspto.gov. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
2. ^FELD Motorsports Acquires Live Nation Motor SportsArchived 2008-09-26 at the Wayback Machine
3. ^Monster Jam (TV Series 2003– ) - IMDb, retrieved 2019-07-30
4. ^'Poplar Branch, NC - Digger's Dungeon - Home of Grave Digger'. Roadsideamerica.com. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
5. ^'Grave Digger'. Grave Digger. 2009-09-14. Retrieved 2010-03-08.

External links[edit]