SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2014 The “Hot Wheels” Monster Truck, shown in this ultra wide angle lens photo, is ready Coty Saucier, far right, covers his ears as the Monster Truck “Grave Digger” gets it’s for it’s next competition Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014, in Ellenton, Fla. Feld Entertainment engine started Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014, at Feld Entertainment in Ellenton, Fla. Feld is trying to bring American-style Monster Truck entertainment to other parts of the Entertainment is trying to bring American-style Monster Truck entertainment to oth- world. — AP photos er parts of the world. Monster trucks take American culture on the road rind those gears and ready the mud pit: sense of excitement visually, the vibrations Bob Chandler, videotaped himself crushing ing repairs. It costs about $600,000 a year to America’s latest entertainment export and the sounds. It appeals to all senses. It cars in a field with the truck. A star was born, build, tour and maintain each 10,000-pound Gis monster trucks. seems to have a broad appeal to broad demo- and Bigfoot appeared in the 1981 film “Take truck. The vehicles are sent overseas via cargo “We’re monster trucking the world,” said graphics. It crosses all cultures.” Nigel Morris, this Job and Shove It.” ship and there are multiple identical versions Kenneth Feld, CEO of Feld Entertainment, the the recently retired United Kingdom-based Garza’s group was contacted by a monster of each truck circulating around the globe at company that owns the giant vehicles and the driver of Bigfoot #17, said: “The things that truck promoter in China to help with a series any given time. trademark Monster Jam events. “We’re build- people love about monster trucks in America of racing events there. Morris said folks in the Some countries have even started their ing the business globally. It’s got a lot of trac- are the things they love in other countries. It’s Netherlands “probably have the most enthusi- own knock-off monster truck competitions - tion.” a dramatic show. Lots of action. Lots of horse- astic fans,” while people in Eastern Europe also Monster Mania last spring in Moscow attract- Monster Jam had its first international power.” The sport has its roots in rural mud- adore monster trucks. ed more than 15,000 fans. “Absolutely every- show in 2004. By 2012, it had one large, inter- bogging and truck pulling in the U.S. The origi- “It’s an entertainment package that needs body gets Monster trucks. It is just big, loud national tour; in 2013, two simultaneous inter- nal monster truck is believed to be Bigfoot, a no voice-over,” he said. At the Feld and abusive,” Tony Dixon, a British driver of national tours; in 2014, three. About 55,000 1974 Ford F-250 four-wheel-drive pickup from Entertainment headquarters in southwest the truck called “Swamp Thing,” told the people packed a stadium in Sydney in Missouri, whose owner, Florida, several monster trucks were undergo- Moscow Times.— AP October. The trucks have made a splash from Abu Dhabi to Prague to Zurich. “Going on to 2015, we’ll have four parallel tours to cope with the demand in the market,” said. Magnus Danielsson, international vice president of Feld Motor Sports. “I would expect us to almost double the international business next year.” Florida-based Feld Entertainment, which owns the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, bought the Monster Jam brand in 2008. In 2015, the company will embark on a 10-city Monster Jam tour in Brazil, as well as a three- city tour in Spain and plans for Asia and South America. The Monster Jam shows feature enormous trucks that race and rev at ear-splitting deci- bels. They crush numerous old cars with satis- fying regularity and leap into the air. The tires are often 66 inches (168 centimeters) tall and the trucks stand about 12 feet (3.7 meters) President Barack high. Obama dances on The trucks themselves have different stage with Santa, themes. The black-and-neon green “Grave members of Fifth Digger” is probably the most popular, while Harmony, left, Nico the “Zombie” is frightening and the “Monster & Vinz and The Mutt Rottweiler,” a dog-themed truck, is kind Tenors, of cute. background, While Feld isn’t the only monster truck during the event promoter in the world, it is the largest. National Christmas Other, smaller promoters worldwide are get- Tree lighting ting in on the act. ceremony at the “There is a global appeal,” said Marty Garza, Ellipse near the spokesman for the Monster Truck Racing White House in Association, a US-based group that establishes Washington, safety guidelines. “It’s the unpredictability. The Thursday. — AP.