IF YOU THINK MONSTER TRUCKS ARE JUST FOR KIDS, THINK AGAIN!

Which Was The Biggest Monster Truck Ever Built? Learn 10 Huge Facts

Image: Gabriel Tovar

A spectacle of huge, spectacularly noisy trucks flying in the air, running over cars, and chasing each other in a huge arena, much like modern mechanical gladiators. Is it childish? Possibly so. But it is also irresistible and very fun to watch.

The level of skill required to make a double backflip in the air with a vehicle that has the size and wheels of a huge farm tractor is enormous and the drivers commit themselves to entertaining the crowd at their own risk. Prepare to be amazed and take a peek at these ten cool facts about monster trucks and their world.

Image: Marys_fotos

Monster Jam monster trucks are approximately 12 feet tall and 12 feet wide. They must weigh a minimum of 10,000 pounds and are built for short, high-powered bursts of speed, generating 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour.

Monster Jam trucks can fly up to 125 to 130 feet (that’s more than 14 cars side by side) and up to 35 feet in the air. The tires are 66 inches high and 43 inches wide and cost $2,600 each. What’s the price of an entire Monster Jam Truck you ask? About $250,000.

Image: Abuli Munavary

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

These days they are usually the main attraction with motocross, mud bogging, ATV racing, or demolition derbies as supporting events.

Image: Gabriel Tovar

It sounds pretty impressive on TV but if you ever went anywhere near these beasts you will remember the deafening sound they can make. The engine of a typical monster truck, the thing that gives it the kind of roar that shakes the whole arena, is a major engineering accomplishment.

They’re custom-built supercharged beasts that feature methanol injection. A typical monster truck gets about 7 gallons to the mile (not the most economical vehicle around), burns around 10 gallons of fuel a show, and burns out engines at a rate of around 5 every year.

Image: CraigL

A monster truck might be extremely punishing on its own components, but that’s nothing compared to the number of vehicles destroyed at monster truck shows every year.

Something close to 3,000 cars, vans, buses, and other vehicles are turned into scrap at monster truck rallies across the world. They’re usually taken from junkyards and then returned afterward, or at least, what is left of them.

Image: Gabriel Tovar

Since there are no full-time monster truck arenas (at least not in most of the world), local venues where this kind of event takes place must be converted into something suitable for a monster truck rally, which, as you imagine, is no mean feat.

Getting each one set up can take as many as 20 hours spread over three days, and that’s with an eight-person crew. Truckloads of dirt are used, sometimes up to 70 or more, all worked by bulldozers to make the ramps and jumps that make a Monster Jam event possible.

Image: Hanson Lu

It should come as no surprise that watching this kind of show is a popular spectacle for a lot of people. Monster trucks draw crowds like nothing else.

The Monster Jam event itself attracts a massive 4 million spectators a year around the globe, proving that watching giant trucks crush cars and fly through the air at 100 miles an hour is always going to be a thing that nobody ever wants to miss.

Image: Jon Sailer

A legend in the monster truck lore, the original BigFoot began as a 1974 Ford F-250 pickup that was modified by its owner Bob Chandler. By 1979, the modifications were so extensive, that the truck came to be regarded as the first monster truck. Since then, other trucks with the name "Bigfoot" have been introduced, and it remains a well-known monster truck moniker in the United States.

In 1979, Chandler replaced the underassembly of the truck with one from a military surplus top loader featuring four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering that used 48-inch tires. This modification drew attention and Chandler started making appearances at tractor pulls and car shows with his newly christened "Bigfoot". And the rest is history!

Image: CraigL

Another legend among giants, Grave Digger was originally built in 1982 by Dennis Anderson as a mud bogger. It was assembled from salvaged parts, including the body of a 1952 Ford pickup truck. The truck received its name when Anderson, amicably retorting trash-talking from his fellow racers about the truck's salvaged parts, said, "I'll take this old junk and dig you a grave with it."

In 1986 Grave Digger first received its famous black graveyard paint scheme. In 1987, Anderson beat Bigfoot in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on a show taped for ESPN. It was the first major victory for Grave Digger and the beginning of its run in front of bigger audiences to this day.

Image: CraigL

At least when it comes to monster trucks, four-wheel steering is very important, since the ridiculously huge size of their wheels makes it very difficult to maneuver with regular two-wheel steering.

All trucks have hydraulic steering in both the front and the rear (four-wheel steering), with the front wheels controlled by the steering wheel and the rear wheels by a toggle switch.

Image: Rainier Ridao

Being the biggest in a world of giants is no easy feat. But one monster truck takes the title and it is Bigfoot #5 (as you can see, the name stuck). The truck is considered one of the most iconic and recognizable monster trucks due to its gigantic wheels weighing approximately 2,400 pounds each.

Due to its unusual height, this truck has never actually been involved in a monster truck competition, but has engaged against other Bigfoot trucks, done displays, and ran exhibition obstacle races. In addition to height, Bigfoot 5 is also the heaviest monster truck ever built, at 28,000 lbs.

PRESIDENTIAL TALES

The Surprising Backstories Behind 10 U.S. Presidents

Image: National Archives and Records Administration

Presidents of the United States are often expected to be larger-than-life—sort of superhuman—personalities, leading the nation with gravity and responsibility. However, just like anyone, they have normal lives, peculiar interests, and sometimes even intriguing personal backstories.

From unconventional hobbies to surprising personal struggles, here are 10 U.S. Presidents with untold tales that might just reshape the way you perceive these historical figures.

Image: Provincial Archives of Alberta

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. President, wasn't just known for his eloquent speeches and great leadership during the Civil War. Surprisingly, "Honest Abe" was also a very skilled wrestler in his younger days. With over 300 matches under his belt, Lincoln only ever lost one, earning him a reputation as a formidable opponent in the ring.

Image: Nikolay Tchaouchev

While Calvin Coolidge may be mostly remembered for his quiet demeanor, his private life revealed a different side. Coolidge had a penchant for unusual pets, and during his stay at the White House, he turned it into a mini zoo. Besides many other more conventional pets, he owned two raccoons, a donkey, a bobcat, several lion cubs, a Pygmy hippopotamus, a wallaby, a duiker, an antelope, a black bear, and 13 Pekin ducks. Quite the exotic collection!

Image: Albert Antony

In 1969, years before becoming the 39th President, Jimmy Carter reported a UFO sighting in Georgia. He described seeing a bright light in the night sky that changed colors before disappearing. A few years later, Carter even filed an official report with the International UFO Bureau, making him the only U.S. President to document a personal encounter with unidentified flying objects.

Image: Dylan de Jonge

Known as the "Father of His Country", George Washington had a side hustle that might surprise many. In 1799, he became one of the largest whiskey producers in the United States, operating a distillery on his Mount Vernon estate. Washington's distillery produced nearly 11,000 gallons of whiskey in 1799 alone. Despite this, Washington was a strong proponent of moderation, knowing well the dangers of drinking alcohol in excess.

Image: Austrian National Library

Beyond his many political achievements, Teddy Roosevelt was an avid boxer throughout his life. He kept a boxing gym in the White House and sparred with various aides and diplomats.

While he embraced vigorous physical activities as a means of fighting various health issues, he was occasionally injured. He reportedly lost sight in one eye due to a detached retina from a particularly intense boxing match with a military aide, proving that he truly embodied his maxim: Speak softly and carry a big stick.

Image: Tyler Palmer

John Quincy Adams, the 6th President, had an unconventional daily routine. He was known for skinny-dipping in the cold waters of the Potomac River every morning, believing it invigorated both his body and mind. At the time, it wasn’t odd to bathe naked in a river, but his doctor wasn’t fully convinced of the health benefits of his peculiar practice. However, Adams staunchly defended his right to do so, and sometimes even invited family members or political acquaintances to join him in the Potomac.

Image: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library

Before entering politics, Gerald Ford left his mark in the fashion industry. In his late twenties, he worked as a model, even appearing on the cover of Cosmopolitan in 1942. Ford's modeling career was short-lived, as a few years later he would start campaigning in local Republican politics, but it adds an unexpected layer to the image of the 38th President.

Image: Dolo Iglesias

Often remembered for his shortcomings—like the Watergate scandal—Richard Nixon had a hidden musical talent: playing the piano. Reportedly, he was an accomplished pianist, even performing with the likes of Pearl Bailey and Jack Benny. Behind his political mask, he was an intelligent and sensitive man, and while his musical abilities were overshadowed by his political career, it shows that there’s always more to a person than meets the eye.

Image: Alicia Razuri

Thomas Jefferson, 3rd U.S. President and one of the most influential political figures in the history of our country, was known for being proficient in several languages, including French, Italian, Spanish, and German. He was interested in linguistics and studied ancient languages like Latin, Greek, and even Old English. Documents found posthumously in his library suggest that he was also interested in Arabic, Irish, and Welsh, but it is unknown how proficient he was in those languages.

Image: Camille Brodard

Before Ronald Reagan entered politics, he worked as a lifeguard, saving 77 lives during his seven summers on duty. He even saved a little girl from drowning while serving as Governor of California! Reagan's transition from lifeguard to Hollywood actor eventually paved the way for his political career, proving that even the most unexpected career paths can lead to the highest office.