I've Got Your Monster Truck

I get it. I really do. There are things that I don’t like that others find satisfying. I am more than happy to chalk that up to taste. Whatever. Take Coldplay…as stated many times…I can’t stand them. Others think they are about as close as we will ever get to a Beatles reunion. And I mean akin to John, Paul, George and Ringo (or at least Pete Best.)


But, there remain things that I don’t like that I don’t know how anyone could like! For instance, while zipping through the channels tonight, I came across the USHRA (whatever that stands for) Monster Truck Jam…in the Netherlands no less, on the Speed Channel. The competition was basically a single elimination tournament whereby “monster trucks” make two laps around a dirt track. That’s it. The production value was slick, with a color commentator and interviews in between heats with the drivers.

First, these trucks look exactly like remote control cars. Really, if you didn’t have the scope that this was being held in an arena you could easily be fooled into thinking you were watching a commercial for a Tyco remote control. The trucks are all gussied up with fancy paint jobs…one had devil horns jutting from the roof, and fashion themselves with cool names like Grave Digger and Nitro Circus.

I have to ask. Who does this appeal too? Or maybe a better question, since the stands were actually packed and at one point the crowd was in such a frenzy they were doing the wave, what is the appeal? The individual heats last literally about twenty seconds. Ready. Set. Go. Jump that pile of dirt. Finished. Bring out Wingnut and Asshat for heat two. “Give it up Netherlands!” Wild.

I’m not a fan of auto racing but I get the appeal. The speed, endurance and tactics…all fun stuff. I especially like when they all come out of the pits together. Most people can’t merge onto an interstate without coming to a near stop and these guys (and Danica!) slide into place with all the ease of a school of fish.

This whole monster truck crowd does make me wonder if these folks view the bumper cars at an amusement park a little differently than I do. I mean, it all seems like playing with toys to me.