Monster Jam hits Nashville's Bridgestone Arena

For almost 30 years, I would go to the monster truck show in Kansas City right around my birthday. Now that I’ve moved to Nashville, it looks like the tradition can continue, albeit a month early, as Monster Jam does the exact same kind of show in Bridgestone Area that they had in the Sprint Center. This event might even draw in a better-known selection of trucks. BHo and I went and checked out all the action last weekend, so I will share that experience with you now.

Monster Jam Kansas City 2014. We just keep going

As you may have guessed from the high-octane TV commercials lately, there was a Monster Jam event in Kansas City’s Sprint Center over the weekend.  They’ll sell you the whole seat, but you’re only gonna’ need the edge.  It was pretty exciting stuff in the ad.  And for like the 25th year in-a-row, I witnessed the February mayhem.  I actually had a pretty fun time, although there are some things about it that make me wonder why.  This might not be the best show in the country, and the ticket prices are flat-out ridiculous, but I’ve been waiting all winter to hear racing engines and suck up some carbon monoxide.  Let’s check out some of the stuff that was going on Friday night in downtown KC.

Outlaw Monster Truck Nationals secretly rock Kansas City's Kemper Arena

So here’s something you might not know about me.  I’ve attended at least one monster truck show a year for the past 28 years.  I’m not really proud of that, or ashamed, or whatever.  I just like loud, powerful race vehicles, and they often hold these in the winter when the regular car races are over.  Lately, there has only been one shot a year to see monster trucks in Kansas City—the Monster Jam event at the Sprint Center in February.  But last weekend, MAP Motorsports hosted the Outlaw Nationals in the old Kemper Arena.  Did I go to this?  Do you really have to ask?

Monster truck history and Hot Wheels Monster Jam diecasts

When I was growing up in the ‘80s, one thing I always looked forward to was the annual visit from the traveling monster truck tour.  Of course, it wasn’t like it is now.  Back then, monster trucks crushed cars.  And that’s really all they did.  They really were monsters, weighing in at some 18,000-lbs.  They didn’t jump things.  They didn’t race.  They didn’t do “freestyle” competitions.  They just lumbered over a line of old cars, crept up over them, and buckled the tops and popped the windows out.