The Monster Jam Triple Threat Series takes over the Spokane Arena for four shows, Friday through Sunday. Ill be one to look out for.. And, like I mentioned earlier many people are looking to her as a new beginning for Monster Jam, not just with more female drivers but more female fans as well. I felt there was no way I could turn down an opportunity like that. NBC Sports is proud to celebrate Womens History Month. I think thatll grow into a bigger, better version of a big team than there is. Racing teams typically face double-digit turnover after the season. She told the people at Monster Jam she was interested and got a spot behind the wheel, making her the first female Grave Digger driver in the trucks 35-year history and the fourth Anderson to drive the iconic rig. Before his championship run with Penske, Ward spent more than 12 years as an aerodynamicist and engineer with the Red Bull F1 team. At shows in Tacoma, however, the dirt was really loose, almost sandy, which allowed the monster trucks and four wheelers to drift around the track. "I can sing almost every Hank Williams Jr. song front to back," she says. He makes an effort to keep everyone up to date from top to bottom as to where things are, what the current objectives are and whats the future look like. Just like the U.S. business world since the Great Resignation of 2020-21, one of the loudest narratives in racing has been the difficulty of hiring and keeping strong personnel since the COVID-19 pandemic upended the worlds workforce. Ashley Sanford (Megalodon) collected her first-ever competition win with a Donut victory on Saturday night. His sons, Adam and Ryan, and his daughter, Krysten - or as his adorable nephew calls her, Aunt Krustacean - who is now the first and only female monster truck driver of Grave Digger. I dont think theres a better IndyCar team to work for right now.. After five years in the arena series, Anderson made the transition to stadium behind the wheel of Grave Digger, the truck made famous by her father Dennis Anderson, on January 30, 2021. We're not a website. She planned to study graphic design in college then get a job with Monster Jam designing the trucks. MORE MONSTER TRUCKS: Original Grave Digger passes torch to kids. "I'm an Anderson -- everyone looks at me the same way they look at Adam, Ryan and my dad.". But, after high school, she got a call from Monster Jam asking her if she was interested in attending Monster Jam University. The drive to fulfill fans expectations stems from the adoration so many have shown for the brand and for Dennis Anderson, who retired after a failed flip at Raymond James Stadium in 2017. A lot of people think I was the princess of the house, but that is not the case [laughing]. I feel like its been so hard to find people in all departments. People are curious about IndyCar even if theyve not been involved in the past, she said. How quickly I learn and pick up on things. Krysten has many young girl fans that look up to and admire her. Winner: El Toro Loco - 8.934 Grave Digger - 8.926 Velociraptor - 8.878 Earth Shaker - 8.281 Megalodon - 7.450 Monster Mutt Dalmatian - 7.434 This is no exhibition or staged theatrics. He is the creator, team owner, and former driver of "Grave Digger" on the USHRA Monster Jam circuit.Dennis Anderson.Personal informationWorld finalsRacing: 2004, 2006, 2010 Freestyle: 200010 more rows. She's the sibling of Adam and Ryan Anderson, both of whom are Monster Jam World Champions, along with their dad. He had his team Grave Digger taking part in the USHRA Monster Jam. Super positive. But these question were far from her mind when Anderson climbed up into the most famous truck in the stadium at Houston. 115K followers. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. She has all the skills and the competitive drive necessary to make it in the world of Monster Jam. (Its) retaining the people youve got, he said. There was no escape for Krysten as she began to realize since fourth grade that her life is different from the other girls in their neighborhood. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. He drove the truck since 1981 and built almost 30 versions of the vehicle in his entire career. Weve got a lot of new stuff that were now gelling the team and figuring out how to work together and build on the processes. Grave Digger driver Krysten Anderson discusses her sense of daring when driving and previews the Monster Jam World Finals XXI. 103.195.240.33 The drivers also practiced a new element of the Triple Threat Series, the two-wheel skills competition, which is taking the place of last years wheelie competition. on April 23-24 Renita Naraine. I think we want people who want to be with the team, so its not so much about trying to headhunt people, he said. She'll be behind the wheel when the Monster Jam Triple . Nearly 50 percent of the team is comprised of engineering, commercial and finance positions with skillsets that transcend racing. "When I think about where Grave Digger started in this tiny North Carolina town, literally up the road from my house, I can't believe it. Even in Finland, they lined up during the pit party to meet her, get her autograph and tell her how much they love her dad. "They needed something fresh and they needed something new, and I think a female face for Grave Digger was perfect," she said. He rose to fame driving for his own team - Grave Digger - which takes part in the USHRA Monster Jam circuit. Its as much generational as it is the fondness for watching car-crushing carnage and heavy metal take flight. But all that Rust Belt fanfare is what makes the event exhilarating, and Southerners arent the only ones convinced. The time zone changes arent quite so big. Its high schoolers. Although, she still paints and draws during her free time at home. My friends from high school would say they always knew I was going to drive, but it's just crazy to me to be here, doing it. The Monster Jam Triple Threat Series also features the following drivers: Armando Castro in El Toro Loco; Cynthia Gauthier in Monster Mutt Dalmatian; Camden Murphy, 2017 Rookie of the Year, in Pirates Curse; Bernard Lyght in Alien Invasion; Tristan England, winner of the Monster Jam World Finals 2017 Double Down Showdown, in EarthShaker; Travis Groth in Megalodon; and Tyler Groth in Zombie. Only Cory Rummell in a truck named Rage was better the second night with his 9.551. Having seen her family made lots of history on that track - her dad and brothers competing in that field for nearly two decades - she just told herself, "You know what -- I'm the first Grave Digger to ever be in the Double Down Showdown Field, I'm the first girl to ever drive Grave Digger, my last name is Anderson and I'm in front of the biggest crowd I'll be in front of all year.". One line from the song says, No one could steer me right but Mama tried, Mama tried Even though Krystens mom has since come around to career choice and is fully supportive Krysten and her mom both think its very funny when Krysten uses the tag #mamatried on her social media posts as a reference to this song and her moms initial lack of enthusiasm for her career choice. Adding 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi as a teammate to Pato OWard and Felix Rosenqvist, the team will be running three full-time cars for the first time (and a fourth Indy 500 entry for Tony Kanaan). Her plans changed in 2016 when the folks from Monster Jam University called and asked if she wanted to give driving a try. And I found her in a magazine and just reached out to her.. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[970,90],'monstertruckguide_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_5',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-monstertruckguide_com-medrectangle-4-0');With how important family it to Krysten its no surprise that one of the things that drew her to Monster Jam was how family-friendly it was. So we just have to keep that, and well be all right.. In a level of talent that almost matches her driving skill, she can sing almost every Hank Williams Jr. song from memory. Everybody kind of has that flight or fight response when it comes to adrenaline rushes, said Anderson, who also loves rollercoasters and thrill rides. Dennis Anderson has a Grave Digger shop there, as well as a restaurant, Diggers Diner, where Anderson works as a waitress, often getting recognized by the tourists who stop by. There are Grave Digger fans, fans of my dad and brothers, the female audience, and I dont want to let any of them down.. Still being a bad influence from beyond the grave! Alright fine, I have another race tomorrow and Im going to do even better, and I usually do.. While at Monster Jam University, Anderson estimates she, the other drivers and Monster Jam hosts performed eight mock shows in order to get the pacing of the Triple Threat Series down. Every race weekend gives Anderson the chance to prove herself again as the rightful heir to Grave Digger and quiet the peanut gallery. People get to see how much enthusiasm Zak brings. She is the daughter of Dennis Anderson and the sister of Adam, Ryan, and Weston Anderson. You cant create a diamond without a little bit of pressure. After a year on the Triple Threat Series in small arenas, it was Anderson's time to shine at the Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas in 2018. It is a pretty big responsibility, but its so much fun, she said. Jody Scott, McLarens director of people who joined the team a year ago from Anthem, Inc. (now Elevance Health), said there was no target for the number of hires outside motorsports. Anderson, daughter of the legendary monster truck drive Dennis Anderson, aka. It doesnt happen overnight. Anderson didnt intend to take up the family business exactly. Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. She's been driving a smaller, built-for-arenas. This is certainly an exciting company to work for because the brand is quite well known globally, and that certainly helps from a recruitment perspective. 723 posts. Weve got a lot of positivity. Its Grave Digger 24/7, she said. 5 Dallara-Chevrolet. "My mom and I used to sing it together all the time when I was younger," she recalls. Between high school and college though, the folks at Monster Jam called and asked if she wanted to test in the truck. In 2023, she will drive Grave Digger on Arena Tour 1 (West). She took college-level art courses while still in high school in North Carolina and had hoped to join the team at Feld Entertainments Ellenton headquarters an auto body artist. It takes some investment.. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'monstertruckguide_com-box-3','ezslot_6',106,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-monstertruckguide_com-box-3-0'); But even though being part of a Monster Jam family dynasty has opened doors for Krysten she had earned her fans an amazing reputation all on her own. Weve done a bit of that. Adam Anderson (born December 5, 1985, in Norfolk, Virginia) is an American professional monster truck driver. Its pretty amazing to me with how involved he is with every aspect of the IndyCar organization, the F1 organization. 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