Grave Digger

Goldberg: Grave Digger's rival Goldberg will be here, as well. TNN 2000 World Champion, Goldberg is Grave Digger's rival. Tom Meents drives Goldberg, the 12-foot wide, 9,500-pound powerhouse he describes as a futuristic SUV. It's a childhood dream come true for Meents, who last year drove Bulldozer and drove Monster Patrol before that. For several years prior to his entry into the world of monster trucks, Meents was a professional mud racer. He's had "lucky breaks" all his life, he said in a phone interview from his home in Paxton, Ill. Goldberg is named for its owner, Bill Goldberg, World Championship Wrestling's bald-headed babyface turned heel whose signature maneuvers are the spear and the jackhammer.

Grave Digger, driven by Dennis Anderson, clears a row of cars in its first run Friday night during the U.S. Hot Rod Monster Jam at Hagerstown Speedway.

martinsburg@herald-mail.com Many of the men, women and children who attended the U.S. Hot Rod Monster Jam Friday night wore Grave Digger T-shirts. They had on Grave Digger hats and waved Grave Digger pennants. So which monster truck is Karen Penn's favorite? Little Tiger. "I always go for the little guy," said Penn, of Biglerville, Pa. "Tell the truth," said her husband. "And I like the way he looks," Penn admitted of the truck's driver. Andrew Smith, 7, nephew of Penn's husband, clutched a plush Grave Digger toy truck to his chest and said he likes that truck the best "'cause he's fast.

Fans will have a chance to get an up-close and personal look at their favorite Monster Jam trucks and drivers at three area Advance Auto Parts stores and the Chick-fil-A restaurant in Hagerstown on Thursday. Monster Jam, the world's premier monster truck series, will bring its  stunt trucks to Hagerstown Speedway on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The event will feature Advance Auto Parts' Grinder and celebrates the 30th anniversary of Grave Digger. In addition, Maximum Destruction returns to Hagerstown and brings along El Toro Loco, Grave Digger The Legend, Wolverine and Gunslinger.

The U.S. Hot Rod Monster Jam came roaring into the Hagerstown Speedway Friday evening, providing thrills and even some spills for the crowd of monster truck thrill-watchers. The loud, massive trucks, about 11 feet tall and 12 feet wide, featured testosterone-charged names like Monster Patrol, Carolina Crusher, Bigfoot, Liquidator and Thrasher. "I just like the noise. I just like to watch them crush the cars," said Robert Lanham, 43, of Shenandoah Junction, W.Va. His 6-year-old son, Bobby, spent the time before the show gathering autographs from various drivers, including that of his favorite truck, Bigfoot.

CONOCOCHEAGUE The roar of monster engines? They love it. The smell? They love it. The jumping, dust-cloud donuts and crushing stuff? Yep. Monster trucks are back in Hagerstown. The U.S. Hot Rod Monster Jam at Hagerstown Speedway kicked off Friday night and runs through Sunday. Among the trucks making appearances were crowd favorite Grave Digger; the second crowd favorite, Maximum Destruction, driven by Tom Meents; Hot Wheels; Destroyer; Iron Warrior ;and Black Stallion, driven by Washington County's Michael Vaters.

Monster trucks jam thrills fans Its engine screaming, fan-favorite Grave Digger soared over six cars and came crashing down, snapping the back half of the monster truck's body. Scores of fans waved Grave Digger's signature skull and crossbones flags as the 10,000-pound truck emerged from a cloud of dust. It was part of the action as an estimated 6,000 fans gathered for Friday night's eardrum-rattling Wrenchead.com Monster Jam at the Hagerstown Speedway. Tickets were still available for today's monster truck races, which begin at 8 p.m. "I like the noise and I like the drivers; they're not scared to race," said Jessica Casper, 18, of Berkeley Springs, W.Va.

When you take the wheel of a 10,000-pound monster named Grave Digger, certain things are expected of you. Fans are not only attracted to the unique look of this famous truck, but to "our keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat driving style," says Paul Huffaker, who's been driving Grave Digger for seven years. [cont. from lifestyle ] That style can't be taught. It's inherent in the people chosen to drive the eerie black truck made from the body of a 1950 Chevrolet panel wagon, he says.

Monster trucks By KATE COLEMAN / staff writer Vroom. Vroom. Vroom. What's that noise? Is it the sound of little boys playing with toy cars and trucks on the family-room carpet - crushing other cars and trucks or leaping over a dozen or so in a single bound? continued No. It's big boys driving big monster trucks, doing those things for real. You can hear it, see it - experience it - this weekend at Hagerstown Speedway. It's a little-boy-truck-driving fantasy come to life: 10,000-pound, 11-foot-tall vehicular beasts will be vrooming with 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower, jumping distances of more than 100 feet, up to 20 to 25 feet in the air. All-terrain vehicles will race in Quad Wars, dirt bikes will battle in Cycle Wars, and Street Warriors, "highly modified race trucks and buggies," will race over telephone poles, crushed cars and anything else in their path.

George Thorogood and the Destroyers' hit “Bad to the Bone” blared from speakers as the hulking machine roared past the crowd. It spun around in the dirt track in a deafening roar, all to the joy of throngs of spectators yelling from the stands. The monster truck Grave Digger - a longtime favorite of monster truck fans - was one of seven of the massive rigs that competed at the Hagerstown Speedway on Sunday. The Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam was also held at the speedway Saturday night and attracted about 6,000 people, said Ashley Johnson, marketing manager for Feld Motor Sports, which owns Monster Jam. A Friday show was scheduled at the speedway but was canceled because of the wet weather.

Fans will have a chance to get an up-close and personal look at their favorite Monster Jam trucks and drivers at three area Advance Auto Parts stores and the Chick-fil-A restaurant in Hagerstown on Thursday. Monster Jam, the world's premier monster truck series, will bring its  stunt trucks to Hagerstown Speedway on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The event will feature Advance Auto Parts' Grinder and celebrates the 30th anniversary of Grave Digger. In addition, Maximum Destruction returns to Hagerstown and brings along El Toro Loco, Grave Digger The Legend, Wolverine and Gunslinger.

Brady Salter takes his Hot Wheels Monster Jam trucks with him to day care. For his 7th birthday last Tuesday, he might have been happy to get a new truck to add to his collection. But his mother, Ashley Salter, did him one better. Brady, of Biglerville, Pa., spent Saturday afternoon at a party in the pit before the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam at Hagerstown Speedway. Along with a crowd of more than 5,000 people who poured into the speedway, Brady got a chance to meet Monster Jam drivers and to get up close and personal with his favorite trucks.

In 100 degree heat and with engines burning, only one word could describe the monster trucks circling Hagerstown Speedway on Friday. "It's cool!" said Lilly Wise, 9, of Huntingdon, Pa. "They're cool," said Trevor Parisher, 5, of Winchester, Va. "Cool," said Chris Parisher of Winchester. Thousands of fans roared at the screaming trucks oozing beef and bravado and shaking the grandstands like thunder. It was the start of that weekend in July when the hulking facades of cartoonish truck-muscle take over Hagerstown for three days.

Monster Jam 8 p.m. Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18, and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 19 Hagerstown Speedway, 15112 National Pike, west of Hagerstown Reserved seats cost $18 and go on sale Saturday, May 23, through the speedway. General admission seats are already on sale through Ticketmaster.com for $15 for ages 13 and older and $5 for ages 2 to 12. General admission seats will be available through the speedway starting Monday, June 1. For ages 13 and older, general admission costs $12 through Monday, June 22, and $15 starting Tuesday, June 23. $5 for ages 2 to 12. Monster trucks expected for the shows include Grave Digger, Black Stallion, El Toro Loco, Superman, Gunslinger and Iron Warrior.

Army Reserve Band The 307th U.S. Army Reserve Band performs. Today, 6:30 p.m. Hagerstown Community College's Alumni Amphitheater, Robinwood Drive, Hagerstown. Monster trucks Trucks scheduled to appear include Grave Digger, Taz, El Toro Loco, Stone Crusher, Mopar Magic and Black Stallion. Today and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Cost for today and Saturday's shows are $18 for reserved seats purchased in advance, $13 for general admission and $5 for ages 2 to 12. Sunday is Family Day, no alcohol will be served and general admission seating only.

His helmet, toolboxes, battery chargers, a motorcycle, his pickup truck - these are some of the things Michael Vaters has accidentally run over or into with his monster truck, Black Stallion. Surprisingly, at least to me, the Bell helmet did not get crushed by the 10,000-pound truck. But it did crack. Tomorrow night, Saturday night and Sunday, Vaters and five other monster truck drivers will intentionally run over cars and race at Hagerstown Speedway, west of Hagerstown. Vaters, 43, who lives southwest of Hagerstown, returns to the annual event after missing the 2007 shows because of a conflict in his schedule.

Tickets are still available for Monster Jam scheduled for this weekend at Hagerstown Speedway. The following trucks and drivers or crew will be on display today: · Grave Digger will be at Frederick Motor Co., One Waverly Drive in Frederick, Md., from noon to 2 p.m.; and Tires Plus, 7381 Guiliford Drive in Frederick, from 5 to 7 p.m. · The 2008 Monster Jam world finals freestyle winner Taz will be at Hagerstown Ford, 1714 Massey Blvd....

Car and truck show Cub Scout Pack 143 will hold a car, truck and motorcycle show. Twenty trophies will be awarded; the first 50 cars receive dash plaques. Boy Scout Troop 143 will provide a food stand. Today, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; registration from 8 to 10 a.m. Bob Hoffman's Chevrolet, Mercersburg, Pa. $10 for registration; free for spectators. Arts and crafts fair Craftspeople and artists will display and sell handcrafted items such as wood carvings, custom leather, folk art, baskets, needlework, pottery, stained glass, furniture, silk creations and more.