Trucks: Usually 12 feet tall and about 12 feet wide, a monster truck must weigh a minimum of 10,000 pounds, with some Monster Trucks weighing as much as 12,000 pounds. The less the body weighs, the more strength and weight can be put into the frame and engine without sacrificing speed and maneuverability. Average cost: $250.000.
Engines: Custom-built, supercharged and methanol-injected, a monster truck engine burns up to 2.5 gallons of methanol per run. The size of the motor is limited to 575 cubic feet of displacement. The average monster truck team will go through five engines in one year. Average cost per engine: $50,000.
Body: Made of fiberglass, a monster truck body is custom designed. A fiberglass company generally owns the mold to the design. Average initial cost: $15,000. Average cost of remakes: $8,000.
Tires: Manufactured by Goodyear and Firestone, monster truck tires must be 66 inches high and 43 inches wide. Tires are customized and hand cut to accommodate track conditions and reduce weight. Cutting one tire takes approximately 50 hours. Average cost: $2,600 each.
Shocks: Most Monster Trucks run with nitrogen gas shocks. Some trucks run with one shock per tire, while others run with as many as two per tire. The complete shock package includes a coil-over-shock kit and spring. Average cost: $1,600 each.
Paint: A monster truck must be painted to cover the rough fiberglass body. Airbrushing logos and specialized artwork add to the cost. Average cost: $5000.
Race Team Budget: A monster truck team incurs a number of expenses throughout the year from repairs and maintenance on a monster truck and the hauler to fuel, racing uniforms, lodging and food. Average cost per year: $250,000
Crushed Cars: Steel body full-size cars are the vehicles typically crushed during a monster truck event. Cars, as well as vans, buses, motor homes, airplanes and ambulances, are attained from local junkyards and returned after each event. Average number of cars crushed per year: 3,000.
Tracks: A crew of eight works 18-20 hours for three days to construct a monster truck course. It is not uncommon for dump trucks to make more than 200 trips to deliver the dirt to each stadium. Average amount of dirt used per track: 700 cubic yards for an arena, 3,500 cubic yards for a stadium. Each year 700,000 cubic yards of dirt are used to put on Monster Jam events.
Tickets: More than 3.5 million people annually attended the Monster Jam events in North America, Canada and Europe.
Show Info:
When: July 9, 2011
Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
Tickets Prices:
· Total Access Pass - $75 All Seats
· Gold Circle - $35 All Seats
· SuperValue - $25 Adults / $10 Kids
Purchase Tickets at the M&T Bank Stadium Box Office, online at www.ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone at (800) 551-SEAT. Total Access Passes can only be purchased by calling 410-261-7283.
Win Tickets:
MacKid Rockville-Gaithersburg subscribers have a chance to win a Family Four-Pack to the Friday, July 9, 2011, 7:30 p.m. show. Here's how you win:
· Leave a comment below sharing your favorite Monster Jam truck. New to Monster Jam, check out truck bios here.
· For additional entries, share this with a friend. For every friend who subscribes to MKRG with your name in the "How did you hear about us?" box, you will receive an additional entry into the contest. There is no limit, so find as many friends as you can! You can earn even more bonus entries by posting the following to your facebook and/or twitter status (one bonus entry each): "I just entered to win 4 tix to @monsterjam in Baltimore from @mackidrockville!"
· You must be a MKRG subscriber to win. By entering into this contest you are automatically agreeing to become a MKRG Subscriber if you are not already.
· Must be at least 18 years old to enter
· The contest ends Monday, July 4t, 2011, 9p.m.
· A winner will be chosen by random.org
