TRAFFIC JAM
Monster truck rally comes to Tingley Coliseum
Tristan England takes a walk around the track listening to his favorite music. It’s part of his ritual before he steps behind the wheel of the monster truck Megalodon.
The shark-shaped truck will be one of a dozen trucks participating in Monster Jam beginning Friday, Nov. 5 and running through Sunday, Nov. 7, at Tingley Coliseum.
England’s been racing for six years in the monster truck circuit. Before that, he raced modified dirt track cars.
“I was also on a team with my dad and he purchased his own monster truck in 2012,” he says. “That’s where I got my hands dirty. When I turned 18, they sent me to Monster Jam University to learn how to get beat up in a truck. I’ve loved it ever since.”
Monster Jam returns to New Mexico after taking a break in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event features the ultimate mix of high-flying stunts and four-wheel excitement, with unbelievable action to unexpected thrills.
England says it’s exciting to see fans witness the fierce battle for the event championship with each skilled Monster Jam athlete tearing up the dirt with gravity-defying feats in 12,000-pound Monster Jam trucks going head to head for points in Freestyle, Skills Challenges and Racing competitions.
The popular Monster Jam Pit Party fan experience will return to Albuquerque on both Saturday, Nov. 6, and Sunday, Nov. 7, where fans can see the massive trucks up close, watch live pre-race interviews and participate in Q&As with the drivers, get pre-signed autograph cards, take pictures and enjoy other family-friendly fun. Pit Passes are $20 per person for this VIP experience.
England says that, while he enjoys driving Megalodon, it’s the opportunity to connect with the fans in person that excites him.
He’s also enjoying the fact this his son goes wild for the trucks.
“I think before I had my own son, the thing that did it for me was the fans,” he says. “But now, there’s nothing like having your kid go crazy for you and your truck. He doesn’t understand everything. Seeing his eyes light up, that fires me up. I want him to be like, ‘My dad drives a monster truck.’ He’s so proud.”
England is also grateful to have technology help keep him close with his family.
“There are times I will FaceTime my family all day,” he says. “I can’t imagine how much harder it was to be away from family before all of the technology. It helps ease my emotions, for sure.”
The trip to Albuquerque won’t be the first for the Texas native.
“Albuquerque has been really good to me,” he says. “I’ve picked up some wins there. We get to race inside the coliseum and it reminds me of home. I grew up tending to cattle and the farm. It’s a special place for me.”