Living a dream of playing with monster trucks
Capital High graduate turns chance encounter into job as crew chief of World Finals championship team
There are no “Mondays” in Brian Maes’ world. While many people dread that early-morning wake-up to start the work week, Maes can’t help but have a spring in his step and a sunny-side-up smile on his face.
After all, who among us can say they are living out their childhood dream?
“It’s amazing,” said Maes, a 2008 Capital graduate who now calls Ruskin, Fla., home. “There are people waking up in the morning, ‘Oh I got to go to this job and it’s a drag. I got to struggle through eight hours every day.’ I wake in the morning and do what I always dreamed. I get to play with a 12,000-pound, 1,500-horsepower truck. It’s exciting every single day.”
Growing up in Santa Fe, Brian Maes was always a fan of monster trucks — even though that passion had an ebb and flow as he grew up. Even as late as January 2015, Maes saw a different career path until fate stepped in and opened a door Maes always wanted to walk through. A chance encounter in Phoenix with an independent monster truck owner changed Maes’ life, and it’s a gift that keeps on giving.
Maes spent the past two years moving up the ladder of the monster truck world, working in just about every capacity — even as a driver. Maes, though, settled into the role of a crew chief for the VP Racing Fuels monster truck, “The Mad Scientist,” that is a regular member of the Monster Jam tour for the past year. In March, Maes was a part of history as the truck successfully completed the first front flip March 26 in Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas, Nev.
That flip helped “The Mad Scientist” win the World Finals championship, and it was a moment that Maes did not completely expect.
“It was semi-planned, and semi-luck,” Maes said. “As far as the crew chief aspect, it was so surprising
that it happened, but it was awesome. I know we’re the first ones to complete it, but it happened to quickly that I didn’t comprehend it until it was over. It was awesome that it happened. It’s something I won’t forget very soon.”
Then again, Maes’ life seems to moving just as quickly.
Maes went to New Mexico State University after graduating from Capital, earning a degree in kinesiology in 2014, and it looked like he would work in the medical field as he held a full-time job at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque. Maes felt it was a natural progression because of his sports background. He played basketball and baseball for the Jaguars. He was a part of the Jaguars’ state runner-up basketball team in 2006 and a District 2-4A championship baseball team.
“Just having the sports background in high school and growing up, I kinda wanted to stay in the athletic field and learn more about the body,” Maes said.
Then came his childhood dream, inviting him back. Maes ran into Jimmy Creten, the owner/driver of the 2Xtreme monster truck “Bounty Hunter,” in January 2015, and after a conversation, Creten invited him to Phoenix to do some volunteer work as he prepared to compete at a Monster Jam event. Growing up, Maes loved to go to monster truck events in Albuquerque, and was a bit of a “gearhead.” He briefly competed in motocross racing and even rode his bike at a monster truck event.
“It was always there,” Maes said. “I would always kinda come back to it after a while, so I always knew I loved it.”
After a few days, Creten offered Maes a job. Maes immediately gave Presbyterian his two-weeks’ notice.
“I thought, ‘What a cool opportunity to work for a monster truck team,” Maes said. “I wanted to see how far I can go in this.”
During his year with 2Xtreme, Maes did a little bit of everything — from driving and maintaining the semi-truck trailer to working as a mechanic to even driving for eight months. Then came the opportunity to work with the VP Racing Fuels team as a crew chief in January 2016.
He was a part of a three-member crew chief team, and worked his way to the lead crew chief. Maes values the relationship he has with driver Lee O’Donnell, a long-time driver in the Monster Jam series, mainly because they both share similar work traits.
“He is particular about the truck he drives, and I am particular with the truck I give him,” Maes said. “I like the bond we have right now. We are on the same wavelength — we are trying to be fast in racing and spectacular in freestyle [competition].”
If anything, Maes’ time with Creten taught him the importance to the attention to detail.
“That was something I got from my dad: treating things as if they’re your own,” Maes said. “I treat every piece of equipment like it’s coming out of my own pocket.”
The end result was a place in history, but it’s not the end of his journey.
Maes is off to South Korea on Monday for a tour in the country, then it’s on to Argentina.
It’s part of the perks of being a part of a well-run organization. Maes said the team has about 55 trucks in its fleet and they are all over the world. The vehicle that will be in use in South Korea was shipped in a special container from Australia, and will be ready for Maes and the VP Racing Fuels crew when they arrive.
As for the truck that O’Donnell drove and Maes prepared for its historic performance? It’s in France on display for a tour in Europe.
“It will show up early and sit at the stadium to help promote the truck and the show,” Maes said.
As if Maes needed another reason to get up on Mondays.