Construction in the End Zone

300 loads of dirt, more tarp than Florida after a hurricane, and a field of yellow junkers balanced on what looks like gargantuan gopher holes.  And one giant Caterpiller still on standby.

24 hours before show time, and the course is still getting sculpted into shape.

But the gladiators and their steeds have arrived and taken their places in the safety of M&T.

In fact, we ran into one of the stars of the show while inspecting the field.

Dennis Anderson, creater of Grave Digger, came by to make sure his ride arrived safely.  Like the pro he is, he also wanted to check how the course was progressing.

Grave Digger is arguably the most famous of the Monster Truck genre.  Like Santa Claus and the Budweiser Clydesdales, GD has been cloned and is actually more of a team, with a number of drivers on the circuit.  But Dennis is the originator of the brand, and he'll be wowwing the crowds tomorrow.

As for the Digger, he made a triumphant entrance down the ramp into the ops center while we were there --roaring down the ramp, and bouncing behind Spiderman and Metal Mulisha in perfect formation.




Near the front was the legendary Maximum Destruction, who astounded the audience last year with a back flip corkscrew.

Follow this link for a video of Max D's solo performance.  The stunt occurs after about two minutes of teeth-rattling warmup jumps.



While GD was getting detailed before his close-up (the cameras from Speed Channel were standing by,)  Dennis was joined by another luminary on the Monster circuit.

Tom Meents, he of the corkscrew theatrics, stopped in to see how Max D was faring in the paddock.  Like Dennis, Tom started his career in mud racing before moving to the Monster Truck  competitions.

Both these gentlemen enjoy the crowds and meeting fans.  One of the hallmarks of a Monster Truck event is the opportunity to interact with the drivers and get a close look at the trucks at the Pit Party preceding the competition.

This party will be held in Lots B and C Saturday afternoon.

This is the second annual visit of Monster Trucks to M&T Bank Stadium.  Thanks to our partners, the Ravens, MSA is delighted with the opportunity to present an affordable and family friendly action show for Marylanders to enjoy.

If you don't have your ticket yet, fret not --- I'm told there were about 7,000 walk ups last year who came on a last minute impulse and had a glorious time.  So plan to stop by.  This is great entertainment!