HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The Monster Jam truck series takes over Raymond James Stadium this weekend, and one of the building's long-time tenants, William Gholston, had to see the trucks for himself. The 31-year-old Bucs defensive lineman
"My youngest went in there, trying to play, get in there in the Grave Digger, driving it around, didn’t want to get out," Gholston said with a smile. "It’s crazy. For me, I always had the monster truck toys. But I’ve never seen a monster truck like this up close and personal."
Gholston even did a jersey swap with drivers Adam Anderson and Tom Meents, but the Super Bowl champion was the one who was star-struck.
"Tryin’ not to fanboy out and freakout. I got goosebumps and stuff," Gholston joked. "I just had the Hot Wheels as a kid. I would take it at the top of the fridge, roll it down on the tracks."
Monster Jam driver Todd LeDuc says there's nothing that compares to the pre-race rush he gets when preparing for a competition.
"Coming down that tunnel, it’s like a gladiator going into battle," LeDuc, who drives "Megalodon," explained. "When you’re walking down there, you see the lights and the crowd. You hear the energy and the roar of the fans and stuff. It’s unbelievable. We feel the dirt, we look at the ramp angles. Look at the jumps size up the competition in every event. We’re out here, we’re taking it serious."
"Mohawks Warrior" driver Bryce Kenny was a division one soccer player at Campbell University before injuries ended his pro dreams. But he says he still uses the same competitive mindset that allowed him to succeed at a high level.
"I think you have to get really good at understanding how you’re wired as a person and as an athlete," Kenny said. "Whenever I see a crowd of 40,000 people that all want to see me go out there and crash a truck, how can I calm those nerves long enough to be able to go out there and still do what I want to do and what I need to do, which is try to 'tame the bull,' in a way."
Kenny has a podcast called "Gears & Nachos," so it's easy to guess what his passion is away from the track.
"Listen, I grew up eating nachos like every other good American, right? Just with your hands," Bryce laughed. "However, there’s something about eating with a fork that I’ve found to not only be easier, but I can move the toppings around. So every city I go into, I do try to find the best nachos."
Monster Jam is one of the most fan-friendly sports in the world, and being able to interact with them is one of the driver's favorite parts of the competition weekend.
"It’s very, very interactive," LeDuc added. "It’s really cool to hear the kids and the fans say, “Hey Todd, can you do a stoppie?!” or “Todd, can you do a backflip in that 12,000-pound shark?!” And I say, “You know what? I got you!”
Monster Jam Event List - Raymond James Stadium:
Saturday, February 4 – 7 p.m. | Pit Party 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 5 – 3 p.m. | Pit Party 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
