| Grave Digger | |
|---|---|
| Grave Digger 19 racing in Arizona | |
| Owner and Driver Information | |
| Owner | Feld Entertainment[1][2] |
| Driver(s) | Dennis Anderson, Gary Porter, Randy Brown, Charlie Pauken, Pablo Huffaker, Rod Schmidt, Chad Tingler, Adam Anderson, Carl Van Horn(CVH) |
| Home city | Kill Devil Hills, NC |
| Truck Information | |
| Year created | 1981 |
| Body style | 1950 Chevy Panel truck |
| Engine | 540 CI Merlin ~1500HP |
Grave Digger (often referred to as simply Digger) is the name of a team of monster trucks currently racing in the USHRA Monster Jam series. There are several Grave Diggers being driven by different drivers to allow them to make appearances at more events, but their flagship driver is creator Dennis Anderson. Grave Digger is considered to be one of the most influential monster trucks of all time.[3]
Contents |
Grave Digger was originally conceived in 1981 by Dennis Anderson as a mud bogger. This first truck was a red 1952 Ford pickup truck, which was later converted to a silver and blue 1951 Ford Panel Truck. The truck received its name when Anderson, amicably trash talking with his fellow racers, said the now famous line, "I'll take this old junk and dig you a grave with it", a reference to the age of his old pickup in comparison to their relatively modern trucks. Anderson gained a reputation for an all-or-nothing driving style and quickly became popular at local events. At one show, a scheduled monster truck failed to show up and Anderson, who already had large tractor tires on the truck, offered to crush cars in the absence of the full-size monster. The promoter accepted and Grave Digger was an instant success as a car crusher and led Anderson to leave mud bogging and pursue monster trucks instead.
In 1986 Grave Digger underwent a transformation to complete monster truck and first received its famous black graveyard paint scheme. In 1987 and 1988 Anderson drove the truck primarily at TNT Motorsports races and became a crowd favorite for driving hard despite lacking major funding that more well known teams, like Bigfoot, had. In 1987, Anderson beat Bigfoot in St. Paul, MN on a show taped for ESPN. It was the first major victory for Grave Digger.
Anderson moved to Grave Digger 2 in 1989, with a new 1950 Chevy panel van body. It was during this time that the reputation for wild passes was developed, and the popularity of the truck increased. TNT recognised his rising popularity and began promoting Grave Digger heavily, especially for races on the Tuff Trax syndicated television series. This was helped by Bigfoot not racing for points in the 1989 championship, leaving Grave Digger as the most popular truck on the tour.
When TNT became a part of the USHRA in 1991, Anderson began running on the USHRA tour and debuted his first four-link truck, Grave Digger 3. Throughout the 1990s, the popularity of the truck grew and forced Anderson to hire other drivers to run other Grave Digger trucks. Grave Diggers 4, 5 and 8 were built to suit this purpose, and were never driven in any major capacity by Anderson. Anderson drove Grave Digger 7, a direct successor to 3, for most of the decade. It was replaced by Grave Digger 12, well known as the "long wheelbase Digger", which was also the first Grave Digger with purple in the paintjob.
In late 1998, Anderson sold the Grave Digger team to Clear Channel Motor Sports (now Feld Entertainment Motor Sports). Anderson continues to drive and still is the most visible member of the team. However, the Grave Digger shop in Poplar Branch, NC now also houses the other trucks which Feld Entertainment owns.
On October 17, 1998, a Grave Digger truck carrying twenty-five passengers flipped over, crushing Joy Kubitza’s right arm between the truck and the sand. This took place at a promotional show on Virginia Beach, featuring rides in Grave Digger for only US $5. All twenty-five passengers were treated at a hospital and released; Kubitza later returned for an additional 37 surgeries to help with the pain the accident caused.
Kubitza was formerly a preschool teacher, but the extent of her injuries prevented her from going back to work. She subsequently sued Grave Digger Inc as well as the show’s promoter Cellar Door Entertainment. A settlement was reached the day of the trial and Kubitza will receive US $12 million to be paid over her lifetime.[4]
Gary Porter also won the WMTRL Championship in 2004 driving Grave Digger #12.[5]
Many Grave Digger team drivers have won world championships in other trucks. Regular Grave Digger driver Pablo Huffaker won the 2007 Monster Jam Freestyle Championship driving Captain's Curse, and son of Dennis Anderson, Adam Anderson won the freestyle championship in 2008 driving Taz, and Grave Digger driver Charlie Pauken won the 2010 Monster Jam World Finals Freestyle Championship driving Monster Mutt.
There have been a total of 25 Grave Digger monster trucks built. There are 9 trucks currently running.
Grave Digger's origins, the imagery associated with the truck, and the truck's wild reputation, are all considered part of the mystique of the truck and have contributed to its continued popularity. Although originally a Ford, the 1950 Chevy Panel Van body is now considered the traditional Grave Digger body style and is not likely to be changed in the foreseeable future. Likewise, the paint scheme, combining green flames, letters dripping blood, a foggy graveyard scene with tombstones bearing names of competitors, a haunted house silhouetted by a full moon, and a giant skull shaped ghost, is considered a part of what Grave Digger is and, although being tweaked over the years, has not strayed far from the first incarnation of the paintwork from 1986.
Perhaps the most visible trademarks are the red headlights which glow menacingly whenever the truck is in competition. The lights were first used when Anderson was building a transporter out of a school bus and removed the red stop lights. After realizing they would fit in the headlights of the van, he installed them and the truck has had them ever since. During the TNT days, announcer Army Armstrong started telling fans that when the red lights were turned on, the truck was 100% ready to run and Anderson was going to go all out. Fans began to take notice and Anderson, who would keep the lights off if something was not working properly, began receiving letters saying that he was not at 100% at certain shows because the lights were not on. To this day, the lights are turned on for every run.
The reputation Grave Digger gained shot the truck to superstardom in the 1980s and continues to draw fans today. In the late 1980s Anderson gained the nickname "One Run Anderson" for his spectacular but often destructive qualifying passes which entertained the crowd but put the truck out of competition for the rest of the event. With the advent of freestyle, Anderson gained a means by which he could entertain the crowd with wild stunts while also focusing on winning races. Today, Grave Digger, no matter which driver is appearing, is traditionally the last truck to freestyle at most events, providing the "grand finale" which caps off the show. These freestyles often end up in rollover crashes, at much higher rates than other trucks. The crowd typically loves to see the wrecks but some criticize the team for what they feel is the glorification of crashing.
The immense popularity of Grave Digger has made it the poster child for Monster Jam, and in some cases monster trucks in general. There is much debate over whether Grave Digger has taken over the title of "Most Popular Monster Truck" from Bigfoot. As a result, the Grave Digger vs. Bigfoot rivalry is one of the strongest in the sport, despite the fact the trucks only race each other a few times each year.
Current Driver of Grave Digger #20
Current Driver of Grave Digger #16
Former Excaliber Driver Current Driver of Grave Digger #22
Former Pure Adrenalin Driver Current Driver of Grave Digger #19
Former driver of Firemouth, Spider Man, Monster Mutt, Power Forward, Grave Digger, Sudden Impact, Traxxas T-Maxx, Stone Crusher, Excaliber & Mopar Magic Current Driver of Grave Digger #23
Former Owner/Driver of Carolina Crusher Current Driver of Grave Digger #25
Current Driver of Grave Digger #18
Has also drove Safe Auto Minimizer, Pastrana 199, Ragin' Steel(On One of Brian Barthel's chassis), Monster Mutt Dalmatian Current Driver of Grave Digger #24
He also drove Blue Ribbon Bandit, Wild Thang, Sting and "Built Ford Tough" Blue Thunder. Tony has been to several Monster Jam World Finals.
Digger’s Dungeon,[6] located in Poplar Branch, North Carolina, is the official home of Grave Digger. Besides the usual gift shop, there is a Grave Digger located outside for photographs, as well as a truck that one can sit in within the shop. There are also various pieces of other Grave Diggers hanging throughout the store, all of which have been damaged from various accidents. While there is plenty of merchandise for sale, these parts are not.
Digger’s Dungeon is set to host the 2010 No Limit R/C Monster Truck World Finals. Taking place from May 28-May 30, the World Finals is the largest RC Monster Truck Race in the world.
In 2009, Feld Motor Sports (the company that owns the Grave Digger brand) announced a contest whose winner would win a catered party, including the appearance of Grave Digger and its principle driver, Dennis Anderson.[7] The winner of the 2009 sweepstakes was Randy Conrad of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. At its height, the party had over 70 people in attendance.
The 2010 Digger Block Party sweepstakes started on October 6, 2009 and ran until July 18, 2010. The winner received a prize package totaling around US $11,850 dollars, including the visit from Grave Digger and Anderson, as well as catering, prizes, a DJ, and party equipment.
All monster trucks are custom built and can cost anywhere from $250,000 and have up to $100,000 worth of spare parts.
Engines alone cost around $35,000. Engines are regulated at 575 cubic inches and use 2 to 2.5 gallons of methanol per run.
Tires are 66 inches (1,700 mm) tall and 43 inches (1,100 mm) wide and cost an average of $1,800 per tire.
Shocks kits contain spring and shocks and can run around $1,500 to $2,000 each.
Body and Paint Bodies are made out of durable rough fiberglass. Custom bodies such as the ones used in Monster trucks cost $20,000 to make and mold and decrease in price for every remake of the original. Paint jobs are a combination of custom artwork, logos and lettering that can cost up to $7,000.
Budget and Repairs Between the cost of repairs, routine maintenance, fuel, drivers, pit crew, and equipment can cost $120,000 or higher each year.
Size An average Monster truck weighs about 10,000 to 12,000 pounds (4,500 to 5,400 kg). They are usually 11 ft (3.4 m) tall and 12 ft (3.7 m) wide.
Speed Monster trucks are built for short bursts of speed and power. Engines average about 1,500 horsepower (1,100 kW) that can be used for jumps and quick maneuvering.
Safety Every Monster truck is equipped with 3 safety shut offs. The driver has one on the inside of the truck; another is clearly marked on the rear of the truck; and an official holds a remote kill switch in case the safety of onlookers is compromised. In every truck the driver is required to wear a five-point safety harness, helmet, fireproof suit, gloves and a HANS (Head And Neck Support) device.
Magnaflow performance exhaust was selected to develop a muffler that would allow maximum performance, and still deliver that killer sound, but be environmentally friendly.
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