Monster Jam World Finals
The Monster Jam World Finals is an annual monster truck event that is the championship event of the Monster Jam series, consisting of racing and freestyle competitions, with the winner of each considered the World Champion in that competition for the past year. It is the highest profile monster truck event and draws tremendous media attention. It was held in late March at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Monster Jam World Finals XIX on March 23–24, 2018 was the last World Finals held at the stadium. Starting in 2019, the plan was to rotate venues each year, but instead it was decided the World Finals would be held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida going forward.
Background
Originally, 16 trucks were invited to compete in the event, but 20 trucks were selected in 2005, 24 selected from 2006–2012, 28 in 2013, and 32 trucks from 2014–present. For the first 14 years of the Monster Jam World Finals, the Racing Championship and Freestyle Championship were held on the same night. From 2014–2017, however, the event expanded to a 3-day format with Double Down on Thursday, the Racing Championship on Friday, and the Freestyle Championship on Saturday. In 2018 the World Finals will move back to a 2-day format with the Double Down festivities and Racing Championship all taking place on Friday, and the Freestyle Championship on Saturday, with qualifying going back to a private event only for drivers and staff on Thursday. Trucks and drivers are selected based on their performances over the winter season on the FS1 Championship Series, Triple Threat Series, and other events from January into early March. When multiple drivers of the same team or truck are selected, they were typically placed in other trucks, e.g. Pablo Huffaker won the 2007 Freestyle Championship driving Captain's Curse and Charlie Pauken won the 2010 Freestyle Championship driving Monster Mutt. Since 2015, however, most drivers have driven their own trucks but with different paint schemes and flags sporting the drivers' names. This approach has allowed there to be multiple trucks of the same team in the main field, which has led to some controversy among fans. While only 32 trucks compete for the World Racing and Freestyle Championships, and only 16 trucks compete for the Double Down Showdown Championship, there are over 100 trucks that are invited to be on display at the Pit Party festivities during the event.The stature of the event leads to extreme performances in both competitions. The racing track, being about 884 feet in length, starts in the parking lot behind the locker rooms of the stadium and features a long straight-away offering speeds over 70 mph before a hair-pin turn. The freestyle track layout is typically the most extreme all season with several large and unique obstacles often producing spectacular air, saves, crashes and other jaw-dropping tricks. Beginning in 2014 with the new 3-day format, the track has been specifically designed for each individual competition. The track is first built to attribute Racing, but upon its completion on Friday night, the track construction crew completely rebuilds the track overnight for Freestyle on Saturday. The event typically featured 7 judges with the lowest and highest scores discarded in regulation for a maximum possible score of 45. Beginning in 2014, the judges could give half points as opposed to only giving whole points to further distinguish and separate each freestyle run. The scoring was updated in 2017 where all the fans inside Sam Boyd Stadium got to be the judges. After each driver's run, everyone had 20 seconds to lock in a score from 1–10 using 0.25 increments through Monster Jam's official judging website. The fan scores would then be averaged out to give a final score for the freestyle run; for example: 6.328.
No truck has ever got the maximum score of 45. The high score is 40 and was set by Dennis Anderson in Grave Digger in 2000.
In the history of the Monster Jam World Finals Freestyle Championship, only once has a driver successfully defended his title the following year: Tom Meents driving Goldberg in 2001 and Team Meents in 2002.
In 2004, if a driver flipped over within the first 30 seconds of their run, they would be allowed to roll back over and continue depending on if the truck was still able to go. This rule was only active that year.
Some fans consider the Monster Jam World Finals unfair, because its invitation-only participants are not officially selected based on performance scores earned during the prior season. Another controversy is that the event's parent company, Feld Motorsports, owns a majority of the trucks that are invited to participate. Additionally, most of the participant drivers are based in the United States. However, this selection bias is often countered by the fact that Monster Jam organizes a world tour.
Until 2011, the teams qualified for racing with no body on the chassis so they would not be damaged if an accident was to occur, although some drivers kept the front hood on in order to give them a point of view as if they were racing with the body on. However, from 2012–present, all teams had to qualify with full bodies on. Each driver gets 2 practice runs, one in the left lane and one in the right lane, in order to give them a feel of the track in both lanes. Also starting in 2012, Feld Motorsports added a new competition to the World Finals as part of the Double Down experience called the Young Guns Shootout, where 8 competitors with no prior World Finals experience compete in racing for the title of Young Guns Shootout Champion. The Young Guns Shootout field expanded to 12 trucks in 2013, 14 trucks in 2014, and 16 trucks from 2015–present. Whoever is crowned The Young Guns Shootout Champion receives the final spot in the field of 32 trucks to compete for the World Racing Championship and World Freestyle Championship. In 2017 the Young Guns Shootout was renamed the Double Down Showdown and the winner would be named the Double Down Showdown Champion, still receiving the 32nd and final spot in the World Finals main field. The Double Down Showdown is no longer an event just for rookies, as it now allows indies and other trucks of that matter.
World Champions
Young Guns Shootout/Double Down Showdown Champions
Madness "World Finals 0" (Unofficial) — April 3, 1999
| Truck | Driver |
| Avenger | Jim Koehler |
| Bear Foot | Brian Womack |
| Bustin Loose | Ron Nelson |
| Bulldozer | Tom Meents |
| Cyborg | Jack Koberna |
| Carolina Crusher | Gary Porter |
| Equalizer | David Morris |
| Executioner | Mark Hall |
| Grave Digger #12 | Dennis Anderson |
| Gunslinger | Scott Hartsock |
| King Krunch | Scott Stephens |
| Little Tiger | Brian Barthel |
| Monster Patrol | Paul Shafer |
| Mountaineer | Robbie Grey |
| Reptoid | Jim Jack |
| Samson | Dan Patrick |
Racing
World Finals I — March 25, 2000
Racing
Freestyle
World Finals II — March 24, 2001
Racing
Freestyle
World Finals III — March 23, 2002
Racing
Freestyle
World Finals IV — March 22, 2003
Racing
Freestyle
World Finals V — March 20, 2004
Racing
Freestyle
World Finals VI — March 19, 2005
Racing
Freestyle
World Finals VII — March 25, 2006
Racing
Freestyle
World Finals VIII — March 24, 2007
Racing
Freestyle
Encore
5 25th Anniversary Grave Diggers commemorate Grave Digger's 25th anniversary.World Finals IX — March 28–29, 2008
Racing
Freestyle
Encore
Between Rounds 1 and 2:Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle freestyle
After Event:
Backwards Bob and Spitfire debut in a dual-freestyle. Maximum Destruction freestyle with a similar crash to the one earlier in the night.
World Finals X — March 27–28, 2009
Racing
Freestyle
Encore
Maximum Destruction attempts a successful backflip, which results in a 1½ backflip by Tom Meents.World Finals XI — March 26–27, 2010
Racing
Freestyle
Encores
10 trucks freestyle to celebrate 10 years of Monster Jam World Finals:Scarlet Bandit - Dawn Creten,
The Patriot - Dan Rodoni,
CULT Energy Activator - Sean Duhon,
Wrecking Crew - Chris Bergeron,
Blue Thunder - Frank Krmel,
Madusa - Madusa,
Mohawk Warrior - George Balhan,
Dennis Anderson, Ryan Anderson and Adam Anderson triple freestyle. At the end of the encore, Dennis' Grave Digger and Ryan Anderson in the red pickup Grave Digger collide in the air after jumping off a steep ramp.
World Finals XII — March 25–26, 2011
Racing
Freestyle
Encore
All 3 Advance Auto Parts Grinder drivers in their trucks.All 3 Maximum Destruction drivers in their trucks.
Ryan Anderson debuts Son-Uva Digger and completes a successful backflip in the truck.
World Finals XIII — March 23–24, 2012
Racing
Young Guns Shootout
The Young Guns Shootout is when drivers with less than 2 years of experience will compete in Las Vegas. It is Friday Night at the Double Down.The qualifiers are...
| Truck | Driver |
| Iron Man | Scott Buetow |
| Stone Crusher | Morgan Kane |
| Titan | Donald Epidendio |
| TMNT | Joey Parnell |
| AAP Grinder | Nicole Johnson |
| Razin Kane | J.R. McNeal |
| Spider-Man | Bari Musawwir |
| El Toro Loco | Becky McDonough |
Freestyle
Encore
Seven Grave Digger trucks competed to celebrate 30 Years of Grave Digger. Four black 30th Anniversary Grave Diggers were driven by Pablo Huffaker, Chad Tingler, Gary Porter and Ryan Anderson; Grave Digger The Legend - Adam Anderson; "Grandma" Digger - Charlie Pauken; and the Purple 30th Anniversary Grave Digger - Dennis Anderson. Note: Ryan Anderson broke his neck when four of the seven Diggers performed backflips and was sidelined until Minneapolis, Minnesota, in December 2012.World Finals XIV – March 22–23, 2013
Racing
| Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Semi-Finals | Championship Race | Semi-Finals | Round 3 | Round 2 | Round 1 |
| Max-D | Max-D | Max-D | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | Stone Crusher | Captain's Curse | ||
| Northern Nightmare | Northern Nightmare | Max-D | Max-D | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | Stone Crusher | Stone Crusher | Stone Crusher |
| Team Hot Wheels Firestorm | Northern Nightmare | Max-D | Max-D | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | Stone Crusher | Stone Crusher | Scooby Doo |
| Grave Digger #20 | Grave Digger #20 | Son-uva Digger | Max-D | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | El Toro Loco | El Toro Loco | El Toro Loco |
| Bad Habit | Grave Digger #20 | Son-uva Digger | Max-D | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | El Toro Loco | El Toro Loco | Superman |
| Son-uva Digger | Son-uva Digger | Son-uva Digger | Max-D | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | El Toro Loco | Monster Mutt | Monster Mutt |
| Advance Auto Parts Grinder | Son-uva Digger | Son-uva Digger | Max-D | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | El Toro Loco | Monster Mutt | Madusa |
| Grave Digger The Legend | Grave Digger The Legend | Grave Digger The Legend | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | Spider-Man | Bounty Hunter | Bounty Hunter | Bounty Hunter |
| Monster Energy | Grave Digger The Legend | Grave Digger The Legend | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | Spider-Man | Bounty Hunter | Bounty Hunter | Zombie |
| Mohawk Warrior | Mohawk Warrior | Grave Digger The Legend | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | Spider-Man | Bounty Hunter | Metal Mulisha | Metal Mulisha |
| Monster Mutt Dalmatian | Mohawk Warrior | Grave Digger The Legend | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | Spider-Man | Bounty Hunter | Metal Mulisha | Batman |
| Lucas Oil Crusader | Captain America | Blue Thunder | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | Spider-Man | Spider-Man | Spider-Man | Spider-Man |
| Captain America | Captain America | Blue Thunder | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | Spider-Man | Spider-Man | Spider-Man | Avenger |
| Blue Thunder | Blue Thunder | Grave Digger The Legend | El Toro Loco | Spider-Man | Spider-Man | Iron Man |
Freestyle
EncoreNeil Elliott, Kreg Christensen, Chuck Werner and Tom Meents in 4 Max-D trucks. Neil, Kreg and Chuck perform back-flips together; Tom Meents comes out in his Max-D truck being lifted off a Max-D dump truck, and performs the first successful double backflip. This celebrated 10 Years of Maximum Destruction.World Finals XV — March 20–22, 2014RacingFreestyleEncoreRacing Encore: Young Guns do donuts and Marvel Trucks do backflips.Freestyle Encore:Six Doom's Day Trucks come out and all perform backflips. World Finals XVI — March 26–28, 2015Racing
Young Guns Shootout
FreestyleEncoreYoung Guns Shootout: All of the Young Guns came out for a donut performance, while New Earth Authority and El Diablo perform backflips.Racing: many of the Young Guns do a donut performance, Dragon, El Toro Loco and NEA do a train jump over the center stack. Freestyle - Different Zombie monster trucks go out and crash into each other while hauling dead bodies. Each Zombie truck has a different look: two original Zombies, one Red Zombie, one Yellow Zombie, one Green Zombie, and one White Zombie . World Finals XVII — March 17–19, 2016Racing BracketFreestyleYoung Guns Shootout
Racing BracketWorld Finals XVIII — March 23–25, 2017RacingFreestyleRandy Brown replaced Cole Venard for Cole leaving Team Grave Digger, and moving with his family.Alex Blackwell replaced Justin Sipes for undisclosed reasons. Double Down Showdown
EncoreDouble Down Showdown: All of the Showdown competitors came out for a donut performance.Racing: Neil Elliott came out in the Monster Jam 25th Anniversary truck and did a forward momentum backflip over Son-uva Digger. All competing and non-competing trucks came out on the track to salute the fans for being a part of Monster Jam for 25 years. Freestyle: Adam Anderson, Ryan Anderson, Krysten Anderson and the rest of the Grave Digger team came out and freestyled for Grave Digger's 35th Anniversary. Dennis Anderson announced his retirement from monster truck racing. World Finals XIX — March 23–24, 2018The 2018 Monster Jam World Finals took place at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 23–24, 2018. World Finals XIX moved back to a 2-day format. However, the Racing Championship and Freestyle Championship were still separated between Friday and Saturday respectively, with the Double Down Showdown taking place on Friday night before Racing. This was the last World Finals to take place in Las Vegas.RacingBracketFreestyleDouble Down Showdown
Double Down Racing BracketBracketEncoreRacing: Tom Meents, Neil Elliott, Colton Eichelberger, Chuck Werner, and Jared Eichelberger each came out in their own separate Max-D trucks to help celebrate Max-D's 15th anniversary. A new black Max-D paint scheme was unveiled during the encore as well. Chuck drove the original Maximum Destruction, Neil drove the Candy Apple Red Max-D, Colton drove the Gold Max-D, Jared drove the normal Max-D, and Tom debuted the new Black Max-D. Each truck did different tricks throughout the encore as well.Freestyle: The three new Rampage trucks came out and hit a series of buildings set up for the trucks. Two Soldier Fortune trucks came out to reprimand Ralph and Lizzie. The three Rampage trucks then did their own backflips, with George almost completing a double backflip. Afterwards, all the Racing competitors, Freestyle competitors, Double Down competitors, and display trucks came out and flooded the track. World Finals XX — May 10–11, 2019The 2019 Monster Jam World Finals took place at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, May 10–11, 2019.Originally, MetLife Stadium was announced to host World Finals XX, but a scheduling change prevented them from hosting. World Finals XX was the first World Finals outside of Las Vegas. The new location was announced on September 5, 2018. The number of trucks reverted to 24, like it was from 2006–2012. Showdown
RacingFreestyleGreat Clips 2 Wheel Skills Challenge
High Jump
Speedster Racing
ATV Racing
Speedster Obstacle Course
World Finals XXIThe 2020 Monster Jam World Finals were scheduled to take place at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida for the second straight year on May 2–3, 2020. On March 27, 2020, the event was cancelled due to public health concerns regarding the international coronavirus pandemic. This is the first time in Monster Jam history that the World Finals were cancelled. |