At 27, Tristan England is not only a legacy monster truck driver – he’s becoming one of the best in the business.
“Right now, we’re in the lead when it comes to the standings,” he says. “It’s really cool because we’ve put in a lot of hard work to get where we’re at.”
England will be one of the many drivers who will compete in Monster Jam when it arrives at Tingley Coliseum on Friday, March 17, through Sunday, March 19.
England will be piloting Earth Shaker.
Monster Jam drivers are trained, world-class male and female athletes who have mastered not only the physical strength and mental stamina needed to compete, but the vital dexterity to control 12,000-pound machines capable of doing backflips, vertical two-wheel skills and racing at speeds up to 70 miles-per-hour to produce jaw-dropping, live motorsports action seen around the world.
The Arena Championship Series West features eight skilled athletes fighting for the championship while putting on a spectacle, constantly innovating and always entertaining.
Krysten Anderson, in the legendary Grave Digger, aims to repeat as series champion. Elvis Lainez grabs the bull by the horns behind the wheel of El Toro Loco.
“I’ve been driving for about eight years,” England says. “I started with my dad when he was driving the Big Kahuna.”
England went to Monster Jam University, where he learned of what it takes to be successful in the business.
“My experience was a little different than others because I was getting in during a down time,” he says. “All of the people teaching know my dad and compared me to him from the start. What I love about Monster Jam is that we have more women drivers participating. It continues to grow and challenge the teams, all the while providing entertainment for the crowds.”
In less than a decade, England has made his own mark.
He won back-to-back tour championships in 2018 and 2019 and describes himself as “a crazy adrenaline junkie that never sits still.”
England also won the award for Stadium 2-Wheel in 2021 and captured Arena 2-Wheel in 2019.
“It’s always fun to drive in front of an audience because I remember watching my dad compete,” England says. “Now I’m a father and I want my son to have a similar experience. I wish I could bring him out to Monster Jam more, but when I’m here it’s all about work. He wants to follow in my footsteps and that’s amazing because he would be getting into the family business.”
England says he was the first pilot of Earth Shaker back in 2017.
“It was a new no-name truck that potentially could have went any way,” he says. “We took it to Vegas for the finals and the Double Down Showdown for rookies and that’s where I made a name for myself in the fleet of drivers.”
England’s also looking forward to returning to Albuquerque’s Tingley Coliseum for the show.
“That arena is perfect for Monster Jam,” he says. “The dirt is nice and that makes a huge difference.”
