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Heading to Monster Jam in Atlanta? Here’s what to know about the Pit Party, show experience and what families can expect at EchoPark Speedway.
ATLANTA — Monster Jam is returning to metro Atlanta this weekend, bringing high-flying stunts, roaring engines and a full day of activities for families at EchoPark Speedway.
Before the trucks hit the dirt, ThunderROARus driver Colt Stephens spoke with 11Alive on the scale of the experience and what makes the full event stand out.
“There’s no doubt my truck stands out,” Stephens said. “It’s got teeth, the jaw opens, it’s a 3D body, so it looks like a big giant steel T-Rex.”
Stephens has been driving since 2014 and said Monster Jam has been part of his life long before he got behind the wheel.
“I’m a second generation, actually,” he said. “My dad paved the way for me in the beginning.”
His father, Scott Stephens, was among the pioneers of the sport with the King Krunch truck, and Colt said he has been around Monster Jam since he was just two weeks old.
What fans can expect at Monster Jam in Atlanta this weekend
For younger fans, Stephens said the day really comes in two parts: first, seeing the trucks up close at the Pit Party, which costs extra.
“You gotta come to the pit party if you’re coming,” he said. “You gotta see the trucks up close and personal. That’s the big difference.”
At the Pit Party, fans can get up close to the trucks, meet drivers and see parts of the course before the competition begins. Stephens said there is also plenty for families to do before the main event, including ride trucks, RC cars, and other activities.
“They’re just in awe,” he said. “They don’t comprehend how a truck could be so big.”
Often, while holding toy versions in their hands, Stephens said it’s incredible to see kids get up close to the trucks, then watch those same trucks move in ways they only thought possible on their play mats.
“It looks like the kid’s actually out there playing with it,” Stephens said.
Stephens said setting up for big jumps and backflips is a constant mix of momentum, timing and control.
“I wanna keep high momentum, I want to keep big air,” he said. “It’s a 12,000-pound truck that’s flying 30 feet in the air, so you gotta keep the truck together for two full minutes during freestyle.”
He said drivers also have to stay in sync with the crew chief, communicating what they feel in the truck so adjustments can be made before and during competition.
“The biggest thing, too, is being able to communicate what’s going on with the truck to your crew chief,” Stephens said. “So, telling them what you feel in the truck.”
For Stephens, the goal is to go huge without losing control.
“My favorite thing to do is go as big as possible, big air, try and send the truck to the moon, and to see how far we can actually go,” he said.
How Atlanta’s Monster Jam stop is bringing it back to basics
Stephens said Atlanta’s speedway setup is part of what could make this weekend’s show feel different from a typical Monster Jam event.
“Expect the unexpected,” he said. “Atlanta is going to be wild.”
He said the layout stands out because Monster Jam does not visit many speedways anymore, making Atlanta a return to a style of competition that feels closer to the sport’s earlier days.
For Stephens, that is part of the appeal. He said the larger track and the addition of grass could create a very different kind of show than fans might see inside a stadium.
And one other cool detail about the show — it’s that the fans will help decide how it all plays out. Fans can download an app and score the drivers.
”I’m out there to go as big as I can to make sure the fans have a good time because I need all the tens they got, they score it,” Stephens said.
11Alive will be at EchoPark Speedway on Saturday, following my 4-year-old niece’s first full Monster Jam day. She’s a self-described fan of “the loud stuff,” and while it will be her first Pit Party, it will be her second time seeing the main event.
Monster Jam Atlanta Weekend Event details
Monster Jam returns to EchoPark Speedway, 1500 Tara Place in Hampton, on April 11-12. Saturday’s schedule includes the Pit Party at 12:30 p.m., doors at 3 p.m., Trackside at 4 p.m. and the main event at 5 p.m. On Sunday, the Pit Party begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by doors at 1:30 p.m., Trackside at 2 p.m. and the main event at 3 p.m.
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