Photos credited to Eric Stern of MonsterJam.com
In the last year, the Anderson name in Monster Jam has expanded to more than just one man. Dennis Anderson has been the face of the Grave Digger since 1982, but recently his oldest son, Adam, has made his mark on the sport.
Adam won a world championship in 2008 driving the Tasmanian Devil, but this year he joined his father driving a Grave Digger truck. His truck though looked a lot like the truck his dad originally drove in the mid-1980s. A blue and silver Ford Panel Van named Grave Digger the Legend is what Adam now proudly calls his machine.
But there was one last Anderson in the family that was eager to come out. That was Dennis' youngest son, Ryan.
He was ready to run years ago, but couldn't because of his age. Finally, last year, he debuted driving the Monster Mutt, earning Rookie of the Year at season's end. But, he wanted to bring his own take to the Grave Digger team.
Already making a splash in a mud truck with the same name, Ryan worked constantly on his new truck, making sure it had all the right equipment, and felt like it was the superb truck on the track. He wanted to bring his version of his father's truck to the track. Ryan's truck was titled "Son Uva Digger."
It was set to debut at the beginning of the year...but tragedy struck.
Ryan was involved in a bad accident riding dirt bikes, breaking his arm. The recovery would take longer than expected, but the dream didn't go away. He was determined to get the truck ready for one event, one moment, and one debut.
People were suspicious as the Monster Jam World Finals began approaching. With last year's event having some debuts, including Ryan being on the track with his father and brother, everyone was wondering what this year's event could bring.
As the night wore on, the Anderson family had a night that they would rather forget. Dennis blew the motor in his main Grave Digger truck in racing, forcing him to a backup truck which he had never sit in for freestyle. Adam continued his run of bad luck as his truck broke on a wild save.
Fans knew it was a bad night as neither Anderson had a championship to their name.
With freestyle over, it was time to run the encore. It began with three Grinder trucks, then went to three Maximum Destruction machines, appropriately crashing in the middle.
But then, the focus turned to the video screen at Sam Boyd Stadium. A skull appeared with bolts running down the center. Fans cheered with excitement, as a video showcased the process that began last year, and the setbacks that came.
His determination came through, and the time had come, on the biggest stage in monster trucks, for Ryan to bring out his truck and perform for the fans.
There was no grave yard, there was no ghost, and no haunted house in the distance. Out came an older style Jeep, realistic blue flames on the roof and hood. A skull behind the window with the moon behind a tree amidst a sea of purple clouds.
The grave yard was replaced with a junk yard, complete with cars, dirt, and monster trucks either destroyed or buried. It was his concept, and his time had come.
Ryan came out and everyone could have swore it was his father driving, because the run he put on was one that every member of the Anderson family could be proud of.
Momentum, speed, big air, every obstacle touched, and Ryan was feeling comfortable in the seat.
But, he wanted to end with an excalmation point. Already in the night during freestyle, five trucks went for the move. Three failed, one went too far, and one used the throttle to land.
Ryan wanted to make his mark on the event, and he did just that. After going over the bus mountain, then the car plateau, he nailed the backside of the trailer jump that was stuffed with cars, hitting the throttle full force. The truck rotated perfectly, as Ryan pulled off a complete backflip, landing on all four tires.
He kept going for two more moves, with the brake rotors glowing like the Vegas neon lights.
When his truck stopped, the fans gave the young man a standing ovation, and Ryan climbed out of the truck to the admiration of his fans, and his peers.
Dennis and Adam came out, giving the youngest driver in the family a hug as he gave the fans what they couldn't, a full run that left the fans in awe.
The old cliche in Monster Jam is no one remembers who won racing, but everyone remembers who won freestyle. That cannot be said this year.
No one is talking about Tom Meents winning his ninth championship in Maximum Destruction when he beat Bounty Hunter. Not one person is talking about how Cam McQueen and Jim Koehler tied in freestyle, with two tie-breakers needing to give Koehler his second championship in Avenger.
This year's World Finals in Las Vegas will be remembered for one young man, one single run, and one debut that will live on in the record books as one of the greatest runs in the history of the event.
Ryan Anderson has arrived, and he is ready to make his mark in Monster Jam.
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