Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- The Carrier Dome has been transformed into one huge dirt pit filled with giant trucks and it’s all ready for
Monster Jam on Saturday.
Before the big event, NewsChannel 9 spent some time behind the scenes with the star of the show and the man behind the wheel of Grave Digger.
You’ve probably heard of the world famous Grave Digger. Dennis Anderson is the man behind the legend. His dream started back in 1982 in an old garage in North Carolina. His racing competitors back then had the advantage of high tech equipment.
It’s back then that Anderson said, “I’ll take all this old junk and dig you a grave. And I painted Grave Digger on the side of an old 1951 Ford truck I had and that’s how I got started.”
Known for his aggressive driving style, Anderson has built up a fleet of grave digger trucks meant for short bursts of power and speed to carry him through his daring maneuvers.
Grave Digger weighs 10,000 pounds. Anderson sits in a seat on top of, and a little in front of, an engine that has 1,500 horsepower.
“You’re sitting up high and you can see across, but let me tell you, sitting up that tall and when you air this baby out, you feel like you’re flying to the moon,” Anderson told NewsChannel 9.
Anderson says the monster truck drivers have come to know the Dome as the “loud house” and Central New York is a place he’s always had a soft spot for.
“I have some hard core, true blue Grave Digger fans here. I’m not kidding you. I have been coming to Syracuse for years,” Anderson said. "As far as coming here and performing, I love the track and I just love to show off and I want to be the man! I want to be the man that kicks everybody's butt right here in front of all my fans."
Anderson will have his chance this Saturday in front of more than 30,000 people who are expected to pack the Dome for this monstrous event.
Tickets are still available through Ticketmaster, or at the door. Doors open at 2 p.m. Parking is available at Manley or Skytop.
More information on parking can be found HERE.
